UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 1 February 2024

Solution: c)

Statement 4 is incorrect.

The Central government has approved a new treatment regimen for leprosy, aiming to stop its transmission at the sub-national level by 2027, three years ahead of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has decided to introduce a three-drug regimen for Pauci-Bacillary (PB) cases in place of a two-drug regimen for six months.

According to the WHO, leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by the Mycobacterium leprae bacteria. The disease predominantly affects the skin and peripheral nerves. Left untreated, it may cause progressive and permanent disabilities.

The bacteria are transmitted via droplets from the nose and mouth during close and frequent contact with untreated cases. Leprosy, reported from all the six WHO regions, is curable with multi-drug therapy (MDT). The majority of new cases detected annually are from South East Asia.

The WHO’s recommended treatment regimen consists of three drugs — dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine.

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Solution: c)

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has said that the INSAT-3DS satellite has been flagged off to the launch port at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

The INSAT-3DS satellite is an exclusive meteorological satellite realised by ISRO with the primary objective to provide continuity of services to the existing in-orbit INSAT-3D and 3DR satellites and significantly enhancing the capabilities of the INSAT system.

The satellite is designed for enhanced meteorological observations and monitoring of land and ocean surfaces for weather forecasting and disaster warning, with state-of-the-art payloads viz., 6 channel Imager and 19 channel Sounder meteorology payloads, communication payloads viz., the Data Relay Transponder (DRT) and Satellite aided Search and Rescue (SAS&R) transponder.

The DRT instrument receives meteorological, hydrological and oceanographic data from automatic Data Collection Platforms / Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) and augments the weather forecasting capabilities.

The SAS&R transponder is incorporated in the satellite to relay a distress signal / alert detection from the beacon transmitters for search and rescue services with global receive coverage.

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Solution: b)

Statement 3 is incorrect.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, has approved the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for copra for the 2024 season.

Copra is the dried, white flesh of the coconut. It’s a major cash crop and is valued for the coconut oil that can be extracted from it.

The palatable oil cake, known as copra cake, obtained as a residue in the production of copra oil is used in animal feeds. 

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Solution: c)

Scientists have made progress in understanding Huntington’s disease by studying fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster).

About the study:

• Huntington’s disease patients carry a mutated version of the HTT gene, which codes for a protein called huntingtin (Htt).
• The mutated gene encodes an abnormal Htt protein, leading to the destruction of neurons regulating movement, thinking, and memory.

Huntington’s disease (HD) is an inherited disorder that causes nerve cells (neurons) in parts of the brain to gradually break down and die. The disease attacks areas of the brain that help to control voluntary (intentional) movement, as well as other areas.

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Solution: b)

Statement 2 is incorrect.

• Ammonia is a colourless, pungent gas with the chemical formula NH3. It’s made up of hydrogen and nitrogen. In its aqueous form, it’s called ammonium hydroxide.
• Ammonia is a natural byproduct and respiratory stimulant. It’s produced naturally in the human body and in nature, including in water, soil, and air. In human health, ammonia and the ammonium ion are important components of metabolic processes.
• In its concentrated form, ammonia is dangerous and caustic.

Signs and symptoms of ammonia exposure include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Burns of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, and stomach

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