BLOGS
Zydus Cadila has received approval to begin human studies
Zydus Cadila has received approval to begin human studies for its Covid-19 vaccine
Zydus has received approval from Indian regulatory authorities to begin human studies for its Covid-19 vaccine, India’s approval for Zydus comes days after Bharat Biotech, a private company, obtained a similar green light for human studies for its vaccine.
- Zydus will begin testing more than 1,000 subjects this month at multiple locations in India. The company also plans to increase its production capacity so that the vaccine meets Indian and global demand.
- A commercial vaccine against Covid-19 has not yet been approved, but more than a dozen out of more than 100 candidates worldwide are currently being tested in humans, and some have shown potential in trials with one early stage.
- As we know the number of coronavirus infections in India surpassed 600,000 on Thursday, resulting in 17,834 deaths as authorities struggle to contain the pandemic and ease the blocking rules. Only the United States, Brazil and Russia reported more cases than India.
The Central Drug Control Organization (CDSCO) has also authorized Bharat Biotech India (BBIL) to conduct human clinical trials for “Covaxin”, a Covid-19 vaccine developed in the country. Testing is expected to begin across India in July.
- The candidate vaccine was developed by BBIL in collaboration with the National Institute of Virology (NIV). NIV isolated a strain of the new coronavirus from an asymptomatic Covid-19 patient and transferred it to BBIL in early May.
- The company then used it to develop an “inactivated” vaccine, a vaccine that uses the killed virus, at its high containment facility in Hyderabad.
- Covaxin then underwent preclinical testing on animals like guinea pigs and mice to see if it was safe before the company approached CDSCO for permission to proceed to human trials.
- The CDSCO, has granted BBL approvals for phase I and II clinical trials. This brings India closer to finalizing a nationally developed Covid-19 vaccine at a time when the country’s cases continue to increase.
- The first phase, usually done in a small group, tries to determine what dose of vaccine is safe to use, if it is effective in building your immunity to the virus, and if there are any side effects.
- The second phase is carried out in a group of hundreds of people who fit the description of those for whom the vaccine is intended, using characteristics such as age and gender. This phase tests the effectiveness of the vaccine in the population group studied.
- Vaccines, like most new drugs, are said to follow a four-step testing process, starting with preclinical testing and ending with phase III studies in thousands of patients.
- After regulatory approval, the company should continue to monitor the use of its vaccine in patients and submit post-marketing surveillance details, which check for long-term adverse reactions.
- BBIL plans to begin Phase I and II testing in July, but is unsure of the overall schedule for testing and obtaining final approval.
Other Indian companies working on a candidate vaccine for Covid-19 include Zydus Cadila, the Indian Whey Institute and, earlier this month, Panacea Biotec. Although Panacea is still in the preclinical stage
- Covaxin has reached a more advanced test stage than two other candidate vaccines that BBIL is developing through global collaborations; one in collaboration with Thomas Jefferson University and the other with the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the manufacturer of FluGen vaccines.
- The two candidates are currently in the preclinical stage, according to the World Health Organization’s Covid-19 vaccine outlook project.
- However, it is far behind in the global race. The favorite is AstraZeneca, whose candidate ChAdOx1-S from the University of Oxford is already in phase III.
- Serum Institute has an agreement to manufacture this vaccine. Moderna is about to begin phase III trials for its LNP-encapsulated mRNA vaccine candidate with the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
- In addition to Covaxin, which is not listed among the vaccines being tried globally, at least six other candidates are in Phase I/II trials and another five are in Phase I trials globally.
- Globally, Zydus Cadila’s DNA plasmid and measles vector vaccines as well as Serum’s codon deoptimised live attenuated vaccine, which it is developing with Codagenix, are still in the pre-clinical stage, according to WHO.
WPI fell to a level of 4.5 years in May
Wholesale market prices fell to a low level of 4.5 years in May, registering deflation of 3.21%, due to a sharp drop in fuels and energy products, even when food becomes expensive. The wholesale price index (WPI) reached its lowest level since November 2015, when deflation was 3.7%.
“The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at (-3.21 per cent) (provisional) for the month of May, 2020 as compared to 2.79 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year”
the Commerce and Industry Ministry said in a statement on Monday.
However, food inflation in May was 1.13%, compared to 2.55% in April. WPI inflation for pulses held at double digits at 11.91%, compared to 12.31% in April.
