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WASHINGTON, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Scientists have increased the estimate of the number of humpback whales in the North Pacific Ocean, according to a paper published Tuesday in the Marine Mammal Science journal.The increase follows a refined statistical analysis of data compiled in 2008 from the largest whale survey ever carried out to appraise humpback whale populations throughout the North Pacific.The number of North Pacific humpback whales in the 2008 study, known as the Structure of Populations, Levels of Abundance and Status of Humpbacks, or SPLASH, was estimated at just under 20,000 based on a preliminary look at the data.The latest research indicates the population to be over 21,000 and possibly even higher -- a significant improvement to the scant 1,400 humpback whales estimated in the North Pacific Ocean at the end of commercial whaling in 1966."These improved numbers are encouraging, especially after we have reduced most of the biases inherent in any statistical model," said Jay Barlow, marine mammal biologist of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)."We feel the numbers may even be larger since there have been across-the-board increases in known population areas and unknown areas have probably seen the same increases," Barlow added.The SPLASH research was a three-year project started in 2004 involving NOAA scientists and hundreds of other researchers from the United States, Japan, Russia and some other countries.It was the first systematic survey ever attempted to determine the humpback whales' overall population, structure and genetic makeup in the North Pacific.

BEIJING, Oct. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- An experimental drug that can remove amyloid plaques from the brains of Alzheimer's patients is being developed by Swiss Roche Holding AG in a small early-stage study, according to a report published in the Archives of Neurology on Monday.Researchers suspect the build-up of such plaques may be a cause of the memory robbing disease, although that theory has yet to be definitively proved. Gantenerumab, a biotech drug designed to bind to amyloid plaques in the brain and remove them, is being targeted at the early stages of Alzheimer's with the hope it can slow progression of the disease while patients are still able to function.The Phase I study of 16 Alzheimer's patients tested gantenerumab at two doses against a placebo over six months of treatment.The Roche drug led to a dose-dependent reduction of brain amyloid, while amyloid load increased in patients receiving a placebo, the report said.The next step will be to investigate whether removal of brain amyloid translates into clinical benefit for patients at doses of the experimental drug that are well tolerated and safe, the report said.Much larger trials and further study will be needed to fully understand how gantenerumab works and whether it can stave off Alzheimer's, said the report.Roche is approaching the disease far earlier because amyloid accumulates for 15 years before dementi.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Online retail giant Amazon is working on a smartphone scheduled to be released in the fourth quarter of 2012, U.S. media reported Thursday.A note from Citigroup analyst Mark Mahaney obtained by technology news site All Things Digital said that based on the supply chain checks in Asia, Amazon is believed to launch a smartphone in the fourth quarter of 2012.According to the note, Amazon is working with manufacturer Foxconn and the device will run Texas Instruments' OMAP 4 processor. The Kindle Fire, the latest tablet introduced by the e- commerce giant, also uses OMAP processor.The analyst said the smartphone will cost Amazon between 150 and 170 U.S. dollars to build and the company could sell the handset at or near its cost rather than a 30 percent gross margin like many other smartphone manufacturers usually do.The move is expected to further intensify Amazon's rivalry with Apple and Google after the e-commerce giant had made moves on some booming businesses like tablet computer and cloud-computing service.

BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhuanet) -- China's space dream took a step closer to reality as the Tiangong-1 module blasted off into the night sky on Thursday from the Gobi Desert.The Long March II-F T1 rocket, under the unmanned module, Tiangong-1, lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 9:16 pm as planned.Ten minutes later Tiangong-1 separated from the rocket on its way to orbit, 350 kilometers above Earth. The module deployed its two solar panels, which provide power, at 9:28 pm.At 9:39 pm, Chang Wanquan, chief commander of the manned space program, declared the launch a success as cheers and applause echoed around the command and control center in Beijing.President Hu Jintao and other members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee went to the center to witness the launch.Premier Wen Jiabao watched at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center as the Long March rocket, carrying the space lab, blazed into the night sky.The launch paves the way for China's first rendezvous and docking mission. An unmanned Shenzhou VIII spaceship will be launched in November to dock with Tiangong-1.Two more missions are scheduled for next year and astronauts will board Tiangong-1, which can also function as a space lab.If the mission succeeds, China will become the third country to master spacecraft rendezvous and docking technology following the then Soviet Union and the United States, experts said.Wu Ping, the space program's spokeswoman, said that the ability to rendezvous and dock is vital for building a space station, which China has scheduled for around 2020."A space station cannot be launched in one shot. The modules must be launched separately and then assembled in space," she said.China has invested 35 billion yuan (.47 billion) in total on its manned space program since 1992, when it was approved, she told China Daily.The first phase, from 1992 to 2005, accounted for 20 billion yuan. During this period, China launched six Shenzhou spaceships to set up a system transporting astronauts between Earth and space.In the second phase, from 2005, 15 billion yuan has been spent on projects, including Shenzhou VII and the first rendezvous and docking mission, she explained.Zhou Jianping, chief designer of China's manned space program, said that the space lab and future space station provide a rare platform for conducting experiments that could lead to breakthroughs in the study of materials and biological pharmacy."Experiments made in the microgravity of space can lead to unexpected results," he said.For example, gas and liquid are unable to mix on Earth, but in space they mix naturally, he said."The primary purpose of China's manned space station is to peacefully explore space, and through it, serve mankind," he said.Some have questioned the participation of the military in the program. However, the military has experience in coordinating large-scale requirements that are vital for the program and their involvement reflects international norms, Ministry of National Defense spokesman Geng Yansheng said on Wednesday.He reiterated that China is firmly opposed to the weaponization of space and the program is peaceful.China is now in the second phase of its manned space program. The goal of the program, which has three steps, is to build a 60-ton space station around 2020.The second phase focuses on mastering four key technologies for assembling a space station.The first of these, extravehicular activity, was completed successfully in 2008 after Shenzhou VII was launched.Rendezvous and docking is what is being experimented with. The third technology involves cargo spaceships ferrying supplies to a space lab. The fourth tackles problems concerning the prolonged sustaining of life on a space lab, especially recycling air and water.Besides the manned space program, China launched two lunar orbiters in 2007 and 2010. It plans an unmanned lunar landing around 2013, and returning moon samples in 2017.

BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The public on Sunday strongly echoed Chinese President Hu Jintao's New Year address broadcast on Saturday, vowing to make great efforts for rejuvenation of the nation, a better future.In his speech titled "Jointly Improve World Peace and Development," Hu said that China will continue to develop friendly exchanges with other countries and positively participate in international cooperation on global issues.The country will continue to balance maintaining steady and relatively fast economic growth with adjusting its economic structures and managing inflation expectations, Hu said in the speech.PROUD Of COUNTRY'S ACHIEVEMENTS"We have been encouraged by President Hu's address, said Wang Laihua, head of the public opinions research institute of Tianjin Social Sciences Academy."His address summarized the achievements that we have made in the first year of the 12th Five-Year Plan, which raised people's expectation for prosperity, happiness," said Wang.Hu said in the address that in the face of complicated international situations and arduous tasks in maintaining domestic reform, development and stability in 2011, Chinese people united and continued to push forward the opening up and reform drive and the socialist modernization construction, while maintaining steady and relatively fast economic growth and making progress in building a well-off society in an all-around way.Zhu Jianfang, chief economist of CITIC Securities, said that the country's macroeconomic control has made positive achievements in the last year, as the prices of properties and commodity have been effectively controlled."We feel reassured after hearing Hu's speech," said Wen Jun, who has come to south China's Guangzhou for business from Hong Kong for 16 years, referring to Hu's speech saying that China will stick to the guidelines of "one country, two systems," "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong," "Macao people governing Macao," and a high degree of autonomy in maintaining the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao.

来源：资阳报