csat currentaffairs 2012 part 4

G a n e s h ’ s i a s

Table of Contents

1.M-STrIPES (Monitoring System for Tigers'-Intensive Protection and Ecological Status) 9

Aims of M-STrIPES 10

2.Recent Milestone Initiatives Taken for Conservation of Tiger and Other Wild Animals 10

Financial steps 10

International Cooperation 10

Reintroduction of Tigers 11

Creation of Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) 11

Recent initiatives 12

Cyberplasm 13

Srinivasa Ramanujan 14

National Science Day 14

3. Aakash Tablet PC 15

National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NME ICT) 15

Ira and Ira Thing 15

4.Nuclear Reactors 16

Types of Reactors: 17

Alpha Particle 19

Becquerel (Bq) 19

1CA4CSP2012 Anna Nagar/Chrompet 9840241118 / 9940244576


Beta particle 20

Curie (Ci) 20

Gray (Gy) 20

5.‘Hall of Nuclear Power’ 21

Nehru Science Centre Mumbai 21

6.Nuclear Suppliers Group 21

Zangger Committee 22

7.Ice Cube: World's largest neutrino observatory completed at South Pole 22

Cherenkov radiation 22

International Commission for Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) 23

8.INSAT-2E completes 13 years of Successful Operation 23

Indian National Satellite System (INSAT) 24

GSAT-12 24

Radar Imaging Satellite-1 (RISAT - 1) 24

9.Google 24

Android (Operating Systems) 25

Google Play 25

Facebook 25

Yahoo 25

Amazon.com 26

10.Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) 26

Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) 26

11.AGNI –IV 27

Tessy Thomas 27

Agni-V 27



MIRV (Multiple Independently targetable Re-entry Vehicles) 27

‘AKASH’ MISSILE 28

12.‘TAL’ TORPEDO 29

Naval Science & Technological Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam 29

13.International symposium on vaccines 29

Vaccine Grand Challenge Programme (VGCP) 29

14.Chemical Weapons Convention 30

Key points of the Convention 31

National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC) 31

Agent Orange 31

15.Perfomax 32

Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR) 32

Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) Project 32

Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) 33

16.2G 33

Advantages 33

Disadvantages 34

3G (Third Generation of Mobile Telephony) 34

17.Mobile Number Portability (MNP) 35

18.Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution 35

19.Malware, Viruses and Spyware 36

20.Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) 37

21.Lakshya-1 37

22.DRDO AEW&CS 37

23.Rafale edges out Euro fighter 38



24.Pralay 38

25.Mother and Child Tracking System (MCTS) 39

26.Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants 39

Persistent Organic Pollutant (POPs) 40

International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture 40

All benefit, in many ways: 41

27.Cloud Computing 41

28.Operation Ghost Click 41

Botnet 42

DNSChanger Malware 42

29.Operation Global Blackout 2012 43

30.Neutrino 43

Pauli Exclusion Principle 44

Aufbau principle 44

Hund's Rule of Maximum Multiplicity 44

31.Lukoskin 44

Defence Institute of Bio-energy Research (DIBER) 45

Leucoderma or Vitiligo 45

Melanocyte 46

32.DNA FINGER PRINTING 46

Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) 47

33.World Sparrow Day 47

34.Bacillus thuringiensis 47

35.Tropical Legumes II 47

36.REXUS (Rocket-Borne Experiments for University Students) 48



37.F. Sherwood Rowland 48

38.Nestlé India 49

Food and Energy 49

39.St. Martin's Island 52

40. Mithilanchal belt (Purnea, Araria and Supaul Districts) 52

41.Jawai Bandh forests 53

42.Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) 53

43.Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) 54

44.Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever 54

National Institute of Virology 55

1.M-STrIPES (Monitoring System for Tigers'-Intensive Protection and Ecological Status) 9

Aims of M-STrIPES 10

2.Recent Milestone Initiatives Taken for Conservation of Tiger and Other Wild Animals 10

Financial steps 10

International Cooperation 10

Reintroduction of Tigers 11

Creation of Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) 11

Recent initiatives 12

Cyberplasm 13

Srinivasa Ramanujan 14

National Science Day 14

3. Aakash Tablet PC 15

National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NME ICT) 15

Ira and Ira Thing 15

4.Nuclear Reactors 16



Types of Reactors: 17

Alpha Particle 19

Becquerel (Bq) 19

Beta particle 20

Curie (Ci) 20

Gray (Gy) 20

5.‘Hall of Nuclear Power’ 21

Nehru Science Centre Mumbai 21

6.Nuclear Suppliers Group 21

Zangger Committee 22

7.Ice Cube: World's largest neutrino observatory completed at South Pole 22

Cherenkov radiation 22

International Commission for Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) 23

8.INSAT-2E completes 13 years of Successful Operation 23

Indian National Satellite System (INSAT) 24

GSAT-12 24

Radar Imaging Satellite-1 (RISAT - 1) 24

9.Google 24

Android (Operating Systems) 25

Google Play 25

Facebook 25

Yahoo 25

Amazon.com 26

10.Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) 26

Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) 26



11.AGNI –IV 27

Tessy Thomas 27

Agni-V 27

MIRV (Multiple Independently targetable Re-entry Vehicles) 27

‘AKASH’ MISSILE 28

12.‘TAL’ TORPEDO 29

Naval Science & Technological Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam 29

13.International symposium on vaccines 29

Vaccine Grand Challenge Programme (VGCP) 29

14.Chemical Weapons Convention 30

Key points of the Convention 31

National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC) 31

Agent Orange 31

15.Perfomax 32

Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR) 32

Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) Project 32

Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) 33

16.2G 33

Advantages 33

Disadvantages 34

3G (Third Generation of Mobile Telephony) 34

17.Mobile Number Portability (MNP) 35

18.Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution 35

19.Malware, Viruses and Spyware 36

20.Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) 37



21.Lakshya-1 37

22.DRDO AEW&CS 37

23.Rafale edges out Euro fighter 38

24.Pralay 38

25.Mother and Child Tracking System (MCTS) 39

26.Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants 39

Persistent Organic Pollutant (POPs) 40

International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture 40

All benefit, in many ways: 41

27.Cloud Computing 41

28.Operation Ghost Click 41

Botnet 42

DNSChanger Malware 42

29.Operation Global Blackout 2012 43

30.Neutrino 43

Pauli Exclusion Principle 44

Aufbau principle 44

Hund's Rule of Maximum Multiplicity 44

31.Lukoskin 44

Defence Institute of Bio-energy Research (DIBER) 45

Leucoderma or Vitiligo 45

Melanocyte 46

32.DNA FINGER PRINTING 46

Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) 47

33.World Sparrow Day 47



34.Bacillus thuringiensis 47

35.Tropical Legumes II 47

36.REXUS (Rocket-Borne Experiments for University Students) 48

37.F. Sherwood Rowland 48

38.Nestlé India 49

Food and Energy 49

39.St. Martin's Island 52

40. Mithilanchal belt (Purnea, Araria and Supaul Districts) 52

41.Jawai Bandh forests 53

42.Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) 53

43.Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) 54

44.Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever 54

National Institute of Virology 55

•

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, BIO-TECHNOLOGY & ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 3 (Preliminary) - 2012

1. M-STrIPES (Monitoring System for Tigers'-Intensive Protection and Ecological Status)



A new software monitoring system to improve the effectiveness of all

surveillance and ante-poaching interventions in the Project Tiger Reserve areas

called “Monitoring system for Tigers’ Intensive Protection and Ecological status”

(M-STrIPES) has been launched in Apr 2010 by Union Ministry of Environment and

Forests.

This system has been developed by the Wildlife Institute of India in

collaboration with the Zoological Society of London and the National Tiger

Conservation Authority.

