Daily Prelims Notes 29 February 2024

February 29, 2024
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

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Daily Prelims Notes

29 February 2024

Table Of Contents

1. The Genome India project, aimed at creating a genetic map of the country

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Biotech

Context:

The government’s Genome India initiative on Tuesday (February 27) announced the successful sequencing of 10,000 whole genomes of healthy persons from across the country, creating a genetic map of the population.

More on news:

The Genome India project can help identify genetic mutations in Indian populations that make them vulnerable to specific diseases, and develop cures for such diseases.
Researchers from 20 science institutes across the country helped in collecting the blood samples, sequencing the genome, developing a methodology, and storing the data.
With each sequence requiring 80 GB storage space, the huge dataset of 8 petabytes will be stored at the Indian Biological Data Centre in Faridabad.
This dataset will be made available to researchers as “digital public good.”

What is the Genome India project?

The Genome India project was approved by the government in 2020 with the aim of creating a comprehensive catalogue of genetic variations found in the Indian population.
A map of genetic diversity is essential for understanding the history of our evolution, discovering the genetic basis for various diseases, and creating therapies of the future.
This cannot be done using data available in existing international databases, as Indian genomes are likely to be different from that of other populations.
Researchers who analyzed 5,750 of the genome sequences have already identified 135 million genetic variants found in India.

What is a genome, how is it sequenced?

The human genome is essentially a biological instruction manual that we inherit from our parents.
The four bases in DNA are adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T) are present here.
The four base pairs ie A,C,G, and T that come together to create everyone’s unique genetic makeup.
There are around 3 billion pairs of bases in the complete human genome.
This contains all the information needed to create your physical form and maintain it throughout life.
From your height, color of the eyes, the genetic diseases you get or those you are at a higher risk for, everything is determined by the genetic makeup.
To sequence the genome, researchers first extract the information from the blood.

How does studying the genetic makeup of the country help?

Senior scientist at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad, cited the example of a mutation, MYBPC3, which leads to cardiac arrest at a young age.
It is found in 4.5% of the Indian population but is rare globally.
Another mutation called LAMB3 causes a lethal skin condition, which is found in nearly 4% of the population near Madurai, but it is not seen in global databases.
It can help in targeted treatments, especially for rare diseases that usually arise from genetic anomalies.

How long did the project take?

The first whole human genome was sequenced with the collaboration of an international team.
It took 13 years and $3 billion, and was completed in 2003.
India announced its first complete human genome in 2009.
The samples were collected from the remotest parts of the country, covering various tribal populations as well.
In all, 99 distinct population groups were covered by the project.

2. Is Lord Krishna’s Dwarka under water? The many legends, traces of a lost city

Subject: History

Section: Art and Culture

Context:

PM Narendra Modi recently performed underwater prayers at ‘Dwarka Nagari’, believed to be the kingdom of Lord Krishna.

More on news:

Since the start of the 20th century, several attempts have been made by scholars to establish the location of Dwarka as mentioned in the Mahabharata.
PM Narendra Modi inaugurated several infrastructural projects, including the Sudarshan Setu, India’s longest cable-stayed project connecting Okha town with the island of Beyt Dwarka.
He also went scuba diving off the Panchkui beach coast and performed underwater prayers at the site of what’s considered to be Dwarka Nagari – the mythological kingdom of Lord Krishna in the Mahabharata.

Dwarka in mythology

Dwarka has immense significance in Hindu culture due to its association with Lord Krishna and the Mahabharata.
It is believed that after killing his uncle Kamsa, Krishna migrated from Mathura to Dwarka with his Yadava clan, and founded his kingdom here by reclaiming 12 yojana land from the sea.
References in the Vishnu Purana suggest that Dwarka was a city of beautiful gardens, moats, ponds and palaces.
The town is believed to have been submerged under the sea after the death of Lord Krishna.

Locating Dwarka

Present-day Dwarka is a coastal town located at the mouth of the Gulf of Kutch, facing the Arabian Sea.
The town is a part of the Krishna pilgrimage circuit, which includes Vrindavan, Mathura, Govardhan, Kurukshetra and Puri, and is home to the 13th-century Dwarkadheesh temple dedicated to Lord Krishna.
There are a number of other places scattered along the Saurashtra coast that find a mention in legends associated with Lord Krishna, including Bet Dwarka and Mul Dwarka.

