Science & Technology PDF

Science & Technology
CURRENT AFFAIRS December 2019
Combination therapy using Malaria drugs to treat TB
Issue
Researchers have demonstrated that a drug combination that prevents
the bacteria from inducing TB drugs toleration mechanism leads to almost
complete clearance of the bacteria from the mice lungs in just two months
of therapy.
Background
Researchers have made an important discovery of the mechanism used by
TB bacteria to tolerate TB drugs, which necessitates longer treatment of
six-nine months.
Details
The common notion is that only the non-replicating or slowly metabolising
TB bacteria become tolerant to anti-TB drugs but a team found a fraction
of the bacteria inside the macrophages was able to tolerate anti-TB drugs
even when actively multiplying.
They found that using an already approved anti-malaria drug chloroquine
in combination with a TB drug isoniazid can almost clear all the bacteria
from the lungs of mice and guinea pigs in just eight weeks. In addition, the
drug combination also reduces the chances of TB relapse.
Reducing the pH to make it acidic is the first-line of defence by
macrophages when infected with pathogens.
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But the researchers found that instead of controlling the TB bacteria, the
mildly acidic pH was actually facilitating a fraction of the bacteria to
continue multiplying and develop drug tolerance.
They found that anti-TB drugs induce oxidative stress to kill bacteria inside
macrophages. However, the drug tolerant bacteria have a remarkable
ability to counter oxidative stress.
Also, the drug-tolerant bacteria induce efflux pumps to expel antibiotics as
an additional mechanism to reduce antibiotic efficacy.
Scientists assumed that reverting the pH within macrophages to its normal
state could probably make the bacteria sensitive to antibiotics.
The chloroquine drug, which is actively used in treating Malaria,
neutralises the pH within the macrophages. This prevents the bacteria
from inducing the mechanism to protect themselves from oxidative stress.
So no drug-tolerant TB bacteria emerge. Once the pH is neutralised, the
isoniazid drug is able to eradicate TB from animals.
They observed threefold reduction when combined chloroquine with
rifampicin and fivefold reduction when they used chloroquine-isoniazid
combination, both of which are anti-TB drugs.
Notes
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Using E.Coli to study cell wall development in bacteria
Issue
Researchers have identified an enzyme that plays a crucial role in the
enlargement and growth of bacteria, by studying E. coli.
Background
One of the most important features of a bacterium is its cell wall which
protects it from external environmental conditions and also internal
pressure and keeps it in shape. Harming the cell wall causes irreversible
damage to the bacterium and eventually kills it.
Details
The enzyme MepK helps in cutting a particular class of bonds that connect
the peptidoglycan, which is a sac-like molecule that envelops the cell.
This action allows more material to be added to the cell wall, making a
larger compartment for the cell to reside in.
The bacteria die when the integrity of the cell wall is destroyed. Its crucial
role in maintaining the wellbeing of the bacterium makes the cell wall a
target of study, especially by scientists interested in developing new drug
strategies to combat the bacteria.
Earlier research showed that opening the cell wall by hydrolysing
enzymes is crucial for the new material to be incorporated into it, leading
to the cell’s expansion and elongation.
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The cell wall is made up mostly of a single net-like molecule

(peptidoglycan) which consists of many sugar polymers interconnected by
short peptides. It encloses the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane.
The peptides connecting the bag-like structure are cross-linked in several
ways. The significance to this work is the link between particular amino
acid residues located on adjacent peptide chains.
This is a rare component present only in bacterial cell walls and is known
as mDAP for short.
The group identified an enzyme (MepK) which helps in breaking down the
bond between two mDAP residues. This leads to cutting the molecular
mesh and thus aiding the growth (or enlargement) of the cell.
The study has higher significance in organisms like Clostridia and M.
tuberculosis because cell walls of these bacteria have very high levels of
mDAP-mDAP type of cross-links.
The next course of experiments would be identifying small-molecule
inhibitors for this class of enzymes and also to understand the molecular
mechanisms by which the cell wall growth is initiated.
Notes
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NASA satellite finds crashed Vikram lander
Issue
The United States’ space agency, NASA has said that it has found the
debris, three months after the Vikram lander of Indian Space Research
Organisation’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan 2 mission made a hard landing on
moon’s surface.
Background
NASA’s confirmation came after an Indian computer programmer and
mechanical engineer named Shanmuga Subramanian contacted NASA’s
project after which, the American space agency confirmed the
identification by comparing before and after images.
Details
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said that its
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Camera has sighted the remains of
Vikram lander on the lunar surface.
NASA also praised ISRO’s effort to get the lander close to the lunar
surface. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had lost contact with
the lander shortly before the scheduled touchdown.
India had hoped with its Chandrayaan-2 mission to become just the fourth
country after the United States, Russia and regional rival China to make a
successful Moon landing, and the first on the lunar south pole.
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The main spacecraft, which remains in orbit around the Moon, dropped the
unmanned lander Vikram for a descent that would take five days, but the
probe went silent just 2.1 kilometers above the surface.
Days after the failed landing, the Indian Space Research Organization had
said it had located the lander, but hadn’t been able to establish
communication.
Notes
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NASA and ESA mission to hit asteroid Didymos
Issue
The European Space Agency (ESA) has approved the budget of HERA, the
European component of the mission to slam a spacecraft into an asteroid.
Background
Scientists are studying asteroids and trying to find ways to deflect them
from a collision course with Earth. One such project is the Asteroid
Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA), which includes NASA’s Double
Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission and the European Space
Agency’s (ESA) HERA.
Details
The project aims to study the effectiveness of an impact to ward off an
impending asteroid threat.
Need for Planetary Defence Mechanism

There are around 25,000 near-Earth objects (NEOs) that orbit the Sun on
a trajectory that brings them close to our planet’s orbit. However, certain
near-Earth objects have been classified as “potentially hazardous” which
are 140 metres or more in size and come within 0.05 AU (astronomical
unit) to Earth.
An impact from one of these NEOs can bring devastating effects to Earth.
Scientists are working on a number of planetary protection initiatives to
deflect asteroids if they threaten to impact the Earth.
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The Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) is the most drastic
measure of all times.
Choosing Didymos
The twin-asteroid system Didymos is a binary near-Earth asteroid.
It is more typical of the size of asteroids that could pose the most likely
significant threat to Earth. So, Didymos makes a suitable target for NASA
and ESA’s mission.
DART and HERA

