Virus Alert

The riddle of the malicious software program, Conficker that has spread throughout the Internet deepened as security researchers examined a new version of the software that they said made it more difficult to eradicate the program. Several of the groups monitoring the program said that the most recent version appeared to be targeted at improving a peer-to-peer communications system between computers that are infected and hardening the system by making infected machines more resistant to anti-virus software.

The Conficker virus variants are thought to be present on millions of computers (PCs) around the world. Several researchers also said there might be a connection between the authors of Conficker and of another program known as Waladec, a malware program that has been used to distribute fraudulent advertisements through e-mail Spam. They also noted that the Conficker authors have switched strategies and are using the program’s peer-to-peer mechanism to update the system. Originally, they had appeared to plan to download instructions to Conficker by generating new Internet addresses that infected machines could download instructions from.

Robo World

A bald, child-like creature dangles its legs from a chair as its shoulders rise and fall with rhythmic breathing and its black eyes follow movements across the room. It’s not human but it is paying attention. Below the soft silicon skin of one of Japan’s most sophisticated robots, processors record and evaluate information. The 130-cm humanoid is designed to learn just like a human infant.

The creators of the Child-robot with Biomimetic Body, or CB2, say it’s slowly developing social skills by interacting with humans and watching their facial expressions, mimicking a mother-baby relationship. The Osaka University team is trying to teach the pint-sized android to think like a baby who evaluates its mother’s countless facial expressions and clusters them into basic categories, such as happiness and sadness. The project brings together robotics engineers, brain specialists, psychologists and other experts, and is supported by the state-funded Japan Science and Management.

A Young Achiever

Eighteen months after swimming across the 30-km Messinikos Gulf in Greece at the tender age of eight, a schoolgirl from the Mumbai city, Swapnali Yadav has earned an entry in the Limca Book of Records. Swapnali's entry in the 2008-09 edition of the book has been accepted and she has received a certificate to this effect from its publishers. On September 1, 2007, Swapnali, now studying in standard V in Andheri, became the youngest-ever in open marathon swimming history to achieve the feat.

Later the world swimming body, FINA decided not to allow swimmers below the age of 17 to attempt the Messinikos Gulf Swim. After the decision of FINA, it ensured that she will be the youngest ever swimmer to do the feat in 11 hours, ten minutes. With the swimming Federation of India also following suit in disallowing children below 14 to take part in long distance swimming, Swapnali has turned her attention to competitive events in pools. She trains daily in the morning and evening at Andheri and Goregaon and her pet events are 200m breast stroke and butterfly.

No War Between the Stars

Despite reports of a war between Big B and Salman Khan, both were more than cordial with each other when they accidentally met at the UK Embassy. Both Bachchan and Salman had come to the UK embassy to verify their finger prints. Bachchan’s Teen Patti and Salman’s Veer are slated for shooting schedules in London by the month end. As soon as they saw each other, they exchanged pleasantries and sat down to talk. They were together for at least an hour till their finger prints were verified. Contrary to media reports of a war between them, they seemed extremely comfortable in each other’s company.

The report of a war between Bachchan and Salman was at its peak during the making of God Tussi Great Ho, in which the two co-starred. Speculation was so rampant about their so-called rift that the industry insiders had even vouched that this would be the last Bachchan-Salman film together. However, Salman has always maintained that he has the greatest regard for Bachchan and Bachchan too has always reciprocated his fondness.

Useful Information

Dalmia Group Company Caretel Infotech is upbeat about the opportunities in the BPO space and has hired about 600 people even while others are handing out pink slips to employees amid the current slowdown. In last 30 days, we have recruited 619 employees for various projects from Metros and even small towns like Chindwara at Rajasthan for our Kissan Call Centre project, Caretel Infotech Chief Executive Officer Amit Roy said in a statement.

HDFC Bank said it has raised Rs 1,728 crore through the private issue of subordinated debt. On a private placement basis, the bank has issued unsecured non-convertible redeemable subordinated bonds in nature of debentures, HDFC said in a regulatory filing to Bombay Stock Exchange. HDFC sold upper Tier-II bonds for an amount of Rs 528 crore and issued lower Tier-II bounds raising an amount of Rs 1150 crore.