Is it the same as present-day Dwarka? A town that possibly now lies under the sea? Or a mythological town whose historical authenticity may never be established?

Dwarka was located on the ‘Raivataka’, a mountain range mentioned in the Mahabharata, and which is believed to be the present-day Girnar hills in Junagadh, around 200 km away from Dwarka town.

Archaeological findings on land

From the 1960s onwards, attention shifted from ancient literature to finding material evidence for the existence of Lord Krishna’s Dwarka.
While the early excavations focused on land around present-day Dwarka, as speculation over a submerged city heightened, later explorations were conducted under water.
The first excavation was carried out close to the Dwarkadheesh temple in 1963 by the Deccan College in Pune, in association with the Gujarat government’s Department of Archaeology.

About Sudarshan Setu:

This landmark project, recently inaugurated by Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, connects Okha and Beyt Dwarka island.
Spanning 2.32 km over the majestic Arabian Sea, Sudarshan Setu stands as an engineering marvel.
It is India’s longest cable bridge.

3. First human clinical trial of gene therapy for hemophilia A (FVIII deficiency)

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Health

Context:

India has conducted the first human clinical trial of gene therapy for haemophilia A (FVIII deficiency) at Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore.

More on news:

The trials involved deploying a novel technology of using a lentiviral vector to express a FVIII transgene in the patient’s own haematopoietic stem cell which will then express FVIII from specific differentiated blood cells.

About Haemophilia:

Hemophilia is usually an inherited bleeding disorder in which the blood doesn’t clot properly.
This can lead to spontaneous bleeding as well as bleeding following injuries or surgery.
Blood contains many proteins called clotting factors that can help to stop bleeding.

Types of Haemophilia:

Congenital hemophilia

Hemophilia is usually inherited, meaning a person is born with the disorder (congenital). Congenital hemophilia is classified by the type of clotting factor that’s low.
The most common type is hemophilia A, associated with a low level of factor 8 The next most common type is hemophilia B, associated with a low level of factor 9.

Acquired hemophilia

Some people develop hemophilia with no family history of the disorder.
This is called acquired hemophilia.
Acquired hemophilia is a variety of the condition that occurs when a person’s immune system attacks clotting factor 8 or 9 in the blood.

Hemophilia inheritance

In the most common types of hemophilia, the faulty gene is located on the X chromosome. Everyone has two sex chromosomes, one from each parent.
Females inherit an X chromosome from the mother and an X chromosome from the father. Males inherit an X chromosome from the mother and a Y chromosome from the father.
This means that hemophilia almost always occurs in boys and is passed from mother to son through one of the mother’s genes.

4. India’s fight against rare diseases

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Health

Context:

The tragic death of 19-year-old child actress Suhani Bhatnagar from dermatomyositis, a rare disorder that causes inflammation in muscles, came in the same month as Rare Disease Day, which is marked today.

More on news:

The last day of February every year is consecrated to support crores of individuals who, because of their rare medical conditions, have long been neglected and stigmatized.
According to the World Health Organization, rare diseases afflict 1 or less per 1,000 population.
Barely 5% of the over 7,000 known diseases worldwide are treatable.
Most patients typically receive only basic treatment that alleviates symptoms.

What are ‘rare diseases’?

These are often serious, chronic, and life-threatening conditions.
WHO defines a rare disease as an often-debilitating lifelong disease or disorder with a prevalence of 1 or less, per 1000 population.
However, different countries have their own definitions.
A disease or disorder is defined as rare in India when it affects fewer than 1 in 2500 individuals.
There may be as many as 7,000 rare diseases, individual diseases may be rare, and the total number of people with a rare disease is large.
Examples: Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSD), Gaucher disease, Pompe disease, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, hemophilia, MPS 1 and 2, and Fabry disease.

Treatment:

About 95% of rare diseases have no approved treatment even when a correct diagnosis is made.
Rare diseases are also called ‘orphan diseases’ and drugs to treat them are called “orphan drugs” because of the expensive nature of available drugs.

