About Murine Typhus:

• It is an infectious disease caused by the flea-borne bacteria Rickettsia typhi. 
• Transmission:
  • It is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected fleas. 
  • It is also known as endemic typhus, flea-borne typhus or flea-borne spotted fever. 
  • Rodents like rats, mice and mongoose, are known to be reservoirs of the disease.
  • The disease-carrying fleas can also live on other small mammals, including pets such as cats and dogs. Once a flea is infected, it can spread the disease for the rest of its life.
  • Transmission can also happen through exposure of mucous membranes to infected flea faeces.
• It is spread when infected flea faeces come into contact with cuts or scrapes in the skin. 
• Murine typhus is not spread from one person to another, or from person to fleas.
• The disease has been reported in coastal tropical and subtropical regions, where rats are prevalent. 
• In India, cases of murine typhus have been reported in the Northeast, Madhya Pradesh and Kashmir.
• Symptoms
  • The symptoms usually appear seven to 14 days after the exposure and include fever, headaches, body aches, joint pains, nausea, vomiting, and stomach aches. 
  • Some people may later develop rashes on the skin, days after the initial symptoms. 
• Treatment
  • There is no vaccine currently available against the disease. 
  • The antibiotic doxycycline is considered effective in therapy, but early diagnosis is vital for treatment. 

Q1:What are antibiotics?

Antibiotics are medicines that fight bacterial infections in people and animals. They work by killing the bacteria or by making it hard for the bacteria to grow and multiply.

Source: Kerala man infected with rare bacterial disease: What to know about murine typhus

About New Spider Species:

• A new species of spider is named as Tenkana Jayamangali, has been found at Devarayanadurga reserve forest of Karnataka.
• It was named after the nearby Jayamangali River.
• It is a sister species to T arkavathi and T manu.
• It has been added as a new genus of Tenkana jumping spiders (Salticidae, Plexippina) from South Asia.
• Key points about Tenkana genus
  • Distribution: The southern states of India (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana) and the northern region of Sri Lanka.
  • Tenkana appears to be an exclusively ground-dwelling group. 
  • It is often found among relatively complex microhabitats of shaded short grasses with dry leaf litter in groves or relatively simpler microhabitats in open, sunny, sparse short grasses associated with rocky outcrops in relatively dry habitats. 

Q1. What are Arthropods?

These are invertebrates with jointed legs. They make up about 75% of all animals on Earth and have a major role in maintaining ecosystems as pollinators, recyclers of nutrients, scavengers and food for other animals.

Source: New genus of jumping spider found

About Earthworms:

• They are terrestrial worms of the class Oligochaeta (phylum Annelida)—in particular, members of the genus Lumbricus. 
• Earthworms are harmless, often beneficial residents of the soil.
• Earthworms occur in virtually all soils of the world in which the moisture and organic content are sufficient to sustain them.
• Features:
  • The earthworm body is divided into ringlike segments. Some internal organs, including the excretory organs, are duplicated in each segment.
  • They don’t have lungs; they breathe through their skin. 
  • They also lack eyes, so instead use receptors in their skin to sense light and touch. 
  • Earthworms have five “hearts” that pump blood through their bodies.
  • Their food consists of decaying plants and other organisms; as they eat, however, earthworms also ingest large amounts of soil, sand, and tiny pebbles.
  • Earthworms are hermaphrodites, meaning an individual worm has both male and female reproductive organs.
• Benefits:
  • Earthworms’ breakdown dead and decaying organic matter into rich humus soil, thereby supporting plant growth.
  • Earthworm releases waste from their bodies called castings. Castings contain many nutrients that the plant can use. 
  • They also dig tiny channels and make holes that aerate soil and improve drainage.

Q1: What are roundworms?

Roundworms are small organisms that can live in your intestine, which is part of your digestive system. Roundworms can live in the human intestine for a long time. They can be harmful and cause many problems, including abdominal (belly) pain, fever and diarrhea.

