Daily Prelims Notes 15 August 2024

Daily Prelims Notes

15 August 2024

Table Of Contents

1. Oven no bar: extremophile bacteria have learnt to survive microwaves
2. Three more Ramsar wetland sites now in India, taking total to 85
3. First-ever phase-three clinical trial for dengue vaccine initiated in India
4. UN Launches Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI)
5. DPIIT’s Review of Curbs on Chinese Investments
6. What is the drug Captagon and how is it linked to Germany?
7. President Droupadi Murmu’s speech on 78th Independence Day eve
8. Schemes mentioned in President Droupadi Murmu’s speech on 78th Independence Day eve
9. Huge reservoir of water under Mars, seismic data indicates
10. Al-Shabaab: growing from Somalia’s ruins

1. Oven no bar: extremophile bacteria have learnt to survive microwaves

Sub: Sci

Sec: Health

Survival and Adaptation of Microorganisms:

• Microorganisms are extremely adept at surviving in a wide range of environments, including extreme conditions that are inhospitable to more complex life forms.
• These organisms, known as extremophiles, have been isolated from environments such as volcanic vents, permafrost, acid mines, deep-sea hydrothermal vents, and even the exteriors of spacecraft.
• Extremophiles suggest that life on Earth may have begun in harsh environments and gradually adapted to more hospitable conditions.

Biological Mechanisms of Extremophiles:

• Extremophiles adapt to extreme environments through unique biological and biochemical processes.
• Unlike complex organisms that rely on a single set of proteins, extremophiles possess multiple sets of proteins, each specialized for different environmental conditions.
• They can activate different protein sets as needed to survive various extreme conditions, such as high temperatures or acidic environments.

Importance of Studying Microbial Diversity:

• Understanding microbial diversity is crucial, and initiatives like the Earth Microbiome Project and the Earth Biogenome Project aim to map and sequence the genomes of diverse microorganisms and eukaryotic organisms.
• The study of extremophiles offers significant biological and industrial applications, such as the discovery of heat-resistant enzymes like Taq DNA polymerase, which is widely used in molecular biology.

Microbial Ecosystems in Everyday Devices:

• Researchers have discovered distinct microbial communities in everyday devices like coffee machines, dishwashers, and even microwave ovens.
• These devices host their own microscopic ecosystems, influenced by the specific selective pressures of their environments.
• Recent studies have explored the bacterial communities in microwave ovens, revealing strains commonly found on human skin and a few associated with food-borne illnesses.
• Despite the presence of these bacteria, the risk of disease from microwave ovens is not significantly higher than from other kitchen surfaces.

Potential Applications and Advancements:

• Advancements in genome sequencing and DNA synthesis have opened up new possibilities for utilizing biological processes to address human problems.
• Knowledge gained from extremophiles could lead to engineering organisms with new abilities, such as improving disease resistance in poultry or developing synthetic biological systems.
• Studies on microbes thriving in extreme conditions, like high gravity or space, provide insights into the potential for life on other planets and the resilience of life in extreme environments.

Earth Microbiome Project (EMP):

• The Earth Microbiome Project (EMP) was an initiative founded by Janet Jansson, Jack Gilbert and Rob Knight in 2010 to collect natural samples and analyze microbial life around the globe.

Earth BioGenome Project (EBP):

• The Earth BioGenome Project (EBP), a biology moonshot, aims to sequence, catalogue, and characterize the genomes of all eukaryotic biodiversity on Earth over a ten-year period.
  • The project was officially launched in 2018 and is expected to take approximately ten years to complete.
  • Objectives: Creating a digital library of all known eukaryotic life’s DNA sequences can aid in the development of effective tools for preventing biodiversity loss and pathogen spread, monitoring and protecting ecosystems, and improving ecosystem services.

Source: TH

2. Three more Ramsar wetland sites now in India, taking total to 85

Sub: Env

Sec: Protected Areas

Addition of New Ramsar Sites in India:

• Three new wetlands in India are designated as Ramsar sites, increasing the total to 85.
• The new sites are the Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary and the Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, and the Tawa Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh.

India’s Commitment to the Ramsar Convention:

• India became a signatory to the Ramsar Convention in 1982, a global treaty signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971.
• Between 1982 and 2013, India added 26 wetlands to the Ramsar list. From 2014 to 2024, an additional 59 sites were included.
  • Tamil Nadu has the highest number of Ramsar sites in India, with 18, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 10.
  • Gujarat has the largest wetland area in India, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
  • Wetlands in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat are particularly important for migratory birds, and all wetlands are significant for their role in carbon sequestration.
• India’s Ramsar wetlands account for about 10% of the country’s total wetland area across 18 states, more than any other South Asian country.
• The National Wetland Inventory and Assessment estimates India’s wetlands cover approximately 1,52,600 sq. km., or 4.63% of the country’s total area, with 19 types of wetlands identified.

