Daily Current Affairs MCQ- October 1, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

Recently, a 300-year-old sycamore tree in England that was famous for its beauty and unique location was cut down by a teenage boy.

• It was located in a dip between two hills, at a gap in the Hadrian Wall – an old stone structure that is close to the border between England and Scotland – in Northumberland, northern England.
• The ‘gaps’ are essentially channels, which were “naturally chipped away by vast amounts of meltwater flowing beneath the ice sheets that once covered the area,” thousands of years ago. 
• Features:
• This tree can become extremely tall as they mature – reaching a height of up to 35 metres.
• They are commonly found in the UK and have leaves similar to that of a maple tree.
• The bark is dark pink-grey, and smooth when young, but becomes cracked and develops small plates with age. 
• A sycamore can live for as long as 400 years.
• Distribution: It is native to central, eastern and southern Europe, it is believed to have been introduced to the UK by the Romans or in the Tudor era around the 1500s.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Recently, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions launched the Intelligent Grievance Monitoring System (IGMS) 2.0.

• It is a public grievance portal and Automated Analysis in Tree Dashboard portal of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
• It has been implemented by IIT Kanpur.
• Objectives: The Dashboard provides instant tabular analysis of Grievances Filed & Disposed, State-wise & District-wise Grievances Filed & Ministry-wise data.
• It will also help the officials identify the root cause of the grievance.
• This portal will help the DARPG with creation of draft letter for selected scheme/ministry and expedite the grievance redressal process by the concerned ministry/department.
• It has been enabled with Artificial intelligence (AI) capacity.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, eighteen captive-bred pygmy hogs were released in western Assam’s Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve.

• It is the smallest and rarest species of wild pig in the world.
• It is one of the very few mammals that build its own home, or nest, complete with a ‘roof’.
• It is an indicator species as its presence reflects the health of its primary habitat.
• Habitat: It prefers undisturbed patches of grassland dominated by early succession riverine communities, typically comprising dense tall grass intermixed with a wide variety of herbs, shrubs and young trees.
• Currently, the viable population of this pig in the wild is in the Manas Tiger Reserve in Assam.
• Conservation status:
• IUCN: Critically Endangered
• The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

Hence both statements are correct.

Ruixiang Zhang, Assistant Professor, University of California, Berkeley, USA will be awarded with the 2023 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize for his outstanding contributions in mathematics.

• The prize was instituted in the year 2005.
• It is awarded every year by the SASTRA University on its campus near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu, on Ramanujan’s birth anniversary, December 22.
• The prize is conferred annually to mathematicians from across the world who is less than 32 years of age, working in an area influenced by the Srinivasa Ramanujan.
• The age limit is 32 years to commemorate the fact that Ramanujan accomplished a phenomenal body of work in this short span.
• Cash prize: It carries a citation and an award of $10,000.
• This award has gained global repute ever since it was instituted.
• Other recipients: Manjul Bhargava and Akshay Venkatesh

Hence option (a) is the correct answer.

Researchers detected senescent macrophages in the lung that not only remained but also supported tumour growth in a recent Cancer Cell study.

About Macrophages:

• Macrophages are a type of white blood cell that plays an important role in the human immune system.
• They are involved in the detection, phagocytosis, and destruction of bacteria and other harmful organisms.
• The term macrophage is formed by the combination of the Greek terms "makro" meaning big, and "phagein" meaning eat.
• They are essential for the maintenance and defence of host tissues, doing so by sensing and engulfing particulate matter and, when necessary, initiating a pro-inflammatory response. 
• They can modify themselves to form different structures in order to fight various different microbes and invaders. In this way, macrophages provide the first line of defense in protecting the host from infection.
• They are also involved in the development of non-specific or innate immunity.
• Macrophages produce a variety of cytokines, which are signaling molecules that communicate with other cells of the immune system. Cytokines play a role in inflammation, tissue repair, and the adaptive immune response.
• They migrate to and circulate within almost every tissue, patrolling for pathogens or eliminating dead cells.
• Macrophages may have different names according to where they function in the body. For example, macrophages present in the brain are termed microglia and in the liver sinusoids, they are called Kupffer cells.

What is Cellular Senescence?

• It refers to a state of stable cell cycle arrest in which proliferating cells become resistant to growth-promoting stimuli, typically in response to DNA damage. 
• During this phase, the cell undergoes numerous phenotypic and metabolic changes.
• Senescent cells accumulate during ageing and have been implicated in promoting a variety of age-related diseases.
• Cellular senescence can compromise tissue repair and regeneration, thereby contributing towards ageing.
• Removal of senescent cells can attenuate age-related tissue dysfunction and extend the health span.
• Senescence can also act as a potent anti-tumour mechanism by preventing the proliferation of potentially cancerous cells.

Hence both statements are correct.

The BRO officials recently said that nearly 96 percent of the work on the strategically crucial Sela Tunnel is complete, and it is likely to be inaugurated by year-end.

