ZEBRAS: PAINTED HORSES

ZEBRA IS A HORSE-LIKE ANIMAL OF AFRICA. THEY ARE WHITE OR CREAMY WITH BLACK STRIPES. THE ZEBRA IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF AN ASS, OR DONKEY, AND HAS A LARGE HEAD, LONG EARS, NARROW FEET, A TUFTED TAIL, AND A SHORT, ERECT MANE.

HABITAT:

ZEBRAS LIVE IN THE DESERTS AND GRASSLANDS OF AFRICA. THEY STAY TOGETHER IN LARGE HERDS FOR PROTECTION. THE HERD IS MADE UP OF DOZENS OF SEPARATE FAMILY GROUPS, EACH WITH A MALE, THE STALLION AS ITS HEAD. THE STALLION PROTECTS HIS HAREM AND BABIES AGAINST ENEMIES AND WARDS OF OTHER STALLIONS. WHEN CORNERED THE LEADER PUTS UP STIFF RESISTANCE, KICKING AND BITING FIERCELY. A FAMILY STAYS TOGETHER AND IF THE STALLION IS KILLED, THE HERD IS ADOPTED BY ANOTHER MATE.

FEATURES:

ZEBRAS ARE GRASS-EATING ANIMALS AND FLEET-FOOTED, ABLE TO ATTAIN A SPEED OF 40 MILES PER HOUR (64KM/H). ZEBRAS ALSO HAVE GOOD NIGHT VISION TO SPOT DANGER IN THE DARK.

ZEBRAS ARE HOOFED MAMMALS (ANIMALS WHICH HAVE AN ODD OR EVEN NUMBER OF TOES). LIKE A HORSE, A ZEBRA HAS AN ODD NUMBER OF TOES ON EACH FOOT.

SPECIES:

THERE ARE THREE SPECIES OF ZEBRA, ALL FOUND IN AFRICA. THE MOUNTAIN ZEBRA IS ABOUT FOUR FEET (1.2 M) TALL AT THE SHOULDER AND WEIGH 200 TO 380 KG. THE PLAINS OR BURCHELL'S ZEBRA IS FOUND IN OPEN OR WOODED GRASSLANDS IN ZIMBABWE. IT HAS NO STRIPES ON ITS TAIL AND LEGS, GROWS SLIGHTLY TALLER. GEVY'S IS THE LARGEST SPECIES OF ZEBRA AND GROWS TO BE FOUR AND A HALF FEET (1.4 M) TALL. THE MOUNTAIN ZEBRA AND GREVY'S ZEBRA ARE BOTH ENDANGERED BECAUSE OF INDISCRIMINATE HUNTING.

ZEBRAS STRIPES ACT AS A CAMOUFLAGE:

A ZEBRA'S ENTIRE BODY IS COVERED WITH STRIPES. A ZEBRA'S STRIPE PATTERN, LIKE A GIRAFFE'S COAT PATTERN, IS UNIQUE. NO TWO ZEBRAS HAVE STRIPES THAT LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME. WHILE THE STRIPES EXACTLY THE SAME. WHILE THE STRIPES ACTUALLY HELP ZEBRAS RECOGNIZE ONE ANOTHER, THESE MAKE ZEBRAS INDISTINGUISHABLE TO OTHER ANIMALS.

THE WAVY LINES OF A ZEBRA BLEND IN WITH THE WAVY LINES OF THE TALL GRASS AROUND IT. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE ZEBRA'S STRIPES ARE BLACK AND WHITE AND THE LINES OF THE GRASS ARE YELLOW, BROWN OR GREEN, BECAUSE THE ZEBRA'S MAIN PREDATOR, THE LION IS COLOUR BLIND.

WHEN AN ENEMY SEES A LARGE GROUP OF STRIPES, IT GETS CONFUSED. THE PATTERN MAKES IT HARD FOR THE LIONS TO DECIDE WHICH ANIMAL TO ATTACK.

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SAMSUNG GETS BUSIER IN INDIAN SMARTPHONE MARKETPLACE

SAMSUNG INDIA HAS AGGRESSIVELY OPENED ITS SMARTPHONE FLOODGATES WITH ALMOST FIVE LAUNCHES IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.

ITS LATEST INTRODUCTION NOW ENSURES THAT THE COMPANY'S SMARTPHONE PORTFOLIO RANGES FROM THE MINIMUM 3.5 INCHES IN SCREEN SIZE TO 6.3 INCHES.

THE COMPANY, WHICH HAS 47 PER CENT MARKET SHARE IN THE DOMESTIC SMARTPHONE SEGMENT, IS FACING GROWING COMPETITION FROM LOCAL PLAYERS SUCH AS MICROMAX WHILE INTERNATIONAL RIVALS SUCH AS APPLE AND HUAWEI HAVE ALSO SLOWLY INCREASED THEIR PRESENCE IN INDIA.

ON TUESDAY, THE KOREAN SMARTPHONE GIANT ANNOUNCED YET ANOTHER ENTRY TO ITS 'GALAXY' SERIES-THE MEGA- A SHARP SIGNAL THAT THE COMPANY WILL CONTINUE TO BLUR THE LINES BETWEEN SMARTPHONES AND TABLETS.

"WHAT CAN I SAY? CLEARLY THE REPLACEMENT CYCLE IS BECOMING MUCH SHORTER. IN A COUNTRY LIKE INDIA, WE NEED TO BE PRESENT AT ALL PRICE POINTS, AND OUR LAUNCH CYCLE INDICATES THIS," SAID VINEET TANEJA, COUNTRY HEAD, SAMSUNG MOBILE AND DIGITAL IMAGING BUSINESS, WHILE ADDRESSING REPORTERS HERE.

"WE ARE FOLLOWING AN AGGRESSIVE PORTFOLIO APPROACH. WE'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF CUSTOMER FEEDBACK WHICH BASICALLY SAYS THAT MOST CONSUMERS PREFER LARGER SCREEN DISPLAYS. AND WE'VE DELIVERED ON THAT AS YOU CAN SEE TODAY," HE ADDED.

THE TWO MODELS, UNDER THE GALAXY MEGA SERIES, UNVEILED HERE COME IN 5.8 AND 6.3 INCHES IN SCREEN SIZE, WITH BOTH OF THEM RUNNING THE LATEST ANDROID 4.2 OPERATING SYSTEM ANSWERING A RANGE OF QUESTIONS, MR. TANEJA SAID, "IT'S NOT AS IF WE ARE TRYING TO GIVE OUR COMPETITORS NO LEEWAY, THIS IS MERELY RESPONDING TO CUSTOMER DEMAND. WE WILL RAMP UP OUR SERVICE NETWORK."

WHILE THE 5.8 INCH MODEL WILL BE PRICED AT RS. 25,100 AND WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE MARKET BY NEXT WEEK, THE 6.3 INCH MODEL COMES WITH A PRICE TAG OF RS. 31,490 AND WILL BE ROLLED OUT IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.

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HACKING CLAIMS IN AUSTRALIA

CHINESE HACKERS MIGHT HAVE STOLEN TOP-SECRET BLUEPRINTS OF AUSTRALIA'S INTELLIGENCE AGENCY HEADQUARTERS, BUT FOREIGN MINISTER BOB CARR INSISTED TIES WITH BEIJING WOULD NOT BE HURT.

THE AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION SAID THE DOCUMENTS TAKEN INCLUDED CABLE LAYOUTS FOR THE HUGE BUILDING'S SECURITY AND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, AND ITS SERVER LOCATIONS.

