Sci & Tech
India’s First Home-Grown Gene Therapy for Cancer: NexCAR19
About:
- Developed by ImmunoACT and Tata Memorial Hospital.
- CAR-T cell therapy for B-cell cancers like leukemia and lymphoma.
CAR-T Cell Therapy:
- Modifies patient’s T cells to recognize and attack cancer.
- T cells are extracted, modified in lab, and reinfused into patient.
Different Types of Cell Therapies:
- Stem Cell Therapy: Transplants stem cells to replace damaged cells.
- Dendritic Cell Therapy: Uses immune cells to coordinate immune response against cancer.
B and T-Cells:
- B-cells and T-cells are lymphocytes, types of white blood cells.
- Types of T-cells: Cytotoxic, Helper, Regulatory.
- B-cells produce antibodies in response to antigens.
Cancer and Its Types:
- Large group of diseases where abnormal cells grow uncontrollably.
- Categorized based on behavior (benign or malignant) and stage.
- Types include Carcinomas, Sarcomas, Leukemias, Lymphomas, CNS cancers.
Conclusion:
- NexCAR19 represents a significant milestone in India’s cancer treatment.
- CAR-T cell therapy offers hope for patients with B-cell cancers.
- Understanding cancer types crucial for effective treatment strategies.
Three-Dimensional Map of the Universe (April 2024)
Source: International team of researchers
Instrument: Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI)
- Mounted on Mayall 4-Meter Telescope in Arizona, USA
- Captures light from 5,000 galaxies simultaneously
Data:
- Light from 6 million galaxies, some 11 billion years old
- Distances between galaxies measured with high accuracy (key for 3D map)
Collaboration: DESI (over 900 researchers worldwide)
- India’s Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) is the only participating institution
Purpose: To learn more about dark energy
Dark Matter and Dark Energy:
- Universe composition:
- Dark energy: 68% (repulsive force, accelerating expansion)
- Dark matter: 27% (attractive force, holds universe together)
- Normal matter: less than 5%
- Dark matter:
- Does not interact with electromagnetic force (invisible)
- Affects gravity (acts like cosmic cement)
- Dark energy:
- Repulsive force (anti-gravity)
- More dominant force than dark matter
Polity
Hike in Prices of Essential Medicines
- National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA):
- Independent regulatory agency that controls the prices of pharmaceutical drugs in India.
- Set up under the Department of Pharmaceuticals.
- Essential Medicines:
- Satisfy the priority healthcare needs of the majority of the population.
- The essential medicines list needs to be country-specific.
- First country to compose its EML was Tanzania in 1970.
- In India, The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare prepared the first National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) in 1996.
- Drug Price Control Order, 2013 was issued for fixing the ceiling price of medicines included in NLEM.
Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023
Context: New Model Rules require recording religion of both parents during birth registration.
Changes:
- Birth certificate now captures:
- Religion of father (separate from mother’s religion)
- Religion of adoptive parents (if applicable)
Act Amendments:
- Amends Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
- Establishes a national database of births and deaths maintained by the Registrar General of India.
- States are required to share birth and death data with the national database.
- National database may connect with other databases like NPR, voter rolls, ration cards.
- Digital birth certificates become single document for various purposes:
- Education admissions
- Voter list registration
- Government jobs
- Other purposes decided by central government.
- All births and deaths must be digitally registered.
National Population Register (NPR):
- First step towards National Register of Citizens (NRC).
- Database of 1.19 billion residents (collected in 2010, updated in 2015).
Statistical Information:
- Parents’ religion recorded for statistical purposes (not legal information).
- Birth register now collects (if available):
- Aadhaar number
- Mobile phone and email IDs of both parents
Defence
Agni-Prime Ballistic Missile
- New generation ballistic missile successfully flight-tested by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) along with the DRDO.
- Features:
- Two-stage, surface-to-surface, canister-launched, road-mobile, and solid-fueled medium-range ballistic missile.
- Dual redundant navigation and guidance system.
- Range between 1000 to 2000 km.
- Lighter than all the earlier Agni series of missiles.
- Significant upgrades to composite motor casing, manoeuvrable reentry vehicle (MaRV), propellants, navigation, and guidance systems.
- Ballistic Missiles:
- Rocket-propelled, self-guided strategic-weapons system.
- Delivers a payload from launch site to a predetermined target.
- Can carry conventional high explosives, chemical, biological, or nuclear munitions.
- Strategic Forces Command (SFC):
- Part of India’s Nuclear Command Authority (NCA).
- Manages and administers the country’s tactical and strategic nuclear weapons stockpile.
Project Akashdeep
- Indian Army initiative to bolster its air defence capabilities.
- Akashteer Command and Control Systems:
- Developed by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) as part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiative.
- Automates air defence control and reporting processes by digitising the entire process.
- Mobile Control Centres for maintaining operational capabilities in challenging environments.
- Monitors low-level airspace and controls Ground Based Air Defence Weapon Systems.
- Integrates radar and communication systems for situational awareness and control.
- Project Akashdeep:
- Automated air defence control and reporting system.
- Builds a comprehensive air defence picture for monitoring, tracking, and engaging air defence assets.
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