60 Days Plan: UPSC IAS Prelims 2019 – Science & Technology and Current Affairs (Day 11)

Among the drugs developed is glycerated saline, a battlefield intravenous fluid that does not freeze till -18 degrees Celsius and is useful in handling trauma cases in high altitude areas.

Glycerated saline, unlike normal saline, reduces inflammation. The drug can be life saving, particularly if the traumatic edema, collection of fluid in tissues and cavities of the body, is in the brain or lungs.

Glycerated saline has life saving capacities as it gives more time to the medical personnel to shift the wounded patient to a higher care facility

Chitosan gel is suitable for sealing wounds by twin action: haemostasis by chemical action and filing action. It can be used for wounds on the limbs and also cavities such as abdomen and thorax.

The gel is poured onto the wound and held with physical pressure for few minutes till the bleeding stops. Its antibacterial and wound health properties are of added benefit.

It is topped by Chitosan wound cover. If the wound is deep, filters like silk and cellulose granules may be used after Chitosan gel.

CISF- Central Industrial Security Force

• CISF It was established in 1969.
• It is headed by an IPS officer.
• It comes under the administrative control of MHA.
• It started with an aim to provide integrated security cover to Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). But over the years, it has become a premier multi skilled security agency providing security to major critical infrastructure installations like airports, seaports, power plants, sensitive government buildings, heritage monuments, Delhi Metro and nuclear as well as space establishments etc.
• Its services are being sought by the private sector as well. After the Mumbai terrorist attack in 2008, its mandate has been widened by the CISF (Amendment) Act, 2008 to provide direct security cover to the private sector for a fee.
• The Act also allows deployment of CISF to protect Indian missions abroad.

India sealed a USD 3 billion deal with Russia for leasing of a nuclear-powered attack submarine for the Indian Navy for a period of 10 years.

Russia will have to deliver the Akula class submarine, to be known as Chakra III, to the Indian Navy by 2025.

It will be the third Russian submarine to be leased to the Indian Navy. India Navy has taken two more submarines from Russia on lease.

The first Russian nuclear-powered submarine — christened INS Chakra — was taken in 1988 under a three year lease. A second INS Chakra was taken on lease in 2012 for a period of 10 years.

The lease of Chakra II will expire in 2022 and India is looking at extending the lease

Indo-Russian joint production facility to manufacture AK-203 assault rifles for the Indian Army was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

India-Bangladesh border along Dhubri district in Assam is going to come under the surveillance of BOLD-QIT (Border electronically dominated quick response team interception technique).

It is a part of the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS), which many countries including Israel have adopted to ensure proper border management.

The implementation of this project will not only help the Border Security Force (BSF) to curb all types of cross border crimes but will also provide respite to the troops from round the clock human surveillance.

The 61-km long border area in Dhubri district in Assam where river Brahmaputra enters into Bangladesh consists of vast char lands and innumerable river channels, thus making the border guarding in the area a daunting task, especially during the rainy season.

To overcome this problem, the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2017 decided to go for a technological solution, besides the physical presence of manpower of BSF. In January last year, the Information and Technology wing of BSF undertook the project BOLD-QIT and completed it in record time with the technical support of various manufacturers and suppliers.

With the BOLD-QIT project, the entire span of river Brahmaputra has been covered with the data network generated by microwave communication along with other paraphernalia, day and night surveillance cameras, and intrusion detection system.

These modern gadgets provide feeds to the BSF control rooms on the border and enable BSF Quick Reaction Teams to thwart any possibility of illegal cross border crossing and crimes.

Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM) is a missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in association with Bharat Electronics Limited and Bharat Dynamics Limited for the Indian Army.

The missile is all-weather, all-terrain missile with electronic counter measures against jamming by aircraft radars.The missile can be mounted on a truck and is stored in a canister. QRSAM uses solid-fuel propellant and has a range of 25-30 km.

The DRDO Netra is an Indian, light-weight, autonomous UAV for surveillance and reconnaissance operations. It has been jointly developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Research and Development Establishment (R&DE), and IdeaForge, a Mumbai-based private firm.

The Netra is a lightweight UAV, constructed of carbon fiber composites, that uses quadcopters to provide lift and control giving a VTOL capability. It has no moving parts other than the rotors, motors and transmissions, and hence it requires very low maintenance. The use of carbon-fibre has resulted in a light weight of 1.5 kg (3 lb), which makes the Netra very portable. A backpack case allows operators to carry the system to field locations to serve as the base station. It also contains the power supply, military-grade controller, hand-held operator console and the communication systems.