DART is scheduled to launch in 2021 with an aim to slam into the smaller
asteroid of the Didymos system at around 6 km per second in 2022.
HERA will arrive at the Didymos system in 2027 to measure the impact
crater produced by the DART collision and study the change in the
asteroid’s orbital trajectory.
Asteroids
Asteroids, sometimes called minor planets, are rocky, airless remnants left
over from the early formation of our solar system about 4.6 billion years
ago.
Most of this space rubble can be found orbiting the Sun between Mars and
Jupiter within the main asteroid belt.
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NASA probe reveals secrets about solar winds
Issue
New data from a NASA probe’s close encounters with the sun are giving
scientists unique insight about the solar wind and space weather.
Background
Researchers described the first published findings from the Parker Solar
Probe, a spacecraft launched in 2018 to journey closer to the sun than
any other human-made object.
Details
The probe ventured as close as 15 million miles (24 million km) to the sun
to gather the data used in the studies.
The probe eventually will travel within about 4 million miles (6 million km)
from the sun's surface, seven times closer than any previous spacecraft.
The findings offer fresh details about how the sun spawns space weather,
are reshaping astronomers’ understanding of violent solar wind that can
hamper satellites and electronics on Earth.
The probe is flying through the outermost part of the sun's atmosphere,
called the solar corona that gives rise to solar wind, the hot, energised,
charged particles that stream outward from the Sun and fill the solar
system.
Oscillations in the speed of these charged particles beaming outward from
the solar corona have previously been thought to dissipate gradually.
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One of the probe's “really big surprises” was the detection of sudden,
abrupt spikes in the speed of the solar wind that were so violent that the
magnetic field flips itself around, a phenomenon called “switchbacks”.
Solar winds
The solar wind is a stream of charged particles released from the upper
atmosphere of the Sun, called the corona.
The composition of the solar wind plasma also includes a mixture of
materials found in the solar plasma: trace amounts of heavy ions and
atomic nuclei C, N, O, Ne, Mg, Si, S, and Fe.
Notes
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Government to frame new norms to

make social media accountable
Issue
The government said that it was working on rules to mandate social media
companies to identify and remove child sexual abuse material, rape
images and content promoting terrorism without affecting privacy.
Background
The government has invited public comments on its draft of amendments
to the Intermediary Rules 2011 and has received public inputs on the
same.
Details
The amendments propose that intermediaries should proactively identify
and remove child sexual abuse material, rape/gang-rape imagery and
contents promoting terrorism without compromising accuracy or privacy
using technology-based tools and mechanism. The rules are presently
being finalised.
The Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000, empowers the government to block
any information generated, transmitted, received, stored or hosted in any
computer resource in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India,
defence of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign
states or public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of
any cognisable offence relating to above.
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Planet orbiting a dwarf star
Issue
New evidence suggests that planets which are in the vincinity of white
dwarf stars can survive. Astronomers have reported the first indirect
evidence of a giant planet orbiting a white dwarf star.
Background
It is the first time any such planet has been found. The study suggests
there could be many more planets around such white dwarf stars waiting
to be discovered.
Details
The Neptune-like planet orbits the white dwarf every ten days, and cannot
be seen directly. The evidence is in the form of a disc of gas (hydrogen,
oxygen and sulphur) formed from its evaporating atmosphere.
Spikes of gas were detected by the Very Large Telescope of the European
Southern Observatory in Chile.
The discovery is significant, because while there was growing evidence
accumulated in the past two decades that planetary systems can survive
into white dwarf stars, only smaller objects such as asteroids had been
detected so far. This is the first evidence of an actual planet in such a
system.
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White dwarf
A white dwarf is what stars like the Sun become after they have
exhausted their nuclear fuel. Near the end of its nuclear burning stage,
this type of star expels most of its outer material, creating a planetary
nebula. Only the hot core of the star remains.
Red giant
A red giant star is a dying star in the last stages of stellar evolution. In
only a few billion years, our own sun will turn into a red giant star, expand
and engulf the inner planets.
Neutron star
Neutron stars are created when giant stars die in supernovas and their
cores collapse, with the protons and electrons essentially melting into
each other to form neutrons.
Quasars
Quasars are distant objects powered by black holes a billion times as
massive as our sun. It is an extremely luminous active galactic nucleus
(AGN), in which a supermassive black hole with mass ranging from
millions to billions of times the mass of the Sun is surrounded by a
gaseous accretion disk.
Notes
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Typhoid vaccine
Issue
A typhoid vaccine (Typbar TCV) developed by the Hyderabad-based Bharat
Biotech has shown 81.6% efficacy in preventing typhoid fever at 12
months in a Phase-III clinical trial.
Background
The vaccine confers protection two-three weeks after vaccination. The
duration of protection is currently not known. The trial was carried out in
Nepal in over 10,000 children who received the vaccine.
Details
A single does of the vaccine was found to be effective in preventing
typhoid in children aged nine months to 16 years.
The Typbar TCV vaccine was recommended by WHO’s Strategic Advisory
Group of Experts on Immunization (WHO-SAGE) in December 2017. WHO
prequalified the vaccine in January 2018.
Nearly 11 million fall sick due to typhoid and about 1,17,000 deaths are
reported each year. The bacteria spread through contaminated food or
water.
The Typbar TCV typhoid vaccine tested in Nepal is a conjugate vaccine.
Conjugate vaccine is one in which the is chemically linked to a carrier
protein.
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Two other typhoid vaccines such as polysaccharide typhoid vaccine and

live weakened typhoid vaccine are already used commercially. But the
efficacy of the vaccines to protect against typhoid is lower than the
conjugate vaccine that was tested in Nepal.
The conjugate vaccine can be given to babies as young as six months,
while the other two vaccines cannot be given to children below two years
of age.
While typhoid bacteria can be treated with antibiotics, the microbes have
developed resistance against multiple antibiotics. Multi-drug resistant
typhoid bacteria (XDR) are seen in south Asia including India.
In Pakistan, a strain of typhoid has developed resistance to all but one of
the antibiotics used to treat the disease. Pakistan is the first country to
introduce the typhoid conjugate vaccine as part of its national
immunisation programme.
Typhoid
Typhoid fever, also known simply as typhoid, is a bacterial infection due to
a specific type of Salmonella that causes symptoms. Typhoid fever spreads
through contaminated food and water.
Symptoms include high fever, headache, stomach pain, weakness, vomiting
and loose stools. Treatment includes antibiotics and fluids.
Notes
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Molecule to combat multi-drug resistant bacteria
Issue
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee identified a
potent molecule that exhibits broadspectrum bactericidal activity against
multidrug-resistant bacteria, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii,
Klebsiella pneumoniae and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Background
The molecule identified by IIT Roorkee kills the bacteria by damaging the
DNA and by inhibiting cell division. This also ensures that there is no
further replication in bacteria that can cause drug resistance.
Details
The molecule also shows antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus
aureus and diarrhoea causing Clostridium difficile.
The molecule belongs to the nitrofuran class of antibiotics —
nitrofurantoin and furazolidone — which are routinely used for treating
urinary tract infections and intestinal ailments, respectively.
The molecule kills the bacteria by damaging their DNA as well as by
inhibiting cell division.
When half the concentration required to kill the bacteria was used, the
researchers found the daughter cells were unable to separate on cell
division, leading to the bacteria forming into long filaments.
Since the molecule targets two pathways to kill the bacteria, microbes are
less prone to resistance generation or would take a longer time to develop
resistance.
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The molecule was found to be effective against both gram-negative and