Aims of M-STrIPES

Assist in Effective Patrolling & Protection

Evaluate Status & Trends of Carnivores &

Ungulates at Regular Intervals

Monitor Habitat Change

Evaluate Human Pressures

Generate Reports to Provide Quantitative

Information for Management Effectiveness

Assessment and Decision Making

2. Recent Milestone Initiatives Taken for Conservation of Tiger and Other Wild Animals

Financial steps

Financial and technical help is provided to the States under various

Centrally Sponsored Schemes, viz. Project Tiger and Integrated Development of

Wildlife Habitats for enhancing the capacity and infrastructure of the States for

providing effective protection to wild animals.

International Cooperation

1. India has a Memorandum of Understanding with Nepal on controlling

trans-boundary illegal trade in wildlife and conservation, apart from a

protocol on tiger conservation with China.



2. A Global Tiger Forum of Tiger Range Countries has been created for

addressing international issues related to tiger conservation.

3. During the 14th meeting of the Conference of Parties to CITES, which was

held from 3rd to 15th June, 2007 at The Hague, India introduced a

resolution along with China, Nepal and the Russian Federation, with

directions to Parties with operations breeding tigers on a commercial scale,

for restricting such captive populations to a level supportive only to

conserving wild tigers. The resolution was adopted as a decision with

minor amendments. Further, India made an intervention appealing to China

to phase out tiger farming, and eliminate stockpiles of Asian big cats body

parts and derivatives. The importance of continuing the ban on trade of

body parts of tigers was emphasized.

4. Based on India’s strong intervention during the 58th meeting of the

Standing Committee of the CITES at Geneva from 6th to 10th July, 2009, the

CITES Secretariat issued notification to Parties for submitting reports

relating to compliance of Decisions 14.69 and 14.65 within 90 days with

effect from 20.10.2009 (Progress made on restricting captive breeding

operations of tigers etc.). During the 15th meeting of the Conference of

Parties, India intervened for retaining the Decision 14.69 dealing with

operations breeding tigers on a commercial scale.

Reintroduction of Tigers

1. As a part of active management to rebuild Sariska and Panna Tiger Reserves

where tigers have become locally extinct, reintroduction of tigers /

tigresses have been done.

2. Special advisories issued for in-situ build up of prey base and tiger

population through active management in tiger reserves having low

population status of tiger and its prey.

Creation of Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF)

3. The policy initiatives announced by the Finance Minister in his Budget

Speech of 29.2.2008, interalia, contains action points relating to tiger



protection. Based on the one time grant of Rs. 50.00 crore provided to the

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for raising, arming and

deploying a Special Tiger Protection Force, the proposal for the said force

has been approved by the competent authority for 13 tiger reserves. Rs.

93 lakhs each has been released to Corbett, Ranthambhore & Dudhwa Tiger

Reserve for creation of STPF during 2008-09. Since then, the guidelines of

the STPF have been revised for deploying forest personnel in place of Police

as an option-II, with scope for involving local people like the Van Gujjars.

4. In collaboration with TRAFFIC-INDIA, an online tiger crime data base has

been launched, and Generic Guidelines for preparation of reserve specific

Security Plan has been evolved.

Recent initiatives

1. Implementing a tripartite MOU with tiger States, linked to fund flows for

effective implementation of tiger conservation initiatives.

2. Rapid assessment of tiger reserves done.

3. Special crack teams sent to tiger reserves affected by left wing extremism

and low population status of tiger and its prey.

4. Chief Ministers of tiger States addressed at the level of the Minister of State

(Independent Charge) for Environment and Forests on urgent issues, viz.

implementation of the tripartite MOU, creation of the Tiger Conservation

Foundation, stepping up protection etc.

5. Chief Ministers of States having tiger reserves affected by left wing

extremism and low population status of tiger and its prey addressed for

taking special initiatives.

6. Steps taken for modernizing the infrastructure and field protection, besides

launching ‘M-STrIPES’ for effective field patrolling and monitoring.

7. Steps are being taken for involvement of Non-Governmental Experts the

ongoing all India tiger estimation.



8. Special independent team sent to Similipal for assessing the status, besides

constituting State level Coordination Committee for redressing the

administrative problems.

9. Issue of tiger farming and trafficking of tiger body parts discussed at the

level of Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment and

Forests with the Chinese Authorities.

10.Action taken for amending the Wildlife (Protection) Act to ensure effective

conservation.

11.Initiatives taken for improving the field delivery through capacity building

of field officials, apart from providing incentives.

12. Steps have taken for the independent Monitoring and Evaluation of tiger

reserves.

13. Action initiated for using Information Technology to strengthen

surveillance in tiger reserves.

14.Providing special assistance for mitigation of human-tiger conflicts in

problematic areas.

15.As an outcome of the fourth Trans-border Consultative Group Meeting held

in New Delhi, a joint resolution has been signed with Nepal for

biodiversity / tiger conservation.

Cyberplasm

It is a micro-scale biohybrid robot developed using principles of synthetic

biology.

Cyberplasm harnesses the power of synthetic biology at the cellular level by

integrating specific gene “parts” into bacteria, yeast and mammalian cells to carry

out device like functions.

The micro-robot, "Cyberplasm", would combine advanced microelectronics

with latest research in biomimicry -- technology inspired by nature.



The aim is for Cyberplasm to have an electronic nervous system, "eye" and

"nose" sensors derived from mammalian cells, as well as artificial muscles that

use glucose as an energy source to propel.

Cyberplasm will be designed to mimic key functions of the sea lamprey, a

creature found mainly in the Atlantic Ocean. It is believed this approach will

enable the micro-robot to be extremely sensitive and responsive to the

environment it is put into.

Future uses could include the ability to swim unobtrusively through the

human body to detect a whole range of diseases.

Srinivasa Ramanujan

He was an Indian mathematician, who with almost no formal training

in pure mathematics, made extraordinary contributions to mathematical

analysis, number theory, infinite series and continued fractions.

According to the English mathematician G.H. Hardy, Ramanujan was in the

same league as mathematicians like Euler and Gauss in terms of natural genius.

In recognition of his contribution to mathematics, the Government of India

declared in Dec 2011 to celebrate Ramanujan's birthday as 'National Mathematics

Day' every year on 22 December and declared 2012 as the 'National

Mathematical Year'.

1729 is the natural number known as the Hardy–Ramanujan number. It is

the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways."

The Man Who Knew Infinity: A Life of the Genius Ramanujan is

the biography of Srinivasa Ramanujan written in 1991 by Robert Kanigel.

National Science Day

National Science Day is celebrated in India on February 28 each year to

mark the discovery of the Raman Effect by Indian physicist Sir Chandrasekhara

Venkata Raman on 28 February 1928.

In 1986, the National Council for Science and Technology Communication

(NCSTC) requested the Government of India to designate February 28 as National

Science Day.



Subsequently, the first NSD (National Science Day) on 28 February 1987,

the NCSTC announced institution of the National Science Popularization awards

for recognizing outstanding efforts in the area of science communication and

popularization.

The focal theme for 2012 National Science Day is “Clean Energy Options

and Nuclear Safety”

3. Aakash Tablet PCThe Aakash is an Android-based tablet computer produced by British

company DataWind. It is manufactured by the India-based company Quad, at a

new production centre in Hyderabad under a trial run of 100,000 units.

The tablet was officially launched as the Aakash in New Delhi on 5 October

2011.

The Aakash is a low-cost tablet computer with a 7-inch touch

screen, ARM 11 processor and 256 MB RAM running under the Android 2.2

operating system. It has two universal serial bus (USB) ports and delivers high

definition (HD) quality video.

National Mission on Education through Information and Communication

Technology (NME ICT)

The mission was launched in Feb. 2009. It has the objective of ensuring

connectivity of the learners to the ‘World of Knowledge’ in cyberspace and to

make them ‘Netizens’.

