29 injured as Saudi plane crash lands

RIYADH: At least 29 people were injured on Sunday when a Saudi Arabian Airlines plane made an emergency landing at the airport in the western city of Medina, a government official said.

The Boeing 767 landed without its rear wheels because of a technical failure, local media reported.

The plane was travelling from Mashhad, Iran, carrying about 300 passengers, the official said.

The airport was closed, and all domestic and international flights were cancelled.

29 injured as Saudi plane crash lands

RIYADH: At least 29 people were injured on Sunday when a Saudi Arabian Airlines plane made an emergency landing at the airport in the western city of Medina, a government official said.

The Boeing 767 landed without its rear wheels because of a technical failure, local media reported.

The plane was travelling from Mashhad, Iran, carrying about 300 passengers, the official said.

The airport was closed, and all domestic and international flights were cancelled.

Breakthrough for type-2 diabetes’

New York: Scientists have stated that if a single gene is not functioning properly, insulin is not released into the bloodstream to regulate blood sugar levels - leading to type 2 diabetes. A research team led by Bellur S. Prabhakar, Professor and Head of Microbiology and Immunology at University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, found that dysfunction in a single gene called MADD in mice causes fasting hyperglycemia - one of the major symptoms of type 2 diabetes.

In a healthy person, beta cells in the pancreas secrete the hormone insulin in response to increases in blood glucose after eating. Prabhakar isolated several genes from human beta cells, including MADD, which is also involved in certain cancers. “Small genetic variations found among thousands of human subjects revealed that a mutation in MADD was strongly associated with type 2 diabetes. People with this mutation had high blood glucose and problems of insulin secretion - the hallmarks of type 2 diabetes,” said Prabhakar.

To study the role of MADD in diabetes, Prabhakar and his team developed a mouse model in which the MADD gene was deleted from the insulin-producing beta cells. All such mice had elevated blood glucose levels, which the researchers found was due to insufficient release of insulin. “We didn’t see any insulin resistance in their cells, but it was clear that the beta cells were not functioning properly,” said the study reported online in the journal Diabetes.

“The cells were producing plenty of insulin, they just weren’t secreting it,” it added. Prabhakar now hopes to investigate the effect of a drug that allows for the secretion of insulin in MADD-deficient beta cells. “If this drug works to reverse the deficits associated with a defective MADD gene in the beta cells of our model mice, it may have potential for treating people with this mutation who have an insulin-secretion defect and/or type 2 diabetes,” he said.

Breakthrough for type-2 diabetes’

New York: Scientists have stated that if a single gene is not functioning properly, insulin is not released into the bloodstream to regulate blood sugar levels - leading to type 2 diabetes. A research team led by Bellur S. Prabhakar, Professor and Head of Microbiology and Immunology at University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, found that dysfunction in a single gene called MADD in mice causes fasting hyperglycemia - one of the major symptoms of type 2 diabetes.

In a healthy person, beta cells in the pancreas secrete the hormone insulin in response to increases in blood glucose after eating. Prabhakar isolated several genes from human beta cells, including MADD, which is also involved in certain cancers. “Small genetic variations found among thousands of human subjects revealed that a mutation in MADD was strongly associated with type 2 diabetes. People with this mutation had high blood glucose and problems of insulin secretion - the hallmarks of type 2 diabetes,” said Prabhakar.

To study the role of MADD in diabetes, Prabhakar and his team developed a mouse model in which the MADD gene was deleted from the insulin-producing beta cells. All such mice had elevated blood glucose levels, which the researchers found was due to insufficient release of insulin. “We didn’t see any insulin resistance in their cells, but it was clear that the beta cells were not functioning properly,” said the study reported online in the journal Diabetes.

“The cells were producing plenty of insulin, they just weren’t secreting it,” it added. Prabhakar now hopes to investigate the effect of a drug that allows for the secretion of insulin in MADD-deficient beta cells. “If this drug works to reverse the deficits associated with a defective MADD gene in the beta cells of our model mice, it may have potential for treating people with this mutation who have an insulin-secretion defect and/or type 2 diabetes,” he said.

Increase solar cell efficiency, the easy way

New York: Here comes a cheaper way to enhance solar cell efficiency. Researchers have found an easy way to modify the molecular structure of a polymer commonly used in solar cells which can increase solar cell efficiency by over 30 percent. Polymer-based solar cells have two domains, consisting of an electron acceptor and an electron donor material. Excitons are the energy particles created by solar cells when light is absorbed.