Rare diseases in India

India accounts for one-third of the global rare disease incidence, with over 450 identified diseases.
These range from widely known ones such as Spinal Muscular Atrophy and Gaucher’s disease to lesser-known ones such as Mucopolysaccharidosis type 1 and Whipple’s disease.
About 8 crore-10 crore Indians suffer from one rare disease or another; over 75% are children.

About National Policy of Rare Diseases (NPRD)

The National Policy of Rare Diseases (NPRD) was notified in March 2021.

Aim:

To increase focus on indigenous research and local production of medicines.
To lower the cost of treatment of rare diseases.
To screen and detect rare diseases early at early stages, which will in turn help in their prevention.

Categorization:

The policy has categorized rare diseases into three groups:

Group 1: Disorders amenable to one-time curative treatment.
Group 2: Those requiring long-term or lifelong treatment.
Group 3: Diseases for which definitive treatment is available but challenges are to make an optimal patient selection for benefit, very high cost, and lifelong therapy.

Financial Support:

Provision for financial support of up to Rs. 50 lakhs to the patients suffering from any category of Rare Diseases and for treatment in any of the Centre of Excellence (CoE) mentioned in NPRD-2021, outside the Umbrella Scheme of Rashtriya Arogaya Nidhi.
Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi: The Scheme provides financial assistance to patients, living below the poverty line (BPL) and who are suffering from major life-threatening diseases, to receive medical treatment at any of the super speciality Government hospitals/institutes.

Centers of Excellence:

The policy aims to strengthen tertiary health care facilities for the prevention and treatment of rare diseases through designating eight health facilities as ‘Centres of Excellence and these will also be provided one-time financial support of up to Rs. 5 crores for the upgradation of diagnostics facilities.

Challenges in India:

We still don’t define ‘rare diseases’, a failure the policy attributes to a lack of sufficient data, as if regular data collection and epidemiological assessments are not the government’s job.
Less than 50% of the 450-odd rare diseases identified in India are treatable. Treatments approved by the Drugs Controller General of India are available for just about 20 rare diseases and can be availed only from Centres of Excellence (CoEs).
Since CoEs are few (12), unevenly distributed, and uncoordinated, late diagnosis, inadequate therapies and lack of timely availability are the norm.
The Budget’s allocation for rare diseases, although increasing over the years, remains low at ₹93 crore for 2023-2024.
Last year, the government waived off GST and customs duty on medicines for rare diseases.
But this exemption applies only to drugs which are to be “imported for personal use” and not to the ones commercially available in India.

5. Leap year: How does it work? Why February 29?

Subject: Geography

Section: Msc

Context:

This year, February will be a day longer than usual as 2024 is a leap year.

About Leap Year:

Leap years are characterized by the insertion of an extra day i.e. February 29 ,every four years is crucial for maintaining the precision of our calendar.
The periodic adjustment aligns our societal timekeeping with the Earth’s orbital cycle around the sun, highlighting the intricate balance between human conventions and natural phenomena.
2024 is a leap year , a calendar oddity that adds one extra day to the otherwise 365 days that form a year.

Why Do We Need Them?

Our calendar year consists of 365 days, but the Earth’s journey around the sun actually takes about 365.24 days.
That difference might seem small, but over time, it adds up.
Without leap years, our calendar would gradually fall out of sync with the seasons.
Imagine if summer started in December instead of June.
Leap years ensure that doesn’t happen by adding an extra day i.e. February 29,every four years.

The Mechanics of Leap Years: How Do They Work?

Leap years operate on a simple principle: adding one extra day every four years helps to balance out the discrepancy between our calendar and the solar year.
By adding that extra day, we overshoot a bit, accumulating about 44 extra minutes every four years.
To counteract this, we skip leap years every century, except for those divisible by 400, like the year 2000.

Why February 29?

February was the natural pick , for the addition of an extra day.
It’s the shortest month of the year, making it the perfect candidate for an extra day.
This addition helps to keep everything in sync without throwing off the balance too much.

6. Major firms still failing to tackle deforestation: Global canopy

Subject: Environment

Section: Int Conventions

Context:

The non-profit research group Global Canopy has published a report indicating that many global brands connected to tropical forest loss do not have policies against deforestation.

About the report:

The Forest 500 report assesses the impact of 350 companies and 150 financial firms on tropical forests, focusing on their policies regarding key commodities linked to deforestation.