This is to enhance their self-learning skills and develop their capabilities for

on-line problem solving and to work for: creation of knowledge modules with

right contents to address to the personalized needs of learners; certification of

competencies of the learners, acquired through formal or non-formal means; and

to develop and maintain the database having profile of human resources.

Ira and Ira Thing

They are the two tablet PCs which support 23 Indian languages. They are

launched by Wishtel, a Mumbai-based company. They will operate on the Google

Android ecosystem.



Ira was designed as per the specifications of the Indian Institute of

Technology Rajasthan, as part of the low-cost computing devices project under

the National Mission of Education through the ICT and sponsored by the Ministry

of Human Resources.

4. Nuclear ReactorsA nuclear reactor is a system where a controllable nuclear fission chain

reaction can be maintained. The principal parts of reactor are

The core: is the main part containing the nuclear fuel. The solid fuel

material is fabricated into various small shapes, plates, pellets, pins etc., which

are usually put together and called as sub-assemblies or bundles. Fuel elements:

A reactor core may contain from tens to hundreds of these fuels sub-assemblies,

held in a fixed geometrical pattern.

Moderator: The moderator is a material that has the ability to slow down

neutrons quickly and which at the same time has little tendency to absorb

neutrons. Moderator is used in thermal reactor to slow down the neutrons as the

fuel has high fission cross-section for low energy neutrons.

Materials used as moderators include ordinary water, heavy water,

graphite, beryllium and certain organic compounds. The moderator should be

well distributed within the fuel zone or core. In some reactors the fuel materials

and moderator materials are intimately mixed together.

Reflector: The reflector reduces the leakage of neutrons by reflecting back

the neutrons escaping from the core. The same material used for moderator can

be used for the reflectors in the case of thermal reactors. In the fast reactors

where fast neutrons are utilized for fission, nickel, molybdenum and stainless

steel reflectors are used.

The Cooling System: This system removes the heat released from the

reactor core. It consists of pipes through which the coolant is pumped. When

passing through the reactor cores, the coolant picks up the heat, transfers the

heat to another working medium through a heat exchanger and then returns to

the reactor. Gases, heavy and light water, and liquid metals such as sodium,



lithium, potassium etc., can serve as coolants. In a reactor, we must be able to

control the amount of heat produced. The heat produced depends upon the

number of fissions taking place per second in the reactor, which in turn depends

upon the number of neutrons present in the reactor.

The Control System: The control system is designed to control the number

of neutrons, thus control the rate of the chain reaction and power level. This

system includes a number of devices, sensing elements that measure the number

of neutrons in the reactor, control rods containing strong neutron absorbers such

as cadmium or boron, and other devices to regulate the position of the control

rods. These neutron absorbing control rods when lowered into the reactor

absorb the neutrons to reduce the neutron population and when raised allow the

rise in number of neutrons. It is also possible to control a reactor by increasing or

decreasing its size. (Increasing the size reduces the leakage of neutrons and vice

versa). Hence some reactors are controlled by varying the level of moderator. In

the heavy water moderated reactors like Candu, a combination of moderator

level control and neutron absorber rods are used.

Protective Shield: The fission reaction is accompanied by emission of

radiation like α, β and γ. Exposure to these radiations is dangerous. In order to

protect the persons working near the reactor from these harmful radiations the

reactor is enclosed in steel and concrete which are capable of stopping these

radiations. This arrangement of protection is called Radiation shielding.

Types of Reactors:

Nuclear reactor may be classified according to the velocities of the

neutrons which cause fission as thermal reactors and fast reactors.

Thermal Reactors: A reactor where the fission is mainly caused by the

capture of thermal i.e., slow neutrons of energies up to 0.025eV is called thermal

reactor. To slow down the neutrons, some moderator is used.

Fast Reactors: A reactor where fission is brought about by fast neutrons

with energies more than 1000eV is called a fast reactor. Since the fission is



caused by the fast neutrons with high energy moderator is not used in fast

reactors.

Reactors are classified according to secondary features as the type of

moderator, coolant, etc.

Graphite reactors and heavy-water reactors - they use graphite and heavy-

water respectively as moderators.

Liquid metal cooled reactor - liquid metals like sodium, potassium, lithium

etc., are used as coolants.

Gas Cooled Reactor - gas like CO2, Helium etc., are used as coolants.

Reactor classification based on purpose:

Power Reactors: The reactors used for generating electrical power. E.g.

MAPS, PFBR, TAPS, RAPS etc.

Research Reactors: These reactors are mainly used for research purpose.

E.g. FBTR, Kamini, Apsara etc.

Boiling Water Reactor (BWR):

In this reactor the enriched uranium oxide is used as the fuel and light

water is used as the coolant and moderator. This is a thermal reactor.

The water is circulated by a pump and the water boils in the reactor vessel

itself. The steam produced is fed directly to turbine. In BWR, the steam is

generated in the core itself.

The reactor pressure vessel has to be strong and is enclosed in concrete

containment vessel to prevent hazard from the failure of the pressurised circuit.

The exhaust steam from turbine is condensed and the condensate is sent

back to the reactor core through a feed pump. Another pump is used for

recirculating the coolant in the reactor vessel before converting to steam.

In Tarapur Atomic power station two BWRs are used for power generation

of 210MWe each.

Pressurized water reactor (PWR):



PWRs keep water under pressure so that it gets heat, but does not boil.

Water from the reactor and the water in the steam generator that is turned into

steam never mix. In this way, most of the radioactivity stays in the reactor area.

KAMINI (Kalpakkam Mini Reactor)

It is a research reactor at Indira Gandhi Center for Atomic

Research in Kalpakkam, India. Its first criticality was on October 29, 1996. It

produces 30 kW of thermal energy at full power.

KAMINI is cooled and moderated by light water, and fueled with uranium-

233 metal produced by the irradiation of thorium in other reactors.

KAMINI was the first reactor in the world designed specifically to use

uranium-233 fuel.

Alpha Particle

A positively charged particle ejected spontaneously from the nuclei of some

radioactive elements.

It is identical to a helium nucleus that has a mass number of 4 and an

electrostatic charge of +2. It has low penetrating power and a short range (a few

centimeters in air).

The most energetic alpha particle will generally fail to penetrate the dead

layers of cells covering the skin, and can be easily stopped by a sheet of paper.

Alpha particles are hazardous when an alpha-emitting isotope is inside the body.

Becquerel (Bq)

One of three units used to measure radioactivity, which refers to the

amount of ionizing radiation released when an element (such as uranium)

spontaneously emits energy as a result of the radioactive decay (or disintegration)

of an unstable atom.

Radioactivity is also the term used to describe the rate at which radioactive

material emits radiation, or how many atoms in the material decay (or

disintegrate) in a given time period.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_reactor

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/atom.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/radioactive-decay.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/element.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/radiation-ionizing-radiation.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/radioactivity.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/isotope.html


http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/nucleus.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorium

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalpakkam

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indira_Gandhi_Center_for_Atomic_Research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indira_Gandhi_Center_for_Atomic_Research


As such, 1 Bq represents a rate of radioactive decay equal to 1

disintegration per second, and 37 billion (3.7 x 1010) Bq equals 1 curie (Ci).

Beta particle

A charged particle (with a mass equal to 1/1837 that of a proton) that is

emitted from the nucleus of a radioactive element during radioactive (or

disintegration) of an unstable atom.

A negatively charged beta particle is identical to an electron, while a

positively charged beta particle is called a positron.

Large amounts of beta radiation may cause skin burns, and beta emitters

are harmful if they enter the body. Beta particles may be stopped by thin sheets

of metal or plastic.

Curie (Ci)

One of three units used to measure the intensity of radioactivity in a

sample of material. This value refers to the amount of ionizing radiation released

when an element (such as uranium) spontaneously emits energy as a result of

the radioactive decay (or disintegration) of an unstable atom.

