SARAL to boost remote sensing ability of India

SARAL (Satellite with Argos  and  ALtiKa)

With the launch of SARAL satellite carrying AltiKa and an Argos-3 instrument2 is scheduled to be launched on December 2012 and with this the remote sensing ability of the country will get a boost up.

The SARAL Mission:

“1000 Genomes Project”

What is the “1000 Genomes Project”?

§  Scientists working for The 1,000 Genomes Project have decoded the genomes of more than 1,000 people from 14 ethnic global groups. It is the largest and most detailed compilation of human DNA variations, to track origin of rare and common diseases.

§  Launched in January 2008

§  An international research effort to establish by far the most detailed catalogue of human genetic variation.

§  The project has generated raw information to the tune of 180 terabytes. All of the information is freely available on internet.

§  The sequencing of 1092 genomes was announced in a Nature publication in October 2012.

Scientist a synthetic molecule to quell allergy

Scientists have discovered that a new synthetic molecule named “DARP E2-79” could pave the way for quick-acting remedies for a number of acute allergic reactions.

What is Allergy?

Allergy is a hypersensitivity disorder of immune system. These reactions occur when a person’s immune system  reacts to normally harmless substances in the environment. The substance which incites such a reaction is called an allergen. These reactions are acquired, predictable, and rapid. When exposed to the allergen, the immune system produces a type of antibody (IgE). IgE incites certain cells in our body (mast cells and basophils) to produce chemical called histamine. Histamine is what is responsible for the symptoms of your allergy.

Flu vaccine may cut risk of heart disease and death

Getting a flu shot this season may not only lower your risk of influenza, but it may also help protect against heart disease, according to a new review.

Two Toronto-based researchers presented studies at the 2012 Canadian Cardiovascular Congress that found that the influenza vaccine could be an important treatment for maintaining heart health and warding off cardiovascular events like strokes and heart attacks.

Dr. Jacob Udell, a cardiologist at Women’s College Hospital and the University of Toronto, and his team from the TIMI Study Group and Network for Innovation in Clinical Research looked at published clinical trials on this subject, dating back to the 1960s.

"For those who had the flu shot, there was a pretty strong reduction,” said Dr. Udell.

The flu vaccine provided an approximate 50 per cent reduction in the risk of a major cardiac event (heart attack, stroke, or cardiac death) compared with placebo after one year of follow-up. A similar trend was seen for the flu vaccine reducing death from any cause (approximately 40 per cent).

The influenza vaccine reduced cardiovascular events and cardiovascular death in people with or without heart disease.

The combined studies examined a total of 3,227 patients, with an almost equal split between patients with and without established heart disease. Half of the participants were randomly assigned to receive flu vaccine and those that did not typically received a placebo vaccine.

SpaceX capsule completes successful first mission

The unmanned SpaceX capsule returned to Earth today after successfully delivering its first commercial payload to the International Space Station commanded by Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams.

The Dragon spacecraft parachuted into the Pacific at 0052 IST after an 18-day mission to resupply the station with payload including hardware, supplies, and a GLACIER freezer packed with scientific samples.

8 % of male infertility due to genetic deletions in Y chromosome

A recent study found that two spontaneously recurring deletions along a complex region of the Y chromosome are responsible for around 8 % of cases of failed sperm production.

Although research was already available which established the relation b/w AZFc (Azoospermia Factor c) and Severe Spermatogenic Failure (SSF), the current research determines the prevalence of these deletion in general population.

Researchers identify new molecules which can malarial parasites rapidly

Researchers have discovered two new chemical compounds that can speedily kill the Plasmodium parasites that cause malaria.

Around 3 million deaths are caused by Malaria every year, and it is dominant in tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Windows 8 in India (Win 7 v/s Win 8)

Microsoft launched the latest version of its Operating System (OS) Windows 8 in India.

Windows 8 is designed to work across PCs, tablets as well as for smart phones.

India opposes balkanization of Internet

In recent development, India has distanced itself from any model that promulgates governments control over internet.

What is the background of the issue?

The issue is regarding the control of the internet related tasks and its governance. Initially, till 1998, other organization on behalf of U.S. government used to oversee internet related tasks. Later, a non-profit private organization was established by the U.S. to govern the task. The organization is called Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

Alternatives to Endosulfan available

The Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) Review Committee to theStockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants approved the assessment of 100 chemical alternatives to insecticide and acaricideEndosulfan.  The committee also suggested its non-chemical alternatives.