Prelims Pointers for 26-December-2024

by Vajiram & Ravi

26-12-2024

09:30 AM

Ocean Anoxic Event 1a (OAE 1a) Blog Image

Overview:

A recent study published in Science Advances has refined the timing and duration of Ocean Anoxic Event 1a (OAE 1a) by analyzing prehistoric rocks and fossils from Mount Ashibetsu, Japan.

What is Ocean Anoxic Event 1a (OAE 1a)?

  • Definition: OAE 1a occurred during the Cretaceous Period (145–66 million years ago), marking a time when Earth’s oceans became depleted of oxygen. This led to severe disruptions in marine ecosystems.
  • Causes: Triggered by massive volcanic eruptions, which released large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂), resulting in global warming and oxygen depletion in the oceans.
    • These conditions created anoxic marine basins, where oxygen levels were nearly absent.
  • Impacts: The interaction of CO₂ and seawater formed carbonic acid, dissolving marine organisms’ shells and reducing oxygen levels.
    • This resulted in the extinction of several marine species, particularly plankton, and led to the formation of black shales, organic carbon-rich layers preserved in geological records.
  • Anoxic marine basins: Bodies of water, often in deep ocean regions, where oxygen levels are extremely low or absent.
    • Characteristics: Favor the survival of specialized microbes and fungi while inhibiting most aerobic life forms.
    • Carbon Sequestration: Low oxygen levels slow the decomposition of organic matter, aiding in long-term carbon sequestration, which helps reduce atmospheric CO₂ levels.
    • Examples: Black Sea, Cariaco Basin (Caribbean Sea), and Orca Basin (Gulf of Mexico).

Key Highlights of the Recent Study

  • Timing: The event began 119.5 million years ago, confirmed through isotopic analysis of volcanic tuffs from Japan’s Hokkaido Island.
    • OAE 1a lasted approximately 1.1 million years, indicating the extended recovery period for oceans after CO₂-driven warming and anoxia.
  • Volcanic activity: Linked to massive volcanic eruptions, such as the Ontong Java Nui complex, which released significant CO₂ into the atmosphere and oceans.
  • Modern relevance: Highlights parallels between ancient volcanic CO₂ emissions and current human-induced warming.
    • Warns that rapid modern warming could trigger similar disruptions in marine ecosystems and potentially lead to a Holocene extinction event.

Q1) What is the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT)? 

NIOT was established in November 1993 as an autonomous society under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. NIOT is managed by a Governing Council and the Director is the head of the Institute. 

Source: PHYS


What is the Marburg Virus Disease? Blog Image

Overview:

Rwanda has successfully contained and declared its first-ever outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) officially over after 42 days without new cases. This achievement was confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

About Marburg Virus Disease (MVD):

  • Definition: MVD is a severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever caused by the Marburg virus, with no approved vaccines or treatments currently available.
  • History and Origin: First identified in 1967 in the German city of Marburg. Named after an outbreak linked to laboratory workers exposed to infected green monkeys imported from Uganda.
  • Geographical spread: Most outbreaks have occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, including countries like Tanzania, Uganda, Angola, Ghana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.
  • Transmission: Initially transmitted from fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) to humans. Spread occurs through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated surfaces.
  • Symptoms:
    • Early signs: High fever, severe headache, and malaise.
    • Advanced stage: Severe bleeding, liver failure, multi-organ dysfunction, shock, and death within 8-9 days of symptom onset.
  • Fatality rate: The average case fatality rate is approximately 50%, varying from 24% to 88% depending on the virus strain and case management.
  • Diagnosis: Confirmed through RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests and virus isolation procedures that require maximum biohazard containment.
  • Treatment: No specific treatment exists. Supportive care includes rehydration, electrolyte replacement, and symptom management, improving survival chances.
  • Vaccine development: Promising vaccines, such as the Sabin Vaccine Institute’s single-dose vaccine, are under Phase 2 trials in Uganda and Kenya. Rwanda also received investigational vaccines to support outbreak control.

Key Facts About Rwanda:

  • Geography: A landlocked country in East-Central Africa, referred to as the "Land of a Thousand Hills".
    • Borders: Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
    • Rivers: The Nile and Congo rivers flow through Rwanda.
  • Capital City: Kigali.

Q1). What are the components of a virus?

A virus contains genetic material (DNA or RNA) inside a protein coat called the capsid. Some viruses have an outer envelope made of lipids and proteins.

Q2). How are viruses classified based on structure?

