Subject : Science & tech Context : Sero prevalence studies, which test for antibodies, tend to throw up higher numbers than PCR tests, and these numbers sometimes vary in different rounds in the same population. Concept : Sero prevalence studies (or sero surveys) estimate the share of the population that test positive for antibodies using […]
Subject : Science & tech Concept : The system CRISPR-Cas9 acts on genetically modified molecules like a process of cut-and-paste. A special position is found on the DNA strand with genetic codes, which must be modified or “fixed”. Using the Cas9 protein acting like a pair of scissors, gene is removed from the strand. A […]
Subject : Science & tech Context : Russias’s Sputnik V vaccine 92% effective. No adverse events reported in Phase 3 trials that involved 36,000 volunteers, says its Health Ministry. Concept : The vaccine has been called Sputnik V, named after the first artificial Earth satellite, Sputnik-I launched by the Soviet Union. It is the first […]
Subject : Science & tech Context : India’s very own m-RNA (messenger-RNA) vaccine could be ready by March. Pune-based Gennova Biopharmaceutical’s novel m-RNA vaccine candidate was approved for funding by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). Concept : In RNA vaccines, the messenger RNA from the pathogen is used. The mRNA means messenger RNA, which carries […]
Subject : Science & tech Context : Pfizer has reported that its vaccine, BNT162b2, has been more than 90 per cent effective in late-stage trials. Concept : This is a vaccine that was developed using mRNA technology — it makes use of the messenger RNA molecules that tell cells what proteins to build. The mRNA, […]
Subject : Science & tech Context : Myopia or shortsightedness is turning out to be an epidemic across India, and indeed even more in Southeast Asia. If this rate continues , by 2050 , 64 million children in Urban India may have Myopia. Concept : Myopia occurs because of the potential role of myopic genes […]
Subject : Science & tech Context : The countdown for the November 7 launch of earth observation satellite EOS-01 along with nine international customer satellites on board launch vehicle PSLV-C49 has begun , ISRO said recently. Concept : EOS-01 EOS-01 is nothing but another radar imaging satellite (RISAT) that will work together with RISAT-2B and […]