Researchers at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in India and a unit of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in France have made a key discovery about a molecule that helps the malaria parasite infect human cells. The breakthrough, achieved at a facility in Grenoble, may represent an important step towards finding new therapies for treating the disease that is very common in India. The researchers are also investigating molecules important at an earlier phase of malaria infections, when parasites invade the liver.

The malarial parasite called Plasmodium, is passed to humans through the bite of Anopheles mosquitoes and replicates inside red blood cells, which eventually burst.For the parasite to enter these cells, it first has to bind to the cell through interactions of proteins on the surfaces of red blood cells and the parasite. The study which will appear in an online edition of Nature, reveals key features of a protein on the surface of Plasmodium that permits it to bind.

"Until now we have not had a close-up view of the precise surface where the two proteins interact," explains Mr Amit Sharma, the corresponding author of the paper. "That surface is absolutely crucial in permitting the parasite to enter the cell. If we can determine its features in atomic detail, we may be able to find weak points that could make good targets for drugs."

In addition to interfering with the binding process, such drugs must also not be able to interfere with normal processes in red blood cells, something the researchers claim to have found in their study.

Boeing India is planning to pitch a brand new plane, Boeing 747-8, whose list price is $270 million, to both Air India and Jet Airways very soon.

"This aircraft is a long-haul plane and is an improved version of the 747-400 with a seating capacity of 450. It possesses the same engine as our Dreamliner range which promises a 20 per cent higher fuel efficiency when compared to any other engine in the Indian market right now," said Mr Dinesh Keskar, president, Boeing India, speaking exclusively to this newspaper. "Air India and Jet Airways would be our first choice in the Indian context as they both have imminent plans of servicing long-haul sectors especially with Air India about to introduce a non-stop 15-hour flight to the US," he added.

On the question of accessing the Internet and the availability of Wi-Fi systems being available on-board the aircraft, Mr Keskar said, "We believe that Internet accessibility is extremely crucial for business travellers on the long-haul sector wherein senior executives cannot afford to be disconnected from their work for too long and therefore, we have pioneered a copyright technology system called Connexion which allows for travellers to access the Internet through out the aircraft. Each plane is equipped with the Connexion service that offers either an ethernet local area network connection or a wireless 802.11a/b/g network connection, or both."

Boeing India had earlier negotiated a deal for 68 aircraft with Air India, giving a Rs 1,000 crore discount.