Press releases

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?"

IDRC Visiting Executive, Howard Alper, has been named cochair of the InterAcademy Panel (IAP) on International Issues. The network of science academies from 90 countries offers advice to governments on international science-based issues.

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.

Fifteen MacmillanScience titles are now available as e-books to browse and buy from February 2007 at www.macmillansciencebookstore.com.

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.

The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is an international research center with staff from 45 countries. We have an opening for Head of Program Facilitation Unit, CGIAR Program for Central Asia and the Caucasus; and Regional Coordinator of ICARDA-CAC Program, based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is a non-profit international research center with staff from 45 countries. We have an opening for a Barley Breeder, to be based at the headquarters in Aleppo, Syria

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.

The technologies include a novel oral drug delivery system, infrared tomography for solid floe monitoring, textile thermal tester machine, roselle chewable tablets, new technique for transdermal drug delivery system and many more. The Seoul International Invention Fair is the largest Bi-Annual Invention Fair in Asia.

These three papers examine the role of the church in the lives of Filipinos living in Japan and the rest of East Asia.

The latest issue of Science Diliman, Volume 18, Number 1 (January-June 2006), is now available.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Not losing sleep over the orexins, Potential new therapeutic target in breast cancer, The molecules behind Angelman syndrome, Sun worshipers, A mouse shows us how the brain works

An unusual case of a young girl with a colon cancer syndrome caused by recessive mutations in the mismatch repair gene MSH6 is described. Individuals with mutations in MSH6 are at an increased risk of developing cancer; however, a childhood cancer syndrome caused by these mutations has only recently been recognized.

University research activities have always been an important factor in societal progress. Thus, it is important for universities to communicate their research to the public. Keio’s Annual Report on Research Activities provides the community with information regarding our strategies and direction, as well as our current research activities.

A research collaboration agreement between the Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences and National Instruments Singapore Pte Ltd. to study Integrative Process Analytical Technologies (iPAT).

A globally rare Y chromosome type described previously in only a few West African individuals has been found in a British male, according to a study to be published online this week in the European Journal of Human Genetics. This finding represents the first genetic evidence of an African genealogy among ‘indigenous’ British people.

Summaries of newsworthy papers from Nature include Cancer cleared by p53 restoration, Algorithm seeks out smell, Essays: Putting the pieces together, Quantum physics: To bunch or not to bunch and Fight-watching fish fathom hierarchies

On the occasion of the recent launching of the book Fabián de la Rosa and His Times, the Fabián de la Rosa (1869-1938) Retrospective Exhibition is extended until 28 January 2007. Opened last 7 September 2006, the exhibition is a tribute to de la Rosa's great contribution to Philippine art.

These include home hydroponics, converting feathers into fish meal, biogas from pineapple peels, increasing nutritional content of shellfish, supply & development of modern proteins, RFID reader modules for retail businesses, melt & recycle waste styropor in cooking oil and glass ceramic dental bone implant from Pinatubo volcanic ejecta & bone ash.