Current Affairs 27-FEB-2024 (The Hindu)

Garbhini-GA2

C => (Pg-12)

Garbhini-GA2

• Estimation of fetus's age much more precisely in 4 to 9 months.
• Reduces error by 3 times compared to the Western formula.
• Important to give pregnant women right care and to plan delivery date.
• Garbhini-GA2 formula will help Indian doctors estimate age better.

How it is created

• GARBH-Ini: data from large study of pregnant women at hospitals across North India.
• Over 2000 women participated.
• 80% of the GARBH-Ini data was used to train the Garbhini-GA2 model.

Significance

• Western models like Hadlock and INTERGROWTH are used till now.
• Indian and Western babies grow differently during pregnancy. So, these models give inaccurate results for Indian women.
• Garbhini-GA2 is specifically for Indian babies based on their ultrasound measurements.

Practice Question – Prelims

What is the primary objective of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program?

(a) Providing quality education to children

(b) Ensuring proper healthcare for pregnant women

(c) Promoting the welfare of children under age of 6

(d) Offering vocational classes to Children

Biotechnology and Agriculture

C => (Pg-10)

Practice Question – Mains GS – III

What are the research and developmental achievements in applied biotechnology? How will these achievements help to improve the living standards of farmers? (250 words, 15 marks)

Biotechnology and Agriculture

Introduction

• Biotechnology and Agriculture - Integration of biology with technology, transforming traditional farming to enhanced productivity.
• Green Revolution: Introduction of high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilizers, and irrigation.

Body Part 1: Achievements in Applied Biotechnology

• GM Crops: Development of pest-resistant, nutritionally enhanced crops (e.g., Bt Cotton, GM Soybean); increased productivity and reduced chemical pesticide use.
• Medical Biotechnology: Creation of novel drugs, vaccines (e.g., COVID-19 mRNA vaccines), and diagnostic tools; recombinant DNA medicines like insulin.
• Biopharmaceuticals: Advanced treatments for diseases through recombinant DNA technology; production of proteins and antibodies for cancer, autoimmune diseases.
• Environmental Biotechnology: Bioremediation using microorganisms to detoxify environments; development of biofuels from waste materials for sustainability.
• Industrial Biotechnology: Biological enzymes in manufacturing (detergents, textiles, paper); production of biodegradable plastics and biofuels.

Body Part 2: Improving Farmers' Livelihoods

• Disease and Pest Resistance: Biotechnological development of resistant crop varieties (e.g., Bt cotton) secures yields and improves returns.
• Biofortification: Enhancing nutritional value of crops (e.g., Golden Rice with Vitamin A); addressing malnutrition in rural areas.
• Soil and Water Improvement: Microbial formulations for better soil fertility and water retention; reducing synthetic fertilizer need and improving yields.
• Biopesticides: Environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides; reducing health hazards and preserving ecosystem balance.
• Livestock Health and Productivity: Vaccines against animal diseases (e.g., Lumpi-Provac for Lumpy skin disease); genetic improvements for better yield and disease resistance in livestock.

Conclusion

• Transformative Potential of Biotechnology:
• Promises a significant improvement in agricultural productivity, sustainability, and resilience, enhancing the living standards of farmers in India.

Quantum Computing

C => (Pg-22)

Quantum Computing

Introduction

• Development of computer technologies centered around the principles of quantum theory.
• Quantum theory: Nature and behavior of energy and matter on the quantum level, at atomic and subatomic levels.
• Quantum computing uses subatomic particles such as electrons or photons to perform operations.
• Qubits: Combination of bits to perform specific computational tasks, operating at higher efficiency than classical counterparts.
• Processing power: Ability for bits to be in multiple states simultaneously.
• Tasks performed using a combination of 1’s, 0’s, and both 1 and 0 simultaneously.

Technology of Quantum Computers

• Superposition: Sub-atomic particles like protons or electrons exhibit this property, where particles can exist at multiple locations simultaneously.
• Entanglement: Ability of a particle to instantaneously influence the behavior of another particle with which it had an earlier interaction, even when separated by great distances.

Applications

• Increasingly adopted due to their relatively smaller size compared to conventional computers.
• Do not rely on transistors like traditional machines.
• Consume comparatively less power.

Practice Question – Prelims

Consider the following statements with reference to Quantum computing.

1. Quantum computing uses a combination of 1’s bits only.

2. National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Application is implemented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2