Daily Current Affairs

To The Point Notes

1.Pingali Venkayya

In the News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid homage to Pingali Venkayya on his birth anniversary, acknowledging his contributions to designing the Indian Tricolour.

About Pingali Venkayya

• Background: Born on August 2, 1876, in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh.
• Career: Served in the British Army during the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, where he encountered Mahatma Gandhi. This meeting established a long-term association with Gandhi lasting over 50 years.
• Flag Design and Adoption: Presented initial flag designs to Gandhi in Vijayawada in 1921. The design evolved from a saffron and green combination to include white and a spinning wheel. The Indian National Congress officially adopted his final design in 1931.
• Posthumous Recognition:
  • A stamp was issued in his honor in 2009.
  • Recommended for the Bharat Ratna by the Andhra Pradesh government in 2014.
  • In 2015, AIR Vijayawada was renamed in his honor, and a statue was unveiled.

 

 

2.Woody Encroachment

Context

Researchers from the Universities of Witwatersrand and Oxford have found that increased tree cover in open ecosystems like savannahs and grasslands has significantly diminished the populations of native grassland birds.

Open Ecosystems

• Description: Grasslands and savannahs are rich habitats found in tropical and temperate regions globally.
• Coverage: They make up about 40% of the Earth’s landmass and are home to numerous endemic and threatened plant and animal species.
• Threats: These ecosystems face threats from land conversion, intensive agriculture, erosion, large-scale development, and overgrazing.

Woody Encroachment

• Definition: Woody encroachment refers to the expansion of tree and shrub cover into open habitats, transforming them into areas with denser tree and shrub growth.
• Consequences: This process leads to the homogenization of ecosystems, where diverse, multi-layered habitats become uniform, predominantly covered by woody plants.

Concerns

• Impact on Wildlife: There has been a significant decline in grassland bird species due to woody encroachment.
• Specific Cases:
  • Banni Grasslands: The introduction of Prosopis juliflora by the Gujarat Forest Department in 1961 for combating desertification and providing firewood has converted large areas into Prosopis woodlands, reducing grassland specialist rodent populations.
  • Shola Grasslands: Eucalyptus plantations have proliferated uncontrollably.
  • Himalayan Terai Grasslands: The Malabar silk-cotton tree has become invasive in these wet grasslands.

Way Forward

• Research Needs: Further studies are required to better understand and document the impacts of woody encroachment.
• Monitoring: Long-term ecological monitoring in open ecosystems is essential as it provides valuable, detailed data on these changes.

 

 

3.Giant Radio Sources

Context

A team of Indian radio astronomers has discovered 34 new giant radio sources (GRSs) using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT).

About Giant Radio Sources

• Description: Giant radio sources are immense structures in the universe that emit vast quantities of radio waves.
• Association: They are often linked with active galactic nuclei and are usually located in the central regions of large galaxies.
• Scale: These structures can extend across millions of light-years, making them some of the largest known formations in the universe, significantly larger than most galaxies.

Notable Examples:

• Cygnus A: A well-known giant radio source situated approximately 700 million light-years away.
• 3C 295: Another significant example, recognized for its extensive and intricate radio structure.

Significance Studying giant radio sources provides valuable insights into galaxy formation and evolution, the influence of supermassive black holes, and the interactions between galaxies and their surrounding environments.

 

 

4.Osmolyte – Protein Interaction Study

Context

A recent study has demonstrated that small molecules known as osmolytes assist proteins in preserving their structure and functionality under stressful conditions.

Osmolytes

• Function: Osmolytes are small molecules that stabilize proteins and prevent misfolding, which helps cells endure stress.
• Importance: Proteins that are misfolded cannot perform their functions correctly, potentially leading to diseases. Osmolytes are essential for maintaining protein stability and could be key targets for new therapeutic drugs.

About the Study

• Method: Researchers employed a technique called covalent magnetic tweezers to examine how individual protein molecules fold and unfold under various conditions and interact with osmolytes.
• Focus: The study concentrated on a protein named Protein L and investigated its interaction with two osmolytes: Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and trehalose.
• Implications: The findings could contribute to the development of treatments for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

 

5.Kindlins

Context

A recent study has highlighted the significant role of Kindlins in various cancers.

