Materials: Silicon in a spin
The first silicon-based spintronics device reported. Spintronics, an emerging technology that uses the quantum spin states as well as (or instead of) the charge states of electrons, offers another level of control over electronic devices. So with silicon already at the forefront of conventional electronics, devices like this could find themselves integrated with standard silicon technology.
Researchers have been trying to make devices that can transport electronic signals with all of the electrons spun in one direction only. But finding the right combinations of materials to do this efficiently has proved tricky. Ian Appelbaum and colleagues have achieved this by sandwiching an extra layer inside their device. The extra layer, made from aluminium and iron cobalt sits between an insulating barrier and the silicon, where it filters out electrons of a particular spin.
CONTACT
Ian Appelbaum (University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA)
Tel: +1 302 831 3295; E-mail: appelbaum@ee.udel.edu

Igor Zutic (State University of New York at Buffalo, NY, USA) N&V author
Tel: +1 716 645 2017 x183; E-mail: zigor@buffalo.edu

Infectious diseases: Global early-warning system needed
Researchers are calling for a global early-warning system to identify the sources of future human infectious disease. analysis compares the origins of temperate and tropical infectious diseases, and highlights how little we know about their evolution.
Most major human infectious diseases have animal origins, yet we continue to be bombarded by new animal pathogens, jumping across species barriers. So Jared Diamond and colleagues want to see a systematic ongoing global effort monitoring for emergent animal pathogens that could infect humans. People with high levels of exposure to wild animals, such as hunters, zoo workers and wildlife veterinarians, should be regularly screened, they say.
The team made their request after comparing the characteristics and origins of 15 temperate (such as whooping cough) and 10 tropical diseases (such as cholera). Most of the diseases studied arose in Africa, Asia and Europe, but the reasons for their emergence differed between regions — infections from animal and insect vectors, for example, were more common in the tropics.
The review reveals “big gaps in our understanding” of the origins of even established major infectious diseases, such as AIDS, cholera and tuberculosis. So alongside a global early-warning system for new human infectious diseases, the authors would also like to see more research to clarify the origins of existing infectious diseases. Such work could boost understanding of how diseases emerge and suggest new laboratory models for studying public health threats.
CONTACT
Jared Diamond (University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA)
Tel: +1 310 825 6177; E-mail: jdiamond@geog.ucla.edu

Nathan Wolfe (University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA) Co-author
Tel: +1 310 794 7538; E-mail: nwolfe@ucla.edu

Planetary science: Enceladus' daily grind

Scientists may have worked out what powers the plumes of gas seen escaping from the surface of one of Saturn's moons. The energy may be generated by massive ice sheets grinding together, with the vapour produced being released through rifts that open and close periodically, papers suggest.
When Cassini flew by Enceladus, a small icy satellite of Saturn, a couple of years ago, cameras snapped active vapour plumes thought to emanate from rifts in the crust dubbed 'tiger stripes.' Francis Nimmo and colleagues now suggest that these 'tiger stripes' are like strike-slip fault zones, with sheets of ice grinding back and forth against one another. This, they say, could generate enough energy to power the gas plumes.
Terry A. Hurford and colleagues show that as Enceladus orbits Saturn, the parent planet's tides make the satellite's ice flex. This, they believe, causes the 'tiger stripes' to open and close periodically, exposing volatiles and allowing them to be released.
Tidal heating was previously proposed as a potential mechanism to explain Enceladus' vapour plumes, but scientists debate whether the energy generated from tidal heating is sufficient. The two new papers offer a plausible alternative.
CONTACT
Francis Nimmo (University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA) Author paper [2]
Tel: +1 831 459 1783; E-mail: fnimmo@es.ucsc.edu

Terry A. Hurford (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA) Author paper [3]
Tel: +1 301 614 6455; E-mail: hurfordt@core2.gsfc.nasa.gov

Andrew J. Dombard (Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD, USA) N&V author
Tel: +1 240 228 1651; E-mail: andrew.dombard@jhuapl.edu