Based on structure, viruses are classified as helical, icosahedral, enveloped, and complex. Helical viruses have spiral capsids, and icosahedral has polygonal capsids.

Source: DTE


Mitochondrial DNA Mutations and Age-Related Muscle Loss Blog Image

Overview:

A recent study published in Genome Research highlights that deletion mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) play a significant role in age-related muscle loss.

What are Mitochondria?

  • Definition: Mitochondria are membrane-bound organelles present in the cytoplasm of most eukaryotic cells, often called the "powerhouses" of the cell.
  • Maternal inheritance: Mitochondria are inherited exclusively from the mother via the egg cell.

Key functions:

  • Energy production: Generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary energy carrier required for muscle contraction, protein synthesis, and cell division.
  • Cellular respiration: Facilitates the breakdown of food into energy in the form of ATP.
  • Regulating cell death: Control apoptosis, ensuring the maintenance of healthy tissues.
  • Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA): Contains its DNA, which is prone to mutations that significantly affect cellular functions.

Key Findings of the Study

  • Deletion mutation’s role: Deletion mutations in mtDNA reduce its size and functionality, gradually eroding mitochondrial efficiency.
    • These mutated mtDNA molecules outcompete healthy ones, leading to a decline in ATP production.
  • Chimeric genes: Deletion mutations create chimeric genes by fusing different mitochondrial genes, forming abnormal sequences.
    • Chimeric genes disrupt mtDNA expression, accelerating mitochondrial dysfunction and muscle degradation.
  • Age-related changes: Older individuals exhibit a two-fold increase in chimeric mitochondrial mRNA, correlating with biological ageing.
    • Mutations also affect brain and muscle tissues, emphasizing their systemic impact on ageing.
  • Biomarkers for biological ageing: mtDNA deletion mutations and chimeric mRNA are key indicators of biological ageing.
    • Understanding these markers could pave the way for therapies to prevent or repair mutations, delaying age-related muscle loss.

Source: TH

What are Mitochondria?

  • Definition: Mitochondria are membrane-bound organelles present in the cytoplasm of most eukaryotic cells, often called the "powerhouses" of the cell.
  • Maternal inheritance: Mitochondria are inherited exclusively from the mother via the egg cell.

Key functions:

  • Energy production: Generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary energy carrier required for muscle contraction, protein synthesis, and cell division.
  • Cellular respiration: Facilitates the breakdown of food into energy in the form of ATP.
  • Regulating cell death: Control apoptosis, ensuring the maintenance of healthy tissues.
  • Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA): Contains its DNA, which is prone to mutations that significantly affect cellular functions.

Key Findings of the Study

  • Deletion mutation’s role: Deletion mutations in mtDNA reduce its size and functionality, gradually eroding mitochondrial efficiency.
    • These mutated mtDNA molecules outcompete healthy ones, leading to a decline in ATP production.
  • Chimeric genes: Deletion mutations create chimeric genes by fusing different mitochondrial genes, forming abnormal sequences.
    • Chimeric genes disrupt mtDNA expression, accelerating mitochondrial dysfunction and muscle degradation.
  • Age-related changes: Older individuals exhibit a two-fold increase in chimeric mitochondrial mRNA, correlating with biological ageing.
    • Mutations also affect brain and muscle tissues, emphasizing their systemic impact on ageing.
  • Biomarkers for biological ageing: mtDNA deletion mutations and chimeric mRNA are key indicators of biological ageing.
    • Understanding these markers could pave the way for therapies to prevent or repair mutations, delaying age-related muscle loss.

Source: TH


Golden Visa Programme Blog Image

Overview:

Recently, Spain's Congress has approved the termination of the controversial Golden Visa programme.

About Golden Visa programme: 

  • It is a residence by investment (RBI) plan, which grants temporary residency to foreign nationals in exchange for a significant donation or investment in real estate, business, or other fields known as a "Golden Visa." 
  • High-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) often physically relocate to favorable jurisdictions through golden visa schemes, granting them complete legal residency rights, including the facility to live, work, study, and receive healthcare in that nation.

What is Spain’s Golden Visa programme?

  • It was introduced in 2013, allowing non-European Union citizens to obtain residency permits by investing a minimum of €500,000 in Spanish real estate.
  • The termination of Spain's Golden Visa program means that foreign nationals can no longer gain residency by investing at least €500,000 in Spanish real estate.
  • Reasons for terminating the programme
    • Housing affordability Issue: It cited the need to address rising property prices and ensure housing availability for local citizens, particularly in major cities.
    • Misuse: The programme being used for money laundering and tax evasion.

