Zika Virus outbreak in South America - Debunking the myths

So there have been several conspiracy theories presented to suggest that the Zika virus outbreak in Brazil was man made. I'll try and address two regarding the outbreak that I have come across.

The first and easiest CT to debunk is the the notion that the Zika virus outbreak occurred because of the field trial of the genetically engineered mosquitoes in Brazil. This is based on the outbreak occurring after the field trial (conducted in 2011) and starting in the general area the field trial happened. However, when the evidence is examined, this CT falls apart.

The location of the Zika virus outbreak in Brazil, 2015

The interesting thing about this image is that it is shows the occurrence of microcephaly cases and the start of the outbreak. A similar image with the heading intact can be found here. But this map does show an important clue to the start of the outbreak. A large number of microcephaly cases are concentrated around the city of Natal in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (on the eastern tip where the cases are clustered). This is in fact the city where symptoms similar to Zika (but not Dengue or Chikungunya) were first described in Brazil. This next connection is a stretch; the location of the field trials of GE mosquitoes conducted by Oxitec. 

The "location" of the Oxitec GE mosquito field trials

The problem here is that the Oxitec field trials happened in Juazeiro in the state of Bahia and this map is pointing at Juazeiro do Norte in the state of Ceará. Juazeiro do Norte is about 626.1 km from Natal and 371.8 km from Juazeiro. It is 880 km from Juazeiro to Natal (note these are driving distances). So, the actual city where the field trials began is a bit further away from the start of the outbreak. It's still plausible, but less likely. Part of this is because mosquitoes can only travel about 58.2 m so that is a great distance for them to be carried. It also helps to understand exactly what the trials tested.

The field trial tested the ability of GE male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to impact the population size in the trial location.The results were astounding with a population reduction of >90%. The way that the mosquitoes were altered plays a huge role in the success of the experiment. The mosquito has been genetically sterilized in an improvement on the sterile insect technique. Normally, male insects are sterilized with radiation but that has the drawback of zapping insects with radiation which can reduce their fitness. The GE mosquito is still as fit as any other male mosquito, it just doesn't produce viable offspring. But there is a catch, a common antibiotic called tetracycline can interfere with the genetic mechanism that causes the mosquito to be sterile. This increases the fertility of the males a bit.

The way tetracycline inhibits the sterilization of Oxitec GE mosquitoes.

There is an issue here though, this assumes that the tetracycline would be present in high enough levels to increase fertility, the level needed for this has been empiricallydetermined. Unfortunately for the CT, the levels of tetracycline compounds would need to be 746 to 2500 times greater than the highest reported environmental levels of tetracycline compounds.

Another issue that I haven't brought up is there are two Aedes mosquitoes in Brazil that are of concern, the aforementioned Aedes aegypti and a relative, Aedes albopictus. Although it hasn't been demonstrated to be a vector, A. albopictuspopulations (I'll have another blog post on this soon) would not be impacted by sterile A. aegypti males. So with two potential vector species (there may be more but that is another blog post), it's not likely that failing to fully knock out ones that escaped the field trial would increase the spread of a virus.

One last point here, I also came across another GE mosquito CT that Bill Gates was spreading Zika virus with the GE mosquitoes. This is crazy because the GE mosquitoes are male and male mosquitoes don't bite. To release something they don't have approval for would be the end of a small company like Oxitec.

The final CT I will discuss, is the claim that the Tdap vaccine is what is causing the microcephaly. This runs the gambit from tainted vaccine to just regular old vaccine and it is harder to address. The basis for this idea is that the Zika virus was discovered in 1947 and there have been no records of microcephaly until the outbreak in Brazil. There are several problems with this idea. The first is that Zika virus was a rare virus in humans until very recently. Also, further analysis of the outbreak in French Polynesia has shown an increase in neurological defects in babies during that time. Another problem is that the Tdap vaccine has never been associated with microcephaly and Brazil has had a 20-fold increase in cases since the outbreak began. They are also suggesting the wrong vaccine if they'd like a chance of being plausible with the CT. Rubella is another virus that causes microcephaly(27% chance if infection occurs in the first trimester), so the MMR vaccine would be the logical choice. 

So in summation, please don't trust everything you read on the internet. Some of it may be the insane ramblings of someone on Reddit, or it might be scare tactics to try and further an agenda.

Birdman is nominated for best foreign film in France

The Academy of Cinema Arts and Techniques of France also nominated "The son of Saul" Laszlo Nemes, "Madre Mia" Nanni Moretti, "Youth" by Paolo Sorrentino, and Taxi Teheran, Jafar Panahi.

"Birdman" directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, was nominated as the best foreign film of the year by the French Film Academy.

The film already won the Oscar for Best Director and Best Picture, will compete with six other films from around the world by Caesar, whose list of nominees was published Wednesday.

The Academy of Cinema Arts and Techniques of France also nominated "The son of Saul" Laszlo Nemes, "Madre Mia" Nanni Moretti, "Youth" by Paolo Sorrentino, and Taxi Teheran, Jafar Panahi.