MR. CARR SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS "VERY ALIVE" TO THE THREAT, ADDING THAT "NOTHING THAT IS BEING SPECULATED ABOUT TAKES US BY SURPRISE."

BUT HE REFUSED TO CONFIRM OR DENY ANY CYBER ATTACK, OR WHETHER CHINA WS BEHIND ONE, SAYING HE WOULDN'T COMMENT "ON WHETHER THE CHINES HAVE DONE WHAT IS BEING ALLEGED OR NOT."

FOR ITS PART, CHINA NOTED THAT IT WAS "VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND THE ORIGIN OF HACKER ATTACKS."

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COGNIZANT PIPS INFOSYS TO THE POST FOR NO.2 SLOT

TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES (TCS), COGNIZANT, INFOSYS, WIPRO AND HCL GREW BY 13 PER CENT TO REACH $34.3  BILLION IN 2012, CONTINUOUSLY CHIPPING AWAY AT MARKET SHARE FROM LARGE MULTI-NATIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, ACCORDING TO A RECENT GARTNER STUDY.

"THE TOP FIVE INDIAN PROVIDERS EXCEEDED THE IT SERVICES INDUSTRY'S GROWTH OF 2 PER CENT. HOWEVER, THE GROWTH FOR BOTH INDUSTRY GROUPS DECELERATED FROM 21.8 PER CENT AND 7.6 PER CENT, IN 2011," THE REPORT SAID.

CONFIRMING A WELL-KNOWN INDUSTRY TREND, THE STUDY ALSO POINTS OUT THAT COGNIZANT DISPLACED INFOSYS (IN TERMS OF REVENUE) TO BECOME THE SECOND-LARGEST INDIAN IT SERVICES PROVIDER.

"COGNIZANT, IN ADDITION TO BEATING INFOSYS, ALSO EXPERIENCED THE HIGHEST GROWTH RATE AMONG THE TOP FIVE PROVIDERS, WITH AN INCREASE OF 20.1 PER CENT IN 2012," SAID ARUP ROY, RESEARCH DIRECTOR AT GARTNER, IN A STATEMENT. "IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THE TOP FIVE PROVIDERS HAVE BEEN WINNING LARGE OUTSOURCING DEALS (THOSE WITH A TOTAL CONTRACT VALUE OF MORE THAN $ 100 MILLION). THEIR TARGET CUSTOMER SEGMENT STILL REMAINS THE FORTUNE 1000 COMPANIES. MOST OF THESE FIRMS HAVE A LARGE-EAL PURSUIT SALES TEAM THAT GOES AFTER DEALS OF MORE THAN $35  MILLION IN CONTRACT VALUE," ADDED MR. ROY.

THE GROWTH RATE OF INDIA-BASED PROVIDERS HAS BEEN SLOWING FOR SOME YEARS, BUT IN 2012 THIS TREND WAS MORE PRONOUNCED, ACCORDING TO THE STUDY.

ANOTHER DOWNSIDE IS THAT INDIAN OUTSOURCING FIRMS HAVE NOT CRACKED INTO THE TOP TEN LIST, DESPITE BEING IN THE INDUSTRY FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES.

TCS REMAINS THE CLOSEST AT NUMBER 11. IN ADDITION TO THIS TREND, REVENUE CONTRIBUTION FROM PROJECT-BASED AND STAFF AUGMENTATION DEALS HAS ALSO CONTINUED TO DECLINE FOR THE TOP FIVE INDIAN-BASED PROVIDERS.

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ZEBRAFISH: SPERM AHEAD OF EGG TO FORM ANY CELL TYPE

ALL MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS ORIGINATE FROM THE FUSION OF A MALE CELL, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SPERM AND THE EGG CELL. THIS RESULTS IN THE FORMATION OF A ZYGOTE WHICH CONTAINS DNA FROM BOTH GAMETES.

THE ZYGOTE IS SPECIAL BECAUSE THIS SINGLE CELL IS CAPABLE OF DEVELOPING INTO AN EMBRYO AND ULTIMATELY AN ENTIRE ORGANISM, UNLIKE AN ALREADY-DIFFERENTIATED CELL LIKE A SKIN CELL WHICH CAN ONLY DEVELOP INTO SKIN TISSUE. THIS PROPERTY OF THE ZYGOTE IS CALLED 'TOTIPOTENCY'.

WHETHER THE GAMETES' DNA IS ALREADY PREPARED FOR TOTIPOTENCY AT FERTILISATION OR WHETHER IT NEEDS TO BE REPROGRAMMED TO ENABLE THE ZYGOTE'S TOTIPOTENCY, IS A QUESTION CRUCIAL TO DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY.

SCIENTISTS FROM HUNTSMAN CANCER INSTITUTE (HCI) AT THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH HAVE HAVE SOME ANSWERS.

THEY ANALYSED THE DNA METHYLATION PATTERNS OF SPERM CELLS, EGG CELLS, THREE STAGES OF EMBRYO CELLS BEFORE ITS GENOME IS ACTIVE, AND ONE STAGE AFTER IT IS ACTIVE.

WHEN METHYL GROUPS ATTACH TO CERTAIN AREAS OF DNA, GENE ACTIVITY IN THOSE AREAS GETS "TURNED OFF". STUDYING THE DNA METHYLATION PATTERN OF AN UNDIFFERENTIATED CELL (THE EMBRYO CELL), AND COMPARING IT WITH THE PATTERN OF A DIFFERENTIATED CELL (THE EGG CELL AND THE SPERM CELL) CAN TELL US WHICH GENES NEED TO BE ACTIVATED TO MAKE A CELL TOTIPOTENT.

ZEBRAFISH WAS CHOSEN FOR THIS STUDY AS IT IS AN IDEAL ORGANISM: IT GENERATES A LARGE NUMBER OF EGG CELLS AND THERE IS A LONGER GAP BEFORE THE ZYGOTE IS ACTIVATED. ZYGOTIC GENOME ACTIVATION (ZCA) IS THE POINT OF TRANSITION FROM MATERNAL TO EMBRYONIC CONTROL OF DEVELOPMENT.

SECOND, ZGA OCCURS AT APPROXIMATELY THE 2- CELL STAGE IN MICE, AND THE 4 TO 8- CELL STAGE IN HUMANS, COMPARED WITH THE 1,000 CELL STAGE (ABOUT 3 HOURS POST-FERTILISATION)  IN ZEBRA FISH.

THIS GIVES SCIENTISTS MORE TIME TO EXAMINE THE PROCESS OF ZCA IN ZEBRAFISH THAN IN ITS MAMMALIAN COUNTERPARTS.

THE RESULTS WERE UNEXPECTED - THE SPERM CELL'S METHYLATION PATTERN MATCHED THAT OF THE ACTIVE EMBRYO CELL, WHILE THE EGG CELL NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED BEFORE IT REACHED THIS STATE. THIS MEANS THAT AT FERTILISATION, THE DNA FROM THE SPERM IS MORE "POISED" FOR DEVELOPMENT THAN THAT OF THE EGG CELL.

"IT WAS PREVIOUSLY BELIEVED/EXPECTED THAT THE EGG AT FERTILISATION WOULD ALREADY BE READY FOR ZGA, AND THAT IT WAS LIKELY THE SPERM THAT NEEDED TO UNDERGO CHANGES. OUR RESULTS PROVIDE THE OPPOSITE OUTCOME - THE SPERM IS READY, NOT THE EGG," BRADLEY R. CAIRNS EXPLAINED IN AN EMAIL TO SMSFALLS CORRESPONDENT.

