Scientists Introduce Models to Predict Infectious Zoonotic Diseases

London: A group of British scientists claimed that they had developed a model that can predict outbreaks of zoonotic diseases, which spreads due to climate and population changes. The scientists had described the model as ‘a major improvement in our understanding of the spread of diseases from animals to people’, which will alarm the governments to prepare for the worst. Reports are that the zoonotic model responds in disease outbreaks ‘and to factor in their risk when making policies that might affect the environment.’

A zoonotic disease spread between animals and humans, causing diseases like Zika or Ebola. A zoonotic disease can be caused by virus, bacteria, parasites and fungi. It is assumed that six out of every 10 infectious diseases in humans are spread from animals. Almost 60 to 75 percent infectious diseases come from animals to humans.

The model, therefore, focuses upon the fast-paced spread of these diseases. Kate Jones, a professor who co-led the study at University College London's Genetics, Evolution And Environment Department, said: “Our model can help decision-makers assess the likely impact (on zoonotic disease) of any interventions or change in national or international government policies, such as the conversion of grasslands to agricultural lands.” She also added that the new model of zoonotic model is capable to foresee the impact of global climate changes and population reallocation and impact on many diseases at once.

The team of scientists revealed that they had collected data from 408 different locations, infamous for Lassa fever outbreaks in West Africa between 1967 and 2012. They noted the changes of land use and crop yields, temperature, rainfall and access to healthcare parameters. The multimammate rat that transmits Lassa virus to humans, were also mapped by the group to estimate the ecological factors. Jones asserted that 45 years of long data collection process had finally came to an end following the forecasts of climate change, future population density and land-use change.

“It allows us to calculate how often people are likely to come into contact with disease-carrying animals and their risk of the virus spilling over. Our approach successfully predicts outbreaks of individual diseases by pairing the changes in the host's distribution as the environment changes with the mechanics of how that disease spreads from animals to people,” said David Redding, another co-scientist.

Synthetic Human Genome to Be Made and Implemented For Engineered Human Beings: Scientists

With escalating speculations over engineered input in human genome, a group of 25 scientists last week asserted that they are in an ambitious project to create synthetic human genome, also called genetic blueprint. The scientists said that their project is an endeavor to raise concerns over ‘the extent to which human life can or should be engineered.’

However, the scientists asserted that they are well aware that their project is controversial and would urge for most public involvement. Along with ethical, legal and social implications- engineered human genome has the potential to be used in made-to-order human beings with special genetic enhancements.

Though the group of researchers said that this is not their aim, and that synthetic human genome should be used to make human organs, engineered immunity to viruses, engineering cancer resistance and accelerating vaccine and drug development using human cells and organs. Report are that the scientists hope to get $100 million in public and private funding to launch the project this year, following the total costs of less than the $3 billion, which was used for the original Human Genome Project that completely mapped human DNA for the first time in 2003.

The research team, led by geneticist Jef Boeke of the New York University Langone Medical Center, wrote that their new project will ‘include whole-genome engineering of human cell lines and other organisms of agricultural and public health significance, or those needed to interpret human biological functions.’ 

Udta Punjab to Hit Screen With 13 Cuts and an A Certificate, Bombay High Court to Order on Cuts Today

Mumbai: The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chairman Pahlaj Nihalani said on Sunday that the Bombay High Court is likely to pass its decision over the release of the controversial film Udta Punjab row on Monday. Reports are that the censor board had made 13 cuts and awarded the movie with an ‘A’ certificate. Udta Punjab is likely to hit the silver screen on June 17; directed by Abhishek Chaubey, the film is based on the drug-problems of Punjab.

Nihalani said that he along with nine other members from the censor board watched the film and had ‘unanimously cleared’ it with 13 cuts. “We have today cleared Udta Punjab under A (restricted for adult audience) category after 13 cuts,” Nihalani said in an event at Bhopal.