Report findings:

Despite ten years of monitoring, voluntary efforts by the industry to address this issue have been deemed a failure.
The report highlights the increasing awareness of the role of human activities, such as cattle farming and palm oil plantations, in threatening the world’s forests, which are vital in combating climate change and biodiversity loss.
Although nearly 200 countries supported the goal of halting and reversing deforestation by 2030 at last year’s COP28 climate talks, the Forest 500 analysis by Global Canopy reveals that significant action is still lacking.
Out of 257 companies and financial institutions monitored over the past decade, 23% have not made any commitment to addressing deforestation.
The study emphasizes the necessity for regulatory action over voluntary measures to ensure deforestation-free, conversion-free, and human rights abuse-free supply chains.
While welcoming new EU deforestation legislation, Global Canopy urges further action and faster legislation efforts from the US and Britain, noting that only 1% of firms analyzed are on track to comply with the EU’s new rules.

Public pressure:

The latest report reveals that 37% (187 entities) of companies and financial institutions analyzed lack a publicly available commitment to combating deforestation, showing a slight improvement from 40% last year.
It identifies JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial as the top financial institutions funding companies without deforestation commitments.
Among the 246 companies that have made at least one commitment to address deforestation, about 63% have failed to provide adequate evidence of their actions aligning with their stated intentions.
There is a disparity in focus, with efforts to address deforestation from palm oil receiving more attention than the cattle sector, which is identified as the largest driver of tropical deforestation.

7. The rocky vista of medicinal cannabis that research is bringing into view

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Health

Context:

The cannabis plant, Cannabis sativa, is being explored for its potential effects on mood and cognition, with a particular interest in its use for managing conditions like schizophrenia, cannabis-use disorders, and heroin-use disorders.

Details:

In a notable development, the University of British Columbia in Canada is conducting a clinical trial to investigate the use of cannabidiol (CBD) for treating bipolar depression, a condition currently lacking effective treatment options for its depressive episodes.
- Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid and one of 113 identified cannabinoids in cannabis plants, along with tetrahydrocannabinol, and accounts for up to 40% of the plant’s extract.
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is identified as the primary psychoactive component in cannabis, whereas CBD is attracting attention for its possible antipsychotic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective benefits.
The potency of cannabis is higher in the flowering parts compared to the leaves.
Marijuana, composed of the buds and leaves of pollinated female plants, is typically grown outdoors.

The cannabinoid system:

The human cannabinoid system consists of two main receptors: CB1 and CB2.
- CB1 receptors, predominantly located in the central nervous system (CNS), play a significant role in modulating neurotransmitter release, affecting dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin levels.
- This receptor is crucial for the psychoactive effects of drugs.
- CB2 receptors are primarily found in the spleen and testes, with lesser presence in the CNS. The natural substrate for CB1 is anandamide, named after the Sanskrit word for bliss, ‘ananda’.
The endocannabinoid system (ECS), which includes these receptors and endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids), is involved in regulating various bodily functions like pain, memory, motor control, sleep, and appetite.
THC, a compound in cannabis, is known for its effects on motor control and memory and has potential implications for treating conditions like PTSD by possibly aiding in the extinction of traumatic memories.

The rimonabant debacle:

The involvement of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in regulating hunger led to the hypothesis that blocking the CB1 receptor could facilitate weight loss, inspired by the known effect of THC in inducing cravings for high-calorie foods.
Based on this, Sanofi-Aventis launched rimonabant, a CB1 receptor blocker, in Europe in 2006 as an anti-obesity medication.
Although the drug was effective in reducing weight, it was associated with severe side effects, including depression and suicidal tendencies, leading to its withdrawal from the market.
Despite the rimonabant setback, THC and synthetic cannabinoids have found applications in stimulating appetite among patients with HIV-AIDS and cancer, and in alleviating chemotherapy-induced nausea.
They are also used in treating various pain syndromes, with nabilone helping in chronic neuropathic pain, headache, and fibromyalgia, and Sativex (combining THC and CBD) being utilized for pain management in multiple sclerosis.
The question of THC’s addictive potential remains debated among psychiatrists.
While animal studies indicate addictive responses, human data are more mixed, with many users not escalating their THC consumption after reaching a certain level.
This plateau effect might be due to THC’s fat solubility, allowing it to stay in the brain for extended periods and be excreted slowly.
Consequently, THC withdrawal, unlike nicotine or alcohol withdrawal, lacks rapid and severe symptoms, typically manifesting as sleep issues, appetite loss, weight loss, restlessness, irritability, and anger.