Regeneration: Hope for new hair

Adult mice can regenerate hair follicles and hair. The results help resolve a 50-year-long debate and may aid in the design of new treatments for wounds, hair loss and other degenerative skin disorders.
For half a century, most people believed that mammalian hair follicles form only during development, and that loss of adult follicles is permanent. George Cotsarelis and colleagues now show this is not the case, at least for adult mice with skin wounds. Wounding, they report, triggers new hair-producing follicles to form. Exposure to Wnt signalling — a genetic pathway involved in normal hair follicle development and cycling — following wounding increases the number of regenerated hair follicles. And Wnt signalling inhibition after regrowth of the epithelium prevents new follicles from forming.
The results suggest that mammalian skin can respond to wounding with plasticity and a much greater regenerative capacity than was previously believed. It's thought that wounding triggers an embryonic-like state in the skin which provides a window for hair follicle regeneration via the Wnt signalling pathway.
CONTACT
George Cotsarelis (University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA)
Tel: +1 215 898 9967; E-mail: cotsarel@mail.med.upenn.edu

Cheng-Ming Chuong (University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA) N&V author
Tel: +1 323 442 1296; E-mail: chuong@pathfinder.usc.edu

Bagoong: Good for the Brain
A study shows that the traditional fish/shrimp paste condiment, or bagoong, of the Philippines contains the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. In its analysis, it was found that among the samples of bagoong, shrimp paste has the highest omega-3 content.
The famous Bagoong, also referred to as fish or shrimp paste, is one of the traditional flavor extenders used in the Philippines. It has several variations according to the type of fish used, color, and taste. Bagoong is prepared by fermenting the fish or shrimp in high concentrations of salt for several months. Consumed either as a complement of green mangoes or as a seasoning to some Filipino delicacies such as pinakbet, little is known about the nutritional content of these condiments since they are usually sold without labels in local markets.
Fish and other marine food resources are known to be good sources of long-chain ω-3 (omega-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids. One in particular is the all-cis-4,7,10,13,16,19-docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a variant of the long-chain ω-3 fatty acid, which is essential to the neural development of growing infants especially in brain and retina development. Sufficient amount of DHA is required for an active brain function throughout a human’s lifespan. DHA has also been found to lower blood pressure and chances of occurrence of heart disease and mental illness. Though high levels of DHA are produced during pregnancy and during the first two months of infancy, the normal human body condition can only manufacture these fatty acids metabolically in small amounts. DHA must then be acquired from the diet or produced through the consumption of ω-3 precursors such as α-linolenic acid found in seeds and nuts.
The composition of bagoong suggests the possibility that the said condiment may be a dietary resource of long-chain ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. In the study “Polyunsaturated fatty acid contents of some traditional fish and shrimp paste condiments of the Philippines,” scientists Nemesio Montaño, Grace Gavino and Victor C. Gavino assess the fatty acid composition of various types of fish and shrimp paste in reaction to the brine solution used for fermentation.
Montaño’s team gathered samples of six types of fish and shrimp paste condiments from a public market in Bolinao, Pangasinan located at Western Luzon of the Philippines. The vendors of these products were interviewed regarding their preparation process of bagoong. The general preparation of bagoong according to them is that fish or shrimp fry are deposited alternately in layers with salt in ratios of three to four parts of salt to one part of fish or shrimp fry. The mixture is then incubated at ambient temperature in a specific period of time depending on the fish type used. The fish types used in the collected samples were verified through visual investigation. The samples were found to be made from Dalagang bukid (Fusiliers, Caesio spp.), Dilis (Silver sprat, Spratelloides gracillis), Padas-1 (Fuscescens rabbitfish, Siganus fuscescens), Padas-2 (Forktail rabbitfish, Siganus argenteus), Terong (Fusiliers, Pterocaesio spp.) and Alamang (Shrimp fry, Acetes spp.). Samples were analyzed fresh or freeze-dried. The composition of fresh untreated alamang was also compared with the composition of salt-treated alamang.
Fatty acid composition, salt content, moisture and water activity of the fish/shrimp paste samples were measured to examine if the salinity of the paste condiments and the oxidation process significantly affect the fatty acid content of the fish and shrimp fry. Ash and fat content were also studied to look further into the composition of bagoong. The salt content of the samples was determined using the Mohr Method [1] while moisture was calculated from the sample’s weight loss when dried. Water activity was determined by equilibration with the salt solution. The dried samples were then reduced to ashes to measure the ash content. Fat content was measured by Soxhlet extraction [2] of the freeze-dried samples and the fatty acid composition was determined using an adaptation of a direct methylation procedure on the sample followed by gas chromatography.
Findings show that the salt content of the bagoong samples does not tally with the ratio of salt to fish/shrimp fry given by the vendors. Salinity was found to range from 19 to 24%, which greatly differs from the 60 to 80% accounted from the vendors’ statement. The alamang condiment was also found to contain the highest level of DHA ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids among the samples followed by Padas-1. The Dalagang bukid paste condiment, on the other hand, has the lowest. According to Dr. Montaño, this may be explained by the phytoplanktons and bacteria the shrimp fry consume which could have produced the high levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.
References:
1. Thomson Healthcare, PDRhealth. “Docahexaenoic Acid (DHA).”
2. DHA/EPA Omega-3 Institute. “DHA for Optimal Brain and Visual Functioning.“
3. The Kushi Institute of Europe, Encyclopedia. “Fats.”
4. University of Canterbury, Christchurch New Zealand. “Determination of Chloride Ion Concentration by Titration (Mohr’s Method).”


