Daily Current Affairs MCQ- July 24, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

Researchers recently suggested the “brain fog” symptom associated with long Covid is equivalent to ageing 10 years.

About Brain Fog:

• Brain fog itself is not a medical condition but instead a symptom of other medical conditions.
• It is a term used to describe a variety of symptoms that can affect your ability to think clearly.
• Brain fog is characterized by confusion, forgetfulness, and a lack of focus and mental clarity.
• Some examples of things a person might do because of brain fog include:
• forgetting about a task they had to complete;
• taking much longer than usual to complete simple tasks;
• feeling frequently distracted;
• feeling tired when working;
• Causes: Brain fog is typically rooted in a lifestyle that promotes hormonal imbalances.
• Electromagnetic radiation – from computer, mobile phone, tablets
• Stress – reduce blood flow to the brain causing poor memory
• Lack of sleep, no exercise
• Diet: food allergies or sensitivities
• Toxins, pollution, chemical substances, and insecticides
• Medications
• Treatment: Treatment depends on the cause. For example, if you’re anemic, iron supplements may increase your production of red blood cells and reduce your brain fog.

Hence both statements are correct.

Aircraft manufacturer Airbus recently pitched its A-400M transport aircraft in response to the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Request For Information (RFI) for a Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) with a carrying capacity of 18 to 30 tonnes. 

About Airbus A400M:

• It is a European-built military transport aircraft.
• The aircraft is manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space, a division of the European aerospace and defence firm Airbus.
• It combines the capability to carry strategic loads with the ability to deliver even into tactical locations with small and unprepared airstrips.
• It can carry large cargo, vehicles, troops, and paratroopers or be configured for medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) missions.
• Features:
• A powerful turboprop engine that gives the A400M the ability to operate from short, unimproved airfields.
• Maximum takeoff weight: 141 metric tons (309,000 pounds)
• Maximum payload: 37 metric tons (41 short tons).
• It can carry up to 116 fully equipped troops or 66 stretchers and 25 medical attendants. The cargo hold can take nine standard military pallets.
• Range: 8,900 kilometers (5,530 miles)
• Speed: 780 kilometers per hour (485 miles per hour)
• The aircraft is equipped with in-flight refuelling capabilities.
• The aircraft’s independent navigation system comprises an inertial reference system (IRS) integrated with a global positioning system (GPS).
• It features an advanced glass cockpit with modern avionics and control systems.

What is a turboprop aircraft?

• A turboprop aircraft uses a turbo-prop engine rather than a piston-powered engine or a jet engine.
• They have one or more gas-turbine engines connected to a gearbox that turns the propeller(s) to move the aircraft on the ground and through the air.
• Turboprop aircraft have lower operating costs than jets because they burn less fuel, but they are also slower than jets.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Private sector lender ICICI Bank recently said the bank is ready to move to an expected credit loss (ECL) framework for provisioning.

What is the Expected Credit Loss (ECL) regime?

• Under this practice, a bank is required to estimate expected credit losses based on forward-looking estimations rather than wait for credit losses to be actually incurred before making corresponding loss provisions.
• As per the proposed framework, banks will need to classify financial assets (primarily loans) as Stage 1, 2, or 3, depending on their credit risk profile, with Stage 2 and 3 loans having higher provisions based on the historical credit loss patterns observed by banks.
• Thus, through ECL, banks can estimate the forward-looking probability of default for each loan, and then by multiplying that probability by the likely loss given default, the bank gets the percentage loss that is expected to occur if the borrower defaults. 
• This will be in contrast to the existing approach of incurred loss provisioning, whereby step-up provisions are made based on the time the account has remained in the Non-Performing Asser (NPA) category.
• Benefits of the ECL regime:
• It will result in excess provisions as compared to a shortfall in provisions, as seen in the incurred loss approach.
• It will further enhance the resilience of the banking system in line with globally accepted norms.

What is the problem with the incurred loss-based approach?

• It requires banks to provide for losses that have already occurred or been incurred.
• The delay in recognizing loan losses resulted in banks having to make higher levels of provisions which affected the bank's capital. This affected banks’ resilience and posed systemic risks.
• The delays in recognizing loan losses overstated the income generated by the banks, which, coupled with dividend payouts, impacted their capital base.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, an analysis of ancient human genomic data suggests that Copper Age farmers and steppe pastoralists may have interacted 1,000 years earlier than previously thought.

