Cell phone virus called The Da Vinci Code

2007
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, July 29: A cell phone virus named after the controversial film, The Da Vinci Code, has hit mobile phone users in the city, two months after it made its entry into Mumbai.
Unlike common viruses, the Da Vinci Code virus attacks only mobile phones equipped with wireless Bluetooth technology. It also spreads to laptop computers connected through mobile phones.
According to computer virus experts, the virus has crippled at least a thousand cell phones in the State Capital since it made entry a week ago. The virus simply enters cell phones through a pop-up message enticing the users with a preview of the film, The Da Vinci Code. Once it makes its way into the cell phone or the laptop, it clandestinely destroys the stored data crippling the services.
"A photograph containing an eye with a cross in it appeared on my cell phone. And with this the data stored in the phone got erased. The phone book was the first one to be affected," businessman Y Srinivasa Rao.
While the talk of the Da Vinci Code virus attacking cell phones with Bluetooth technology is spreading fast in the city, a few software experts argue that the virus was not a fresh one. Someone has just renamed an existing cell phone virus to draw the attention.
Says anti-virus technology expert MH Nobel, "there's no such virus as The Da Vinci Code virus. It is just a rumour making rounds, first in Mumbai and now in Hyderabad".
The virus can be removed from the hard disk of the cell phone through simple formatting. But given the cost of cell phones with Bluetooth technology, even formatting the hard disk costs anything between Rs 2000 and 2500.
This is the first major virus to spread in the country after the world's first-ever mobile phone virus was detected two years ago.

And now a cell phone virus call Da Vinci

2007
Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, July 29: A cell phone virus named after the controversial film, The Da Vinci Code, has hit mobile phone users in the city, two months after it made its entry into Mumbai.
Unlike common viruses, the Da Vinci Code virus attacks only mobile phones equipped with wireless Bluetooth technology. It also spreads to laptop computers connected through mobile phones.
According to computer virus experts, the virus has crippled at least a thousand cell phones in the State Capital since it made entry a week ago. The virus simply enters cell phones through a pop-up message enticing the users with a preview of the film, The Da Vinci Code. Once it makes its way into the cell phone or the laptop, it clandestinely destroys the stored data crippling the services.
"A photograph containing an eye with a cross in it appeared on my cell phone. And with this the data stored in the phone got erased. The phone book was the first one to be affected," businessman Y Srinivasa Rao.
While the talk of the Da Vinci Code virus attacking cell phones with Bluetooth technology is spreading fast in the city, a few software experts argue that the virus was not a fresh one. Someone has just renamed an existing cell phone virus to draw the attention.
Says anti-virus technology expert MH Nobel, "there's no such virus as The Da Vinci Code virus. It is just a rumour making rounds, first in Mumbai and now in Hyderabad".
The virus can be removed from the hard disk of the cell phone through simple formatting. But given the cost of cell phones with Bluetooth technology, even formatting the hard disk costs anything between Rs 2000 and 2500.
This is the first major virus to spread in the country after the world's first-ever mobile phone virus was detected two years ago.

Myths & Beliefs: Is "trio-seven" inauspicious for marriages?

July 7, 2007

By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, July 6: "Trio seven" or 07-07-07 is not an auspicious number as far as entering into wedlock is concerned.
Senior city Vastu-numerologist Rachaa Suresh argues that 07-07-07 may sound numerically interesting but numerologically it is devastating. "It is not the right occasion for marriages. But unfortunately many do not know this and have opted for wedding muhurat. The number is as fascinating as its devastating effect on the married life of people who enter into wedlock on this day," points out Suresh.
He told this correspondent that astrology and numerology do not agree on certain events which come once in a life, like marriage. While astrology has thithi and nakshatra, numerology believes more in numbers than in heavenly bodies.
"Astrology, the study of planets and stars, may not find anything wrong with 07-07-07. But numerology, which is based on the numbers game, does find a severe defect with the date. The date is fine as far as regular events like travel, inauguration of showrooms and general celebrations are concerned. And certainly not with marriage, which according to Indian customs is solemnised only once," he says.
Suresh also says that another "auspicious" date - August 26, 2007 - when a mass marriage muhurat is fixed by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is also numerologically not good. Incidentally, the marriage of Nara Lokesh, son of former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, has been fixed for 26-08-2007.
The argument Suresh puts forward in support of his claim is that numerologically 8, 5, and 4 numbers are inauspicious for wedding muhurats. The numbers that totals up 8 are 8, 17 and 26 while 5, 14 and 23 totals up 5. Numbers 4, 13, 22 and 31 totals up 4. So days like 8, 17, 26, 5, 14, 23, 4, 13, 22 and 31 are inauspicious.
"In the case of 07-07-2007, the number adds up to 23 which in simple terms means 5 (2 plus 3). And 5 is inauspicious. In the case of 26-08-2007, the number 26 is inauspicious. Either the individual date, month or year or their sum total should not add up to 8, 5 or 4," Suresh argues.
He said he had been keeping track of marriages performed on such dates and most of them are on the rocks. The couple may live together but not enjoy the married life. He refers to the "marital trouble" of a Telugu film actor who was married on 17. He is in legal trouble now. He also cites the example of a relative of Cooperation Minister M Fareeduddin who is now in a marriage row. The relative was also married on 17.
Another numerologist Mudigonda Gopikrishna points out that the number 7 signifies philosophy and sainthood while marriage stands for love, procreation and progress. "Both these traits do not agree. In case of mass marriages, the planetary positions do not agree with individual birth charts. About 70,000 marriages are planned on 07-07-2007. But the stars of only a few people match with the date. Even astrologically the date has no significance," he said.