As such, 1 Ci is equal to 37 billion (3.7 x 1010) disintegrations per second, so

1 Ci also equals 37 billion (3.7 x 1010) Bequerels (Bq). A curie is also a quantity of

anyradionuclide that decays at a rate of 37 billion disintegrations per second (1

gram of radium, for example).

The curie is named for Marie and Pierre Curie, who discovered radium in

1898.

Gray (Gy)

One of the two units used to measure the amount of radiation absorbed by

an object or person, known as the "absorbed dose," which reflects the amount of

energy that radioactive sources (with any type of ionizing radiation) deposit in

materials (e.g., water, tissue, air) through which they pass.

One gray (Gy) is the international system of units (SI) equivalent of

100 rads, which is equal to an absorbed dose of 1 Joule/kilogram. An absorbed


http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/rad-radiation-absorbed-dose.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/ionizing-radiation.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/dose-absorbed.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/radium-ra.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/radioisotope-radionuclide.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/becquerel-bq.html


http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/radioactive-decay.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/radiation-ionizing-radiation.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/radioactivity.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/positron.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/electron.html



http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/nucleus.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/proton.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/curie-ci.html


dose of 0.01 Gy means that 1 gram of material absorbed 100 ergs of energy (a

small but measurable amount) as a result of exposure to radiation.

5. ‘Hall of Nuclear Power’It is India’s first-ever permanent exhibition on nuclear power dedicated to

the nation at Nehru Science Centre Mumbai. The permanent exhibition on

nuclear power is a proud addition to the Nehru Science Centre in its silver jubilee

year.

It covers almost all the aspects of nuclear energy, which include extensive

information about nuclear power generation, its basics, productions, fuel

processing, transportation, safety, security, nuclear waste and its management.

Also, it talks about the non-power application which includes nuclear medicines,

food irradiation technology, etc.

Nehru Science Centre Mumbai

Nehru Science Centre is the largest Science Centre in India. It one of the

largest science centers in Asia, is a constituent unit of National Council of Science

Museums (NCSM). The centre opened its first semi-permanent exhibition `Light &

Sight' in 1977 followed by the world's first ever Science Park in 1979, during the

International Year of the child. It is celebrating its silver jubilee.

6. Nuclear Suppliers GroupNSG is a multinational body concerned with reducing nuclear

proliferation by controlling the export and re-transfer of materials that may be

applicable to nuclear development and by improving safeguards and protection

on existing materials.

The NSG was created following the explosion in 1974 of a nuclear device by

a non-nuclear-weapon State (India), which demonstrated that nuclear technology

transferred for peaceful purposes could be misused.

The test demonstrated that certain non-weapons specific nuclear

technology could be readily turned to weapons development. Nations already

signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)saw the need to further

limit the export of nuclear equipment, materials or technology.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_Non-Proliferation_Treaty

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_proliferation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_proliferation


Zangger Committee

The Zangger Committee was formed in the early 1970s to establish

guidelines for implementing the export control provisions of the Nuclear

Nonproliferation Treaty.

The list of controlled items developed by the Zangger Committee is known

as the Trigger List because export of those items triggers International Atomic

Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.

7. Ice Cube: World's largest neutrino observatory completed at South PoleIt is a neutrino telescope constructed at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole

Station completed in 2010.

Members of the Ice Cube Collaboration are about 40 affiliated institutions

located in the U.S., Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Barbados, Canada, Japan, New

Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Ice Cube is supported largely by the National Science Foundation and led by

the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

When neutrinos collide with the nuclei of oxygen atoms in the ice, they

turn into energetic charged particles called muons, moving in the same direction.

Because these muons (and other debris from the collision) are moving

faster than light can travel through ice, they radiate a shock wave of blue

Cherenkov radiation visible to Ice Cube’s photo detectors.

Cherenkov radiation

It is electromagnetic radiation emitted when a charged particle (such as

an electron) passes through a dielectric medium at a speed greater than

the phase velocity of light in that medium.

The charged particles polarize the molecules of that medium, which then

turn back rapidly to their ground state, emitting radiation in the process.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_light

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase_velocity

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dielectric

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particle_physics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_charge

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_radiation


The characteristic blue glow of nuclear reactors is due to Cherenkov

radiation. It is named after Russian scientist Pavel Alekseyevich Cherenkov, the

1958 Nobel Prize winner who was the first to characterize it rigorously.

International Commission for Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP)

ICNIRP is a nonprofit making body and is legally registered as such in

Germany. ICNIRP is independent from industry in both membership and funding.

ICNIRP seeks to provide a service of information provision or advice to all

persons, whether professionally involved with non-ionizing radiation protection

or with a personal interest.

ICNIRP's information and advice is provided, wherever possible, at no cost

to the recipient.

ICNIRP's members are independent experts in the scientific disciplines

necessary for non-ionizing radiation protection. In carrying out their voluntary

work for the Commission they do not represent either their countries of origin or

their institutes.

ICNIRP works in close collaboration with many health protection related

agencies both national and international, including, for

example, WHO, ILO, ICOH, IRPA and EUROSKIN.

8. INSAT-2E completes 13 years of Successful OperationINSAT-2E, the last of the five satellites in the INSAT-2 series, is a multi -

purpose satellite for telecommunication, television broadcasting and

meteorological services.

INSAT-2E was built with a planned mission life of 12 years and continued to

function beyond its mission life.

Launched on April 3, 1999 by the European Ariane-5 launcher, INSAT-2E

was positioned at 83 deg East longitude in the geostationary orbit. It was

controlled from Master Control Facility at Hassan.

11 communication transponders of 36 MHz bandwidth onboard INSAT-2E

satellite were leased to International Telecommunication Satellite Organisation

(INTELSAT), the first such lease from an Indian satellite.


http://www.euroskin.info/

http://www.irpa.net/

http://www.icoh.org.sg/

http://www.ilo.org/

http://www.who.int/

http://www.icnirp.de/cv.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prize_in_Physics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russians

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_reactor


Indian National Satellite System (INSAT)

The Indian National Satellite (INSAT) systems which are placed in Geo-

stationary orbits are one of the largest domestic communication satellite systems

in Asia-Pacific region.

Established in 1983 with commissioning of INSAT-1B, it initiated a major

revolution in India’s communications sector and sustained the same later.

INSAT space segment consists of 24 satellites out of which 10 are in service

(INSAT-2E, INSAT-3A, INSAT-4B, INSAT-3C, INSAT-3E, KALPANA-1, INSAT-4A,

INSAT-4CR, GSAT-8 and GSAT-12).

The system with a total of 187 transponders in the C, Extended C and Ku-

bands provides services to telecommunications, television broadcasting, weather

forecasting, disaster warning and Search and Rescue operations.

GSAT-12

It is the latest communication satellite built by ISRO, weighs about 1410 kg

at lift-off. It was launched from Sriharihota by the PSLV- C17.

GSAT-12 is configured to carry 12 Extended C-band transponders to meet

the country's growing demand for transponders in a short turn-around-time.

The 12 Extended C-band transponders of GSAT-12 will augment the

capacity in the INSAT system for various communication services like Tele-

education, Telemedicine and for Village Resource Centres (VRC).

Radar Imaging Satellite-1 (RISAT - 1)

RISAT-1 is a microwave remote sensing satellite carrying a Synthetic

Aperture Radar (SAR). The satellite weighing around 1850 kg is slated for launch

by PSLV-C19 (XL) during 2012 into a 536 km orbit with 25 days repetitivity with an

added advantage of 12 days inner cycle for Coarse Resolution ScanSAR mode.

The satellite would be used for disaster prediction and agriculture forestry,

and the high resolution pictures and microwave imaging could also be used for

defence purposes. This satellite can see through clouds and fog, day and night.

9. Google



It is an American multinational Internet and software corporation

specialized in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies.