By MMRParreño

___________________________________________________________________
[1] Mohr Method is the process of determining chlorides in bagoong sample using titration with silver nitrate and indicator potassium chromate. The pH level of the sample to be tested should be between 6.5 to 10 for more accurate readings.

[2] Soxhlet Extraction is the process of extracting fat from the freeze-dried bagoong sample using low-boiling petroleum ether as solvent.

Gender-specific differences fuel biodiversity

Many factors, such as habitat, behaviour and diet, contribute to biological diversity. But researchers now have an unexpected addition to this list — sexual differences. A study of the Anolis lizards of the Greater Antilles suggests that morphological differences between males and females are linked to increased biodiversity.
The Anolis lizards of Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Cuba and Hispaniola evolved independently on their respective islands into species that occupy particular niches, such as the short-legged twig dwellers and the long-legged open space dwellers. But males and females of the same species can be very different — in some species the sexes are the same size, but in others adult males can be three times bigger than females.
Marguerite A. Butler and colleagues studied five sexually dimorphic characteristics from male and female adults of different niche specialists living on two of the islands. They find that sexual dimorphism contributes substantially to biodiversity, helping to fuel the bursts of ‘adaptive radiation’ that produced the different niche-adapted species.
Most studies of adaptive radiation ignore sexually dimorphic traits, the authors say. But its place in evolutionary ecology should not be underestimated.
CONTACT
Marguerite A. Butler (University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA)
Tel: +1 808 956 4713; E-mail: mbutler@hawaii.edu

Oceanography: Oceanic short circuit

Researchers have discovered a 'short circuit' in the circulation of the world's oceans that allows cold waters that sink to the abyss to return to the surface more rapidly than previously thought. Understanding oceanic circulation is important because it transports heat, carbon and nutrients around the globe and therefore plays a central role in Earth's climate.
Ocean mixing in the current that flows around Antarctica has a key role in global ocean circulation as it influences the rate at which water sinking to the deep ocean at high latitudes returns to the surface in the Southern Ocean. But the rates of mixing processes that occur in the current and the induced upwelling are not well known. Alberto C. Naveira Garabato and colleagues studied the spread of helium released from submarine volcanoes to measure the rates of mixing and upwelling in the southwest Atlantic sector of the current.
Their results indicate that the rough topography of the ocean floor in this region leads to both rapid mixing across density surfaces and rapid upwelling along density surfaces, which together create a 'short circuit' in the global oceanic overturning circulation.
CONTACT
Alberto C. Naveira Garabato (University of Southampton, UK)
Tel: +44 23 8059 2680; E-mail: acng@noc.soton.ac.uk

Planetary science: Extrasolar planet mirror ball
An extrasolar 'hot Jupiter' planet may act like a giant mirror ball, re-radiating almost all of its incident energy back out to space, suggests a paper. But a second paper, tells a very different story, making 'hot Jupiters' seem all the more intriguing and complex.
'Hot Jupiters' are extrasolar planets whose mass is similar to that of Jupiter, but which orbit much closer to their parent star. Joseph Harrington and colleagues studied one such planet and found that it acts almost as a mirror, a bizarre observation as one would expect the planet to absorb at least some heat.
But Heather A. Knutson and co-workers found that a different 'hot Jupiter' can redistribute heat around its surface. The team effectively crudely 'mapped' the temperature distribution across the planet. Their data suggest that energy absorbed by the dayside of the planet can be fairly efficiently redistributed throughout the planet's atmosphere.
CONTACT
Joseph Harrington (University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA) Author paper [2]
Tel: +1 407 823 3416; E-mail: jharring@phsyics.ucf.edu
Heather A. Knutson (Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA) Author paper [3]
Tel: +1 617 223 1723; E-mail: hknutson@cfa.harvard.edu