Sources said that on Friday Phantom Films had agreed with the censor board that went on deleting a scene where the lead character of the film will be seen urinating in front of the crowd. Following the suggested cuts by the CBFC, the division bench of Justice SC Dharmadhikari and Justice Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi said that they will pass an order on Monday; the order will be based upon the remaining cuts suggested by the CBFC.

The CBFC-Udta Punjab row is in the eye of controversy among politicians and film personalities since last month when the film was out for its promotions across the nation. CBFC claimed that the movie have obscene remarks and scenes in it and had shown Punjab in a bad light. However, the board had no complaints against the trailer of the movie which had similar content.

Following the continued controversy the Bombay High Court on Friday suggested the CBFC to certify films and not to censor them frequently. During the hearing on Friday, the HC said: “The CBFC should change its approach with changing times and let people decide what is good and what is bad. The term ‘censor board’ was coined by the media and it was pleased to note the CBFC does not mention and treat itself as a censor board, but instead considers itself the board of film certification.”

2016 Orlando Nightclub Shooting: 50 Killed, Shooter Pledged ISIS Allegiance

Orlando: At least 50 people were killed and more than 50 others were wounded when a gunman opened fire and took hostages at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, early Sunday morning.

The shooter, identified by several law enforcement sources as Omar Mateen, 29, was killed in a shootout with law enforcement after a three-hour siege.

The attack is the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil since the 9/11 attacks of 2001. The attack is also the deadliest mass shooting in United States history and the deadliest incident of violence against LGBT people in US history.

The massacre began when the gunman stormed the Pulse Nightclub about 2 AM ET with an AR-15 type rifle and a handgun, officials said. The carnage ended about 5 AM ET, when 11 Orlando police officers and three Orange County sheriff’s deputies stormed the nightclub and exchanged fire with Mateen, authorities said. City officials said about 300 people were in the club at the time of the shooting.

FBI evidence specialists arrived Sunday night at Mateen’s home in a condominium that had been evacuated shortly after dawn, authorities told NBC News. They took their time in case Mateen's unit might be booby-trapped, but authorities said late Sunday that no devices were found, and residents were allowed back home about midnight.

Seddique Mir Mateen, Mateen’s father, said that “this has nothing to do with religion” in spite of reports that his son had declared his allegiance to ISIS.

A law enforcement official told NBC News there is no indication that Omar Mateen was in touch with terrorists overseas and nothing to indicate this was a directed attack. Also, several officials say, there’s no sign that anyone else was involved in the attack, either in helping Mateen or egging him on.

The father said his son got angry when he saw two men kissing in Miami a couple of months ago and thought that might be related to the shooting.

“We are saying we are apologizing for the whole incident. We weren’t aware of any action he is taking. We are in shock, like the whole country,” Seddique Mir Mateen said.

Indian Firm L&T Chosen As Main Contractor For Qatar’s World Cup 2022 Venue Al Rayyan

Al Rayyan:    Larsen and Tubro (L&T) is one of India's biggest conglomerates operating in the field of Manufacturing, Information Technology and Construction. In fact, it is their perseverance to become India's largest construction company, that eventually landed them another feather in their cap of achievements - to be appointed one of two main contractors to construct and renovate the 40,000-seater Al Rayyan Stadium, in the largest municpality in Qatar, Al Rayyan. 

According to EXIN Times, the stadium is expected to be one of the key venues for the World Cup scheduled to be hosted by Qatar, in 2022. The Indian company, as such, has been chosen alongside a Qatari construction company Al Balagh Trading & Contracting in an Indo-Qatari joint partnership. 

Therefore, as main contractors, L&T will largely be responsible for ‘main works and construction of the site, following the completion of enabling works.’

“We look forward to working with Qatari contractor, Al Balagh, and the renowned L&T, on such an important and exciting project,” revealed Hilal Al Kuwari, Chairman of the Technical Delivery Office, at the Supreme Council for Delivery and Legacy (SC), in an official Press Release. 