Source: There could be 30,000 species of earthworms wriggling around the world

About Kalleshwar Temple:

• It is a Hindu temple located in the town of Bagali in the Davangere district of Karnataka.
• It is one of the oldest temples in the region and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. 
• The construction of the temple spans the rule of two Kannada dynasties: the Rashtrakuta Dynasty during the mid-10th century, and the Western Chalukya Empire,during the reign of founding King Tailapa II around 987 AD.
• Architecture:
  • The temple is a single shrine construction with an adjoining hall (mantapa). 
  • The temple, which faces east, comprises a sanctum, an antechamber (or vestibule or antarala, whose tower is called the sukhanasi), that connects the sanctum to a gathering hall (sabhamantapa), which is preceded by a main hall (mukhamantapa).
  • The Shikara of the temple is a perfect example of early Cholan architecture. 
  • The temple houses a large Shivalinga, which is believed to be more than a thousand years old.
• This temple is protected as a monument of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Q1: What is the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)?

ASI was established in the year 1861 by Alexander Cunningham. After independence, it was established as a statutory body under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. ASI is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural monuments in the country. Its activities include carrying out surveys of antiquarian remains, exploration and excavation of archaeological sites, conservation and maintenance of protected monuments etc.

Source: 13th-century stone inscription discovered in Davanagere district

About Alkanes:

• Alkanes are organic compounds that consist entirely of single-bonded carbon and hydrogen atoms and lack any other functional groups.
• Alkanes have the general formula CnH2n + 2 (where n is an integer).
• Alkanes can be subdivided into three groups: the linear straight-chain alkanes,branched alkanes, and cycloalkanes.
• They show little chemical affinity for other substances and are chemically inert to most laboratory reagents.
• They are also relatively inert biologically and are not often involved in the chemistry of living organisms.
• Alkanes do, however, react with oxygen, halogens, and a few other substances under appropriate conditions.
• Reaction with oxygen occurs during combustion in an engine or furnace when an alkane is used as a fuel.
  • Carbon dioxide and water are formed as products, and a large amount of heat is released.
• They are commercially very important, being the principal constituent of gasoline and lubricating oils and are extensively employed in organic chemistry.
• Examples of alkane include methane, ethane, propane, butane, etc.

Q1: What are halogens?

Halogens are any of the six nonmetallic elements that constitute Group 17 (Group VIIa) of the periodic table. The halogen elements are: fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), iodine (I), astatine (At), and tennessine (Ts).

Source: Catalyst Magic: Game-Changing Method for Alkane Activation Discovered in Japan

About Dragon drones:

• Dragon drones essentially release a substance called thermite — a mixture of aluminium and iron oxide — developed a century ago to weld railroad tracks.
• Working
  • When ignited (usually with the help of an electrical fuse), thermite triggers a self-sustaining reaction that is quite difficult to extinguish. 
  • It can burn through almost anything, from clothes to trees to military-grade vehicles, and can even burn underwater. On humans, it causes severe, possibly fatal, burns and bone damage.
  • On humans, it causes severe, possibly fatal, burns and bone damage.
  • Combining thermite with high-precision drones that can bypass traditional defences makes dragon drones ‘highly effective’ and ‘dangerous’
• In recent time these dragon drones are believed to have been first deployed in the Russia-Ukraine war around September.
• International regulation 
  • The use of thermite in war is not prohibited under international law. 
  • However, the use of such incendiary weapons against civilian targets is barred under the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons — Cold War-era guidance issued under the auspices of the United Nations.

Q1: What are Tethered Drones?

A tethered drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle tethered to the ground. It consists of a base station on the ground and the drone, which is connected to the station through the tether (cable).

Source: What are ‘dragon drones’, the latest weapon being used in Russia-Ukraine war?

