Nessa Fisher

Twenty years ago, a space mission to land a probe on a comet was envisioned. And now, ten years and 6 billion kms after, the Rosetta mission have seen success.

It's undoubtedly a resounding accomplishment for European Space Agency (ESA) which launched the Rosetta mission in March 2004. After blasting off from Kourou spaceport of French Guiana, Rosetta and Philae have logged at least 6 billion kms just to reach the comet.

For a time, the spacecraft had gone on standby for almost 3 years. Apparently, it had gone 500 million miles away from the sun that the solar panels can't absorb enough energy to recharge and keep things going. Fortunately, the Rosetta came out of its hibernation just this January and approached its target: comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

The comet, discovered in 1969, orbits the sun at the speed of 135,000 km/h. Measuring 4-km wide, the comet's shape is similar to that of a rubber duck which initially left people doubting if a landing would be possible at all. (This is because if the Philae lander touched down on uneven surface, it could turn over the wrong side -- and has no way to right itself up.)

After its separation from its carrier, Philae started its precarious seven-hour descent onto the comet.

For the controller team, those were 7 hours of nerve-wracking anticipation, especially as a problem arose just at a critical moment. There seemed to be an issue with its thruster which could result in a rough landing at best. Their failure to amend the fault almost resulted in the cancellation of the mission. Eventually, they decided to proceed in spite of it.

Inside the control center of ESA in Darmstadt, Germany, tensions were high.

Finally, around 4pm (GMT), Philae's communications reached Earth: touchdown.

“We are there. We are sitting on the surface. Philae is talking to us. We are on the comet,” said Stephan Ulamec, Philae's lander manager at the control room.

The space mission has already registered a number of firsts; including the first spacecraft to come into close orbit around a comet and of course the first to land a probe. And if things go well, it could also be the first spacecraft to travel with a comet as it circles the sun.

ESA's director general, Jean-Jacques Dordain announced, "We are the first to do this, and that will stay forever."

During another interview with Koyal Info Mag, Dordain noted, "This is a big step for human civilization."

After putting the Philae lander on ground, the Rosetta spacecraft is expected to orbit around the comet and take more images as well as collect various data as it travels toward the sun.

The Rosetta mission will be completed in December 2015, though if there's enough fuel in the spacecraft it might be given a 6-month extension to do even more daring projects. Philae itself has enough juice to continue working until March before its electronics get fried by the sun's heat. However, it might still continue to cling to the comet for around 6 years before losing its grip.

This daring space mission aims to further study the molecular and physical composition of a comet, believed to be made from materials that existed even before the solar system's creation. Koyal Info Mag hopes more will be known of how the solar system formed and how comets are instrumental to the life-sustaining qualities of a planet like Earth.

Vanderbilt University geführten Forschungsteam hat Protein "Signaturen" genetische Mutationen, die fahren von Darmkrebs, die Nation zweite führende Todesursache bei Krebserkrankungen nach Lungenkrebs identifiziert.

Die technologische Tour De Force, in der aktuellen Ausgabe der Zeitschrift Nature beschrieben wird, als die ersten integrierten "Proteogenomic"-Charakterisierung der menschlichen Krebs, "neue Fortschritte ermöglichen werden" bei der Diagnose und Behandlung der Krankheit, schloss die Wissenschaftler.

"Es ist ein First of its Kind-Papier. Ich denke, es ist ein sehr bedeutender Fortschritt auf dem Gebiet", sagt senior Autor Daniel Liebler, Ph.d., Ingram Cancer Research Professor und Direktor des Instituts Ayers Jim für Precancer Erkennung und Diagnose am Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.

Das Forschungsteam, Vanderbilt und sechs andere Organe ist Teil von der Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC), gesponsert von der National Cancer Institute des nationalen Institutes der Gesundheit (NIH).

Proteomics ist die Studie der Proteine. Während viele genetische Mutationen, die mit Krebs verbunden identifiziert wurden, war es schwieriger zu analysieren, die Struktur und Funktion von Proteinen, die tatsächlich Krebs die "Arbeit". Bis jetzt.