The company was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were

both attending Stanford University.

Android (Operating Systems)

Android is a Linux-based operating system for mobile devices such as smart

phones and tablet computers. It is developed by the Open Handset Alliance led

by Google.

Google Play

It is a digital content service from Google which includes an online store for

music, movies, books, and Android apps and games, as well as a cloud media

player.

The service is accessible from the web, mobile app Play Store on Android,

and Google TV. Purchased content is available across all of these

platforms/devices.

Google Play was introduced in March 2012 when Google rebranded its

predecessor Android Market and Google Music services.

Facebook

Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February

2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook Inc.

Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg with his college roommates

and fellow students Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes.

Facebook filed for an initial public offering on February 1, 2012.

Yahoo

It is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered

in Sunnyvale, California.

Yahoo! Inc. was founded by Jerry Yang and David Filo in January 1994 and

was incorporated on March 1, 1995.

On January 4, 2012, Scott Thompson, former President of PayPal, was

named the new chief executive officer.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Filo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Yang_(entrepreneur)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunnyvale,_California

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multinational_corporation


Amazon.com

It is an American multinational electronic commerce company with

headquarters in Seattle. It is the world's largest online retailer.

Jeff Bezos created Amazon.com, Inc. in 1994, and the site went online in

1995. It is named after the Amazon River, one of the largest rivers in the world.

Using high-tech sonar, an expedition spearheaded by Mr. Bezos has

discovered what he claimed were discarded engines of Apollo 11, the moon

mission of Neel Armstrong.

10.Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) GPON technology indigenously designed and developed by the Centre for

Development of Telematics (C-DOT).

GPON technology is the pivotal component required for broadband

connectivity over optical fiber. It can be used to provide triple play (voice, video

and data).

It consists of a central office equipment OLT (Optical Line Termination) and

customer premises equipment called ONT (Optical Network Termination).

The information from central office to the customer premises and back,

flows through optical fiber cable, which is essentially a light pipe. Light energy

flows through this pipe and carries large amounts of data.

The information carrying capacity of an optical fiber is practically limitless.

The present GPON standards specify 2.5 Gbps (Gigabit per Second) downstream

and 1.25 Gbps upstream data capability to customer premise.

Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT)

C-DOT is the Telecom Technology development centre of the Government

of India. It was established in August 1984 as an autonomous body.

It was vested with full authority and total flexibility to develop state-of-the-

art telecommunication technology to meet the needs of the Indian



telecommunication network. The key objective was to build a centre for

excellence in the area of telecom technology.

11.AGNI –IV Agni-IV is the fourth in the Agni series of missiles which was earlier known

as Agni II prime. Agni-IV was tested on November 15, 2011.

It has a range of 2,500-3,500 km. It is a two-stage missile powered by solid

propellant.

The Agni series is one of five missiles being developed by the DRDO under

an Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme launched in 1983.

Tessy Thomas

She is the project director of the 3,500-km new-generation Agni-IV missile.

She was the first to become the project director of an Agni system in 2008.

Agni-V

It is the most-ambitious strategic missile of India with the range of 5,000-

km. India has begun final preparations for the first test of Agni-V.

The Agni-V is a three stage solid fueled missile with composite motor casing

in the third stage.

The Agni-V will bring the whole of Asia, 70% of Europe and other regions

under its strike envelope.

Once the three-stage missile becomes operational by 2014-2015 after "four

to five repeatable tests", India will break into the exclusive ICBM (intercontinental

ballistic missile) club that counts just US, Russia, China, France and UK as its

members.

MIRV (Multiple Independently targetable Re-entry Vehicles)

MIRV warhead is a collection of nuclear weapons carried on a

single intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) or a submarine-launched ballistic

missile (SLBM).



Using a MIRV warhead, a single launched missile can strike several targets

individually, or fewer targets redundantly. By contrast a unitary warhead is a

single warhead on a single missile. This is to be developed and used in the Agni V

system.

‘AKASH’ MISSILE

The Akash Weapon System (AWS) was indigenously developed by

DRDO as part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP)

and is an all-weather, medium-range, Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system.

It provides multi-directional and multi-target area defence.

The Akash missile can be launched from static or mobile platforms providing

flexible deployment.

The system can handle multiple targets and destroy maneuvering targets

such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), fighter aircraft, cruise missiles and

missiles launched from helicopters.

It can operate autonomously, and engage and neutralize different aerial

targets simultaneously. The Weapon System is considered as the Indian "Patriot".

It has certain unique characteristics like high mobility, all-the-way powered

flight till target interception, multiple target handling, digitally-coded command

guidance and fully automatic operation.

The AWS consists of a Launcher, a missile with a 25 km range, control

centre, multifunction fire control radar and supporting ground equipment. It can

fly at a speed of up to Mach 2.5 and climb up to an altitude of 18 km.


Name Type Range Fuel

Agni-I MRBM 700 – 1,200 km Single stage soli propelled

Agni-II IRBM 2,000 – 2,500 km Two stage solid propellant engine

Agni-III IRBM 3,000 – 5,000 km Two stage solid propellant engine

Agni-IV IRBM 3,200 – 3,700 km Two stage solid propellant engine

Agni-V ICBM 5,000-6,000 km (under development). Three stage solid


A versatile and wholly indigenous weapon system being built by the

Defence PSU Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL), the Akash SAM systems will be the

mainstay for Air Defence of the Country up to the 2030s & beyond.

12.‘TAL’ TORPEDOThe Light Weight Torpedo has been indigenously developed by the National

Science and Technology Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam.

The Light Weight Torpedo (TAL) is an electrically propelled, self- homing

Torpedo which can be launched both from ships and helicopters.

It can hunt submarines with a speed of 33 knots with endurance of six

minutes in shallow and deep waters.

The Torpedo weighs around 220 kgs. BDL is manufacturing these Torpedoes

at its Visakhapatnam Unit.

Naval Science & Technological Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam

It was established on August 20, 1969 to undertake research and

development of complete major naval systems (Underwater Mines, Torpedoes,

Fire Control Systems, Weapon Launchers, Targets, Decoys, etc) for the Indian

Navy to make it self-reliant.

NSTL was established to work towards design and development of

underwater weapons and associated systems and structural design of naval

platforms. The present director of NSTL is Shri. S. V. Rangarajan.

13.International symposium on vaccinesThe Ministry of Science and Technology conducted the International

symposium on vaccines at Surajkund. This is the first of its kind symposium in

India under its new initiative called 'Vaccine Grand Challenge Program'.

The title of the symposium is “Vaccines – from Discovery to Translation.”

Vaccine Grand Challenge Programme (VGCP)



The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) initiated this programme to

develop vaccines through National Jai Vigyan Mission Programme on S&T for

generation of new vaccines.

VGCP is based on an enterprise model for R&D, globally recommended in

contrast to the traditional scientific project funding as vaccine development is a

long, multi stage process where critical actions must be taken in synergy and not

sequentially.

The key steps in the process are (i) Develop specific candidates, create a

pipeline as one does not always know which one will work (ii) Create a stable

formulation under GMP (iii) Conduct toxicological tests in animals (iv) Ensure

human safety (v) Prove efficacy in humans (vi) Establish reproducible

manufacturing under GMP (vii) Obtain regulatory approvals (viii) Conduct post

market monitoring for rare but serious side effects.

14.Chemical Weapons ConventionIt is an arms control agreement which outlaws the production, stockpiling

and use of chemical weapons. It is the Convention on the Prohibition of the

Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their

Destruction.

The agreement is administered by the Organisation for the Prohibition of

Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which is an independent organization based in The

Hague, Netherlands.

On September 3, 1992 the Conference on Disarmament submitted to the

U.N. General Assembly its annual report, which contained the text of the

Chemical Weapons Convention.