In the case of the potato, inflation reached 52.25%, despite the fact that vegetables experienced a deflation of 12.48% in May. Inflation for protein-rich products like eggs, meat, and fish was 1.94% in May.
Data collected by the government at the retail level, which was released last week, showed an annual increase in food inflation to 9.28% in May, driven by legumes, meat and fish, Oils and fats.
In the fuel and electricity basket, deflation stood at 19.83% in May, compared to 10.12% the previous month. Manufactured goods also experienced deflation of 0.42% during the month.
According to data released by the Department of Trade and Industry, the deflation of the wholesale price index (WPI) for primary items was 0.79% in April, compared with inflation of 3.72% in March. The fuel and energy basket posted deflation of 10.12% in April, compared to 1.76% the previous month.
The price movement of these WPI subgroups / groups was calculated by taking only the prices of the items for which at least 25% of the quotes were declared by the selected manufacturing units.
The indices were compiled for only five manufacturing groups: food, beverage, chemical and chemical manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, medicinal and botanical chemicals, and base metals.
Prices for food manufacturing (-0.29%), pharmaceuticals, medicinal and botanical chemicals (-0.15%) and base metals (-0.84%) fell temporarily, while that prices for chemicals and chemicals (0.86%)) and beverages (0.24%) temporarily increased in April compared to the previous month.
The ministry said the food index consisting of “food” in the primary product group and “food” in the manufactured group had temporarily increased from 146.1 in March 2020 to 146.6 in April 2020.
The inflation rate based on the WPI food index fell from 5.49% in March 2020 to 3.60% in April 2020. In March, wholesale price inflation decreased to a four-month low according to an official launch of 1%, against 2.26% in February. Due to the sharp drop in the prices of food and petroleum products, demand slowed down.
Earlier this week, the National Statistical Office (NSO) also postponed the release of inflation based on the Consumer Price Index or April, saying that the national foreclosure prevented authorities from collecting data. in prices in various centers.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) takes retail inflation into account when developing its monetary policy. The RBI said last month that its inflation outlook looks bleak, and that the risks surrounding the inflation bill are balanced. With the decrease in food prices, the sharp drop in oil prices and the normal monsoon, RBI expects inflation for the current fiscal year to be around 3.6-3.8%.
The first reading of wholesale price index (WPI) inflation since the close shows a bleak picture. The WPI measures prices at producer level and is a good indicator of the pricing power of companies. With -3.21%, this is the worst impression in about five years and well below the -1.2% expected by economists.
The manufactured goods index fell 0.42%. Details of the subgroup show that the Indians mainly purchased the essentials during the lockdown of the 70 days and even when they gradually relaxed from April Food, pharmaceutical and tobacco processing posted inflation, albeit lower than before. Textiles, leather and other non-essential items slipped into deflation.
The main contributor to WPI deflation was crude oil, petroleum and natural gas, which fell 46.21% as a result of lower world prices. By extension, fuel and energy prices also fell for a year. Food, which has a high weight in the index, showed an impression of inflation of 1.13%.
Historically, the inflation trajectories of wholesalers and retailers have diverged. Ergo, WPI deflation does not necessarily translate to retail deflation. In 2014-2015, the WPI showed deflation, but the Consumer Price Index (CPI) indicated inflation.
They show that wholesale deflation does not necessarily translate into retail deflation. It is true that the WPI is no longer the nominal anchor of monetary policy, since the Central Bank adopted the CPI in 2014. However, with the IPC data difficult to obtain, the IPM data may give early warnings for the policy formulation.
What is deflation?
- Deflation occurs when overall price levels in a country fall, a difference from inflation when prices rise.
- Deflation can be caused by an increase in productivity, a decrease in general demand or a decrease in the volume of credit in the economy.
- Most of the time, deflation is an unequivocally positive trend for the economy, but it can also change under certain conditions at the same time as a contraction of the economy.
- In an economy dominated by debt-driven asset price bubbles, deflation can lead to a temporary financial crisis and a period of speculative liquidation of investments called debt deflation.