Die Forscher verwendet erweiterte Massenspektrometrie Techniken zum Sammeln, Proteomic Daten 95 menschlichen colorectal Tumors Proben zuvor, geprägt von The Cancer Genome Atlas, ein staatlich finanziertes Projekt identifizieren genetische Anomalien in Krebs.

Datenanalyse führte Erstautor Bing Zhang, Ph.d., Associate Professor für biomedizinische Informatik. "Integration der Proteomik Daten mit der riesigen Menge von bereits vorhandenen Genomische Daten ist eine schwierige Aufgabe," Zhang "gilt jedoch es auch der Schlüssel für die Daten in neue Einblicke zu verwandeln."

Es ist ein biologisches Grundprinzip, dass DNA – den genetischen Code – "" in RNA transkribiert, dann "" in Proteine übersetzt. Dennoch fanden die Forscher, dass Anomalien in den Genen oder sogar die RNA der Proben nicht unbedingt "in abnorme Proteine übersetzen".

Ebenso einige Abschnitte der Chromosomen, das in den Tumor Proben "verstärkt" waren nicht zu verstärkten oder erhöhte Protein-Ebene führen.

Die habe, ergab sich jedoch, die "auffällige Effekte", was darauf hindeutet, dass Proteomics helfen könnte, identifizieren und priorisieren die meisten "wirkungsvoll" genetische Anomalien, die Ziele für die neue diagnostische Tests oder medikamentöse Behandlungen, sein könnte, sagte Liebler.

Die Forscher entdeckten auch fünf Subtypen des Darmkrebses, die auf der Grundlage ihres Eiweißgehalts, eines davon mit schlechten Ergebnissen verbunden war. Proteomics kann also helfen, Patienten zu identifizieren, die am meisten von einer Chemotherapie nach der Operation profitieren würde.

"Unsere Entdeckung von Proteomic Untertypen öffnet die Tür zu Protein-basierte Diagnostik, die potenziell die schlechten Krebserkrankungen identifizieren konnte, die die aggressive Therapie benötigen", sagte Liebler. "Das ist, was wir wirklich heiß auf Zukunft."

Liebler sagte, dass die Unterstützung des Instituts Ayers, wurde im Jahr 2005 mit einem $ 10 Millionen-Geschenk von Jim Ayers, Vorsitzender des FirstBank in Lexington, Tennessee, und seine Frau Janet Ayers, entscheidend für den Aufbau der Infrastruktur für die Durchführung der Forschung.

"Ohne das Ayers-Institut, wir würden nicht gewesen in der Lage sind, gelten auch für das CPTAC-Programm, ein Teil davon sein," sagte Liebler.

"Das spannende Neuigkeiten, die angezeigt wird, haben enorme Auswirkungen auf die Krebsdiagnose und Behandlung," sagte Janet Ayers. "Jim und ich erweitern unsere Glückwünsche an Dr. Liebler und das Team arbeitet mit dem Jim Ayers Institut für Precancer Erkennung und Diagnose am Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.

"Das sind die Arten von Entdeckungen, die wir erhofft, wenn das Institut vor ein paar Jahren ins Leben gerufen wurde," sagte sie. "Um zu starten, sehen Ergebnisse wie folgt so schnell ist äußerst lohnend."

Lesen Sie für mehr Verwandte Artikel @ Koyal Group InfoMag Blog

Deler deres arbejde er at hjælpe de rivaliserende pharma giganter oprette nye lægemidler

Mene Pangalos er manden til opgave med intet mindre end fyres op opdagelse motor af Storbritanniens næststørste narkotika maker efter sin katastrofale falder ud over "patent klippen".

Han tiltrådte AstraZeneca som leder af innovative lægemidler i 2010, da selskabet afstivet for patenter at udløbe på en perlerække af sine bedst sælgende lægemidler.

Halvfemserne havde været produktiv for Astra, men rørledningen var tørret. Holdenes forskning stadig churning ud masser af "kandidat" medicin, men de fleste af dem var ikke når testet i virkelige patienter.

Virksomheden stadig betaler prisen for at tage sine øjne ud bolden i den tidlige del af årtiet. Salget faldt kraftigt i 2012 og forventes at holde faldende i en årrække.

