UPSC Quiz – 2024 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 3rd September 2024

·       The government categorises all Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) into three categories, namely Maharatna, Navratna, and Miniratna.

·       The Government had introduced the ‘Navratna’ scheme in 1997.

·       A Public Sector Unit (PSU) should be a Miniratna-I, Schedule ‘A’ company, should have obtained an ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ MoU rating in three of the last five years, and must have a composite score of 60 in six performance indicators.

·       It must report a net profit of more than Rs 5,000 crore for three consecutive years, and maintain an average annual turnover of Rs 25,000 crore for three years, or have an annual average net worth of over Rs 15,000 crore for three years.

·       Financial Independence: They invest up to ₹1,000 crore without seeking approval from the central government.

·       Navratna companies are also allowed to invest up to 15% of their net worth on a single project, or 30% of their net worth in a given year, subject to a cap of ₹1,000 crore.

·       To incur capital expenditure on purchase of new items or for replacement, without any monetary ceiling.

·       To enter into technology joint ventures or strategic alliances.

·       They are three-dimensional networks composed of hydrophobic polymers synthesized by crosslinking water-soluble polymers.

·       They can retain a large quantity of water within their network without disturbing their original structure.

·       This imparts flexibility and swelling properties to the hydrogel structures.

Common examples of hydrogels include:

·       Ointments and lotions – These are used to moisturize the skin.

·       Contact lenses – These are made from soft hydrogels that are comfortable to wear.

·       Diapers – These absorb urine and contain superabsorbent hydrogels.

·       Medical dressings – These can be used to absorb wounds and promote healing.

·       It provides a nonreactive, non-stick and frictionless surface.

·       The non-stick surface makes cooking convenient for people.

·       Teflon cookware can release huge toxic fumes and harmful chemicals into food when cooked at a high temperature.

·       Symptoms – Include chills, cough, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, headache, dizziness, fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, and muscle and joint aches.

·       Impacts – The flu can also affect the patient’s taste buds and cause bad or unpleasant taste.

·       Alternate options – Like mud pots can also be used.

·       Indian Council of Medical Research in their “Dietary Guidelines for Indians”, called mud pots as one of the “safest” cookware.

·       Diagnosis – Is typically based on symptom history and assessment of whether the patient had used Teflon-coated cookware at high temperatures.

·       Most cases are mild and self-limiting, but people with chronic lung conditions should be careful.

·       Sources of Methane – Methane does sometimes come from non-human sources like wetlands.

·       Around 60% of the methane that makes it into the atmosphere comes from human activities.

·       This source of methane is from agriculture like cows’ burps and farts and manure fertilizer and also from decomposing waste in landfills and the energy sector.

·       Most energy consumed by humans comes from burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.

·       Oil and gas are responsible for most energy sector methane emissions.

·       The greenhouse gas pours out when companies produce, transport and store these fossil fuels.

·       Unintentional emission of Methane – It often escapes into the atmosphere when the equipment is rusty or damaged or even has something as simple as a loose screw.

·       Gas flaring is the burning of the natural gas associated with oil extraction.

·       Venting is direct release of small amounts of natural gas into the atmosphere.

·       Venting is only allowed if there is a safety emergency.

·       Venting and Gas flaring are sources of methane emitted unintentionally.

·       Venting is only allowed if there is a safety emergency.

·       Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) – Is the first global satellite detection and notification system providing actionable data on very large methane emissions around the world.

·       It is an initiative of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

·       It is naturally abundant in cells and plays a crucial role in the division of mitochondria into smaller sizes.

·       When Drp1 activity is excessive, it can lead to fragmented mitochondria with impaired function.

·       This fragmentation can contribute to neuronal dysfunction and cell death, which are hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s.

·       Imbalances in mitochondrial dynamics have been linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s.

·       Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects about 1 million Americans and more than 10 million people worldwide.

·       It is the result of dying brain cells that control movement.

·       Certain disease-related factors disrupt the harmony of mitochondrial fusion and division.