DR. CAIRNS IS A SENIOR DIRECTOR OF BASIC SCIENCE AT HUNTSMAN CANCER INSTITUTE AND CO - AUTHOR OF THE PAPER PUBLISHED IN CELL THIS WEEK.

FURTHER, THEIR STUDY SHOWED THAT THE EGG CELL'S DNA IS ABLE TO REPROGRAMME ITSELF TO BE READY FOR ZGA WITHOUT USING THE SPERM'S DNA AS A TEMPLATE.

DISEASES LIKE CANCER INVOLVE THE MISREGULATION OF THESE CELL PROCESSES, RESULTING IN CELLS THAT GET ARRESTED AT AN EARLY STAGE OF DIFFERENTIATION, OR CELLS THAT GO BACKWARDS AND BECOME UNDIFFERENTIATED LIKE EMBRYO CELLS.

ONCE THERE IS A CLEARER PICTURE OF HOW THIS MISREGULATION TAKES PLACE, BETTER STRATEGIES CAN BE DEVISED TO REVERSE THIS PROCESS.

"STUDIES ON THE ZEBRAFISH AND THE MOUSE ALLOW US TO LOOK AT EGGS, AND AT HOW THE PROCESS OF TOTIPOTENCY IS ACHIEVED IN EVOLUTION, AND GIVE US GUIDANCE CONCEPTUALLY AND TECHNICALLY ON HOW THE PROCESS MIGHT WORK IN HUMANS," SAID CAIRNS.

"WE NOW WILL APPROACH THE WORK IN HUMANS WITH MUCH MORE FOCUS AND TECHNICAL KNOW-HOW."

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THE ART OF MAKING MISTAKES

EDUCATION TEACHES US THAT WE SHOULD NOT MAKE MISTAKES. HOWEVER, ONLY BY MAKING MISTAKES DO WE GET THE CONFIDENCE TO TRY NEW THINGS AND DISCOVER SOMETHING NEW. DID YOU KNOW THAT COCA COLA WAS BORN OUT OF A MISTAKE? IN 1886 A PHARMACIST NAMED JOHN PEMBERTON COOKED UP A MEDICINAL SYRUP IN A LARGE BRASS KETTLE SLUNG OVER AN OPEN FIRE. HIS ASSISTANT ACCIDENTALLY USED CARBONATED OR SODA WATER TO MIX THE SECOND BATCH AND INSTEAD OF MEDICINE, THEY CREATED A FIZZY DRINK NOW CONSUMED ACROSS THE WORLD. PENICILLIN, POST-IT-NOTES AND CORN FLAKES ARE SOME OTHER WELL-KNOWN MISTAKE PRODUCTS.

THE RIGHT ANSWER SYNDROME:

MOST EXERCISES IN SCHOOL ARE DESIGNED TO TEACH US THE RIGHT ANSWER. THE RIGHT ANSWER APPROACH BECOMES A PART OF OUR BELIEF AND THINKING PROCESS. WE BEGIN TO BELIEVE THAT IF WE ARE NOT RIGHT, THEN WE ARE NOT WORTHY. OFTEN WE DON'T WANT TO TRY SOMETHING NEW BECAUSE WE ARE AFRAID OF FAILING OR NOT DOING IT RIGHT. UNFORTUNATELY, LIFE DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY. IF YOU THINK THERE IS ONLY ONE ANSWER, THEN AS SOON AS YOU FIND ONE, YOU WILL STOP LOOKING FOR OTHERS, PUT UP YOUR FEET AND RELAX. STEVE JOBS MADE MANY MISTAKES ON HIS WAY TO SUCCESS. SO DID GANDHIJI, RAMANUJAN, TENDULKAR, JRD TATA AND ANY OTHER SUCCESSFUL PERSON YOU CAN THINK OF. EVEN WHEN THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL, PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES - STEVE JOBS ONCE GOT FIRED FROM APPLE, HIS OWN COMPANY. THIS MISTAKE TAUGHT HIM HOW TO COME BACK EVEN STRONGER. THE BEST WAY TO ELIMINATE THE RIGHT ANSWER SYNDROME IS TO FIND MANY RIGHT ANSWERS OR ASK YOURSELF - WHAT ARE THE ANSWERS? WHAT ARE THE MEANINGS? DON'T BE AFRAID TO TRY SOMETHING NEW. FAILURES CAN TEACH YOU: ABOUT YOURSELF, ABOUT OTHERS, YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES, WHAT YOU LIKE AND DON'T LIKE, LESSONS THAT CAN'T BE TAUGHT IN ANY SCHOOL. REMOVE "FAILURE" FROM YOUR VOCABULARY AND REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING ELSE LIKE "HICCUP" OR "LESSON". THIS MAKES IT EASIER TO PICK YOURSELF UP AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT LESSON.

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PhD HOLDER JOBLESS AFTER EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME FAMOUS PRISON MEMOIRS, BUT DR. ANWAR ALI JAVED ALI KHAN'S TOOK AN EDUCATIONAL TACK. HIS BOOK "LEARN URDU IN 30 DAYS," NOW INTO ITS THIRD EDITION, IS QUITE POPULAR AND HE GETS REQUESTS FROM AS FAR AS THE U.S. FOR THIS PRIMER OF SORTS. IF DR. KHAN DIDN'T POUR OUT GRIM REMINISCENCES OF HIS EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON AFTER HIS ARREST ON TERROR CHARGES, THAT'S BECAUSE HE'S THE MAN HE IS. HE COMPLETED HIS PhD WHILE IN JAIL BY GETTING A COURT ORDER TO GIVE HIS VIVA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PUNE UNDER POLICE ESCORT AND HELPED FELLOW UNDER-TRIALS DRAFT THEIR BAIL AND OTHER APPLICATIONS.

"I HELPED SO MANY PEOPLE WITH MY DRAFTING SKILLS AND THEY WERE RELEASED ON BAIL," SAYS DR. KHAN 47, A FORMER LECTURER IN URDU AT THE NATIONAL DEFENCE ACADEMY (NDA), WHICH TERMINED HIS SERVICES A DAY AFTER HIS ARREST ON MAY 11, 2003, FOR HIS SUSPECTED INVOLVEMENT IN THE MULUND BOMB BLAST IN MARCH IN MUMBAI. HE WAS LATER CHARGED WITH THE GHATKOPAR AND VILE PARLE BLASTS TOO.

HE WAS DISCHARGED, ALONG WITH EIGHT OTHERS, FROM THE GHATKOPAR CASE ON MARCH 4, 2004, BY THE SPECIAL JUDGE TO TRY CASES UNDER THE PREVENTION OF TERRORISM ACT (POTA) FOR WANT OF SUFFICIENT GROUNDS TO PROCEED AGAINST THEM. THE PROSECUTOR SUBMITTED THAT THEY "COULD NOT BE CONNECTED WITH SUFFICIENT MATERIAL SO AS TO FURNISH SUFFICIENT GROUND TO PROSECUTE THEM."

HOWEVER, DR. KHAN SAYS AS SOON AS HE WAS RELEASED FROM JAIL, HE WAS RE-ARRESTED FOR MULUND AND VILE PARLE BOMB BLASTS CASE WHICH HAS BEEN DRAGGING. HE MANAGED TO SECURE BAIL ONLY IN FEBRUARY 28, 2011, AFTER EIGHT BAIL APPLICATIONS WHICH HE DRAFTED HIMSELF. "I KNEW MY CASE, IT WAS SO EASY TO PROVE HOW BASELESS IT WAS," HE POINTS OUT.