NLSIU Bengaluru to Launch 3-Year BA (Hons) Programme in 2025 | Key Details
CUET-UG to Be Fully Online: Key Changes Announced by UGC
D.Pharma Course in India | Careers After Class 12th
The Draft UGC (Minimum Standards of Instructions in the Award of UG and PG Degrees) Regulations 2024 | A Comprehensive Overview
Challenge CAT 2024 Answer Key | Objection Deadline Ends December 5
CLAT 2025 Counselling Begins December 11 | Key Dates, Steps, and Seat Allotment Explained
CLAT 2025 Answer Key Released: Key Details and How to Download
CLAT UG, PG 2025 Exam Tomorrow | Last-Minute Strategies and Key Details
Registration for CLAT 2025 begins today; last date October 15
CLAT 2025 registration will begin on July 15
World Wetlands Day: 2nd Feb
World Wetlands Day 2021: What are wetlands, their theme and meaning?
World Wetlands Day 2021 Theme: The theme for this year’s World Wetlands Day is “Wetlands and Water”. It stresses the importance of wetlands as a “source of fresh water and encourages action to restore them and stop their loss”.
- Today is World Wetlands Day. Wetlands are among the most fragile and sensitive ecosystems in the world, harboring unique habitats for plants and animals and providing livelihoods for millions of people around the world. Wetlands are amazing for capturing and storing carbon. Wetlands are found in all countries across climatic zones, from polar regions to tropical belts and high altitudes to coastal areas and arid and dry deserts. World Wetlands Day is celebrated on February 2 every year to raise awareness around the world of the vital role wetlands play for people and our planet.
World Wetlands Day 2021: What are wetlands?
We can find wetlands where water bodies meet land. Wetlands include mangroves and marshes, peatlands, rivers, lakes and other water bodies, deltas, floodplains and swamps in forested areas, rice paddies and coral reefs. Wetlands are places protected by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). There are over 2,400 protected wetlands around the world.
2021 theme for World Wetlands Day
The theme for World Wetlands Day 2021 is “Wetlands and Water”. It stresses the importance of wetlands as a “source of fresh water and encourages action to restore them and stop their loss”. This year’s theme for World Wetlands Day is more meaningful as the United Nations Decades of Ocean Science and Ecosystem Restoration begin in 2021.
World Wetlands Day: Find out why wetlands are essential for a healthy planet
The health of the people of our planet depends on the health of wetlands. “40% of the world’s species live or breed in wetlands, but they are disappearing three times faster than forests,” says the United Nations Development Agency. Here’s why wetlands are important:
- Wetlands are “nurseries of life”: 40% of animals reproduce in wetlands.
- Wetlands are the “kidneys of the earth”: they clean the environment of pollutants.
- Wetlands “are important for climate change”: they store 30% of terrestrial carbon.
- Wetlands “minimize disaster risk”: absorb storm surges.
- Wetlands “provide livelihoods for a billion people”; its ecosystems are worth $ 47 trillion a year.
- Healthy people and ???? they depend on healthy wetlands. 40% of the world’s species live or reproduce in wetlands, but they are disappearing 3 times faster than forests.
- On today’s #WorldWetlandsDay, see 5 reasons why they matter for #ClimateAction and join us to conserve and #RestoreWetlands. pic.twitter.com/acIRTXia2X
— UN Development (@UNDP) February 2, 2021
India has rich wetlands renowned for their biodiversity. As of December 2020, there were 42 Ramsar sites in India. These are of global importance and are included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands. The Ramsar Convention is an international agreement that promotes the conservation of wetlands. The Convention was adopted at Ramsar in Iran in 1971 and entered into force in 1975. Almost 90% of the UN member states are party to the Convention.
World Environmental Performance Index 2020
India ranked 168th in the twelfth edition of the Biennial Environmental Performance Index (EPI 2020 Index), which has measured the environmental performance of 180 countries, and was published by Yale University on June 4, 2020.
India’s rank was 177 (with a score of 30.57 out of 100) in 2018. The country scored 27.6 out of 100 in the 2020 index. The global index took into account 32 environmental performance indicators, providing an overview of 10-year trends in performance. environmental at national and global level.
India needs to step up its national efforts for sustainable development on all fronts, according to the index. The country needs to focus on a wide range of sustainability issues, with high priority given to critical issues such as air and water quality, biodiversity and climate change.
The 11 lagging countries behind India were: Burundi, Haiti, Chad, the Solomon Islands, Madagascar, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Liberia. All South Asian countries, except Afghanistan, were ahead of India in the ranking.
Among the countries of South Asia, India was in second position (106th place) after Pakistan in “climate change”. Pakistan’s score (50.6) was the highest in the category.
A 10-year benchmark report showed that India has slipped on climate parameters. The performance of climate change was assessed on the basis of eight indicators: adjusted growth rate of emissions; composed of growth rates of four greenhouse gases and one pollutant; growth rate of carbon dioxide emissions from land cover; growth rate of greenhouse gas intensity; and per capita greenhouse gas emissions.
