About National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI):

• NGRI, a constituent research laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), was established in 1961.
• Mission: To carry out research in multidisciplinary areas of the highly complex structure and processes of the Earth system and its extensively interlinked subsystems.
• Location: Hyderabad, Telangana
• NGRI has the mandate to conduct research for public-good science to enable government agencies, public and private sector stakeholders to make informed decisions about the use of geo-resources sustainably and improve preparedness and resilience to natural hazards.
• The research activities fall broadly under three themes:
  • Geodynamics, which revolves around investigating and modeling fundamental aspects of the Earth system and processes.
  • Earthquake Hazards, which encompass features on the surface and subsurface of the crust which may potentially endanger lives and properties through catastrophes like earthquakes and landslides, as well as deterioration in pollution levels of groundwater and soil, changes in climatic conditions, and associated environmental issues. 
  • Natural Resources, which comprise the implementation of techniques to identify primary geo-resources, which are the pillars of human civilization and fount of economic growth, like groundwater, hydrocarbons, as well as alternate energy sources and minerals.

Q1: What is CSIR?

It is the largest research and development (R&D) organisation in India which was set up in 1942. It is funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology.The Prime Minister of India (Ex-officio) is the President of this organisation.CSIR is primarily focused on scientific research and development in various fields such as aerospace, biology, chemistry, earth sciences, engineering, and medical sciences.

Source: NGRI scientists unravel geological link between India and Antarctica

About Indian flapshell Turtle:

• It is a freshwater species of turtle found in South Asia.
• The "flap-shelled" name stems from the presence of femoral flaps located on the plastron. These flaps of skin cover the limbs when they retract into the shell.
• It is morphologically an evolutionary link between the softshell and hard shell aquatic turtles.
• Habitat: They live in the shallow, quiet, often stagnant waters of rivers, streams, marshes, ponds, lakes and irrigation canals, and tanks.
• These turtles prefer waters with sand or mud bottoms because of their tendency to burrow.
• Distribution: They are mainly found in Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh (Indus and Ganges drainages), and Myanmar (Irrawaddy and Salween Rivers).
• Lifestyle:
  • They are omnivores.
  • They are generally solitary and active during the day. They are very well adapted, both morphologically and behaviorally, to drought conditions.
• Conservation status
  • IUCN Red list: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

Q1: What is IUCN?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature is a global organization composed of governments, NGOs, scientists, and experts dedicated to conserving nature and promoting sustainability.

Source: IVRI scientists on mission to save turtle with cracked shell in UP’s Bareilly

About Wolbachia:

• It is a common type of bacteria found in insects.
• Approximately 6 in 10 of all insects, including butterflies, bees, and beetles, around the world have Wolbachia. 
• Wolbachia bacteria cannot make people or animals (for example, fish, birds, pets) sick.

Key facts about Encarsia formosa

• These are of interest to agricultural scientists because they provide an efficient way to control whiteflies.
  • Whiteflies feed on the sap of plant leaves, causing productivity losses, and are thus a major agricultural pest.
  • Whiteflies belong to the insect order Hemiptera whereas wasps belong to the insect order Hymenoptera.
• The wasp seeks out the nymphs (or larvae) of whiteflies and lays its eggs on them. When the eggs hatch, the larvae that emerge penetrate the nymph, feed on its tissues, grow to adulthood, and in the process kill the nymph.
• The progeny wasps emerge from the nymph’s carcass. As a parasitoid of whiteflies, the female wasp is in effect a search and destroy weapon. The male wasps are superfluous to this role.

Q1: What are Microbes?

Microbes are tiny, single-celled organisms that cannot be seen with the human eye. They are also referred to as microscopic organisms because a microscope is the only way to see them. They account for roughly 60% of all living things on earth.

Source: Scientists found a bacteria tricked a wasp to get rid of its males

About e-FAST India Initiative:

• e-FAST was born from the recognition of the urgent need to decarbonize road-based freight transportation in India to realize its 2070 net zero commitments.
• It was launched in September 2022.
• It aims to galvanize the transition towards cleaner and greener freight transportation.
• The platform facilitates active collaborations at both the national and international levels, supports ideation and development of pilot programs on a scalable basis, and explores technology integration and associated research.
• It is a platform that facilitates deliberation, debates and collaboration between different stakeholders including the government, Original Equipment Manufacturers, Logistics Service Providers, Shippers, and industry experts to enable the development and adoption of electric technology in the freight sector at scale.
• It is supported by the collaborative efforts of 12 knowledge partners.

What is NITI GearShift Challenge?

• It was launched by NITI in collaboration with IIM Bangalore, Smart Freight Centre India, CALSTART/Drive to Zero, and WRI India.
• This pioneering hackathon aims to foster innovative business models for the adoption of zero-emission trucks (ZETs) in India, addressing the nation's pressing economic and environmental challenges.
• The NITI GearShift Challenge invites students, transport service practitioners, academics, and researchers to develop innovative business models that address financial, technical, and operational challenges in the adoption of electric trucks.
• The program has garnered participation from e-FAST India knowledge partners, financial institutions, and industry forums.

