DAY – 12 (InstaTest-12): Insta 75 Days Revision Plan-2022: Topic – Science & Technology, Subject-wise Test 27, Textbook based Test 7,8,9 (Revision) and September 2021 CA

Solution: D

Bio pesticides are made of living things, come from living things, or they are found in nature. They tend to pose fewer risks than conventional chemicals. Very small quantities can be effective and they tend to break down more quickly, which means less pollution.

Types of bio pesticides:

• Microbes – These are tiny organisms like bacteria and fungi. They tend to be more targeted in their activity than conventional chemicals. For example, a certain fungus might control certain weeds, and another fungus might control certain insects. The most common microbial bio pesticide is Bacillus thuringiensis. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Substances Found in Nature – These include plant materials like corn gluten, garlic oil, and black pepper. These also some include insect hormones that regulate mating, molting, and food-finding behaviors. They tend to control pests without killing them.
• Plant-Incorporated Protectants (PIPs) – These are the genes and proteins, which are introduced into plants by genetic engineering. They allow the genetically modified plant to protect itself from pests, like certain insects or viruses.
• Biopesticides are usually inherently less toxic than conventional pesticides. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• Biopesticides generally affect only the target pest and closely related organisms, in contrast to broad spectrum, conventional pesticides that may affect organisms as different as birds, insects and mammals. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Solution: C

Both statements given above are correct.

Retrovirus is a type of virus that uses RNA as its genetic material. After infecting a cell, a retrovirus uses an enzyme called reverse transcriptase to convert its RNA into DNA. The retrovirus then integrates its viral DNA into the DNA of the host cell, which allows the retrovirus to replicate. HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is a retrovirus.

Antiretroviral drugs are medications for the treatment of infection by retroviruses, primarily HIV.

Different classes of antiretroviral drugs act at different stages of the HIV life cycle.

Combination of several (typically three or four) antiretroviral drugs is known as Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART).

https://aidsinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv-aids/glossary/634/retrovirus

Solution: A

Rabies is a zoonotic disease (a disease that is transmitted from animals to humans), caused by the rabies virus, of the Lyssavirus genus, within the family Rhabdoviridae. Domestic dogs are the most common reservoir of the virus, with more than 99% of human deaths caused by dog-mediated rabies. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

Rabies is a 100% vaccine-preventable disease. Countries embarking on rabies elimination programmes have successfully experienced marked reductions, often progressing to the elimination of rabies. Elimination programs often revolve around mass dog vaccination campaigns, where at least 70% of the dog population should be covered in order to break the cycle of transmission in dogs, and to humans. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.

With the exception of Antarctica, rabies is endemic on all continents. Of the tens of thousands of deaths occurring annually due to rabies, 95% of cases are reported in Asia and Africa. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

https://www.who.int/rabies/about/en/

Solution: C

Total number of plant species (including virus, bacteria, algae, fungi and lichens) and their status in World and India

Solution: D

All the statements given above are correct.

Pneumonia is a form of acute respiratory infection that affects the lungs.

Pneumonia is caused by a number of infectious agents, including viruses, bacteria and fungi.

Pneumonia may spread through blood, especially during and shortly after birth. They may also spread via air-borne droplets from a cough or sneeze. These infections are generally spread by direct contact with infected people.

Solution: C

Pangolins could be responsible for the spread of the deadly coronavirus in China, scientists have said after they found the genome sequence separated from the endangered mammals 99 per cent identical to that from infected people.

It is the only scaly mammal on the planet. Hence, statement 1 is correct

According to Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), it is also the most illegally traded vertebrate within its class (Mammalia). Hence, statement 2 is correct

Chinese pangolin has been listed as “critically endangered” by UN affiliated International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List. Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) has been listed as “endangered” in IUCN Red List. It is also a Schedule I category protected animal, under the Wildlife Protection Act (1972).  Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.

Solution: C

Classical swine fever (CSF), also known as hog cholera, is a contagious viral disease of domestic and wild swine. It is caused by a virus of the genus Pestivirus of the family Flaviviridae, which is closely related to the viruses that cause bovine viral diarrhoea in cattle and border disease in sheep.

Transmission and spread

The most common method of transmission is through direct contact between healthy swine and those infected with CSF virus. The virus is shed in saliva, nasal secretions, urine, and feces. Contact with contaminated vehicles, pens, feed, or clothing may spread the disease. Animals that are chronic carriers of the disease (persistently infected) may show no clinical signs of illness but may shed the virus in their feces. Offspring of infected sows can become infected in the uterus, and can shed the virus for months.