Gram-positive bacteria as well as against anaerobic bacteria such as C.
dificile.
Bacteria are less likely to develop resistance against a pro-drug as it
becomes active only after getting inside the bacteria.
The molecule was effective against persister bacteria that remain in a
dormant state. Persister bacteria can survive high doses of antibiotic
treatment and are responsible for causing recurring bacterial infections.
Bacteria generally can tolerate antibiotics by flushing out the drugs using
the efflux pumps. But the efflux pump mechanism was unable to flush out
the molecules from within the bacteria.
Generally, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by a drug helps kill the
bacteria. But in this case, generation of the reactive oxygen species
followed bacterial killing.
Notes
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Kerala to train blockchain experts
Issue
The Kerala State Development and Innovation Strategic Council has
launched the Accelerated Blockchain Competency Development
Programme for students.
The idea is to provide them with an early advantage and position the State
as the largest supplier of Blockchain technologists in the country.
Background
The council has set a target of producing 25,000 Blockchain technologists
in three years. It is expected that over 5,000 certified students can be
trained in the first 12 months.
Details
The programme is open for diploma holders, graduates and graduating
students with engineering or science backgrounds. Through an online
outreach, the programme has been extended to working professionals as
well.
The Blockchain training programme has three modules – Blockchain
Associate , Blockchain Developer and Blockchain Architect .
The entrance test will be held in July and the classes will begin in August.
Students will be required to complete the full-stack certification with
certain grades to qualify for the training programme.
The programme offers two-part certification wherein participants obtain
a foundation skills certificate in full-stack and intermediate level skills.
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Blockchain technology
Blockchain technology is defined as a decentralized, distributed ledger
that records the provenance of a digital asset. A blockchain, is a growing
list of records, called blocks, that are linked using cryptography.
Each block contains a cryptographic hash of the previous block, a
timestamp, and transaction data. By design, a blockchain is resistant to
modification of the data.
Applications
Banking
Avoid risk of payment losses involved in banking transactions by adopting
secure distributed ledger platform. Reduces transactions fee across
cross-borders, corporate payments and remittances.
Real Estate
Decentralized ledger platform helps to connect potential buyers with
sellers. Helps to analyse the authenticity of ownership transfers, rental
agreements and smart contracting through land registry management
system.
Insurance
Transforms the way the insurance documents, claim settlements and
fraud handling's are carried out. It allows the creation of transparent,
secure, decentralized and immutable insurance network.
Healthcare
Establishes a secure chain of network to handle patient records, consent
forms, billings and public health monitoring.
Automotive
Solves challenges in automotive manufacturing, car deliveries, billings
and helps in the creation of an after sales support ecosystem to keep
track of the maintenance record of vehicle owners.
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Advantages
The blockchain technology allows for verification without having to be
dependent on third-parties.
The data structure in a blockchain is append-only. So, the data cannot be
altered or deleted.
The transactions are recorded in chronological order. Thus, all the blocks
in the blockchain are time stamped.
The ledger is distributed across every single node in the blockchain who
are the participants. So, it is distributed.
The transactions that take place are transparent. The individuals who are
provided authority can view the transaction.
The origin of any ledger can be tracked along the chain to its point of
origin.
Since various consensus protocols are needed to validate the entry, it
removes the risk of duplicate entry or fraud.
Notes
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Artificial Intelligence puts final notes

on Beethoven’s tenth symphony
Issue
A team of musicologists and programmers is racing to complete a version
of the piece of Beethoven’s incomplete tenth symphony using artificial
intelligence.
Background
The final result of the project will be performed by a full orchestra on April
28 next year in Bonn, a centrepiece of celebrations for a composer who
defined the romantic era of classical music.
Details
Beethoven began working on the Tenth Symphony alongside his Ninth,
which includes the world-famous "Ode To Joy".But he quickly gave up on
the Tenth, leaving only a few notes and drafts by the time he died aged 57.
In the project, machine-learning software has been fed all of Beethoven's
work and is now composing possible continuations of the symphony in the
composer's style.
Similar AI experiments based on works by Bach, Mahler and Schubert
have been less than impressive.
Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial
figure in the transition between the classical and romantic eras in
classical music, he remains one of the most recognized and influential
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musicians of this period, and is considered to be one of the greatest

composers of all time.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the simulation of human intelligence processes
by machines, especially computer systems. These processes include
learning (the acquisition of information and rules for using the
information), reasoning (using rules to reach approximate or definite
conclusions) and self-correction.
Applications
Social welfare
Goal of using AI to address socially relevant problems such as
homelessness. Involves employing AI to tackle some of the world's
greatest economic and social challenges.
Agriculture
In agriculture new AI advancements show improvements in gaining yield
and to increase the research and development of growing crops. New
artificial intelligence now predicts the time it takes for a crop to be ripe
and ready for picking thus increasing efficiency of farming along with
quality parameters.
Aviation
It has use for artificial intelligence for surrogate operators for combat
and training simulators, mission management aids, support systems for
tactical decision making, and post processing of the simulator data into
symbolic summaries.
Computer Science
AI researchers have created many tools to solve the most difficult
problems in computer science. Many of their inventions have been
adopted by mainstream computer science and are no longer considered a
part of AI.
Education
AI tutors could allow for students to get extra, one-on-one help. They
could also reduce anxiety and stress for some students, that may be
caused by tutor labs or human tutors.
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Trading
Algorithmic trading involves the use of complex AI systems to make
trading decisions at speeds several orders of magnitudes greater than
any human is capable of.
Industries
Robots have become common in many industries and are often given jobs
that are considered dangerous to humans.
Hospitals and Medicines
Artificial neural networks are used as clinical decision support systems
for medical diagnosis.
Military
The main military applications of Artificial Intelligence and Machine
Learning are to enhance Command and Control, Communications,
Sensors, Integration and Interoperability.
Notes
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Ultrasonic ‘distress screams’

emitted by plants during stress
Issue
Researchers have for the first time found evidence of plants making
airborne emission of ultrasound screams when subjected to stresses.
Background
The researchers experimented with tomato and tobacco plants and
subjected them to two different stresses, drought and cutting of stems.
Details
The sound contains information that can reveal the state of the plant
emitting it.
The ultrasound emitted is in the range 20-100 kHz and can be detected
from a distance of 3-5 metres.
Researchers speculates that if stressed plants can emit ultrasound, then
neighbouring plants should be equipped to hear these distress sounds too.
Researchers say that plants' response to pollinator sounds involves their
flowers, but the receptors to ultrasound would be in the vegetative parts.
Many moths, which use tomato and tobacco plants as hosts for their
larvae, are already known to hear and react to ultrasound at frequencies
emitted by the plants and may then potentially avoid laying their eggs on a
plant that had emitted stress sounds.
The researchers suspect that the sounds are generated by a process
called cavitation, where air bubbles form, expand and explode in the xylem
causing vibrations.
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Tomato and tobacco plants emitted ultrasound at different mean peak

