Serotype 2 Dengue
- Dengue infections are caused by four closely related viruses named DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4. These four viruses are called serotypes because each has different interactions with the antibodies in human blood serum.
- The four dengue viruses are similar they share approximately 65% of their genomes but even within a single serotype, there is some genetic variation.
- Despite these variations, infection with each of the dengue serotypes results in the same disease and range of clinical symptoms.
- Dengue infections are caused by four closely related viruses named DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4. These four viruses are called serotypes because each has different interactions with the antibodies in human blood serum.
- The four dengue viruses are similar — they share approximately 65% of their genomes — but even within a single serotype, there is some genetic variation.
- Despite these variations, infection with each of the dengue serotypes results in the same disease and range of clinical symptoms.
- Some of these infections may progress to a more severe condition, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), characterized by thrombocytopenia and plasma leakage.
- All four dengue virus serotypes have the potential to cause DHF. However, studies in Southeast (SE) Asia suggest that secondary infection with dengue serotype 2 (DEN-2) virus is more likely to cause severe disease than do other serotypes
- Some of these infections may progress to a more severe condition, dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF), characterized by thrombocytopenia and plasma leakage.
- All four dengue virus serotypes have the potential to cause DHF. However, studies in Southeast (SE) Asia suggest that secondary infection with dengue serotype 2 (DEN-2) virus is more likely to cause severe disease than do other serotypes
THE HINDU
Alternative to single use plastic
- According to a report by Central Pollution Control Board of India, for the year 2018-2019, 3.3 million metric tonnes of plastic waste are generated by Indians.
- The bad news is that this may well be an under-estimation of the problem.
- Another alarming statistic is that of all the plastic waste produced in the world, 79% enters the environment. Only 9% of all plastic waste is recycled.
- Accumulation of plastic waste is detrimental to the environment and when this waste finds its way into the sea, there can be major harm to aquatic ecosystems, too.
- According to a report by Central Pollution Control Board of India, for the year 2018-2019, 3.3 million metric tonnes of plastic waste are generated by Indians.
- The bad news is that this may well be an under-estimation of the problem.
- Another alarming statistic is that of all the plastic waste produced in the world, 79% enters the environment. Only 9% of all plastic waste is recycled.
- Accumulation of plastic waste is detrimental to the environment and when this waste finds its way into the sea, there can be major harm to aquatic ecosystems, too.
THE HINDU
Pineal organ
- In fish, the pineal organ uses two proteins known as opsins present in a single cell to detect colour.
- Lampreys – jawless fish that retained many primitive vertebrate features – use a two-cell system.
- Researchers hypothesise that the one-cell system may have evolved from the two-cell system.
- The pineal gland was described as the “Seat of the Soul” by Renee Descartes and it is located in the center of the brain.
- The main function of the pineal gland is to receive information about the state of the light-dark cycle from the environment and convey this information to produce and secrete the hormone melatonin.
THE HINDU
Klebsiella
- Extreme premature infants carry high risk of brain damage.
- A new study from Vienna finds a connection between gut microbiome and brain damage.
- An excess of Klebsiella in the gut was found to be associated with high presence of certain immune cells and also neurological damage in premature babies.
- This study suggests a way to prevent this damage.
- Klebsiella is a type of Gram-negative bacteria that can cause different types of healthcare-associated infections, including pneumonia, bloodstream infections, wound or surgical site infections, and meningitis.
THE HINDU
Amloid plaque
- In Alzheimer’s disease, amyloid plaques build up in the person’s brain for nearly two decades before the first signs such as forgetfulness are exhibited.
- Now an algorithm, published in a paper in Neurology, by using data from a single PET brain scan of the amyloid and the person’s age, can yield an estimate of how much longer it will take for the symptoms to manifest.
- A brain positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging test of the brain.
- It uses a radioactive substance called a tracer to look for disease or injury in the brain.
- A PET scan shows how the brain and its tissues are working
- Amyloid plaques are aggregates of misfolded proteins that form in the spaces between nerve cells.
- These abnormally configured proteins are thought to play a central role in Alzheimer’s disease.
- The amyloid plaques first develop in the areas of the brain concerned with memory and other cognitive functions
THE HINDU
Helina
- The helicopter-launched Nag Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM), Helina, being developed indigenously, has completed all trials
- Helina is a third-generation fire-and-forget class ATGM mounted on an indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), and has a minimum range of 500 metres and a maximum range of 7 kilometres.
- It is developed by DRDO.
THE HINDU
Threat of Human bomb
- Security agencies issued an alert early this month on the possibility of human bombs targeting vital installations or targeted individuals as part of an Islamic State terror plot to eliminate enemies of jihad.
- Acting on specific information that ‘Al-Saqri Foundation for Military Sciences’ had published a book in multiple languages on the ways and means of making explosive belts and vests, the alert was issued to intensify security arrangements at vantage points
THE HINDU
Social and emotional learning
- India’s National Education Policy (2020) mentions social and emotional learning (SEL) as an important facet of education.
- SEL is the process of learning to recognise and manage emotions and navigate social situations effectively.
- While the policy notes numeracy and literacy as its central aims, SEL should be an equally important goal as it supports skills such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity
- SEL is foundational for human development, building healthy relationships, having self and social awareness, solving problems, making responsible decisions, and academic learning.
- Key elements of SEL include cultivating empathy and theory of mind.