Adam Burrows (University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA) N&V author
Tel: +1 520 621 1795; E-mail: aburrows@as.arizona.edu

Genetics: Marsupial genome sequenced
The first high-quality draft of a marsupial genome sequence is revealed.The genome of the grey, short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica) offers interesting insights into the genetics of the immune system and the X chromosome.
Kerstin Lindblad-Toh and colleagues identified a wide range of immune genes. Some seem to be marsupial-specific, whereas others are shared with placental mammals. This, alongside the discovery of a novel type of T-cell receptor, indicates that marsupials had already evolved a complex immune system when they diverged from the placental mammal lineage some 180 million years ago — a suggestion that is at odds with previous claims of a primitive immune system.
The results also suggest that random inactivation of the X chromosome — a phenomenon seen in placental mammals whereby one random copy of the X chromosome is switched off to avoid a double dose of 'X genes' — appeared alongside the evolution of a complex genetic locus called the X inactivation centre (XIC). The XIC is lacking in the opossum genome, a finding that may help to explain why, in the opossum, it's always the paternally derived X chromosome that is silenced.
The newly sequenced genome seems to contain 18,000–20,000 protein-coding genes, most of which have counterparts in placental mammals. Opossum-specific genes mostly originate from the expansion and rapid turnover of gene families involved in immunity, sensory perception and detoxification.
The sequencing of the opossum genome marks an important point in genetics research and not just because of the special place occupied by the marsupial in the evolutionary tree. The animals provide a good model of malignant melanoma, and are useful in studies of regeneration because newborns can heal complete transections of spinal cord.
CONTACT
Kerstin Lindblad-Toh (Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA)

Nicole Davis (Scientific Communications Specialist, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA)
Tel: +1 617 258 0952; E-mail: ndavis@broad.mit.edu

Geoff Spencer (Public Affairs Specialist, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA)
Tel: +1 301 451 8325; E-mail: spencerg@mail.nih.gov

Leo Goodstadt (MRC Functional Genetics Unit, University of Oxford, UK) Co-author
This author can be contacted through the MRC press office:
Tel: +44 20 7637 6011; E-mail: press.office@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk

New genetic risk factor for type 2 diabetes

Variation in the gene called CDKAL1 is associated with risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Valgerdur Steinthorsdottir and colleagues discovered this new risk variant through a large-scale survey in Iceland in which they compared the frequencies of several hundred thousand common genetic variants in healthy individuals with those who have the disease. They subsequently replicated the association between type 2 diabetes and a variant in CDKAL1 in samples from several independent populations of European or Han Chinese ancestry. Individuals with two copies of the risk variant were found to be at increased risk for developing disease compared to individuals with only a single copy of the risk variant. Such individuals also had approximately 20% less insulin response than individuals with only one copy or non-carriers, suggesting that the variant may confer risk of type 2 diabetes through reduced insulin secretion.
Author contacts:
Edward Farmer (Director of Corporate Communication, deCODE genetics Inc)
Tel: +1 646 417 4555; E-mail: edward.farmer@decode.is

Valgerdur Steinthorsdottir (deCODE Genetics, Reykjavik, Iceland)
E-mail: vstein@decode.is
Kari Stefansson (deCODE Genetics, Reykjavik, Iceland)
E-mail: kstefans@decode.is

Increasing bad cholesterol levels

A study of Nature Structural & Molecular Biology suggests how the gene PCSK9 maintains cholesterol balance in the body.
Low-density lipoproteins (LDLs, also known as ‘bad cholesterol’) are removed from the bloodstream by binding to LDL receptors (LDLRs) present on the surface of cells. After binding, cells internalize both the receptor and cholesterol, the cholesterol is processed by the cell and LDLR is recycled back to the surface, where it can bind new cholesterol molecules. The amount of surface LDLR is decreased by the PCSK9 protein, resulting in high blood cholesterol, but how PCSK9 does this was not known.
Xiayang Qiu and colleagues have now found that PCSK9 binds very tightly to LDLR. This tight binding may lower LDLR levels on the cell surface by sequestering LDLRs inside cells, preventing their recycling back to the cell surface. A mutation in PCSK9 associated with high cholesterol shows even tighter binding to LDLR, supporting this model. These findings should improve our understanding of cholesterol regulation, and may help in the development of drugs to treat cardiovascular disease.
Author contact:
Xiayang Qiu (Pfizer, Groton, CT, USA)
Tel: +1 860 715 6718; E-mail: xiayang.qiu@pfizer.com

