IASNOVA
1.Gas Hydrates
-They are formed when a gas such as methane gets trapped in well-defined cages of water molecules forming crystalline solids. It is a solid ice-like form of water that contains gas molecules in its molecular cavities.4
– occur on continental margins and shelves
– associated with biologically rich cold seep ecosystems at the seafloor
-India has the second largest gas hydrate reserves after America.
–KG basin,Cauvery and Kerala basins
2.Eat Right India Movement
– multi-sectoral effort with primary focus on daily intake of salt, sugar, fat, phasing-out trans-fats from diets and promoting healthier food options.
-The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recently organised the Swasth Bharat Yatra, a key element of the ‘Eat Right India Movement’.
-It brings together three ongoing initiatives of FSSAI that target citizens:
a) The Safe and Nutritious Food (SNF) Initiative
b)The Eat Healthy Campaign
c)Food fortification
3.Young Scientist Programme
-launched by ISRO
-for school students
– 1-month program-3 students from each of the 29 States and 7 UTs (Students mostly from class VIII )will be given lectures and access to R&D labs and practical experience of building a small satellite.
4.UNISPACE NANOSATELLITE ASSEMBLY & TRAINING PROGRAMME (UNNATI)
-launched by ISRO
-initiative to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first United Nations conference on the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space (UNISPACE+50)
-It is a capacity building programme on Nanosatellite development .
– Nanosatellite is any satellite with mass from 1kg to 10kg.
5. INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE PERIODIC TABLE OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS – 2019
-The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 2019 as the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements to celebrate its 150 years.
–Russian scientist Dmitry Mendeleev published the first periodic table in 1869. He organized all chemical elements by the atomic mass (number of protons & neutrons) and other chemical properties.
-Modern periodic table, managed by the International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is arranged on the basis of atomic number rather than atomic mass.
–UNESCO and the 1001 Inventions organization will launch a new educational initiative celebrating 2019 International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements (IYPT2019) – a yearlong initiative to raise awareness of chemistry and its applications for sustainable development.
6.Rare Diseases
– Minister of Health and Family Welfare has approved a proposal for adding a subcomponent under the umbrella scheme of Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) for provision of one-time financial assistance to those below threshold poverty line for specified rare diseases which require one-time treatment.
–WHO defines rare disease as often debilitating lifelong disease or disorder condition with a prevalence of 1 or less, per 1000 population.
-80% of rare diseases are genetic in origin – disproportionately impact children.
-These are also called ‘orphan diseases’ – why? Because drug companies are not interesting in addressing them due to low profitability.
-Most common rare diseases include– Haemophilia, Thalassemia, Sickle-cell Anaemia, auto-immune diseases.
–Karnataka is the first state to release a Rare Diseases and Orphan Drugs Policy.
Also Read About-
Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
The RAN was set up to provide financial assistance to patients-
– living below poverty line
–who are suffering from major life threatening diseases
– to receive medical treatment at any of the super speciality Hospitals/ Institutes or other Government hospitals.
-The financial assistance – in the form of ‘one-time grant’
-registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
7.Leprosy
-Leprosy Case Detection Campaign of the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) indicated an all-time high of nearly 50,000 new leprosy cases in Bihar.
-India was officially declared to have eliminated leprosy in 2005
– India still accounts for the largest number of leprosy affected people in the world (58 per cent).
-caused by Mycobacterium leprae and is highly contagious.
– The bacteria has a long incubation period
– The disease mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes.
– It is curable and treatment provided in the early stages averts disability.
– WHO launched The Global Leprosy Strategy 2016–2020: accelerating towards a leprosy-free world
–National Health Mission aims to reduce prevalence of Leprosy to <1/10000 population and incidence to zero in all districts.
8. RE-WEAVE.IN
– launched by -Microsoft India
-It’s a e-commerce platform, under its Project ReWeave.
-The e-commerce platform hosts signature collections created by the weaver communities, showcase traditional designs and products created from natural dyes.
– Project ReWeave was launched in 2016 in partnership with Chaitanya Bharati, a Vishakhapatnam-based non-profit organization to ensure the revival of the traditional handloom art forms in the state
9.PSLV-C44
– India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLVC44) successfully injected Microsat-R and KalamsatV2 satellites into their designated orbits.
– PS4 in PSLVC-44: Normally, the last stage of a PSLV rocket after releasing the primary satellite in space becomes dead and categorised as debris. However, in PSLV-C44, the fourth stage (PS4) of the vehicle would be moved to higher circular orbit so as to establish an orbital platform for carrying out experiments.
-Payload: Kalamsat (Nano-satellite), a student payload will be the first to use PS4 as orbital platform and Microsat-R, a military imaging satellite
– PSLV is a four stage launch vehicle with alternating solid and liquid stages.
10. X- CALIBUR
-Washington University launched telescope named X-Calibur, from Antarctica.
– It intends to measure the polarization of X-rays arriving from distant neutron stars, black holes and other exotic celestial bodies.
11.ULTIMA THULE
-NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft carried out a historic flyby of a distant object called Ultima Thule and sent back its images.
– Ultima Thule, is a contact binary. That means it is a single object, with two lobes, but the lobes are gently in contact.
12.Shifting Magentic North Pole
-It has been reported that the earth’s magnetic north pole is moving from its current position in Canada to Siberia at a much faster rate than earlier expected.
-This has forced researchers to make an unprecedented early update to the magnetic model that helps ships, planes and submarines in the Arctic navigate. -The wandering pole is driven by unpredictable changes in liquid iron deep inside the Earth.
13.TRIPLE DRUG THERAPY FOR LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS
-Triple Drug Therapy regime for eradication of Lymphatic Filariasis was launched in city of Nagpur.
– Triple Drug Therapy involves combination of three drugs Ivermectin, Diethylcarbamazine Citrate and Albendazol (Known as IDA).
– WHO has recommended three drug treatment to accelerate the global elimination of lymphatic filariasis.
– Lymphatic filariasis, a neglected tropical disease is caused by infection with parasitic worms living in the lymphatic system.
14.Barak 8 missile
– India tested Barak 8 long-range surface-to-air missile system (LRSAM) jointly developed by DRDO, Israeli Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
-fitted with advanced radio frequency/infrared homing seekers, have an interception range of 70-100 km.
– it will equip all frontline Indian warships as an all-weather defense shield against incoming enemy’s fighters, drones, helicopters, missiles and other munitions.