CSF virus can survive in pork and processed pork products for months when meat is refrigerated and for years when it is frozen. Pigs can become infected by eating CSF-infected pork meat or products.

It has been proven that in parts of Europe, the wild boar population may play a role in the epidemiology of the disease.

The disease has been spread through legal and illegal transport of animals, and by feeding swill containing infective tissues to pigs.

Solution: C

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of communicable diseases that prevail in tropical and subtropical conditions in 149 countries. Hence Statement 1 is correct.

They are caused by a variety of pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, protozoa and helminthes.

NTDs are considered diseases of poverty and are often left out of the global health conversation.

Populations living in poverty, without adequate sanitation and in close contact with infectious vectors and domestic animals and livestock are those worst affected.

They blind, disfigure, and debilitate people in the poorest regions of the world.

According to the WHO, 20 health conditions are categorized as Neglected tropical diseases. Hence Statement 2 is incorrect.

• Buruli ulcer
• Chagas disease
• Dengue and Chikungunya. Hence Statement 3 is correct.
• Dracunculiasis (guinea-worm disease)
• Echinococcosis
• Foodborne trematodiases
• Human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)
• Leishmaniasis
• Leprosy(Hansen’s disease)
• Lymphatic filariasis
• Mycetoma, chromoblastomycosis and other deep mycoses
• Onchocerciasis (river blindness)
• Rabies
• Scabies and other ectoparasites
• Schistosomiasis
• Soil-transmitted helminthiases
• Snakebite envenoming
• Taeniasis/Cysticercosis
• Trachoma
• Yaws (Endemic treponematoses)

Solution: D

All the statements given above are correct.

Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. By and large nanotechnology deals with structures in the size range between 1 to 100 nm and involves developing materials or devices within that size.

At the nano-scale the matter presents altered properties which are novel and very different from those observed at macroscopic level.

Nanotechnology has a high potential for achieving sustainable agriculture, especially in developing countries.

Nano-fertilizers will also help in reducing subsidy burden of the Governments.

Solution: D

Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)

President of CSIR is Prime Minister of India.

About:

• It is an autonomous body and the largest research and development (R&D) organisation in India – running 37 laboratories and 39 field stations or extension centres.
• Although it is mainly funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology, it operates as an autonomous body registered under the Registration of Societies Act, 1860.
• The research and development activities of CSIR includes aerospace engineering, Structural engineering, ocean sciences, Life sciences, metallurgy, chemicals, mining, food, petroleum, leather, and environment.

Solution: c)

Justification: According to a research, By 2025, companies will generate and process more than 75% of their data outside of traditional centralised data centres — that is, at the “edge” of the cloud.

As the use of Internet of Things (IoT) devices expands and the need to process IoT data quickly increases, many IT leaders are considering or beginning to employ edge computing options.

What is edge computing?

Edge computing enables data to be analysed, processed, and transferred at the edge of a network. Meaning , the data is analysed locally, closer to where it is stored, in real-time without latency, rather than send it far away to a centralised data centre.

It allows for quicker data processing and content delivery.

How is edge computing different from cloud computing?

The basic difference between edge computing and cloud computing lies in where the data processing takes place.

Internet of Things (IoT) systems perform all of their computations in the cloud using data centres.

In Edge computing, massive amounts of data generated by IoT devices are stored and processed locally. That data doesn’t need to be sent over a network as soon as it processed; only important data is sent — therefore, an edge computing network reduces the amount of data that travels over the network.

Challenges:

According to experts, edge computing introduces several new security risks.

One of the most prominent concerns is the physical security of the devices, which are more vulnerable to malicious attacks and mishaps of all kinds than typical office equipment and technology safely held within corporate walls.

Q Source: New ideas in IT

Solution: c)

Justification:  Nanobiotechnology for Agriculture: Nanotechnology has huge potential in agricultutral practices which is not yet exploited. Major areas identified in agriculture sector includes Food preservation and toxicity, Nanopesticides Nanofertilizers, nano-biostimulant along with soil enhancers through nano-enabled technologies and abiotic stress management. Department is also engaged in providing continuous support for development of nanobiotechnology based solutions for Crop improvements, Energy in agriculture, diagnostics and sensing.