The General Assembly approved the Convention on November 30, 1992,

and The U.N. Secretary-General then opened the Convention for signature in Paris

on January 13, 1993. The CWC remained open for signature until its entry into

force on April 29, 1997, 180 days after the deposit of the 65th instrument of

ratification (by Hungary).


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hague

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hague

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_for_the_Prohibition_of_Chemical_Weapons

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_for_the_Prohibition_of_Chemical_Weapons

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_weapon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arms_control


The convention augments the Geneva Protocol of 1925 for chemical

weapons and includes extensive verification measures such as on-site inspections.

It does not, however, cover biological weapons.

Key points of the Convention

Prohibition of production and use of chemical weapons

Destruction (or monitored conversion to other functions) of chemical

weapons production facilities

Destruction of all chemical weapons (including chemical weapons

abandoned outside the state parties territory)

Assistance between State Parties and the OPCW in the case of use of

chemical weapons

An OPCW inspection regime for the production of chemicals which might

be converted to chemical weapons

International cooperation in the peaceful use of chemistry in relevant areas

National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC)

The National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC) has

been set up as an office of the Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India to fulfill,

on behalf of the Government of India, the obligations under the Chemical

Weapons Convention and to act as the national focal point for effective liaison

with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and other

State Parties on matters relating to the Convention.

The CWC came into force with effect from April 29, 1997 and the NA CWC

was first constituted by a resolution and then established under Section 6 of the

CWC Act, 2000

The primary task of the NA CWC is to fulfill, on behalf of the Government

of India, the obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention. The NA CWC

also acts as the national focal point for effective liaison with the OPCW and other

State Parties on matters relating to the CWC.

Agent Orange


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_weapon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Protocol


Agent Orange is the code name for one of

the herbicides and defoliants used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal

warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to

1971.

A 50:50 mixture of 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D, it was manufactured for the U.S.

Department of Defenseprimarily by Monsanto Corporation and Dow Chemical.

Vietnam in June 2011 kicked off the first phase of a joint plan with former

enemy the United States to clean up environmental damage leftover from the

chemical defoliant Agent Orange, a lasting legacy from the Vietnam War.

The project concentrates on a former U.S. military base in central Vietnam

where the herbicide was stored during the war, which ended more than three

decades ago. It marks the first time the two sides will work together on the

ground to clean up contamination.

Vietnam's Ministry of Defence will begin sweeping areas around the

Danang airport for unexploded ordnance. It will then work with the U.S. Agency

for International Development to remove dioxin from soil and sediment at the

site, which is expected to begin early next year.

15.PerfomaxA composite herbal formulation named ‘Perfomax’ that has been

developed by DRDO and has been found to improve physical and mental

performance in High Altitude and Hypoxic Conditions at a function held in Leh,

Ladakh today.

The formulation is rich in antioxidants and other bioactive compounds that

improve performance of brain, heart, kidney and lungs and improves blood

circulation.

Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR)

Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (erstwhile Field Research

Laboratory) is only one of its kind situated in Leh at an altitude of 3500 m above

MSL, having core competence in cold arid agro-animal technology in the world.

Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) Project


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dow_Chemical

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsanto_Corporation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Department_of_Defense

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Department_of_Defense

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2,4-D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2,4,5-T

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Ranch_Hand

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbicidal_warfare

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbicidal_warfare

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_armed_forces

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defoliant

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbicide


ISEA Project was launched by the Department of Information Technology,

in March 2005 with the following broad aims:-

(a) Introduce Information Security Curriculum at M.Tech & B.Tech level and

Research Activity/PhD

(b) Train System Administrators/Professionals

(c) Training of Government Officers- Central and State, on Information Security

issues i.e. computer networking, cyber hygiene, data security etc.

(d) Bring Information Security Awareness in the country

(e) Education Exchange Programme

Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In)

CERT In is spreading awareness among users on the spread of computer

virus and safeguarding from such attacks through issuance of advisories and

guidelines.

A web portal “Secure your PC” has also been provided to general users by

CERT-In for dissemination of information on securing their computer system from

cyber attacks.

16.2G"2G" means second-generation wireless telephone technology. 2G cellular

telecom networks were commercially launched on the GSM standard in Finland in

1991.

Three primary benefits of 2G networks over their predecessors were that

Phone conversations were digitally encrypted;

2G systems were significantly more efficient on the spectrum allowing for

far greater mobile phone penetration levels; and

2G introduced data services for mobile, starting with SMS text messages.

Advantages

The lower power emissions helped address health concerns.

Going all-digital allowed for the introduction of digital data services, such as

SMS and email.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email


Greatly reduced fraud. With analog systems it was possible to have two or

more "cloned" handsets that had the same phone number.

Enhanced privacy. A key digital advantage not often mentioned is that

digital cellular calls are much harder to eavesdrop on by use of radio scanners.

While the security algorithms used have proved not to be as secure as initially

advertised, 2G phones are immensely more private than 1G phones, which

have no protection against eavesdropping.

Disadvantages

In less populous areas, the weaker digital signal may not be sufficient to

reach a cell tower. This tends to be a particular problem on 2G systems

deployed on higher frequencies, but is mostly not a problem on 2G systems

deployed on lower frequencies. National regulations differ greatly among

countries which dictate where 2G can be deployed.

Analog has a smooth decay curve, digital a jagged steppy one. This can be

both an advantage and a disadvantage. Under good conditions, digital will

sound better. Under slightly worse conditions, analog will experience static,

while digital has occasional dropouts (momentary loss of signal). As conditions

worsen, though, digital will start to completely fail, by dropping calls or being

unintelligible, while analog slowly gets worse, generally holding a call longer

and allowing at least a few words to get through.

While digital calls tend to be free of static and background noise, the lossy

compression ("lossy" compression is a data encoding method that compresses

data by discarding (losing) some of it) used by the codecs takes a toll; the

range of sound that they convey is reduced. You will hear less of the tonality of

someone's voice talking on a digital cellphone, but you will hear it more

clearly.

3G (Third Generation of Mobile Telephony)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_compression

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lossy_compression

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lossy_compression

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Background_noise

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Static

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dropout_(electronics)

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Security_algorithm&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_scanner

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eavesdropping

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phone_cloning

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraud


3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards

for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling

the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) specifications by

the International Telecommunication Union.

17.Mobile Number Portability (MNP) It is a service using which a mobile phone subscriber can migrate from one

operator to another without having to change his/her mobile number.

18.Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution



Also known as Enhanced GPRS (EGPRS) is a digital mobile phone technology

that allows improved data transmission rates.

It is a faster version of GSM. EDGE is a high-speed 3G technology that was

built upon the GSM standard.

EDGE networks are designed to deliver multimedia applications such as

streaming television, audio and video to mobile phones at speeds up to 384 Kbps.

Such speeds still pale in comparison, though, to standard DSL and high-speed

cable access today.

EDGE delivers a boost of more than three times the capacity and

performance over GSM.

19.Malware, Viruses and Spyware "Malware" is short for malicious software and is typically used as a catch-all

term to refer to any software designed to cause damage to a single computer,

server, or computer network, whether it's a virus, spyware, et al.

A virus is a program or programming code that replicates by being copied

or initiating its copying to another program, computer boot sector or document.

Viruses can be transmitted as attachments to an e-mail note or in a downloaded

file, or be present on a diskette or CD.

A Trojan horse, or Trojan, is a standalone malicious program which may

give full control of infected PC to another PC. It may also perform typical

computer virus activities. Trojan horses may make copies of them, steal

information, or harm their host computer systems.

A Trojan may give a hacker remote access to a targeted computer system.

Once a Trojan has been installed on a targeted computer system, hackers may be

given remote access to the computer allowing them to perform all kinds of

operations.

