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To: Uncle Frank who wrote (11948)	12/4/1999 11:02:00 AM
From: Ruffian	Respond to of 54805

Don't think so. eom.

To: Uncle Frank who wrote (11948)	12/4/1999 11:17:00 AM
From: Jill	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 54805

Two part answer: Mike, do you think he's equivocating because he's looking for the best deal (i.e. if the deal disappoints the street, stock gets slammed?) or that he's honestly backing off? I would be very distressed to hear the latter. Frank, I think that's a good question and have no idea! And, for all, even though we have probably abandoned the idea of biotech, here's a fascinating article that was dropped into my mailbox this a.m.: Daresbury Laboratory's synchrotron light source played a key part in helping scientists from the Institute of Cancer Research develop the first of a new generation of drugs to block the effects of cancer genes. This news comes hot on the heels of the announcement on 1 December of the decoding of the first part of the human genome, chromosome 22. The new drug, known as 17 AAG, is the first step towards finding a new therapy for cancers that have so far eluded treatment. It works by targeting a 'molecular chaperone' called Hsp90, which helps activate over two thirds of cancer genes. The new drug blocks the activity of this molecule and stops the genes expressing proteins; in other words, stops them working. X-rays from Daresbury's synchrotron light source allowed the researchers, led by Professor Laurence Pearl from the Institute of Cancer Research, to work out the 3-D structure of the Hsp90 molecule. The researchers first produced tiny crystals of Hsp90, only a tenth of a millimetre in size, then placed these crystals in the fine X-ray beam from the synchrotron light source. The atoms within the molecule then deflected the X-rays and produced unique patterns on a detector; these patterns allowed the 3-D structure of the molecule to be determined. An image of the 3-D structure was then examined on computer, which allowed an understanding of how the drug worked and enabled improvements to be designed at a molecular level. The new drug prevents the Hsp90 'molecular chaperone' from folding proteins from cancer genes into the right shape for them to cause cancers. Professor Pearl said, "Although the discovery of cancer genes is currently the hot topic in terms of research, it can only be useful if their structure and functions are understood. That is why this approach is so important and has the potential to revolutionise anti-cancer drug development."

To: Uncle Frank who wrote (11948)	12/4/1999 1:23:00 PM
From: Ruffian	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 54805

CDG: Getting On With Business By Peggy Albright SAN FRANCISCO--In many ways, last week's CDG Americas Congress was not a CDMA event at all. Gone was the usual pep rally underscoring the need to fight for the CDMA cause. Gone was the international trade war over third-generation air interface technologies and the intellectual property rights battle between Ericsson and Qualcomm. In contrast to last year, when tension over these issues was palpable and pervasive, nobody this year was hit over the head with 3G. Those issues are largely settled, according to this industry camp. With CDMA showing solid growth it seemed time to set aside intramural squabbles, pay attention to current business and continue getting into additional markets; namely, data. Thus the CDG's theme this year: "Moving Beyond Voice." CDG used its behind-the-scenes meetings to promote the technology to operators making initial network investment decisions, particularly the Chinesewho were here in good numbersand to members of the financial community wanting to invest in CDMA. In the general sessions, more than half of the general panels weren't specific to CDMA at all, a deliberate decision by CDG to reach a broad business audience, says CDG Executive Director Perry LaForge. Instead, the lineup featured non-traditional but future business partners: Cisco Systems Inc., Bank of America, Sun Microsystems Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo!, as well as the usual wireless Internet experts, such as Phone.com Inc. The effect, in some ways, echoed last month's Wireless I.T. show. The change in focus underscored the market potential that Internet technology providers see in wireless, as well as the industry's absolute need to move beyond circuit-switched to packet architecture to meet future capacity and information services requirements. "If you don't change, you're dead," one vendor said. Still, how and when to make those system conversions is the crux of the decisions at hand. One approach, introduced by Vodafone AirTouch plc and Nortel, was put forward to get operators thinking within the new services paradigm that is based on an erajust a couple years away, they estimate-when traffic is mostly data. Craig Farrell, chief technology officer for Vodafone AirTouch, and Herman Pon, vice president of technology and chief technical officer for Nortel, presented a case study of a "next-generation" network based on a common packet architecture for voice and data that they say will reduce the cost of data transport to an economy currently enjoyed by landline. They achieved this in part by redistributing access, transport, routing and switching functions through an IP core and allowing a multi-vendor equipment approach. Ericsson, at this event for the first time since settling its IPR differences with Qualcomm and purchasing that company's infrastructure business, was here as a co-sponsor. And though the 3G rivalry was largely a non-issue, William Dahnke, Ericsson vice president of product management for BSS products for CDMA systems, suggested that direct spread CDMA is still an option for carriers, even those planning to deploy the first phase of the CDG-promoted multicarrier approach, cdma2000. His company created a flexible platform that will enable operators to postpone their 3G decision. While that would have been heresy at last year's meeting, it didn't seem to create a fuss at this year's meeting. Says LaForge, "Multicarrier will be the more economical solution."