Nanjarayan Tank Bird Sanctuary:

• Nanjarayan Tank Bird Sanctuary is a protected area and bird sanctuary located in Tiruppur district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
• The sanctuary covers an area of 1.26 km2 (0.49 sq mi) and was notified in 2022.
• It was designated as a Ramsar site of International importance in 2024.
• It is a large shallow wetland. The lake derived it’s name from King Nanjarayan who repaired and restored the lake during his reign.

Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary:

• Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary is a protected area and bird sanctuary located in Villupuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
• The sanctuary covers an area of 51.56 km2 (19.91 sq mi) and was notified in 2021.
• It was designated as a Ramsar site of international importance in 2024.
• The sanctuary has the brakish shallow Kazhuveli lake, which is connected to the Bay of Bengal by the brackish Uppukalli creek and the Edayanthittu Estuary.

Tawa reservoir:

• Tawa Reservoir is a reservoir on the Tawa River in central India.
• It is located in Itarsi of Narmadapuram District of Madhya Pradesh state, above Betul district.
• The reservoir was formed by the construction of the Tawa Dam.
• The dam provides for irrigation to several thousand hectares of farming land in Narmadapuram and Harda districts.
• Tawa Reservoir forms the western boundary of Satpura National Park and Bori Wildlife Sanctuary.

Source: TH

3. First-ever phase-three clinical trial for dengue vaccine initiated in India

Sub: Sci

Sec: Health

Context:

• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Panacea Biotec Limited announced the start of India’s first-ever phase 3 clinical trial for a dengue vaccine on August 14, 2024.

Details:

• The trial, conducted in collaboration with ICMR, will assess the efficacy of DengiAll, India’s indigenous tetravalent dengue vaccine developed by Panacea Biotec.
• The first participant was vaccinated at the Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Rohtak, Haryana.
• Currently, there is no antiviral treatment or licensed vaccine for dengue in India.
• Developing an effective vaccine is complex, as it must achieve good efficacy across all four dengue virus serotypes, which co-circulate in many regions of India.

Development of the Dengue Vaccine- DengiAll:

• The vaccine strain (TV003/TV005), originally developed by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, has shown promising results in preclinical and clinical trials globally.
• Panacea Biotec, one of three Indian companies to receive this strain, has advanced to developing the vaccine and holds a patent for its process.
• Phases 1 and 2 of the clinical trials were completed in 2018-19 and yielded promising results, according to the Health Ministry.

Dengue as a Public Health Concern:

• Dengue (break-bone fever) is a viral infection that spreads from mosquitoes to people. It is more common in tropical and subtropical climates.
• Dengue is a major public health issue in India, which is among the top 30 countries with the highest incidence of the disease.
• According to the World Health Organization, the global incidence of dengue has been rising over the past two decades, with more than 129 countries reporting cases by the end of 2023.
• In India, 75-80% of infections are asymptomatic, yet these individuals can still transmit the virus through mosquito bites.
• Among symptomatic cases, children are at a higher risk of hospitalization and mortality, while adults can develop severe conditions like dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome.
• The dengue virus has four serotypes, with low cross-protection between them, leading to the possibility of repeated infections.

4. UN Launches Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI)

Sub: IR

Sec: Report and Index

• Introduction of the MVI:
  • The UN General Assembly officially launched the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI), a new data-driven tool designed to help small island developing states (SIDS) and other developing nations gain access to low-interest financing.
  • The MVI is intended to serve as a complement to GDP and other development metrics, recognizing that traditional economic indicators may not fully capture the unique vulnerabilities of these nations.
• Purpose and Background:
  • Since the 1990s, SIDS that do not qualify for low-interest financing based on GDP per capita alone have advocated for a measure that accounts for their vulnerability to external shocks, such as climate change.
  • The MVI is the result of years of discussions, culminating in a UN General Assembly resolution that mandates the UN and a committee of independent experts to keep the index up to date.
• Key Indicators of the MVI:
  • The MVI incorporates indicators related to a state’s structural vulnerabilities and lack of economic, environmental, and social resilience.
  • These indicators include factors such as:
    • Import dependency
    • Exposure to extreme weather events and pandemics
    • Impacts of regional violence
    • Refugee influx
    • Demographic pressure
    • Water and arable land resources
    • Child mortality rates (under five)
    • Target Audience and Applicability:
      • Although initially proposed by SIDS, the MVI is designed to capture exogenous vulnerabilities and lack of resilience to external shocks for all developing countries, ensuring credibility and comparability across different contexts.
    • Voluntary Use and Adoption:
      • The use of the MVI is voluntary; however, the resolution encourages UN organs and multilateral development banks to consider using the MVI to complement their existing policies.
    • Response from the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS):
      • The AOSIS has welcomed the resolution, expressing hope that the MVI will be deployed in real-world contexts.
      • The ambassador emphasized that while the MVI may not completely change the existing system, it has the potential to unlock new ways of thinking and acting on development.