About X-band radar:

• An X-band radar is radar that emits radiation in the X-band of the electromagnetic spectrum: 8-12 GHz, corresponding to wavelengths of around 2-4 cm 
• The smaller wavelengths allow the radar to produce images of higher resolution.
• However, the greater the frequency of some radiation, the faster it will be attenuated. 
• Applications
  • The new radar is expected to be able to monitor the movements of particles, such as soil, to inform landslide warnings. 
  • The device will also perform high temporal sampling, that is, rapidly sample its environs, allowing it to spot particle movements happening in shorter spans of time.
  • These radars are typically used for studies about cloud development and light precipitation due to their abilities to detect tiny water particles and snow.

What is Radar?

• Radar is short for ‘radio detection and ranging’. 
• The device uses radio waves to determine the distance, velocity, and physical characteristics of objects around the device. 
• A transmitter emits a signal aimed at an object whose characteristics are to be ascertained (in meteorology, this could be a cloud). A part of the emitted signal is echoed by the object back to the device, where a receiver tracks and analyses it.
• Weather radar, also known as a Doppler radar, is a common application of this device. The Doppler effect is the change in frequency of sound waves as their source moves towards and away from a listener. 
• In meteorology, Doppler radars can reveal how fast a cloud is moving and in which direction based on how the cloud’s relative motion changes the frequency of the radiation striking it.
• A pulse-Doppler radar can measure the intensity of, say, rainfall by emitting radiation in pulses and tracking how often they’re reflected to the receiver.
• This way, modern Doppler radars can monitor weather conditions and anticipate new wind patterns, the formation of storms, etc.

Q1:What Does Transmitter Mean?

A transmitter is an electronic device used in telecommunications to produce radio waves in order to transmit or send data with the aid of an antenna. The transmitter is able to generate a radio frequency alternating current that is then applied to the antenna, which, in turn, radiates this as radio waves.

Source: What is Wayanad’s new X-band radar? | Explained

About Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO):

• It is a corporate fraud investigating agency set up by the Government of India.
• The SFIO was established on 21st July, 2015. Section 211 of the Companies Act, 2013, accorded astatutory status to the SFIO.
• SFIO is a multi-disciplinary organization under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, consisting of experts in the fields of accountancy, forensic auditing, law, information technology, investigation, company law, capital markets and taxation for detecting and prosecutingor recommending for prosecution white-collar crimes/frauds. 
• SFIO takes up for investigation cases characterized by:
  • Complexity and having interdepartmental and multidisciplinary ramifications.
  • Substantial involvement of public interest to be judged by size, either in terms of monetary.
  • The possibility of investigation leading to or contributing towards a clear improvement in systems, laws, or procedures.
  • Investigate serious cases of fraud received from Department of Company Affairs.
  • Investigation into the affairs of a company is assigned to SFIO, where the Government is of the opinion that it is necessary to investigate into the affairs of a company-
  • on receipt of a report of the Registrar or inspector under section 208 of the Companies Act, 2013
  • on intimation of a special resolution passed by a company that its affairs are required to be investigated
  • In the public interest; or on request from any department of the Central Government or a State Government
• The SFIO can also take up cases on its ownonly when decided by the Director of the SFIO, and also giving the reasons for taking up the case in writing.
• Upon assignment of a case to the SFIO, no other investigative agency can proceed withan investigation for any offence under the Act.
• SFIO is headed by a Director as Head of Department in the rank of Joint Secretary to the Government of India.
  • The Director is assisted by Additional Directors, Joint Directors, Deputy Directors, Senior Assistant Directors, Assistant Directors, Prosecutors, and other secretarial staff. 
• The headquarters of SFIO is at New Delhi with its regional offices at Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.

Q1: What is forensic auditing?

A forensic audit is an analysis and review of the financial records of a company or person to extract facts, which can be used in a court of law. Forensic auditing is a specialty in the accounting industry, and most major accounting firms have a department of forensic auditing. Forensic audits include the experience in accounting and auditing practices as well as expert knowledge of forensic audit's legal framework.

Source: SFIO records statement of Kerala CM’s daughter