The report says that black carbon, carbon dioxide emissions and greenhouse gas emissions per capita have increased in 10 years. Its overall climate change score dropped 2.9 points.
The 2020 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) provides a summary based on data from the state of sustainability around the world. Using 32 performance indicators across 11 problem categories, the EPI ranks 180 countries on environmental health and ecosystem vitality.
These indicators indicated a national measure of the extent to which countries are close to established environmental policy objectives. The EPI offers a dashboard that highlights leaders and laggards in environmental performance and provides practical advice to countries aspiring to move towards a sustainable future.
EPI indicators are used to identify problems, set targets, monitor trends, understand results, and identify best policy practices. Good data and factual analysis can also help government officials refine their policy agendas, facilitate communications with key stakeholders, and maximize the return on environmental investments.
The EPI offers a powerful political tool to support efforts to achieve the goals of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and to drive society towards a sustainable future.
The EPI global ranking indicates which countries responded best to the environmental challenges facing each nation. Going beyond aggregate scores and digging deeper into data to analyze performance by problem category, policy objective, peer group, and country offers even greater value for policymakers. This granular vision and comparative perspective can help understand the determinants of environmental progress and refine policy options.
Highlights
- The US is far behind other industrialized nations on environmental performance and now ranks 24th in the world.
- Denmark came in first place, followed by Luxembourg and Switzerland.
- The United Kingdom ranked fourth.
- China, which is plagued by poor air quality, has made investments that have helped it climb to 120th place, ahead of India’s 168th-place ranking.
- China is still a big polluter but has made “much more dramatic progress than other countries” as index says.
- The US ranked 15th on climate. It is currently the second-biggest contributor to the climate crisis, after China. Over time, it has put more heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere than any other nation.
NLSIU Bengaluru to Launch 3-Year BA (Hons) Programme in 2025 | Key Details
CUET-UG to Be Fully Online: Key Changes Announced by UGC
D.Pharma Course in India | Careers After Class 12th
The Draft UGC (Minimum Standards of Instructions in the Award of UG and PG Degrees) Regulations 2024 | A Comprehensive Overview
Challenge CAT 2024 Answer Key | Objection Deadline Ends December 5
CLAT 2025 Counselling Begins December 11 | Key Dates, Steps, and Seat Allotment Explained
CLAT 2025 Answer Key Released: Key Details and How to Download
CLAT UG, PG 2025 Exam Tomorrow | Last-Minute Strategies and Key Details
Registration for CLAT 2025 begins today; last date October 15
CLAT 2025 registration will begin on July 15
World Bank’s Human Capital Index 2020
India’s score fell to 0.49 from 0.44 in 2018, according to the Human Capital Index report released by the World Bank on Wednesday.
India ranked 116th in the latest edition of the World Bank’s annual human capital index, which compares the main components of human capital between countries.
- However, India’s score fell to 0.49 from 0.44 in 2018, according to the Human Capital Index report released by the World Bank on Wednesday.
- The 2020 Human Capital Index update includes health and education data for 174 countries, covering 98% of the world’s population, as of March 2020, providing a pre-pandemic baseline on health and education of children, the most important being progress in income countries.
- Analysis shows that before the pandemic, most countries had made steady progress in building children’s human capital, with the greatest progress being made in low-income countries.
- Despite this progress, and even before the effects of the pandemic, a child born in a typical country could only hope to achieve 56% of their potential human capital, compared to a full level of education and health, the bank said.
“The pandemic threatens the decade’s progress in building human capital, including improved health, survival rates, education and stunting reduction. The economic impact of the pandemic has been particularly profound for the most disadvantaged women and families, leaving many people vulnerable to food insecurity and poverty, ”
said David, President of the World Bank Group. Malpass.
- Protecting and investing in people is essential as countries strive to lay the foundations for sustainable and inclusive recovery and future growth.
- Due to the impact of the pandemic, the majority of children (over 1 billion children) have not attended school and could miss, on average, half a year of education adjusted for the learning, which would lead to considerable economic losses.
- Data also shows significant disruptions in essential health services for women and children, and many children lack access to essential vaccines.
- Last year India expressed “serious reservations” about the Human Capital Index, with India ranking 115th out of 157 countries. This year, India is ranked 116th out of 174 countries.
