Peer Reviewed

In his plenary address at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in San Francisco, United States, TWAS Executive Director M.H.A. Hassan illustrated the growing gap between scientifically advanced and scientifically less privileged developing nations.

The papers include - And God Walks in the Suburbs; A Diasporic Perspective of Filipino Nurse Migration to the United States; Globalization of Care and the Position of the Filipino Workers; Spectacles of Masculinity and the Commerce of Men’s Bodies

Scientists have for the first time successfully replaced natural teeth in mice with teeth that were created in a Petri dish from single cells. The experiment is described online this week in Nature Methods.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Making room for others, Abnormal cell migration and Splicing out of control

A controversial cover of The Economist last year asked, with not much self-reflexive irony, “Who killed the newspaper?” The suggestion of death seems, in hindsight, grossly exaggerated. Asia Media Report: A crisis within explores a more specific and far-reaching concern: the death of news as we know it.

A discovery that enables the most economically important fruit fly species to be identified from their DNA ‘signature’ could avert future devastating fruit fly outbreaks, according to scientists from the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI).

Next week, some of Australia’s and the world’s foremost experts in the field of rust diseases will be in Sydney to attend a symposium on the topic – “Rust Diseases: Threats to Global Food Security in the Context of Climate Change.”

Nature Publishing Group (NPG) and AstraZeneca are delighted to announce the launch of Nature China (www.naturechina.com), a new web based publication promoting the best scientific research published in mainland China and Hong Kong.

The fact remains that the Afghan case is a test for NATO's credibility. With a 35,000-strong force currently deployed in Afghanistan, the ISAF is attempting to pre-empt a strong Taliban offensive in the coming spring months.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Astronomy: Forming the darkest galaxies in the Universe, Evolutionary psychology: Family ties, Particle acceleration: Wave up and Ecology: Conservation strategy rethink

Most Indians not working in agriculture rely on the country’s large “traditional” or informal sector for their livelihood. Those employed in the country’s “modern” economy work in small firms, with fewer than six employees, or in large establishments of 300 or more workers. In between is a yawning divide.

The book suggests that the US agenda in Iraq was about oil, but not about oil in the simple sense many believed. This war (2003) was not an issue of corporate greed but about geopolitical power above all.

The Nano Science Technology Research Center was selected as an Open Research Center Project of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science, and Technology in 2002. Since then, it has been engaged in pioneering nanoscience and technology projects.

Papermaking in Malaysia is essentially based on recycled fibers. One of the major issues faced by mills using recycled fibers is the diminishing strength of papers with recycling. Palmcel introduces a new class of biodegradable chemicals derived from oil palm residues which can augment both the dry and wet strength of papers.

In utero protein regulation, Common genetic variant protects against breast cancer, Large-scale survey of mutations in cancer, Sleep deprivation impairs subsequent learning, Human adult stem cells can regenerate muscle, Viral highways: spreading from cell to cell, Finding phosphates on proteins

Russia is positioning itself as a potential contributor of diplomatic services to stabilize the region. In the process, it is unlikely to challenge the American hegemony in the region, but will strive to serve reminders to the regional countries and the United States that it is capable of plugging several gaps.

Quantum optics: A trick of the light, Neuroscience: New target for Parkinson's disease, Climate change: Reviewing strategies, Immunology: Receptor for New World haemorrhagic fever viruses found, Palaeoclimate: Global continental cooling, Genetics: ‘Out of Africa’ with Helicobacter pylori, Seal of approval

"How could it be that an event of this magnitude was ignored? 10 000 people were killed each day. That’s three 9/11s a day for a hundred days — and we barely noticed it? It’s mind-boggling. What went wrong in the media system that caused us to fail?"

The developing world’s poorest people live in marginal, often harsh rural environments. The natural resource base tends to be fragile and highly vulnerable to over exploitation. This book draws on more than a decade of research and presents case studies from Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Ecuador, Lebanon, and Viet Nam.

This volume provides a compelling analysis of the consequences of the US-led invasion of Iraq. It is a first rate account of the underlying problems of the processes of state building in post-Saddam Iraq.

Oysters treated with high pressure water look and taste better, according to consumers who participated in a NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) research project.

NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) scientists have identified a major new source of wheat germplasm tolerant of aluminium toxicity, paving the way for the breeding of new bread wheat varieties able to grow in acid soils.

A ‘dig’ at a former rubbish tip in Sydney is providing scientists with the clues needed to determine the level of greenhouse emissions from wood products in landfills.

Summaries of newsworthy papers from Nature journals include Annotating the human genome, Learning to keep newborn neurons, Release requirements and A tool to delete DNA

The development of a population of ‘regulatory’ immune cells is more complicated than originally thought, according to a paper to be published online this week in Nature Immunology.

Some untoward incident like boycott from the importer has taught the local business community about the immense importance of CSR and adoption of this modern and competitive practice is gradually increasing in Bangladesh.

At some point the GCC States will begin to wonder why they should further engage with a regime that talks about cooperation, but ends up doing nothing to contribute to regional security

Summaries of other newsworthy stories include Ecology: Bacteria get into films and Thermodynamics: Maxwell's demon reincarnated?

Leading weapons experts and security think-tanks have accused the British government of withholding information needed to properly evaluate a multibillion-pound proposal to renew the country's fleet of nuclear submarines, Nature reports this week.

As the world marks this year's World Wetlands Day on February 2, the Director General of WorldFish Center, based in Penang, and the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme jointly write a piece to create awareness on the plight of wetland fisheries worldwide, as well as mobilize appropriate action.