Spyware is a type of malware (malicious software) installed

on computers that collects information about users without their knowledge. The

presence of spyware is typically hidden from the user and can be difficult to

detect. Spyware is often secretly installed on a user's personal computer without


http://cellphones.about.com/od/phoneglossary/g/3g.htm


their knowledge. However, some spyware such as key loggers may be installed by

the owner of a shared, corporate, or public computer on purpose in order to

intentionally monitor users.

20.Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)ICANN is a nonprofit private organization that was created in 1988 to

oversee a number of Internet-related tasks previously performed directly on

behalf of the U.S. government by other organizations, notably the Internet

Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), which ICANN now operates.

ICANN is responsible for the coordination of the global Internet's systems

of unique identifiers and, in particular, ensuring its stable and secure operation.

This work includes coordination of the Internet Protocol address spaces

(IPv4 and IPv6) and assignment of address blocks to regional Internet registries.

21.Lakshya-1It is an Indian remotely piloted high speed target Aircraft system developed

by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of DRDO.

The drone, remote piloted by a ground control station provides realistic

towed aerial sub-targets for live fire training. The drone is ground or ship

launched from a zero length launcher and recovery is by a two stage parachute

system.

The advanced version of pilotless target aircraft (PTA) Lakshya-II was again

successfully flight- tested at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) on 27th January,

2012.

22.DRDO AEW&CSThe Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) is a project

of India's Defence Research & Development Organization to develop an AWACS

system for the Indian Air Force.

Primary responsibility for the project was with DRDO's Bangalore-

based Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS), which led the design, system

integration and testing of the system.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DRDO

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeronautical_Development_Establishment

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India


LRDE was responsible for the design of the radar array. Defence Electronics

Application Laboratory, based in Dehradun, was responsible for the Data Link and

Communication Systems for AEW&CS.

The DRDO AEWACS program aims to deliver three radar-equipped

surveillance aircraft to the Indian Air Force. The aircraft platform selected was

the Embraer ERJ 145.

Three ERJ 145 were procured from Embraer at a cost of US $ 300 Million,

including the contracted modifications to the airframe. The project goal was to

deploy these AEW&C aircraft by 2013.

23.Rafale edges out Euro fighterIndia selected the French Fighter Rafale over the Euro fighter Typhoon for

the supply of 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA). This is India's

largest defence deal to date.

Cassidian — the defence and security division of the European Aeronautic

Defence and Space Company, which manufactures the Typhoon

EADS is financed by a four-nation consortium that includes Britain,

Germany, Spain and Italy)

The two aircraft were chosen from a list of

six, including U.S. Boeing (F/A18) and Lockheed

Martin (F-16), Russian MiG-35 and Swedish Saab

(Gripen).

Though the Eurofighter was a more

advanced, younger and more modern aircraft, the

fact that France has a permanent UN Security

Council seat tipped the balance in favour of Rafale.

24.PralayThe IAF’s Eastern Air Command commenced Exercise codenamed “Pralay’

on 29th February 2012 in the Brahmaputra and rest of the Eastern region of India.


Maximum speed: Mach 0.7

Range: 150 km

Service ceiling: 9000 m

(5000 m with towed sub-

target)

Rate of climb: 25 m/s ()


The exercise involves joint Army Air operations by the IAF’s Eastern Air

Command and Eastern Command of the Indian Army.

This is an annual exercise aimed at testing the combat potential of the Air

Force in various roles such as Air Defence, Ground Support operations, Counter

Air Operations, Electronic Warfare, Joint Operations with the Army including

special operations by day and night.

25.Mother and Child Tracking System (MCTS)An e-governance initiative of the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry.

It is an innovative initiative launched by the Department of Health and Family

Welfare in January last year, is aimed at tracking pregnant women throughout

their pregnancy period and providing medical services to them as per the

guidelines of the World Health Organisation.

It also tracks children until they get full immunization. The MCTS is

designed to collate information of all pregnant women and infants so as to ensure

delivery of maternal and child health services from conception till 42 days after

delivery in the case of pregnant women and up to five years of age in the case of

children so as to ensure that all pregnant women and all new born receive full

maternal and immunization services.

"MCTS marks a paradigm shift in the approach towards monitoring health

and family welfare programmes as it is aimed at ensuring complete delivery of

maternal and child health services to all pregnant women and new born in an

effort to reduce maternal, infant and child mortality in the country".

Through MCTS, the Central government is making efforts to institutionalize

the beneficiary based approach of monitoring health and family welfare services'

delivery.

26.Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic PollutantsIt is an international environmental treaty, signed in 2001 and effective

from May 2004, that aims to eliminate or restrict the production and use of



persistent organic pollutants (POPs). As of April, 2011, there are 173 parties to the

Convention.

The fifth Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) was held in Geneva in April 2011.

• Persistent Organic Pollutant (POPs)

POPs are organic compounds that are resistant to environmental

degradation through chemical, biological, and photolytic processes.

Because of this, they have been observed to persist in the environment, to

be capable of long-range transport, bioaccumulate in human and animal tissue,

biomagnify in food chains, and to have potential significant impacts on human

health and the environment.

Some of the chemical characteristics of POPs include low water solubility,

high lipid solubility, semi-volatility, and high molecular masses. POPs are

frequently halogenated, usually with chlorine. The more chlorine groups the POPs

have, the more resistant it is to being broken down over time.

One important factor of their chemical properties such as lipid solubility

results in the ability to pass through biological phospholipid membranes and

bioaccumulate in the fatty tissues of living organisms.

• International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

After seven years of negotiations, the FAO Conference adopted the

International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, in

November 2001. The Treaty came into force on 29 June 2004, ninety days after

forty governments had ratified it.

This legally-binding Treaty covers all plant genetic resources relevant for

food and agriculture. It is in harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The Treaty is vital in ensuring the continued availability of the plant genetic

resources that countries will need to feed their people. We must conserve for

future generations the genetic diversity that is essential for food and agriculture.

Its objectives are the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic

resources for food and agriculture and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits



derived from their use, in harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity,

for sustainable agriculture and food security.

• All benefit, in many ways:

Farmers and their communities, through Farmers' Rights; Consumers,

because of a greater variety of foods, and of agriculture products, as well as

increased food security;

The scientific community, through access to the plant genetic resources

crucial for research and plant breeding;

International Agricultural Research Centres, whose collections the Treaty

puts on a safe and long-term legal footing;

Both the public and private sectors, which are assured access to a wide

range of genetic diversity for agricultural development; and

The environment, and future generations, because the Treaty will help

conserve the genetic diversity necessary to face unpredictable environmental

changes, and future human needs.

27.Cloud Computing It is a technology that uses the internet and central remote servers to

maintain data and applications. Cloud computing allows consumers and

businesses to use applications without installation and access their personal files

at any computer with internet access. This technology allows for much more

efficient computing by centralizing storage, memory, processing and bandwidth.

28.Operation Ghost ClickIt is a two-year investigation of a criminal gang based in Estonia. The long-

living botnet of more than 4,000,000 bots was taken down by the FBI and

Estonian police in cooperation with a cohort of international partners.



The botnet spread over 100 countries, affected some 4 to 5 million victims,

and generated $14 million.

The gang of six Estonians - and a Russian who remains at large - are accused

of running a botnet of more than four million virus-infected computers in 100

countries.

They allegedly used their control of the machines to redirect users from

websites such as Apple's iTunes Store and Amazon to ones that would serve up

advertising, for which the gang would receive a referral fee.

• Botnet

A botnet is a collection of compromised computers, each of which is known

as a 'bot', connected to the Internet.

When a computer is compromised by an attacker, there is often code

within the malware that commands it to become part of a botnet.

The "botmaster" or "bot herder" controls these compromised computers

via standards-based network protocols such as IRC and http.

• DNSChanger Malware

DNS (Domain Name System) is an Internet service that converts user-

friendly domain names into the numerical Internet protocol (IP) addresses that

computers use to talk to each other.