- Asked about India’s objections last year, Roberta Gatti, the bank’s chief human development economist, told reporters her team had worked with countries to improve data quality – a better lead for all .
“An index opens the conversation and what we have discussed with our client countries is that what is in the index matters, but not everything that matters can be in the index,” he said. declared. she says. “We worked very directly with some of our client countries to use the index as a way to improve measurement, and India was exactly one of those cases,”
Gatti said.
- Responding to questions, Mamta Murthi, vice president of human development at the World Bank Group, told reporters that the Human Capital Index provides a basis on which the Indian government can set priorities and a dimension to support the human capital.
- Given the progress that has been made in recent times, this seems important at the moment due to COVID-19. The Bank is working with the Indian authorities to support the livelihoods of the poor, which is very important, he said.
- World Bank President David Malpass said the coronavirus has worsened inequalities around the world, in addition to increasing poverty and distress.
- “We are working with countries to try to protect people during the crisis and invest in them so that we can see the recovery and lay the foundations for future inclusive growth,” he said.
- The impact of COVID-19, especially in developing countries, has been severe, Malpass said, adding that there had been a formal and informal market collapse, and there was also a safety net very limited social, he said, estimates a 12% drop in employment.
- There has been a significant drop in remittances and total income is down 11 or 12 percent. All of this, he said, is likely to have a disproportionate effect on the poor and on women. India, he said, is having a “serious impact” from COVID-19.
- Malpass said there was a double inequality in this crisis. “The first is that developing countries lag further behind. And in developing countries, the poor lag further behind.
- Countries increasingly report a decline in essential health services. Eighty million children do not receive essential vaccines. Most of the children, out of more than 1 billion children, have not been to school due to COVID. And that could lose up to $ 10 trillion in lifetime earnings due to reduced learning, school closings and the potential for dropouts and the disproportionate impact on girls.
- Malpass said the World Bank was trying to work to boost the learning process, which includes helping countries ensure access to equipment, helping to reopen and offer distance education.
Why Mask?
On the sixth month anniversary of the largest national shutdown linked to Covid-19, the pandemic scenario ends; strange night curfews, Ukalo state approved distribution, color-coded India in red, yellow and green dots on nothing, the Covid-busting apps that were supposed to liberate the nation, and even blind faith in the panacea, hydroxychloroquine, are losing momentum.
- But the pandemic does not and continues to destroy lives and livelihoods. While quarantine, isolation, and treatment are essential for those exposed or infected, at this late stage, when the contagion has spread across the country, there seems to be less and less attention to the two vital but simple interventions that still remain can help mitigate the spread; masking and hand washing.
- Last month, a network of volunteer medical students from around the country came out of their homes to watch a few hundred fellow citizens dress up while shopping at the local market.
- They found out if customers and suppliers were properly masked by visiting 30 local markets in 19 cities on nine different occasions.
- Of the nearly 4,500 people observed, nearly one in four did not wear a mask, and among those who did, nearly a third to half did not use them properly.
- In fact, almost 2,528 of the 4,548 people (more than half) were not effectively masked.
- This should concern us all. Masking is one of the last arrows left in our quiver, as long as an effective vaccine arrives.
Why Mask?
- A few months after the pandemic started, it became clear that we were not dealing with a virus that spreads as easily as measles or Ebola.
- Covid-19 is transmitted mainly by an infected person, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic, when he speaks, coughs, sneezes or even when he eats, in company.
- We also know that inoculum (dose) plays an important role; the amount of viral particles that an infected person sprays into the air is important and, more importantly, the amount of those particles that we inhale.
- Of course, age and underlying health will greatly affect the ability to fight the virus; Most Indians are in their 20s and although they have not died from the infection despite millions of people.
- They have contracted it, they continue to transmit it to others who can more sensitive.
- Transmission by contact with contaminated surfaces appears to be less of a concern than originally anticipated, although the abandonment of precaution is not justified.
- A recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine even suggested that masking, by reducing inoculum, may in fact inadvertently lead to asymptomatic infections and subsequently immunity.
- We in India should know that, after all, the Shitaladevi story is not a myth. For centuries, ‘tika’ has been practiced in India, where a smear of fluid from pustules (boils) of smallpox patients was applied to the pitted skin of a healthy person under the watchful eye of the patient.
- “Goddess of cooling”, with the effect – then unknowingly – of unleashing a milder form of infection and consequently immunity! Exposure to an altered dose explains why unprotected family members, nurses, doctors, or coworkers are more likely to become infected and sick.
