Table of contents
Volume 458 Number 7241 pp945-1066
(this content only available online) indicates content that is available online only
Editorials
Wanted: cyber-czars p945
The world needs stronger leadership in safeguarding the security of computation and communication networks. That includes research institutions.
doi:10.1038/458945a
More than hot air p945
The United States has finally acknowledged that global warming is a threat. It must now act on that.
doi:10.1038/458945b
No more catch-up p946
Regulatory agencies need to be more proactive in preparing for avant-garde products.
doi:10.1038/458946a
Research Highlights
Cell biology: Night vision p948
doi:10.1038/458948a
Biochemistry: Hushing the flush p948
doi:10.1038/458948b
Climate change: Network effects p948
doi:10.1038/458948c
Population studies: China needs women p948
doi:10.1038/458948d
Neuroscience: Connecting dementias p948
doi:10.1038/458948e
Circadian rhythms: Magnetic clocks p948
doi:10.1038/458948f
Cognitive psychology: Bilingual baby talk p949
doi:10.1038/458949a
Climate modelling: Soot and warming p949
doi:10.1038/458949b
Evolution: Bitter apple p949
doi:10.1038/458949c
Microbiology: Colony collapse cured? p949
doi:10.1038/458949d
News
Still strict on stem cells p950
Even some Bush-approved cell lines could be denied federal funding.
Meredith Wadman
doi:10.1038/458950a
Pharmaceutical companies join forces on HIV p950
GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer create spin-off to develop new combination drugs.
Declan Butler
doi:10.1038/458950b
Fees delay pharmed drug p951
European trial of 'pharmed' anti-HIV monoclonal delayed by costly regulatory process
Natasha Gilbert
doi:10.1038/458951a
High hopes for US patent reform p952
Lawmakers may be nearing agreement on how to fix the nation's crumbling patent system, reports Heidi Ledford.
Heidi Ledford
doi:10.1038/458952a
FANTOM sees networks in cells p955
Systems biology boosted by RNA-sequencing consortium.
Heidi Ledford
doi:10.1038/458954a
India's electioneers make bold pledges on science p956
Major parties back climate plan, but differ on nuclear policy.
K. S. Jayaraman
doi:10.1038/458956a
Snapshot: Motion detector p956
Radar images home in on source of Italian earthquake.
Lucas Laursen
doi:10.1038/458956b
French life-science alliance unveiled p957
Coordinated approach aims to derive national strategies.
Declan Butler
doi:10.1038/458957a
Australia launches global carbon-capture institute p958
doi:10.1038/458958a
Company offering ethical reviews suspends activity p958
doi:10.1038/458958b
US and Japan to collaborate on stem-cell technology p958
doi:10.1038/458958c
Jailed Iranian AIDS doctors lose court appeal p958
doi:10.1038/458958d
US medical institute invests in undergraduates p958
doi:10.1038/458958e
Germany joins in with maize moratorium p958
doi:10.1038/458958f
News Features
Personal technology: Phoning in data p959
Far from being just an accessory, mobile phones are starting to be used to collect data in an increasing number of disciplines. Roberta Kwok looks into their potential.
doi:10.1038/458959a
Stem cells: Fast and furious p962
The field of induced pluripotent stem cells has gone from standing start to headlong rush in less than three years. Monya Baker charts the course so far, and the obstacles ahead.
doi:10.1038/458962a
Correspondence
Open-access publishing can survive recession p967
Raf Aerts
doi:10.1038/458967a
Crystal growers are being forced to scatter p967
Christian Kloc
doi:10.1038/458967b
Struggle to translate Darwin's view of concurrency p967
U. Kutschera
doi:10.1038/458967c
Commentary
Big Brother has evolved p968
Tracking someone's movements can now be done cheaply and easily, and there are few restrictions on who can monitor whom, says Jerome E. Dobson.
doi:10.1038/458968a
Essay
This title is false p969
Comparing gene networks to Greek philosophy could help biologists to see the truth, argue Mark Isalan and Matthew Morrison.
