Current Affairs May 17 – GES Reporter

Mission COVID Suraksha

Why in News?

Under Atmanirbhar Bharat 3.0 Mission COVID Suraksha was announced by the Government of India, to accelerate the development and production of Indigenous COVID Vaccines.
This is being implemented by Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India at Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), New Delhi.
To augument the capacity of Indigenous production of Covaxin under the Mission, the Department of Biotechnology, in April, 2021 provided financial support as Grant to vaccine manufacturing facilities for enhanced production capacities, which is expected to reach more than 10 crore doses per month by September, 2021.

The following three public sector companies are also being supported to increase the capacity of vaccine production.

Haffkine Biopharmaceutical Corporation Ltd, Mumbai-a State PSE under State Govt of Maharashtra.

Financial support of Rs. 65 crores as grant from GoI is being provided for this facility to make it ready for manufacturing. The facility will have a capacity of 20 million doses per month, once functional.

Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), Hyderabad –A facility under National Dairy Development Board is being provided a grant of Rs. 60 crore and
Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Limited (BIBCOL), Bulandshahr a CPSE under Department of Biotechnology, Government of India is being supported with a grant of Rs. 30 crores to prepare their facility to provide 10-15 million doses per month.

About DBT: The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), under the Ministry of Science & Technology, promotes the use and application of biotechnology in the areas of agriculture, healthcare, animal sciences, environment and industry.
- It is focused on attaining new heights in biotechnology research, shaping biotechnology into a premier precision tool of the future for creation of wealth and ensuring social justice – specially for the welfare of the poor.
About BIRAC: Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is a not-for-profit Section 8, Schedule B, Public Sector Enterprise, set up by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India as an Interface Agency to strengthen and empower the emerging Biotech enterprise to undertake strategic research and innovation, addressing nationally relevant product development.

PIB

Availability of fertilizers to farmers at subsidized prices

Why in News?

Government of India is making available fertilizers, namely Urea and 22 grades of Phosphatic & Potassic (P&K) fertilizers including Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP), Muriate of Potash (MOP) & Single Superphosphate (SSP) to farmers at subsidized prices through fertilizer manufacturers/ importers.
The subsidy on P&K fertilizers is being governed by NBS Scheme w.e.f 01.04.2010.
The subsidy is released to fertilizer companies as per Nutrient based subsidy rates so that they can make available fertilizers to farmers at affordable price.

PIB

Startup Develops Affordable Test Kits

Why in News?

A Mumbai-based startup is ready with its affordable Rapid Antigen Test that offers COVID 19 diagnosis & surveillance at the cost of Rs 100 per test.
The test developed by Patanjali Pharma will complement the gold standard RTPCR & Rapid antigen tests and make it one of the most affordable ones available in the market.
The Centre for Augmenting WAR with COVID-19 Health Crisis (CAWACH), an initiative by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), supported the startup in July, 2020 to develop Rapid Covid 19 diagnostics.

About

The Rapid covid-19 tests (~10-15 minutes) would be helpful for early diagnosis of Covid-19 in rural areas, doctor’s clinics, and resource constraint areas where pathology and diagnostic labs are not available.
The test is affordable and would be helpful to control the pandemic.

PIB

Indian Railway commissions Wi-Fi at 6,000th Railway station

Why in News?

With the commissioning of Wi-Fi at Hazaribagh Town falling under Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand state in Dhanbad Division of East Central Railway, Indian Railways commissioned Wi-Fi at 6,000 Railway stations.

History

Indian Railways have started its Journey by providing Wi-Fi facility at 1st Railway station Mumbai in January 2016.
Thereafter, provided 5000th Railway station, at Midanpore in West Bengal and reached 6000th Railway station i.e Hazaribagh on 15.05.2021.
Also, on the same day Jarapada station in Angul District of state of Odisha was also provided with Wi-Fi.
The Wi-Fi facility at Railway Stations meets the objectives of the aspiring Digital India Program of Government of India.
This facility was provided with the help of RailTel, a PSU under Ministry of Railways. This task was carried out in partnership with Google, DOT (under USOF), PGCIL and Tata Trust.

PIB

Variants

Variants are basically the virus mutating or evolving, and so there are changes in the viral genome.
This is normal, it is expected.
For RNA viruses, as they multiply and every time the virus replicates, it has brings about a small change, it’s an error basically, most of them are of no importance, they don’t affect the virus in any way.
Some of them could have some impact on how the virus is able to spread, some may make it easier, and some may make it more difficult for the virus.
In particular, changes in areas such as the spike protein, which is the protein of the virus that helps it to come and attach itself to the human cells.
Sometimes those changes, or mutations make it more easy for the virus to attach itself to the respiratory tract cells. And so it’s easier then for it to infect.
It also helps it to multiply faster, and create a higher viral load in the respiratory tract.
So the variants of interest are categorised when there are some observations that the variant may be behaving a little bit differently.
To classify it as a variant of concern, it needs to have certain properties, it has to be either shown to be more transmissible than the original strain, which originated in Wuhan.
It has to show more clinical severity in patients who get infected, or it has to show resistance to antibodies, either from people who’ve had previous infection, or from people who have received the vaccine.
So a strain that fulfils one or more of those criteria is called a variant of concern.
So far, WHO has four variants of concern, the latest being the B 1.617, first described in India, but now found in about 50 countries worldwide.