Astrocytes kill neurons in ALS
Astrocytes carrying a mutated version of a protein that causes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) are responsible for the death of motor neurons, report two papers in the May issue of Nature Neuroscience. These findings suggest that stem cell therapy focused on replacing damaged neurons may not be feasible in ALS, because diseased astrocytes would be expected to damage the replacement neurons.
Mutations in the gene for superoxide dismutase (SOD1) cause some cases of ALS, in which progressive degeneration of motor neurons leads to paralysis and eventually death. In both studies, the authors expressed this mutant protein in single cell types in culture. Motor neurons degenerated and died when cocultured with astrocytes expressing mutant SOD1, while mutant SOD1 in neurons, fibroblasts or microglia did not cause neuronal death.
Przedborski and colleagues additionally report that the astrocytes expressing mutant SOD1 killed only the neurons that degenerate in ALS, not other types of neurons, and that this was due to a soluble toxic factor released by the astrocytes. If this toxic factor can be identified in future studies, this finding may offer novel strategies for therapy.
Author contacts:
Serge Przedborski (Columbia University, New York, NY, USA) Paper [7]
Tel: +1 212 305 1540; E-mail: sp30@columbia.edu
Kevin Eggan (Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA) Paper [8]
Tel: +1 617 496 5611; E-mail: eggan@mcb.harvard.edu
Additional contact for comment on papers:
Jean-Pierre Julien (Laval University, Québec, Canada)
Tel: +1 418 654 2296; E-mail: jean-pierre.julien@crchul.ulaval.ca

Mutation leads to male infertility
A mutation in a gene called AURKC (Aurora Kinase C) has been identified in 14 infertile men of North African descent. While deletions of some portion of the Y chromosome have been found in infertile men, this is a rare example in which a mutation in a single gene causes male infertility.
Estimates suggest that at least 80 million individuals worldwide are infertile. Pierre Ray and colleagues studied 14 men whose infertility seemed to have a similar origin. Their sperm were characterized by large heads, increased DNA content, and a variable number of flagella—the whip-like tails that propel the sperm. A genome-wide scan identified a mutation in AURKC that severely truncates the protein. AURKC encodes an enzyme that phosphorylates other proteins, and the authors show that the mutation abolishes this activity. An analysis of the genomic region around AURKC shows that these individuals have other markers in common, suggesting that this mutation appeared in a North African common ancestor approximately 1,500 years ago. The authors note that a larger study of the prevalence of this mutation in North Africans is now warranted.
Author contact:
Pierre Ray (University Hospital of Grenoble, France)
Tel: +33 476 76 55 73; E-mail: pray@chu-grenoble.fr

Genetic susceptibility to Crohn disease
A genome-wide assessment of genetic variation in individuals with Crohn disease has identified seven genes or regions that are associated with elevated risk of the disease, according to a study.Three of the genes were previously known, but four are newly associated with the disease.
Crohn disease is one of the most common forms of inflammatory bowel disease, affecting 100–150 per 100,000 individuals of European ancestry. John Rioux and colleagues assessed more than 300,000 genetic variants in individuals with Crohn disease, as well as controls, and identified three previously reported risk factors (CARD15, IL23R, and ATG16L1), and four new ones (PHOX2B, NCF4, FAM92B, and a region on chromosome 10).
In combination with other studies, these ‘genome-wide association studies’ promise to flesh out the entire catalogue of genetic variants that predispose to Crohn disease, as well as provide new insight into the causes of the disease. In this case, the authors show that ATG16L1 might have a role in the degradation and processing of bacteria by the body’s inflammatory response—a process known as autophagy. This is consistent with other evidence that an inappropriate response to bacteria in the gut is important in the initiation of Crohn disease.
Author contact:
John Rioux (University of Montreal, Québec, Canada)
Tel: +1 514 376 3330; E-mail: rioux@broad.mit.edu

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT AND INFORMATIONS
EAGLES Health Lecturer Tour Grants
The European Action on Global Life Sciences (EAGLES) Health Programme is offering grants of up to €5,000 to leading biomedical scientists and other health specialists, including commentators and journalists, from developing countries to undertake lecture tours around Europe to communicate the needs of developing countries to the European public and European institutions. Applications should be submitted before 11 June 2007. Further details can be found on the EAGLES website: www.efb-central.org/eagles/site.