About Kindlins

• Description: Kindlins are a group of adapter proteins in vertebrate cells that function as molecular conductors, converting mechanical cues from the external environment into biochemical signals inside the cell.
• Importance: They are pivotal in numerous signaling pathways, making them potential targets for novel cancer treatments.
• Function: Similar to backstage coordinators in a play, Kindlins interact with structural proteins, receptors, and transcription factors to initiate a cascade of chemical signals within the cell.
• Disruption: Mutations in Kindlins, often caused by chemical carcinogens like nicotine or UV radiation, can disrupt cellular homeostasis, leading to cancer.

Key Findings of the Study

• Kindlin 1: Regulates the immune microenvironment in breast cancer.
• Kindlin 2: Influences cancer-specific metabolic processes, including the TCA cycle and glycolysis, and affects Hippo signaling, which regulates cancer cell migration and invasion.

Mechanochemical Signaling and Cancer

• Research Tools: The study used structural and functional genomic tools to assess how Kindlins affect mechanochemical signaling in cancer.
• Findings: Kindlins are involved in tumor progression, metastasis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), where cells transform from organized epithelial cells to flexible mesenchymal cells.

Implications and Future Directions

• Targeted Therapies: Understanding Kindlins could lead to targeted therapies that address various cancer aspects.
• Ongoing Battle: This study advances innovative strategies in the ongoing fight against cancer.

 

 

6.Axiom-4 Mission

In News

India has selected two astronaut-designates for the upcoming Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

Selected Astronauts

• Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla
• Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair

Both will travel to the U.S. for training ahead of the Axiom-4 mission.

Axiom-4 Mission

• Partnership: NASA and Axiom Space have arranged Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), a private astronaut mission to the ISS, with a launch slated for no earlier than August 2024 from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
• Mission Status: This will be the fourth private astronaut mission to the ISS.
• Objective: The mission supports NASA’s initiative to shift low Earth orbit (LEO) activities from government-led to commercial operations, with NASA aiming to become just one of many customers in the LEO market.
• Future Focus: NASA intends to foster a commercial LEO market while concentrating on deep space missions like Artemis to the Moon and Mars.

 

 

 

 

7.Bill for Urban Disaster Management Authority

Context: A bill has been introduced in the Lok Sabha to establish an Urban Disaster Management Authority.

Key Features of the Bill:

• Disaster Database Creation: The Bill mandates setting up a comprehensive disaster database at national and state levels. This will cover disaster assessments, fund allocation, expenditure details, preparedness plans, risk registers, and more.
• Empowerment of NDMA and SDMAs: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) will be tasked with disaster planning, replacing the National Executive Committee and State Executive Committee. The national plan must be reviewed every three years and updated every five years.
• Urban Disaster Management Authority: For better handling of urban challenges, the Bill proposes establishing an “Urban Disaster Management Authority” in state capitals and major cities with municipal corporations.
• Periodic Risk Assessment: The NDMA will periodically assess disaster risks, including those emerging from extreme climate events.
• Statutory Status for Organizations: The Bill grants statutory status to pre-existing bodies like the National Crisis Management Committee and the High-Level Committee, which handle major disasters and financial aid approval, respectively.
• State Disaster Response Force: Establishing State Disaster Response Forces to boost state-level disaster response capabilities.
• Penalties for Non-Compliance: Provisions for fines up to ₹10,000 for actions obstructing disaster management efforts.

Criticism:

• Excessive Central Power: Concerns about the central government’s excessive rule-making authority.
• Constitutional Concerns: Issues raised about the constitutional basis, as disaster management is not explicitly listed in the Concurrent List.
• Excessive Delegation: Criticism regarding potential bureaucratic hurdles and confusion from multiple authorities during disasters.

Advantages:

• Enhanced Disaster Capacity: Marks a significant advancement in disaster risk reduction and environmental sustainability.
• Centralized Database: A central disaster database will improve disaster preparation, response, and recovery.
• Efficient Coordination: Facilitates better resource allocation, coordination, and decision-making during crises.