Rare foaming frog

Why in News?

A virtually unknown treefrog with known traits such as changing skin shade and whipping up foam to protect its eggs has resurfaced in India after 108 years.
A team of zoologists spotted Doria’s foam-nesting treefrog during a nocturnal survey in the buffer area of Mizoram’s Pualreng Wildlife Sanctuary in June 2020.
The only previous record of this treefrog in India was south of Arunachal Pradesh’s Tenga Valley in 1912.

About

This frog belongs to the genus Chirixalus, of which there are currently 14 recognised species. These are distinguished from the Rhacophoridae family of frogs by the presence of opposable fingers.
Treefrogs can usually change their colour from lighter to darker or tan. This frog derives its name from the secretion of foam for covering the eggs the female lays. The foam guards the eggs against predators, direct sunlight and desiccation.
Doria’s foam-nesting treefrog (Chirixalus doriae) was first described in 1893 from Karin Bia-po in Myanmar and was later sighted in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Bangladesh.

THE HINDU

Plasma therapy has limited effect in COVID patients

Why in News?

A study suggests that the Convalescent Plasma Therapy (CPT) has shown a limited effect in reducing the progression to severe disease or death.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMC) last October, concluded that ‘convalescent plasma was not associated with a reduction of progression to severe COVID-19 or all cause mortality, though it seemed to improve resolution of shortness of breath and fatigue in patients.’
The researchers also found no difference in 28-day mortality or progression to severe disease among the patients in either category.
Another study conducted by Argentina on patients in the age group of 65 to 74 years, however, showed benefits in the elderly when CPT was administered within 72 hours of the onset of symptoms.

THE HINDU

New approach to drug delivery

A type of nanoparticle designed by researchers from University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in the U.S., embodies a new approach to treating diseases that could potentially revolutionise the field.
This combines concepts of biologics and antibody–drug conjugates to produce protein–antibody conjugates that can be used for targeted drug delivery – in the case of pancreatic cancer cells, for example.

Two approaches

The new concept, namely, Protein–Antibody Conjugates or PACs, combines two different approaches to drug delivery.
One is biologics, where the idea is to target a defective protein in the system by delivering proteins to it. An example of this is the case of insulin treatment. If a person is short of insulin, which is a protein, they are given a shot of this protein which balances the system.
The reason this works is because we need a circulation of insulin outside the cells and not inside the cells.

Antibody conjugates

The other concept is of using antibodies for drug delivery. Antibodies are something the body produces to detect a foreign substance inside the body.
That includes cancer cells as well. If there is something different on the surface of a cancer cell compared to a healthy cell, you can design the antibody that selectively goes to the cancer cell.

THE HINDU

New species of skink found from Western Ghats

Why in News?

In September 2019, a group of herpetologists gathered at Anaikatti hills in Coimbatore for the South Asian Reptile Red List Assessment organised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

About

Named Subdoluseps nilgiriensis, after the Nilgiris, the reptile has a slender body of just about 7 cm and is sandy brown in colour.
Based on genetic studies, the new species is closely related to Subdoluseps pruthi that is found in parts of the Eastern Ghats.
The new species was found in a dry deciduous area, showing that even the dry zones of our country are home to unrealised skink diversity which needs to be further explored.
Most skinks are diurnal and are usually secretive in their habits. Because of their elusiveness, not much is known about their natural and evolutionary history. Most of the species are placed under the data-deficient category.
Though skinks are non-venomous, they resemble snakes because of the often-inconspicuous limbs and the way they move on land.
Subdoluseps nilgiriensis is currently considered a vulnerable species as there are potential threats from seasonal forest fires, housing constructions and brick kiln industries in the area.
Rapid urbanisation, which has increased the road networks in the area, has also threatened the small geographical range of the species.

THE HINDU

Cyclone Tauktae

Why in News?

Cyclone Tauktae (pronounced Tau-Te), classified as a very severe cyclonic storm (VSCS) and developed in the Arabian Sea.
In recent years, strong cyclones have been developing in the Arabian Sea more frequently than earlier.

Why is Cyclone Tauktae unique?

