Prelims Focus – 10th April 2024

Pelagia noctiluca

In News: A bloom of venomous jellyfish(Pelagia Noctiluca) was recently reported by marine researchers across the Visakhapatnam coast .

• It is also referred to as the mauve stinger or red-striped jellyfish.
• Unlike different jellyfish species, it has stingers not only on the tentacles, but on the bell too.
• These are bioluminescent, having an ability to produce light in the dark.
• Distribution :The Pelagia noctiluca is found worldwide in tropical and warm-temperature seas.
  • In January 2024, the Pelagia noctiluca bloom was noticed in Thailand
  • In the past, a bloom of Pelagia noctiluca had broken penned salmon in Ireland.
  • It is hardly ever seen in the East coast of India however  scores of the venomous jellyfish species have been spotted across RK Beach and other components of the coast.
• Related concerns : It is venomous and causes varying degrees of illness along with diarrhoea, intense ache, vomiting and anaphylactic surprise (a high allergic reaction which can expand quickly and be life-threatening).
• Venomous jellyfish blooms have in the past been regarded to have caused huge damage to the fishing enterprise and impacted tourism. 
• Suggestions : An advisory ought to be issued for humans to no longer step into the waters until records of the species disappearing from the coast are given.

Undeniable Link between High Glycaemic Index and Diabetes

In News: A Lancet paper has provided proof for the undeniable link between high glycaemic index and diabetes..

• Findings: The findings recommend that eating low glycaemic index and low glycaemic load diets would possibly prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.
• They also discovered a strong association between glycaemic index (GI) and the threat of type 2 diabetes among people with a higher Body Mass Index (BMI).
• The glycaemic index (GI) is a rating machine for ingredients containing carbohydrates.
• It indicates how quickly every food affects blood sugar (glucose) stage while that food is eaten on its own.
• High GI foods: Carbohydrate meals which are damaged down quickly by means of  body and purpose a speedy boom in blood glucose have a high GI score.
• Low and medium GI food: Low or medium GI ingredients are broken down extra slowly and cause a gradual rise in blood sugar degrees over the years.

imposition of anti-dumping duty on sodium cyanide (NaCN)

In News: The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has recently recommended imposition of anti-dumping duty on sodium cyanide (NaCN) imported from China, the European Union, Japan and Korea. 

• An anti-dumping obligation is a protectionist tariff that a local government imposed on foreign imports that it believes are priced under fair market cost. 
• Dumping is a method in which an enterprise exports a product at a rate that is appreciably lower than the price it normally prices in its domestic (or its domestic) market.
• The revised definitive anti-dumping responsibilities at the import of sodium cyanide is for a period of five years.
• Sodium cyanide is used in the extraction of gold and silver from their respective ores, in electroplating and the heat treatment of metals, and in manufacturing insecticides, dyes, pigments, and bulk pills, and so forth.

TSAT-1A

Recent News:

• Recently, TATA Advanced Systems Limited announced its deployment of its sub-metre resolution optical satellite, TSAT-1A in Space with the help of Falcon 9 Rocket of Spacex.

Details: 

• TSAT-1A is mankind’s predecessor satellite having an advanced Earth observation system with less than one metre low-resolution images.
• It was made by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Satellogic Inc. together at the Karnataka facility of TASL.
• As part of its first assessment of disaster-impacted areas, it was able to capture data using its multispectral and hyperspectral imaging features. The mission was launched by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center.
• It includes an industrial grade imaging, extensive Dynamic Range and a low-data-latency dissemination functionality, which makes it possible for military commanders to make their strategic decisions.
• It is relevant to mention that this is India’s first and only initiative in private sector which can feed the data into the already filled military satellite system built by ISRO.

SWAMIH

Recent News:

It stands for The Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH). It is backed by the Central Govt. and recently it has been a major part of the completion of  28000 homes.  

Details:

• SWAMIH Fund Establishment: Started in the year 2019 to fill in the gap of remaining money, the SWAMIH Fund ensures support to stalled housing projects.
• Home Completion Impact: The fund has facilitated more than 28,000 home completions while addressing both delays in the project and liquidity challenges.
• Projected Deliveries: Moreover, 60,000 units in the following three years are anticipated to be constructed, which additionally reiterates the role of the government to preserve the real estate business.
• Ancillary Industry Growth: A secondary impact of the fund also reaches the ancillary industries by creating over 35,000 crore of liquidity and maintaining operations in the construction-related sectors.
• Housing Inventory Overhang Reduction: SWAMIH fund collaboration with other industry bodies has tremendously reduced housing overhang from 41 months during 2017 to 15 months at the end of 2023 suggesting a positive trend.

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