Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – CURRENT EVENT

Context: According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), there is a high probability of heatwave conditions in isolated places in Odisha during March 13-17; Jharkhand during March 14-17, and Gangetic West Bengal on March 15-17.

Background: –

• A heatwave is basically a period of unusually high temperatures over a place. Thus, the threshold to declare a heatwave depends on the temperatures normally seen in that area in that time of the year. So what is considered a heatwave in Kerala will not be called that in Odisha.

Key takeaways

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) declares a heat wave based on the following temperature thresholds and deviations:
• Based on Absolute Temperature (Plains & Hilly Areas)
  • Heat Wave: When the maximum temperature reaches ≥ 40°C in the plains or ≥ 30°C in hilly areas.
  • Severe Heat Wave: When the maximum temperature reaches ≥ 47°C in the plains.
• Based on Temperature Departure from Normal
  • Heat Wave: If the maximum temperature is 4.5°C to 6.4°C above the normal temperature for a given location.
  • Severe Heat Wave: If the maximum temperature is ≥ 6.5°C above normal.
• For Coastal Regions
  • A heat wave is declared when the maximum temperature reaches ≥ 37°C and is 4.5°C or more above normal.
• Duration Requirement : A location must experience these criteria for at least two consecutive days for IMD to declare a heat wave.
• Heatwaves in India occur mainly from March to June and in some cases, July.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: In a development towards addressing a long-standing issue, a ceremonial transfer of land between Assam Rifles and Mizoram government took place to mark the relocation of paramilitary force from areas in the heart of Aizawl to Zokhawsang, 15 km away from the city.

Background: –

• Assam Rifles will give 106.853 acres of land in Aizawl, while the Mizoram government has given 1305.15 acres on lease to the Assam Rifles in Zokhawsang.
• Mizoram CM said the transfer, “will greatly facilitate the process, freeing up valuable space and resources, that can be redirected towards the development of our city and improving the quality of life for our citizens”.

Key takeaways

• The Assam Rifles (AR) is one of the six central armed police forces (CAPFs). The AR is tasked with maintaining law and order in the Northeast along with the Indian Army. It also guards the Indo-Myanmar border.
• It is the only paramilitary force with a dual control structure. While the administrative control of the force is with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), its operational control is with the Indian Army, which is under the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
• Due to the dual control structure, salaries and infrastructure for the force is provided by the MHA, but the deployment, posting, transfer and deputation of the personnel is decided by the Army. All its senior ranks, from DG to IG and sector headquarters, are manned by officers from the Army.
• The Force is commanded by an officer of the rank of Lieutenant General of the Army. The highest HQ of the force known as the HQ Directorate General of Assam Rifles is located at Shillong. 
• Assam Rifles is a region specific force with its operational role in the North East and therefore the HQ DGAR is also located in the East. The HQs of all other Central Para Military Forces are located at Delhi.
• Its recruitment, perks, promotion of its personnel and retirement policies are governed according to the rules framed by the MHA for CAPFs.

Historical Evolution

• According to the official website of Assam Rifles, the AR came into being in 1835, as a militia called the ‘Cachar Levy’. This Force was formed to primarily protect British Tea estates and their settlements against tribal raids.
• 1917 – Renamed Assam Rifles in recognition of its role in World War I.
• World War II – Played a critical role against the Japanese advance.
• The post-independence role of the Assam Rifles continued to evolve, ranging from a conventional combat role during the Sino-India War in 1962, operating in foreign land as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka in 1987 (Op Pawan), to a peacekeeping role in the northeastern areas of India.
• It remains the most awarded paramilitary force in both pre- and post-Independence India, having won a very large number of Shaurya Chakras, Kirti Chakras, Vir Chakras, Ashok Chakras, and Sena Medals.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Context: The clinical trial results of India’s first CAR T-cell therapy, published in The Lancet, show that it worked for nearly 73 per cent of patients. These results come from the Phase I and II trials of the therapy, where researchers assess its safety and effectiveness against a given condition. 

Background:

• This is the first clinical trial of a CAR T-cell therapy from India to be published in an international journal.
• The treatment developed in India is meant for patients with two types of blood cancers that affect the B cells — acute lymphoblastic leukemia and large B cell lymphomas.

Key takeaways

•  CAR T-cell therapy, or chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, trains the body’s own immune cells to identify and destroy cancer cells. This treatment is designed for specific types of blood cancer and is given to patients whose cancer has either relapsed or not responded to first-line treatment.
• India’s drug regulator had granted approval for this therapy in 2023. It is now available at several hospitals across India, including Apollo, Fortis, Amrita and Max, among others.
• Given that the treatment is novel and intended for cancer patients with no other options, the regulator allowed the company — a start-up incubated in IIT Bombay called ImmunoAct — to forgo a large Phase III clinical trial to demonstrate its efficacy in a broader population. However, the company must follow up with all patients who receive the therapy for 15 years.
• While the response rate was found to be similar to other therapies approved across the world, there was high incidence of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis — a serious but known complication of CAR T therapies where the immune cells get uncontrollably activated leading to hyper inflammation and organ damage.
• For any CAR T-cell therapy, a patient’s immune T-cells are collected by filtering their blood. These cells are then engineered in a lab to add receptors that can bind with cancer cells. These cells are then multiplied and infused in the patient.