Q1: What is Decarbonisation?

It is the term used for removal or reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) output into the atmosphere. Decarbonisation is achieved by switching to usage of low carbon energy sources.

Source: NITI Aayog Launches ‘NITI GearShift Challenge’ As Part Of E-FAST India Initiative

About SIM Swapping Scam: 

• It occurs when a malicious actor convinces your carrier to transfer your phone number to a new SIM card in their possession.
• This can grant them access to your calls,texts, two-factor authentication codes, and potentially even financial accounts linked to your number.
• Modus operandi: In the SIM swap scam, fraudsters first take personal details such as phone numbers, bank account details, and addresses with the help of phishing or vishing.
• After receiving the personal information, fraudsters visit the mobile operator’s retail outlet, posing as the victim with a forged ID proof, and report a fake theft of the victim’s SIM card and/or mobile phone.
• By doing this, they attain a duplicate SIM.
• Notably, scamsters can get a duplicate SIM even when the original is working, as they reported a theft of the original SIM card.
• Unlike other scams, where scamsters trick people into giving OTPs and private information on a phone call, the SIM swap scam doesn’t require direct communication with the victims.
• However, fraudsters do give missed calls to their victims so that the latter leave their phones and ignore the lost network connectivity.
• When the SIM is swapped, the accused gains control of the entire SIM. All calls and messages go through their SIM only. 
• Once in control of the SIM card, they are able to obtain passwords and OTPs that allow them to access their targets' bank accounts

Q1: What is Spear Phishing?

Spear Phishing is an email or electronic communications scam targeted towards a specific individual, organization or business.

Source: One Tech Tip: Protecting yourself against SIM swapping

About Nigeria:

• It is a country located on the western coast of Africa. It is often called the "Giant of Africa." 
• Boundaries: It is bordered to the north by Niger, to the east by Chad and Cameroon, to the south by the Gulf of Guinea of the Atlantic Ocean, and to the west by Benin. 
• It achieved independence from Britain in 1960. 
• It covers an area of around 9.24 lakh square kilometres.
• It is also Africa’s most populous country.
• Capital: Abuja
• Language: English is Nigeria’s official language, although many local languages such as Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Ijaw are also spoken.
• Money: Naira
• Nigeria has a diverse geography, with climates ranging from arid to humid equatorial.
• Drainage:
  • The major drainage areas in Nigeria are the Niger-Benue basin, the Lake Chad basin, and the Gulf of Guinea basin.
  • The Niger River, for which the country is named, and the Benue, its largest tributary, are the principal rivers.
• Major Mountain Range: Cameroonian Highlands

The country has abundant natural resources, notably large deposits of petroleum and natural gas.

Q1: Which countries border the Gulf of Guinea?

Covering an area of 2.35 million km2, the Gulf of Guinea is the northeastern most portion of the tropical Atlantic Ocean located off the western coast of the continent of Africa.The 16 coastal countries that are situated along the Gulf of Guinea are Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gabon, Nigeria, Ghana, São Tomé and Principe, Togo and Sierra Leone.

Source: The collapse of a school in northern Nigeria leaves 22 students dead, officials say

About Chaperones: 

• Chaperones are a group of proteins that have functional similarity and assist in protein folding.
• They are proteins that have the ability to prevent non-specific aggregation by binding to non-native proteins.
• After the new protein chain has been shaped correctly, chaperones move on. Or else the new chain is eliminated.
• Without chaperones, newly synthesised proteins would soon become a tangled mess of insoluble aggregates, hindering cellular processes.
• Chaperones are needed under physiological conditions too, for normal cellular function.
• There are several families of chaperones and each possesses different functions. Example of chaperon proteins are the “heat shock proteins” (Hsps).
• Major chaperones in humans include HSP70, HSC70 and HSP90: the numbers express the size of the proteins in kilodaltons.
  • In normal cells 1%–2% of all proteins present are heat shock proteins. This number rises threefold during stressful conditions.
• Misfolding of proteins can cause a number of diseases namely:
  • Parkinson's disease: In which Alpha-synuclein protein, present in neurons, is wrongly folded.
  • Alzheimer: Brains of Alzheimer's patients have plaques formed from aggregates of amyloid beta-peptide. This accumulation of amyloid fibrils is toxic, leading to widespread destruction of neurons – a 'neurodegenerative’ disorder.
  • Autosomal dominant congenital cataract: In the eye lens, an abundant subset of proteins called alpha-crystallins themselves serve as chaperones – a single R116G mutation in human alpha crystallin is responsible for this.

Q1:What are Proteins?