DESPITE AN UNFORGETTABLE STAY IN PRISON, HE STILL HAS FAITH IN THE JUDICIARY, BUT HIS CHANCES OF GETTING A JOB ARE DIM. HE WAS DENIED ONE AS AN URDU LECTURER DUE TO HIS "TERROR" CONNECTIONS AND HE HAS LITTLE HOPE NOW THAT HE WILL EVER BE EMPLOYED. HE AND HIS FAMILY, INCLUDING THREE CHILDREN AND HIS MOTHER, SUBSIST ON PROCEEDS FROM HIS BESTSELLING BOOK, TUITIONS AND ODD JOBS. "TEACHING IS A PASSION FOR ME; EVEN IN JAIL I MISSED IT SO MUCH. I LIKE TO TEACH IN A CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT," HE SAYS.

HE WAS APPOINTED AS A LECTURER IN URDU IN THE NDA IN 1996, BUT ON A TEMPORARY BASIS. ALL WAS WELL TILL 2003. "SOME POLICEMEN CAME TO MY HOUSE AND LEFT A MESSAGE ASKING ME REPORT TO MUMBAI - I WENT ON MAY 9 AND THEY QUESTIONED ME FOR MANY HOURS. THEY ASKED MY ADVOCATE TO LEAVE AND FORMALLY ARRESTED ME ON MAY 11," HE SAYS. DR. KHAN AND ANOTHER SUSPECT SAQIB NACHEN, WHO WAS RELEASED AFTER 10 YEARS IN JAIL, HAD DECIDED TO FORM A LEGAL AID CELL- THE MUSLIM LEGAL AID AND WELFARE FOUNDATION IN 2002 AND IT WAS IN THE INITIAL STAGES OF PLANNING. "WE WANTED A BOARD OF PATRONS AND HAD THREE MEETINGS. DURING THE INITIAL QUESTIONING, THE POLICE WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MEETINGS. I TOLD THEM WE DIDN'T PLAN ANY BOMB BLAST," DR. KHAN SAYS. OBVIOUSLY THE POLICE THOUGHT OTHERWISE.

DR. KHAN SAYS THE POLICE ACCUSED HIM UNDER THE ARMS ACT AS WELL BECAUSE THEY RECOVERED "A PISTOL FROM HIS FLAT IN PUNE."

"THAT FLAT WAS LOCKED FOR OVER A YEAR AND THEY TOOK THE KEYS FROM MY MOTHER WHO WAS LIVING WITH ME AFTER MY FATHER DIED. THEY CLAIM THE PISTOL WAS IN THE KITCHEN," HE SAYS.

AFTER WRITING HIS BOOK, HE GOT PERMISSION FROM THE COURT TO GET IT PUBLISHED IN 2009. HIS PhD THESIS, A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF ALLAMA MEHVI SIDDIQUI - A POET FROM LUCKNOW - WAS READY IN 2002. "I WAS ONLY WAITING FOR THE VIVA AND THAT WAS A STRUGGLE TOO. THE UNIVERSITY OF PUNE REFUSED TO CONDUCT IT TILL I WROTE TO THE MINORITY COMMISSION. THEY DIDN'T GIVE ME BAIL - FINALLY I WENT WITH POLICE ESCORT," HE SAYS.

IT WAS IN 2007 THAT HE WAS AWADED HIS DOCTORATE AND HE WAS PERMITTED TO ATTEND THE CONVOCATION. "LORD  MEGHNAD DESAI WAS THE CHIEF GUEST," HE RECALLS. WHILE THE POLICE SAY THE THREE MEETINGS OF THE FOUNDATION WERE LINKED TO THE BLASTS, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO PRODUCE EVIDENCE AS YET TO LINK DR. KHAN TO THE CONSPIRACY.

HE SAYS THE NDA TERMINATED HIS SERVICES FOR ABSENTEEISM. "I DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN," HE ADDS.

WHEN HE WENT TO JAIL, DR. KHAN REMEMBERS THAT NO ONE BELIEVED THE POLICE AND PEOPLE WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE. "IN FACT, ONE POLICEMAN TOLD ME THAT SINCE I HAD A LOT OF RESPECT IN PUNE, I SHOULD BE PARADED ON THE STREETS WITH HANDCUFFS," HE SAYS.

"I WASN'T EXPECTING TO BE ARRESTED AND ARRAIGNED. IT TOOK TIME FOR ME TO ADJUST AND I TRIED TO MENTALLY PREPARE MYSELF FOR THE ORDEAL. JAIL IS A LIFE OF DEPRIVATION. I MISSED EVERYTHING - MY FAMILY, TEACHING....." HE SAYS. BUT ONE THING HE DID CATCH UP ON WAS READING FICTION. THEY WERE ALLOWED NEWSPAPERS AND HE WOULD MARK THE TOP FICTION BOOKS AND ASK HIS WIFE TO BRING THEM. HIS FAVOURITE AUTHOR IS DAN BROWN AND NOW HE READS THRILLERS WHEN HE GETS TIME. HE STILL HAS TO REPORT TO THE LOCAL POLICE STATION EVERY 15 DAYS BUT FOR ONE AND A HALF YEARS, HE USED TO MARK DAILY ATTENDANCE.

AFTER HIS RELEASE ON BAIL, DR. KHAN AND OTHERS FILED FOR Rs. FIVE LAKHS COMPENSATION EACH, BUT THE POTA JUDGE TOLD THEM TO APPROACH THE STATE GOVERNMENT. HE HAS TO GET  AROUND DOING THAT. THE NDA HAS NOT YET RESPONDED TO EMAILED QUESTIONS SEEKING CLARIFICATION ON THE ISSUE.

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NEW NON-GM TECHNOLOGY FOR IMPROVEMENT OF SUNFLOWER

TECHNIQUES FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF SUNFLOWERS USING A NON-GM BASED APPROACH CAN HARNESS THE PLANT'S OWN GENES TO IMPROVE CHARACTERISTICS, DEVELOP POSITIVE GENETIC TRAITS, AND IMPROVE ITS ROLE AS AN IMPORTANT OILSEED CROP.

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HEART:HEALTHY LIFESTYLE OFFSETS WORK-RELATED STRESS

PEOPLE WITH JOB STRESS AND AN UNHEALTHY LIFESTYLE ARE AT HIGHER RISK OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE THAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE JOB STRESS BUT LEAD HEALTHY LIFESTYLES, FOUND A STUDY PUBLISHED IN CANADIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION JOURNAL.

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GRAPHENE PAVES WAY FOR BETTER DIGITAL STORAGE

GRAPHENE, A ONE- ATOM THICK LATTICE OF GRAPHITE, IS A SYNTHETIC MATERIAL WITH DIVERSE APPLICATIONS RANGING FROM SOLAR CELLS TO DIAGNOSTICS.

IT IS SIMPLE TO SYNTHESISE AND DEPLOY, AND ALLOWS SCIENTISTS TO MANIPULATE ITS PROPERTIES AT THE ATOMIC LEVEL. ITS GREATEST ADVANTAGE IS THAT IT IS MUCH MORE ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE THAN COPPER OR SILVER AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.

ITS MAGNETIC CAPABILITY, HOWEVER, IS NEARLY UNEXPLORED. A PAPER PUBLISHED ONLINE IN NATURE ON APRIL 28 ANNOUNCED A SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT THAT COULD CHANGE THIS.

