Science and Technology - 4 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Satellite Technology Day 2024

Why in News?

The U R Rao Satellite Centre, previously known as ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), located in Bengaluru, recently commemorated Satellite Technology Day (STD) 2024. This event celebrated the remarkable achievement of the 50th anniversary of India's inaugural satellite launch, Aryabhata, which took place on 19 April 1975. The celebration showcased URSC's significant accomplishments, alongside recent missions such as Chandrayaan-3, Aditya-L1, and the X-ray Polarimeter Satellite, all of which have received both national and international acclaim.

What are the Key Facts About Aryabhata Satellite?

• Aryabhata was India's first satellite, named after the renowned mathematician and astronomer from the 5th century CE.
• It was entirely designed and constructed in India, marking a significant milestone in the country's space endeavors.
• The satellite was launched from Kapustin Yar in Russia, making India the 11th nation globally to successfully place a satellite into orbit on that day.
• Aryabhata was developed by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to carry out various scientific experiments, including X-ray astronomy, aeronomics, and solar physics.

Payload:

• X-ray Astronomy
• Aeronomy
• Solar Physics

Launch Details:

• Launch Site: Volgograd Launch Station (currently located in Russia)
• Launch Vehicle: C-1 Intercosmos

Recombinant Proteins Using Monosodium Glutamate

Why in news?

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, have made a significant breakthrough in the mass production of recombinant proteins by utilizing Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). This advancement is crucial for producing essential substances like vaccine antigens, insulin, and monoclonal antibodies.

What are Recombinant Proteins?

• About: Recombinant proteins are laboratory-engineered proteins created by inserting the gene that encodes for the protein into bacterial, viral, or mammalian cells.
• Production: These proteins are typically produced in large bioreactors using specific yeast cells that contain a unique promoter known as the alcohol oxidase (AOX) promoter. The AOX promoter can be activated by methanol, facilitating the production of recombinant proteins in substantial quantities. The process involves the following steps:
  • Inserting the desired gene adjacent to the AOX promoter.
  • Feeding the yeast with glycerol or glucose.
  • Adding methanol to activate protein production.
• Risks with Methanol: Methanol is highly flammable and poses safety hazards, necessitating strict safety protocols. Additionally, it can generate harmful byproducts such as hydrogen peroxide, which may induce oxidative stress in yeast cells or damage the recombinant proteins.
• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) - a Safer Alternative: MSG can activate a different promoter in the yeast genome that encodes for an enzyme called phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK). This leads to protein production that is comparable to the methanol-induced process but without the associated risks. Key benefits of MSG include:
  • It is safer and more environmentally friendly compared to traditional methanol methods.
  • It can be utilized in biotechnology industries for the mass production of valuable proteins, including milk and egg proteins, baby food supplements, nutraceuticals, and therapeutic molecules.

Sympatric Speciation

Why in News?

A recent study from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) sheds light on the mechanisms of sympatric speciation, challenging the traditional view that new species can evolve only when populations are isolated by geographic barriers (a process called allopatric speciation).

What is Sympatric Speciation?

• Definition: Sympatric speciation occurs when a new species evolves from a single ancestral species while remaining in the same geographic area. This process involves a group within a species developing distinct characteristics separate from others in the same species.
• Allopatric Speciation: Traditionally, speciation was primarily understood through allopatric speciation, which happens when a species splits into two isolated groups due to geographical barriers. This leads to divergent development based on their unique habitats or genetic traits. For instance, the formation of the Grand Canyon in Arizona split a population of squirrels, resulting in two distinct species now residing on either side of the canyon. In contrast, some species, like certain birds, were able to cross the canyon and continue interbreeding without becoming separate populations.

What are the Key Highlights of the Study?

• Key Factors Studied: The research focused on three primary factors: disruptive selection, sexual selection, and genetic architecture. By simulating a bird population, researchers aimed to understand how these processes influence speciation.

Disruptive Selection:

• Disruptive selection occurs when individuals with extreme traits have a survival advantage over those with intermediate traits, primarily due to uneven resource distribution in their environment.
• For example, birds with small beaks excel in accessing food sources like nuts, whereas those with longer beaks are more adept at utilizing nectar from flowers. This variation in resource availability can lead to a division within a population, even without geographical isolation.

Sexual Selection:

• Contrary to earlier beliefs, the study indicates that sexual selection, which favors traits relevant to resource acquisition (such as beak size), plays a crucial role in driving sympatric speciation. Traits that are arbitrary, like feather color, do not contribute to speciation.
• The research also suggests that sexual selection can sometimes reduce offspring fitness, highlighting the complex dynamics of mating choices in the evolution of species.

Genetic Architecture:

• The findings emphasized the importance of genetic architecture in the likelihood of sympatric speciation. Even with minimal disruptive selection, if the genetic makeup allows for trait adaptation (for instance, changes in beak size), new species can emerge.

Global Report on Neglected Tropical Diseases 2024

Why in news?