Mark Isalan & Matthew Morrison
doi:10.1038/458969a
Books and Arts
Final warning from a sceptical prophet p970
In his new book, James Lovelock fears that humanity faces widespread death and mass migration as Earth's systems become further unbalanced by climate change, explains Andrew Watson.
Andrew Watson
doi:10.1038/458970a
Pursuing the infinite p971
Jascha Hoffman reviews Naming Infinity: A True Story of Religious Mysticism and Mathematical Creativity by Loren Graham & Jean-Michel Kantor
doi:10.1038/458971a
The hidden language of cells p972
John Galloway reviews How We Live and Why We Die: The Secret Lives of Cells by Lewis Wolpert
doi:10.1038/458972a
Industrial strength, corroded p973
Jane Qiu reviews Qiu Zhijie: Breaking Through the Ice
doi:10.1038/458973a
Culture dish p973
doi:10.1038/458973b
News and Views
Quantum chemistry: The little molecule that could p975
The creation of diatomic molecules bound by roaming electrons that allow a huge internuclear distance is some achievement. It opens the door to further experimental exploitation of the principles involved.
Chris H. Greene
doi:10.1038/458975a
See also: Editor's summary
Schizophrenia: A point of disruption p976
Much is still to be learned about the molecular basis of mental disorders. The identification of a signalling pathway that is affected in schizophrenia, and which thus provides potential therapeutic targets, is a welcome advance.
Christopher A. Ross & Russell L. Margolis
doi:10.1038/458976a
Global change: China at the carbon crossroads p977
In China, as in other nations that produce carbon dioxide from fossil fuels on a large scale, the terrestrial biosphere mops up a proportion of the emissions. Estimates of the amounts involved are now available.
Kevin Robert Gurney
doi:10.1038/458977a
See also: Editor's summary
Complex systems: Cooperative network dynamics p979
Nested, or hierarchically arranged, mutualisms allow ecosystems to support more species than they otherwise would. But in this and other contexts, the growth of such networks could carry a heavy price.
George Sugihara & Hao Ye
doi:10.1038/458979a
See also: Editor's summary
Neuroscience: Optical control of reward p980
Is it wishful thinking that the behaviour of an organism as complex as a mouse might be controlled by modulating its intracellular signalling with light? No: this is just what researchers have achieved with an elegant technique.
David E. Moorman & Gary Aston-Jones
doi:10.1038/458980a
See also: Editor's summary
Obituary: John Maddox (1925–2009) p983
John Maddox, who died on 12 April, was editor of Nature during 1966–73 and 1980–95. He transformed the journal from a collegially amateurish publication into one that was challenging and professional in its assessment of science and in its journalistic reportage.
Walter Gratzer
doi:10.1038/458983a
A Publisher's perspective p984
Nicholas Byam Shaw
doi:10.1038/458984a
Maddox by his successor p985
Philip Campbell
doi:10.1038/458985a
Brief Communications Arising
Mantle skewness and ridge segmentation pE11
Satish C. Singh & Ken C. Macdonald
doi:10.1038/nature07887
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (525K)
Toomey et al. reply pE12
Douglas R. Toomey, David Jousselin, Robert A. Dunn, William S. D. Wilcock & R. S. Detrick
doi:10.1038/nature07888
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (525K)
Article
Genome-wide analysis of Notch signalling in Drosophila by transgenic RNAi p987
Knoblich and colleagues use a library of Drosophila strains expressing inducible hairpin RNA interference constructs to study the Notch signalling pathway during external sensory organ development. They assign putative loss-of-function phenotypes to 21.2% of the protein-coding Drosophila genes, identify 6 new genes involved in asymmetric cell division and 23 novel genes regulating the Notch signalling pathway.