US defence giant Lockheed Martin  unveiled the F-21 multi-role fighter jet at Asia’s biggest air show Aero India-2019, which will be manufactured locally under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship programme ‘Make in India’.

The company, which had earlier offered its F-16 fighter, has claimed that the F-21 fighter jet is specifically configured for the Indian Air Force and will strengthen India’s path to an advanced airpower future.

The US defence firm will build the plane in collaboration with Tata Advanced Systems.

LCA Tejas is lightweight single-seat multi-role jet fighter powered by a single engine. It has tailless and compound delta wing design made entirely of composite structures. It is pegged as the world’s smallest and lightest supersonic fighter aircraft in its class.

LCA Tejas is first advanced fly-by-wire Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) designed, developed and manufactured indigenously by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL) and Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) as part of LCA programme.

LCA Tejas is equipped with the quadruplex digital fly-by-wire flight control system to ease handling by the pilot. It also has a digital computer-based attack system and autopilot mode. It is also equipped with the satellite-aided Inertial Navigation System.

It has a limited reach of little over 400-km and will be mainly used for close air-to-ground operations (unlike Russian-origin Sukhoi-30MKIs or Rafale which have deep strike capability into enemy territory due to their long range).

It can fire air-to-air missiles, carry bombs and precision guided ammunition. DRDO has successfully tested fired Tejas with different kinds of weaponry and missiles including R-73 air-to-air missile, bomb dropping (including laser-guided bombs). DRDO also plans test firing of indigenous Astra missile from Tejas.

The Dhanush is a 155 mm towed howitzer used by the Indian Army. The design is based on the Bofors Haubits FH77 which India acquired in the 1980s. The gun completed development trials in 2018 and was approved for series production in 2019. Indian Army has ordered 114 guns and the total order size could increase to 414 guns.

Described as a product of joint efforts of the OFB and the Indian Army, this is the first ever indigenous 155 mm x 45 calibre long-range artillery gun.

The gun is equipped with inertial navigation-based sighting system, auto-laying facility, on-board ballistic computation and an advanced day and night direct firing system. The self-propulsion unit allows the gun to negotiate and deploy itself in mountainous terrains with ease.

‘Dhanush’ has also been electronically upgraded to enhance firing accuracies, laying speeds of the existing gun and to provide compatibility with various kinds of ammunition as well.

Innovations for Defence Excellence  (iDEX) Scheme

The incubator will be funded through the Ministry’s Innovation for Defence Exellence (iDEX) scheme. Under the scheme research in the fields of Aerospace & Defence by MSMEs, start-ups, research institutions, educational institutions are to be funded.

The iDEX will be funded and managed by a Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO). Initially, a corpus of ₹100 crore has been created by two PSUs–HAL and BEL, each contributing ₹50 crore. More defence PSUs will join in with financial contributions when required. Similarly, the Ministry of Defence also will extend funds when necessary.

Chinook Helicopters

Chinook is a multi-role, vertical-lift platform, which is used for transporting troops, artillery, equipment and fuel. Chinook would be deployed for humanitarian and disaster relief operations and in missions such as transportation of relief supplies and mass evacuation of refugees.

The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engined, tandem rotor, heavy-lift helicopter developed by American rotorcraft company Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Vertol (later known as Boeing Rotorcraft Systems). The CH-47 is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters. Its name, Chinook, is from the Native American Chinook people of modern-day Washington state.

The US has agreed to sell two state-of-the-art missile defence systems to Air India One for an estimated cost of $190 million, a move that will enhance the security of planes flying the prime minister and the president.

The Trump administrations approved purchase of the two systems known as Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCAM) and Self-Protection Suites (SPS) for an estimated cost of $190 million.

The purpose of the LAIRCM programme is to protect large aircraft from man-portable missiles. Once installed, the LAIRCAM system increases crew-warning time, decreases false alarm rates and automatically counters advanced intermediate range missile systems

The missile warning subsystem will use multiple sensors to provide full spatial coverage.

The counter-measures subsystem will use lasers mounted in pointer-tracker turret assemblies. It also automatically counters advanced intermediate range missile systems with no action required by the crew.

The pilot will simply be informed that a threat missile was detected and jammed.

Observing that it will improve India’s capability to deter regional threats, the Congressional.

An anti-tank missile, anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), anti-armour guided missile or anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) is a missile that is created to destroy vehicles that are heavily armoured.

India has approved and order of 5,000 Milan 2T anti-tank guided missiles from France. While the Indian Army needs 70,000 different types of anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) and 850 different launchers, the approval is for the purchase of 5,000 Milan 2T anti-tank guided missiles.