• The Chalcolithic period, also known as the Copper Age.
• It describes a transitional period in human prehistory between the Neolithic period (New Stone Age) and the Bronze Age.
• It is characterized by the use of both stone tools and the beginning of metalworking, specifically the utilization of copper.
• One of the defining characteristics of this period is the simultaneous use of stone tools and early metal objects, primarily copper.
• In India, it spanned around 2000 BC to 700 BC.
• This culture was mainly seen in Pre-Harappan phase, but at many places it extended to Post-Harappan phase too.
• The people were mostly rural and lived near hills and rivers.
• The Chalcolithic culture corresponds to the farming communities, namely Kayatha, Ahar or Banas, Malwa, and Jorwe.
• The people of this age started doing animal husbandry and agriculture. 
• Apart from wheat, rice, they used to grow pulse crops like millet, lentil, urad and moong etc.

Hence both statements are correct.

India is hosting the 44th edition of the coveted annual ISO COPOLCO Plenary from 23-26 May 2023 in New Delhi.

About ISO Committee on Consumer Policy (COPOLCO) Plenary:

• This event is being organized by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the national standards body of India.
• It is anticipated that the ISO COPOLCO Plenary is an event that has a significant impact on the global economy and on the lives of people.
• ISO COPOLCO is reckoned as the major international event that brings together representatives from ISO member countries to discuss and develop strategies for accelerating the development of standards for the world.

What is Committee on Consumer Policy?

• It is a committee of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) responsible for promoting consumer interests in the standardization process and for ensuring that standards are developed with the needs of consumers in mind.
• COPOLCO members are ISO members.
• Objectives:
• To study means of helping consumers to benefit from standardization, and means of improving consumer participation in national and international standardization.
• To provide a forum for the exchange of information on the experience of consumer participation in the development and implementation of standards in the consumer field.
• To advise ISO Council as to the consolidated viewpoints of consumers on matters relevant to ISO's current and potential standardization and conformity assessment work.
• To advise ISO Council on the need for new or revised policies or actions within ISO as they relate to consumers' needs.

About International Standards Organisation (ISO):

• ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organization made up of members from the national standards bodies of 168 countries.
• Central Secretariat is in Geneva,
• India is one of the founding members of ISO.
• It develops standards for the world impacting a diverse range of business and social sectors.

So, both statements are correct.

Indian Prime Minister along with his Papua New Guinea counterpart recently released the Tamil classic 'Thirukkural' in the Tok Pisin language.

About Thirukkural:

• Tirukkural (Tamil: “Sacred Couplets”) also called Kural, is a classic Tamil text written by Thiruvalluvar, believed to have lived sometime between the 2nd century BCE and the 5th century CE.
• It has had an immense influence on Tamil culture and life.
• It is a collection of 1,330 couplets (kurals) that offer timeless wisdom on various aspects of life, including ethics, governance, love, and spirituality.
• Structure and Themes:
• Thirukkural is divided into three main sections or books: Aram (Virtue), Porul (Wealth), and Inbam (Love).
• Each section covers a wide range of topics and imparts moral, ethical, and practical guidance to the readers.
• The couplets are composed in a concise and poetic form, making them easily memorable and quotable.
• Aram:
• It discusses virtues such as righteousness, truth, gratitude, and compassion.
• It emphasizes the importance of leading a righteous life and upholding moral values in all circumstances.
• Porul:
• It provides insights into worldly affairs, including governance, economy, and friendship.
• It offers wisdom on topics like wealth management, administration, and the value of good company.
• Inbam:
• It delves into the complexities of human emotions, love, and family life.

Hence both statements are correct.

Researchers have recently studied the role of hydrocortisone in the management of adult patients with septic shock.

About Septic shock:

• It is a serious medical condition that can occur when an infection in your body causes extremely low blood pressure and organ failure due to sepsis.
• Septic shock is life-threatening and requires immediate medical treatment.
• It’s the most severe stage of sepsis.
• It occurs most often in the very old and the very young. It may also occur in people with weakened immune systems.
• It is typically diagnosed when the signs of severe sepsis are present, along with low blood pressure and signs of organ dysfunction.
• Risk factors for septic shock include:
• Diabetes;
• Diseases of the genitourinary system, biliary system, or intestinal system;
• Diseases that weaken the immune system, such as AIDS;
• Leukemia;
• Heart failure;
• Kidney failure;
• Abnormal blood clotting;

What’s the difference between Septic shock and Sepsis?