Jennifer L. Mummery-Widmer, Masakazu Yamazaki, Thomas Stoeger, Maria Novatchkova, Sheetal Bhalerao, Doris Chen, Georg Dietzl, Barry J. Dickson & Juergen A. Knoblich
doi:10.1038/nature07936
Abstract | Full Text | PDF (1,000K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Letters
Solar wind as the origin of rapid reddening of asteroid surfaces p993
Asteroids are much 'redder' than meteorites (which come from asteroids); the accepted explanation is 'space weathering', though the actual processes and timescales involved have remained controversial. Vernazza et al. report observations of two young asteroid families, revealing that 'space weathering' must be a very rapid process, which favours solar wind implantation as the main mechanism; they further demonstrate an apparent weathering dependence on olivine abundance.
P. Vernazza, R. P. Binzel, A. Rossi, M. Fulchignoni & M. Birlan
doi:10.1038/nature07956
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (191K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Optimized dynamical decoupling in a model quantum memory p996
Quantum systems are subject to random phase errors that can dramatically affect the fidelity of a desired quantum operation or measurement, but existing quantum error correction techniques have large resource requirements, motivating a search for alternative strategies. The authors experimentally validate the use of the dynamical decoupling technique to suppress qubit error rates, using novel optimized pulse sequences that suppress errors by orders of magnitude compared to other existing sequences.
Michael J. Biercuk, Hermann Uys, Aaron P. VanDevender, Nobuyasu Shiga, Wayne M. Itano & John J. Bollinger
doi:10.1038/nature07951
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (541K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Universal transduction scheme for nanomechanical systems based on dielectric forces p1001
When a non-uniform electric field is applied to a nonconducting material, that material experiences a force, as in the deflection of a stream of water by a statically charged comb. Unterreithmeier and colleagues have adapted this phenomenon to provide a simple, speedy means of controlling the vibrational properties of tiny mechanical elements on a chip — or, applying the principle in reverse, of detecting the motion of these elements. Such nanoelectromechanical systems are potentially useful for applications from sensing to signal processing.
Quirin P. Unterreithmeier, Eva M. Weig & Jörg P. Kotthaus
doi:10.1038/nature07932
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (678K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Observation of ultralong-range Rydberg molecules p1005
A Rydberg atom has one electron excited into an orbital with a very high principal quantum number. The scattering of such an electron from a second atom in the ground state gives rise to long-range bonding, yielding giant molecules with internuclear separations reaching several thousand Bohr radii. Using s-state rubidium Rydberg atoms with quantum numbers between 34 and 40, Bendkowsky and colleagues have now spectroscopically characterized such 'Rydberg molecules', and measured their lifetimes and polarizabilities.
Vera Bendkowsky, Björn Butscher, Johannes Nipper, James P. Shaffer, Robert Löw & Tilman Pfau
doi:10.1038/nature07945
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (517K)
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Greene
The carbon balance of terrestrial ecosystems in China p1009
This paper analyses the terrestrial carbon balance of China during the 1980s and 1990s using biomass and soil carbon inventories extrapolated by satellite greenness measurements, ecosystem models and atmospheric inversions. These three methods produce similar estimates of a net sink of 0.19–0.26 billion tonnes of carbon per year, indicating that China absorbed 28–37 per cent of its fossil carbon emissions over these two decades, mainly attributable to regional climate change, large-scale plantation programmes and shrub recovery.
Shilong Piao, Jingyun Fang, Philippe Ciais, Philippe Peylin, Yao Huang, Stephen Sitch & Tao Wang
doi:10.1038/nature07944
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (704K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Gurney
Impact of changes in diffuse radiation on the global land carbon sink p1014
More radiation generally increases vegetation photosynthesis, but field studies show that a given amount of diffuse radiation leads to more fixed carbon than direct radiation. Mercado and colleagues simulate the effect of late twentieth century increases in the diffuse radiation fraction, and find that the terrestrial carbon sink is enhanced by about 25% —paradoxically, reducing future anthropogenic pollution will reduce this diffuse radiation effect, creating a positive feedback to global warming.