For Inarritu, who just two weeks ago was in the French capital for the premiere of "The reborn", also nominated for an Oscar this year, this is one of the last major nominations Birdman.

French film "Marguerite" by Xavier Giannoli and "Three memories of my youth" by Arnaud Desplechin, topped with eleven nominations each, the list of nominations for the national awards of this year's French cinema.

The 41st edition of the César awards will take place on February 26 at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.

At the ceremony the American actor Michael Douglas will receive an honorary Cesar for his entire career.

First audition of Salma Hayek in Televisa, which occurred 29 years ago. See video.

With a look in the style of 80 and a hopeful look that betrays her youth, she described the actress then demonstrate their talent.

"I am Salma Hayek, I have 20 years. I'm in the first group of second year of the Training Center and have no experience," says a little nervous before the camera. In the morning program they did not specify what role Salma racing. 

It was only a matter of time before obtained her first starring role in Teresa soap opera, in 1989. Two years later, he decided to try his luck in Los Angeles, where he had a hard time because he spoke very little English and, on several occasions, he has confessed that suffered from dyslexia as she studied. 

Today Salma Hayek is synonymous with success, although he has left his job a little acting to focus on his passion as a producer, in addition to devote more time to his nine year old daughter, Valentina Paloma. The actress is now married to one of the richest men in France.

'DAREDEVIL': RELEASE DATE AND NAME CHANGE OF SEASON WITH THE PUNISHER

Daredevil will return this year with its second season , where new characters will no longer see as the expected Frank Castle / The Punisher played by Jon Bernthal , the famous actor of The Walking Deadwhich apparently enjoy greater role than expected, since the beginning of this new stage, where in addition to this new foe forCharlie Cox , also will break Elodie Yung (Gods of Egypt , The Great Challenge ) as the new Elektra , taking the baton from Jennifer Gardner in the movie co-starred with Ben Affleck more than a decade .

Now in addition, thanks to Entertainment Weekly we can confirm that the date of release of the second season of Daredevil will be much closer than most fans predicted, as Netflix has decided to issue the new batch of episodes during the month of March, as picked up by said means.

Daredevil and The Punisher , one of the most anticipated sequels of Netflix

Moreover, according to this publication, the name of the second television stage blind antihero of Hell's Kitchen, will be renamed Daredevil and The Punisher , highlighting the plot weight of the new Frank Castle, whose success could well be a spin-off 2016. Recall that Netflix already changed the name of Jessica Jones series, which in principle would be called AKA Jessica Jones.

The next series of Netflix after Luke Cage

Currently the next series of Netflix Brand pending Luke Cage , starring Mike Colter. In principle, the latter is expected to shortly before Christmas of next year.

The following fictional brand will be Iron Fist , which is expected to arrive in 2017, as announced a month ago with the publication of its official synopsis. This series tells the story of Daniel Rand, who will return to New York after being missing for years to fight crime like the other heroes of Netflix , with whom he will meet in The Defenders .

'CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR': JAMES GUNN THINKS ABOUT THIS FILM AND THE NEW 'SPIDER-MAN'

Captain America: Civil War hit theaters in late April, heralding one of the most successful releases of recent times forMarvel Studios , which will bring together a large number of members of the Avengers(noticing the absence of Thor and Hulk, which will return in Thor: Ragnarok ), besides being presented Tom Holland (The impossible , In the Heart of the Sea ) and the new Peter Parker / Spider-Man , who meet again in the summer of 2017 in his own monographic film, where the actor says his character will begin to define themselves and we will see a very different way to his first appearance.

Some lucky ones have already had occasion to see the (not final) assemblyCivil War , as has been the case withJames Gunn , director and screenwriter ofGuardians of the Galaxy already working on the sequel of it, which will come just one year after this third part of the adventures ofCaptain America .

According to the filmmaker, all the work of the Russo brothers have been rewarded, and apparently could exceed the success ofCaptain America: The Winter Soldier , considered one of the greatest successes the second phase of the film universe of Marvel :

Tom Holland, a great Spider-Man from Civil War

Gunn said through his account of Facebook that Tom Holland was also amazing in the film, so it appears that his speech will go beyond a mere cameo, as pointed out at the beginning of the project.

Scarlett Johansson said after reading the first script (which itself contained Hulk) that Spider-Man would be a key player, like Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), whom the president of production at Marvel Studios , Kevin Feige, defined as the umpire , unable to be defined in one of two groups.

SYLVESTER STALLONE, THE GENIUS WHO CREATED ROCKY, IS REUNITED WITH HIS CHARACTER

Sylvester Stallone, aka Sly is a superhero.Not wearing layer, but leaves the house waving prestige, and that is golden in Hollywood, especially when he looks back and realizes that is part of the biggest successes of action films of recent decades.

She wears no mask, but walks with one of the most iconic faces that have given both the big screen as the VHS tapes when, in the eighties, the future was not on the Internet but in being the first to rent their movies in video stores . Nor it has any superpower, but enjoys the instant privilege that their jobs get millions at the box office.

