Biosensing system for the detection of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

Context: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has launched the Technology for Biosensing system for the detection of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in aquatic ecosystems (MEAN).

• The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Kolkata in collaboration with ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore under the ‘National programme on Electronics and ICT applications in Agriculture and Environment (AgriEnIcs)’ has developed the technology.
• The Biosensing based EDC detection system (MEAN), was also transferred to the selected industry Arogyam Medisoft Solution Private Limited for further commercialization of the same technology for deployment at different locations of North-East.

About Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs):

• Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are substances in the environment (air, soil, or water supply), food sources, personal care products, and manufactured products that interfere with the normal function of your body’s endocrine system.
• Since EDCs come from many different sources, people are exposed in several ways, including the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. EDCs also can enter the body through the skin.
• EDCs are chemicals or mixtures of chemicals that interfere with the way the body’s hormones work.
• Some EDCs act like “hormone mimics” and trick our body into thinking that they are hormones, while other EDCs block natural hormones from doing their job.
• Other EDCs can increase or decrease the levels of hormones in our blood by affecting how they are made, broken down, or stored in our body.
• EDCs can disrupt many different hormones, which is why they have been linked to numerous adverse human health outcomes including alterations in sperm quality and fertility, abnormalities in sex organs, endometriosis, altered nervous system function etc.

About Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC):

• The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) is an Indian autonomous scientific society, operating under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for carrying out R and D in IT, Electronics and associated areas.
• The setting up of C-DAC in 1988 itself was to build Supercomputers in the context of denial of import of Supercomputers by the USA.
• Since then C-DAC has been undertaking the building of multiple generations of Supercomputer starting from PARAM with 1 GF in 1988.

Source: PIB

Previous Year Questions

Q.1) Consider the following statements in respect of probiotics :

1. Probiotics are made of both bacteria and yeast.
2. The organisms in probiotics are found in foods we ingest but they do not naturally occur in our gut.
3. Probiotics help in the digestion of milk sugars.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (2022)

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 3
4. 2 and 3

Q.2) In the context of vaccines manufactured to prevent COVID-19 pandemic, consider the following statements:

1. The Serum Institute of India produced COVID-19 vaccine named Covishield using mRNA platform.
2. Sputnik V vaccine is manufactured using vector based platform.
3. COVAXIN is an inactivated pathogen based vaccine.

Which of the statements given above are correct? (2022)

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3