- After the initial cost of healthcare providers in New York City, other cities in the United States that had time to prepare for the outbreak, such as Boston, did not experience the same mortality among healthcare providers of health.
- They had time to ensure not only that doctors were properly protected on the job, but also that the public was in disguise at all times.
How to Mask?
- There are literally hundreds of videos on what types of masks to wear. It’s not rocket science – the first goal is to avoid inhaling the virus, eliminate direct inhalation, and minimize any chance that we will get a large amount on our face by touching it with our virus-covered hands. The second, and perhaps even more important, is to prevent infected people from spreading the infection by exhaling.
- A little blanket is better than no blanket, a tight fitting surgical mask with no side spaces is even better, and an N95 respirator may be best, but over the top in most cases and it’s not possible to wear it all the time.
- N95 is essential for any close exposure between nurses and patients or between doctors and patients, and preferably with eye or face protection such as glasses or a screen.
- Putting the mask on your chin frequently is a bad idea, as you can inhale what the mask has just filtered effectively.
- It is a common practice among my colleagues to remove the mask completely and hang it on a hook, or place it outside, upside down, when it is necessary to remove it.
So why not hide us?
- People get tired especially when nothing seems to have worked. Scientists warned of the danger of pseudoscience; While the pandemic required urgent interventions, there was no room, no, for no intervention.
- The “something is better than nothing” attitude may be an acceptable philosophy of life, but a terrible public health strategy has resulted in a variety of prediction models and applications based on incomplete test data and poor judgment understanding of transmission dynamics.
- Frightening and draconian isolation strategies and construction of hospitals when there have never been enough doctors to even staff the facilities we have.
- When one intervention after another fails, public health authorities run the risk of eroding one of the most critical elements of an effective response; trust.
- However, blaming the state does not relieve us of individual responsibility.
- How many middle-class Indian households that have been so impatiently awaiting the return of the maids have gone to the trouble of providing an extra box of masks or disinfectants or even soap for their families or employees?
- All of these products are prohibitively expensive with the meager wages our domestic workers earn, but they cost a fraction of the cost of ventilators.
- It has always been convenient to blame the ills of India on its illiterate masses.
- But Covid-19 did not hatch in our slums or inland, it was brought to India by flights and spread to our cities, then across India due to miscalculations colossal forces of the urban elite.
- Leaving everyone to fend for themselves is not only cowardly but amoral.
- Wearing masks in hot and humid India is not easy. What is needed is an aggressive and thoughtful ‘mission mode’ media campaign to show how to cover your face at home and highlight why they remain important, despite the oppressive realities of living in a poor country and densely populated: travel on crowded buses and trains, overcrowded living conditions and working in hot, stuffy spaces with poor ventilation. Billionsocialmasks.org, which brings together scientists and women’s empowerment groups, is one of many examples.
- Grand gestures are not entirely unjustified; sometimes theatricality is needed to galvanize public attention. But having lost the trust of the public, now asking people to mask themselves, is a communication nightmare.
- However, the greatest successes in public health have very modest origins. Advances in sanitation in London led to some of the biggest increases in life expectancy in the 19th century.
- In the 20th century, in the cholera fields of Bangladesh, mixing a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sugar with a glass of water brought back the lives of cholera patients, while he was impossible to provide fluids to thousands of patients intravenously.
- Those of us who grew up in the days of One-Channel Doordarshan remember the television campaigns in which women went door-to-door to advise neighbors on how to prepare oral rehydration solutions at home.
- This simple and unrecognized intervention remains a highly effective treatment for millions of people around the world, as it ensures that the correct concentration of ingested glucose and sodium activates specific cells in the gut to absorb water, thereby compensating for the problems. threatening water losses of blood. life caused by bacteria. Vibrio cholera.
- The parade of leaders that made people stay home, quit their jobs, and download apps must now resurface, acknowledge the state we are in (widespread community broadcast) and explain why the only effective way, until the vaccine arrives, is to continue social distancing (for the few who can afford it) and masking and hand washing for all.
- Surveillance is not the only way to ensure compliance; It would be prudent to revitalize our largely flexible population to make masking the norm and to expose it socially as unacceptable.
- A wide distribution of effective soaps and masks will be exponentially more beneficial than the distribution of potions.
- How incredibly powerful it would be if the highest office in the country inspired people to take collective action, this time in the service of science.