frequencies when subjected to the two stresses. In general, the two plants
emitted sounds at a higher peak frequency when the stem was cut than
when under drought.
Plants belonging to two different taxa also emitted ultrasound when
subjected to the same stresses.
Scientists are currently extending the work to additional species and
conditions and are also in the process of examining the potential
agricultural applications of the findings, which would likely be more
diverse than the original research.
Notes
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Hydrogen fuel in automobiles
Issue
Japan is gearing up to put on its roads thousands of vehicles based on a
hydrogen cell technology, also known as ‘fuel cells’, ahead of Tokyo
Olympics.
Background
Japan’s lead in the practical application of the hydrogen fuel cycle, and the
ongoing research in this field at the International Research Center for
Hydrogen Energy are being studied closely by the Indian government as it
readies a hydrogen-fuelled blueprint.
Details
At the heart of the fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) is a device that uses a
source of fuel, such as hydrogen, and an oxidant to create electricity by an
electrochemical process.
The fuel cell combines hydrogen and oxygen to generate an electric
current, water being the only byproduct.
Like conventional batteries under the bonnets of automobiles, hydrogen
fuel cells too convert chemical energy into electrical energy. From a long-
term viability perspective, FCEVs are billed as vehicles of the future, given
that hydrogen is the most abundant resource in the universe.
While the fuel cells generate electricity through an electrochemical
process, unlike a battery-electricity vehicle, it does not store energy and,
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instead, relies on a constant supply of fuel and oxygen in the same way
that an internal combustion engine relies on a constant supply of petrol or
diesel, and oxygen.
But unlike the combustion engine cars, there are no moving parts in the
fuel cell, so they are more efficient and reliable by comparison.
The successful development of hydrogen would provide energy for
transportation and electric power and advantage is the wide availability of
resources for producing hydrogen.
Advantages of Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCV)

Fuel cells have strong advantages over conventional combustion-based
technologies currently used in many power plants and cars, given that
they produce much smaller quantities of greenhouse gases and none of
the air pollutants that cause health problems.
Such cells are also far more energy efficient than traditional combustion
technologies.
Unlike battery-powered electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles do not need to
be plugged in, and most models exceed 300 km of range on a full tank.
They are filled up with a nozzle, just like in a petrol or diesel station.
Disadvantages
There are questions of safety as hydrogen is more explosive than petrol.
The process of making hydrogen needs energy , often from fossil fuel
sources. That has raised questions over hydrogen’s green credentials.
The other major hurdle is that the vehicles are expensive, and fuel
dispensing pumps are scarce.
Way ahead
In India, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, under its Research,
Development and Demonstration (RD&D) programme, has been supporting
various such projects in academic institutions, research and development
organisations and industry for development.
The Ministry of Science and Technology has supported two networked
centres on hydrogen storage led by IIT Bombay and Nonferrous Materials
Technology Development Centre, Hyderabad.
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Android vulnerable to ‘StrandHogg’ malware
Issue
The Union Home Ministry has sent an alert to all States warning them
about the vulnerability of the Android operating system to a bug called
‘StrandHogg’ that allows real-time malware applications to pose as
genuine applications and access user data of all kind.
Background
While all versions of Android, including Android 10, are vulnerable to this
bug, it may not be apparent to the affected users that malware
applications are already on board their device.
Details
These malware can then potentially listen to their conversations, access
photo album, read/send messages, make calls, record conversations and
get login credentials to various accounts.
his apart, things that such malware can access include private images,
files, contact details, call logs, and location information.
At least 500 popular apps are at risk because of this malware that
hackers can deploy to attack mobile phone users.
Threats
It can activate the microphone, allowing a hacker in a remote location to
listen to live conversations. The camera can also be switched on to
capture visuals.
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Signs of attack
Pop-ups asking for permission to send notifications, messages etc., are
one of the main entry points for ‘StrandHogg’ to launch the attack.
An app in which the user is already logged in asking him/her to login
again is another anomaly pointing to the possibilities of a cyberattack.
Once users approve such requests, the malware would instantly access
the mobile phone or tablet for specific purposes.
Links and buttons that become non-functional, apps asking for
permissions that are not required are among the other warning signs.
Malware
Malware is any software intentionally designed to cause damage to a
computer, server, client, or computer network. A wide variety of types of
malware exist, including computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses,
ransomware, spyware, adware, and scareware.
Notes
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New molecule for rheumatoid arthritis may

help in preventing cartilage destruction
Issue
A specific fragment of a protein secreted by the parasitic worm liver fluke
(Fasciola) has been found to protect the articular cartilage of joints from
being destroyed by the body’s aberrant immune system, thus preventing
rheumatoid arthritis from progressing.
Background
The research team also found that the protein prevented the joint bone
from being destroyed. In rheumatoid arthritis, the joint bone starts getting
destroyed following cartilage destruction.
Details
Liver flukes secrete certain specialised proteins that help the parasites to
evade recognition by the host immune system and also blunt the killing
machinery of the immune system by dialling down the inflammatory
responses.
The protein,Fasciola helminth defence molecule-1 (FhHDM-1), secreted by
liver fluke has similarity with a human protein that mitigates inflammatory
responses.
The peptide rapidly stops damage to the cartilage. The cartilage that has
already been damaged is not repaired because the damage is irreversible
in the case of rheumatoid arthritis.
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In contrast to the currently used anti-rheumatic drug (methotrexate), the

biggest advantage of using the liver fluke peptide is that it does not
produce a wholesale suppression of the immune system.
Even the monoclonal antibodies that act against individual inflammatory
molecules have inherent problems.
The monoclonal antibodies target and suppress the tumour necrosis
factor (TNF alpha), which is the first line of defence against
Mycobacterium.
In such case, the anti-rheumatic drug and even the monoclonal antibodies
that target TNF alpha will leave the person susceptible to infections,
including TB.
The liver fluke peptide only produces selective protection to the joints and
does not alter the systemic immune system. So the body’s ability to combat
bacterial pathogens will remain intact.
Notes
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Atmospheric water generator
Issue
The South Central Railway has installed “Atmospheric Water Generator”
kiosk in Secunderabad Railway station.
Background
This kiosk is installed as part of the green initiatives & water conservation
measures and developed under “make in India” concept by ‘Maithri
Aquatech’ and named as “MEGHDOOT”.
Details
Mechanism
In this system, instead of taking source water for filtration and
consumption, the water is directly harvested from the air through a series
of steps.
Under this, air flows into the machine through a filtration system duly
filtering out the contaminants present in the moisture laden air.
Then the filtered air passes through cooling chamber where in the air will
be condensed. The condensed air is converted into water and drops into a
storage tank provided for the purpose.
The dropped water from the tank passes through multiple level filtration
which removes odour and any other impurities and then it passes through
Ultra Violet (UV) system.
The filtered water is dosed with essential minerals which are beneficial
before it can be dispensed for consumption.
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The water produced under this system fulfils the WHO norms and also
Indian standards for consumption. It is also approved by Ministry of Jal
Shakti as a safe and healthy drinking water.
Benefits
Industries which require travel, such as the military, can use an
atmospheric water generator to create water when resources run low.
One of the biggest advantages of Atmospheric Water Generators are the
cost efficiency of the device.There is no additional operating expenses,
and because the atmospheric water generator is autonomous.
There are no contamination by heavy metals or microbes as in the case of
ground or surface water sources.
Working model
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Research shows how mother