Link between infertility and female genital tuberculosis

By Syed Akbar

Hyderabad, July 5: A team of city doctors has established a link between infertility and female genital tuberculosis, which is fast spreading in South India after lying low for many years.

The team has also found easy diagnostic methods to detect genital tuberculosis in women with 100 per cent accuracy. Currently diagnosing female genital tuberculosis is nothing short of a Herculean task. In many countries diagnosis is mainly limited to clinical suspicion based on symptoms. The problem is further compounded as abdominal and vaginal examinations reveal nothing.

Dr Roya Rozati, Dr Sreenivasagari Roopa and Dr Cheruvu Naga Rajashwari of the department of reproductive medicine at Mahavir Hospital and Research Centre have not only solved the diagnosis problem by identifying mycobacterial DNA tests through polymerase chain reaction but also established a link between the disease and infertility.

Genital tuberculosis is an important cause of infertility, more so in endemic zones such as South India. The proportion of extra-pulmonary TB is increasing down the Vindhyas and currently stands slightly higher than smear-positive pulmonary TB. Effective chemotherapy had reduced all forms of TB including FGTB until the HIV epidemic reversed the trend over the last decade.

However, the true epidemiology of this disease remains unknown due to lack of highly sensitive and specific tests. Genital tuberculosis not only causes tubal obstruction and dysfunction but also impairs implantation due to endometrial involvement and ovulatory failure from ovarian involvement.

The prevalence of FGTB in infertility clinics shows marked variations in different countries ranging between 15 and 25 per cent. In India in 80 to 90 per cent of cases, FGTB affects young women between 18 and 38 years of age, besides being an important cause of infertility.

"A high erythrocyte sedimentation rate and a positive mantoux test are non-specific. AFB staining is not sensitive enough and both culdoscopy and laparascopy carry a significant risk of bowel injury. Surgery is disadvantageous as it is highly invasive and carries a risk of activating silent infection. Only histopathological evidence in biopsy of premenstrual endometrial tissue or demonstration of tubercle bacilli in culture of menstrual blood or endometrial curetting can provide diagnosis with certainty," says Dr Roya Rozati.

The doctors investigated biopsy or curettage samples from 65 women clinically suspected to have genital tuberculosis for mycobacterium.

Genital tuberculosis is often a secondary complication as a result of reactivation of a silent bacillemia, primarily from lungs, affecting most commonly the fallopian tubes, ovaries, cervix, endometrium and vagina and vulva, and in some instances also from kidney and intestines.

"Direct inoculation of tubercle bacilli can also take place over vulva or vagina during sexual intercourse with a partner suffering from tuberculous lesions of genitalia," she said.

Astrological importance of "Trio Seven"

2007
By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, July 6: "Trio seven" or 07-07-07 is not an auspicious number as far as entering into wedlock is concerned.
Senior city Vastu-numerologist Rachaa Suresh argues that 07-07-07 may sound numerically interesting but numerologically it is devastating. "It is not the right occasion for marriages. But unfortunately many do not know this and have opted for wedding muhurat. The number is as fascinating as its devastating effect on the married life of people who enter into wedlock on this day," points out Suresh.
He told this correspondent that astrology and numerology do not agree on certain events which come once in a life, like marriage. While astrology has thithi and nakshatra, numerology believes more in numbers than in heavenly bodies.
"Astrology, the study of planets and stars, may not find anything wrong with 07-07-07. But numerology, which is based on the numbers game, does find a severe defect with the date. The date is fine as far as regular events like travel, inauguration of showrooms and general celebrations are concerned. And certainly not with marriage, which according to Indian customs is solemnised only once," he says.
Suresh also says that another "auspicious" date - August 26, 2007 - when a mass marriage muhurat is fixed by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is also numerologically not good. Incidentally, the marriage of Nara Lokesh, son of former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, has been fixed for 26-08-2007.
The argument Suresh puts forward in support of his claim is that numerologically 8, 5, and 4 numbers are inauspicious for wedding muhurats. The numbers that totals up 8 are 8, 17 and 26 while 5, 14 and 23 totals up 5. Numbers 4, 13, 22 and 31 totals up 4. So days like 8, 17, 26, 5, 14, 23, 4, 13, 22 and 31 are inauspicious.
"In the case of 07-07-2007, the number adds up to 23 which in simple terms means 5 (2 plus 3). And 5 is inauspicious. In the case of 26-08-2007, the number 26 is inauspicious. Either the individual date, month or year or their sum total should not add up to 8, 5 or 4," Suresh argues.
He said he had been keeping track of marriages performed on such dates and most of them are on the rocks. The couple may live together but not enjoy the married life. He refers to the "marital trouble" of a Telugu film actor who was married on 17. He is in legal trouble now. He also cites the example of a relative of Cooperation Minister M Fareeduddin who is now in a marriage row. The relative was also married on 17.
Another numerologist Mudigonda Gopikrishna points out that the number 7 signifies philosophy and sainthood while marriage stands for love, procreation and progress. "Both these traits do not agree. In case of mass marriages, the planetary positions do not agree with individual birth charts. About 70,000 marriages are planned on 07-07-2007. But the stars of only a few people match with the date. Even astrologically the date has no significance," he said.