RESEARCHERS FROM THE UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMADE MADRID (UAM), SPAIN, HAVE DEMONSTRATED HOW GRAPHENE COULD FACILITATE THE FORMATION OF A MAGNETIC FIELD UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

THIS DEVELOPMENT COULD POTENTIALLY OPEN THE FLOODGATES ON GRAPHENE'S USE IN COMPUTERS, WHICH USE MAGNETIC FIELDS TO STORE INFORMATION ON HARD-DRIVES.

MANUELA GARNICA AND SARA BARJA FROM UAM FIRST GREW A GRAPHENE SHEET ON A BASE MADE OF THE ELEMENT RUTHENIUM(RU).

NEXT, THEY EVAPORATED ORGANIC MOLECULES CALLED TETRACYANO-P-QUINODIMETHANE (TNCQ) ON THE GRAPHENE, WHICH GATHERED ON THE LAYER IN A CONDENSED MANNER.

MS. GARNICA, A PHD STUDENT, SAID IN AN EMAIL TO SMSFALLS CORRESPONDENT, "GRAPHENE ACTS AS A SEPARATING LAYER BETWEEN THE RUTHENIUM AND TCNQ MOLECULES", PREVENTING TCNQ FROM BONDING WITH THE RU BASE. BECAUSE RU IS A GOOD ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR, IT HAS A LOT OF FREE AND HIGHLY MOBILE ELECTRONS THAT MORE INTO THE GRAPHENE LAYER, AND THEN INTO THE TCNQ LAYER.

THE UNIQUE PROPERTY OF GRAPHENE TO PREVENT BONDING BETWEEN TWO LAYERS WHILE ALLOWING CHARGE TRANSFER BETWEEN THEM ALLOWS THE SPINS OF ELECTRONS IN THE TOP LAYER TO GET ALIGNED WITH THOSE IN THE BOTTOM. THIS ALIGNMENT IS CALLED AN ANTIFERROMAGNETIC COUPLING.

ONCE ALL ELECTRONS HAVE THE SAME SPIN, THE SYSTEM IS SAID TO HAVE A MAGNETIC FIELD. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME RAPHENE HAS BEEN SHOWN TO PLAY A ROLE IN THE CREATION OF A MAGNETIC FIELD.

SUCH GRAPHENE - RU ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE USED TO ALIGN ELECTRONS WITH RANDOM SPINS TO THE SAME SPIN. THIS COULD FIND APPLICATION IN FASTER MANIPULATION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION AND THEIR HIGH - EFFICIENCY STORAGE IN COMPUTERS, MS. GARNICA SAID.

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GLOBAL WARMING CONTRIBUTES TO SPREAD OF WEST NILE VIRUS

GLOBAL WARMING TRENDS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON THE SPREAD OF WEST NILE VIRUS TO NEW REGIONS IN EUROPE AND NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES. RISING TEMPERATURES HAVE A MORE CONSIDERABLE CONTRIBUTION THAN HUMIDITY, TO THE SPREAD.

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GET READY TO PAY MORE FOR PREFERRED AIR SEATS, CHECK-IN-LUGGAGE, & MEALS

VIRTUALLY ADOPTING THE U.S. MODEL OF IMPOSING EXTRA FEE ON AIR PASSENGERS, THE CIVIL AVIATION MINISTRY ON MONDAY ALLOWED AIRLINES TO CHARGE EXTRA MONEY FROM PASSENGERS FOR PREFERRED SEATS, CHECK-IN BAGGAGE AND MEALS, AMONG OTHER THINGS.

CIVIL AVIATION MINISTER AJIT SINGH HAS DECIDED TO PERMIT SCHEDULED AIRLINES TO UNBUNDLE CERTAIN SERVICES AND TO CHARGE FEES FOR THEM SEPARATELY. THE SERVICES INCLUDE SNACKS, DRINKS (BARRING DRINKING WATER), USE OF AIRLINE LOUNGES, AND TRANSPORT OF SPORTS EQUIPMENT, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND VALUABLE BAGGAGE WHICH HAVE HIGHER CARRIER LIABILITY, SAYS AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT.

THIS PRACTICE WAS ADOPTED IN 2008 BY SOME U.S. CARRIERS WHICH WERE FACING A FINANCIAL CRUNCH. THEIR DECISION TO CHARGE MONEY FOR EVEN THE FIRST CHECKED-IN BAGGAGE RECEIVED FLAK FROM TRAVELLERS BUT THE PRACTICE STILL CONTINUES, GENERATING REVENUE WORTH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THE AIRLINES.

MONDAY'S STATEMENT SAID THE MINISTER'S DECISION WAS BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT, WHO OPINED THAT UNBUNDLING OF SERVICES BECAME NECESSARY FOR EXERCISING MORE CONTROL OVER OPERATIONAL COSTS AND RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL AIRLINE. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO FACILITATE AIRLINES TO OFFER LOW BASE FARE FOR PRICE SENSITIVE TRAVELLERS AND AT THE SAME TIME, PROVIDE A CHOICE TO SERVICE SEEKERS AT A PRICE.

THE DECISION WOULD ALLOW PASSENGERS TO BENEFIT FROM LOWER BASE FARES AND CUSTOMISE THE PRODUCT TO BETTER SUIT THEIR REQUIREMENTS AND BUDGET, WHILE ALLOWING AIRLINES TO DEVELOP MORE SUSTAINABLE OPERATIONS IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF WAFER-THIN MARGINS, THE STATEMENT NOTED.

THE AIRLINES WOULD HAVE TO FILE DETAILS OF SERVICES TO BE UNBUNDLED AND FEES TO BE CHARGED TO THE DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF CIVIL AVIATION. "DGCA MAY NOT FIX FEE FOR UNBUNDLED SERVICES BUT SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO INTERVENE AND STOP CHARGING IF REGULATORY PRINCIPLES ARE VIOLATED BY THE AIRLINES."

THE STATEMENT SAID THE AIRLINES WOULD HAVE TO MAINTAIN TRANSPARENCY AND INFORM THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC AND AGENTS OF WHAT FEE THEY WERE CHARGING AND FOR WHICH OF THE UNBUNDLED SERVICES. THE CHARGES WOULD BE A FIXED AMOUNT AND ANNOUNCED WELL IN ADVANCE BY THE AIRLINES. THESE SHALL NOT VARY WITH THE BASE FARE FOR A PARTICULAR FLIGHT. CUSTOMERS SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PICK AND CHOOSE AMENITIES THEY WANT TO RECEIVE AND PAY FOR.

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FISH OIL DOESN'T HELP MACULAR DEGENERATION IN THE AGED

A LARGE-SCALE STUDY HAS SHOWN FISH OIL SUPLEMENTS CONTAINING OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS DO NOT ALTER THE PROGRESSION OF AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION, SAYS A TEAM OF RESEARCHERS AT THE METHODIST HOSPITAL.

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EXTENSIVE GLACIAL RETREAT IN MOUNT EVEREST REGION

RESEARCHERS TAKING A NEW LOOK AT THE SNOW AND ICE COVERING MOUNT EVEREST REGION ARE FINDING ABUNDANT EVIDENCE THAT THE WORLD'S TALLEST PEAK IS SHEDDING ITS FROZEN CLOAK DUE TO WARMING AND DECLINING SNOWFALL SINCE THE EARLY 1990S. 

