India's first CDS
Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat has been named India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). General Rawat has been named the first CDS a day before he is scheduled to retire from service after his three-year term as the Chief of Army Staff. General Rawat was the frontrunner for the post that was announced just a few days ago.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22443-india-s-first-cds.html
#CDS #BipinRawat #IndianArmy #DCAP #AAP #ICDP #Kargil
ISRO's Mission Aditya
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his last 'Mann ki Baat' programme of this year on 29 December 2019 said that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch a satellite called Aditya to study the sun.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22442-isro-s-mission-aditya.html
#ISRO #MissionAditya #ASTROSAT #NarendraModi #ISTRAC #NASA
Scientist who edited babies’ genes sentenced
The Chinese scientist who created the world’s first genetically altered babies has been sentenced to three years in prison and a lifelong ban from working in reproductive technology, state media reported on 30 December 2019.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22441-scientist-who-edited-babies-genes-sentenced.html
#Scientist #babies #genetically #CRISPR #HIV #ZhangRenli
India-Nepal ties continue to grow
India’s relations with Nepal continued to grow in 2019 with high-level bilateral visits and increased energy collaboration, including the inauguration of the first-ever cross-border petroleum pipeline in South Asia, amidst China’s heavy investments in the landlocked country.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22440-india-nepal-ties-continue-to-grow.html
#India #XiJinping #Nepal #VijayGokhale #RotiBetikaRishta #earthquake
Materials to produce energy from water
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati Researchers have developed materials that can produce energy from water, on a small scale. According to IIT-Guwahati these new ways of producing energy can be employed in household environments to support the concept of decentralization of energy sources.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22439-materials-to-produce-energy-from-water.html
#Materials #IIT #Guwahati #India #water #ACS
Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat has been named India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). General Rawat has been named the first CDS a day before he is scheduled to retire from service after his three-year term as the Chief of Army Staff. General Rawat was the frontrunner for the post that was announced just a few days ago.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22443-india-s-first-cds.html
#CDS #BipinRawat #IndianArmy #DCAP #AAP #ICDP #Kargil
ISRO's Mission Aditya
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his last 'Mann ki Baat' programme of this year on 29 December 2019 said that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch a satellite called Aditya to study the sun.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22442-isro-s-mission-aditya.html
#ISRO #MissionAditya #ASTROSAT #NarendraModi #ISTRAC #NASA
Scientist who edited babies’ genes sentenced
The Chinese scientist who created the world’s first genetically altered babies has been sentenced to three years in prison and a lifelong ban from working in reproductive technology, state media reported on 30 December 2019.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22441-scientist-who-edited-babies-genes-sentenced.html
#Scientist #babies #genetically #CRISPR #HIV #ZhangRenli
India-Nepal ties continue to grow
India’s relations with Nepal continued to grow in 2019 with high-level bilateral visits and increased energy collaboration, including the inauguration of the first-ever cross-border petroleum pipeline in South Asia, amidst China’s heavy investments in the landlocked country.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22440-india-nepal-ties-continue-to-grow.html
#India #XiJinping #Nepal #VijayGokhale #RotiBetikaRishta #earthquake
Materials to produce energy from water
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati Researchers have developed materials that can produce energy from water, on a small scale. According to IIT-Guwahati these new ways of producing energy can be employed in household environments to support the concept of decentralization of energy sources.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22439-materials-to-produce-energy-from-water.html
#Materials #IIT #Guwahati #India #water #ACS
Ksgindia
India's first CDS | KSG India | Khan Study Group
Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat has been named India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). General Rawat has been named the first CDS a day before he is scheduled to retire from service after h
Today's Headlines - 18 August 2023
IITG produces pluripotent stem cells
GS Paper - 3 (Biotechnology)
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) in collaboration with scientists from Christian Medical College, Vellore, have reported a method to convert regular human skin cells into pluripotent stem cells. The human body is made of many kinds of cells – nerve cells, heart cells, liver cells, pancreatic cells, and so on, with unique structures and functions.
More about the News
All these distinctive cells originate from stem cells to perform a specific function. Lack of any of this cell type in a human body will result in a disease or disorder.
Thus, stem cells can be programmed to develop into mature functional cells, which can be used to replace damaged cells.
Stem Cells have to be extracted from embryos or parts of the adult human body like the brain or bone marrow, which is challenging from both ethical and practical aspects.
Thus, scientists are exploring techniques to convert ordinary cells, like skin or blood cells, into pluripotent stem cells – stem cells that can be programmed to develop into any other form of an adult cell type. These cells are called Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs).
The most important advantage of iPSCs is their potential to produce patient-specific cells which can be transplanted to the site of injury or the site of tissue degeneration due to various disease conditions, and thereby, eliminate any chance of immune rejection.
