This Week in Science

Editor summaries of this week's papers.
Science 1 May 2009: 565.
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Editorial:
Science in the White House

John P. Holdren
Science 1 May 2009: 567.
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Editors' Choice

Highlights of the recent literature.
Science 1 May 2009: 568.
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Science Podcast, 05/01/09

Science 1 May 2009: 663.
The 01 May 2009 show includes the evolutionary history of Africans and African Americans, the origins of the immune system, your Letters, and more. Summary »|   Full Text »|   Transcript »|  

New Products

Science 1 May 2009: 663.
A weekly roundup of information on newly offered instrumentation, apparatus, and laboratory materials of potential interest to researchers. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

News of the Week

Infectious Diseases
As Swine Flu Circles Globe, Scientists Grapple With Basic Questions

Jon Cohen and Martin Enserink
Science 1 May 2009: 572-573.
Shortly after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rang the alarm about two cases of swine flu in southern California, scientists and health officials around the world went on alert, concerned that this never-before-seen virus could lead to a killer pandemic. But some say the world hasn't done nearly enough over the past 10 years to prepare for a pandemic. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Science and Society
Hundreds Gather for Rally to Defend Animal Research

Greg Miller
Science 1 May 2009: 574.
Last week marked what some hope will be a turning point in the clash of wills between proponents of biomedical research and animal-rights extremists. On 22 April, hundreds of people turned out for a pro-research rally at the University of California, Los Angeles. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Evolutionary Genetics
Africans' Deep Genetic Roots Reveal Their Evolutionary Story

Ann Gibbons
Science 1 May 2009: 575.
In the largest study ever of African genetic diversity, an international team of researchers reports online in Science this week that Africans are descended from 14 ancestral populations, which often correlate with language and cultural groups. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

U.S. Science Policy
Obama Courts a Smitten Audience at the National Academy

Jeffrey Mervis
Science 1 May 2009: 576-577.
On Monday, President Barack Obama went to the National Academy of Sciences to explain his policies on science and innovation to the nation's most prestigious scientific organization. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Climate Change
Study Challenges Cosmic Ray–Climate Link

Richard A. Kerr
Science 1 May 2009: 576-577.
The first comprehensive modeling of how the sun might indirectly thin cloud cover and thus warm the planet suggests that cosmic rays are not up to the task by two orders of magnitude. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

ScienceNOW.org
From Science's Online Daily News Site

Science 1 May 2009: 577.
Highlights from Science's online daily news site, ScienceNOW, this week include a new analysis showing that China fell short on cleaning up its air pollution before the Olympics, artificial blood vessels, instant sunglasses, and the dance of pond scum. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Paleontology
‘Protein’ in 80-Million-Year-Old Fossil Bolsters Controversial T. rex Claim

Robert F. Service
Science 1 May 2009: 578.
A controversial finding that protein fragments can be recovered from dinosaur fossils has been replicated for the first time. On page 626 of this week's issue of Science, the same team reports finding an even larger number of protein fragments from an 80-million-year-old fossil from a duck-billed dinosaur, or hadrosaur, known as Brachylophosaurus canadensis. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Conflicts of Interest
IOM Panel Backs Public Disclosure Of Drug Company Payments

Jocelyn Kaiser
Science 1 May 2009: 579.
The best way to damp down concerns about doctors' and researchers' financial conflicts of interest is to require full disclosure, according to an expert report that adds its voice to a growing chorus. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

ScienceInsider
From the Science Policy Blog

Science 1 May 2009: 579.
Science's policy blog, ScienceInsider, reported this week on the decision to maintain limits on travel by National Institutes of Health scientists, proposals for dealing with asteroids heading toward Earth, and scientists' disappointment in the U.K. government's new budget, among other stories. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Random Samples

Science 1 May 2009: 571.
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News Focus

Origins
On the Origin of The Immune System

John Travis
Science 1 May 2009: 580-582.
Did the immune system evolve to keep out harmful organisms, or is it like a bouncer at a nightclub, trained to allow the right microbes in and kick the less desirable ones out? In the fifth essay in Science's series in honor of the Year of Darwin, John Travis explores the evolution of the immune system. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|   Podcast Interview »|  

Newsmaker Interview
Defying Skeptics, Richard Scheller Thinks Genentech Will Thrive

Greg Miller
Science 1 May 2009: 583.
Finally allowed to speak publicly, Richard Scheller, Genentech's new executive vice president for research and early development, spoke with Science last week about what the merger with Roche will (and mostly won't) mean for research at Genentech. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Astronomy
Herschel Will Open a New Vista On Infant Stars and Galaxies ...

