Science and Technology: July 2023 UPSC Current Affairs | Science & Technology for UPSC CSE PDF Download

Whole-Genome Sequencing in Newborns

Context

Newborn screening programmes are now in vogue in different countries, and have been deployed in India as well.

What is Newborn genome sequencing?

• It is the process of analyzing the complete genetic information of a newborn baby. It involves sequencing the entire genome to identify any genetic variations or mutations that may be associated with specific diseases or conditions e.g., Sickle cell anemia, Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome etc.
• Genome sequencing is figuring out the order of DNA nucleotides, or bases, in a genome—the order of Adenine, Cytosine, Guanines, and Thymine that make up an organism’s DNA.

Why is it important to sequence newborn genomes?

There are 6,000 or so genetic diseases, of which around 3,500 diseases have been documented. Sequencing newborn genomes is important because it allows for early detection and diagnosis of genetic diseases, enabling timely interventions and treatments.

• It provides valuable insights into the prevalence of genetic disorders and can help identify potential risks for future health issues.
• Sequencing healthy newborn genomes can uncover unexpected genetic risks and enable better medical surveillance for personalized healthcare.

Programmes:

• Human Genome Project (1990): an international research effort to determine the sequence of the human genome and identify the genes that it contains.
• Genome India Project

Conclusion

Ethical challenges related to incidental findings, privacy, psychological impact, and equitable access need to be addressed. With careful consideration, rapid whole-genome sequencing could become a standard procedure for detecting genetic disorders and shaping a healthier future for every child.

CMV and ToMV Virus

Why in News?

Tomato growers in Maharashtra attribute crop decline to the Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV), while growers in Karnataka and other South Indian states blame the Tomato Mosaic Virus (ToMV) for their crop losses.

• Over the last three years, growers of tomato have complained of increased infestation with these two viruses, leading to partial to complete crop losses.

What are ToMV and CMV?

ToMV

• About:
  • ToMV belongs to the Virgaviridae family and is closely related to the Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV). It infects tomato, tobacco, peppers, and certain ornamental plants.
  • It was first identified in tomato in 1935.
• Transmission:
  • ToMV mainly spreads through infected seeds, saplings, agricultural tools, and human contact.
  • It can also be transmitted by some insect vectors, such as thrips and whiteflies.
• Effects on Crops:
  • ToMV causes green mottling and yellowing of leaves, which often appear as blisters or fern-like patterns.
  • The leaves may also curl downwards or upwards and become distorted.
  • Younger plants are dwarfed, and fruit setting is affected.
• Control Measures:
  • Emphasize biosafety standards in nurseries and implementing compulsory seed treatment.
  • Farmers should inspect saplings before planting and discard any infected material.

CMV

• About:
  • CMV belongs to the Bromoviridae family and is one of the most widespread plant viruses. It has a broader host range, affecting cucumber, melon, eggplant, tomato, carrot, lettuce, celery, cucurbits, and some ornamentals.
  • It was first identified in cucumber in 1934.
• Transmission:
  • CMV mainly spreads through aphids, which are sap-sucking insects that can acquire and transmit the virus within minutes.
    • It can also be transmitted by seeds, mechanical inoculation, and grafting.
• Effect on Crops:
  • Distorts leaves, primarily at the top and bottom while leaving the middle relatively unaffected.
  • In cucumber, it causes a mosaic-like pattern of yellow and green spots.
  • Affects fruit formation and leads to stunting and reduced production.
• Control Measures:
  • Focus on preventing aphids by using quick-acting insecticides or mineral oils.
  • Care should be taken to avoid aphid migration and spread of the virus to other fields.
• Similarity:
  • Both viruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that is encapsidated in a rod-shaped protein coat. Both viruses enter the plant cells through wounds or natural openings and replicate in the cytoplasm.
  • They then move systemically throughout the plant via the phloem.
  • Also, Both viruses can cause almost 100% crop loss unless properly treated on time.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome

Why in News?

Peru has declared a 90-day national health emergency in response to a recent surge in Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) cases, raising concerns about the potential connection between GBS and Covid-19.

• Notably, Peru experienced a large outbreak of GBS in 2019 as well, with 683 suspected or confirmed cases during a specific period.

What is Guillain-Barre Syndrome?