The conversion of mature cells into iPSCs was first shown by Prof. Shinya Yamanaka, who won the Nobel Prize in 2012 for his discovery.
How it Prepared
This research involved introducing specific genes into mature cells to convert them into iPSCs.
The researchers have used a safe, integration-free method, and have introduced genes such as OCT3/4, SOX2, KLF4, L-MYC, LIN28 and a p53 shRNA into skin cells to transform them into iPSCs.
The iPSCs produced by the IITG and CMC researchers were versatile, maintained their genetic makeup well, and could potentially differentiate into a range of body cell types.
Additionally, tests confirmed that the DNA structure of the cells was not altered and matched that of the original cells. Importantly, these iPSCs were found to be free from bacterial contamination.
iPSCs are useful for the design of stem-cell therapies for a range of ailments. iPSCs can be programmed to become beta islet cells to treat diabetes, blood cells to treat leukaemia, or neurons to treat disorders like Parkinson's and Alzheimer’s diseases.
Given the importance and potential of stem cells, the Government of India actively supports stem cell research through the Department of Health Research-Indian Council of Medical Research (DHR-ICMR).
This commitment spans two decades and includes initiatives such as advanced research centres, thematic task forces, and iPSC generation.
The collaboration between IIT Guwahati and CMC Vellore aligns seamlessly with these efforts and India’s endeavour to be at the forefront of stem cell research.
#upsc #news #headline #IITG #pluripotent #stem #cells #biotechnology #technology #guwahati #biotechnology #christian #medical #college #vellore #human #pluripotent #nervecells #pancreaticcells #unique #functions #disease #adult #practical #IPSC #shinyayamanaka #nobelprize #parkinson #alzheimer #diabetes #forces #research #DHR #ICMR #department #taskforces #india
IITG produces pluripotent stem cells
GS Paper - 3 (Biotechnology)
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) in collaboration with scientists from Christian Medical College, Vellore, have reported a method to convert regular human skin cells into pluripotent stem cells. The human body is made of many kinds of cells – nerve cells, heart cells, liver cells, pancreatic cells, and so on, with unique structures and functions.
More about the News
All these distinctive cells originate from stem cells to perform a specific function. Lack of any of this cell type in a human body will result in a disease or disorder.
Thus, stem cells can be programmed to develop into mature functional cells, which can be used to replace damaged cells.
Stem Cells have to be extracted from embryos or parts of the adult human body like the brain or bone marrow, which is challenging from both ethical and practical aspects.
Thus, scientists are exploring techniques to convert ordinary cells, like skin or blood cells, into pluripotent stem cells – stem cells that can be programmed to develop into any other form of an adult cell type. These cells are called Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs).
The most important advantage of iPSCs is their potential to produce patient-specific cells which can be transplanted to the site of injury or the site of tissue degeneration due to various disease conditions, and thereby, eliminate any chance of immune rejection.
The conversion of mature cells into iPSCs was first shown by Prof. Shinya Yamanaka, who won the Nobel Prize in 2012 for his discovery.
How it Prepared
This research involved introducing specific genes into mature cells to convert them into iPSCs.
The researchers have used a safe, integration-free method, and have introduced genes such as OCT3/4, SOX2, KLF4, L-MYC, LIN28 and a p53 shRNA into skin cells to transform them into iPSCs.
The iPSCs produced by the IITG and CMC researchers were versatile, maintained their genetic makeup well, and could potentially differentiate into a range of body cell types.
Additionally, tests confirmed that the DNA structure of the cells was not altered and matched that of the original cells. Importantly, these iPSCs were found to be free from bacterial contamination.
iPSCs are useful for the design of stem-cell therapies for a range of ailments. iPSCs can be programmed to become beta islet cells to treat diabetes, blood cells to treat leukaemia, or neurons to treat disorders like Parkinson's and Alzheimer’s diseases.
Given the importance and potential of stem cells, the Government of India actively supports stem cell research through the Department of Health Research-Indian Council of Medical Research (DHR-ICMR).
This commitment spans two decades and includes initiatives such as advanced research centres, thematic task forces, and iPSC generation.
The collaboration between IIT Guwahati and CMC Vellore aligns seamlessly with these efforts and India’s endeavour to be at the forefront of stem cell research.
#upsc #news #headline #IITG #pluripotent #stem #cells #biotechnology #technology #guwahati #biotechnology #christian #medical #college #vellore #human #pluripotent #nervecells #pancreaticcells #unique #functions #disease #adult #practical #IPSC #shinyayamanaka #nobelprize #parkinson #alzheimer #diabetes #forces #research #DHR #ICMR #department #taskforces #india