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CLIMBERS LOSE THEIR COOL ON EVEREST ICE

A MOUNTAINEER ON THE EVEREST DESCRIBED ON MONDAY THE "TERRIFYING" SCENE OF TWO FAMOUS EUROPEAN CLIMBERS FIGHTING WITH NEPALESE GUIDES IN A HIGH-ALTITUDE BRAWL THAT HAS SPARKED A POLICE INVESTIGATION.

UELI STECK, A SWISS NATIONAL WHO HOLDS CLIMBING RECORDS, AND SIMONE MORO OF ITALY, WHO HAS CLIMBED THE EVEREST FOUR TIMES, WERE APPROACHING THE 7,470 - METRE CAMP THREE ON SATURDAY WHEN THE BUST-UP OCCURRED.

THE AMERICAN EYEWITNESS, SPEAKING TO SMSFALLS REPORTER BY TELEPHONE, SAID MR. STECK AND MR. MORO WERE ASKED TO WAIT ON THE MOUNTAIN WHILE A GROUP OF NEPALESE RIGGED UP SOME ROPES.

THE EUROPEANS, ACCOMPANIED BY A PHOTOGRAPHERS RECORDING THEIR ATTEMPT TO CLIMB THE 8,848- METRE MOUNTAIN BY A NEW "UNDISCLOSED" ROUTE WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTARY OXYGEN, IGNORED THE REQUEST AND CARRIED ON, THE EYEWITNESS SAID. "THE SHERPAS TOLD THE TEAM NOT TO CLIMB ABOVE THEM WHILE THEY WERE FIXING THE ROPES BUT THEY DID IT ANYWAY. THEN SOME ICE FELL AND HIT THE SHERPAS, WHICH MADE THEM ANGRY," HE SAID.

LATER IN THE DAY, A FURIOUS MOB OF NEPALESE STORMED UP TOWARDS THE CLIMBERS' TENTS AND PELTED THEM WITH STONES UNTIL THE MEN CAME OUTSIDE, AFTER WHICH A LOUD ARGUMENT ENSUED AND PUNCHES WERE ALLEGEDLY THROWN.

"AFTER A WHILE THE MOB LEFT, AND THE CLIMBERS PACKED UP AND WALKED PAST US DOWN - AS FAR AS WE KNEW THEY WERE LEAVING THE MOUNTAIN," THE EYEWITNESS ADDED. "IT WAS TERRIFYING TO WATCH - THEY NEARLY GOT KILLED." POLICE NEAR THE WORLD'S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN ARE INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT, LOCAL OFFICIALS SAID.

ACCORDING TO THE CLIMBING COMPANY, THE MEN HAVE SINCE DESCENDED FROM THE UPPER STRETCHES OF THE MOUNTAIN.

ON MONDAY MORNING, MR. STECK FLEW IN A HELICOPTER BACK TO EVEREST'S BASE CAMP TO REJOIN MR. MORO, WHO HAD REMAINED ON THE MOUNTAIN. THE PAIR IS REPORTEDLY MULLING WHETHER TO TRY AGAIN TO REACH THE SUMMIT.

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AWESOME APPEARANCES

THE NATURAL WORLD IS AN AMAZING PLACE WHERE ALMOST ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. MANY CREATURES HAVE AWESOME APPEARANCES; WITH DAZZLING DISPLAYS, THESE ANIMALS ARE DRESSED TO IMPRESS.

THE PINK FLAMINGO

THE SHALLOW SODA LAKES OF THE EASTERN RIFT VALLEY HAVE CRYSTALLISED SALT TURNING THE SHORES WHITE, AND ARE FAMOUS FOR THE LARGE FLOCKS OF FLAMINGO. IT'S ONE ANIMAL WHOSE DIET DOES DETERMINE ITS COLOUR. FLAMINGOS ARE FAMOUS FOR THEIR PINK PLUMAGE, WHICH IS ONLY THIS COLOUR BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY EAT. THEY FEED BY SIEVING MICROSCOPIC BACTERIA, RICH IN RED PIGMENTS, FROM THE SOUPY WATER. THESE PIGMENTS ARE ABSORBED BY THE FLAMINGO'S TISSUES AND SPREAD AROUND THEIR BODIES TO FEATHERS, BEAKS AND SKIN. IF FLAMINGOS AREN'T FED A PIGMENT RICH DIET THEY'LL EVENTUALLY TURN GREY.

CHAMELEONS SHOW THEIR FEELINGS BY CHANGING COLOUR

CHAMELEONS ARE COLD BLOODED REPTILES THAT COME IN A VARIETY OF HOT COLOURS. THESE SWIVEL EYED, STRETCHY TONGUE LIZARDS REVEAL THEIR INNERMOST EMOTIONS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD BY CHANGING COLOUR. BUT CAN MOOD SWINGS REALLY MOTIVATE THIS TINTED MAKEOVER?

A MALE PANTHER CHAMELEON GOES BRIGHT RED, WHICH MEANS HE'S BOILING WITH ANGER. THE INTRUDER SIGNALS HIS THREATENING INTENTIONS BY CRANKING UP HIS COLOUR, CHANGING FROM PLACID GREEN TO ANGRY ORANGE IN SECONDS. UNDER THE SKIN ARE LAYERS OF DIFFERENT COLOURED CELLS CONTROLLED BY NERVES AND HORMONES. THE SKIN COLOUR CHANGES DEPENDING ON WHICH CELLS ARE EXPANDED OR CONTRACTED. CONTRACTING BOTH LAYERS OF COLOURED CELLS REVEAL WHITE CELLS BELOW SO THE SKIN TURNS PALE.

OPTICAL ILLUSIONS KEEP ZEBRAS OUT OF DANGER

IN BOLD BLACK AND WHITE, ZEBRA'S STRIPES ARE AN IMMEDIATE IDENTIFICATION. THE BLACK AND WHITE WORKS BECAUSE ZEBRAS ALWAYS HANG OUT IN HERDS. MOVING TOGETHER IN A GROUP, THEIR STRIPED BODIES CREATE AN OPTICAL ILLUSION. IT'S HARD TO SEE EXACTLY WHERE ONE ZEBRA STOPS AND ANOTHER BEGINS. THIS TRICK AT THE LIGHT IS ESPECIALLY EFFECTIVE IN A HEAT HAZE. SEEN FROM A DISTANCE, THE STRIPED ZEBRAS BLEND IN MUCH BETTER WITH THE BACKGROUND THAN ANY OTHER HERD IN THE WILD. THE ZEBRA'S LOOK GIVES LIONS A CHALLENGE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T SEE IN COLOUR. THEY ONLY SEE IN BLACK AND WHITE. HAVING BLACK AND WHITE STRIPES ALSO GIVES ZEBRAS THE EDGE AGAINST ONE MORE TYPE OF ATTACK FROM FEROCIOUS FLIES. ZEBRAS ARE PLAGUES BY BITING INSECTS BUT BIZARRELY THEY'RE UNLIKELY TO BE BITTEN BY THE BLOOD SUCKING BUGS - TSETSE FLIES. THESE FLIES AVOID THE STRIPES PREFERRING TO HOME IN ON BIG SOLID BLOCKS OF DARK COLOUR LIKE WILDEBEEST. THE STRIPES BAFFLE THE BUGS. THE ZEBRAS CAN RELAX KNOWING THAT BLACK AND WHITE IS THE BEST WAY TO FOOL THEIR ENEMIES.