Stressed Plants Produce Aspirin

Aspirin is among the most popular remedies used by people for stress. Researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research were surprised to discover that stressed plants an aspirin like chemical that can be detected in the air above the plants. The chemical may be a sort of immune response that helps protect the plants. Acetylsalicylic acid, or aspirin, was originally derived from the tree bark, so scientists knew it was a compound made by plants .But it was never seem to be emitted as a gas.

Such compounds can combine with industrial emissions to affect pollution and they can influence local climate. The tress were already stressed by drought, and levels of methyl salicylate rose with unseasonably cool night-time temperatures, especially when it is quickly warmed up the next day. The finding raises the possibility that farmers may eventually be able to start monitoring plants for early signs of disease.

Microbot To Swim In Blood

In 1966, the movie “Fantastic Voyage” recounted the tale of doctors who are miniaturized along with a submarine and injected into the body of a Soviet defector, sailing up his bloodstream to destroy a brain clot that imperils the VIP’s life. More than 40 years later, scientists have created a motorized robot small enough to be injected into the human bloodstream. One day, the remote-controlled robot could carry sensor equipment for observation work, relaying images back to surgeons. Or it could become a tiny surgeon, cutting away blood clots, reaming out clogged arteries or repairing damaged tissue, its inventors hope.

The team is working on a motor based on piezo-electricity, the energy used in quartz watches, up market cigarette lighters and gas stove lighters. Like a swimming bacterium guided by remote control, the robot would make headway against the bloodstream, at least in blood vessels where the flow is not too great, the inventors hope. The device could transmit images, deliver microscopic payloads and, eventually, carry out surgery. It would then be retrieved by syringe at the point of entry

GSM

GSM stands for Global System for mobile Communication. It is the most successful telecommunication system. It is used in more than 190 countries. It was found in 1982. It follows the specification laid by ETSI. Its main goal to provide a mobile phone system that allows users to roam throughout Europe and provide voice services compatible to ISDN and PSTN. GSM offers 19 exclusive channels for voice and data traffic. Special features like emergency calls, voice group service are available in which calls are prioritized.

GSM is used to control switches, signals and gates. It also allows the integration of voice and data and also the inter networking with the existing networks. The tele services offered by GSM are voice oriented and are specified end to end. They also have high quality digital voice transmission. The physical layer handles all radio specific functions. The interfaces in this layer will perform encryption and decryption.

Operation of a Transistor

IBM researchers recently demonstrated the operation of graphene field-effect transistors (FETs) at GHz frequencies and achieved the highest frequencies reported so far using this novel non-silicon electronic material. This accomplishment is an important milestone for the Carbon Electronics for RF Applications (CERA) programme sponsored by DARPA, as part of the effort to develop the next generation of communication devices. Graphene is a special form of graphite, consisting of a single layer of carbon atoms packed in honeycomb lattice, similar to an atomic scale chicken wire. Graphene has attracted immense worldwide attention and activities because its unusual electronic properties may eventually lead to vastly faster transistors than any transistors achieved so far.

The operation speed of a transistor is determined by the size of the device and the speed at which electrons travel. The size dependence was one of the driving forces to pursue ever-shrinking Si transistors in semiconductor industries. A key advantage of graphene lies in the very high electron speed with which electrons propagate in it, essential for achieving high-speed, high-performance transistors. In the next phase, the IBM researchers also plan to pursue RF circuits based on these high-performance transistors.

Tennis Special

Ever since Safina’s brother upset the legendary Pete Sampras to win the 2000 U. S. open, she’s been known, slightly pejoratively, as Marat’s little sister. But in 2008, Dinara Safina finally smashed that unwanted label with her powerful shots and stunning victories. It would also be the year that changed her tennis career and even her life. Like her brother Marat Safin, who is six years older than her, Dinara has also struggled to harness the volatile emotions that too often undermined her during competition.

The 22- year-old Russian began 2008 ranked a discontented No.15 and posted a desultory 11-10 record by early May when she arrived at the German open. It would become the breakout tournament of her breakthrough year. With a new coach who instilled positive thinking, she calmly upsets superstars Justine Henin and Serena Williams before beating compatriot Elena Dementieva in the final. At the French open Safina proved she truly had emerged as a formidable force.