Lina M. Mercado, Nicolas Bellouin, Stephen Sitch, Olivier Boucher, Chris Huntingford, Martin Wild & Peter M. Cox
doi:10.1038/nature07949
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (382K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
The architecture of mutualistic networks minimizes competition and increases biodiversity p1018
In this paper the authors show that the 'nestedness' of mutualistic interactions between animals and plants acts to reduce competition and enhance the number of species. Nested networks seem to occur in many biological and social contexts, indicating that the results are relevant in a wide range of fields, from biology to banking.
Ugo Bastolla, Miguel A. Fortuna, Alberto Pascual-García, Antonio Ferrera, Bartolo Luque & Jordi Bascompte
doi:10.1038/nature07950
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (222K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Sugihara & Ye
A semi-aquatic Arctic mammalian carnivore from the Miocene epoch and origin of Pinnipedia p1021
Seals, sea lions and the walrus (collectively the pinnipeds) evolved from land-living carnivores, but the earliest known pinniped, Enaliarctos, already had flippers. This paper describes a fossil from the Canadian Arctic that represents an earlier stage in pinniped evolution, documenting the otter-like transition between land and water.
Natalia Rybczynski, Mary R. Dawson & Richard H. Tedford
doi:10.1038/nature07985
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (628K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Temporally precise in vivo control of intracellular signalling p1025
Ion channels driven by light have provided electrophysiologists with unprecedented control over the activity state of neurons; here Deisseroth and colleagues introduce new molecules that offer a similar level of control over signalling pathways to biochemists. Opsin/GPCR chimaeras were engineered, enabling the authors to modulate G-protein activity via light, which in turn could influence neuronal firing; activating these molecules expressed in vivo could drive conditioned place preference in behaving mice
Raag D. Airan, Kimberly R. Thompson, Lief E. Fenno, Hannah Bernstein & Karl Deisseroth
doi:10.1038/nature07926
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (782K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary | News and Views by Moorman & Aston-Jones
Natural variation in a neural globin tunes oxygen sensing in wild Caenorhabditis elegans p1030
This study shows that the soluble guanylate cyclase GCY-35 responds to increased oxygen and that a neural globin, GLB-5, is involved in sensing reduced oxygen. The behavioural response to GLB-5 activation involves the neuropeptide receptor NPR-1, and both glb-5 and npr-1 show natural variation amongst different Caenorhabditis elegans strains.
Annelie Persson, Einav Gross, Patrick Laurent, Karl Emanuel Busch, Hugo Bretes & Mario de Bono
doi:10.1038/nature07820
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (1,277K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Glycerol monolaurate prevents mucosal SIV transmission p1034
Glycerol monolaurate in a microbicide is shown to protect monkeys from infection after intra-vaginal exposure to high doses of SIV. The suppressive activity may be due to the inhibition of target cell recruitment due to glycerol-monolaurate-mediated inhibition of epithelial cell signalling and inflammatory cytokine expression.
Qingsheng Li, Jacob D. Estes, Patrick M. Schlievert, Lijie Duan, Amanda J. Brosnahan, Peter J. Southern, Cavan S. Reilly, Marnie L. Peterson, Nancy Schultz-Darken, Kevin G. Brunner, Karla R. Nephew, Stefan Pambuccian, Jeffrey D. Lifson, John V. Carlis & Ashley T. Haase
doi:10.1038/nature07831
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (1,281K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Identification of IFRD1 as a modifier gene for cystic fibrosis lung disease p1039
Cystic fibrosis is more severe in some individuals than in others. This study identifies the neutrophil transcriptional co-regulator IFRD1 as a new genetic modifier.
