UPSC Quiz – 2024 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 8th August 2024

·       While some types of sweeteners in this category are considered low-calorie (e.g., aspartame) and others are no-calorie (e.g., sucralose, monk fruit sweeteners, and stevia sweeteners). Collectively, they are often referred to as sugar substitutes, high-intensity sweeteners, nonnutritive sweeteners, or low-calorie sweeteners.

·       Like other no-calorie sweeteners, sucralose is intensely sweet. It is about 600 times sweeter than sugar.

·       It can be used as an ingredient in any type of food or beverage.

·       Sucralose is exceptionally stable, so foods and beverages sweetened with sucralose stay sweet under a wide range of conditions.

·       Sucralose is made from a process that begins with regular table sugar (sucrose); however, sucralose is not sugar.

·       Three select hydroxyl groups on the sucrose molecule are replaced with three chlorine atoms.

·       Sucralose’s structure prevents enzymes in the digestive tract from breaking it down, which is an inherent part of its safety.

After Consumption:

·       Most (about 85 percent) of consumed sucralose is not absorbed by the body and is excreted, unchanged, in the feces.

·       Of the small amount that is absorbed (about 15 percent), none is broken downfor energy—therefore, sucralose does not provide any calories.

·       All absorbed sucralose is excreted quickly in the urine.

·       QCI Surajya Recognition & Ranking Framework is an initiative aimed at driving excellence and improving the quality of life across India.

This new framework focuses on 4 pillars:

·       Shiksha (Education)

·       Swasthya (Health)

·       Samriddhi (Prosperity)

·       Sushasan (Governance)

·       The Surajya Recognition will celebrate exceptional performance and dedication to quality within these crucial sectors.

·       The framework’s August 2024 rankings highlight achievements in Shiksha, Swasthya, and Samriddhi, with Sushasan set to be featured in future editions.

·       In the Shiksha category, Uttar Pradesh tops the list with the highest number of accreditations, assessments, and ratings, followed closely by Delhi, which also performs strongly.

·       For Swasthya, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Mizoram, and Manipur have achieved full certification under the Ayushman Arogya Yojana (NABH).

·       Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra lead in the Medical Entry Level Testing Labs (MELT) rankings (NABL), while Chandigarh and Jammu & Kashmir show notable performance in Ayushman Arogya Yojana certification.

·       Delhi excels in MELT rankings, followed by Jammu & Kashmir.

·       In the Samriddhi category, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Rajasthan stand out with the highest number of ZED certifications, particularly in the Micro category.

·       Jammu & Kashmir and Delhi also achieve significant ZED certifications.

·       Maharashtra and Bihar lead in the MSME Competitive LEAN Scheme.

·       This initiative combines monthly and cumulative evaluations to ensure a thorough and balanced assessment.

·       By recognizing and rewarding states and organizations for their quality and innovation, the framework supports India’s journey towards becoming a developed and quality-driven nation.

·       SSST is backed by the Shanghai municipal government.

·       It aids to provide internet communication similar to the SpaceX’s Starlink network.

·       Shanghai Space-com Satellite Technology (SSST) raised 6.7 billion yuan ($933 million) in a Series A funding round.

·       This is a significant amount for a single funding round, indicating strong investor interest.

·       The investment is aimed at constructing a low-orbit satellite constellation.

·       This effort is part of China’s race to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink in providing satellite-based internet services.

·       The project is expected to be part of Shanghai government’s “G60” satellite constellation plan.

Broader Industry Impact:

·       This investment is expected to boost demand for satellites and rocket launches in China’s commercial space industry.

Course:

·       It originates in the Amarkantak highlands in Madhya Pradesh, in the east direction of the origin of the Narmada River.

·       It then flows in the north-northwest direction through Madhya Pradesh before turning in the east direction where it meets the Kaimur range.

·       The river starts flowing in the parallel direction of the Kaimur range in the east-northeast direction through Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and joins the Ganga River just above Patna, the capital of Bihar.

·       Total Length: 784 km

·       It is a wide and shallow river and forms pools of water in the remaining parts of the river.

·       The floodplain of the river is narrow and is only, 3 to 5 kilometers wide.

·       The river’s flow is seasonal, and the Sone is unimportant for navigation.

·       The Sone valley is geologically almost a continuation of that of the Narmada River to the southwest. It is largely forested and sparsely populated.

·       The valley is bordered by the Kaimur Range to the north and the Chota Nagpur plateau to the south.

·       Tributaries: The main tributaries of the Sone River are the Rihand River and the Koel River. The other tributaries are the Gopad River and the Kanhar River.

·       Dehri is the major town situated on the Sone River.

·       Yamuna is the largest right bank tributary of Ganga.

·       Major dams built across the Son river are the Bansagar dam and Indrapuri barrage. Khajuraho, Umaria, and Dindori are the cities in Madhya Pradesh.

·       It is an infectious, non-contagious, vector-borne viral disease that affects wild and domestic ruminants such as sheep, goats, cattle, buffaloes, deer, most species of African antelope, and camels.

Transmission:

·       The bluetongue virus is transmitted by biting midges (Culicoides spp.).

·       It is not transmitted through contact with animals or wool, or through consumption of milk.

·       Infections range from mild to severe, depending on the species affected.

·       Most infections in cattle are asymptomatic.

·       Sheep are most likely to show symptoms.

·       In infected sheep, bluetongue damages the blood vessels, resulting in hemorrhage (internal bleeding), lack of oxygen in the blood, and necrosis (death) of affected tissues.

·       Infections are more obvious in young lambs, and the mortality rate can be high (up to 30 percent).

·       Vaccination is used as the most effective and practical measure to minimize losses related to the disease and to potentially interrupt the cycle from infected animal to vector along within sect control measures.