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Month: February 2014

Better treatment for pancreatic cancer patients

Written by Inez Dawoodjee on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

 

Researchers at University of Manchester believe they have found a way of making chemotherapy more effective for patients with pancreatic cancer.

The research focusses on the selective killing of pancreatic cancer.  Healthy cells will be left alone, making treatment more successful.

Research leader Dr Jason  Bruce said: Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive and deadly cancers. Most patients develop symptoms after the tumour has spread to other organs. To make things worse, pancreatic cancer is highly resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.”

The research, published in The Journal of Biological Chemistry,  found that cancer cells have their own energy supply which maintains calcium levels and keeps cells alive.

Researchers used cells from tumours and tested the effects of blocking energy supplies.   They found that by blocking the supply the cancer cells could be selectively killed.

Dr Bruce  added: “Clearly a radical new approach to treatment is urgently required. We wanted to understand how the switch in energy supply in cancer cells might help them survive.”

He said that designing drugs to target this energy supply  “might be an effective strategy for selectively killing cancer cells while sparing normal cells within the pancreas.”

The research was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre and AstraZeneca.

According to Cancer Research UK, only 3.8% of adults with pancreatic cancer survived past the five-year mark between 2005 and 2009.

CEO of the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund Maggie Blanks, said: “These findings will certainly of great interest to the pancreatic cancer research community and we’d be keen to see how this approach progresses. Finding weaknesses that can be exploited in this highly aggressive cancer is paramount, so we want to congratulate the Manchester team for their discovery.”

PhD student may be Mars bound

Written by Inez Dawoodjee on . Posted in News.

A Life Sciences postgraduate student has been named as a possible candidate for the first manned-mission to Mars.

Danielle Potter is one of the 1058 candidates currently being considered for the mission.

Potter, who is currently undertaking a PhD at the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, said: “I never thought going to space would be within my grasp, but it would be great to do research there and look at something no one has ever seen before. My PhD has given me the skills to think outside the box and look at how to go about analysing data found on Mars.”

She found out about the mission on the same day as the deadline, but decided to sign up straight away.  She was one of the initial  202,000 applicants for the Mars One project, which is aimed at establishing permanent human inhabitation on the planet by 2025.

The next stage is aimed at shortlisting the number of candidates down to 24.  Astronauts will then be put through eight years of training before departure.

Potter added, “ If I’m successful in getting into the next round I’ll get to train with some of the best of the best in the space industry and get a lot of experience with training in the Arctic Circle. With my scientific research background, I’d be trained to look for possible extra-terrestrial life on the planet.”

The Mars One Project is described by its Dutch founders as  being the “stepping stone of the human race on its voyage into the universe.”

The mission is due to last between seven to eight months.  A group of four astronauts is due to land first and prepare the living areas.  The second crew will arrive once preparations have been complete.

Potter aims to complete her PhD before the training schedule begins.

Our Ones to Watch 2014

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Games.

A new year is upon us, which means another 12 months of games to play. With so many releases expected out this calendar year, how do you know which ones to buy? The Mancunion investigates 2014 in games, and gives our recommendations for your annual gaming.

Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor

Imagine Assassin’s Creed, but in Middle-earth. That is probably the easiest way to describe Shadow of Mordor. As a big Tolkienite, I’ve been waiting for a good Lord of the Rings game for some time after a series of disappointing releases over the past few years. While I try to avoid getting on board the hype train for new releases, I’m cautiously optimistic for this game. You play as a ranger who is hell-bent on revenge against Sauron’s minions with the aid of a bunch of wraith (see: Black Rider) abilities. It’s set in an open world between the events of the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings films and boasts a heavily touted ‘Nemesis’ system whereby enemies are procedurally generated with unique personalities. It also claims that their behaviour changes depending on previous interactions with the player which, if they pull it off, could make this game something special. Definitely one to keep an eye on as it gets closer to launch in October. – Nick Jastrzebski

Image credit: Young Horses

Octodad: Dadliest Catch

Octodad: Dadliest Catch is one of the first games to go through the Steam Greenlight process and it is easy to see why. You play as a secret spy who must protect his identity from everyone including his family, but this is made all the more difficult because you are an octopus.

