Essential key terms from the last week’s news categorised as per the relevance in the UPSC-CSE syllabus. Solve the MCQs below.
Why in news?
—A new study published in the journal Cancer Cell suggests that the body’s immune capacity against cancer — to recognise and destroy cancer cells — can be boosted by using oncolytic viruses.
Key takeaways
—Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are viruses that selectively target and kill cancer cells while sparing normal ones. The study notes that these viruses also enhance the immune system’s ability to recognise and terminate cancer cells.
—Although long theorised, the research into oncolytic virotherapy picked up only in the 1960s. Of late, there have been several trials looking at different viruses for cancer treatment.
—The latest study focused on the virus known as myxoma and it found that T-cells infected with myxoma virus can lead to a type of cancer cell death not previously observed.
—The research claims to “uncover an unexpected synergy between T-cells and MYXV (myxoma virus) to bolster solid tumor cell autosis that reinforces tumor clearance”.
—Autosis is a form of cell destruction that is useful against solid tumors, which are seen as treatment-resistant.
—Myxoma can target and kill cancer cells directly, but using myxoma-equipped T-cells works well as cancerous cells in the vicinity of those targeted are also destroyed. This process is called bystander killing.
—The study makes the case that immunotherapy combined with virotherapy holds potential to seek and destroy ‘cold tumors’ that fly under the immune system’s radar.
( source: Cancer-fighting viruses can boost body’s immune response)
Point to ponder: Research in traditional medicine needs to be agile and responsive to changing needs. Comment.
1. MCQ
Consider the following statements and answer the question below.
1. Autosis is a form of cell destruction that is useful against solid tumors, which are seen as treatment-resistant.
2. Myxoma is a name for a virus as well as a cancerous tumor.
Which of the following statements is/are incorrect?
a) both 1 and 2
b) only 1
c) only 2
d) neither 1 nor 2
Why in news?
—The melting of the Greenland ice sheet will unavoidably raise the global sea levels by at least 10.6 inches or 27 centimetres, no matter what climate action the world decides to take right now. This is because of ‘zombie ice’, which is certain to melt away from the ice cap and blend into the ocean.
—The calculation comes from a recent study published in the journal Nature Climate Change where scientists for the first time calculated minimum ice loss in Greenland, and the corresponding rise in global sea level.
Key takeaways
—Also referred to as dead or doomed ice, zombie ice is one that is not accumulating fresh snow even while continuing to be part of the parent ice sheet. Such ice is “committed” to melting away and increasing sea levels.
—“This ice has been consigned to the ocean, regardless of what climate scenario we take now….more like a foot in the grave,” the lead author of the study, Jason Box, told Associated Press.
—This is on account of warming that has already happened. The research points to an equilibrium state where snowfall from the higher reaches of the Greenland ice cap flows down to recharge edges of the glaciers, and thicken them. It says that over the last several decades there has been more melting and less replenishment.
—The inevitable sea-level rise that the study predicts is particularly a bad news for millions that live in coastal zones. According to the UN Atlas of the Oceans, 8 of the world’s 10 largest cities are near a coast. Rising sea levels will make flooding, high tides and storms more frequent and worse as their impact will reach more inland. This, in turn, means a threat to local economies and infrastructure. Also, low lying coastal areas will take a harder hit.
—The World Economic Forum’s 2019 Global Risks Report noted that “already an estimated 800 million people in more than 570 coastal cities are vulnerable to a sea-level rise of 0.5 metres by 2050”.
(source: What is ‘zombie ice’, how it threatens to raise global sea levels by over 10 inches by Saurabh Kapoor, climate.nasa.gov)
Point to ponder: Developed nations should share responsibility to check climate change. Discuss.
2. MCQ:
Consider the following statements and answer the following question.
1. The GRACE Follow-On is a NASA’s mission which began collecting data in June 2018 and is continuing to monitor ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland.
2. GRACE Follow-On satellites show that the land ice sheets in both Antarctica and Greenland have been losing mass since 2002
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
a) Both 1 and 2
b) Only 1
c) Only 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Why in news?
—Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, has died at the age 91. Gorbachev’s desire to pull the USSR out of economic and social stagnation not only led to the collapse of the USSR but also ended the old war.
—But two words — “perestroika” and “glasnost” — will forever be associated with Gorbachev and, in essence, will be his legacy. Simply put, perestroika, means restructuring and glasnost means openness.
Key takeaways
—When Gorbachev took over as the General Secretary of the Communist Party in 1985, the then USSR was already groaning under the inefficiencies of a planned economy. While official data did not show it, the fact was that almost all of the USSR’s economic parameters — be it the GDP growth rate or labour productivity etc. — had collapsed since the start of 1970s. Gorbachev was acutely aware that the USSR needed to restructure its economy, and in particular, allow for a greater play of the market forces.
—But his idea of perestroika was not limited to the economic sphere. He had hoped that just like ill-effects of a top-down planned economy had spread through the social and moral fabric of Soviet life, economic restructuring, too, will lead to a social and political renewal.
—In his book “Perestroika: New thinking for our country and the world”, he explained why USSR needed “perestroika”:
“Perestroika is an urgent necessity arising from the profound processes of development in our socialist society…At some stage – this became particularly clear in the latter half of the seventies – something happened that was at first sight inexplicable. The country began to lose momentum. Economic failures became more frequent. Difficulties began to accumulate and deteriorate, and unresolved problems to multiply. Elements of what we call stagnation and other phenomena alien to socialism began to appear in the life of society. A kind of ‘braking mechanism’ affecting social and economic development formed. And all this happened at a time when scientific and technological revolution opened up new prospects for economic and social progress,” he wrote.
—This lack of transparency was at the heart of Gorbachev’s second mantras for reform: Glasnost — meaning openness. While it meant greater transparency in the functioning of the government and the economy, much like perestroika, Gorbachev’s hope was that this would also reorder the way people lived their everyday life in the USSR.
( source: Perestroika and Glasnost – Gorbachev’s reform mantras by Udit Misra)
Point to ponder: How Cold War shaped global order, what it can teach us about a potential Cold War 2.0?
3. MCQ:
Consider the following countries and answer the question below.
1.China
2.India
3.Laos
4.Mongolia
5. Syria
Which of the following are a part of Exercise Vostok – 2022 in Russia?
a) 1, 2, 3 and 4
b) 1, 3 and 5
c) 2, 3, 4 and 5
d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Why in news?
—In what may be termed as an uncommon ocean phenomenon, the prevailing La Ninã conditions over the equatorial Pacific Ocean have entered the third consecutive year. The current La Ninã phase has been prevailing since September 2020.
—Since the 1950s, La Ninã lasting for more than two years has been recorded only on six instances (see graph below), data by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated.
—By mid-August, meteorologists at Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), the US’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and India’s Monsoon Mission Climate Forecast System (MMCFS) confirmed that La Ninã conditions are here to stay till the end of 2022.
—This was in contrast to the forecasts issued by these multiple agencies in April this year, which had said La Ninã would dissipate by August and conditions would turn neutral thereafter.
—From remaining at the La Niña ‘watch’ status, two of BoM’s latest Climate Driver bulletins issued this month upgraded it to La Niña ‘alert’ status.
—In June this year, the World Meteorological Organization had termed the persisting La Niña conditions as ‘stubborn’.
Key takeaways
—The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is one of the key climate drivers for which the sea surface temperatures (SST) along the central and equatorial Pacific Ocean are constantly observed. It is important, as ENSO conditions can alter both the temperatures and rainfall globally, due to its strong interference on the global atmospheric circulations. It has three phases — El Niño, neutral and La Ninã.
—El Niño is when the SSTs along the central and equatorial Pacific Ocean are abnormally warmer than normal. La Niña, on the other hand, is when cooler SSTs prevail over these regions.
—In the Indian context, El Niño years have seen below normal monsoon rainfall and caused extreme heat, even though it may not be the single factor or have direct relations. In 2014, India received 12 per cent deficient rainfall during June to September.