• About: GBS is a serious autoimmune disorder that affects the peripheral nervous system. It initially presents weakness, tingling, and numbness in the limbs, which can progress to paralysis lasting 6-12 months or longer.
  • The syndrome affects the nerves responsible for muscle movement, pain, temperature, and touch sensations.
  • While more common in adults and males, GBS can occur in individuals of all ages.
• Cause: The exact cause of GBS is unknown, but as per the World Health Organisation (WHO), GBS is often preceded by an infection. This could be a bacterial or viral infection. This leads the immune system to attack the body itself.
  • In rare cases, vaccinations and surgery may slightly increase the risk of developing GBS, but the likelihood of this happening is very low.
  • Studies have shown that the risk of getting GBS from infections like the flu is much higher than the risk from vaccines, such as the flu vaccine.
• Treatment: GBS treatment involves procedures like plasmapheresis, which removes plasma and replaces it with other fluids.
• GBS and Covid-19: GBS cases have been reported in both adults and children with Covid-19. Also, there have been concerns about cases of GBS following administration of Covid-19 vaccines.
  • About 100 suspected cases of GBS were identified among the 12.8 million people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine (viral vector vaccine).
    • Some cases of GBS have also been reported after receiving the Pfizer(mRNA vaccine) and AstraZeneca (viral vector vaccine) as well.
• A subcommittee of the WHO found that rare cases of GBS have been reported with adenovirus vector Covid-19 vaccines, but not with mRNA vaccines.
• However, recent studies suggest despite these potential side effects, the benefits of Covid-19 vaccination outweigh the risks.
  • The incidence rate of GBS after SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination is low.

Launch Vehicle Mark 3

Why in News?

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will launch its Chandrayaan-3 Mission in LVM (Launch Vehicle Mark) 3 on 14^th July 2023.

What are the Launch Vehicles of ISRO?

• ISRO has 3 classes of Launch Vehicles,
  • PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle): It has a famous reputation as a workhorse with a very low failure rate, the PSLV can lift up to 3.8 tonnes of Low Earth Orbit.
  • GSLV (Geostationary Launch Vehicle): ISRO developed and uses the GSLV to launch heavier payloads and if required in higher orbits. Like the PSLV, GSLV also has multiple configurations.
    • The most Powerful configuration is LVM-3.
  • SSLV (Small Satellite Launch Vehicle): It is a 3 stage Launch Vehicle configured with three Solid Propulsion Stages and liquid propulsion based Velocity Trimming Module (VTM) as a terminal stage.

What is LVM 3?

• The LVM-3 has 3 stages,
  • The first (or bottom most stage) is in the form of 2 S200 boosters straps to the sides of the rocket body. They combust a solid fuel called hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene,
  • The second stage is powered by Vikas Engines, which combust a liquid fuel, either nitrogen tetroxide or unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine.
  • The Uppermost final stage is Powered by a cryogenic engine. It combusts liquified hydrogen with liquified oxygen.
• It can lift upto 8 tonnes in low earth orbit.
• Some of the LVM 3 Missions launched are,
  • OneWeb India-2 Mission
  • OneWeb India-1 Mission
  • Chandrayaan-2 Mission
  • GSAT-29 Mission
  • GSAT-19 Mission
  • CARE Mission

Ocular Burns in Children

Why in News?

A new study sheds light on the major role played by "chuna" or slaked lime in causing ocular burns among children in the Indian subcontinent.

• Most individuals with acute ocular burns were male, constituting over 80% among adults and over 60% among children.

What is Slaked Lime?

• About:
  • Slaked lime (Ca (OH)₂), is obtained by mixing quicklime (calcium oxide) with water, resulting in a chemical reaction that produces calcium hydroxide.
  • The process of slaking quicklime with water is highly exothermic, generating a significant amount of heat.
  • It has a high pH value, making it highly alkaline and caustic.
• Application:
  • Slaked lime has been used for various applications throughout history, including in construction and agriculture.
  • It is traditionally used as a chuna (a binding agent) in the preparation of paan, a popular traditional chewable mixture in South and Southeast Asia.
• Issue:
  • Loose and poorly sealed packets of chuna are posing a risk of ocular burns. An exploding packet of chuna can cause alkali to encounter a person's eyes, resulting in chemical burns to the ocular surface and potentially causing severe damage.
  • Chemical burns to the corneal limbus, the specialized stem cell-rich area of the cornea, can impair its ability to repair itself, leading to long-term vision issues.
• Children At Risk:
  • Alkalis accounted for 38% of all ocular burns, with chuna being the most common alkali agent, responsible for 32% of all alkali burns among children due to their close contact with chuna in households and in fireworks.

Black Holes

Why in News?

Recently, research conducted by a team of scientists from S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, has delved into the intriguing realm of black holes and their interaction with quantum mechanics.