Daniel Clery
Science 1 May 2009: 584-586.
With the biggest mirror yet flown in space, Europe's new observatory will peer through a new wavelength window at the cool regions of the universe. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Astronomy
...While Planck Dusts the Skies For the Fingerprints of Inflation

Adrian Cho
Science 1 May 2009: 584-586.
The newborn universe supposedly expanded faster than the speed of light. The European Space Agency's Planck satellite might prove it. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Biofuels
Corn-Based Ethanol Flunks Key Test

Dan Charles
Science 1 May 2009: 587.
In setting state rules for low-carbon fuels, California officials have calculated that corn ethanol is worse than gasoline. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

American Association of Physical Anthropologists
Civilization's Cost: The Decline and Fall of Human Health

Ann Gibbons
Science 1 May 2009: 588.
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGISTS, 31 MARCH-4 APRIL 2009, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

American Association of Physical Anthropologists
Of Tools and Tubers

Ann Gibbons
Science 1 May 2009: 588-589.
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGISTS, 31 MARCH-4 APRIL 2009, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

American Association of Physical Anthropologists
Reproductive Fate Versus Environment

Ann Gibbons
Science 1 May 2009: 589.
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGISTS, 31 MARCH-4 APRIL 2009, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Letters

 Iraq Study Failed Replication Test

Michael Spagat
Science 1 May 2009: 590.
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 Iraq Study Response Lacks Objectivity

Francesco Checchi
Science 1 May 2009: 590.
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 Confronting Racism

Anton J. M. Dijker
Science 1 May 2009: 590-591.
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 Confronting Racism—Response

Kerry Kawakami, Elizabeth Dunn, Francine Karmali, and John F. Dovidio
Science 1 May 2009: 591-592.
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 Corrections and Clarifications

Science 1 May 2009: 592.
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Books et al.

Film: Environment
Three Takes on People and Water

Barbara R. Jasny and Sherman J. Suter
Science 1 May 2009: 593.
Three films portray varied aspects of people's relations with freshwater, a Swiss glacier, and the Dutch coast. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Books Received

Science 1 May 2009: 593.
A listing of books received at Science during the week ended 24 April 2009. Summary »|  

Policy Forum

Ecology
Reducing the Risks of the Wildlife Trade

Katherine F. Smith, Michael Behrens, Lisa M. Schloegel, Nina Marano, Stas Burgiel, and Peter Daszak
Science 1 May 2009: 594-595.
Importation of wildlife into the United States, most with scant identification, brings an increased threat of disease and introduction of invasive species. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|   Supporting Online Material »|  

Perspectives

History of Science
Alexander von Humboldt and the General Physics of the Earth

Stephen T. Jackson
Science 1 May 2009: 596-597.
In the early 19th century, Alexander von Humboldt laid the foundations for today's Earth system sciences. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Planetary Science
Magnetic Twisters on Mercury

Karl-Heinz Glassmeier
Science 1 May 2009: 597-598.
Observations of Mercury during the recent MESSENGER spacecraft flybys reveal a complex magnetosphere. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Circadian Rhythms
A Circadian Loop asSIRTs Itself

Herman Wijnen
Science 1 May 2009: 598-599.
The oscillating biosynthesis of NAD⁺ constitutes a feedback loop that integrates the mammalian circadian clock with metabolism. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Climate
The Geographic Footprint of Glacier Change

Greg Balco
Science 1 May 2009: 599-600.
Glacier advances and retreats over the past 10,000 years illustrate the complexity of climate dynamics. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Physics
A Glassy State of Supersolid Helium

John Saunders
Science 1 May 2009: 601-602.
Disorder and defects appear to play an important role in the formation of a supersolid from helium-4 atoms. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Cancer
Complicated Supercomplexes

David M. Livingston
Science 1 May 2009: 602-603.
Molecular details of how proteins interact to repair DNA breaks reveal complexities that underlie their tumor-suppressive effects in different cancers. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Medicine
Avoiding Unintended Toxicity

Todd E. Golde and Thomas L. Kukar
Science 1 May 2009: 603-604.
Drugs that inhibit a distinct form of -secretase may be useful in treating Alzheimer's disease without causing harmful side effects. Summary »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Brevia