- ‘Empathy’ is the ability to understand another person’s emotions and be aware of why they might be feeling those emotions from their perspective. ‘
- Theory of mind’ is the ability to understand others’ intentions, knowledge and beliefs and recognise that those might be different from your own.
- Research finds that students with greater social skills and emotional regulation are more likely to have success
- ons such as the prefrontal and frontal cortices, amygdala, and superior temporal sulcus are involved in the cognitive mechanisms of SEL.
- It is vital to consider that the learning process is a social and emotional experience.
- The pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges for SEL as school closures reduced opportunities for students to deepen social relationships and learn collaboratively in shared physical spaces. Conversely, remote learning “gave parents the opportunity to discover their children’s’ social and emotional lives,”.
Wayforward
- In reality, individuals from underprivileged backgrounds have faced immense learning losses over the last one and a half years.
- A starting point would be to consider insights from the Indian SEL framework:
- one, application of SEL practices should be based on students’ socioeconomic backgrounds;
- two, SEL strategies of caretakers and educators must align with one another;
- three, long-term success requires SEL to be based on scientific evidence.
THE HINDU
BITs and Human rights
- The UN working group on ‘human rights, transnational corporations (TNCs) and other businesses’ has published a new report on human rights-compatible international investment agreements.
- It urges states to ensure that their bilateral investment treaties (BITs) are compatible with international human rights obligations.
- It emphasises investor obligations at the international level i.e., the accountability of TNCs in international law
- An integral feature of the neoliberal project was to use international law to institutionalise the forces of economic globalisation, leading to the spread of BITs.
- These treaties promised protection to foreign investors under international law by bestowing rights on them and imposing obligations on states.
- This structural asymmetry in BITs, which confer rights on foreign investors but impose no obligations, relegated the demand for investor accountability.
- BITs can be harnessed to hold TNCs accountable under international law.
- The issue of fixing accountability of foreign investors came up in an international law case, Urbaser v. Argentina (2016).
- The case played an important role in bringing human rights norms to the fore in BIT disputes.
- It also opened up the possibility of using BITs to hold TNCs accountable provided the treaty imposes positive obligations on foreign investors
- The recent UN report has important takeaways for India’s ongoing reforms in BITs.
- India’s new Model BIT of 2016 contains provisions on investor obligations.
- However, these exist as best endeavour clauses.
- They do not impose a binding obligation on the TNC.
- India should impose positive and binding obligations on foreign investors, not just for protecting human rights but also for imperative issues such as promoting public health
THE HINDU
9/11 and Changing world
- After the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. saw a global outpouring of support and sympathy
- In 2001, the U.S. brought down the Taliban regime and destroyed al-Qaeda’s base in Afghanistan. But instead of going after al-Qaeda networks, the U.S. initiated the next regime change war in Iraq.
- When the U.S. was busy in the Muslim world, China was steadily rising.
- By the time the U.S. realised that China had become its greatest rival since the end of the Cold War, it was too late.
- The U.S. had already lost the war in Afghanistan; al-Qaeda had split into different branches
- President Biden decided to end the war in Afghanistan allowing the Taliban their victory.
- This left the war on terror uncertain and caused a shift in the U.S.’s strategic focus towards a resurgent China
- The U.S. suffered setbacks in the past and bounced back.
- The 1970s were particularly a bad decade for the U.S. during the Cold War.
- It had to withdraw from Vietnam in 1975, allowing the communists to win and unify the country.
- In 1978, the communists assumed power in Afghanistan.
- In 1979, the U.S. lost Iran. Yet, by late 1979, the U.S. was back in action,
- Afghanistan is not the end of American power; it’s the beginning of the new U.S.-China cold war
THE HINDU
Nipun Scheme
- Ministry of Education has launched a National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat), for ensuring that every child in the country necessarily attains foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) by the end of Grade 3, by 2026-27.
- The National Mission which has been launched under the aegis of the centrally sponsored scheme of Samagra Shiksha, will focus on providing access and retaining children in foundational years of schooling; teacher capacity building; development of high quality and diversified Student and Teacher Resources/Learning Materials; and tracking the progress of each child in achieving learning outcomes.
- The Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education (MoE) will be the implementing agency at the national level and will be headed by a Mission Director.
- The mission will focus on children of age group of 3 to 9 years including preschool to Grade 3.
- The children who are in Class 4 and 5 and have not attained the foundational skills will be provided individual teacher guidance and support, peer support and age appropriate and supplementary graded learning materials to acquire the necessary competencies.
- The goals and objectives of the mission are required to be achieved by all Govt., Govt. Aided and Private Schools so that universal acquisition of FLN skills can be achieved by 2026-27.
THE HINDU
NCRB date on road accident
- India recorded 1.2 lakh cases of “deaths due to negligence relating to road accidents” in 2020,
- As many as 3.92 lakh lives were lost in three years in deaths due to negligence related to road accidents, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) revealed in its annual ‘Crime India’ report for 2020.
- While 1.2 lakh deaths were recorded in 2020, the figures stood at 1.36 lakh in 2019 and 1.35 lakh in 2018, the data show.
- The cases of causing “hurt” by rash or negligent driving on public way stood at 1.3 lakh in 2020, 1.60 lakh in 2019 and 1.66 lakh in 2018, the data showed.
- Fifty-two cases of deaths due to negligence related to rail accidents were recorded across the country in 2020, 55 cases in 2019 and 35 in 2018, the report showed.
- During 2020, India logged 133 cases of “deaths due to medical negligence”; 201 such cases were reported in 2019 and 218 in 2018.
THE HINDU