Effects on anxiety and mood:

The mood effects of cannabis are complex and not fully supported by rigorous studies for conditions like treatment-resistant depression.
Cannabis has been linked to depression in many studies. For bipolar disorder, there is limited scientific investigation, but some research indicates that cannabis use in individuals with bipolar disorder may lead to more manic relapses, less adherence to medication, and poorer psychosocial outcomes.
Additionally, cannabis use may increase the risk of developing bipolar disorder or trigger its onset in some individuals.
Cannabis can have psychotic effects, with the risk varying based on the individual’s experience with the drug, context of use, and predisposition to psychosis.
Cannabis use, especially in youth, can hasten the onset of schizophrenia in genetically predisposed individuals.
On the policy front, Cannabis sativa is the most widely used illicit drug globally, with its use and potency increasing significantly.
This has led to debates about decriminalizing cannabis, particularly given the interest in its medical applications.
Jurisdictions worldwide are legalizing medical and, in some cases, recreational cannabis use.
Policymakers are urged to consider regulations that prevent commercialization and protect vulnerable populations, such as children, adolescents, and individuals with mental illnesses, from the harmful effects of cannabis.

Source: TH

8. UNEA-6: Over a third of global population living with solid waste, reveals report

Subject: Environment

Section: Int conventions

Report title: Turning rubbish into a resource: Global Waste Management Outlook 2024 (GWMO 2024)

Published by: UNEP

Presented during: The Sixth United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA-6) in Nairobi.

Key points from the report on global waste management:

Over a third of the world’s population, approximately 2.7 billion people, primarily in the Global South and developing regions, lack access to waste collection services.
Of these, 2 billion reside in rural areas, while 700,000 are in urban settings.
The report reveals that around 540 million tonnes of municipal solid waste, representing 27% of the global total, are not collected. Collection rates are particularly low in Sub-Saharan Africa and Central and South Asia, with only 36% and 37% of waste being collected, respectively.
In contrast, developed and upper-middle-income regions have much higher waste collection rates, ranging from 83% in the Caribbean to 99% in North America, compared to the global average of 75%.
The report projects a significant increase in global waste generation from 2.3 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050, exacerbating the challenge of waste management.
The direct global cost of waste management in 2020 was estimated at $252 billion, with the cost rising to $361 billion when including the hidden expenses related to pollution, health issues, and climate change due to inadequate waste disposal practices.
The report warns that without urgent action on waste management, the global annual cost could nearly double by 2050, reaching $640.3 billion. However, effective waste management could significantly reduce these costs to $270.2 billion annually by 2050.
It highlights the potential of adopting a circular economy model to not only mitigate waste generation but also to achieve a net gain of $108.5 billion per year.
No country has yet successfully separated development from waste generation, emphasizing the ongoing threat waste poses to ecosystems and its contribution to climate change, with the threat expected to double by 2050.

Source: DTE

9. European Parliament adopts nature restoration law

Subject: Environment

Section: Int conventions

Context:

On February 27, 2024, the European Parliament adopted the EU’s first law aimed at restoring degraded ecosystems across its 27 member states.

About ‘EU Deforestation law (EU- DR):

The legislation mandates restoring at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030, with a goal to restore all ecosystems in need by 2050.
Specific targets include restoring 30% of drained peatland by 2030, increasing to 50% by 2050.
For agricultural ecosystems, EU countries must improve in two of three indicators related to biodiversity and also take measures to increase the common farmland bird index.
Exceptional circumstances may allow for the suspension of agricultural ecosystem targets to ensure sufficient food production.
The law also sets goals for forest ecosystems, including planting three billion trees, restoring 25,000 km of rivers to a free-flowing state, and maintaining urban green spaces and tree canopy cover.
The adoption followed a vote with 329 in favor, 275 against, and 24 abstentions. This law, first introduced by the European Commission on June 22, 2022, faced initial challenges, including rejection by the ENVI committee in June 2023, but has now moved to the European Council for adoption before becoming effective.

Source: DTE