What : Mucormycosis (previously called zygomycosis) is a serious but rare fungal infection caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes. These molds live throughout the environment, particularly soil. It is also called as black fungus.
Spread of Mucormycosis:
People can spread black fungus on coming in contact with the spores from the environment. In case of the lung or sinus infection the person can be infected after inhaling the spores from the air. A skin infection can occur after the fungus enters the skin through a scrape, burn, or other type of skin injury.
Who can be infected with Mucormycosis/ Black Fungus? :
Mucormycosis mainly affects people who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body's ability to fight germs and sickness.
Mucormycosis or Black Fungus can infect people with the following easily:
Diabetes, especially with diabetic ketoacidosis
Cancer
Organ transplant
Stem cell transplant
Neutropenia
Long-term corticosteroid use
Injection drug use
Hemochromatosis (excess of iron)
Skin injury due to surgery, burns, or wounds
Pre-maturity and low birth weight
Recent news : Black fungus cases are raising in covid recovered patients of Karnataka
Other details :
Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram are the designated cities for the initiative
When : 9th May
Year born : 1866
Additional information :
GOPAL KRISHNA GOKHALE
Was born in Kotluk village in present-day Maharashtra
Worked towards social empowerment, expansion of education , struggle for freedom in India for three decades and rejected the use of reactionary or revolutionary ways.
Between 1899 and 1902, he was a member of the Bombay Legislative Council followed by work at the Imperial Legislative Council from 1902 till his death (1915).
At the Imperial legislature, Gokhale played a key role in framing the Morley-Minto reforms of 1909.
Was associated with the Moderate Group of Indian National Congress (joined in 1889).
Became president of INC in 1905 in Banaras session.
Despite the ideological difference, in 1907, he intensely campaigned for the release of Lala Lajpat Rai, who was imprisoned that year by the British at Mandalay in present-day Myanmar.
Established the Servants of India Society in 1905 for the expansion of Indian education.
Was also associated with the Sarvajanik sabha journal started by Govind Ranade.
In 1908, he founded the Ranade Institute of Economics.
Started english weekly newspaper, The Hitavada (The people's paper).
Is regarded by Mahatma Gandhi as his political guru.
Gandhi wrote a book in Gujarati dedicated to the leader titled ‘Dharmatma Gokhale
When : Second Saturday of May and October
By :
Convention on Migratory Species
Environment for the Americas
African – Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement
2021 Theme : Sing, fly, Soar – Like a Bird
Why : Increase awareness of migratory birds and their importance in international cooperation to conserve them. It also creates awareness for conserving the habitats of the migratory birds, especially the wetlands.
Note :The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched the National Action Plan for Conservation of Migratory Birds on October 10, 2020. That is on the other World Migratory Day.
By : Niti Aayog
Details :
Great Nicobar is an island is the southernmost in the Andaman and Nicobar group.
More than 150 sq. km. (18%) of land is being made available for Phase I.
The overall plan envisages the use of a major portion being pristine forest and coastal systems.
Projects to be taken: Airport complex, a Transshipment port (TSP) at South Bay, Parallel-to-the-coast mass rapid transport system, Free trade zone, Warehousing complex.
Nodal agency: Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation .
Recent news : The Environment Appraisal Committee (EAC) - Infrastructure I of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has flagged serious concerns about NITI Aayog’s ambitious project for Great Nicobar Island.
Details :
It has “recommended” it “for grant of terms of reference (TOR)” for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies, which in the first instance will include baseline studies over three months.
Absence of data regarding seismic and tsunami hazards, freshwater requirement details and others
Missing details of the impact on the Giant Leatherback turtle.
What :
Largest among African forest antelopes
Nocturnal and have a striking appearance due to their long horns
Reddish brown coat offset with white or yellow markings in the form of thin vertical lines
IUCN Status: Critically endangered ( 70-80 adults left in the wild ).
Recent news : A baby Bongo was born recently at Warsaw Zoo in Poland( only zoo hosting bongos).
2-DG DRUG
By : Defence Research Development Organisation
What is 2-DG:
THE 2-DG
Is a glucose molecule
Cannot undergo further glycolysis
Are up taken by the glucose transporters of the cell. The glucose transporters are membrane proteins that facilitate the transport of glucose across plasma membrane
This is how the drug reaches the cells. As it cannot undergo glycolysis it simply stays in the cells. Continuous intake of the drug thus leads to accumulation in the cell.