Over one reads his name and reacts to it with the smile of someone who has affection for him a myth but it deserves consideration. For Stallone is big, very big, but it is for that film that swept into neighbourhoods and recommended among colleagues, not for whom these films did not pass the bar for elegance.

And all things considered, Stallone is the Tom Cruise of series B. A guy who has managed to stay in the industry for over forty years and it continues to set the pace that others must go. A genius who created legendary characters like Rocky or Rambo and has devised trilogy Mercenaries , which has already announced its fourth part, with which it will provoke laughter because he knew how to laugh at himself in them.

Escape to victory , Cobra, the strong arm of the law , Over the Top , Tango & Cash , Cliffhanger , Demolition Man , Copland ... His filmography is a museum. Few actors can claim to have shot many movies that have the approval of the public.Thanks to that, Stallone announces a project and fans mark the release date on the calendar. 

Now comes Creed. Rocky legend . Not seen a film of Rocky Balboa for ten years, and is the seventh time I played, since that first also won three Oscars back in 1977: best film, director and assembly. Stallone got two nominations as best actor  and best screenwriter as though Peter Finch for Network, an unforgiving world , and the original script of this snatched it.

But in 2016 Stallone can make up for that result and climb the statuette for best supporting actor  for this character that has given him so much joy from birth. Rocky, 39 years after his presentation to the audience, as was done with the Golden Globe and is a favourite in the ring five candidates whose combat, metaphorically speaking, will be held on February 28. At almost 70 years it is clear that Sylvester Stallone is the closest thing to a real-life superhero.

SUICIDE SQUAD: MARGOT ROBBIE TALKS ABOUT HARLEY QUINN AND WILL SMITH

Like every week practically jump and jump and jump again news, rumours and interviews related to the most anticipated movies this year 2016. Among these film with great anticipation to find the Suicide Squad , the "adventures" Patrol villains of DC Comics . So far so normal, it could even be a great movie but ... the cast is a bit "plaff" (so to speak). Well, that and I said in another article some time ago, now it touches is talking about the statements of the protagonist actress Margot Robbie, if yes, the aunt who goes naked in The Wolf of Wall Street, but now plays Harley Quinn.Well, the words of the actress have not gone unnoticed by anyone, especially her co-star Will Smith. But also he dedicated his words to the adaptation of the character. 

"Harley is a very rare, violent and completely crazy girl. All those things are my goal, that's what I want to be. The truth is very funny live vicariously all this through someone who does these things, things that I would never do in real life. " (As fall in love with a clown, I guess not giving the lot with Fofito). 

"I have enjoyed working with Will Smith, as we agreed before, and I was very excited when I knew that we would work together again. In fact I sent a message when I knew he was negotiating to participate in the film, and started pressing ' More will better accept this film! '. Obviously signed by their own motives and reasons, but was very happy and excited that we could work on this second assault. It's an incredible person on set and off. It's really a good person

The film will be directed by David Ayer, colleague David ... the Joker , David, please ... Well, Suicide Squad will also include Jared Leto, Cara Delevigne, Jai Courtney and Joel Kinnaman. It will hit theaters on August 5, and hopefully not a giant with feet of clay because the fall can be very cumbersome. 

Daniel Radcliffe stars in the film 'Swiss Army Man' where he plays a zombie with flatulence

Sometimes putting limits on independent films dye is complicated, as evidenced by the massive public reaction to this weekend went to see the movie "Swiss Army Man" that was projected for the first time at the Festival of Independent Film Sudance , Utah, United States. The audience was leaving the room as he moved the projection until none remained virtually the same.

The film is directed by Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan, known for their filming of music videos including video of DJ Snake "urn Down for What and "more than 370 million views on YouTube and is about a man who finds a corpse on a beach, is a kind of zombie, played by Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), who keeps throwing flatulence and maintains a constant erection that can be used as GPS. The theme of flatulence came from a joke that Radcliffe spent one of the directors "The idea of the character in the beginning emerged as a joke to me Daniel, but ultimately thought it might be something distinctive character".

While Daniel Radcliffe defends his participation on the movie "I did not hesitate one second to join this project gave me the opportunity to do something interesting, playing a dead person and it would be a different and fun in equal context ", the reaction of the public to this mix of drama and comedy it looks totally opposite of the protagonist of Harry Potter direction, as evidenced by the massive abandonment of the room.

What is clear is that is already considered as projected in the festival Sudance rarest film (which has merit because it is complicated in a festival of independent cinema) is giving a lot to talk about, especially in networks. These are some of the tweets we found:

"I've heard some things about 'Swiss Army Man'. Basically, the body farts Harry Potter and many people leaving. This should be fun."

"'Swiss Army Man' is the Sundance film where the body of Harry Potter has gases"

The truth is that the fart-drama as defined managers themselves raised the question of where the boundaries lie with respect to alternative themes in film.