Table of contents
Volume 457 Number 7232 pp935-1046
In this issue (19 February 2009)
Also this week
(this content only available online) indicates content that is available online only
Editorials
Collective responsibilities p935
China should stop discouraging scientists from setting up learned societies.
doi:10.1038/457935a
Identity crisis p935
It is time for all involved to tackle the chronic scandal of cell-line contamination. Funders first.
doi:10.1038/457935b
Overhead hazards p936
How to keep Earth orbits usable.
doi:10.1038/457936a
Research Highlights
Geomorphology: On the cusp p938
doi:10.1038/457938a
Assisted colonization: Flitter further north p938
doi:10.1038/457938b
Ecology: Perils of monoculture p938
doi:10.1038/457938c
Micromechanics: Bacterial spin doctors p938
doi:10.1038/457938d
Evolution: All for self p938
doi:10.1038/457938e
Genetics: Rodent resistance p938
doi:10.1038/457938f
Zoology: Restless rodents p939
doi:10.1038/457939a
Atmospheric science: Ozone in a warming world p939
doi:10.1038/457939b
Networks: Know a good dentist? p939
doi:10.1038/457939c
Cancer biology: Room to breathe p939
doi:10.1038/457939d
News
Kaputnik chaos could kill Hubble p940
Worst-ever orbital collision leads to calls for tighter regulation.
Geoff Brumfiel & Roberta Kwok
doi:10.1038/457940a
Tumours spark stem-cell review p941
Russian treatment linked to cancerous growths.
Monya Baker
doi:10.1038/457941a
Medical research scores big in US stimulus bill p942
Congress votes to give generous boosts to other agencies too.
Eric Hand & Meredith Wadman
doi:10.1038/457942a
John Holdren: adviser on science, fish and wine p942
Confirmation for Obama's candidate.
Jeff Tollefson
doi:10.1038/457942b
Rethinking silk's origins p945
Did the Indian subcontinent start spinning without Chinese know-how?
Philip Ball
doi:10.1038/457945a
European disarray on transgenic crops p946
Forthcoming decisions set to bring disagreements to a head.
Alison Abbott
doi:10.1038/457946a
MRI modified for better images p947
Action-at-a-distance offers more spacious machines.
Katharine Sanderson
doi:10.1038/457947a
Developing countries boost spread of GM crops p949
doi:10.1038/457949a
University reforms stall as French protests surge p949
doi:10.1038/457949b
Budget crisis drives Harvard to redundancies p949
doi:10.1038/457949c
Safety precautions delay start-up of hadron collider p949
doi:10.1038/457949d
GSK backs patent pool for neglected diseases p949
doi:10.1038/457949e
Soundbites from Chicago p949
doi:10.1038/457949f
News Features
Conservation: The genome of the American West p950
What does it mean to save a species? For some, preserving the American bison means keeping its genome pure, finds Emma Marris.
doi:10.1038/457950a
Materials science: China's crystal cache p953
A Chinese laboratory is the only source of a valuable crystal. David Cyranoski investigates why it won't share its supplies.
doi:10.1038/457953a
Correspondence
Scientists on Turkey's banknotes should inspire young minds p956
Renad Zhdanov
doi:10.1038/457956a
Protecting the Hawaiian akepa population p956
J. Michael Scott, Jon S. Horne & Edward O. Garton
doi:10.1038/457956b
Evolutionary gems of the plant world shine just as brightly p956
Alexandru M. F. Tomescu
doi:10.1038/457956c
Commentaries
Recession Watch: How to survive the recession p957
The global economic downturn brings both predicament and promise. How will science fare and what role should scientists play on the long road back to recovery and growth? Ten of the world's leading thinkers and practitioners provide analysis, experience and advice.
doi:10.1038/457957a
See also: Editor's summary
Recession Watch: Boost the developing world p958
Directing finance into sustainable infrastructure in the poorest countries helps the whole world, says Jeffrey Sachs.
doi:10.1038/457958a
See also: Editor's summary
Recession Watch: Learn to convince politicians p958
Scientists must be prepared to explain why research budgets need protecting when times are tough, says Ian Taylor.
doi:10.1038/457958b
See also: Editor's summary
Recession Watch: Work for the greater good p959
During the Great Depression, scientists proved to America why researchers are key to nation-building, says Eric Rauchway.