These are large, complex molecules that are fundamental to the structure and functioning of all living organisms. They are composed of chains of smaller units called amino acids, which are linked together in specific sequences. Proteins serve a wide variety of critical roles inbiological systems.

Source: Single-molecule techniques reveal new dynamics of protein folding associated with Alzheimer’s disease progression

About Manjeera Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is a wildlife sanctuary and a reservoir located in the Medak district of Telangana.
• Originally a crocodile sanctuary, today more than 70 species of birds are spotted here, and is home to the vulnerable species of mugger crocodile.
• The sanctuary follows the course of river Manjeera, a tributary of Godavari, and abuts the Manjeera reservoir.
  • It is a man-made reservoir that provides water for irrigation and also drinking water for the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
  • The reservoir has nine small islands. These islands contain extensive marshy fringes, which act as nesting sites for water birds. Additionally, thick cover of trees also provides nesting spots for birds.
• Vegetation: Dry Savannah type of vegetation is found in the sanctuary. The reservoir supports both submergent and emergent types of vegetation.
• Flora: Being a freshwater ecosystem, the sanctuary is home to many plant species likeTypha, Babool, Prosopis, Ipomoea and Acacia Ipomea, Vallisneria, Eichhornia, and Reeds, among others.
• Fauna:
  • The sanctuary is a riverine habitat supporting mugger crocodile and fresh water turtles.
  • The sanctuary is home to prawns, molluscs, and fishes like catla, rohu, murrel, eel, karugu, and chidwa.
  • The Indian hare, wild boar, mongoose, and jackal are also present.

Q1: What is the Ramsar Convention?

It is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar sites. It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands. It is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the convention was signed in 1971.

Source: 'Hidden gem': Manjeera wildlife sanctuary in Sangareddy might become Telangana's first Ramsar site

About Bagmati River:

• It is a river in south-central Nepal and northern Bihar state, India.
• It is considered holy by both Hindus and Buddhists.
• Course:
  • It originates from the Bagdwar area in the Shivapuri Hills, located in the northwestern part of Kathmandu Valley, central Nepal, at an elevation of around 2,690 metres (8825 feet) above sea level.
  • It is fed by springs and monsoon rainfall and a number of tributaries as it flows down from the Kathmandu valley floor and passes through the valley at Chovar.
  • It flows southward through the Shivalik Range, the southernmost range of the Himalayas.
  • It continues across the plains of Tarai into Bihar and then flows southeastward to enter the Burhi (“Old”) Gandak River after a course of 225 miles (360 km).
  • The basin transacts three distinct latitudinal physiographic zones (Mountain, Siwalik, and Terai) of the Nepal Himalayas.
• Temples: The banks of this holy river shelter various temples.
  • The temple of Pashupatinath (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is nestled on an outcrop above the river north of Kathmandu. It is regarded as one of the holy places of Hinduism.
  • Gokarneswor temple, located in the north of the Kathmandu Valley, is also an important holy shrine.

Q1: What is the Shivalik Range?

It is a sub-Himalayan range of the northern Indian subcontinent. It extends west-northwestward for more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from the Tista River in Sikkim state, northeastern India, through Nepal, across northwestern India, and into northern Pakistan. Though only 10 miles (16 km) wide in places, the range has an average elevation of 3,000 to 4,000 feet (900 to 1,200 metres).

Source: Flood Situation In Bihar's Muzaffarpur After Bagmati River's Water Level Rise

About Syphilis:

• It is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can cause serious health problems if you do not treat it. 
• It is caused by the bacteria, Treponema pallidum.
• After the infection happens, syphilis bacteria can stay in the body for many years without causing symptoms. But the infection can become active again.
• Transmission:
  • People usually get syphilis from sexual contact with someone who has it.
  • It can also pass from mother to baby during pregnancy, childbirth, and sometimes through breastfeeding.
• Symptoms:
  • Syphilis develops in stages. The symptoms vary with each stage and is of ten painless.
  • The disease starts as a sore that's often painless and typically appears on the genitals, rectum, or mouth.
  • Sometimes it causes swelling in nearby lymph nodes.
  • If you do not treat it, syphilis usually causes a non-itchy skin rash, often on your hands and feet.
  • Many people do not notice symptoms for years. Symptoms can go away and come back.
  • If left untreated, it can cause serious health issues. It can permanently damage your heart, brain, muscles, bones, and eyes.
• Treatment:
  • Syphilis is treatable and curable. It is easy to cure with antibiotics, especially during in the early stages.
  • Penicillin is the most commonly used medication for syphilis.

Q1: What is HIV/AIDS?

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV attacks the body’s immune system, making a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases. If HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS. It is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It can also be spread by contact with infected blood, and from illicit injection drug use, or sharing needles. It can also be spread from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. There is currently no effective cure. Once people get HIV, they have it for life. But with proper medical care, HIV can be controlled.

Source: Higher syphilis cases detected in Mumbai with increased testing