Q1: What Is a Visa?

A visa is an official document that allows the bearer to legally enter a foreign country. The visa is usually stamped or glued into the bearer’s passport. There are several different types of visas, each of which afford the bearer different rights in the host country.

News: Spain ends Golden Visa programme: What it means for foreign investors


Red Panda

26-12-2024

09:30 AM

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1 min read
Red Panda Blog Image

Overview:

Two red pandas from Rotterdam Zoo, Netherlands are being brought to Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNZP) in Darjeeling for conservation breeding purposes.

About Red Panda: 

  • Scientific Name: Ailurus fulgens
  • It is also known as the lesser panda which is primarily a herbivorous, shy, solitary and arboreal animal.
  • It uses its long, bushy tails for balance and to cover them in winter, presumably for warmth. 
  • It is considered an indicator species for ecological change. 
  • Appearance: It is the size of a house cat, the red panda is famous for its cute face and adorable defense stance.
  • Distribution: It is mainly found in the mountainous forests of Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.
  • Conservation status
    • IUCN Red list: Endangered
    • CITES: Appendix I
    • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule I
  • Threats: The loss of nesting trees and bamboo in the Eastern Himalayas which is causing a decline in red panda populations across much of their range.

Key facts about the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park

  • It is located in the state of West Bengal which was established in 1958.
  • It hosts the country’s most successful conservative breeding programme for red pandas.
  • The planned conservation breeding programme began in 1986 as a part of the Global Captive Breeding Masterplan. 

Q1: What is an indicator species?

It is an organism whose presence, absence or abundance reflects a specific environmental condition. Indicator species can signal a change in the biological condition of a particular ecosystem, and thus may be used as a proxy to diagnose the health of an ecosystem.

News: This Christmas, a gift for Darjeeling from Rotterdam: Two red pandas, named Vishal and Koshi


Mammoth

26-12-2024

09:30 AM

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1 min read
Mammoth Blog Image

Overview:

Researchers in Siberia are conducting tests on a juvenile mammoth whose remarkably well-preserved remains were discovered in thawing permafrost after more than 50,000 years.

About Mammoth:

  • Mammoths are members of an extinct species belonging to elephantid genus Mammuthus.
  • Time period: They lived from the Pliocene epoch (from around 5 million years ago) into the Holocene at about 4,000 years ago.
  • They existed in Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America. 
  • Features
    • The various species of mammoth were commonly equipped with long, curved tusks.
    • They evolved a suite of adaptations for arctic life, including morphological traits such as small ears and tails to minimize heat loss, a thick layer of subcutaneous fat, long thick fur, and numerous sebaceous glands for insulation.
    • They also had large brown-fat hump-like deposits behind the neck that may have functioned as a heat source and fat reservoir during winter.
  • IUCN Status: Extinct
  • Mammoths are more closely related to living Asian elephants than African elephants. 

Key facts about Permafrost

  • It is any ground—from soil to sediment to rock—that has been frozen continuously for a minimum of two years and as many as hundreds of thousands of years. 
  • It can extend down beneath the earth’s surface from a few feet to more than a mile, covering entire regions, such as the Arctic tundra, or a single, isolated spot, such as a mountaintop of alpine permafrost.
  • They can be found on land and below the ocean floor.
  • It is found in areas where temperatures rarely rise above freezing.

Q1: What is the Holocene Epoch? 

The Holocene Epoch is the current period of geologic time. The Holocene Epoch began 12,000 to 11,500 years ago at the close of the Paleolithic Ice Age and continues through today.

News: Intact remains of a 50,000-year-old young mammoth discovered in Sibera


Key facts about Lesotho Blog Image

Overview:

Recently, India dispatched a consignment of 1000 metric tonnes of rice as part of its humanitarian assistance to Lesotho.

About Lesotho:

  • It is an enclaved nation that is located within the territory of South Africa. It is in the Southern and Eastern Hemispheres of the Earth.
  • History
    • It was known as the mountain kingdom which was initially inhabited by the Khoisan-speaking hunter-gatherers.
    • In the 19th century the Sotho people took control of the region.
    • In 1822, Basutoland founded by Moshoeshoe I, who united various groups to repel challenges from Zulus under Shaka Zulu.
    • The Kingdom of Lesotho attained its full independence on 4th October 1966 with King Moshoeshoe II as sovereign.
  • It is the only independent state in the world that lies entirely above 1,400 m in elevation.
  • Highest Point: Thabana Ntlenyana
  • Rivers: The Orange River at about 2,100 km in length is one of the longest rivers in Africa. It rises in the Lesotho Highlands as the Sinqu River.
  • Capital: Maseru 

Q1: Where does Orange River flow?