doi:10.1038/457959a
See also: Editor's summary
Recession Watch: No time for nationalism p960
Basic research saw a boost in Japan's last recession. Better global links will help in the current one, say Atsushi Sunami and Kiyoshi Kurokawa.
doi:10.1038/457960a
See also: Editor's summary
Recession Watch: Cut costs and sell what you can p961
Technology start-ups need to trim their sails in rough economic times, says John Browning.
doi:10.1038/457961a
See also: Editor's summary
Recession Watch: Cooperation must rule p962
Navigating an unpredictable world will need different research disciplines to work together as equals, says Noreena Hertz.
doi:10.1038/457962a
See also: Editor's summary
Recession Watch: End the obsession with interest p963
Regulating leverage, not interest rates, is the answer to a troubled economy, says John Geanakoplos.
doi:10.1038/457963a
See also: Editor's summary
Books and Arts
Recession Watch: Old lessons for a new economics p964
Nobel prizewinner Paul Krugman's updated analysis of past economic crises teaches us that recovery now will require more than a new set of rules, explains Bill Emmott.
Bill Emmott
doi:10.1038/457964a
Recession Watch: Investing in the environment p965
Gail Whiteman reviews Sustainable Investing: The Art of Long-Term Performance
doi:10.1038/457965a
In search of adventure p966
Neil Shubin reviews Remarkable Creatures: Epic Adventures in the Search for the Origin of Species by Sean B. Carroll
doi:10.1038/457966a
Q&A: Building on paradise p967
Communicating the ideas of evolution is as much a challenge now as it was 150 years ago. In the wake of his recent BBC television programme, Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life, naturalist and broadcaster David Attenborough tackles those who challenge evolution head on.
Adam Rutherford
doi:10.1038/457967a
News and Views
Carbon cycle: Sink in the African jungle p969
Apparently pristine African tropical forests are increasing in tree biomass, making them net absorbers of carbon dioxide. Is this a sign of atmospheric change, or of recovery from past trauma?
Helene C. Muller-Landau
doi:10.1038/457969a
See also: Editor's summary
Neuroscience: Good and bad cell death p970
Neurodegeneration often has disease connotations. However, it is also a developmental process for fine sculpting of the nervous system. One signalling cascade might mediate the process in both circumstances.
Donald W. Nicholson
doi:10.1038/457970a
See also: Editor's summary
Medical imaging: MRI rides the wave p971
An innovative approach for exciting and detecting signals in magnetic resonance imaging not only improves image quality but also enables radical changes in scanner design by freeing up space around the patient.
Paul Glover & Richard Bowtell
doi:10.1038/457971a
See also: Editor's summary
50 & 100 years ago p972
doi:10.1038/457972a
Taxonomy: Three into one will go p973
Striking instances of larval metamorphosis, and of adult sexual dimorphism, are not uncommon in the animal world. But especially dramatic examples of these phenomena have emerged from the deep sea.
Rory Howlett
doi:10.1038/457973a
Materials science: Let assemblies bloom p974
Stefano Tonzani
doi:10.1038/457974a
See also: Editor's summary
Molecular biology: The long and short of RNAs p974
The known world of RNA is expanding faster than that of any other cellular building block. The latest additions are types of long and short non-coding RNAs formed by bidirectional transcription and unusual processing.
Piero Carninci
doi:10.1038/457974b
See also: Editor's summary
Obituary: Frederic Richards (1925–2009) p976
Pioneer in studies of protein structure and function.