• Sepsis occurs when your body has an extreme reaction to an infection.
• This reaction causes drastic changes in the body and can be very dangerous and potentially life threatening.
• Doctors have identified three stages of sepsis:
• Sepsis. An infection reaches the bloodstream and causes inflammation in the body.
• Severe sepsis. The infection is severe enough to affect organ function.
• Septic shock. There’s a significant drop in blood pressure that can lead to respiratory or heart failure, stroke, dysfunction of other organs, and possibly death.
• Sepsis is most often caused by bacterial infections, but almost any infection can cause sepsis if left untreated.
• The transition from the onset of sepsis to severe sepsis and septic shock can happen quickly, and once the condition has transitioned, the mortality rate increases.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

The US Military recently posted pictures of a powerful bomb called the GBU-57, designed to penetrate deep into the earth and destroy underground facilities.

About GBU-57:

• It is known as the “Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)".
• It is a GPS-guided, earth-penetrating strike weapon for use against hard and deeply buried targets.
• MOP is one of the most powerful non-nuclear bombs in the world.
• It is manufactured by Boeing and used by the United States Air Force.
• It is used to destroy deeply entrenched enemy bunkers such as those concealing a supply of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
• Features:
• The bomb is 20.5 feet long with a diameter of 31.5 inches.
• Weight: 14,000 kg
• The warhead case is made from a special high-performance steel alloy that can reportedly penetrate up to 200 feet of concrete.
• MOP is carried by the B-2 Spirit bomber, which can carry two of the bombs at a time 
• The bomb is equipped with a delayed-action fuse, allowing the warhead to survive the impact, not detonating until the bomb has stopped traveling underground.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch the navigation satellite 'NVS-01' onboard its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

About NVS-01:

• It is the first in the series of second-generation navigation satellites built by ISRO's UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru.
• At present, India uses its Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) series of satellites for civilian and defence navigation in the Indian mainland and even 1500 kms beyond India's borders. 
• NVS series of satellites will sustain and augment the NavIC with enhanced features.
• This series incorporates L1 band signals additionally to widen the services.
• For the first time, an indigenous atomic clock will be flown in NVS-01.

What is Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC):

• It is a regional navigation satellite system  established by the ISRO to meet the positioning, navigation and timing requirements of the nation.
• NavIC was erstwhile known as Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).
• It is a constellation of seven satellites that work with a 24X7 network of ground stations while orbiting above Earth.
• Three satellites are placed in geostationary orbit and four in inclined geosynchronous orbit. 
• Coverage: The NavIC coverage area includes India and a region up to 1,500km beyond the nation’s boundary.
• Services offered:
• It offers two services -- Standard Position Service for civilian users and Restricted Service for strategic users.
• The system is used in terrestrial, aerial, marine transportation, location-based services, personal mobility, resource monitoring, surveying and geodesy, scientific research etc.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Indian Naval Ship Kirpan will soon be handed over to Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN) at the strategic military port of Cam Ranh Bay.

About Cam ranh bay:

• Location: Cam Ranh Bay is a deep-water bay located in Khánh Hòa Province, Vietnam, on the South China Sea.
• Size: It is approximately 20 miles (32 km) long from north to south and up to 10 miles (16 km) wide.
• Depth: The bay is up to 164 feet (50 m) deep, making it one of the deepest natural harbours in Southeast Asia.
• Facilities: The port has two main piers, one for general cargo and one for oil tankers. It also has a number of other facilities, including a repair yard, a fuel depot, and a container terminal.
• It is a major refuelling and repair station for ships in the South China Sea.
• Historical Significance:
• During the colonial era, it was controlled by the Champa Kingdom and later became part of the Vietnamese territories.
• In the 19th century, the French established a major military presence in the bay.
• During the Vietnam War, Cam Ranh Bay gained significant importance as a strategic military base for both the United States and South Vietnam. The United States constructed extensive facilities, including an airbase and a deep-water port, to support its military activities during the war.
• Following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, Cam Ranh Bay came under the control of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
• The Soviet Union subsequently leased the former American facilities and established a major naval base there.
• The Soviet Navy maintained a presence in Cam Ranh Bay throughout the Cold War until the early 2000s.

Hence option b is the correct answer.