Daily Current Affairs MCQ- November 27, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

Recently, a 2D protein monolayer was fabricated by scientists by assembling lysozyme molecules -- model protein in studying diseases like Amyloidosis.

• It is a rare disease that occurs when an abnormal protein, called amyloid builds up in one’s organs, affecting their shape and functioning.
• Amyloid deposits can build up in the heart, brain, kidneys, spleen and other parts of the body, leading to life-threatening conditions like organ failure.
• Some varieties of amyloidosis occur in association with other diseases.
• These types may improve with treatment of the underlying disease. Some varieties of amyloidosis may lead to life-threatening organ failure.
• Different amyloidosis that are prevalent
• Light-chain (AL) amyloidosis: People with conditions such as multiple myeloma or a bone marrow illness are more likely to have AL amyloidosis.
• AA amyloidosis: Previously known as secondary amyloidosis, this condition is the result of another chronic infectious or inflammatory disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis. 

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, Irish writer Paul Lynch won the Booker Prize for fiction for his novel Prophet Song.

• It is the world’s leading literary award for a single work of fiction.
• Founded in the UK in 1969, the Booker Prize initially rewarded Commonwealth writers and now spans the globe: it is open to anyone regardless of origin.
• It aims to promote the finest in fiction by rewarding the best novel of the year written in English.
• Eligibility:
• The Booker Prize awards any novel originally written in English and published in the UK and Ireland in the year of the prize, regardless of the nationality of their author.
• The novel must be an original work in English (not a translation)
• It must be published by a registered UK or Irish imprint; self-published novels are not eligible.
• The winner receives £50,000 and each of the shortlisted authors will be given £2,500.
• The Booker Prize Foundation: It is a registered charity established in 2002. Since then it has been responsible for the award of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction, and for the Man Booker International Prize since its inauguration in 2005.

Hence both statements are correct.

A Hindi version of the e-SCR portal was launched recently as part of Constitution Day celebrations.

About e-SCR portal:

• It was an initiative by the Supreme Court (SC) of India to provide the digital version of the apex court's judgments in the manner as they are reported in the official law report.
• It provides free access to about 34,000 judgements of the SC to lawyers, law students, and the common public.
• These verdicts will be available on the apex court website, its mobile app, and on the judgment portal of the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG).
• It is a free service available for lawyers across the country.
• The Supreme Court has developed a search engine with the help of the National Informatics Centre comprising elastic search technique in the database of e-SCR.
• The search facility in e-SCR provides for free text search, search within search, case type and case year search, judge search, year and volume search, and bench strength search options.

Hence both statements are correct.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently told the state government to resolve within six months the issues that have led to the delay in the notification of eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) status for the Shettihalli wildlife sanctuary.

About Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Location: It is located in Shimoga District of Karnataka.
• It spans an area of 395.6 square kilometres.
• It was declared a wildlife sanctuary on 23rd November 1974.
• Mandagadde Natural Bird Sanctuary, present on a small island in the River Tunga is also a part of this Sanctuary. 
• The Tunga Anicut Dam is situated within the sanctuary and provides shelter for otters and water birds.
• Vegetation:
• It is mainly covered by tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.
• The eastern and central parts are mostly covered by dry and moist deciduous forests while the western parts have semi-evergreen forests.
• Flora: Major tree species include silver oak, teak, Indian Thorny Bamboo, Calcutta bamboo, Asan, Tectona Grandis, Sweet Indrajao, Amla, etc.
• Fauna:
• It houses mammals like Tiger, Leopard, Wild Dog, Jackal, Gaur, Elephant, Sloth Bear Sambar, Spotted Deer, Wild Pig, Common Langur, Bonnet Macaque, etc.
• Birds include Hornbills, Kingfishers, Bulbuls, Parakeets, Doves, Pigeons, Babblers, Flycatchers, Munias, Swallows, Woodpeckers, Peafowl, Jungle fowl and Partridges.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

Recently, 160 pairs of buffaloes and their jockeys participated in the specially made slush tracks for Kambala races which was held at City Palace Grounds in Bengaluru.