Leaning: Nanobiotechnology for Healthcare: The nanotechnology intervention has a promising role and potential to innovate new generation of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities for important diseases. DBT is supporting the nanobiotechnology research in the area of infectious & noninfectious diseases. Recently, department has announced a R & D proposals Call for R &D Proposals on “Nanotechnology interventions in Dentistry and Bone diseases” intended to provide solutions in the pertaining to oral health and dentistry, which include Dental diagnostics, Prosthodontics, Endodontics, Conservative and aesthetic dentistry, Periodontics in the field of Dentistry & Infective, metabolic and neoplastic involvement of bone as well as bone tissue engineering in the field of Orthopedics/bone disease.

Apart from the above department is also supporting the potential projects in the field of nanotechnology in allied/related disciplines.

Q Source: DBT website

Solution: d)

Justification: Remote Sensing: It is the science of obtaining information about objects or areas from a distance, typically from aircraft or satellites. It collects data by detecting the reflected energy from the Earth. It has wide range of application such as monitoring of ocean circulation and current systems; measuring the temperature and wave height of ocean; track hurricanes, earthquakes, erosion, and flooding; monitor land use, map wetlands, and chart wildlife habitats. Hyperspectral imaging, sonar, and seismograms are common application of the remote sensing.

Learning: Geoinformatics is that branch of science which uses the infrastructure of science to address the problems of geography, cartography, geosciences and related branches of science and engineering. It collects and organise the data and then analyse it through computation and geo-visualization.

The term ‘Geoinformatics’ is a combination of two words- Geology or Geography and Informatics. The realm of Geoinformatics is very broad because it comprises of subjects like Remote sensing, GPS, GIS, cartography, hydrology, climatology, Aerial photography, photogrammetry etc.

Q Source: Important technologies

Solution: c)

Justification:  NIXI is a not for profit organization set up under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 (now Section 8 under Companies Act, 2013).

NIXI was set up for peering of ISPs among themselves for the purpose of routing the domestic traffic within the country, instead of taking it all the way to US/Abroad, thereby resulting in better quality of service (reduced latency) and reduced bandwidth charges for ISPs by saving on International Bandwidth. NIXI is managed and operated on a Neutral basis, in line with the best practices for such initiatives globally.

NIXI is performing the following three activities: (i) internet exchanges; (ii) IN registry and internationalized domain names (IDNs); (iii) National Internet Registry (NIR).

Indian Registry for Internet Names and Numbers (IRINN) in India provides allocation and registration services of IP addresses and AS numbers and contributes to the society by providing Internet-related information as a non-profit, affiliation-based organisation, and performing research, education and enlightenment activities.

Q Source: Insights modules

Solution: c)

Learning: Nanopharmaceuticals are a relatively new class of therapeutic-containing nanomaterials that often have unique nanoproperties (physiochemical properties) due to their small size (compared with their bulk-phase counterparts) a high surface-to-volume ratio and the possibility of modulating their properties.

Nanopharmaceuticals present novel reformulation opportunities for active agents (e.g., single molecule drugs, proteins, nucleic acids, etc.) that were previously insoluble or could not be targeted to a specific site of the body where they were needed.

Nanopharmaceuticals can also increase drug half-life by reducing immunogenicity and diminishing drug metabolism. Immunogenicity is the ability of a particular substance, such as an antigen or epitope, to provoke an immune response in the body of a human and other animal. In other words, immunogenicity is the ability to induce a humoral and/or cell-mediated immune responses.

With these advantages, nanopharmaceuticals have the ability to extend the economic life of proprietary drugs, thereby creating additional revenue streams.

Nanocarrier based targeted drug delivery is an emerging field with introduction of nanopharmaceuticals in the market. These nanoformulations have higher efficacy, lower toxicity and are safer than the conventional drugs.

Therefore, to provide transparent, consistent and predictable regulatory pathways for nanopharmaceuticals in India these guidelines were necessary.

Q Source: As mentioned above

Solution: B

The Senkaku Islands are a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea, administered by Japan. They are located northeast of Taiwan, east of China, west of Okinawa Island, and north of the southwestern end of the Ryukyu Islands.

Solution: B

They can be used as collateral for loans from banks, financial Institutions and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs).

The loan-to-value ratio will be the same as applicable to ordinary gold loans prescribed by RBI from time to time.

Solution: C

Recently, The Office of the United States Trade Representative(USTR) released its annual Special 301 Report. It provides the outcome of an annual review of the global state of IPR protection and enforcement. The review reflects to encourage and maintain enabling environments for innovation, including effective IPR protection and enforcement

It identifies the trading partners that do not adequately or effectively protect and enforce intellectual property (IP) rights. It aims to improve the environment for authors, brand owners, and inventors around the world. For countries that fail to address U.S. concerns, USTR takes appropriate actions against them which may include enforcement actions under Section 301 of the Trade Act.