"Drug kandidater er en nem ting at levere," siger Pangalos, nu Astra's executive vice formand for innovative lægemidler og tidlige udvikling.

"Hvis du havde målt AstraZeneca som en kandidat [narkotika] maskine, vi var en af de bedste selskaber i verden. [Men] Når du målt os for succesfulde lanceringer, vi var en af de mindst produktive."

Problemet var enkel. Astras forskere var at blive belønnet for at levere så mange potentielle lægemidler som muligt, uanset deres langsigtede potentiale.

"Forskning var forkert, fordi du var at fokusere på diskenheden ikke kvalitet," siger han.

"Gør forskere ikke bare aflevere en kandidat, men er nødt til at tænke på hvordan du får det i sene udvikling – pludselig deres verden fik vendt op og ned, fordi nu de ikke var at få belønnet bare for en kandidat.

"Det drev en meget anderledes adfærd med hensyn til hvordan du synes om [et lægemiddel] fra forskning i udvikling," siger han.

Pangalos, en neurolog af baggrund, er i en nøddeskal "sandheden-søger". Ophøjede det kan lyde, men det er også indlysende, forbløffende.

Hans mantra er, at den mere Astra forskere forstår de sygdomme, de forsøger at behandle, og "target" årsag pathway, jo bedre de bliver at udvikle den rette medicin.

Det er nu muligt for forskere at lokalisere som en del af DNA er blevet "brudt" i visse sygdomme og så finde ud af hvilken slags molekyle kan gribe ind for at forebygge eller mindske følgerne.

De starter med en såkaldt "target"-det være sig en kemisk reaktion, der sker i en syge celle eller en del af DNA- og designe et stof omkring det.

"Du vil blive overrasket over hvor mange gange molekyler er gået ind i mennesket, mislykkedes og derefter nogen spørger det meget enkle spørgsmål, 'gjorde du engagere mål?' og folk slags skuldertræk deres skuldre," siger han.

Han indrømmer AstraZeneca var sent til spillet, men skiftet er begyndt at betale.

Rørledningen er fylde igen, takket være en blanding af erhvervelser og nye lægemidler fra virksomhedens egne forskere, og Astras administrerende direktør, Pascal Soriot, påstod tidligere på året, at salg vil begynde at stige igen i 2017 som nye produkter ramte markedet.

Pangaloss arbejde var godt på vej af den tid, Soriot tog roret i slutningen af 2012, men det har taget scenen under den nye chef. Inden måneder efter sin ankomst udpeget Soriot Pangalos til hans inderkreds som en del af en større management omlægning.

Fortsæt læsning her

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-05/china-joins-europe-in-syria-economic-risk-warning-at-g-20-summit.html

the koyal group economy reviews, China Joins Europe in Syria Economic Risk Warning at G-20 Summit

China and Europe at a Group of 20 summit hosted by Russia warned that U.S.-led strikes on Syria would risk harming the global economy, bolstering efforts to rally opposition to the proposed attack.

“Such a military action will definitely have a negative impact on the world economy, especially on the oil price,” Chinese Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao told reporters in St. Petersburg today. “We hope that this issue could be solved at the United Nations and through diplomatic channels.”

U.S. President Barack Obama, who has asked Congress to endorse a punitive strike on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces after an alleged chemical attack on civilians, is trying to enlist international support at the G-20 meeting. Italy and Germany have joined Russia and China in insisting they won’t support military intervention in Syria without approval from the United Nations Security Council.

Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta said any such operation would cause volatility on financial markets. “We don’t need volatility, we need stability,” he said. “We are concerned about it.”

Russia, a Soviet-era ally of Syria, and China, both veto-wielding members of the Security Council, have repeatedly blocked any action against Assad over a 2 1/2-year civil war that has killed more than 100,000 people.

Oil Effect

The possibility of renewed conflict in the Middle East comes as the expected tapering of U.S. stimulus measures is causing concern of spillover effects in emerging markets. Brent may rise to $120-$125 a barrel if the U.S. and allies begin military action in Syria and may “spike briefly” to $150 if a U.S.-led attack on Syria sparks further conflict in the Middle East and supply disruptions, Michael Wittner, Societe Generale SA (GLE)’s New York-based head of oil market research, said in a report on Aug. 30.