protects child from chickenpox
Issue
Mothers with a past history of chickenpox infection may transmit
chickenpox viral DNA to their babies during pregnancy, thereby
stimulating their immunity against this infection, according to a new study.
Background
The findings will revolutionise the present day understanding of how
babies are protected against infections like chickenpox in childhood.
Details
This mother-to-child transfer of viral DNA may be responsible for the long-
lasting protection against serious chickenpox infection seen during
childhood.
The study states that chickenpox reactivation after surgical stress is
known. Scientists have also demonstrated that the stress of space travel
can induce subclinical reactivation of chickenpox in astronauts.
The present understanding is that mothers provide their babies protection
against a variety of common infections by transferring readymade
antibodies to them.
The protection to the baby lasts for 12 to 15 months. If the baby
encounters the infection while it is partially protected by maternal
antibodies, the illness is mild. The baby then develops their own, long-
lasting immunity.
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Babies develop more long-lasting active immunity with the transfer of

chickenpox DNA from mothers, more than the short-term passive
protection provided by the transfer of readymade antibodies.
In the absence of vaccines, chickenpox spreads easily in the population
and repeated exposure to the virus acts like booster doses.
Vaccination, on the other hand, will reduce person to person spread of
natural disease and the antibody titres are not boosted, and so there is
little protection provided to the next generation.
Chickenpox
Chickenpox is primarily a disease of the temperate regions, where it
occurs throughout the year, commonly in children between 1 and 14
years of age.
Chickenpox is also known as varicella, is a highly contagious disease
caused by the initial infection with varicella zoster virus (VZV). The disease
results in a characteristic skin rash that forms small, itchy blisters, which
eventually scab over.
Notes
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Obesity contributes to extra carbon dioxide
Issue
Research from The Obesity Society has revealed that obese people
account for about 1.6 per cent of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions.
Background
The society used greenhouse gas emission data, demographic data, and
obesity prevalence statistics to estimate that obesity is responsible for 20
per cent more greenhouse gas emissions compared with people of a
normal weight.
Details
This is due to a combination of higher metabolic rates and the
environmental impact of both producing the food and the increased fuel
required to transport obese people, according to the researchers.
Obesity has previously been linked to higher oxidative metabolism, the set
of chemical reactions in our cells that use oxygen to convert food to
energy.
Total carbon dioxide production from any species is linked to average
metabolic rate, average body size and the total number of individuals of
the species.
Increasing average body size of people on Earth may further challenge
attempts to reduce man-made carbon dioxide emissions.
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Compared with an individual with normal weight, obese people were found
to produce an extra 81kg per year of carbon dioxide emissions from higher
metabolism, an extra 593kg per year from greater food and drink
consumption and an extra 476kg per year from car and air transportation.
Energy requirements of humankind, and subsequently worldwide food
demand, are now expected to increase not only because of a growing
population but also due to the increasing body weight generally, creating a
vicious cycle where food production will go up.
Meanwhile, transportation of heavier people is associated with increased
production of fossil fuels, resulting in more carbon dioxide emissions from
food production and transportation.
Obesity and its effect

Obesity is when the body has too much fat. Obesity can cause a lot of
damage to the body. People with severe obesity are more likely to have
other diseases. These include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep
apnea, and many more.
Notes
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NASA ISS mission fails
Issue
A space capsule built to ferry astronauts to the International Space
Station (ISS) has failed its first test flight, and will now return to Earth
without completing its mission.
Background
The capsule, named Starliner, has been built by Boeing, and was
successfully launched by NASA from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Details
The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket lifted off successfully, and
Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner separated as expected.
The rocket was supposed to fall in the Pacific Ocean near Australia, while
Starliner, after a series of orbital adjustments, was to be on course for
docking with the space station.
The Starliner apparently fired its engines at the wrong time and, as a
result, entered a wrong orbit.
The faulty thrusting had caused far too much fuel to be burned, and the
mission would no longer be pursued.
The failure is likely to push back further NASA’s already delayed and
repeatedly postponed attempt at resuming human spaceflight from the
United States.
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For more than eight years, no human has gone to space from US soil, and
NASA has relied on Russia to get its astronauts on the space station.
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule is scheduled to launch on January 11. It
will be a crewless flight, and if it succeeds, SpaceX could be in a position to
send astronauts into space in the first half of next year.
International Space Station (ISS)

The International Space Station is a space station in low Earth orbit. The
ISS programme is a joint project between five participating space agencies:
NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA, and CSA.
The ISS serves as a microgravity and space environment research
laboratory in which crew members conduct experiments in biology, human
biology, physics, astronomy, meteorology, and other fields.
The station is divided into two sections, the Russian Orbital Segment (ROS),
which is operated by Russia, and the United States Orbital Segment (USOS),
which is shared by many nations.
The ISS is the ninth space station to be inhabited by crews, following the
Soviet and later Russian Salyut, Almaz, and Mir stations as well as Skylab
from the US.
Notes
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Application of Ramanujan’s work in signal

processing and Black hole physics
Issue
Ramanujan’s mathematics, done over a hundred years ago, finds
applications today in areas other than pure mathematics, which were not
even established during his time. Two among these are signal processing
and Black Hole physics.
Background
Srinivasa Ramanujan was an Indian mathematician whose contributions
to the theory of numbers include pioneering discoveries of the properties
of the partition function.
His papers were published in English and European journals, and in 1918
he was elected to the Royal Society of London.
Details
Signals processing
Examples of signals that are processed digitally include obvious ones like
speech and music and more research-oriented ones such as DNA and
protein sequences.
All these have certain patterns that repeat over and over again and are
called periodic patterns. For example, a DNA molecule is made up of a 4
bases (Adenine Guanine, Thymine and Cytosine).
In real life, more complex repeating patterns may need to be identified as
they bear significance to health conditions. So, in signal processing, one
thing we are interested in is extracting and identifying such periodic
information.
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A mathematical operation similar to a sieve is used to separate out the

periodic regions in the signal. Some of the best-known methods to extract
periodic components in signals involve Fourier analysis.
Further research showed that using these patterns gave a method that
worked better than Fourier analysis when the region of periodicity is short.
Black hole Physics

