[MISSION 2023] RTM(Revision through MCQs)- 24 Apr 2023

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Arctic warming and jet stream migration
• The Arctic is warming three to four times faster than the globe as a whole, meaning there is ever less difference between northern temperatures and those closer to the equator.
• That is resulting in swings in the North Atlantic jet stream, which in turn leads to extreme weather events like heat waves and floods.
• Heat domes
  • Warmer oceans contribute to heat domes, which trap heat over large geographical areas. The heat dome is stretching from the southern plains of the Oklahoma/Arkansas area all the way to the eastern seaboard, according to the U.S. Weather Prediction Center.
  • Scientists have found the main cause of heat domes is a strong change in ocean temperatures from west to east in the tropical Pacific Ocean during the preceding winter.
  • As prevailing winds move the hot air east, the northern shifts of the jet stream trap the air and move it toward land, where it sinks, resulting in heatwaves.
• El Niño and La Niña
  • Every few years, the climate patterns known as El Niño and, less frequently, La Niña occur. El Niño brings warm water from the equatorial Pacific Ocean up to the western coast of North America, and La Niña brings colder water.
  • At present, La Niña is in effect. Because summer temperatures trend lower during La Niña, climate scientists are concerned about what a serious heatwave would look like during the next El Niño, when even hotter summer weather could be expected

Refer:https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/04/24/heat-dome/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Observed on 24th April every Year.
• The first National Panchayati Raj Day was celebrated in 2010.
• It marks a defining moment in the history of decentralisation of power, with the institutionalisation of Panchayati Raj, through the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992which came into force with effect from 24th April 1993.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/04/24/national-panchayati-raj-day/

Ans: (c )

Explanation:

• Context: India has climbed six places in the World Bank’s Logistic Performance Index (LPI) 2023, now ranking 38th out of 139 countries (from 44 in 2018)

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/04/24/world-banks-logistic-performance-index-2023/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• “Biodiversity Heritage Sites” (BHS) are well defined areas that are unique, ecologically fragile ecosystems – terrestrial, coastal and inland waters and, marine having rich biodiversity comprising of any one or more of the following components: richness of wild as well as domesticated species or intra-specific categories, high endemism, presence of rare and threatened species, keystone species, species of evolutionary significance, wild ancestors of domestic/cultivated species or their varieties, past pre-eminence of biological components represented by fossil beds and having significant cultural, ethical or aesthetic values and are important for the maintenance of cultural diversity, with or without a long history of human association with them.
• Under Section 37 of Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (BDA) the State Government in consultation with local bodies may notify in the official gazette, areas of biodiversity importance as Biodiversity Heritage Sites (BHS).
• Once the BHS is notified by the State Government, the NBA may support the initial establishment of BHS financially by allocating adequate funding support as seed money through State Biodiversity Boards (SBB). Simultaneously, the financial requirement of BHS may be included in the annual budget of the local body(ies). The State Government may also allocate adequate seed money to each BHS on its notification through SBB.
• Nallur Tamarind Grove in Bengaluru, Karnataka was the first Biodiversity Heritage Site of India, declared in 2007.
• Ameenpur Lake was the country’s first water body to be designated as a Biodiversity Heritage Site.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/04/24/biodiversity-heritage-sites-bhs/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Section 37 of the Biological Diversity Act:
  • As per this section, the State Governments are empowered to notify in the official gazette, in consultation with ‘local bodies’, areas of biodiversity importance as Biodiversity Heritage Sites.
  • Under sub section (2) of Section 37 of the BD Act, the State Government in consultation with the Central Government may frame rules for the management and conservation of BHS.
• BHS declaration marks the voluntary participation of communities in protection and conservation of biodiversity which helps in expanding the reach of conservation.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/04/24/biodiversity-heritage-sites-bhs/

Ans: (d)

Explanation: Areas having any of the following characteristics, may qualify for inclusion as BHS.

