Microcephaly, Solar Dynamics Observatory, PRAVAH Portal of RBI

• Storms and rainfall-induced landslips in the aftermath of cyclone Remal killed several across three northeastern States. Mizoram was the worst affected state.

Cyclone Remal made landfall in low-lying Bangladesh and neighbouring states of India.

• It was one of the quickest-forming and longest-lasting.
• In terms of its land duration, it is one of the longest (36 hours) in Bangladesh’s history, as per the director of the state-run Bangladesh Meteorological Department.
• The cyclone formed more quickly than almost all the cyclones they have monitored in recent decades.
• Landslips also known as landslides are a type of Mass Movement.
• Landslips are relatively rapid and perceptible movements.
• A slump is the slipping of one or several units of rock debris with a backward rotation with respect to the slope over which the movement takes place.
• Rapid rolling or sliding of earth debris without backward rotation of mass is known as debris slide.
• Debris fall is nearly a free fall of earth debris from a vertical or overhanging face.
• Sliding of individual rock masses down bedding, joint or fault surfaces is a rock slide. Over steep slopes, rock sliding is very fast and destructive. rockslide which affects materials up to a substantial depth.
• Rockfall is free falling of rock blocks over any steep slope keeping itself away from the slope. Rock falls occur from the superficial layers of the rock face.

Dig Deeper: Read about the difference between Weathering and Mass Movements.

• Microcephaly is a condition in which a baby’s head is much smaller than normal.
• Most children with microcephaly also have a small brain, poor motor function, poor speech, and abnormal facial features, and are intellectually disabled.
• Researchers believe the roots of the condition lie in the peak phase of brain development in the embryo — when the cells that eventually become neurons fail to divide normally.
• Clinicians can diagnose microcephaly before the baby is born using foetal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging.
• Recent research by Chinese University reinforced the SASS6 gene’s role in causing microcephaly.
• These genes contain instructions for cells to make structures called centrioles.
• 70% or more of cases of congenital microcephaly seen in the clinic come from consanguineous marriages.
• These are marriages between closely related individuals, such as between uncle and niece or between first cousins.
• Consanguinity increases the risk of an individual inheriting a mutated copy of a gene from both parents.
• When researchers suppressed the SASS6 gene in roundworm C. elegans embryos, they found that the cells failed to assemble new centrioles, resulting in arrested development.
• After studying a family of four members who had microcephaly, researchers found the mutation (Ile62Thr) correlated with microcephaly.
• Humans with the Ile62Thr mutation can survive but suffer brain deficits due to impaired centriole function, leading to microcephaly and intellectual disability. Neurons are particularly sensitive to centriole defects.
• The amino acid isoleucine in the SASS6 gene had been replaced by threonine. Thus, it is named Ile62Thr.

Dig Deeper: Read about genetic disorders like Down’s Syndrome, Klinefelter’s Syndrome and Turner’s Syndrome.

• Gravity forces large masses like planets and stars into spherical shapes.
• A sphere is the most compact three-dimensional shape with the lowest surface area for a given volume.
• Any other shape would be reshaped by gravity into a sphere.
• Less massive bodies experience weaker gravitational force, allowing electromagnetic forces to resist gravity, resulting in non-spherical shapes (e.g., comets, asteroids, humans).
• Stars and planets are not perfectly spherical; they are oblate spheroids. Rotation creates a centrifugal force, causing a bulge at the equator.
• This makes gravity weaker at the equator and stronger at the poles. On Earth, objects fall slightly faster at the poles than at the equator.

Dig Deeper: What are gravitational waves?

• NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured a solar flare.
• It is captured in the extreme ultraviolet light portion of the spectrum.
• An international team of mathematicians and scientists reported that the Sun’s magnetic field originates much closer to the surface than previously thought.
• The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) is a NASA mission observing the Sun since 2010. The observatory is part of the Living With a Star (LWS) program.

The goal of the LWS program is to develop the scientific understanding necessary to effectively address those aspects of the connected Sun-Earth system directly affecting life on Earth and its society.

Dig Deeper: Read about the solar cycle, recent massive solar flare eruptions, and their impact on Earth.

• Rajkot gaming centre and at the New Born Baby Care Hospital in New Delhi fire incidents demand a review of various laws and guidelines that stipulate rules around fire safety in buildings.
• Framework: The Model Building Bye-Laws, 2016, particularly Chapter 11 on “Fire Protection and Fire Safety Requirements,” provides the framework for State governments responsible for fire safety.
• Chapter 11 specifies fire safety and infrastructure needs for buildings 49 feet or taller and those with low occupancies, necessary for issuing an NOC.
• States must ensure adherence to Part 4 of the National Building Code (NBC) and incorporate mandatory fire safety provisions.
• Structures like the Rajkot game zone, accommodating 300 or more persons without permanent seating, fall under the assembly buildings category.
• Health Ministry in 2020 issued guidelines for third-party fire safety accreditation and fire response plans.
• In Gujarat, the Comprehensive Development Control Regulations, 2017, require the Chief Fire Officer’s opinion even for temporary structures.
• The Uphaar case (1997) was prosecuted with the charge of causing death by negligence (IPC 304A), hurt or grievous hurt by rash or negligent act (337, 338) by the owners of the cinema, and culpable homicide (304) and other sections in the case of theatre staff and public agency employees, such as the electricity authority.

Dig Deeper: Read provisions of the National Building code and Model building Bye-Laws.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched three major initiatives – the PRAVAAH portal, the retail direct mobile app and a fintech repository.
• PRAVAAH (Platform for Regulatory Application, VAlidation and AutHorisation) is a secure and centralised web-based portal for any individual or entity to seek authorisation, license or regulatory approval on any reference made by it to the RBI.
• The retail direct mobile app will provide retail investors seamless and convenient access to the retail direct platform and provide ease of transacting in government securities (G-Secs).
• Retail investors can now transact in G-Secs using the mobile app on their smartphones.
• The fintech repository will contain information on Indian fintech firms for a better understanding from a regulatory perspective.

Dig Deeper: Read about various e-governance initiatives of RBI.