• It is a folk sport practised in coastal Karnataka districts, especially in regions where Tulu speakers form a majority.
• Earlier, races would be organised by various families and groups in the slushy paddy fields, in the days after the harvest.
• It is a prestige event for many families, especially from the Bunt community in the coastal regions.
• Pairs of buffaloes are groomed by them around the year in hopes of winning a major Kambala event or other races.
• Different categories of Kambala: Kambala is generally held under four categories.
• Negilu (plough): Where lighter ploughs are used to tie buffaloes for the race. The event is for entry-level buffalo pairs, participating in their first Kambala race.
• Hagga (rope): Where buffaloes are raced by jockeys with just a rope tied to both buffaloes. 
• Adda Halage: In which participants stand over a horizontal plank which is dragged by buffaloes. Unlike Hagga and Negilu, where jockeys run behind the animals, buffaloes drag the jockeys in Adda Halage.
• Kane Halage: In this a wooden plank is tied to buffaloes. The plank, on which jockeys stand, has two holes through which water gushes out as the plank is dragged along the slush tracks. The height to which water splashes determines the winner of the event.

Hence option a is the correct answer.

Recently, the Saurauia Punduana plant was recorded for the first time in Manipur’s Tamenglong district.

• It is a plant species belongs to Actinidiaceae family.
• Flowers of Saurauia Punduana turn white to pink on maturity. Petals are pink, ovate to obovate curled at the tip.
• Its fruits are spherical shining white, and are usedin veterinary medicine.
• Habitat: In subtropical forests, altitude 600-1800 m.
• Its flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium).
• It is a critically endangered species as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
• Global Distribution: Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar.
• In India it is found inArunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura.
• Threats: Saurauia species are susceptible to various insect pests, virus and fungi, affecting leaves, fruits and roots.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

Recently, the Prime Minister of India paid tributes to Lachit Borphukan on Lachit Diwas. 

• He has been revered in Assam as the warrior who defeated Mughal armies in the Battle of Saraighat in 1671.
• He was commander of the Ahom armies during the battle of Saraighat – fought on the banks of Brahmaputra in Guwahati. 
• He was a brilliant military commander.
• He was chosen as one of the five Borphukans of the Ahom kingdom by king Charadhwaj Singha and given administrative, judicial, and military responsibilities. 
• Borphukan preferred guerrilla tactics which provided an edge to his smaller, but fast moving and capable forces.
• He died a year after the Battle of Saraighat from a long festering illness.

Key points about the AHOM Kingdom

• The Ahom kings ruled large parts of what is now known as Assam for nearly 600 years, from the early 13th century to the early 19th century.
• This was a prosperous, multi-ethnic kingdom which spread across the upper and lower reaches of the Brahmaputra valley, surviving on rice cultivation in its fertile lands.
• The Ahoms engaged in a series of conflicts with the Mughals from 1615-1682, starting from the reign of Jahangir till the reign of Aurangzeb.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, there is an outbreak of human cases of avian influenza virus (H9N2) and clusters of respiratory illness in children in northern China.

• H9N2 is a subtype of the influenza A virus which causes human influenza as well as bird flu.
• This virus is found worldwide in wild birds and is endemic in poultry in many areas.
• Poultry is considered a genetic incubator for the origin of the H9N2 novel avian influenza virus that infects humans.
• Symptoms
• Infections ranging from mild, flu-like symptoms or eye inflammation to severe, acute respiratory disease or death.
• The severity of the disease depends on the virus causing the infection and the characteristics of the infected individual.
• Prevention: Maintaining personal and hand hygiene, including washing hands with soap, before and after contact with animals is essential to avoid being infected by the virus

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched the Amplifi 2.0 portal.

• Amplifi (Assessment and Monitoring Platform for Liveable, Inclusive and Future-ready urban India) portal aims to provide data on Indian cities.
• It is making raw data from Indian cities available on a single platform for academics, researchers, and stakeholders to help data-driven policy making.
• Currently, 258 urban local bodies (ULB) have been on-boarded, and data for 150 cities is available on the portal. 
• It provides data on a range of information for several cities, including, for example, the total diesel consumption; the number of samples tested for water quality; 

Hence both statements are correct.

According to the Emissions Gap report, delaying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction will further increase the future dependence on carbon dioxide removal (CDR) from the atmosphere.

• Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is using technologies, practices, and approaches to remove carbon dioxide from our atmosphere through deliberate and intentional human actions.
• This includes traditional methods like afforestation, as well as more sophisticated technologies like direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS).
• Biochar
• It is the substance produced by burning organic waste from agricultural lands and forests in a controlled process called pyrolysis.
• Although it resembles common charcoal in appearance, the production of biochar reduces contamination and is a method to safely store carbon.
• Pyrolysis involves the burning of wood chips, leaves, dead plants, etc. with very little oxygen, and the process releases a significantly small quantity of fumes.
• Biochar is a stable form of carbon that cannot easily escape into the atmosphere.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.