Ahead of the World Health Assembly's 77th session, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its Global report on neglected tropical diseases (NTD) for 2024. The report provides an overview of the progress made in 2023 towards implementing the Roadmap for neglected tropical diseases 2021-2030.

Key Highlights of the WHO Report

Global Status for 2023:

• As of December 2023, 50 countries have eliminated at least one NTD, reaching the halfway mark towards the 2030 goal of 100 countries.
• Five countries were recognized for eliminating one NTD, and one country for eliminating two NTDs.
• Iraq became the 50th country to eliminate at least one NTD in July 2023, marking significant progress towards the 2030 target.
• Noma was added to the list of NTDs in 2023.
• In October 2023, Bangladesh was the first to be validated by WHO for eliminating visceral leishmaniasis as a public health issue.

Status for 2022:

• In 2022, 1.62 billion people needed interventions for NTDs, a 26% decrease from 2010, but efforts remain to achieve a 90% reduction by 2030.
• Approximately 848 million people received treatment for at least one NTD through preventive chemotherapy in 2022, which was 49 million fewer than in 2021 but 50 million more than in 2020.
• The number of reported deaths from vector-borne NTDs increased by 22% compared to 2016.

India's Progress:

• India has been certified free of NTDs such as dracunculiasis and yaws.
• Despite having the highest disease burden, India treated about 117 million fewer people for lymphatic filariasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in 2022 compared to 2021.
• In 2022, 40.56% of India’s population required interventions against NTDs.
• Key challenges include slow recovery post-COVID-19, funding uncertainties, geopolitical disruptions, climate change, and insufficient data.

Key Facts About Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs):

• NTDs are a diverse group of diseases caused by various pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, and toxins, leading to significant health, social, and economic impacts.
• These diseases primarily affect impoverished communities in tropical regions, although some have a wider geographical distribution.
• The epidemiology of NTDs is complex, often linked to environmental factors, and many are vector-borne with animal reservoirs.
• NTDs receive considerably less funding for research and treatment development compared to diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.

Global and Indian Initiatives to Tackle NTDs

• WHO's 2021-2030 Roadmap prioritizes impact over mere treatment of NTDs and encourages collaboration across health, sanitation, and communities.
• The 2012 London Declaration recognized the global burden of NTDs and promoted a unified approach to their elimination.

Indian Initiatives:

• India has successfully eliminated guinea worm, trachoma, and yaws, and aims to eliminate lymphatic filariasis by 2027 through the Accelerated Plan for Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (APELF).
• India collaborates with WHO in regional alliances, such as a 2005 initiative with Bangladesh and Nepal focused on early diagnosis and treatment of Kala-azar.
• Mass Drug Administration (MDA) involves distributing free anti-parasitic medications in high-risk areas to prevent NTD transmission.
• Vector control programs, such as Indoor Residual Spraying, target breeding grounds of insects to prevent diseases like Kala-azar.
• Financial assistance schemes help those affected by NTDs, especially individuals with Post-Kala Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis, to manage their financial burdens.

Conclusion

• The 2024 WHO report indicates progress in addressing neglected tropical diseases, with several countries achieving elimination in 2023, though more efforts are needed to meet global targets.
• Challenges like funding gaps and the impacts of COVID-19 pose risks to continued progress.

What is X-Chromosome?

Why in news?

Scientists have discovered a molecular connection between changes in X-chromosome inactivation and autoimmune diseases.

About X-Chromosome:

• The X chromosome is one of the two sex chromosomes in humans, the other being the Y chromosome.
• Humans have a total of 23 pairs of chromosomes, comprising 22 pairs of autosomal chromosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes.
• Each individual typically has one pair of sex chromosomes in every cell.
• Females generally have two X chromosomes, while males usually have one X and one Y chromosome.
• A male inherits his X chromosome from his mother and the Y chromosome from his father, while a female inherits one X chromosome from each parent.
• In females, the X chromosome accounts for nearly 5% of total DNA, whereas in males, with only one X chromosome, it represents about 2.5% of their total DNA.
• During early embryonic development, one of the two X chromosomes in individuals with two X chromosomes is randomly and permanently inactivated in all cells except egg cells. This process is known as X-inactivation or lyonization.
• X-inactivation ensures that individuals with two X chromosomes only have one active X chromosome in each cell.
• Because X-inactivation occurs randomly, the X chromosome inherited from one parent may be active in some cells while the one from the other parent is active in others.
• The X chromosome is estimated to contain between 900 and 1,400 genes that are essential for protein synthesis.
• Genetic disorders associated with the X chromosome are classified as numerical disorders, arising from missing, extra, or abnormal copies of the chromosome.

Examples of such disorders include:

• Klinefelter’s syndrome: A condition where males possess one or more additional copies of the X chromosome.
• Triple X syndrome: A condition in which females have an extra X chromosome.
• Turner syndrome: A genetic disorder in females characterized by having one normal X chromosome and either a missing or abnormal second X chromosome.