Ramanujan’s interest in the number of ways one can partition an integer (a
whole number) is famous. For instance, the integer 3 can be written as 1+1
+1 or 2+1. Thus, there are two ways of partitioning the integer 3.
The seemingly simple mathematical calculation is related to a very
sophisticated method to reveal the properties of black holes.
A separate concept in physics, entropy, explains why heat flows from a hot
body to a cold body and not the other way around.
The results of Ramanujan and Hardy on partitions and the former’s
subsequent work on what are called mock theta functions have come to
play an important role in understanding the very quantum structure of
spacetime , in particular the quantum entropy of a type of Black Hole in
string theory.
Notes
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Carbon dots help detect herbicide pollution
Issue
Researchers from Assam have used the commonly found invasive plant
water hyacinth to produce carbon nanoparticles. These extremely tiny
(less than 10 nanometre) particles can be used for detecting a commonly
used herbicide, pretilachlor.
Background
In Assam, every water body is infested with water hyacinth, and it is an
easy and cheap option to explore. So use of the plant for carbon dot
production was common.
Details
The researchers harvested water hyacinth leaves, removed the
chlorophyll, dried and powdered it. The sieved powder underwent several
treatments including heating at 150 degree Celsius to convert it to carbon
dots.
The carbon dots were able to give a green fluorescence under UV light.
The extremely small oxygen functional groups on the surface of the dot
are responsible for the fluorescence.
The herbicide pretilachlor is mixed with water and carbon dots, and
studied using special equipment. The fluorescence intensity increases in
the presence of the herbicide.
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After successful testing in the laboratory conditions, the team collected

soil samples from different places across the State and proved the
efficiency of the carbon dots in detecting pretilachor in soil samples.
The research also describes the mechanism by which electron transfer
happens between the dot and the herbicide which enables the
fluorescence enhancement.
This experiment is commercially viable option when compared with the
sensors currently available in the market, as the raw material for the
construction of the sensor, the water hyacinth is readily available and is
practically a waste material.
Pretilachor
Pretilachlor is one of well known synthetic selective herbicide. Pretilachlor
was colourless liquid, and stock solution was prepared freshly in
dimethylsulfoxide. (DMSO) before use.
Pretilachlor is used to control annual grasses, broad-leaved weeds and
sedges in rice and works by inhibiting cell division.
Notes
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Using plant extract, heat to kill cancer cells
Issue
Researchers from IIT-Hyderabad have found that lipid-based
nanoparticles encapsulating chlorophyll-rich extract of a medicinal plant
Anthocephalus cadamba and a near-infrared dye can selectively kill
cancer cells when exposed to near-infrared light.
Background
Unlike the conventional photothermal therapy that relies on heat to kill
cancerous cells, the researchers used heat generated by the dye when
exposed to light to destroy the encapsulation and release the extract.
Details
The plant extract generated excess amount of reactive oxygen species,
which caused cell death through autophagy (body’s way of removing
damaged cells).
The extract showed selectivity in killing only cancer cells but its usage in
normal cells caused insignificant cell death. The reason is that the extract
did not increase the amount of reactive oxygen species generated inside
normal cells thus not causing them through autophagy.
The researchers optimised the amount of dye used and the duration of
illumination so that the thermal effect is mainly for triggering the release
of the extract.
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When photothermal therapy alone was used, nearly 50% cancer cells died
in about 24 hours. But 45% cancer cells grew back in about a day. But
there was no significant growth (about 7.5%) of cancer cells even 48 hours
when photothermal therapy was used along with the extract.
Autophagy-mediated cell death was confirmed by using a particular
protein that serves as an autophagy marker. The protein marker produced
varied depending on the amount of extract used.
The tumour volume reduced significantly when treated with the extract
along with photothermal therapy compared with controls and cells treated
with the extract alone.
The nanoparticles from extract had no ill effects on body weight of the
individual, indicating biocompatibility.
Notes
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Mutation in smell gene associated with asthma
Issue
A multi-institutional study by Indian researchers has shown that a variant
of an olfactory gene (OR2AG2) is a novel candidate for asthma. This is the
first time in India a four-generation large family with high asthma
prevalence has been studied for the said purpose.
Background
The gene was validated in a north Indian cohort of 141 children with
asthma and 130 controls. About 80% of children with asthma carried a
copy of the gene variant.
Details
Twenty individuals representing the four generations were selected for
studying. Of the 20 persons studied, 14 had asthma and the rest served as
a control group.
While whole genome genotyping helps in detecting variations across the
genome, the exome sequencing allows variations in the protein-coding
region of any gene to be identified.
Researchers turned to computer modelling to narrow down the possible
variants that might be responsible for asthma and finally confirmed the
genetic variant through conventional sequencing.
Mutation in the sensory pathway such as olfaction is a plausible
mechanism for increased asthma risk because of inability to mount an
appropriate counter response. The inability to mount a counter response
could lead to lung damage.
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The inability to smell was assumed be a potential mechanism for lung

damage and further study was conducted in this regard.
The researchers evaluated the ability of the 20 participants to smell a
sweet odour and the concentration at which they could identify the odour.
All 14 family members with asthma had one copy of the gene variant.
Healthy individuals and those with asthma were able to identify and
differentiate different smells, but those with asthma could detect smells
only at higher concentrations.
To validate the hypothesis, the researchers directly measured the gene
expression in lung samples of those with asthma and normal subjects. In
people with asthma, there was significant reduction in the expression of
the gene.
There is either a genetic defect in the OR2AG2 gene at birth leading to
suppressed expression or there is acquired suppression of gene
expression later in life due to inflammation or environmental factors.
Notes
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‘Core catcher’ installed in Kudankulam

nuclear power plant
Issue
The Moscow-based Rosatom State Corporation Engineering Division has
installed a core melt localisation device (CMLD) or “core catcher” at Unit 3
of Tamil Nadu’s Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP).
Background
Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is the largest nuclear power station in
India, situated in Koodankulam in the Tirunelveli district of the southern
Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Kudankulam, is India’s first nuclear plant to
use imported PWR technology.
Details
The device is designed to localise and cool the molten core material in
case of a meltdown accident.
Core Catcher
The core catcher is a cone shaped metal structure that weighs about 800
tonnes. The structure is double walled, with the gap between the two walls
filled with FAOG (ferric and aluminium oxide granules).
The core catcher is filled with a ceramic mixture also including ferric
oxide and aluminium oxide, called ‘sacrificial material’.
The sacrificial material prevents the corium from trickling through and
also acts as a cooling mechanism.
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Molten core material, or corium, is lava-like material that gets formed in

