Gene could allow lab-grown teeth

Scientists believe they have found a way to grow teeth in the laboratory, a discovery that could put an end to fillings and dentures.

The US team from Oregon have located the gene responsible for the growth of enamel, the hard outer layer of teeth which cannot grow back naturally.

Other scientists are already growing the inner parts of teeth in animals - but they have no hard enamel coatings.

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences work may plug this gap.

Experiments in mice have shown that the gene, a "transcription factor" called Ctip2, has several functions involving immune responses and the development of skin and nerves.

The work at Oregon State University made the link with enamel by studying mice bred to lack Ctip2.

Lead researcher Dr Chrissa Kioussi said: "It's not unusual for a gene to have multiple functions, but before this we didn't know what regulated the production of tooth enamel."

The scientists found that Ctip2 was crucial for the enamel-producing cells, called ameloblasts, to form and work properly.

Dr Kioussi said: "This is the first transcription factor ever found to control the formation and maturation of ameloblasts, which are the cells that secrete enamel."

Controlling the gene in conjunction with stem-cell technology could make the artificial creation of functional teeth a real possibility.

Alternatively, the knowledge could be used to strengthen existing enamel and repair damaged enamel, cutting decay and the need for fillings.

Dr Kioussi said: "A lot of work would still be needed to bring this to human applications, but it should work. It could be really cool, a whole new approach to dental health."

Paul Sharpe, an expert on tooth development at the Dental Institute at King's College London, said: "If you could find some way of growing ameloblasts that make enamel, you could find a way to repair teeth.

"Any gene like this is worth understanding. The more we learn about it the more we can use the information to make biological models of tooth repair."

source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7907192.stm

Government may lower DTH licence fee

The government is considering a proposal to decrease the licence fee for direct-to-home (DTH) players by 4 per cent. “We will deliberate on the matter. This amendment to the existing licence condition could lead to healthy competition among the DTH operators. Other delivery platforms will also be forced to innovate, bringing considerable benefit to the consumers,” said Sushma Singh, secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting at the sidelines of the conference.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and External Affairs, Anand Sharma, announced plans to set up a national centre for animation, gaming and VFX. The centre will address the growing need for skilled manpower in the newer industry verticals.

The minister added the government would raise the issue before the Empowered Committee on value-added tax. GST is slated for introduction from April, 1, 2010.

“We will consider the entertainment industry’s demand, articulated by Ficci, for inclusion of entertainment tax in GST itself, so that there is a single tax on the industry,” the minister said.

Responding to the observations made by Harsh Pati Singhania, president, Ficci, Sharma said the government was prepared to consider further requirements of the media and entertainment industry to help it weather any adverse fallout of the global economic crisis.

Sushma Singh added the government was working on devising a suitable regulatory framework for digitalisation of cable services. “This is a key factor in getting rid of problems such as under-declaration of subscribers and the practice of carriage fee being charged by cable operators, particularly in major TRP-providing cities.”

She added the government was in the process of amending the FM Phase II policy for the launch of FM Phase III in about 275 cities, with as many as 790 channels.

“We are also trying to resolve issues like music royalties. We hope that these initiatives will enhance the growth rate further,” Singh said.

source:http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/government-may-lower-dth-licence-fee/00/06/349347/

India’s 10$ laptop is an expensive pen drive

India’s 10$ laptop is an expensive pen drive. The much touted 10$ laptop seems to have been fake, hoax or just a mere claim. The hype created by some government officials seems to have annoyed many a technology buffs who now think that the 10$ laptop was a bad publicity for India.

Raj Mehta, a computer engineer who works with a top technology firm in New Delhi says that the frenzy created by the unverified claim fizzled fast giving a bad name to the country.

Mehta says that as of now it is absolutely impossible to manufacture a laptop for rupees three or four thousand rupees let alone claiming that the laptop would cost around as low as rupees 500.

He says that the government agency seems to have got everything wrong. He says that the hoax also gives bad name to Indian Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh who unveiled the computing device.

Everybody from media to tech companies had expected something better from Indian government, notwithstanding the speculation that how and what exactly it will be. Every media outlet seemed to have been hit by the bug as they thought it may be something as good as least Nano car.

Rs 500 laptop or 10 dollar laptop has generated the same sort of buzz in technology circles like Rs 10000 Simputer generated a few years ago. But does anyone remembers that forgetful innovation called Simputer?

Only a few years ago, the Simputer was the biggest story to come out of the Indian IT industry. It was to be the first time that a computing product would be completely indigenously developed and marketed. What made the whole idea sweeter was that it would be a product that would take computing to the very interiors of India.

sources:http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19835&Itemid=88