About 2-DG drug:
The drug ensures faster recovery of hospitalised patients and will reduce supplemental oxygen dependence during clinical trials.
It accumulates in infected cells and stops viral synthesis. This accumulation makes the drug unique.
The drug comes in a powdered form in sachets. It is consumed orally after dissolving in water.
It was developed by Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS). INMAS is a laboratory operating under DRDO.
The DGCI has granted permission for emergency use of the drug in moderate to severe COVID-19 patients.
2-DG is a generic molecule and thus can be easily produced and made available in plenty in the country.
Recent news : The Reserve Bank of India recently announced that it is to conduct the first Special Long Term Repo Operation (SLTRO) of Rs 10,000 crores for Small Finance Banks.
DETAILS
The RBI will conduct the SLTRO for each month starting from May 2021 and will continue till October 2021.
The SLTRO will be valid for three years. All the Small Finance Banks shall participate in the SLTRO.
However, these banks should make sure that the amount borrowed from RBI should be lent only to specified segments such as unorganised sectors and small business units.
What is Special Long Term Repo Operations:
It is generally called the Long-Term Repo Operations
The Special Long Term Repo Operations is a tool under which RBI provides money to the banks at repo rate
It accepts the government securities as collateral. It is usually provided for a period of one year to three years
By : National Financial Reporting Authority
Details:
Identify and verify the primary data sources
Why: Because certain data such as Company Identification Number is different from different sources
National Financial Reporting Authority
NFRA
Was constituted in 2018.
Recommends auditing and accounting policies and standards to be adopted by companies for approval from the Union Government.
Monitors compliance with auditing standards and accounting standards.
Has powers to investigate misconduct committed by the members of ICAI
Was established to control the accounting scams increasing in the country. It was essential to create an independent regulator to enforce auditing standards. There was a need to increase investor and public confidence in financial disclosure of companies.
By : Climate and Clean Air Coalition and the United Nations Environment Programme
Key Findings
Methane is responsible for 30% of warming since the pre-industrial era.
The human-caused methane emissions come from oil and gas processing, fossil fuels, landfills and waste and agriculture.
In spite of economic slowdown caused by COVID-19 pandemic, data from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) show that the amount of methane in the atmosphere reached record levels in 2020.
Carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere for centuries. Unlike Carbon Dioxide, methane breaks down quickly. Meaning, very few actions can rapidly reduce the rate of global warming caused by methane.
Methane accounts to one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The majority of methane emissions comes from the three major sectors as follows:
Fossil fuels: 35%
Landfills and waste: 20%
Agriculture: 40%
Scientists recently discovered bones of gangly looking dinosaur employed excellent night vision and superb hearing to thrive as a menacing pint-sized nocturnal predator in deserts of Mongolia and China. It has been named as SHUVUUIA DESERTI.
Archaeologists discovered the remains of nine Neanderthals at a Grotta Guattari prehistoric site near Rome, Italy’s Culture ministry said on Saturday.
Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka won the Madrid Open for the first time on Saturday.
Eminent sculptor and Rajya Sabha member Padma Vibhushan Raghunath Mohapatra passed away while undergoing treatment for COVID-19
US-based aircraft maker Boeing has proposed to construct a 200-bed ICU hospital at Vir Bahadur Singh Sports College in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh
The Reserve Bank of India recently constituted a Committee under the Managing Director S Janaki Raman. The committee is to assist the second Regulatory Review Authority. About the Committee The committee will assist the authority to identify areas, guidelines, regulations and returns
1)Eco-Sensitive Zones: They are economically fragile areas in a radius of ten kilometres around the national parks, protected areas and wildlife sanctuaries.They are notified under Environment Protection Act, 1986. However, the act does not mention the word Eco-Sensitive Zones.
2)Coastal Regulation zone: They are those areas that are influenced by tides. According to Coastal Regulation Zone rules, 1991, 500 metres of land between high tide line and low tide line is declared as Coastal Regulation Zone.
3)Reserve Forest: The Reserve Forest are restricted forest that are constituted by the State Government. The local people are prohibited in the reserved forest.The other types are protected forests and village forests.
4)Glycolysis : Glycolysis is the process in which free energy is released.