the core of a nuclear reactor in the event of a meltdown accident.
Such an accident occurs when the nuclear fission reaction taking place
inside a reactor is not sufficiently cooled, and the buildup of heat causes
fuel rods to melt down.
The corium so formed can remain radioactive for several decades, even
centuries.
The core catcher device is installed at the bottom of the nuclear station’s
protective shell, and is designed to save the latter as well as exude
radioactive emission in the environment in case of a serious accident.
The device has improved seismic resistance, hydro-dynamic and shock
strength as well as equipped with flood protection and simplified
installation and assembly technology.
Notes
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ToTok messaging app could be a spying tool of UAE
Issue
ToTok, a chat and voice calling app that became available earlier this, is
actually a spying tool, according to a United States intelligence
assessment.
Background
The UAE has restricted popular messaging services like WhatsApp and
Skype, and ToTok was billed as a “fast, free, and secure” way to chat by
video or text message.
Details
ToTok is used by the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to try
to track every conversation, movement, relationship, appointment, sound
and image of those who install it on their phones.
While the majority of its users are in the Emirates, the app has been
downloaded throughout the Middle East, and in Europe, Asia, Africa, and
North America.
According to recent Google Play rankings quoted by the report, it was
among the top 50 free apps in Saudi Arabia, the UK, India, Sweden, and
other countries.
The firm behind ToTok is Breej Holding, most likely a front company
affiliated with DarkMatter, an Abu Dhabi-based cyberintelligence and
hacking firm.
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Google removed the app from its Play store after determining ToTok
violated unspecified policies. Apple has also removed ToTok from its App
Store. But users who have it installed in their phones can still use it until
they remove it from their phones.
Notes
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Annular Solar Eclipse
Issue
The last solar eclipse of this year took place on December 26, which was
observed over the eastern hemisphere of the Earth in India, Saudi Arabia,
Qatar, Malaysia, Oman, Singapore etc.
Background
An eclipse happens when the moon while orbiting the Earth, comes in
between the sun and the Earth, due to which the moon blocks the sun’s
light from reaching the Earth, causing an eclipse of the sun or a solar
eclipse.
Details
Types of Eclipses
There are three types of eclipses:
Total solar eclipse

It is visible only from a small area on Earth. People who are able to view
the total solar eclipse are in the centre of the moon’s shadow as and when
it hits the Earth.
A total solar eclipse happens when the sun, moon and Earth are in a direct
line.
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Partial solar eclipse

The shadow of the moon appears on a small part of the sun. During a
partial solar eclipse, the Moon, the Sun and Earth don't align in a perfectly
straight line, and the Moon casts only the outer part of its shadow, the
penumbra, on Earth.
Annular solar eclipse

This happens when the moon is farthest from the Earth, which is why it
seems smaller. In this type of an eclipse, the moon does not block the sun
completely, but looks like a “dark disk on top of a larger sun-colored disk”
forming a “ring of fire”.
During a solar eclipse the moon casts two shadows on the Earth, the first
one is called the umbra, which gets smaller as it reaches the Earth. The
second one is called the penumbra, which gets larger as it reaches the
Earth.
People standing in the umbra see a total eclipse and those standing in the
penumbra see a partial eclipse.
One of the main reasons to observe solar eclipses is to study the top layer
of the sun called the corona, which can be clearly observed during an
eclipse.
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Upgrades for BrahMos Missile
Issue
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has carried
out two successful tests of the latest variant of the BrahMos missile, one
from the land platform and the other from air.
Background
BrahMos is developed through a collaboration between India and Russia
and is one of the most advanced weapons in India’s armoury. It is an
amalgam of the names of the rivers Brahmaputra and Moskva.
Details
BrahMos is a cruise missile, meaning it can be guided towards a pre-
determined land- or sea-based target.
BrahMos is classified as supersonic cruise missile with a capability to
attain speeds 2.8 times that of sound (Mach 2.8).
A newer version under development is aimed at flying at speeds greater
than Mach 5. These are called hypersonic cruise missiles.
Besides decreasing the reaction time of the enemy, higher speeds also
substantially reduce the chances of the missile getting intercepted.
BrahMos is being produced by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture
company set up by DRDO and Mashinostroyenia of Russia in 1998.
The first version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was inducted
into the Indian Navy in 2005.
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BrahMos has undergone development through the early 2000s till date. Its
land-to-land, submarine-fired and now air-fired variants have been
developed stage by stage. Each new version has something additional
compared to the previous version.
The latest test was carried out from air using the Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter
jets of the Indian Air Force as the base. This was the third air-based test of
the missile and marked the completion of the integration of BrahMos
missile with the Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft.
Supersonic and Hypersonic speeds

Supersonic travel is a rate of travel of an object that exceeds the speed of
sound (Mach 1).
A hypersonic speed is one that greatly exceeds the speed of sound, often
stated as starting at speeds of Mach 5 and above.
Missile triads
A triad is a three-pronged military force structure that consists of land-
launched missiles, missile-armed submarines and strategic aircraft with
bombs and missiles.This, in turn, ensures a credible threat of a second
strike, and thus increases a nation's deterrence.
Notes
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Protein that repairs damaged DNA
Issue
The Indian Institute of Technology - Hyderabad researchers have
explained the working of a protein that repairs damaged DNA.
Background
With increasing awareness of the impact of DNA damage on almost all
diseases and maladies, there is a worldwide effort to understand how
these repair proteins work, both as an academic exercise and as the
foundation for therapeutic interventions.
Details
Nature has evolved techniques to not only protect DNA, but also repair
damaged DNA so that a catastrophic damage can be averted.
In humans, one such repair mechanism involves activation of a special
class of proteins called “DNA repair proteins”.
DNA is the blueprint of life form and encodes directions that the life form
must take in order to survive and evolve.
It is thus essential for the survival of every cell and is usually kept well-
protected within the nucleus of cells, and in some non-nuclear parts like
the mitochondria.
Any damage to DNA can result in outcomes that can range from mild
changes that cannot be perceived like a sudden appearance of a harmless
mole to catastrophic diseases like cancer.
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Researchers firstly discovered the mechanism by which these DNA repair