Overview of Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI)

The Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) is a newly introduced international benchmark designed to measure the structural vulnerability and lack of structural resilience across various dimensions of sustainable development at the national level.

Unlike traditional economic indicators such as Gross National Income per capita (GNI pc) or Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the MVI offers a more comprehensive understanding of a country’s exposure to external shocks and its ability to withstand them.

Structure of the MVI

The MVI consists of two levels:

• Universal Quantitative Assessment:
  • This level provides a quantitative evaluation of structural vulnerability and resilience (or the lack thereof) using a common methodology applicable to all developing countries.
  • The assessment is presented as a summary index number that ranks countries based on their level of vulnerability.
• Vulnerability and Resilience Country Profiles (VRCPs):
  • These profiles offer a detailed and tailored analysis of a country’s specific vulnerability and resilience factors, including those not captured by structural indicators alone.
  • VRCPs are created by individual countries and can be used to direct support and cooperation towards addressing specific vulnerabilities and enhancing resilience.

5. DPIIT’s Review of Curbs on Chinese Investments

Sub: Eco

Sec: External Sector

• Objective of the Curbs:
  • The restrictions on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from China were introduced to prevent opportunistic takeovers of Indian firms, especially during vulnerable times.
  • This policy was implemented through Press Note 3 in 2020, which mandated that investments from China and other countries sharing a land border with India would require government approval.
• Current Review:
  • The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is considering a reassessment of these restrictions as part of an overall review of India’s FDI policy.
  • Stakeholder consultations are ongoing, and a final decision has yet to be made.
  • The review may include easing investment routes for Chinese companies as a strategy to boost Indian exports.
• Economic Survey 2023-24 Insights:
  • The Economic Survey 2023-24 suggested that increasing FDI from China could be beneficial for India’s export growth.
  • As the U.S. and Europe shift their sourcing away from China, it might be more effective to have Chinese companies invest in India and export products to these markets, rather than importing from China and re-exporting after adding minimal value.
• Strategic Considerations:
  • The re-evaluation of these curbs is seen as a strategic move to leverage Chinese investments for enhancing India’s manufacturing capabilities and export competitiveness, especially in the context of shifting global trade dynamics.

Press Note 3 (2020)

Press Note 3 (2020) is a directive issued by the Government of India that introduced changes to the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy, particularly concerning investments from countries that share land borders with India.

• Restrictions on FDI:
  • Investments from countries that share a land border with India (e.g., China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Afghanistan) now require government approval. This means that automatic routes for such investments are no longer applicable.
• Objective:
  • The primary goal of these restrictions is to prevent opportunistic takeovers or acquisitions of Indian companies during times of economic vulnerability, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Applicability:
  • The policy applies to both direct and indirect investments. If an entity from a third country (which does not share a land border with India) has an investor from a neighboring country, that investment would also require government approval.
• Scope:
  • These changes affect all sectors where FDI is allowed. However, the approval requirement specifically targets investments from entities or individuals from the countries listed.
• Rationale:
  • The Indian government introduced this measure as a protective mechanism to safeguard Indian companies from potential foreign exploitation during a period of economic uncertainty.

In essence, Press Note 3 (2020) is a protective policy aimed at controlling and scrutinizing investments from neighbouring countries to safeguard national interests and economic sovereignty.

Legal vs. Beneficial Ownership:

• Legal Owner: The person or entity whose name is on the title or official documents of an asset (e.g., a property, bank account, or company shares).
• Beneficial Owner: The true owner who enjoys the benefits of ownership, such as income or control, even if the legal title is in another person’s name.

DPIIT

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is a department under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.