Additional Information

• T-cells are primarily used in CAR-T cell therapy because of their pivotal role in the immune system’s response to pathogens and malignancies. These cells can be genetically engineered to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), which are specifically designed to recognise and bind to antigens on the surface of cancer cells. Once bound, these modified T-cells can efficiently kill cancer cells. 
• Other cells like B cells or natural killer cells also play roles in immunity but don’t have the same adaptability and memory capabilities as T cells, making them less effective for the persistent and targeted action required in CAR-T cell therapy.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims – ENVIRONMENT

Context: The End-Permian Mass Extinction that killed 80% of life on Earth 250 million years ago may not have been quite as disastrous for plants, new fossils hint. Scientists have identified a refuge in China where it seems that plants weathered the planet’s worst die-off.

Background: –

• The end-Permian extinction is particularly interesting to scientists because it was driven by greenhouse gases, much like climate change today. The situation was far more extreme then: The polar ice caps melted completely — a situation that would cause sea levels to rise a staggering 230 feet (70 meters) today.

Key takeaways 

• The End-Permian Mass Extinction, also known as “The Great Dying”, is considered the most severe extinction event in Earth’s history.
• Occurring approximately 252 million years ago, it marked the boundary between the Permian and Triassic geological periods. This event led to the extinction of about 90% of all species, including 95% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial species.

The exact causes are still debated, but several factors likely contributed:

• Siberian Traps Volcanism: Massive volcanic eruptions in what is now Siberia released enormous amounts of lava and greenhouse gases (CO₂ and methane). This led to global warming, ocean acidification, and environmental disruption.
• Climate Change: The release of greenhouse gases caused a dramatic increase in global temperatures, possibly by 8-10°C. This disrupted ecosystems and made many habitats uninhabitable.
• Ocean Anoxia: Warming oceans and changes in circulation led to widespread oxygen depletion in marine environments. This caused the collapse of marine ecosystems.
• Methane Hydrate Release: Warming may have triggered the release of methane hydrates from ocean sediments, further exacerbating global warming.
• Ozone Depletion: Volcanic emissions may have damaged the ozone layer, exposing life to harmful ultraviolet radiation.
• The recovery of ecosystems after the extinction was slow, taking 5-10 million years. The survivors, including early dinosaurs, mammals, and reptiles, diversified and eventually gave rise to new ecosystems in the Triassic Period.

Source: Live Science

Syllabus:

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: The recently released World Air Quality Report for 2024 has termed Byrnihat as the “most polluted city in the world”.

Background: –

• The annual average PM2.5 concentration in Byrnihat was 128.2 micrograms per cubic m (µg/m3), many times the World Health Organization’s annual air quality guideline of 5 µg/m3.

Key takeaways

• Eyrnihat is located around 20 km from Guwahati and 65 km from Shillong, in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district, where the hills of Meghalaya descend into Guwahati.
• Over the years, Byrnihat has developed into a regional industrial hub. The residential town is in Meghalaya, and the industrial units surrounding it are in both Meghalaya and Assam.

Contributing Factors:

• Rapid Industrialization: The establishment of numerous industries, including coke production, cement manufacturing, ferroalloys, steel production, distilleries, and brick kilns, has led to increased emissions. The availability of coal reserves in Meghalaya and proximity to Guwahati have attracted these industries. 
• Unregulated Emissions: Many industrial units have been found operating without proper pollution control measures. Inspections revealed non-operation of pollution control devices and ineffective emission management. 
• Vehicular Emissions: Byrnihat serves as a major transit hub, resulting in significant vehicular pollution. Heavy diesel vehicles, often not complying with norms, contribute to elevated levels of pollutants like PM2.5, PM10, and sulfur dioxide. 
• Topographical Factors: The “bowl-like” topography of the region, with surrounding hills, inhibits the dispersion of air pollutants, exacerbating pollution levels.

Source: India Today

Q1.) Consider the following statements regarding CAR T-Cell Therapy:

1. It is mainly used for treating solid tumors like lung and breast cancer.
2. In this therapy, a patient’s T-cells are genetically modified to attack cancer cells.
3. India’s first CAR T-cell therapy was developed by AIIMS, New Delhi.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3

Q2.) With reference to the End-Permian Mass Extinction, consider the following causes:

1. Large-scale volcanic eruptions.
2. Sudden increase in oxygen levels in the oceans.
3. Release of greenhouse gases, leading to global warming.
4. Methane hydrate release from ocean sediments.

Which of the above factors contributed to the End-Permian Mass Extinction?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 1, 3, and 4 only
(c) 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, and 4

Q3.) Consider the following factors contributing to Byrnihat’s air pollution crisis:

1. Presence of heavy industries such as coke production, cement manufacturing, and steel production.
2. Unregulated emissions due to the ineffective use of pollution control devices.
3. The town’s strategic location as a transit hub for heavy diesel vehicles.
4. High levels of deforestation in Sikkim.

Which of the factors mentioned above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1, 2, and 3 only
(c) 2, 3, and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, and 4

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’  Today’s – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs

Q.1) – d

Q.2) – a

Q.3) – a