Facts in News

Facts in News

Harlequin Ichthyosis

  • It is a rare genetic skin disorder which is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern.
    • Autosomal Recessive Pattern occurs when an individual inherits an abnormal gene from each parent, who carry one copy of the mutated gene.
  • The newborn infant is covered with plates of thick skin that crack and split apart. The thick plates can pull at and distort facial features and can restrict breathing and eating.
    • The skin is dry and scaly, almost like fish skin and hence the term ‘ichthyosis’ which is derived from the Greek wordikthus’, meaning fish.
  • Mutations in the ABCA 12 gene are responsible for this condition.
    • The ABCA12 protein plays a major role in transporting fats in cells which make up the outermost layer of skin.
    • Mutations in the gene lead to the absence or partial production of the ABCA12 protein.
    • This results in lack of lipid transport affecting the skin development by varying degrees according to the severity of the mutation.
  • Such infants need to be cared for in the neonatal intensive care unit immediately.
  • Only a handful of cases have been recorded across the world and India saw its first one in 2016 in Nagpur, Maharashtra and now in Odisha.

Tyrannosaurus Rex

  • It is considered the most fearsome animal to have evolved on Earth.
  • It lived toward the end of the Cretaceous period, around 66 million to 68 million years ago.
  • It is believed that an adult member of the species stood 12 feet tall and 40 feet long and weighed between 5,000 to 7,000 kg.
  • It inhabited what is today’s western United States extending from as far as Alaska in North America up until Mexico in the south. It was not found in India.
  • According to latest research, they had a preferred walking speed of just 5 kmph, about the same as the average walking speed of humans.

(Image Courtesy: Britannica)

Virafin

  • It is an antiviral drug used in treating people with chronic Hepatitis B and C.
  • It has been repurposed for treating moderate Covid-19 disease and the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has granted its emergency use approval.
    • DGCI is the head of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and is responsible for approval of licences of specified categories of drugs such as blood and blood products, IV fluids, vaccines and sera in India.
    • CDSCO is a regulatory body for Indian pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
  • A single dose subcutaneous regimen (injected under the skin) of the drug is expected to make the treatment of Covid-19 more convenient for patients.
  • When administered early on during Covid-19 infection, it helps patients recover faster and avoid much of the complications.

Nitric Oxide

  • It is  a natural nano molecule produced by the human body .
  • It is an anti-inflammatory molecule with key roles in pulmonary vascular function in the context of viral infections and other pulmonary disease states,
  • It is known to have a broad antimicrobial effect against bacteria, fungi, helminths, protozoa and viruses.
  • Recently, a Multinational collaboration announced that a nitric oxide nasal spray can be an effective treatment against SARS-CoV-2.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

  • It has been established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which consolidates various acts and orders that have hitherto handled food-related issues.
  • It works as an autonomous body established under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
  • Aims:
    • To establish a single reference point for all matters relating to food safety and standards.
    • To lay down science-based standards for articles of food.
    • To regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
  • FSSAI Initiative:
    • Heart Attack Rewind: First mass media campaign of FSSAI for eliminating trans fat in India by the year 2022.
    • FSSAI-CHIFSS: It is a collaboration between FSSAI and CII-HUL Initiative on Food Safety Sciences.
    • Swasth Bharat Yatra:  It is a Pan-India cycle movement called ‘Eat Right India’ aimed to create consumer awareness about eating safe and nutritious food.

Kowloon Peninsula

  • Kowloon Peninsula, Kowloon also spelt Kaulun or Kaulung, Chinese (Pinyin) Jiulong or (Wade-Giles romanization) Chiu-lung, part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, southeastern China.
  • It constitutes the Chinese mainland portion of the Hong Kong region and is located north of Hong Kong Island and east of the mouth of the Pearl (Zhu) River Delta.
  • Geographically, it consists of two portions: 
    • The hillier, more rural, and farmed New Territories to the north and west .
    • The more residential and industrial Kowloon area to the south and east. 
  • In some instances, the use of the name Kowloon Peninsula is restricted to only the southern section of the peninsula that directly faces Hong Kong Island and is surrounded on three sides by Victoria Harbour.

 Image Courtesy:Planning Department 

  • Hong Kong is set to grant a site on the western Kowloon peninsula to Beijing’s national security office for its permanent base in the city.
 

Other News of the Day

In News The US President Joe Biden is preparing to formally acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. About According to the Armenian National Institute, an American non-profit organisation, 30 countries officially recognise the Armenian Genocide. Many Countries including India, that have not formally recognised the Armenian Genocide have primarily adopted this stance in the interests of their...
Read More

In News Every year, the National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated on 24th April. About the Day It marks a defining moment in the history of decentralisation of power, with the institutionalisation of Panchayati Raj, through the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 which came into force with effect from 24th April 1993. It is commemorated...
Read More

In News- The Ministry of Home Affairs invoked the stringent Disaster Management Act 2005 to direct states to ensure the movement of oxygen tanks without any restriction. Earlier in March 2020 various government authorities invoked their respective powers under the DM Act to deal with the Covid-19 outbreak in the country.  Disaster Management Act, 2005 ...
Read More

In News Recently, the report titled “Gender Bias and Inclusion In Advertising In India” has been released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media (GDI). GDI is a non-profit research organization which conducts research on gender representation in media and advocates for equal representation of women....
Read More

Daily Current Affairs - March 22, 2025

Kaliyattam Festival Syllabus: GS1-Culture Context The Kaliyattam festival takes place in the Malayalam month of Kumbham (February-March). About Also known as Theyyam, this festival showcases ritual dance performances primarily held to honour and worship Goddess Kali. Recognized as an essential part of Kerala’s intangible heritage, it is celebrated in Kavus...
Read More

Syllabus: GS3/S&T, Agriculture Context Recently, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) Secretary stated that there is ‘progress’ on Genetically Modified (GM) food crops, acknowledging ongoing research and development.  About the Genetically Modified (GM) Food Crops These are plants whose genetic material has been artificially modified using biotechnological methods to enhance desirable...
Read More

Syllabus: GS3/Environment and Conservation Context Satellite images taken more than three decades apart show the disappearance of Iceland's Okjökull. It was the first glacier to be officially declared dead as a result of human-caused climate change in 2014. About Okjökull was a dome-shaped glacier situated around the summit crater on...
Read More

Syllabus: GS3/ Economy & Development In News The Government has decided not to extend the PLI Scheme beyond the existing 14 sectors. Despite initial success in some areas, the scheme underperformed in others and saw delays in incentive payouts. More About the News Out of the $23 billion allocated, only...
Read More

Syllabus :GS 2/Governance   In News The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet approved the one-member commission’s recommendations on the sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes (SCs) to ensure equitable distribution of benefits. The demand for sub-categorisation has been ongoing for over 30 years, with earlier efforts including the Justice Ramachandra Rao Commission in 1996. Sub-categorisation...
Read More

Syllabus: GS2/ Polity, Judiciary  In Context With an disposal rate of 96.28%, Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) have significantly expedited justice for survivors of sexual crimes by ensuring swift legal proceedings in cases of rape and offenses under the POCSO Act. The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act,...
Read More

Syllabus: GS2/Governance Context Over 30 civil society organisations are urging the Union government to preserve the Right to Information Act, 2005. About Concern Raised: Organizations urge the government to avoid fully implementing changes to the RTI Act through the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP) of 2023. Section 8(1)(j) of...
Read More