Exercise “Synergy”

Exercise “Synergy”

Subject : Science and technology

Section: Awareness in computers

Context: Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) under Ministry of Electronics & IT, Government of India, in collaboration with Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), successfully designed & conducted the Cyber Security Exercise “Synergy” for 13 Countries as part of the International Counter Ransomware Initiative- Resilience Working Group.

Concept:

• Exercise “Synergy” was hosted by CERT-In on its exercise simulation platform. Each State participated as a National Crisis Management Team having composition from different government agencies including National CERTs/CSIRTs, Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA), Communication & IT/ICT Ministry and Security agencies.
• The theme of the exercise was “Building Network Resiliency to counter Ransomware Attacks”. The exercise scenario was derived from real life cyber incidents, in which a domestic level (limited impact) ransomware incident escalates to a global cyber security crisis.
• The specific objective of the exercise was to Assess, Share and Improve strategies and practices among Member-States to build network resiliency against ransomware & cyber extortion attacks.

Hydration dynamics of proteins

Concept: 

• Hydration dynamics of proteins plays a pivotal role in the aggregation of several proteins which is a preliminary step towards various neuro-degenerative diseases. Thus aggregation process could be spotted early by detecting altering water network dynamics and modulated using inactive substances that serve as the vehicle or medium for a drug or other active substance.
• A phenomenon called ‘liquid liquid phase separation’ (LLPS) underlines the formation of cells organelles like P bodies, nucleolus which are membrane-less compartments in the cytoplasm of cells. LLPS, a self-aggregated system, is an intermediate step during the formation of the stable protein aggregates.
• When multivalent proteins interact they undergo rapid transformation from small complexes to large polymeric assemblies with increase in protein concentration. This dense phase often resembles liquid droplets exhibiting higher protein density and weaker molecular motion than the surrounding medium.
• This process, initiated through liquid liquid phase transfer, plays crucial role in inducing human diseases, especially age-related neuro-degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and cataract.
• Therefore, understanding the process of phase separation at a molecular level has become an emergent area of research in molecular biology fraternity.
• The researchers have spotted the crucial role of water in Liquid liquid phase separation which holds the key to neuro-degenerative diseases.