Solution: B

Black Fungus (also called Mucormycosis) is a rare and fatal fungal infection caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes.It often affects the sinuses, lungs, skin, and brain

These molds live throughout the environment and are transmitted through inhalation, inoculation or ingestion of spores from the environment. It does not spread between people or between people and animals so it is not zoonotic.

Solution: A

It is classified as Vulnerable by IUCN.

The name for this sea turtle is tied to the color of its shell—an olive green hue. They are currently the most abundant of all sea turtles. Their vulnerable status comes from the fact that they nest in a very small number of places, and therefore any disturbance to even one nest beach could have huge repercussions on the entire population

Answer D

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which oversees the digital payments ecosystem in India, has launched e-RUPI, a voucher-based payments system to promote cashless transactions.

NPCI has partnered with 11 banks for e-RUPI transactions.  They are Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Indian Bank, IndusInd Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India and Union Bank of India.

It is a cashless and contactless digital payment system to ensure seamless benefit transfer to citizens in a ‘leak-proof’ manner.

These e-RUPI vouchers are person-specific and purpose-specific which means that they can be redeemed only for the intended purpose, for example, if they are for vaccination purposes, they can only be redeemed at vaccination centres or hospitals, etc. for the prescribed purpose.

Answer D

Answer C

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is set to launch UPI Lite, which would enable small value transactions in an offline mode. The upper limit of an UPI Lite payment transaction will be Rs 200. The total limit of UPI Lite balance for an on-device wallet will be Rs 2,000 at any point of time

What is UPI123Pay?

UPI ‘123PAY’ is a three-step method to initiate and execute services for users which will work on simple phones.

It will allow customers to use feature phones for almost all transactions except scan and pay.

It doesn’t need an internet connection for transactions. Customers have to link their bank account with feature phones to use this facility.

ANS A

What is the Par-Tapi-Narmada link project? The Par-Tapi-Narmada river-link project envisages transferring ‘surplus’ water from the Western Ghats in Maharashtra to the semi-arid regions of Saurashtra and Kutch in Gujarat for “irrigation, hydropower and water supply benefits

Answer C

The Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) was set up in 2014-15 under the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) to help regulate the price volatility of important agri-horticultural commodities like onion, potatoes and pulses were also added subsequently. The PSF scheme was transferred from DAC&FW to the Department of Consumer Affairs (DOCA) w.e.f. 1st April, 2016.

• The scheme provides for maintaining a strategic buffer of aforementioned commodities for subsequent calibrated release to moderate price volatility and discourage hoarding and unscrupulous speculation. For building such stock, the scheme promotes direct purchase from farmers/farmers’ association at farm gate/Mandi. 
• The PSF is utilized for granting interest free advance of working capital to Central Agencies, State/UT Governments/Agencies to undertake market intervention operations. 
• Apart from domestic procurement from farmers/wholesale mandis, import may also be undertaken with support from the Fund.

Sol . B

Let efficiency of A be  x days.

Then, efficiency of B = 3x days

Hence, B’s one day’s work= 1/3x

and A’s one day’s work = 1/x

Again, let time taken by B be t days.

Then, time taken by A = (t – 40) days

Now, t/3x = (t-40)

Hence, t = 60 days

So, B complete the work in 60 days and A complete the work in

20 days

If both of them work together, then they will complete the work in n

days (let).

n/60 + n/20 = 1

so, n = 15.

Hence, they will complete the work in 15 days when work together.

Sol. B

Let the total votes be x.

Then, central angle of party A = 360⁰ /x  X 21960 = 135^o

x = 58560

Sol. (d)

Given population of first village = 1525

Let male population in first village is 27x.

And female population in first village  = 34x

Then, 27x + 34x = 1525

61x = 1525 => x = 25

… Male population in first village = 27x

= 27 x 25 = 675

and Female population in first village = 34x

= 34 x 25 = 850

Population of second village = 2600 .Let male population in second village = 6y

and female population in second village = 7y

Then, 6y + 7y = 2600

13y =2600=y=200

Male population in second village = 6y = 1200

and Female population in second village = 7 y = 1400

Now, total number of male in both

villages = 675 + 1200 = 1875

Total number of female in both

villages = 850 + 1400 = 2250

.. Required ratio = 1875: 2250 = 5:6

Sol. (b)

Passage mentions that Article 25 in-builts all people are entitled to Right to firmly practice religion but is subject to public order, morality, etc. Hence, the most logical inference is question of religion freedom is open to state intervention, therefore, option (b) is the most correct choice here.