proteins assemble when DNA is under threat.
They studied the action of one specific protein called alkB homolog 3, or
ALKBH3. It is known that ALKBH3 repairs alkylated DNA containing 1-
methyladenosine and 3-methylcytosine through oxidative demethylation,
but the mechanism had remained unclear.
Further study found that ALKBH3 has a direct protein-protein interaction
with another protein called RAD51C and this interaction stimulates
ALKBH3-mediated repair of methyl-adduct located within 3′- tailed DNA.
The knowledge gained from the studies might, in the long term, be
beneficial from a cancer therapeutic perspective.
Notes
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CESSI team accurately predicts shape of Sun’s corona
Issue
Solar physicists from the Centre for Excellence in Space Sciences (CESSI),
IISER Kolkata, have succeeded in predicting the shape of the sun’s
atmosphere, known as the corona, at the time of the annular eclipse of
December 25.
Background
This is the second successful prediction, counting the last solar eclipse
that was viewed from South America on July 2 this year. While the earlier
prediction was slightly different from the actual image, this time it is pretty
close to the real thing, which was imaged by NASA’s spaced-based solar
observatory SOHO using the LASCO instrument.
Details
The Predictive Solar Surface Flux Transport model developed by the CESSI
Team can predict the shape of the corona well ahead of any required date.
Previous research exploring this prediction method had indicated tha
large-scale structure of the Sun’s corona can be predicted up to two
months in advance.
Space weather consists of the varying conditions within the solar system
such as solar wind and is different from weather on earth. It can affect the
electronics on board satellites.
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Scientists had used inputs and made the prediction 43 days ahead of the
eclipse. The only way to verify these models was to either have
photographs taken during the eclipse that capture the corona or use
space- or ground-based instruments that use an artificial disc to occult the
Sun’s surface to make the faint corona visible.
Since this was an annular eclipse with a ring of bright solar surface visible,
the corona was not directly noticeable.
The researchers used the images generated by the space-based
coronagraph instrument LASCO on board the European Space Agency’s
SOHO satellite.
LASCO
The Large Angle and Spectrometric COronagraph (LASCO) instrument is
one of 11 instruments included on the joint NASA/ESA SOHO (Solar and
Heliospheric Observatory) spacecraft.
A coronagraph is a telescope that is designed to block light coming from
the solar disk, in order to see the extremely faint emission from the region
around the sun, called the corona.
SOHO
SOHO (SOlar Heliospheric Observatory) is a space-based observatory,
viewing and investigating the Sun from its deep core, through its outer
atmosphere, the corona and the domain of the solar wind, out to a distance
ten times beyond the Earth's orbit.
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Biomarkers for glioma brain tumour found
Issue
Researchers have found potential gene biomarkers that can be used for
prognosis and early diagnosis of the most aggressive form of primary
brain tumour called glioblastoma.
Background
The biomarkers can help in knowing if the tumour is at an initial stage
(low-grade) or advanced stage (high-grade).
Details
The researchers looked at immune cells called macrophages in the
tumour microenvironment to understand their role in suppressing or
boosting the immune system to keep the tumour under check.
The role of certain macrophages in suppressing the immune system
leading to progression of cancers such as breast, prostate, bladder and
cervical cancers is already known.
the researchers identified two macrophages, M1 and M2, that were
associated with the tumour. These were identified using hallmark gene
markers.
The M1 macrophage is protective for glioma while the M2 macrophage is
not. The M2 macrophage control the immune response and intimately
interacts with the tumour and supports tumour progression.
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As the glioma progresses from low-grade to high-grade, the amount of

M1 macrophages reduced and the amount of M2 macrophages
increases. Thus the ratio of M2 macrophage marker CD163 versus M1
macrophage marker CCL3 can ascertain the glioma progression.
In the low-grade glioma, the ratio of M2/M1 macrophages is less while it
is high in the case of high-grade glioma tumour.
In low-grade glioma there is presence of both M1 and M2 macrophages.
But if there are more M2 macrophages (as indicated by the gene marker
expression) than M1 macrophages, the survival is less. Likewise if there
are more M1 macrophages then the patient has better chances of
survival.
Compared with healthy individuals, there was elevated level of M2
macrophages in peripheral blood too. This indicates that the influence of
glioma is so prominent that M2 macrophages can be found in the blood.
Notes
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Addressing child malnutrition
Issue
Globally over 200 million children below five years of age are chronically
malnourished causing persistent problem in middle- and low-income
countries.
Background
India’s National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) show that there has been a
decline in child malnutrition numbers in the country but various studies
show that the rate of decline is very slow, and India is still fighting a tough
battle.
Details
The new study assessed district-level trends in the prevalence of
malnutrition and how wealth disparity plays a role in five important
malnutrition indicators such as stunting, underweight, wasting, low birth
weight, and anaemia.
The researchers analysed data of 2015-16 and noted that among the four
indicators, anaemia was highly prevalent at 54.6%, across the poorest of
the poor in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana.
Wealth disparities in underweight children were seen across all districts
with Gujarat, Jharkhand and Bihar having the worst disparities and
Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur having the least.
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For stunting and underweight, the north and central region of India which
includes Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand were composed primarily of
“pitfall” and “intensity” districts.
Districts where the prevalence of malnutrition is uniformly high likely
require a different intervention strategy compared with districts where
prevalence is high but disproportionately shouldered amongst poorer
households within the district.
Malnutrition
Malnutrition is a condition that results from eating a diet in which one or
more nutrients are either not enough or are too much such that the diet
causes health problems. It may involve calories, protein, carbohydrates,
vitamins or minerals.
Notes
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SnowEx mission by NASA
Issue
NASA has launched a seasonal campaign called SnowEx, for a better
understanding of how much water is contained in each winter’s snowfall
and how much will be available when it melts in the spring.
Background
Snow is a vital source of water for drinking, agriculture, and electrical
power in the western United States and other locations around the world.
To know how much water will be available the following spring, water
resource managers and hydrologists need to know where snow has fallen,
how much there is and how is characteristics change as it melts.
Details
The geographical focus of SnowEx is North America and NASA’s overall
target is optimal strategies for mapping global snow water equivalent
(SWE) with remote sensing and models leading to a Decadal Survey “Earth
System Explorer” mission.
Tracking snow-water equivalent (SWE) across the season helps
hydrologists and water resource managers know what water will be
available when it melts in the spring, as well as plan for possible floods or
droughts.
Within its geographic range, SnowEx assesses where snow has fallen, how
much there is and how its characteristics change as it melts.
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It uses airborne measurements, ground measurements and computer

modelling. The airborne campaign will fly RADAR and LIDAR (light detection
and ranging) to measure snow depth, microwave radar and radiometers to
measure SWE, optical cameras to photograph the surface, infrared
radiometers to measure surface temperature, and hyperspectral imagers
for snow cover and composition.
Ground teams will measure snow depth, density, accumulation layers,
temperature, wetness and snow grain size, the size of a typical particle.
This year, real-time computer modelling will be integrated into the
campaign as well.
NASA currently has no global satellite mission to track and study SWE. It
acknowledges any future snow satellite mission will require observations
from an international collection of satellites.
Notes
www.studyiq.com
Technology to tap energy from water
Issue
A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati has
developed materials that can produce energy from flowing or stagnant
water in households.
Background
The decentralised energy model involves a large number of small
generation devices that can generate energy in every household and the
excess energy thus produced can be evacuated to energy-deficient areas
nearby.
Details
The team employed “electro-kinetic streaming potential” to harvest energy
from flowing tap water and “contrasting inter-facial activities” employing
different types of semiconducting materials to generate power from
stagnant water.
When fluids stream through tiny channels that are charged, they can
generate an electrical voltage, which may be harnessed through
miniaturised generators.
The team also fabricated devices with doped graphene flakes for
generating power by dipping in a bucket of water or any stagnant water
source to “complementary charge transfer activities”.
Water stored in buckets and water flowing from taps can potentially be
used to produce energy if such nano-generators can be developed further.
www.studyiq.com
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