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A THREAT FROM FLU VIRUSES IN BIRDS, PIGS

THESE DAYS, THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF CONCERN ABOUT WHETHER A NOVEL H7N9 BIRD FLU VIRUS, WHICH HAS BEEN SPORADICALLY INFECTING PEOPLE IN CHINA, COULD GAIN THE ABILITY TO SPREAD EASILY AMONG HUMANS, THUS SETTING OFF ANOTHER INFLUENZA PANDEMIC. BUT RESEARCHERS AT THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY WARN OF A POSSIBLE THREAT FROM A DIFFERENT DIRECTION - H3N2 VIRUSES THAT ARE CURRENTLY FOUND IN BIRDS AND PIGS.

A H3N2 VIRUS CAUSED A PANDEMIC DURING 1967-68, AND STRAINS OF THAT VIRUS CONTINUE TO CIRCULATE AMONG HUMANS, LEADING TO OUTBREAKS OF SEASONAL FLU. THE CURRENT FLU VACCINE THEREFORE INCLUDES PROTECTION AGAINST THIS SORT OF VIRUS.

A KEY VIRAL SURFACE PROTEIN, HAEMAGGLUTININ (HA) ALLOWS THE FLU VIRUS TO LATCH ON TO AND THEREBY GAIN ENTRY INTO CELLS LINING THE HUMAN AIRWAY. IT IS ALSO THE MAIN TARGET OF HUMAN ANTIBODIES.

IT WAS THOUGHT THAT A FLU PANDEMIC OCCURRED WHEN A VIRUS WITH AN ENTIRELY NEW SORT OF HA BEGAN TO SPREAD AMONG PEOPLE. AS SUCH A VIRUS HAD NOT INFECTED HUMANS BEFORE, THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEMS WOULD NOT RECOGNISE THE HA AND BE ABLE TO QUICKLY MOUNT AN ANTIBODY RESPONSE TO BLOCK INFECTION.

THEN CAME THE PANDEMIC OF 2009, WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A H1N1 VIRUS. ANOTHER H1N1 VIRUS HAD PRODUCED A PANDEMIC 90 YEARS EARLIER. (THE 'H1' INDICATES THE SORT OF HA THE VIRUS POSSESSED).

IN A STUDY PUBLISHED RECENTLY IN THE JOURNAL SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, A TEAM LED BY RAM SASISEKHARAN, ALFRED H. CASPARY PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING AT MIT, EXAMINED KEY SPOTS ON THE HA THAT ANTIBODIES BIND TO AS WELL AS THE ATTACHMENT OF SUGAR MOLECULES TO THE PROTEIN (KNOWN AS GLYCOSYLATION). SUCH GLYCOSYLATION CAN MASK A BINDING SITE, BLOCKING AN ANTIBODY'S ACCESS TO IT.

AFTER THE PANDEMIC OF 1918, THE H1N1 VIRUS CONTINUED TO CIRCULATE AMONG HUMANS. HOWEVER, THESE SEASONAL FLU STRAINS DEVELOPED CHANGES TO THE ANTIBODY-BINDING SITES AND GLYCOSYLATION PATTERN IN ORDER TO DUCK AN ANTIBODY RESPONSE.

CONSEQUENTLY, IN THE FOLLOWING DECADES, THE HUMAN IMMUNE SYSTEM RESPONDED TO THOSE CHANGES AND LOST THE ABILITY TO RECOGNISE THE HA OF THE 1918 VIRUS. THE 2009 PANDEMIC STRAINS'S HA HAD ANTIBODY-BINDING SITES THAT WERE 80 PER CENT SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE 1918 VIRUS AND WITH A SIMILAR GLYCOSYLATION PATTERN.

A REPLAY OF THAT SCENARIO COULD HAPPEN WITH H3N2."THE HAS OF SOME CURRENTLY CIRCULATING SWINE AND AVIAN H3 VIRUSES RESEMBLE THE 'OLD' 1968 PANDEMIC H3N2 HA, AND THUS COULD EASILY JUMP BACK TO HUMANS NOW THAT IMMUNITY TO IT HAS DROPPED," SAID DR, SASISEKHARAN IN AN EMAIL."OUR STUDY HIGHLIGHTS THE CRITICAL NEED TO MONITOR THESE SWINE AND AVIAN VIRUSES."

THE STUDY ALSO FOUND THAT THE CURRENT H3N2 VACCINE STRAIN WOULD NOT PROVIDE PROTECTION AGAINST THESE ANIMAL VIRUSES. HOWEVER, A COCKTAIL OF H3N2 VIRUSES COULD BE USED TO FORMULATE A PANDEMIC VACCINE, THE PAPER SUGGESTED. ANIMAL STUDIES WERE NEEDED TO CREATE AN EFFECTIVE COCKTAIL AND PREPARE FOR A POTENTIAL RE-EMERGENCE OF A H3N2 PANDEMIC, IT ADDED.

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A DOZEN DIFFERENT COMPOUNDS GIVE STRAWBERRY AROMA

THE CHARACTERISTIC AROMA OF A FRESH STRAWBERRY IS THE RESULT OF AROUND A DOZEN DIFFERENT AROMA COMPOUNDS.

ONE OF THESE PLAYS A PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT ROLE: HDMF, WHICH IS ALSO KNOWN UNDER THE BRAND NAME FURANEOL, SAYS NEW RESEARCH.

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THE TIBETAN PLATEAU AND THE INDIAN MONSOON

TO WHAT EXTENT DOES THE TIBETAN

PLATEAU INFLUENCE THE SOUTHWEST

MONSOON?

SOME 130 YEARS AGO, SIR H.F. BLANFORD,

CHIEF REPORTER OF THE NEWLY

ESTABLISHED INDIA METEOROLOGICAL

DEPARTMENT (IMD) , NOTICED THAT MORE

HIMALAYAN SNOW COVER DURING THE

PRECEDING WINTER PRESAGED A POOR

MONSOON. ON THAT BASIS, IMD BEGAN

ISSUING THE FIRST MONSOON FORECASTS

FROM 1882. BUT MONSOON PREDICTION

WAS NOT SO EASILY DONE AND REMAINS A

DIFFICULT PROBLEM TO THIS DAY.

YEARS LATER, THE ESTABLISHED VIEW

CAME TO BE THAT THE HIMALAYAS ACTED

ON THE MONSOON IN TWO WAYS. THE

TIBETAN  PLATEAU, HEATED UP DURING

SUMMER AND THEREBY ESTABLISHED AN

ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION THAT WAS

CONDUCIOVE FOR THE MONSOON.

THE VAST MOUNTAINN RANGE ALSO ACTED

AS A TALL BARRIER, PREVENTING COLD,

DRY AIR IN THE NORTHERN LATITUDES

FROM ENTERING THE SUBCONTINENT AND

SUBDUING THE WARM, MOISTURE LADEN

WINDS FROM THE OCEANS THAT DRIVE

THE MONSOON.

IN A PAPER PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL

NATURE IN 2010, WILLIAM BOOS A

DNZHIMING KUANG OF HARVARD

UNIVERSITY IN THE U.S ARGUED THAT THE

HIMALAYAS' ROLE AS A BARRIER WAS THE

CRUCIAL FACTOR FOR THE MONSOON.

USING A GENERAL CIRCULATION MODEL

THAT SIMULATED WHAT HAPPENED IN THE

ATMOSPHERE, THEY FOUND THAT EVEN IF

THE TIBETAN PLATEAU DID NOT EXIST,

THE MONSOON WOULD BE UNAFFECTED

PROVIDED THE HIMALAYAS AND

ADJACENT MOUNTAIN RANGES WERE

THERE TO PREVENT INTRUSION OF

NORTHERN AIR.