• Establishment:
  • DPIIT was initially established as the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) in 1995 and was later renamed DPIIT in 2019.
• Primary Functions:
  • Industrial Policy: Formulates and implements policies related to the growth and development of industries in India.
  • Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): Oversees and manages FDI policies in various sectors of the economy, ensuring that the regulatory environment is conducive to foreign investments.
  • Intellectual Property Rights (IPR): Handles the administration of IPR laws and promotes the protection and commercialization of intellectual property.
  • Ease of Doing Business: Works towards improving India’s ranking in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business index by simplifying regulations and reducing bureaucratic hurdles.
  • Startup India: Manages the Startup India initiative, which aims to build a robust ecosystem for nurturing innovation and startups in the country.

6. What is the drug Captagon and how is it linked to Germany?

Subject: Sci

Sec: Health

Context:

Following the record discovery of hundreds of kilos of Captagon tablets in Germany in December 2023, the trial against four men began in Aachen on Wednesday. They are alleged to have sold tablets worth more than €58 million (63 million) euros abroad.

More on News:

• Captagon, commonly known as “poor man’s cocaine,” has emerged as the drug of choice among young adults throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
• Captagon was made illegal in 1986 in most countries and discontinued in medical markets. However, an illicit version of Captagon emerged in eastern Europe and the Middle East in the early 2000s.

Captagon:

• Synthetic drug which was originally manufactured in Germany in the 1960s and 1970s where it was intended to treat attention deficit disorders.
• Use of captagon is prevalent among young people in the Middle East, most commonly as a party drug.
• Fighters in the Syrian conflict commonly use the drug to boost combat performance and reduce fatigue.
• The pill contains fenethylline, a synthetic amphetamine, caffeine, and other stimulants. Fenethylline is metabolized by the body into two molecules: amphetamine and theophylline, both of which are stimulants.

How addictive is Captagon?

• Its effects on the nervous system are similar to amphetamine.
• As a psychostimulant, Captagon can induce euphoria, increased wakefulness and increased physical and mental performance.
• But heavy use carries risks of impaired cognitive function and cardiovascular defects. It can also be addictive.

Where is Captagon made?

• Syria has become the largest producer and exporter of Captagon over the last decade, leading experts to name it the Middle East’s narco state.
• A UK government statement estimated that 80% of the world’s Captagon is produced in Syria.

Where is Captagon exported?

• Captagon has become a major concern for countries in the Middle East like Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
• All surrounding countries have strict anti-drug laws, with harsh penalties for those caught in the trade. However, Captagon is still smuggled in large quantities from Syria and Lebanon.
• Jordan is a serious player in the fight to stem the illegal trade.
• The Jordanian army has reportedly instituted a “shoot-to-kill” policy against drug smugglers along its border with Syria.

Is Captagon spreading elsewhere?

• There are rising concerns Captagon is increasingly becoming an issue for European countries as well.
• A recent report from the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) suggests Europe could become a key transshipment area for Captagon bound for the Middle East.
• Captagon is reportedly also being produced in the EU, predominantly in illegal laboratories in the Netherlands.
• The drug is most commonly produced from amphetamine powder.

7. President Droupadi Murmu’s speech on 78th Independence Day eve

Subject: History

Sec: Modern India

Context: Patriotic and brave souls took immense risks and made supreme sacrifices. We salute their memory.

 It was a nationwide movement, in which all communities participated.

• We have started celebrating the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas. Celebrations of his 150th birth anniversary next year will be an opportunity to further honour his contribution to the national re-awakening.
• On 14th August, the nation is observing Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas, a day to recall partition horrors.
• As the great nation was divided, millions had to suffer forced migration, lakhs of people lost their lives.
• Infrastructure has received a boost in recent years.
• Strategic planning and effective institutions have helped expand the network of roads and highways, railways as well as ports.
• Social justice is a top priority of the Government, and it has taken a number of unprecedented initiatives for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other marginalised sections of society.

8. Schemes mentioned in President Droupadi Murmu’s speech on 78th Independence Day eve

Sub: Schemes

Sec: Marginalised section

Context: Social justice is a top priority of the Government, and it has taken a number of unprecedented initiatives for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other marginalised sections of society.

9. Huge reservoir of water under Mars, seismic data indicates

Sub: Science and Tech

Sec: Space    

Context:

• An immense reservoir of liquid water may reside deep under the surface of Mars within fractured igneous rocks, holding enough to fill an ocean that would cover the entire surface of Mars, according to seismic data obtained by NASA’s robotic InSight lander.