Tauktae is the fourth cyclone in consecutive years to have developed in the Arabian Sea, that too in the pre-monsoon period (April to June).
All these cyclones since 2018 have been categorised either ‘Severe Cyclone’ or above. Once Tauktae makes its landfall, three of these will have hit either the Gujarat or Maharashtra coast.
After Cyclone Mekanu in 2018, which struck Oman, Cyclone Vayu in 2019 struck Gujarat, followed by Cyclone Nisarga in 2020 that struck Maharashtra.
Tauktae has been intensifying very rapidly.

What is aiding such rapid intensification?

Any tropical cyclone requires energy to stay alive. This energy is typically obtained from warm water and humid air over the tropical ocean.
Currently, sea water up to depths of 50 metres has been very warm, supplying ample energy to enable the intensification of Cyclone Tauktae.
The more the heat released through condensation of water vapour, the steeper the drop in pressure. A low-pressure system undergoes multiple stages of intensification to form cyclones.
Typically, tropical cyclones in the North Indian Ocean region (Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea) develop during the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon (October to December) periods. May-June and October-November are known to produce cyclones of severe intensity that affect the Indian coasts.

What is aiding such rapid intensification?

Any tropical cyclone requires energy to stay alive. This energy is typically obtained from warm water and humid air over the tropical ocean. Currently, sea water up to depths of 50 metres has been very warm, supplying ample energy to enable the intensification of Cyclone Tauktae.
The more the heat released through condensation of water vapour, the steeper the drop in pressure. A low-pressure system undergoes multiple stages of intensification to form cyclones.
Typically, tropical cyclones in the North Indian Ocean region (Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea) develop during the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon (October to December) periods. May-June and October-November are known to produce cyclones of severe intensity that affect the Indian coasts.
However, in recent years, meteorologists have observed that the Arabian Sea, too, has been warming. This is a phenomenon associated with global warming.

Winchcombe meteorite

Why in News?

A piece of the Winchcombe meteorite that touched down in the town of Winchcombe in Gloucestershire in the UK in February 2021 will be displayed at the National History Museum.

What is a meteorite?

NASA notes that the difference between a meteor, meteorite and meteoroid is nothing but where the object is. Meteoroids are objects in space that range in size from dust grains to small asteroids.
But when meteoroids enter the Earth’s atmosphere they are called meteors. But if a meteoroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere and hits the ground, it is called a meteorite.

What is the significance of this meteorite?

It dates back to the birth of the solar system nearly 4.5 billion years ago and therefore examining it may offer scientists and researchers clues about the beginning of the solar system and maybe even the Earth. Space agencies have launched specific missions to asteroids to be able to study them.
One such example is NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission that was launched in 2018 with the aim of reaching asteroid Bennu and getting back a sample from the ancient asteroid.
The spacecraft is now on its way back to Earth and is bringing with it about 60 grams of the asteroid that will help scientists study the beginnings of the solar system.
Another example of such a mission is the Hayabusa2 mission that returned to Earth in December 2020.

Crane in Ireland

Why in News?

More than three centuries after it disappeared from Ireland, the common crane, a bird that is part of its folklore and was a popular pet during medieval times, has returned to the island nation.

What do we know about the cranes?

The common crane is typically seen in Ireland during the winter, but is not sighted during the breeding season. Last year was the first time in over 300 years that they were spotted nesting in Ireland during this period.
Cranes stand at 4 feet tall with a wingspan of over 7 feet, and used to be the largest birds in Ireland.
They are connected with the history and culture of the country, featuring in folklore tales and in the names of towns. Although they were once common, the destruction of their habitat saw them disappear around the 16th and 17th century.

Why is bog restoration important?

Bogs (also called quagmires) are soft, spongy wetlands that accumulate peat– a fossil fuel that is used for heating homes and businesses in northern Europe. They are formed in northern climates, and take thousands of years to develop.
Bogs also act as carbon sinks, sequestering around 200 million tons of carbon from the environment in Siberia and Scandinavia.

Extraterrestrial radioactive isotope

The first-ever discovery of an extraterrestrial radioactive isotope on Earth has scientists rethinking the origins of the elements on our planet.
The tiny traces of plutonium-244 were found in ocean crust alongside radioactive iron-60. The two isotopes are evidence of violent cosmic events in the vicinity of Earth millions of years ago.
Star explosions, or supernovae create many of the heavy elements in the periodic table, including those vital for human life, such as iron, potassium and iodine.
To form even heavier elements, such as gold, uranium and plutonium it was thought that a more violent event may be needed, such as two neutron stars merging.
Any plutonium-244 and iron-60 that existed when the Earth formed from interstellar gas and dust over four billion years ago has long since decayed, so current traces of them must have originated from recent cosmic events in space.
The dating of the sample confirms two or more supernova explosions occurred near Earth.

PHYS.org