HOWEVER, BALAJI RAJAGOPALAN AND

PETER MOLNAR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF

COLORADO AT BOULDER IN THE U.S. HAVE

TAKEN THE VIEW THAT THE TIBETAN

PLATEAU SHOULD NOT BE WRITTEN OFF

SO EASILY. THE HEATING OF THE PLATEAU

CORRELATED WITH MONSOON RAINFALL

BUT ONLY DURING THE EARLY AND LATE

PARTS OF THE SEASON, THEY OBSERVED IN

A PAPER PUBLISHED RECENTLY IN

JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH:

ATMOSPHERES.

AS THE VAST TIBETAN PLATEAU, HIGH UP

IN THE MOUNTAINS, WARMED DURING THE

SUMMER ABOVE, WHICH THEN ROSE AND

CREATED AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE,

EXPLAINED DR. RAJAGOPALAN. THAT BELT

OF LOW PRESSURE SUCKED IN MOISTURE

FROM THE OCEANS, THUS INITIATING THE

MONSOON.

THE HEATING OF THE TIBETAN PLATEAU

CORRELATED WELL WITH RAINFALL OVER

INDIA FROM MAY 20 TO JUNE 15 WHEN THE

MONSOON WAS SETTING IN. BUT THEN THE

CORRELATION DISAPPEARED ONLY TO

REAPPEAR AGAIN FOR RAINFALL BETWEEN

SEPTEMBER 1 AND OCTOBER 15 WHEN THE

MONSOON WAS TAILING OFF. "WE DON'T

HAVE A VERY GOOD ANSWER YET" ABOUT

HOW THE TIBETAN PLATEAU COULD BE

INFLUENCING THE LATE STAGE OF THE

MONSOON, HE SAID.

IN AN EARLIER  PAPER, HE AND DR.

MOLNAR HAD NOTED THAT SWINGS IN THE

TEMPERATURE OF THE TROPICAL PACIFIC

OCEAN'S SURFACE WATERS NEAR THE

INTERNATIONAL DATELINE, KNOWN AS EL

NINO-SOUTHERN OSCILLATION(ENSO) ,

ALSO STRONGLY INFLUENCED RAINFALL

OVER CENTRAL INDIA AND ITS WEST COAST

DURING THE EARLY AND LATE PHASES OF

THE MONSOON.

WITH THE TIBETAN HEATING AND ENSO

ACTING INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER,

THE TWO FACTORS TAKEN TOGETHER

COULD HAVE PREDICTIVE VALUE FOR

RAINFALL IN THE MONSOON'S EARLY AND

LATE PHASES.

PRELIMINARY RESULTS LOOKED

PROMISING,DR.RAJAGOPALAN TOLD THIS

CORRESPONDENT. THOSE TWO PHASES OF

THE MONSOON ACCOUNTED FOR OVER

ONE-THIRD OF THE TOTAL RAINFALL

DURING THE ENTIRE SEASON AND WAS

"NOTHING TO BE SNEEZED AT".

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ILLEGAL FOR MINORS TO OPEN FACEBOOK ACCOUNT

THE DELHI HIGH COURT ON THURSDAY ASKED THE UNION GOVERNMENT TO EXPLAIN HOW IT WAS ALLOWING CHILDREN BELOW 18 YEARS  TO OPEN ACCOUNTS IN SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES SUCH AS FACEBOOK AND GOOGLE.

A DIVISION BENCH OF JUSTICES B.D. AHMED AND VIBHU BAKHRU ASKED THE CENTRE TO RESPOND WITHIN 10 DAYS WHEN COUNSEL FOR THE FORMER BJP LEADER, K.N. GOVINDACHARYA, THE PETITIONER IN THE MATTER, ACCUSED THE TWO SITES OF NOT VERIFYING THE DETAILS OF ITS SUBSCRIBERS. IT POSTED THE MATTER ON MAY 13 FOR FURTHER HEARING.

THE COURT HAS BEEN SEIZED OF THE PETITION SINCE JUNE 2012.

THE BENCH ALSO IMPLEADED FACEBOOK INC. AND GOOGLE INC. AS PARTIES TO THE PETITION AND ISSUED NOTICES TO THEM. THEIR INDIAN SUBSIDIARIES HAD RESPONDED TO THE PETITION.

EARLIER, LAWYER VIRAG GUPTA, ARGUING FOR THE PETITIONER, SAID THE AGREEMENTS ENTERED INTO BY MINORS HERE WITH THE SITES WERE AGAINST THE INDIAN MAJORITY ACT, THE INDIAN CONTRACT ACT AND THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACT. IN JUNE 2012 , FACEBOOK, IN A STATEMENT FILED BEFORE THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, SAID THAT MORE THAN EIGHT  CRORE OF ITS REGISTERED USERS HAD GIVEN FALSE IDENTITIES . THIS MIGHT HAVE FURTHER INCREASED, HE NOTED.

THE GOVERNMENT HAD FRAMED DETAILED GUIDELINES FOR 'KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER' NORMS FOR ALL SECTORS AND MORE SPECIFICALLY FOR VERIFICATION OF MOBILE SUBSCRIBERS BY TELECOM COMPANIES. HOWEVER, THESE NORMS WERE NOT BEING FOLLOWED BY THE SITES, THUS POSING A GRAVE SECURITY RISK TO THE NATION, HE ADDED.

HE ALSO RAISED THE ISSUE OF INVASION OF PRIVACY OF USERS OF THE SITES AS THEIR DATA WAS BEING TRANSFERRED TO THE U.S. FOR COMMERCIAL USE.

CYBER LAW EXPERTS SAY THAT THERE MAY BE MERIT IN THE PETITION, AS MISREPRESENTATION CAN INVITE PENAL ACTION. "CREATING A FALSE ELECTRONIC RECORD IS AN OFFENCE UNDER THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACT AND THE INDIAN PENAL CODE. UNDER SECTION 465, THE OFFENCE WOULD ATTRACT PUNISHMENT UP TO TWO YEARS' IMPRISONMENT AND IF THE ACCOUNT SO OPENED IS USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF CHEATING, IT WOULD BE PUNISHABLE WITH A MAXIMUM OF SEVEN YEARS' IMPRISONMENT," SAID TOP CYBER LAW EXPERT PAVAN DUGGAL.

CHILDREN "OPENLY LYING ABOUT THEIR AGE TO CREATE ACCOUNTS ON THESE WEBSITES" WERE LIKELY TO FACE POTENTIAL LEGAL EXPOSURE AND EVEN PARENTS "WHO KNOWINGLY RESENT INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN WHILE OPENING ACCOUNTS IN THEIR NAMES," COULD BE PROSECUTED UNDER THE IPC AND IT ACT. "IGNORANCE OF LAW IS NO EXCUSE," HE SAID.

THE CYBER LAW EXPERT ADDED THAT THE ONLINE CONTRACT BETWEEN USERS AND SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES IS ENFORCEABLE IN INDIA. THEREFORE, UNDER INDIAN LAW, BOTH SIDES MUST BE COMPETENT TO CONTRACT, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY MUST BE ADULTS AND OF SOUND MIND AND THE CONTRACT MUST BE FOR LAWFUL PURPOSES. "THEREFORE, ANY [ONLINE] CONTRACT WITH A MINOR IS NULL AND VOID UNDER THE INDIAN CONTRACT ACT," MR. DUGGAL SAID.

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