—La Niña years, on the other hand, are known to favour the Indian summer monsoon. This year, India has received 740.3 mm of rainfall, which was quantitatively 7 per cent above the seasonal average till August 30. Out of the 36 states/Union Territories, 30 have received rainfall categorised as either ‘normal’, ‘excess’ or ‘large excess’.
—Uttar Pradesh and Manipur (-44 per cent), and Bihar (-39 per cent) remain the worst affected states this season.
—“The continuing La Niña is a good sign for the Indian monsoon. The monsoon rainfall, so far, has been good except Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and neighbouring areas,” M Rajeevan, former secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), told The Indian Express.
—Rajeevan termed the continuing La Niña as “abnormal”, and said, “It is surprising that it has continued for the last three years. It may be good for India but not for some other countries.”
—The former MoES secretary also noted that “under climate change conditions, one must expect more such instances”. Climate change could be a factor driving such anomalous conditions. El Niño is also often also associated with heatwaves and extreme temperatures, as seen recently in parts of the US, China and Europe.
—During past events of La Niña, India’s Northeast monsoon rainfall remained subdued. But the 2021 season remains an exception in recent years, pointed out Rajeevan.
—Between October and December 2021, the southern Indian peninsular recorded a whopping 171 per cent surplus – the wettest winter monsoon ever recorded since 1901, data from the IMD stated.
—However, the factors that are contributing in keeping the equatorial and central Pacific Ocean cooler, that too since September 2020, remain fully unclear. As SST values dipped to the lowest twice during the last two years, scientists are identifying the 2020 – 2021-2022 as the ‘double-dip’ La Niña. In this ongoing phase, the lowest SSTs were recorded around October-November in 2020 and April-May of 2021, the IMD data said.
(source: The ‘stubborn’ and ‘abnormal’ La Ninã conditions are impacting India’s monsoon by Anjali Marar)
Point to ponder: Do La Niña conditions favour cyclone formation?
4. MCQ :
With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)’ sometimes mentioned in the news while forecasting Indian monsoon, which of the following statements is/are correct? (UPSC-CSE 2017)
- IOD phenomenon is characterised by a difference in sea surface temperature between the tropical Western Indian Ocean and the tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean.
- An IOD phenomenon can influence an El Nino’s impact on the monsoon.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Why in news?
—For most of this month, the global attention on the war in Ukraine has remained nervously focused on Zaporizhzhia, an important town in the country’s southeast that houses the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.
—The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station has been under Russian control since early March, but an escalation of the conflict in the town this month, including shelling and mortar attacks, some of which damaged parts of the nuclear station, has raised the spectre of nuclear disaster.
Key takeaways
—Russia and Ukraine have been accusing each other of attempting to damage the nuclear plant in ‘false flag’ operations. The plant continues to be operated by its Ukrainian staff, with Russian soldiers standing guard.
—On Tuesday, a team of officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) arrived in Ukraine to assess the condition of the plant, after Russia agreed to their visit.
—Ukraine has four nuclear power stations comprising 15 reactors. The plant at Zaporizhzhia has six reactors, which can together produce about 5,700 MW of electricity. Nuclear energy caters to about half of Ukraine’s power demand. Russian forces attacked the plant on the night of March 3, early in the invasion, and took control of it relatively easily.
—This is the first time that a nuclear installation has been caught in a military conflict, that too one that is in operation. In mid-August, the last remaining external power supply line to the complex was disrupted due to the fighting, and the station had to fall back on emergency generators.
—Nuclear plants have to depend on external electricity for a variety of needs, including the operation of water pumping systems to keep the reactors cool. That line was restored, but for a few hours, it brought the world on the brink of a major nuclear disaster. As the fighting continues, the possibility of something going horribly wrong remains open.
—Modern nuclear reactors are built to withstand considerable shock and impact. They have several layers of reinforced steel and concrete, and also elaborate fire security systems. Most of these reactors can survive earthquakes of magnitude 8 or higher. They are also designed to shut down automatically when they sense major natural hazards.