International Workshop on Cities, Science and Sustainability
An international workshop examining successful approaches to 'cities, science and sustainability' will be held at TWAS's headquarters in Trieste, Italy, from 20 to 22 September 2007. Institutions in developing countries are invited to respond by 1 July 2007 indicating their interest in participating in the workshop and presenting a report highlighting successful initiatives in using science and technology in solving problems of sustainability associated with large urban areas, including (but not limited to) access to safe drinking water, sanitation, air pollution, housing and construction, land use planning, transport, traffic congestion and waste disposal in a city in the developing world. The project 'Cities, Science and Sustainability' is a collaborative effort between TWAS, the Consortium for Science, Technology and Innovation for the South (COSTIS) and the United Nations Development Programme's Special Unit for South-South Cooperation (UNDP-SSC).

African Materials Research Conference in December
The 4th International Conference of the African Materials Research Society will be held in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, from 10 to 14 December 2007. Main topic of the conference: "Cementing Collaborations in Materials Research in Africa." Deadline for pre-registration and abstracts: 30 June 2007


Award in Medical Sciences in the UAE
The 'Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Awards for Medical Sciences' (SHAMS) are accepting nominations in three categories: international, Arab world, and UAE. The awards honour "medical researchers worldwide who enrich scientific research and enhance the nature of scientific exchanges among medical doctors in UAE and medical centers abroad." Deadline for nominations is November. For more information on the Awards, please visit: www.hmaward.org.ae

Fossils: Tell it to the trees
A spectacular fossilized tree gives an unprecedented insight into the appearance of the world’s earliest forests.
William E. Stein and colleagues found their fossil tree in Schoharie County, New York. It stood at least eight metres high with fern-like branches, a long trunk and small anchoring roots. Its crown belongs to a previously known plant taxon, the cladoxylopsid Wattieza. But its trunk and base match a different group, named Eospermatopteris.
The evolution of trees was fundamental to the Earth’s terrestrial ecosystem. And until now, the earliest-known evidence of forests came from fossil tree stumps found in Gilboa, New York, that are about 385 million years old. The trees were designated Eospermatopteris but their aerial portions were missing. The new find sheds light on their possible full appearance.
CONTACT
William E. Stein (State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, USA)
Tel: +1 607 777 4391; E-mail: stein@binghamton.edu
Albert Gnidica (Media Relations, New York State Museum, NY, USA)
Tel: +1 518 474 0068 or +1 518 474 8730; E-mail: Agnidica@mail.nysed.gov
Brigitte Meyer-Berthaud (CIRAD-CNRS, Montpellier, France) N&V author
Tel: +33 4 67 61 75 22; E-mail: meyerberthaud@cirad.fr

Geology: The big melts
The Earth’s continental crust was not formed gradually but in stages, punctuated by large, potentially global, melting events. A report analyses the helium isotopic ratios from ocean island basalts, which reveal several distinct episodes of crustal growth.
Most Earth scientists agree that the continental crust formed by a process of partial melting from the mantle, although the timing and details of this process has remained controversial. Stephen Parman studied the chemical fingerprint of continental crust formation in the isotopic composition of helium isotopes recorded in ocean island basalts. The volatility of helium isotopes means that they are not reintroduced into the mantle during subduction and the record of mantle depletion is thus preserved for helium, whereas most other isotopes are continually recycled by mantle convection, largely obscuring such a record.
Parman found that peaks in the occurrence of helium isotope ratios are globally consistent and correspond with the ages of what have been proposed to be continental growth pulses. He concludes that the ultimate cause of these large melting events is still unclear, but could be related to large releases of heat from the mantle.
CONTACT
Stephen Parman (University of Durham, UK)
E-mail: stephen.parman@durham.ac.uk
Please note that the author is travelling in the US but should be contactable by email and mobile: Tel: +1 302 588 7369
Don Porcelli (University of Oxford, UK) N&V author
Tel: +44 1865 282 121; E-mail: don.porcelli@earth.ox.ac.uk