"In order to be harnessed effectively as an energy source, excitons must be able to travel quickly to the interface of the donor and acceptor domains and retain as much of the light’s energy as possible,” said a team researchers from North Carolina State University in the US and Beijing-based Chinese Academy of Sciences. A team of chemists led by Jianhui Hou from the Chinese Academy of Sciences created a polymer known as PBT-OP.

“PBT-OP was not only easier to make than other commonly used polymers but showed an open circuit voltage (the voltage available from a solar cell) value of 0.78 volts - a 36 percent increase over the 0.6 volt average from similar polymers,” said Wei Ma, a post-doctoral physics researcher from NC State University.

The possible drawback in changing the molecular structure of these materials is that one may enhance one aspect of the solar cell but inadvertently create unintended consequences in devices that defeat the initial intent.

"But in this case, we have found a chemically easy way to change the electronic structure and enhance device efficiency by capturing a larger fraction of the light’s energy, without changing the material’s ability to absorb, create and transport energy,” said the study carried in the journal Advanced Materials.

(IANS)

Increase solar cell efficiency, the easy way

New York: Here comes a cheaper way to enhance solar cell efficiency. Researchers have found an easy way to modify the molecular structure of a polymer commonly used in solar cells which can increase solar cell efficiency by over 30 percent. Polymer-based solar cells have two domains, consisting of an electron acceptor and an electron donor material. Excitons are the energy particles created by solar cells when light is absorbed.

"In order to be harnessed effectively as an energy source, excitons must be able to travel quickly to the interface of the donor and acceptor domains and retain as much of the light’s energy as possible,” said a team researchers from North Carolina State University in the US and Beijing-based Chinese Academy of Sciences. A team of chemists led by Jianhui Hou from the Chinese Academy of Sciences created a polymer known as PBT-OP.

“PBT-OP was not only easier to make than other commonly used polymers but showed an open circuit voltage (the voltage available from a solar cell) value of 0.78 volts - a 36 percent increase over the 0.6 volt average from similar polymers,” said Wei Ma, a post-doctoral physics researcher from NC State University.

The possible drawback in changing the molecular structure of these materials is that one may enhance one aspect of the solar cell but inadvertently create unintended consequences in devices that defeat the initial intent.

"But in this case, we have found a chemically easy way to change the electronic structure and enhance device efficiency by capturing a larger fraction of the light’s energy, without changing the material’s ability to absorb, create and transport energy,” said the study carried in the journal Advanced Materials.

(IANS)

GSLV rocket’s success will mean immense savings: ISRO chief

Chennai: The successful launch of India's heavier rocket - the geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle-D5 (GSLV-D5) - Sunday not only means the indigenous cryogenic engine is performing well but also would pave way for sizeable savings, the space agency's chief said Saturday.

"When GSLV-D5 succeeds in its mission Sunday, it means the Indian cryogenic stage/engine is performing well. It is a culmination of major indigenous technology development," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman K.Radhakrishnan told IANS.

In addition, the mission's success would not only pave way for ISRO to save launch costs paid to foreign space agencies but also to launch more communication satellites augmenting the transponder capacity to earn more revenue, he added.

Radhakrishnan said the country pays around $85-90 million or around Rs.500 crore as launch fee for sending up a 3.5 tonne communication satellites whereas the GSLV rocket costs around Rs.220 crore and the GSAT-14 that would go up Sunday evening costs around Rs.145 crore.

The ISRO can send smaller communication satellites - weighing around two tonnes - till such time it gets ready an advanced GSLV variant that can lug satellites weighing around four tonnes. 
While that is for the future, Radhakrishnan said ISRO has lined up several satellite launches for the current GSLV rocket version.

"We will be launching satellites GSAT-6, 7A, 9 using GSLV. We will also be using this rocket for our second Chandrayaan mission and for the launch of GISAT," he said. According to him, another communication satellite GSAT-15 will be launched using the Ariane rocket. Other than the flight testing of cryogenic engine, 2014 will be an important year for ISRO.

Radhakrishnan noted that in September, the Mars Orbiter will be injected into the Mars orbit while the test flight of GSLV-Mark III version will also include a crew module for characterisation of re-entry  om the space. "The GSLV-Mark III experimental mission will be in April this year. The rocket will have a passive cryogenic stage/engine. The main purpose of the mission is to study the aerodynamics and stability of the rocket," he said.

He said the cryogenic engine for the next GSLV version will take around three years for being flight ready. According to him, the next fiscal (April 2014-March 2015) would see ISRO launching three IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System) satellites taking the total to four and be ready for usage. He said ISRO will also launch French satellite SPOT-7 along with four small satellites using its other rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). Radhakrishnan said ISRO plans to induct around 96 transponders (receivers and transmitters of signals),next fiscal. Currently it has 195 transponders.