Why are some cases of Covid-19 more serious than others?
A new study has found immune system deviations and failures that appear to be the difference between severe and mild cases of Covid-19. The difference, the study suggests, may be due to how our evolving old innate immune system responds to SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes Covid-19.
- The innate immune system quickly detects pathogens and immediately launches a somewhat indiscriminate attack against them.
- It also mobilizes the “trigger” cells of the adaptive immune system (which is different from the innate immune system), which are precisely targeted but more slowly.
“These findings reveal how the immune system fails during coronavirus infections, leading to serious illness, and point to potential therapeutic targets,”
Stanford Medicine lead author Bali Pulendran said in a statement. The study is published in Science.
- The researchers analyzed the immune responses of 76 people with Covid-19 and 69 healthy people.
- They found improved levels of molecules that promote inflammation in the blood of critically ill patients.
- Three of these molecules are known to be associated with lung inflammation in other diseases, but they had not previously been demonstrated in Covid-19 infections.
- The researchers analyzed the immune responses of 76 people with Covid-19 and 69 healthy people.
- They found improved levels of molecules that promote inflammation in the blood of critically ill patients.
- Three of these molecules are known to be associated with lung inflammation in other diseases, but they had not previously been shown in Covid-19 infections.
what is yo-yo test?
In his interaction with fitness experts and influencers on Thursday, September 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli about the yo-yo test, which is an essential part of the gym’s fitness routine. Indian cricket team.
- “I’ve heard these days that there is a yo-yo test for the team, what is that test?” Modi asked during the virtual interaction organized to commemorate the first anniversary of the Fit India movement. Modi also asked if Kohli should pass the test or if he was saved.
- Kohli replied: “I am the one who will run first and that is the condition that if I fail I am not available for selection either. It is important to define this culture and it will lead to an improvement in general physical condition. “
So what is the yo-yo test that Modi and Kohli discussed during their interaction?
- The test was developed by Danish soccer physiologist Jens Bangsbo. Two cones are placed 20 meters apart and the athlete must run between them when the beep sounds.
- The beeps become more frequent after one minute, and if the athlete does not reach the line within that time, they should catch up with the other two beeps. The test stops if the reader fails to catch up before the beeps end.
- The test has a beginner and advanced level, and players receive scores. The minimum score set by the Cricket Control Board in India to pass the test is 16.1.
Does the selection of a player depend on this test?
- Two years ago, players were expelled from Indian teams for failing the yo-yo test. In fact, Sanju Samson, one of the heroes of the first week of the current Indian Premier League, was left out of Indian team A in 2018 for not achieving the indicated score.
- Around the same time, pacemaker Mohammad Shami was also excluded from the team for the one-off test against Afghanistan for failing to pass the yo-yo test.
Is it a foolproof system?
- No, it has certain limitations. A player’s workload can also affect the outcome. Therefore, someone who is tested after a difficult season could struggle, while a fresher player could easily pass. For example, when Samson failed the test, his teammate Ashish Nehra passed the test.
- Also, yo-yo tests are good for generic motion analysis. Different players react differently based on their metabolism and lung capacity.
- Cricket, however, requires skills such as hand-eye coordination, footwork, body balance, upper and lower body strength, reflexes, how to balance with head position, etc.
- The yo-yo test is not a good indicator of a player’s position.
How is it used in other sports?
- The pass score is higher in hockey and soccer. But this is not the only selection criterion; The test is a simple indicator of the player’s fitness levels. In some tournaments, such as the NBA, teams do not use this routine for selection.
What is the cannabis plant?
At the center of the storm surrounding the Narcotics Control Bureau’s investigation into alleged drug trafficking in connection with actor Rhea Chakraborty, who was released on bail by the Bombay High Court on October 7, following the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and what has now become an “investigation” to “uproot the drug citadel in Bollywood” is a plant that goes by many names: cannabis, hemp, marijuana or marijuana.
- As powerful as different parts of your anatomy are, not all of them constitute a crime under the Narcotic Control and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) of 1985.
What is the cannabis plant?
- According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cannabis is a generic term used to refer to the various psychoactive preparations of the Cannabis sativa plant.
- The main psychoactive component of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) Delta-9. The Mexican name “marijuana” is frequently used to refer to cannabis leaves or other raw plant material in many countries.
- Most species of cannabis are dioecious plants that can be identified as male or female.