What is MILAN Anti-Tank Missile System:

– MILAN is a portable medium-range, anti-tank weapon manufactured by Euromissile, based in Fontenay-aux-Roses in France.

– The munitions consist of the missile in a waterproof launch tube.

– MILAN 2 has a single shaped charge warhead for use against very thick and composite armour.

– MILAN 2T and MILAN 3 missiles are armed with a tandem charge for use against reactive armour.

The Indian Coast Guard has conducted the Regional Level Marine Oil Pollution Response Exercise titled ‘Clean Sea – 2018’ at sea off Port Blair.

Coast Guard ships Viswasth, Vijith, Rajveer, Rajshri, 4 interceptor boats, and its air assets Dornier and Chetak helicopters participated in the exercise.

The Indian Navy inducted its first ‘Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle’ into service. With the DSRV’s induction, the Indian Navy has joined the select league of world navies that have an integral submarine rescue capability.

The inducted submarine — a third generation product of Scotland-based JFD, a part of James Fisher and Sons Plc — has the latest technology and capability.

The vehicle is currently deployed on mother ship INS Sabarmati, provided by the Shipping Corporation of India, which will be placed in Mumbai.

JFD has won the contract of 193 million pounds for the supply and 25 years of maintenance of the two DSRVs.

More than 80 naval personnel have undergone training on DSRV operations and its exercises will continue in future as well.

The vehicle can rescue as many as 14 people in one dive.

During the trials, the DSRV carried out underwater mating with a bottomed submarine, at a depth of over 300 feet. On successful mating, the DSRV opened its hatches and the submarine hatches and carried out transfer of personnel from the submarine to the DSRV.

During the trials, the DSRV also dived successfully up to 666 metres, which is a record for deepest submergence by a ‘manned vessel’ in Indian waters.

The DSRV crew carried out remotely operated vehicle operations at a depth of over 750 metres and side scan sonar operations at a depth of over 650 metres, which are all ‘firsts’ for the Indian Navy.

Some DSRV vessels are air transportable in very large military cargo. DSRVs can also be deployed for various other missions including to lay cables on the sea bed.

Indian Air Force (IAF) has launched ‘MedWatch’ mobile health app to provide health information to users, including first-aid and other health and nutritional topics. It was launched on 8 October on the occasion of IAF’s 85th anniversary. It is first of its kind mobile health app built by any of the three armed forces.

The app was conceived by doctors of IAF and developed in-house by Directorate of Information Technology (DIT) with Zero financial outlay.

It will provide correct, scientific and authentic health information to air warriors and all citizens of India.

It comprises host of features like information on basic First Aid, health topics and nutritional facts, reminders for timely medical review, vaccination and utility tools like Health Record Card, BMI calculator, helpline numbers and web links.

Astra is an all weather beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, India. It is the first air-to-air missile developed by India. It features mid-course inertial guidance with terminal active radar homing. Astra is designed to be capable of engaging targets at varying range and altitudes allowing for engagement of both short-range targets at a distance of 20 km (12 mi) and long-range targets up to a distance of 80 km (50 mi). Astra has been integrated with Indian Air Force’s Sukhoi Su-30MKI and will be integrated with Dassault Mirage 2000 and Mikoyan MiG-29 in the future.

Astra is equipped with electronic counter-countermeasures to allow operation even during enemy attempts to jam the seeker using electronic countermeasures. It carries a 15 kg (33 lb) high explosive pre-fragmented warhead activated by a proximity fuse. Astra uses a smokeless solid fuelled motor that can propel the missile to a speed of Mach 4.5 and allows operation from a maximum altitude of 20 km (66,000 ft). The maximum range of Astra is 110 km (68 mi) in head-on chase mode and 20 km (12 mi) in tail chase mode. The maximum range is achieved when the missile launched from an altitude of 15 km (49,000 ft). When it is fired from an altitude of 8 km (26,000 ft), the range drops to 44 km (27 mi) and when it is launched from sea level, the range drops further to 21 km (13 mi). Astra’s low aspect ratio wings allow it to engage manoeuvring targets up to a range of 80 km (50 mi) in head-on chase mode and 20 km (12 mi) in tail chase mode. It can be launched in both autonomous and buddy mode operation and can lock on to its target before or after it is launched.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Parakram Parv exhibition at the military station, Jodhpur, on 28th September, to mark the second anniversary of the surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army.

The day is also called Surgical Strike day.

Currency war, also known as competitive devaluations, is a condition in international affairs where countries seek to gain a trade advantage over other countries by causing the exchange rate of their currency to fall in relation to other currencies.