About Sela Tunnel Project:

• Location: It is located in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Once completed, the Sela tunnel will be the world's longest bi-lane tunnel at an altitude above 13,000 feet. 
• It will ensure all-weather connectivity between Guwahati in Assam and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.
• It is being excavated below the Sela Pass on the NH-13 component of the Trans-Arunachal Highway system. 
• It is being built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) under Project Vartak and the tunnel's construction commenced on April 1, 2019.
• Project Details:
• Tunnel 1: This single-tube tunnel has a length of 980m.
• Tunnel 2: This bi-lane tunnel has a length of 1555m. It includes one escape tube for emergencies.
• Roads: Approach to Tunnel 1 is 7100m, the road between the two tunnels is 1340m, and theapproach to Tunnel 2 is 340 m long.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

A new fish species named ‘Badis limaakumi’, was recently discovered in the Malak River in Nagaland.

About Badis limaakumi:

• It is a new badis fish species discovered in Nagaland.
• It is locally known by many names, like “Tepdang” or “Akngashi (Chungli)” or “Aokngatsü (Mongsen)” or “Sempi” etc.
• It appears black in its natural habitat but undergoes a remarkable color change when placed in an aquarium or different environments.
• Features:
• It has a comparatively large and slender body.
• Absence of blotches on the sides and fins, as well as on the cleithrum.
• Large number of lateral-line scales.

Key Facts about Badis species:

• It is a genus of small freshwater fish belonging to the family Badidae.
• Fish from the Badis species are also called Chameleon fish due to their ability to change colour rapidly when breeding, when wanting to blend into their surroundings, or when stressed.
• Distribution: They are found in freshwater bodies like rivers, ponds, and marshes in northern India, eastern Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal, including the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Mahanadi, and Indus basins.
• Currently, there are about 25 recognized badis species, out of which 15 have been reported from India.
• They are predatory in nature, feeding on tiny freshwater invertebrates.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently ordered notice to the State on a public interest litigation petition that sought a direction to restrict the entry of outsiders and vehicles inside Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve.

About Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve:

• Location: It is located in the Southern Western Ghats in the Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu. 
• It was established as a Tiger Reserve in 1988.
• This reserve is a mixture of three main sanctuaries: Kalakad Sanctuary, Mundanthurai Sanctuary, and a part of Kanyakumari Sanctuary.
• Nestled between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the Agastya Malai Hill Range forms the core area of the sanctuary and is part of one of the world's 18 biodiversity hotspots. 
• The reserve is also known as the “River Sanctuary”, with as many as 14 rivers originating from this Tiger Reserve.
• Terrain: Undulating with several valleys and porous rocks.
• Vegetation:
• It varies from thorny shrub jungles to lush evergreen forests.
• In addition to forests, savannah woodlands, and grasslands, there are tea and coffee plantations within the reserve.
• Flora: Important species include Sarcandra, Paphiopedulum, druryi, Hopea parviflora, Hopea utilis, Calophylum elatum, Cullenia exarillata, etc.
• Fauna: Tiger, leopard, rusty spotted cat, wild dog, sloth bear, elephant, gaur, sambar, spotted deer, mouse deer, nilgiri langur, slender loris, bonnet macaque, lion tailed macaque, etc.

Hence option a is the correct answer.

A recent study revealed that a liquid-biopsy approach that measures DNA-methylation levels in the blood may improve the detection of pregnancies at risk of developing preeclampsia at early stages.

• Preeclampsia is a serious blood pressure condition that develops during pregnancy.
• It typically develops after the 20th week of pregnancy.
• It can also affect other organs in the body and be dangerous for both the mother and her developing fetus. 
• Symptoms:
• People with preeclampsia often have high blood pressure (hypertension) and high levels of protein in their urine (proteinuria).
• Changes in vision, including temporary loss of vision, blurred vision or light sensitivity.
• Prevention
• Medication: The best clinical evidence for prevention of preeclampsia is the use of low-dose aspirin. 
• Lifestyle and healthy choices: If one had preeclampsia before, it's a good idea to be as healthy as you can be.

Hence option (a) is the correct answer.

Recently, the Delhi High Court permitted two children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to undergo stem cell therapy for treatment of their condition.

• It is a form of regenerative medicine designed to repair damaged cells within the body by reducing inflammation and modulating the immune system.
• This phenomenon makes stem cell therapy a viable treatment option for various medical conditions.
• Process involved:
• Harvesting: The process of collecting the stem cells to be used in the transplant, either from you or a donor.
• Conditioning: Treatment to prepare your body for the transplant.
• Transplanting the stem cells.

What are stem cells?

• These are cells from which all other cells, with their respective specialised functions, are generated.
• The human body, under certain conditions, “divides” stem cells to either create new stem cells or cells with specific functions, such as blood cells, brain cells, bone cells, muscle cells, etc.
• There are two main categories of stem cells:
• Pluripotent stem cells: With the ability to differentiate into all of the cells of the adult body.
• Adult stem cells: These are tissue or organ-specific and regenerate to form cells only of that particular organ.

Hence both statements are correct.