- Unpollinated female plants are called hashish. Cannabis oil (hash oil) is a concentrate of cannabinoids, compounds structurally similar to THC, obtained by solvent extraction of plant raw material or resin.
- The WHO says cannabis is by far the most widely cultivated, sold and consumed illicit drug in the world.
How does NDPS define cannabis?
- According to NDPS law, “cannabis plant” refers to any plant of the cannabis genus. Legislation passed in 1985 succeeded the Dangerous Drugs Act 1930.
- It was introduced when lawmakers felt that previous legislation providing for a maximum sentence of four years was not tough enough to control drug trafficking.
- In Article 2 (iii), the law defines cannabis (hemp). The subsections refer to the parts of the plant which fall within the scope of the law.
- “Charas” is the separate resin extracted from the cannabis plant. The NDPS Act covers separate raisins in any form whether raw or purified obtained from the cannabis plant and also includes the concentrated preparation and resin known as hash oil or liquid hash.
- According to a 2018 WHO report from the Secretariat of the Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD), “The resin may look like a plant resinous secretion, which occurs in glandular trichomes, but it also occurs as plant matter fine, which looks like a loose or compacted sticky powder, depending on the production method. “Charas is also commonly referred to as ‘hash’.
- Section 2 (iii) (b) of the NDPS Act defines “ ganja ” as the flowering or fruiting tips of the cannabis plant, but clearly excludes seeds and leaves, when not accompanied by the tips. , of any name which may be known or designated. Street names for the drug include “weed” and “marijuana”.
- The law also prohibits any mixture, with or without neutral material, of one of the two forms of cannabis, charas and ganja, or any drink prepared from it.
Are substances made from cannabis leaves also illegal under NDPS?
- No. As defined in the law, the legislature has left the seeds and leaves of the cannabis plant outside the scope of the NDPS law.
- The jagged leaves of the plant have negligible THC content. THC is the psychoactive or intoxicating compound present in the cannabis plant which is primarily responsible for giving users the “high” “Bhang”, commonly consumed at festivals such as Holi, is a paste made from the leaves of the cannabis plant and is therefore not prohibited.
- Likewise, CBD oil, an acronym for cannabidiol derived from the cannabis plant, which emerged in NCB’s investigation of WhatsApp discussions between Sushant Singh Rajput’s talent manager, Jaya Saha, and Rhea Chakraborty, Saha’s lawyer said he would not be subject to NDPS law.
- “Our research shows that CBD oil is made from the leaves of the cannabis plant and therefore does not appeal to NDPS,” said criminal lawyer Ayaz Khan, who represents Saha. Information on the “CiBiDiUM” brand bottle of the oil that Saha suggested Rhea could give to Rajput, indicated that it did not contain THC. Khan also noted that the vial did not have the “NRx” sign that prescription drugs that contain substances that may be under the NDPS law must have according to Section 97 (c) of the Drug and Cosmetics Act that refers to drug labeling. So why is the use of CBD oil still controversial in India?
- The NDPS law does not allow the recreational use of cannabis in India. While CBD oil made under a license under the Drug and Cosmetics Act of 1940 can be used legally, it is not very common. Some Indian websites sell CBD oil by prescription and many even make it easy.
- Former AIIMS Department of Psychiatry Director Dr. Sudhir Khandewal said: “Some states in the US have legalized CBD oil, but we do not prescribe it here. The cannabis content is very low and contains very little THC and has no addictive properties. More than anxiety and depression, it has been shown to be helpful in treating cancer and multiple myeloma. For associated symptoms of cancer, it has been shown to be helpful. There have been several discussions about this. Cannabis is embroiled in so much controversy. It shouldn’t have been in NDPS law, but unfortunately it is.
- “We are always struggling with drugs to treat cancer and mental illness, that’s why everyone complains and people want to try them too. CBD also has a non-specific recommendation. People think it will at least have a “feel good” factor or will cheer the person up, ” they said.
- Doctors said many people with anxiety and depression are known to buy it legally in the US and bring it to India for personal use in small quantities.
- NLSIU Bengaluru to Launch 3-Year BA (Hons) Programme in 2025 | Key Details
- CUET-UG to Be Fully Online: Key Changes Announced by UGC
- D.Pharma Course in India | Careers After Class 12th
- The Draft UGC (Minimum Standards of Instructions in the Award of UG and PG Degrees) Regulations 2024 | A Comprehensive Overview
- Challenge CAT 2024 Answer Key | Objection Deadline Ends December 5