In the current era of floating exchange rates, where currency values are determined by market forces, currency depreciation is usually engineered by a nation’s central bank through economic policies that may force the currency lower, such as reducing interest rates or increasingly, “quantitative easing (QE).”

European Stability Mechanism (ESM)

• It is an intergovernmental organization located in Luxembourg City, which operates under public international law for all Eurozone Member States having ratified a special ESM intergovernmental treaty.
• ESM’s mission is to provide financial assistance to euro area countries when needed.
• The European Stability Mechanism (ESM) is part of the EU strategy designed to safeguard financial stability in the euro area.
• Like its predecessor, the temporary European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), the ESM provides financial assistance to euro area countries experiencing or threatened by financing difficulties.
• It was established on 27 September 2012 as a permanent firewall for the Eurozone, to safeguard and provide instant access to financial assistance programmes for member states of the Eurozone in financial difficulty, with a maximum lending capacity of €500 billion.

DO YOU KNOW?

• It replaces two earlier temporary EU funding programmes: the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) and the European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism (EFSM).
• All new bailouts for any Eurozone member state will now be covered by ESM, while the EFSF and EFSM will continue to handle money transfers and programme monitoring for the previously approved bailout loans to Ireland, Portugal and Greece.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/greece-emerges-from-eurozone-bailout/article24739194.ece

What happens when the rupee falls?

• Country’s imports become more expensive and exports cheaper. It takes more rupees to pay for the same quantum of imports and fewer dollars for a buyer to pay for the same quantity of exports.
• More expensive imports are likely to drive inflation upward, especially in India where input products constitute a large part of our imports. It impacts the oil import bill since it costs more rupees per barrel of oil, which plays its own part in pushing inflation up.
• GDP growth – On the one hand, costlier inputs and the subsequent increase in the prices of finished goods should have a positive impact on GDP. But the consequent decrease in demand due to higher prices could nullify this. ‘Household consumption of goods and services’ plays a big role here.
• Domestic tourism could grow as more tourists visit India since their currency now buys more here. In the medium term, export-oriented industries may also create more jobs.

Financial Stability Board (FSB)

• In the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, the Group of Twenty (G-20) finance ministers and central bank governors came together to establish the Financial Stability Board (FSB) in April 2009.
• It is an international body that monitors and makes recommendations about the global financial system.
• It was created to strengthen and coordinate international standards among national financial authorities and international standard-setting bodies as a way to foster the implementation of more effective financial sector policies for increased global financial stability.
• The FSB, which comprises 24 member countries, the European Commission and numerous international bodies, is an outgrowth of the Financial Stability Forum (FSF) founded in 1999 by the member countries of the Group of Seven (G-7).
• It is hosted and funded by the Bank for International Settlements; the board is based in Basel, Switzerland.

National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) is set up for effective implementation of relief measures in the wake of a natural calamity. It is chaired by the Cabinet secretary.

Source: http://www.pib.nic.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1543164

This enzyme has been in news for quite some time because: Cancer, aging-related diseases and other illnesses are closely tied to an important enzyme called “telomerase.”

Telomerase’s main job is to maintain the DNA in telomeres, the structures at the ends of human chromosomes. When telomerase is not active, each time the cells divide, the telomeres get shorter. When that happens, the telomeres eventually become so short that the cells stop dividing or die.

Claude Batley was an English architect who as practitioner, teacher and President of the Indian Institute of Architects from 1921 to 1923, played an influential role in development of modern architecture in India in the first half of the 20th Century.

He became a visiting professor in the J. J. School of Art in the year 1914, and its principal in the year 1923. He held this post for a period of 20 years, during which he took his students on trips all over the country making measure drawings of buildings of architectural significance. He spent a lot of time in research and documented Jaipur’s architecture. He was the president of the “Bombay Architectural Association” (now merged into The Indian Institute of Architects) from 1925 to 1926.

He died in the mid-1950s in one of the buildings he had designed—the Bombay Club.

Among his works are

• the Bombay Gymkhana (1917);
• Lincoln House (1933), previously Wankaner House, Breach Candy;
• Bombay Central Station (1930);
• South Court (1936),
• residence of Mohamed Ali Jinnah;
• Round Building (1937),
• Cusrow Baug in Colaba Causeway (1937–59)
• The Seth Nusserwanji Hirji Karani Agiary (1938),
• Bombay Club (1939)
• Lalbhai House (1942) and
• Breach Candy Hospital (1950)

Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/science/honeybees-understand-abstract-concept-of-zero-study/articleshow/64501667.cms

Source: https://www.bicycling.com/news/a24108977/new-technique-detects-self-blood-doping/