Quantum physics: Losing a grip on realit
It seems common sense that an object will retain its fundamental properties regardless of whether or not we are looking at it. But in the microscopic quantum world, everyday rules do not apply. Even our concept of reality may be challenged.
Classical physics clings tightly to the notions of realism (where external reality exists independent of observation) and locality (where sufficiently distant objects cannot influence each other). Quantum experiments in which the properties of distant but entangled particles are linked seem hard to reconcile with such notions, making local realistic theories untenable.
Markus Aspelmeyer, Anton Zeilinger and colleagues developed an inequality that relaxes the assumption of locality, allowing a test of non-local realism. They studied correlations between pairs of entangled photons, and found that the correlations violate non-local realistic theories. The result suggests that giving up the concept of locality is not sufficient to be consistent with quantum experiments, unless certain intuitive features of realism are abandoned.
CONTACT
Markus Aspelmeyer (University of Vienna, Austria)
Please contact the author through:
Ursula Gerber (University of Vienna, Austria)
Tel: +43 1 4277 51205; E-mail: ursula.gerber@univie.ac.at
Alain Aspect (Institut d'Optique, Palaiseau, France) N&V author
Tel: +33 1 64 53 31 03; E-mail: alain.aspect@institutoptique.fr

Announcement-Four leading researchers from Japan and the UK meet in London to present:
“Frontiers of Neuroscience” Major advancements in medical research and their applications
Keio University, University College London (UCL), and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), London Office will host the Keio University 150th Anniversary International Symposium, “Frontiers of Neuroscience”. Four leading scholars specialising in neuroscience will present their cutting-edge research and discuss its potential for curing today’s most devastating injuries and diseases of the brain. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place on April 27 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at UCL’s Cruciform Lecture Theatre 2, Gower Street, London, UK.
Two island countries, two universities, four scientists and an office
Two universities, on two island countries at either end of the Eurasian continent, have played a leading role in the liberalisation of science and education from their respective beginnings, in 1826 (UCL) and 1858 (Keio), that continues today. Four pioneering scientists, two from each university, will gather on the UCL campus for an international symposium exploring issues surrounding ground-breaking advancements in neuroscience and related topics relevant to our current, fast-changing society. In addition to promoting collaboration between the three participating organizations and celebrating the 150th anniversary of Keio University, the event will commemorate the launch of the Keio University London Office, established in alliance with JSPS.
Frontiers of Neuroscience – Opportunities for better understanding ourselves –
Keio University’s Prof Hideyuki Okano is a specialist in damaged Central Nervous System (CNS) regeneration. His current research is breaking new ground in adult neurogenesis (birth of new neuronal cells) and brain damage repair, and may open up a number of possibilities including therapeutic intervention for spinal cord injuries and treatments for neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease. He will discuss both the principles of regeneration and his research group’s latest findings. Prof Masato Yasui, also from Keio University, specialises in a class of integral membrane proteins known as aquaporin, which functions as a channel for transporting water through biological cell membranes. Aquaporin is a recent discovery, and has led to a series of studies into its relation to a wide range of human diseases. Prof Yasui’s interest is in aquaporin-4 (AQP4), a particular type of aquaporin that is predominantly expressed in mammalian brains. On the basis of precedent findings, including its involvement in brain edema formation, he will discuss potential connections between AQP4 and mental disorders such as bipolar diseases.
Participating scientists from UCL are prominent authorities on the fundamentals of brain function. Prof Richard Frackowiak, a specialist in brain plasticity and recovery from injury, is conducting pioneering research that is serving to clarify the relationship between the brain’s functions and its physical structure. His lecture will focus on brain organisation as observed using advanced imaging technologies and methods. Prof Semir Zeki’s research focuses on the relationship between vision, art and the brain. He has lectured on the subject worldwide and is the founder of the Institute of Neuroesthetics. His insightful and careful analyses suggest that visual consciousness is distributed in both time and space. Prof Zeki will discuss the nature of visual consciousnesses in his lecture.
The symposium will begin with a welcome from Prof Yuichiro Anzai, president of Keio University and an eminent cognitive scientist, followed by the four lectures and a panel discussion. It will conclude with a reception at 6 p.m.
Members of the press are invited to attend the symposium, which is free and open to the public. Interview requests can be forwarded to press contact Juli Morizawa (Ms) or Akiko Kurata (Ms).
For more information and to register, visit http://keio150.jp/english/events/2007/20070427e.html or email sympo-rsvp@adst.keio.ac.jp.
General Inquiries: Yuko Sakuma (Ms)
International Programme Coordinator, Keio University London Office, UK
Email: sympo-rsvp@adst.keio.ac.jp 　Tel: (020) 7629 3577 Fax: (020) 7629 3588
Media Inquiries: Juli Morizawa (Ms), Akiko Kurata (Ms)
Office of Communications and Public Relations, Keio University, Japan
Email: m-koho@adst.keio.ac.jp　 Tel: +81-3-5427-1541 Fax: +81-3-5441-7640
Meeting information
“Frontiers of Neuroscience” April 27 (3 p.m. to 6 p.m.) at UCL’s Cruciform Lecture Theatre 2, Gower Street, London, UK.