The game mixes QWOP-like controls with surreal humour. This sequel deserves your attention simply because it’s just so stupidly funny and charmingly idiotic. This game oozes slapstick constantly, mundane trips to the supermarket become ordeals as you struggle to hold onto groceries without knocking over trolleys and alerting others to your cephalopodan identity.
Octodad is set to be released on the 30th of January and will be on PC and the PS4. – Bruce Tang

Image source: ToTheGame

Destiny

Destiny is one of the few games announced that I look at and think “this is truly the next generation”. It offers something different, something spectacular that simply wouldn’t have been possible on the previous home consoles. Made by the industry-renowned Bungie (of Halo fame, in case you somehow didn’t know), Destiny promises a Borderlands meets MMO title set in an enormous and deep fantasy sci-fi world. The developers boast that the world of Destiny will be “alive”, meaning unscripted events could occur without being planned by themselves that change the game. Bungie have reportedly made huge leaps forward in their multiplayer matchmaking technology for the release of Destiny, expected September with a summer beta available to anyone who preorders the game. My preorder was made long ago. –Alasdair Preston

Image source: ToTheGame

Watch_Dogs

Make way GTA V, Watch Dogs is on its way. By all rights we should already be playing this. Originally scheduled for release last November, had it done so it would have no doubt been a strong, if not the strongest, contender for Game of the Year. Taking you into the dark recesses of the information era, this game gives you a whole new world to explore right in the palm of your hand as you hack the systems around you. This is on top of the free roaming world which you’ll find yourself in. Ubisoft delayed what was already gearing up to be a fantastic game. If they’ve made it better than what has already been shown since it first caught our attention back in 2012, then this is something to be very excited for. –Damien Trinh

Retro Corner: The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker

Written by Damien Trinh on . Posted in Games.

Derided by many as too childish for its cel-shaded cartoon graphics, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was met with controversy and worry that it wouldn’t appeal to the hardcore fans of the Legend of Zelda series. After all, how could this colourful and bright rendition ever match the revolutionary Ocarina of Time and its sequel, Majora’s Mask? Fast forward 10 years, and Wind Waker continues to please fans of the Zelda series and exude a charm usually only found in Nintendo’s Mario games.

Announced way back in 2000, Nintendo showcased a demo of Link and Ganondorf fighting as a technical demonstration of the Nintendo Gamecube, known then as Dolphin. Of course, this immediately sparked rumours of a new Legend of Zelda game in the works. Nintendo came back a year later and gave us inklings of The Wind Waker. Many diehard fans were disappointed with the direction Nintendo seemed to be taking the franchise, worrying it’d be more favourable to children and leave them out in the cold. How wrong they were. Released in 2003, The Wind Waker was met with critical acclaim. Despite the looks, The Wind Waker had a gameplay style similar to the Ocarina of Time, with an added charm that came with its whimsical style. Not only did it silence the critics, it managed to bring in new players across all ages.

Players are immediately set free on an island to run free and explore. Despite its small size, an endless expanse of ocean surrounding the island invokes feelings of excitement and awe, with the knowledge that soon they’ll be sailing across a vast ocean to save the land from evil. With the ocean always around you, the game forces you to move away from a linear play style and explore the world. It’s impossible to do otherwise, because the game makes you want to. Following the storyline blindly leaves glaring gaps in your sea map, infuriating you every time you look and forcing you to venture into uncharted waters. Intertwined amongst the story are a multitude of side quests, from merchant trading to defeating the “Big Octos” to free a great fairy, giving you plenty to see and do.

The Wind Waker brought out the voyager in everyone that played it. Link’s adventures in a bright fantasy land worked beautifully and with it came a gorgeous soundtrack as well. While for some it will never match the Ocarina of Time, it certainly came close. Recently rereleased on the Wii U as a HD remake, it is definitely worth a play.