Robert O. Fox
doi:10.1038/457976a
Hypothesis
A hierarchical model for evolution of 23S ribosomal RNA p977
Konstantin Bokov & Sergey V. Steinberg
doi:10.1038/nature07749
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (613K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Article
APP binds DR6 to trigger axon pruning and neuron death via distinct caspases p981
Anatoly Nikolaev, Todd McLaughlin, Dennis D. M. O'Leary & Marc Tessier-Lavigne
doi:10.1038/nature07767
Abstract | Full Text | PDF (1,685K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Nicholson
Letters
Massive star formation within the Leo 'primordial' ring p990
David A. Thilker, Jennifer Donovan, David Schiminovich, Luciana Bianchi, Samuel Boissier, Armando Gil de Paz, Barry F. Madore, D. Christopher Martin & Mark Seibert
doi:10.1038/nature07780
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (1,187K)
See also: Editor's summary
Travelling-wave nuclear magnetic resonance p994
David O. Brunner, Nicola De Zanche, Jürg Fröhlich, Jan Paska & Klaas P. Pruessmann
doi:10.1038/nature07752
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (672K)
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Glover & Bowtell
Magnetic assembly of colloidal superstructures with multipole symmetry p999
Randall M. Erb, Hui S. Son, Bappaditya Samanta, Vincent M. Rotello & Benjamin B. Yellen
doi:10.1038/nature07766
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (660K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Tonzani
Increasing carbon storage in intact African tropical forests p1003
Simon L. Lewis, Gabriela Lopez-Gonzalez, Bonaventure Sonké, Kofi Affum-Baffoe, Timothy R. Baker, Lucas O. Ojo, Oliver L. Phillips, Jan M. Reitsma, Lee White, James A. Comiskey, Marie-Noël Djuikouo K, Corneille E. N. Ewango, Ted R. Feldpausch, Alan C. Hamilton, Manuel Gloor, Terese Hart, Annette Hladik, Jon Lloyd, Jon C. Lovett, Jean-Remy Makana, Yadvinder Malhi, Frank M. Mbago, Henry J. Ndangalasi, Julie Peacock, Kelvin S.-H. Peh, Douglas Sheil, Terry Sunderland, Michael D. Swaine, James Taplin, David Taylor, Sean C. Thomas, Raymond Votere & Hannsjörg Wöll
doi:10.1038/nature07771
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (212K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Muller-Landau
Nodal signalling is involved in left–right asymmetry in snails p1007
Cristina Grande & Nipam H. Patel
doi:10.1038/nature07603
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (613K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Detecting influenza epidemics using search engine query data p1012
Jeremy Ginsberg, Matthew H. Mohebbi, Rajan S. Patel, Lynnette Brammer, Mark S. Smolinski & Larry Brilliant
doi:10.1038/nature07634
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (192K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Synaptic depression enables neuronal gain control p1015
Jason S. Rothman, Laurence Cathala, Volker Steuber & R. Angus Silver
doi:10.1038/nature07604
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (939K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
The Fas–FADD death domain complex structure unravels signalling by receptor clustering p1019
Fiona L. Scott,
Boguslaw Stec,
Cristina Pop,
Ma
gorzata K. Dobaczewska,
JeongEun J. Lee,
Edward Monosov,
Howard Robinson,
Guy S. Salvesen,
Robert Schwarzenbacher
&
Stefan J. Riedl
doi:10.1038/nature07606
PDB code
3D view
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (715K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Artificial nanopores that mimic the transport selectivity of the nuclear pore complex p1023
Tijana Jovanovic-Talisman, Jaclyn Tetenbaum-Novatt, Anna Sophia McKenney, Anton Zilman, Reiner Peters, Michael P. Rout & Brian T. Chait
doi:10.1038/nature07600
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (720K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Post-transcriptional processing generates a diversity of 5'-modified long and short RNAs p1028
Affymetrix/Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory ENCODE Transcriptome Project
doi:10.1038/nature07759
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (455K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Carninci
Bidirectional promoters generate pervasive transcription in yeast p1033
Zhenyu Xu, Wu Wei, Julien Gagneur, Fabiana Perocchi, Sandra Clauder-Münster, Jurgi Camblong, Elisa Guffanti, Françoise Stutz, Wolfgang Huber & Lars M. Steinmetz
doi:10.1038/nature07728
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (1,183K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Carninci
Widespread bidirectional promoters are the major source of cryptic transcripts in yeast p1038
Helen Neil, Christophe Malabat, Yves d'Aubenton-Carafa, Zhenyu Xu, Lars M. Steinmetz & Alain Jacquier
doi:10.1038/nature07747
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (443K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Carninci
Naturejobs
ProspectsLife through a lens p1043
Tackling corporate culture with the help of YouTube.
Gene Russo
doi:10.1038/nj7232-1043a
Career View
Walter Rosenthal, scientific director, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany p1044
Researcher aims to turn basic science into clinical solutions as head of Berlin institute.
Virginia Gewin
doi:10.1038/nj7232-1044a
New centres plan for healthy ageing p1044
US institutes are recruiting scientists and postdocs for ageing research.
Virginia Gewin
doi:10.1038/nj7232-1044b
It takes a lab to raise a child p1044
Getting back to work hasn't been too much of a struggle – yet.
Julia Boughner
doi:10.1038/nj7232-1044c