YuanYuan Gu, Isaac T. W. Harley, Lindsay B. Henderson, Bruce J. Aronow, Ilja Vietor, Lukas A. Huber, John B. Harley, Jeffrey R. Kilpatrick, Carl D. Langefeld, Adrienne H. Williams, Anil G. Jegga, Jing Chen, Marsha Wills-Karp, S. Hasan Arshad, Susan L. Ewart, Chloe L. Thio, Leah M. Flick, Marie-Dominique Filippi, H. Leighton Grimes, Mitchell L. Drumm, Garry R. Cutting, Michael R. Knowles & Christopher L. Karp
doi:10.1038/nature07811
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (304K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Germline-encoded amino acids in the 
T-cell receptor control thymic selection p1043
In this paper the authors present evidence that T-cell receptor genes encode inherent specificity for major histocompatibility complex molecules.
James P. Scott-Browne, Janice White, John W. Kappler, Laurent Gapin & Philippa Marrack
doi:10.1038/nature07812
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (605K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Discovery of insect and human dengue virus host factors p1047
This report identifies host factors required for Dengue virus propagation by using a high throughput genome-wide RNA interference screening approach in Drosophila cells.
October M. Sessions, Nicholas J. Barrows, Jayme A. Souza-Neto, Timothy J. Robinson, Christine L. Hershey, Mary A. Rodgers, Jose L. Ramirez, George Dimopoulos, Priscilla L. Yang, James L. Pearson & Mariano A. Garcia-Blanco
doi:10.1038/nature07967
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (587K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Directional Delta and Notch trafficking in Sara endosomes during asymmetric cell division p1051
This study provides a mechanistic basis for differential signalling of Notch, by showing that in fly sensory organ precursors, Notch and Delta traffic to special endosomes marked by the protein Sara. The asymmetric trafficking of endosomes containing Notch and Delta increases Notch signalling in pIIa daughter cells and decreases it in pIIb cells.
F. Coumailleau, M. Fürthauer, J. A. Knoblich & M. González-Gaitán
doi:10.1038/nature07854
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (931K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
AMPK regulates energy expenditure by modulating NAD+ metabolism and SIRT1 activity p1056
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is shown to transcriptionally regulate genes involved in controlling energy metabolism in skeletal muscle by acting together with the NAD+-dependent deacetylase SIRT1. AMPK enhances SIRT1 activity by increasing cellular NAD+ levels, resulting in the deacetylation and activation of the SIRT1 downstream target PGC-1
.
Carles Cantó, Zachary Gerhart-Hines, Jerome N. Feige, Marie Lagouge, Lilia Noriega, Jill C. Milne, Peter J. Elliott, Pere Puigserver & Johan Auwerx
doi:10.1038/nature07813
First paragraph | Full Text | PDF (564K) | Supplementary information
See also: Editor's summary
Naturejobs
ProspectsJapan's postdocs open to alternative work p1062
The government and universities must highlight non-academic careers and nurture a diverse skill set, say Toshiyuki Misu and Akira Horoiwa.
Toshiyuki Misu & Akira Horoiwa
doi:10.1038/nj7241-1062a
News
Biotech job projections bleak p1062
Biotech companies are struggling, and jobs in the sector are becoming scarce, according to one analyst.
Paul Smaglik
doi:10.1038/nj7241-1062b
Careers Q&A
Systems approach p1063
New BBSRC chief will move science forward with help from the Internet.
Douglas Kell
doi:10.1038/nj7241-1063a
Postdoc journal
Take a scientist to work? p1063
Will academia kick me out before I nab my dream job?
Julia Boughner
doi:10.1038/nj7241-1063b
In Brief
US faculty pay rises 3.4% p1063
But numbers compiled before recession took hold.
doi:10.1038/nj7241-1063c
Battery unit for Kentucky p1063
Research to focus on advanced battery technology.
doi:10.1038/nj7241-1063d
Photonics centre launches p1063
New institute will research all aspects of optics and photonics.
doi:10.1038/nj7241-1063e