“The concern for everyone is that a rise in oil prices would pose a risk to economic recovery,” Capital Economics Ltd. economist Julian Jessop, said by phone from London today. “It remains to be seen if the current rate of growth will continue if oil prices stay at today’s levels or even rise.”

The 17-nation euro area returned to growth in the second quarter after 18 months of recession.

‘Negative Influence’

The BRICS group of major emerging economies, which includes Russia, South Africa, China, India and Brazil, today discussed the risk posed by a Syria strike on the sidelines of the G-20 summit, said Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman.

They agreed that it would lead to an “extraordinary negative influence on the economy,” Peskov told reporters.

China today also urged the U.S. to limit global risks from shifts in monetary policy, with Indonesia warning the changing stance is spurring capital outflows as the G-20 leaders met.

The U.S. should be mindful of a possible “very significant spillover effect,” said Zhu, the deputy finance minister, speaking through an interpreter.

Emerging markets, which helped pull the world out of a recession after the global financial crisis, now face an exodus of cash and sliding currencies in anticipation of the Federal Reserve’s eventual tapering of its $85 billion in monthly bond purchases.

‘Collateral Damage’

The risk of military strikes on Syria threatens to weaken the global economic expansion, say economists from banks including Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Nomura Holdings Inc.

Deutsche Bank economist Carl Riccadonna wrote in an Aug. 27 report that rising gasoline prices could inflict “collateral damage” on economic confidence and consumption this year.

Capital Economics’ Jessop calculates that in the worse-case scenario, a jump to $150 a barrel, would threaten “stagnation” by knocking 1 percentage point off international expansion.

China’s Zhu said his country is in consultations with the International Monetary Fund on the fallout from Syria and cited the Washington-based lender’s forecasts that a $10 per barrel increase in oil a quarter percentage point off global growth.

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said today that the euro area is “alert to the geopolitical risks that may come out of the Syrian situation.”

‘Very Cautious’

“I’m very, very cautious about the recovery,” Draghi said at his monthly press conference in Frankfurt. “I can’t share enthusiasm. It’s just the beginning. Let’s see. These shoots are still very, very green.”

The ECB kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged today at a record low after the euro area returned to growth in the second quarter. Gross domestic product expanded 0.3 percent in the three months through June after six quarterly contractions and recent economic indicators point to the rebound continuing.

Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News last month see growth in China slowing to 7.3 percent in the fourth quarter, the weakest in more than four years, after 7.5 percent in the July-September period, based on median estimates.

Even though an attack on Syria may benefit Russia by sending oil prices higher, a major split with the U.S. and its European allies would deter investors, according to Chris Weafer, a senior partner at Moscow-based Macro Advisory.

 Source

COLOGNE, Germany —

Sony has had more than 1 million preorders worldwide for its new PlayStation 4 console, the head of its SCE computer entertainment division said on Tuesday.

SCE Chief Executive Andrew House added that the console will be available from Nov. 15 in North America and will hit stores in Europe from Nov 29.

“The response we have received is nothing short of incredible,” he said at a news conference on the sidelines of Gamescom, Europe’s biggest videogames fair.

He added the console will be available in 32 countries worldwide during the holiday season.

Microsoft Corp has said it will start selling its latest console at some point in November, intensifying competition ahead of the year-end holidays and gift-giving season.

Sony has priced the PlayStation 4, its first new console in seven years, $100 lower than the new Xbox One by Microsoft at $399.

Microsoft unveiled the Xbox One in May, its first new gaming console in eight years, marking its strongest push so far to dominate consumers’ living rooms with an array of exclusive media content.

Microsoft Europe’s Vice President of Interactive Entertainment Chris Lewis said on Tuesday preorders for the Xbox One were “unprecedented” but declined to give more details.

Sony said it would also cut the retail price for its PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita devices to $199 in the United States and 199 euros ($270) in Europe.

Previously the Vita was 249 euros and the PlayStation 3 was 229 euros.

Related Links:

http://koyalgroupinfomag.com/about.html

http://koyalgroupinfomag.com/blog/