Details:

• InSight was able to measure the speed of seismic waves and how they change with depth. The speed of seismic waves depends on what the rock is made of, where it has cracks, and what fills the cracks.
• The data indicated the presence of this reservoir of liquid water within fractured igneous rocks -formed in the cooling and solidification of magma or lava – in the Martian crust, the planet’s outermost layer.
• The water, located about 5 to 20 km below the Martian surface, potentially offers conditions favourable to sustaining microbial life, the researchers said.
• At these depths, the crust is warm enough for water to exist as a liquid. At more shallow depths, the water would be frozen.
• The Martian surface is cold and desolate today but once was warm and wet. The study suggests that much of the water that had been on the Martian surface did not escape into space, but rather filtered down into the crust.

Can this water be extracted?

• Water would be a vital resource if humankind ever is to place astronauts on the Martian surface or establish some sort of long-term settlement. But the depth of the apparent underground liquid water would make it difficult to access.
• Drilling to these depths is very challenging.
• Looking for places where geological activity expels this water, possibly the tectonically active Cerberus Fossae (a region in the northern hemisphere of Mars), is an alternative to looking for deep liquids.

About InSight lander:

• The InSight lander touched down in 2018 to study the deep interior of Mars, gathering data on the planet’s various layers, from its liquid metal core to its mantle and its crust.
• The InSight mission ended in 2022.

10. Al-Shabaab: growing from Somalia’s ruins

Sub: IR

Sec: Places in news

Context:

• Recently, a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device at a Hotel in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. This was followed by a shooting at civilians.
• The strike was subsequently claimed by al-Shabaab, an affiliate of al-Qaeda, which has waged a war against the Somali government for the past 17 years.
• Somalia’s has a history is authoritarianism, clan war, famine, piracy, corruption and resource crunch. Al-Shabaab adds terror to this list.

Formation of Somalia

• From the 7^th to the 19^th century, Somalia and neighbouring regions were ruled by a series of Sultanates, with Islam’s Sunni subsect being the primary religion.
• The 19th century witnessed the arrival of colonial powers, and the region was shared between British, Italian and French forces.
• Upon the withdrawal of British and Italian forces from the northern and southern regions in 1960, the two regions came together and formed modern-day Somalia.
• Democracy prevailed for a brief time until 1969 when Siad Barre came to power through a military coup.
• The authoritarian regime under Barre saw its downfall with the Ogaden war.

The Ogaden war

• The Ogaden War, also known as the Ethio-Somali War, was a military conflict fought between Somalia and Ethiopia in 1977-78 over the sovereignty of Ogaden.
• European powers had drawn up arbitrary boundaries to suit their convenience, which upended the lives of the natives, who were plucked from their societies and cultures and thrust into alien living conditions.
• Ogaden, which fell under the Christian-majority Ethiopia, was home to many Muslim Somalis.
• Additionally, the area was a breeding ground for Cold War politics. The conflict began in July of 1977 with Ethiopia acting as a U.S. ally and Somalia backed by the USSR.

Aftermath of the war

• The war proved costly for Somalia as it had to retreat from the Ogaden region and grapple with the influx of Ogaden Somali refugees.
• Depleted of finances and resources, Barre began to lose his grip on the country’s administration. Certain policies did not sit well with some clans, who turned against each other.
• By 1991, Barre fled Somalia following an uprising by clans supported by Libya and Ethiopia. The northern part of the country proclaimed independence as Somaliland; and clan wars were rife, killing close to 3,00,000 Somalis in a year.
• Somalia follows a federal system of governance making the loyalty of clan leaders crucial. The hostility between the clans made it impossible to govern the country.
• The U.S., the UN and other international troops took turns coming into the country to fix the situation but to little effect.

The rise of al-Shabaab

• Al-Shabaab, a militant group had spread its roots in Somalia by seizing Mogadishu in 2006.
• Its origins can be traced back to the al-Ittihad al-Islamiya (AIAI), a militant group that gained prominence in the 1990s after the fall of Barre’s regime.
• The group has since then, swell in numbers and spread to neighbouring countries.
• Despite carrying out suicide attacks and terror strikes, al-Shabaab draws legitimacy by positioning itself as an alternate form of governance for the people of its home country.
• The Somali government, with the help of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the Somali National Army (SMA), managed to drive away al-Shabaab from Mogadishu and other port cities. After this, al-Shabaab relocated to the south and has now focused its activities in rural areas of Somalia.
• Even then, the occasional attacks planned by them cost 4,000 lives between 2010 and 2020, making it surpass Boko Haram as Africa’s biggest terror threat.