“It is a matter of immense pride for us at Larsen & Toubro Limited, along with our joint venture partner Al Balagh, to have been given the responsibility to design and build the Al Rayyan Stadium and Precinct in preparation for the historic first Middle Eastern FIFA World Cup in 2022. We are extremely mindful of the trust and confidence given to us by the Supreme Committee for constructing this stadium and it will be our endeavor to deliver a masterpiece,” elucidated Dr. Jens Huckfeldt, Chief Executive, L&T Qatar, with pride. 

The construction firm is expected to have work on their hands considering the SC was awarded the ‘Stadium Design of the Year award’ for Al Rayyan Stadium at the 2016 World Stadium Congress in Doha earlier this month. 

As per EXIN Times, the official delivery date of delivery of the stadium is expected in 2019.  Qatari Super League (QSL) club Al Rayyan currently play all their home games at the stadium.

Veteran Actress Sulbha Deshpande Passes Away

Mumbai: Cinema, stage and television actress Sulbha Deshpande breathed her last on Saturday, at the age of 79. She was a strong Bollywood actress too with films like Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyun Aata Hai (1980), Ijaazat (1987), Virasat (1997) and the more recent English Vinglish (2012) in her bag.

However, one can’t judge Deshpande with her performances on screen only. She was ‘one of the key forces behind the renaissance in Marathi Theater in 1980s’ too. A recipient of the 1987 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Hindi-Marathi theatre acting, Sulbha Deshpande’s death was mourned throughout the industry. Reports are that personalities like Lata Mangeshkar, Rishi Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit Nene and Anil Kapoor took to twitter to express their condolences.

Sulbha started her career as a teacher in Chhabildas High School, Dadar, Mumbai. She came in contact with theatre in this time only when she asked noted theatre director and author Vijay Tendulkar to write few plays for her students.

This continued with Sulbha, along with Vijaya Mehta, Shriram Lagoo and Arvind Deshpande, later her husband, initiated the theater movement in the 1960s. Till then, she acted in scores of movies in both Hindi and Marathi language, earning critics’ acclaim and audience approval simultaneously.

Her prominent films were Bhumika, Gaman, Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyo Aata Hai, Vijeta, Virasat, English Vinglish and Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Dastan where Deshpande was seen in a stronghold. Her prominent stage acting was seen in Marathi plays like Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe, Sakharam Binder, Baba Harvale Aahet and more. She will be remembered for her roles in TV serials like Rishtey, Badalte Rishte, Tanha and Mrs. Tendulkar among others.

In 1971, Sulbha, along with her husband Arvind started Awishkar- a theatre group with branch named Chandrashala to train kids for professional performances. Sources said that Deshpande’s last rites took place at her Mumbai home on Sunday.

The Universe Is Expanding Much Faster Than Predicted: NASA

In a recent study, based upon Alberrt Einstein’s theory of relativity and released by NASA and the European Space Agency, it was claimed that the universe is expanding faster than that was believed. Many said that the release may challenge Einstein’s theories, which is a pillar of cosmology for a century.

The report, released on Thursday, claimed that the universe is expanding 5 to 9 percent faster than foretold and has no light or radiation in 95 percent of the cosmos.  “Maybe the universe is tricking us,” said Alex Filippenko, a University of California astronomer who has announced to release a separate study on similar discovery.

EXIN Times sources said that ‘the universe's rate of expansion does not match predictions based on measurements of the remnant radiation left over from the Big Bang explosion that gave rise to the known universe 13.8 billion years ago.’ It was asserted that one reason behind this deviation is that the universe has subatomic particles that can travel with a speed of light, resulting into faster expansion. Light can travel 186,000 miles (300,000 km) per second. Another idea of ‘dark energy’ was also put forward by the researchers. ‘A mysterious, anti-gravity force discovered in 1998, may be shoving galaxies away from one another more powerfully than originally estimated,’ the report said.

With a new theory in surge, it is assumed by scientists that there is possibility to dismiss Einstein’s general theory of relativity, which described the basic building blocks of universe. Sources said that Hubble Space Telescope was used to measure the distances that found a particular type of star, known as Cepheid variables, in 19 galaxies beyond our own Milky Way galaxy. Also, how fast the stars can expand is related to their brightness which again is used to calculate their distances.