Queried about the Mars Orbiter that was launched last year, he said the satellite health is good and it is around 8.5 million kilometer from earth. "The next orbit maneuver (course correction) will be in April," he said.


IANS

GSLV rocket’s success will mean immense savings: ISRO chief

Chennai: The successful launch of India's heavier rocket - the geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle-D5 (GSLV-D5) - Sunday not only means the indigenous cryogenic engine is performing well but also would pave way for sizeable savings, the space agency's chief said Saturday.

"When GSLV-D5 succeeds in its mission Sunday, it means the Indian cryogenic stage/engine is performing well. It is a culmination of major indigenous technology development," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman K.Radhakrishnan told IANS.

In addition, the mission's success would not only pave way for ISRO to save launch costs paid to foreign space agencies but also to launch more communication satellites augmenting the transponder capacity to earn more revenue, he added.

Radhakrishnan said the country pays around $85-90 million or around Rs.500 crore as launch fee for sending up a 3.5 tonne communication satellites whereas the GSLV rocket costs around Rs.220 crore and the GSAT-14 that would go up Sunday evening costs around Rs.145 crore.

The ISRO can send smaller communication satellites - weighing around two tonnes - till such time it gets ready an advanced GSLV variant that can lug satellites weighing around four tonnes. 
While that is for the future, Radhakrishnan said ISRO has lined up several satellite launches for the current GSLV rocket version.

"We will be launching satellites GSAT-6, 7A, 9 using GSLV. We will also be using this rocket for our second Chandrayaan mission and for the launch of GISAT," he said. According to him, another communication satellite GSAT-15 will be launched using the Ariane rocket. Other than the flight testing of cryogenic engine, 2014 will be an important year for ISRO.

Radhakrishnan noted that in September, the Mars Orbiter will be injected into the Mars orbit while the test flight of GSLV-Mark III version will also include a crew module for characterisation of re-entry  om the space. "The GSLV-Mark III experimental mission will be in April this year. The rocket will have a passive cryogenic stage/engine. The main purpose of the mission is to study the aerodynamics and stability of the rocket," he said.

He said the cryogenic engine for the next GSLV version will take around three years for being flight ready. According to him, the next fiscal (April 2014-March 2015) would see ISRO launching three IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System) satellites taking the total to four and be ready for usage. He said ISRO will also launch French satellite SPOT-7 along with four small satellites using its other rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). Radhakrishnan said ISRO plans to induct around 96 transponders (receivers and transmitters of signals),next fiscal. Currently it has 195 transponders.

Queried about the Mars Orbiter that was launched last year, he said the satellite health is good and it is around 8.5 million kilometer from earth. "The next orbit maneuver (course correction) will be in April," he said.


IANS

Goa building collapse: Rescue operations continue

Panaji: The rescue teams on Sunday continued to rummage through the debris of an under-construction five-storeyed building, which collapsed on Saturday afternoon at Canacona, 80 km from here, killing 14 onsite labourers.

Police said a portion of the building, Ruby Residency, located in the Chawdi ward of Canacona, collapsed burying labourers working at the site. 

While nine labourers are injured, more than 20 are feared trapped in the debris. Over 300 army jawans, police and other state agencies continued the rescue work, which lasted through the night.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who was monitoring the rescue operations until late Saturday said: "An FIR has been filed against the builder, contractor and the municipal engineer in-charge. We will not spare anyone." 

The construction was being carried out by a Navi Mumbai-based real estate development firm, Bharat Developers and Realtors Pvt. Ltd.

The building is a part of a partially completed residential complex where actress Asha Parekh, sports minister and local MLA Ramesh Tawadkar own flats.

(IANS)

Goa building collapse: Rescue operations continue

Panaji: The rescue teams on Sunday continued to rummage through the debris of an under-construction five-storeyed building, which collapsed on Saturday afternoon at Canacona, 80 km from here, killing 14 onsite labourers.

Police said a portion of the building, Ruby Residency, located in the Chawdi ward of Canacona, collapsed burying labourers working at the site. 

While nine labourers are injured, more than 20 are feared trapped in the debris. Over 300 army jawans, police and other state agencies continued the rescue work, which lasted through the night.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who was monitoring the rescue operations until late Saturday said: "An FIR has been filed against the builder, contractor and the municipal engineer in-charge. We will not spare anyone." 

The construction was being carried out by a Navi Mumbai-based real estate development firm, Bharat Developers and Realtors Pvt. Ltd.

The building is a part of a partially completed residential complex where actress Asha Parekh, sports minister and local MLA Ramesh Tawadkar own flats.

(IANS)