The Orange River is the longest river in South Africa. It flows 1,300 miles (2,100 kilometers) across the width of the country. The river forms a large part of the border between South Africa and Namibia.

News: Batting For Global South, India Dispatches 1000 Tonnes Of Humanitarian Assistance To Lesotho


What is the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)? Blog Image

Overview:

India and Kuwait have strengthened their relationship into a strategic partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's landmark visit, the second by an Indian Prime Minister since 1981.

About GCC

  • Definition: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a regional political and economic alliance established in 1981.
  • Member countries: Comprises six Arab states: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
  • Objective: To foster economic, security, cultural, and social cooperation among its members.
  • Historical context: The GCC was formed in response to escalating regional tensions, particularly the Iranian Revolution (1979) and the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988).

Key Features of the GCC

  • Global significance: The GCC countries together hold almost half of the world’s oil reserves, making them vital players in the global energy market.
  • Annual summits: The GCC convenes yearly summits to discuss strategies for cooperation and regional stability.

Organizational Structure of the GCC

  • Supreme council:
    • Highest authority: Composed of the heads of state from all member countries.
    • Decision-making: Decisions are made through unanimous approval.
    • Presidency rotation: The presidency rotates annually, based on the alphabetical order of member states.
  • Ministerial council:
    • Composed of foreign ministers or their representatives from member states.
    • Role: Proposes policies and implements decisions of the Supreme Council.
    • Meetings: Held every three months.
  • Secretariat general:
    • Acts as the administrative arm of the GCC.
    • Functions: Monitors policy implementation and arranges meetings.
    • Headquarters: Located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

India and the GCC

  • Largest regional trading partner: The GCC is India's most significant regional trading bloc. Bilateral trade (FY 2023-24):
    • Total trade: USD 161.59 billion.
    • India’s exports: USD 56.3 billion.
    • India’s imports: USD 105.3 billion.
    • The UAE is India's 3rd largest trading partner and 2nd largest export destination.
  • Workforce and Remittances: Approximately 8.9 million Indian expatriates reside in GCC countries, forming 66% of all non-resident Indians (NRIs).
    • Indian expatriates contribute significantly to remittances, a vital income source for India.

Q1). What is OPEC and its purpose?

OPEC, established in 1960, is an intergovernmental organization of 13 oil-exporting countries that coordinates petroleum policies to stabilize oil markets, secure fair prices, and ensure a consistent energy supply to consumers worldwide.

Source: IE


Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi Initiative Blog Image

Overview:

Recently, the union Minister of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions launched the ‘Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi’ initiative on Good Governance Day.

About Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi Initiative:

  • It focuses on strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) through innovative tools and capacity-building frameworks.
  • It is piloted in Odisha, Assam, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh.
  • The initiative leverages e-learning platforms, AI-powered chatbots, and mobile apps to bridge knowledge gaps and enhance service delivery.
  • This program aligns with the government’s broader mission to decentralize governance and foster participatory decision-making at the grassroots level.
  • The initiative is expected to create scalable models of citizen-centric governance, enabling PRIs to drive equitable and sustainable development across rural India.
  • It is part of the broader ‘Prashasan Gaon Ki Aur’ campaign, aims to enhance the capacity and competence of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) by equipping elected representatives and officials with the tools and knowledge required for effective governance and participatory planning.

Other recently launched initiatives

  • New dashboard on the iGOT Karmayogi platform:
    • It is designed to empower ministries, departments, and state administrators with advanced tools to monitor user registrations, course completions, and overall progress in capacity-building efforts.
    • With customizable views and robust data filtration capabilities, the dashboard provides detailed insights to improve decision-making and optimize training initiatives.
  • CPGRAMS Annual Report 2024
    • It provides a comprehensive review of the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System.
    • The report showcases key achievements, including the resolution of over 25 lakh grievances annually and the implementation of the Grievance Redressal Assessment and Index (GRAI).

Q1: What is Grievance Redressal Assessment And Index?

It was conceptualized and designed by the DARPG, Govt. of India based on the recommendation of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.

News: Dr. Jitendra Singh Launches ‘Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi’ Initiative to Empower Grassroots Governance