• This exploration holds the potential to provide valuable insights into the unification of two significant scientific theories: quantum mechanics and the general theory of relativity, propounded by Einstein.
• The study focuses on atoms freely falling into a black hole and the novel quantum effects on the radiation emitted in this process.

What are the Key Highlights of Study?

• Radiation from atoms falling into black holes exhibits similarities to Hawking radiation.
• The investigation reveals that the radiation is generated from two-level atoms, unlike the radiation emitted by black holes as predicted by Hawking.
• The study introduces the concept of "horizon brightened acceleration radiation entropy" (HBAR entropy) to quantify the amount of disorder in the emitted radiation.
  • The HBAR entropy follows the area law with logarithmic leading order area corrections and inverse order of area subleading corrections.
• The findings uphold Einstein's Principle of Equivalence in a general setting, providing valuable insights into the interplay of quantum mechanics and general relativity in black hole scenarios.
• The study adds to our understanding of the mysterious world of quantum effects in black holes.

Steel Slag Road Technology 

In News

• Surat has become the first city in the country to get a processed steel slag (industrial waste) road built as part of a joint-venture project by the CSIR, CRRI, Union Ministry of Steel, NITI Ayog, and ArcelorMittal-Nippon Steel (AM/NS), at Hazira.

About the Road

• It is a six-lane public road. The construction began around a year ago by converting mounds of steel waste into steel slag aggregate. 
• The road is now being used by heavy-duty vehicles of multinationals located in the industrial estate on the outskirts of Surat.
• This project falls under the initiative of the Waste to Wealth and Clean India Campaign.

Process

• The slag is generated from a steel furnace burning at around 1,500-1,600 degree centigrade in the form of molten flux material as an impurity.
• The molten material is poured into the slag pits for cooling as per the customised procedure and further processed to develop stable steel slag aggregates, with “better material properties in place of the natural aggregate commonly used in road constructions

Benefits

• The utilisation of processed steel slag in road construction paves the way for sustainable use of waste and reduces the reliance on perishable natural aggregates.
• The construction cost of the processed steel slag road is 30 per cent cheaper than roads built from natural aggregates.
• The thickness of the road is also 30 per cent lesser than normal ones, while the durability is much longer due to the utilisation of steel slag.
• The lifespan of a cement or concrete road is over 30 years while that of bitumen and steel slag road is around 15 years.
• These roads are also much more durable during the monsoon.
• It is in line with India’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 9 for building resilient infrastructure through inclusive and sustainable industrialization and green technologies.

Fast Radio Bursts

Why in News?

Recently, an international team of astronomers studied repeating Fast Radio Bursts (FRB), FRB 20190520B, using the Green Bank Telescope in the U.S. and the Parkes Observatory in Australia. The report was published in the journal Science.

What are Fast Radio Bursts?

• They are mysterious emissions of radio light (or Radio Waves) that come from the far reaches of the universe.
• FRBs reach Earth from faraway galaxies, emitting as much energy in a millisecond as the sun does over weeks.
• They are the brightest radio bursts found in nature.
• Astrophysicists have only been able to 'see' FRBs momentarily using large radio telescopes, but their precise origins and causes are unknown.
• Some FRBs are 'one-off' phenomena, while others are repeaters, flashing earth intermittently.

What are the Key Highlights of the Study?

• Highly Variable Faraday Rotation Measure:
  • The astronomers discovered that the Faraday rotation measure of the repeating FRB 20190520B was highly variable and reversed direction twice.
    • This measure is an indicator of the FRB's magnetic field strength.
• Binary Star System:
  • The variation in the FRB's magnetic field strength and the direction of the reversal led the researchers to conclude that the FRB source is likely orbiting a binary star system, where the companion star is possibly a massive star or a black hole.
    • This led to the raising of the possibility that "all repeating FRBs could be in binaries." However, further monitoring and research are required to confirm this hypothesis.
• Turbulent Magnetized Plasma Environment:
  • The observed changes in the magnetic field and electron density around the FRB source suggest the presence of a turbulent magnetized plasma environment.
  • This environment likely influences the behavior of the FRB signals.
• Importance of Radio Telescopes:
  • The study underscores the significance of advanced radio telescopes in studying FRBs and other intergalactic phenomena.
  • These telescopes, such as the Very Large Array and the Deep Synoptic Array-110, enable precise localization of FRBs and provide valuable data for understanding their sources and characteristics.
• Unraveling Cosmic Mysteries:
  • The study emphasizes the role of radio astronomy in unraveling cosmic mysteries and deepening our understanding of the universe.