Neural Mechanisms of a Genome-Wide Supported Psychosis Variant

Christine Esslinger, Henrik Walter, Peter Kirsch, Susanne Erk, Knut Schnell, Claudia Arnold, Leila Haddad, Daniela Mier, Carola Opitz von Boberfeld, Kyeon Raab, Stephanie H. Witt, Marcella Rietschel, Sven Cichon, and Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
Science 1 May 2009: 605.
A genetic polymorphism associated with schizophrenia conveys a risk for abnormal connectivity between brain regions. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|   Supporting Online Material »|  

Reports

MESSENGER Observations of Magnetic Reconnection in Mercury’s Magnetosphere

James A. Slavin, Mario H. Acuña, Brian J. Anderson, Daniel N. Baker, Mehdi Benna, Scott A. Boardsen, George Gloeckler, Robert E. Gold, George C. Ho, Haje Korth, Stamatios M. Krimigis, Ralph L. McNutt, Jr., Jim M. Raines, Menelaos Sarantos, David Schriver, Sean C. Solomon, Pavel Trávnícek, and Thomas H. Zurbuchen
Science 1 May 2009: 606-610.
Mercury’s magnetosphere responds more strongly to the influence of the Sun’s magnetic field than does Earth’s magnetosphere. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

MESSENGER Observations of Mercury’s Exosphere: Detection of Magnesium and Distribution of Constituents

William E. McClintock, Ronald J. Vervack, Jr, E. Todd Bradley, Rosemary M. Killen, Nelly Mouawad, Ann L. Sprague, Matthew H. Burger, Sean C. Solomon, and Noam R. Izenberg
Science 1 May 2009: 610-613.
High-resolution observations of Mercury’s exosphere reveal different spatial distributions of magnesium, calcium, and sodium. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

The Evolution of Mercury’s Crust: A Global Perspective from MESSENGER

Brett W. Denevi, Mark S. Robinson, Sean C. Solomon, Scott L. Murchie, David T. Blewett, Deborah L. Domingue, Timothy J. McCoy, Carolyn M. Ernst, James W. Head, Thomas R. Watters, and Nancy L. Chabot
Science 1 May 2009: 613-618.
Data from the Mariner 10 and MESSENGER flybys imply that a substantial fraction of Mercury’s surface is volcanic in origin. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|  

Evolution of the Rembrandt Impact Basin on Mercury

Thomas R. Watters, James W. Head, Sean C. Solomon, Mark S. Robinson, Clark R. Chapman, Brett W. Denevi, Caleb I. Fassett, Scott L. Murchie, and Robert G. Strom
Science 1 May 2009: 618-621.
This basin, showing a unique pattern of radial and concentric tectonic features, represents an intermediate stage of filling by volcanic plains. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|   Supporting Online Material »|  

High-Frequency Holocene Glacier Fluctuations in New Zealand Differ from the Northern Signature

Joerg M. Schaefer, George H. Denton, Michael Kaplan, Aaron Putnam, Robert C. Finkel, David J. A. Barrell, Bjorn G. Andersen, Roseanne Schwartz, Andrew Mackintosh, Trevor Chinn, and Christian Schlüchter
Science 1 May 2009: 622-625.
The patterns of glacial advances and retreats in New Zealand during the Holocene contrast markedly with those of the Northern Hemisphere. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|   Supporting Online Material »|  

Biomolecular Characterization and Protein Sequences of the Campanian Hadrosaur B. canadensis

Mary H. Schweitzer, Wenxia Zheng, Chris L. Organ, Recep Avci, Zhiyong Suo, Lisa M. Freimark, Valerie S. Lebleu, Michael B. Duncan, Matthew G. Vander Heiden, John M. Neveu, William S. Lane, John S. Cottrell, John R. Horner, Lewis C. Cantley, Raghu Kalluri, and John M. Asara
Science 1 May 2009: 626-631.
Analysis of well-preserved tissues from an 80-million-year-old hadrosaur supports the dinosaur-bird relationship. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|   Supporting Online Material »|  

A Gross-Pitaevskii Treatment for Supersolid Helium

Philip W. Anderson
Science 1 May 2009: 631-632.
A new theoretical argument and a study of the temperature-dependent relaxation dynamics of helium show that defects may play an important role in describing its supersolid behavior. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|   Supporting Online Material »|  