Frontiers of Neuroscience - Major advancements in medical research and their applications
hosted by
Keio University, Japan
University College London, UK and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
Friday April 27, 2007
3:00-6:00pm Entry Free Cruciform Lecture Theatre 2, UCL
Gower Street, London WC1
It is with great pleasure that Keio University, University College London, and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) invite you to the first Keio University 150th Anniversary International Symposium on “Frontiers of Neuroscience”.
Keio University is the oldest modern comprehensive university in Japan and will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2008. It takes pride in having led Japanese society through innovations in both research and education from its earliest years when founder Yukichi Fukuzawa, who travelled to Europe as early as 1862, became convinced that Japan should transform itself through the introduction of western learning. In reaching this important milestone in its history, Keio is redoubling its commitment to strengthening its international profile and enhancing its global activities. To advance this endeavor, Keio has organized this symposium to highlight the university’s School of Medicine, renowned in Japan for its world-class and cutting-edge research and education, and has invited two of its distinguished academic members to participate.
Today, both the UK and Japan face the daunting reality of having become rapidly aging societies, largely as a result of major advancements in medical research and their applications. It is therefore timely and relevant for leading researchers in both countries to cooperate and share the results of their respective cutting-edge research activities in this field. It is a great pleasure for Keio University to co-host this event with University College London, the institution that introduced systematic medical education to England, and to welcome two of its leading professors as participants. The symposium will provide an opportunity to exchange current knowledge and research outcomes between UK and Japan at the highest level, which will be of interest both to academic experts and the general public.
This symposium will also commemorate the launch of the Keio University London Office, established in alliance with the JSPS London Office, a Japanese non-governmental organization committed to promoting bottom-up UK-Japan research collaboration. It is anticipated that this event will be the first of many joint activities advancing UK-Japan relations stimulated by the new partnership.

Speakers (In alphabetical order)

Professor Richard SJ Frackowiak
Vice-Provost (Special Projects)
Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology
University College London

Professor Hideyuki Okano
Department of Physiology
Keio University School of Medicine

Professor Masato Yasui
Professor and Chair, Department of Pharmacology
Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo Japan

Professor Semir Zeki
Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience
University College London

Programme

15:00-15:10 Opening address - Keio President Yuichiro Anzai
15:10-15:15 Introduction to the symposium - Professor Hideyuki Okano
15:15-15:40 "Modern Human Brain Imaging: structure-function correlations" Professor Richard Frackowiak
15:40-16:05 "Water Neurobiology: potential roles of water channel, aquaporin" Professor Masato Yasui
16:05-16:30 "Challenges toward Regeneration of the Damaged Central Nervous System" Professor Hideyuki Okano
16:30-16:55 " The Many Consciousnesses of the Brain " Professor Semir Zeki
16:55-17:15 Break
17:15-17:45 Panel discussion and Q& A
Chair: Professor Hideyuki Okano
Panelists:
President Yuichiro Anzai
Professor Richard SJ Frackowiak
Dr. Yukio Nishizawa, Research Director, Eisai London Research Laboratories
Professor Masato Yasui
Professor Semir Zeki

17:45-17:50 Closing address Ms. Yuko Furukawa, Director, JSPS London Office
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18:00-19:30 Reception at the South Cloisters

While serving as a forum for advanced academic exchange, the program is designed to be accessible to all audiences. Admission is free of charge and open to the public.

Advance registration is required: sympo-rsvp@adst.keio.ac.jp (English and Japanese)
Event details: http://keio150.jp/english/events/2007/20070427e.html

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