—The Zaporizhzhia reactors, built in the 1980s and 1990s, are said to be quite safe. Gunfire or even shelling is unlikely to cause much harm or result in a nuclear accident. However, it is unclear how the reactors would face up to powerful bombs or missile attacks. It is expected that neither of the parties would be so reckless so as to directly bomb the reactor to trigger a nuclear explosion.
—But the possibility of a major accident is still very real. Buildings and water pools used for storing used and unused nuclear fuel are not as sturdily built as the reactor itself, and can suffer significant damage in heavy fighting.
(source: Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Russia-Ukraine war zone by Amitabh Sinha)
Point to ponder: The world is hurtling towards a far-reaching geopolitical and economic crisis, in part precipitated by the war in Ukraine. Discuss.
4. MCQ:
Consider the following statements and answer the question below.
- Nuclear power plants use heat produced during nuclear fission to heat water.
- At the center of nuclear reactor is the core, which contains uranium fuel. Which of the following statements is/are incorrect?
a) only 1
b) only 2
c) both 1 and 2
d) neither 1 nor 2
Why in news?
—With fears of a nuclear disaster at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia power plant growing, the European Union has decided to pre-emptively supply 5.5 million anti-radiation pills to be distributed among residents in the vicinity.
—Those being handed out the pills are being told to only take them once a radiation leak has been confirmed.
Key takeaways
—Radiation emergency are unplanned or accidental events that create radio-nuclear hazard to humans and the environment. Such situations involve radiation exposure from a radioactive source and require prompt intervention to mitigate the threat. Dealing with such an emergency also involves the use of anti-radiation tablets.
—Potassium iodide (KI) tablets, or anti-radiation pills, are known to provide some protection in cases of radiation exposure. They contain non-radioactive iodine and can help block absorption, and subsequent concentration, of radioactive iodine in the thyroid gland.
—After a radiation leak, radioactive iodine floats through the air and then contaminates food, water and soil.
—While radioactive iodine deposited during external exposure can be removed using warm water and soap, according to the World Health Organisation, the bigger risk is inhaling it. “Internal exposure, or irradiation, occurs when radioactive iodine enters the body and accumulates in the thyroid gland,” says the WHO.
—The thyroid gland, which uses iodine to produce hormones to regulate the body’s metabolism, has no way of telling radioactive from non-radioactive iodine.
—Potassium iodide (KI) tablets rely on this to achieve ‘thyroid blocking’. KI pills taken a few hours before or soon after radiation exposure ensure that non-radioactive iodine in the medicine is absorbed quickly to make the thyroid “full”.
—“Because KI contains so much non-radioactive iodine, the thyroid becomes full and cannot absorb any more iodine – either stable or radioactive – for the next 24 hours,” says the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
—But KI pills are preventive only and cannot reverse any damage done by radiation to the thyroid gland. Once thyroid gland absorbs radioactive iodine, those exposed are at a high risk of developing thyroid cancer.
—Anti-radiation pills do not provide 100 percent protection. “The effectiveness of KI also depends on how much radioactive iodine gets into the body and how quickly it is absorbed in the body,” says the CDC.
—Also, the pills are not meant for everybody. They are recommended for people under 40 years of age. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are also advised to take them. While it can protect the thyroid against radioactive iodine, it cannot protect other organs against radiation contamination.
—The US Food and Drug Administration advises against using salt or iodine supplements as they do not contain enough iodine to trigger thyroid blocking.
6. MCQ:
Consider the following statements and answer the question below.
- Potassium iodide (KI) tablets, or anti-radiation pills, are known to provide 100 percent protection in cases of radiation exposure from radioactive source.
- Potassium iodide (KI) pills are preventive only and cannot reverse any damage done by radiation to the thyroid gland.
Which of the following statements is/are true ?
a) Only 1
b) Only 2
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer to the MCQs: 1 (c), 2 (a), 3 (d), 4 (b), 5 (c), 6 (b)
