Peer Reviewed

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Outburst marking the birth of a supernova, Molecular clues to appetite and drug addiction, Magma can directly produce earthquakes, A trick of light, Stem cells: Getting to grips with self-renewal, How a vaccine enhancer, Climate : Tracking extreme conditions and A Texan fossil astride the amphibian gap

A genome wide study from Japan and Korea suggests generic susceptibility to gastric cancer. Other newsworthy papers include Fewer Atlantic hurricanes under global warming, Genetic links between pigmentation and skin cancer, Towards a model for Huntingdon’s disease and Three-dimensional microscopy at nanoscale resolution

Mariam Sticklen urges governments around the world to acknowledge the pressing need to develop these technologies — without such action biofuels will remain expensive and may even add to the environmental threat.

Penang, Malaysia - The award carries a cash prize of USD100,000, a trophy and a certificate was first introduced in 2002 with the aim of promoting research and knowledge development, particularly in the field of science, amongst institutions in member countries of IDB.

Penang, Malaysia - At ITEX 2008, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) won 9 Gold, 10 Silver and 5 Bronze medals. The gold medals were for an affordable Intelligent Braking System fitted wheelchair for use by paraplegics, sustainable aqua-feed, environmental friendly polymer, intelligent exoskeletal arm for stroke patients and more.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Atmosphere: Message in a bubble, Climate change: Huge analysis shows warming is changing the world, Planetary science: Pole to pole and Materials: Practical polaritonics

IDRC believes that poverty alleviation, food security, and environmental sustainability go hand in hand. This article outlines some notable IDRC supported research towards food security.

Peatlands are the most extensive natural wetland ecosystems in South East Asia. They play an important role in climate regulation. Peatland reclamation for agriculture disrupts this role. UNIMAS is currently working on a sustainable management of the peatlands in Sarawak that would benefit the ecosystem and its dependent communities.

Nocturnal tree frogs living in China have been found to possess extraordinary vocal skills comparable to dolphins, elephants and humans. Summaries of other newsworthy papers include The origins of the modern tomato, Insight into devastating pregnancy condition, Targeting dormant leukaemia cells, Tracking plates in the subsurface & more

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Climate: Atmospheric aerosol and sea temperature, The planets: Mysteries surrounding the ‘butterscotch’ planet’s equator and Predicting fish diversity patterns in river networks

Pampanga River is the 4th largest basin in the Philippines and is susceptible to ecological imbalance due to pollution and natural changes. Scientists at UP Diliman used the IBI method and concluded the river has fair to excellent water quality for aquatic life though dominated by fish that can endure extreme changes in water condition.

A car navigation system designed for the elderly, wireless car-to-car communication, no more blind spots and more. ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) is a national project to integrate people, roads and cars with a wireless network for a comfortable and safe car-oriented society.

Modernisation and progress has little effect on the traditional beliefs of Hakka women as reflected in their attitudes and behaviours toward marriage. Young women put little priority in job attainment. Once married, their attentions shifted towards looking after the well-being of their children and husbands.

Keio university researchers are working on a project to produce a revolutionary quantum computer using 'silicon', the same material as present classical computers, which can work as a bridge between classical and quantum mechanics.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Evolution: New look at human family tree, Your number of fat cells stays constant in adulthood, Starting out on the road to maleness, Earth’s early magnetic field, Genetic susceptibility to obesity and Generating human autoimmune cells

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Why we are all different, Decadal-scale climate prediction in the North Atlantic, Shadows and dust, Is our children learning?, Key factor for cell migration identified, Missing memristor is found, Understanding phase slips, Southern anomaly goes North and Testing out a photochemical compass

Across China, university staff, researchers, students, and farmers are joining forces to promote rural development studies. Learning from the Field shows how these traditionally disparate groups can work together for curriculum reform.

Professor Dr Pan Kok Long of the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, has developed a small and simple device that can be used by airplane travelers to exercise their calf muscles and encourage blood circulation while in their seated position. A patent filing for utility innovation has been granted.

With cooperation with the Australian Cranio-Maxillo Facial Foundation, University Science Malaysia (USM) offers hope to local patients with facial and skull deformities.

The purpose of this research is to develop a practical device technology for displaying real 3D images into free space where nothing exists except for the air, based on the plasma light emission induced in the air by laser radiation.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Fast ice flow on water?, THC meets its rival, Methyl modifications spread out, A rogue neighbourhood, Breast cancer risk variants, Inflammatory bowel diseases share genetic risk factors, Sequencing sheds light on the cancer genome, Let there be light, Visualizing neuronal activity in 3D

The quest for new materials exhibiting high-temperature superconductivity may be about to explode into life again. In Nature this week, a team of researchers in Japan demonstrate the highest temperature yet reported for a non-copper-based material.

Papayas are not just exotic fruits with nutritional and medicinal benefits, they are also model plants for studying genetics and evolution. Summaries of newsworthy papers include Beetle key to carbon switch, Test-tube recipe makes functioning heart cells, Linking events across a key climate transition and more

Serdang, Malaysia - Five out of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) six researchers, whom participated in the International Exhibition of Inventions New Techniques and Products Geneva (INTPG).

Sarawak is the world's largest exporter of sago, exporting up to 40,000 ton sago a year. Sago mills that produced sago starch through debarking and processing of sago trunk, generates effluent which is channelled into nearby rivers. A research conducted in UNIMAS currently looks at turning this potential pollutants into commerciable entities.

Keio University will be the first in Japan to provide national household panel data to the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS), which will enable researchers around the world to use the data in international comparisons of income and poverty.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Plant genetics: Evolution provides a cleanser for polluted soils, Greenhouse effect from tropospheric ozone and Back-to-front West Nile vaccine

TextImi is a system that helps people understand the thoughts of others from large volumes of text through a collaboration between computer analysis and human interpretation. The system can be used in for marketing surveys coordinated with network research systems, customer voice analysis, public comment analysis and more.

The genomic sequences of more than a thousand influenza virus isolates are analysed in research published online in Nature this week. The results suggest a model in which new lineages arise from the tropics and move towards more temperate regions, and the work will have implications for selection of viruses for vaccine programmes.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Why fishing magnifies fluctuations in fish abundance, Measuring a fractional electron charge, Helping the immune system, An ancient record of methane emissions, Raising the 'anti' and Sequencing gets personal