• Areas that contain a mosaic of natural, semi-natural, and manmade habitats, which together contain a significant diversity of life forms.
• Areas that contain significant domesticated biodiversity component and/or representative agro-ecosystems with on-going agricultural practices that sustain this diversity.
• Areas that are significant from a biodiversity point of view as also important cultural spaces such as sacred groves/trees and sites, or other large community conserved areas.
• Areas including very small ones that offer refuge or corridors for threatened and endemic fauna and flora, such as community conserved areas or urban greens and wetlands.
• Areas that provide habitats, aquatic or terrestrial, for seasonal migrant species for feeding and breeding.
• Areas that are maintained as preservation plots by the research wing of Forest department.
• Medicinal Plant Conservation Areas

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/04/24/biodiversity-heritage-sites-bhs/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• S1: The DNA in any cell can be altered through environmental exposure to certain chemicals, ultraviolet radiation, other genetic insults, or even errors that occur during the process of replication. If a mutation occurs in a germ-line cell (one that will give rise to gametes, i.e., egg or sperm cells), then this mutation can be passed to an organism’s offspring. This means that every cell in the developing embryo will carry the mutation. As opposed to germ-line mutations, somatic mutations occur in cells found elsewhere in an organism’s body. Such mutations are passed to daughter cells during the process of mitosis, but they are not passed to offspring conceived via sexual reproduction.
• S2: This is correct, see news at MIT review https://www.technologyreview.com/2018/11/25/138962/exclusive-chinese-scientists-are-creating-crispr-babies/ ). This was controversially achieved by a team at the Southern University of Science and Technology, in Shenzhen, which recruited couples in an effort to create the first gene-edited babies. They planned to eliminate a gene called CCR5 in hopes of rendering the offspring resistant to HIV, smallpox, and cholera. Also see this article https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-00673-1 and this research piece https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6813942/
• S3: This is correct as well, see https://europepmc.org/article/pmc/3883495
  • Domesticated animals such as dogs, pigs and cows are considered excellent models for long-term experiments in regenerative medicines, and biomedical research in general, because of their similarities in physiology with humans compared to the laboratory mouse or rat.
  • So, the techniques used to generate induced pluripotent stem cells from mouse and human were also suitable in pigs.

Refer: UPSC CSE 2020

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• S1: Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) can prevent pneumococcal disease.
• Pneumococcal disease refers to any illness caused by pneumococcal bacteria, including Pneumonia and sepsis (which is a bloodstream infection disease in children), So 1 is correct.
• See https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/pcv13.html
• S2: This is also correct, see https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6183139/
• Vaccines as tools to reduce Anti-microbial resistance (AMR) have historically been under-recognized, yet the positive effect in reducing AMR has been well established. For example Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) as well as Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcal) conjugate vaccines have impressive track records in not only preventing life threatening diseases caused by these bacteria, but also reducing antibiotic use and AMR.
• S3: Mild side effects of the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV), the version of the pneumococcal vaccine given to adults and children over the age of 2, include:
• mild soreness or hardness at the site of the injection lasting 1 to 3 days
• a slightly raised temperature
• More serious side effects of the PPV vaccine, such as allergic reactions, are rare.

Refer: UPSC CSE 2020

Ans: (c )

Explanation:

• S1 and S2: Cells are the basic unit of a living organism and where all life processes are carried out.
• Animal cells and plant cells share the common components of a nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria and a cell membrane.
• Plant cells have three extra components, a vacuole, chloroplast and a cell wall.
• S3: Vacuoles are storage bubbles found in cells. They are found in both animal and plant cells but are much larger in plant cells. Vacuoles might store food or any variety of nutrients a cell might need to survive.
• See https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/znyycdm/articles/zmrtng8

Refer: UPSC CSE 2020

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• S1: This makes sense because short-term FII money is volatile. So, 1 is correct.
• S2: This will further increase India’s exposure to foreign money and may in fact aggravate the financial crisis. So, 2 is wrong.
• S3: Full CAC implies free movement of currency out of the country for both current and capital account transactions such as short-term and long-term debt. This will only make India more vulnerable to such a crisis. So, 3 is wrong.

Refer: UPSC CSE 2020