Evidence for a Superglass State in Solid ⁴He

B. Hunt, E. Pratt, V. Gadagkar, M. Yamashita, A. V. Balatsky, and J. C. Davis
Science 1 May 2009: 632-636.
A new theoretical argument and a study of the temperature-dependent relaxation dynamics of helium show that defects may play an important role in describing its supersolid behavior. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|   Supporting Online Material »|  

Competition for Light Causes Plant Biodiversity Loss After Eutrophication

Yann Hautier, Pascal A. Niklaus, and Andy Hector
Science 1 May 2009: 636-638.
A few species take advantage of fertilizer to grow fast, shade out competitors, and reduce the number of species in grassland. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|   Supporting Online Material »|  

-Secretase Heterogeneity in the Aph1 Subunit: Relevance for Alzheimer’s Disease

Lutgarde Serneels, Jérôme Van Biervliet, Katleen Craessaerts, Tim Dejaegere, Katrien Horré, Tine Van Houtvin, Hermann Esselmann, Sabine Paul, Martin K. Schäfer, Oksana Berezovska, Bradley T. Hyman, Ben Sprangers, Raf Sciot, Lieve Moons, Mathias Jucker, Zhixiang Yang, Patrick C. May, Eric Karran, Jens Wiltfang, Rudi D’Hooge, and Bart De Strooper
Science 1 May 2009: 639-642.
Published online 19 March 2009 [DOI: 10.1126/science.1171176] (in Science Express Reports)
Targeted knockout of only part of the -secretase complex lessens toxicity and still improves disease phenotypes. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|   Supporting Online Material »|  

Burst Spiking of a Single Cortical Neuron Modifies Global Brain State

Cheng-yu T. Li, Mu-ming Poo, and Yang Dan
Science 1 May 2009: 643-646.
Stimulation of a single nerve cell triggers a switch between slow wave and rapid eye movement sleep. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|   Supporting Online Material »|  

Self-Control in Decision-Making Involves Modulation of the vmPFC Valuation System

Todd A. Hare, Colin F. Camerer, and Antonio Rangel
Science 1 May 2009: 646-648.
The neural circuitry underlying choice and self-control is revealed by modeling and brain imaging. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|   Supporting Online Material »|  

Exchange of Genetic Material Between Cells in Plant Tissue Grafts

Sandra Stegemann and Ralph Bock
Science 1 May 2009: 649-651.
Plant genes can transfer between cells and across graft junctions, possibly explaining horizontal gene transfer. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|   Supporting Online Material »|  

Circadian Clock Feedback Cycle Through NAMPT-Mediated NAD⁺ Biosynthesis

Kathryn Moynihan Ramsey, Jun Yoshino, Cynthia S. Brace, Dana Abrassart, Yumiko Kobayashi, Biliana Marcheva, Hee-Kyung Hong, Jason L. Chong, Ethan D. Buhr, Choogon Lee, Joseph S. Takahashi, Shin-ichiro Imai, and Joseph Bass
Science 1 May 2009: 651-654.
Published online 19 March 2009 [DOI: 10.1126/science.1171641] (in Science Express Reports)
A transcriptional-enzymatic feedback loop controls interactions between metabolism and circadian rhythms in mouse cells. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|   Supporting Online Material »|  

Circadian Control of the NAD⁺ Salvage Pathway by CLOCK-SIRT1

Yasukazu Nakahata, Saurabh Sahar, Giuseppe Astarita, Milota Kaluzova, and Paolo Sassone-Corsi
Science 1 May 2009: 654-657.
Published online 12 March 2009 [DOI: 10.1126/science.1170803] (in Science Express Reports)
A transcriptional-enzymatic feedback loop controls interactions between metabolism and circadian rhythms in mouse cells. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|   Supporting Online Material »|  

A Cytidine Deaminase Edits C to U in Transfer RNAs in Archaea

Lennart Randau, Bradford J. Stanley, Andrew Kohlway, Sarah Mechta, Yong Xiong, and Dieter Söll
Science 1 May 2009: 657-659.
A nonconventional cytosine is edited out to allow a functional transfer RNA structure to form. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|   Supporting Online Material »|  

A Yeast Hybrid Provides Insight into the Evolution of Gene Expression Regulation

Itay Tirosh, Sharon Reikhav, Avraham A. Levy, and Naama Barkai
Science 1 May 2009: 659-662.
Analysis of two yeast species and their hybrid reveals the role of cis and trans effects in the evolution of gene expression. Abstract »|   Full Text »|   PDF »|   Supporting Online Material »|