When you enter a domain name, such as www.fbi.gov, in your web browser

address bar, your computer contacts DNS servers to determine the IP address for

the website. Your computer then uses this IP address to locate and connect to the

website.

DNS servers are operated by your Internet service provider (ISP) and are

included in your computer’s network configuration. DNS and DNS Servers are a

critical component of your computer’s operating environment—without them,

you would not be able to access websites, send e-mail, or use any other Internet

services.

Criminals have learned that if they can control a user’s DNS servers, they

can control what sites the user connects to on the Internet. By controlling DNS, a



criminal can get an unsuspecting user to connect to a fraudulent website or to

interfere with that user’s online web browsing. One way criminals do this is by

infecting computers with a class of malicious software (malware) called

DNSChanger.

In this scenario, the criminal uses the malware to change the user’s DNS

server settings to replace the ISP’s good DNS servers with bad DNS servers

operated by the criminal. A bad DNS server operated by a criminal is referred to

as a rogue DNS server.

29.Operation Global Blackout 2012Rallied by Anonymous supporters worldwide, to attack the Domain Name

System, which converts human-friendly domain names like google.com into

numeric addresses that are more useful for computers.

It declared when the attack would be carried out: March 31. And it detailed

exactly how: by bombarding the Domain Name System with junk traffic in an

effort to overwhelm it altogether.

It was to be an attempt to shut down the Internet for a whole day

tomorrow (Saturday) by disabling its core DNS servers, making websites

inaccessible.

30.NeutrinoIt is an electrically neutral, weakly interacting elementary subatomic

particle with half-integer spin. The neutrino (meaning "small neutral one" in

Italian) is denoted by the Greek letter ν (nu).

All evidence suggests that neutrinos have mass but that their mass is tiny

even by the standards of subatomic particles. Their mass has never been

measured accurately.

Neutrinos do not carry electric charge, which means that they are not

affected by the electromagnetic forces that act on charged particles such as

electrons and protons.

Neutrinos are affected only by the weak sub-atomic force, of much shorter

range than electromagnetism, and gravity, which is relatively weak on the


http://google.com/


subatomic scale. They are therefore able to travel great distances through matter

without being affected by it.

Neutrinos are created as a result of certain types of radioactive decay,

or nuclear reactions such as those that take place in the Sun, in nuclear reactors,

or when cosmic rays hit atoms.

• Pauli Exclusion Principle

It is an assertion that no two electrons in an atom can be at the same time

in the same state or configuration.

It was proposed (1925) by the Austrian physicist Wolfgang Pauli to account

for the observed patterns of light emission from atoms.

The exclusion principle subsequently has been generalized to include a

whole class of particles of which the electron is only one member.

• Aufbau principle

It is the principle for the rationalization of the distribution of electrons

among energy levels in the ground (most stable) states of atoms.

The principle was formulated by the Danish physicist Niels Bohr about

1920.

According to the principle, electrons fill orbitals starting at the lowest

available (possible) energy states before filling higher states.

• Hund's Rule of Maximum Multiplicity

It is an observational rule which states that a greater total spin state usually

makes the resulting atom more stable.

Accordingly, it can be taken that if two or more orbitals of equal energy are

available, electrons will occupy them singly before filling them in pairs.

The rule, discovered by Friedrich Hund in 1925, is of important use in

atomic chemistry,spectroscopy, and quantum chemistry.

31.LukoskinA herbal product for Leucoderma developed by DRDO was launched. The

product will be a boon for the patients of Leucoderma and is backed by extensive


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_chemistry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectroscopy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Hund

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atom

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spin_(physics)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_state

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/187333/energy-state

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/183374/electron

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/447114/Wolfgang-Pauli


R&D work by the scientists of Defence Institute of Bio-energy Research (DIBER)

(formerly Defence Agricultural Research Laboratory), Haldwani.

The ingredients for the medicine included ‘Ammi majus' which is crucial for

melanin synthesis; Psoralea corylifolia (Bakuchi), which works as a photo

sensitizer for the initiation of erythema on the spots of leucoderma; Mucuna

pruriens (Kaunch); Calotropis sps. (Arka); Aloe vera (Kumari); and Centella asiatica

(mandooparni).

The lukoskin drug regulates metabolism and improves the functioning of

the hepatocytes, thereby gradually improving the auto-immune system.

A hepatocyte is a cell of the main tissue of the liver. Hepatocytes make up

70-80% of the liver's cytoplasmic mass.

These cells are involved in: Protein synthesis, Protein storage,

Transformation of carbohydrates, Synthesis of cholesterol, bile

salts and phospholipids, Detoxification, modification, and excretion of exogenous

and endogenous substances. The hepatocyte also initiates formation and

secretion of bile.

• Defence Institute of Bio-energy Research (DIBER)

DIBER, a DRDO laboratory has carried out extensive work in the area of

medicinal plant and is also engaged in R&D in generating bio-energy solutions for

energy security. The herbal product will be available in the form of ointment and

oral liquid.

• Leucoderma or Vitiligo

Leucoderma or Vitiligo is an idiopathic acquired disorder of skin. Patients

with Vitiligo develop white spots in the skin with varying size and location.

It is a condition that causes depigmentation of sections of skin. It occurs

when melanocytes, the cells responsible for skin pigmentation, die or are unable

to function. It is not a disease, neither it is hereditary nor contagious.

The cause of vitiligo is unknown, but research suggests that it may arise

from autoimmune, genetic, oxidative stress, neural, or viral causes.



The world wide incidence of leucoderma has been reported 1-2%. In India,

its incidence is around 4-5% in some parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat it is very high

more than 5-8%. This skin disorder is considered as social stigma in our country

and people confuse it with leprosy.

• Melanocyte

They are melanin-producing cells located in the bottom layer of the

skin's epidermis, the middle layer of the eye, the inner ear, meninges,

bones and heart. Melanin is a pigment that is responsible primarily for the color

of skin.

32.DNA FINGER PRINTING It is also known, as genetic Finger Printing is the technique used for

identifying the components of DNA that is unique to individuals.

The DNA profiling technique was first reported in 1984 by Sir Alec

Jeffreys at the University of Leicester in England.

DNA profiles are encrypted sets of numbers that reflect a person's DNA

makeup, which can also be used as the person's identifier. DNA profiling should

not be confused with full genome sequencing.

Full genome sequencing is a laboratory process that determines the

complete DNA sequence of an organism's genome at a single time. This entails

sequencing all of an organism’s chromosomal DNA as well as DNA contained in

the mitochondria and, for plants, in the chloroplast.

Unlike full genome sequencing, DNA profiling only determines the

likelihood that genetic material came from a particular individual or group; it does

not contain additional information on genetic relationships, origin or

susceptibility to specific diseases

It is used as a forensic technique in crime investigation especially in cases of

rape. It also helps to investigate the family relationship in animal population to

increase the extent to inbreeding by looking at the degree of variability in the

DNA profile comparing DNA patterns of parents and off spring. This helps in

preserving the endangered species.



• Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD)

The Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) is an

autonomous organization funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT),

Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. It is in Hyderabad.

33.World Sparrow Day The World Sparrow Day (WSD) is being celebrated on 20th March across

the globe to raise public awareness about the decline of the house sparrow and

throw light on the problems faced by the species in its daily fight for survival.

The World Sparrow Day also celebrates the common biodiversity around

us. The first World Sparrow Day was celebrated on March 20, 2010 across the

globe to celebrate the beauty of the house sparrow.

34.Bacillus thuringiensisIt is a Gram-positive, soil-dwelling bacterium, commonly used as

a biological pesticide.

During sporulation, many Bt strains produce crystal proteins called δ-

endotoxins, that have insecticidal action.

This has led to their use as insecticides, and more recently to genetically

modified crops using Bt genes.

The Bt brinjal is a suite of transgenic brinjals created by inserting a crystal

protein gene (Cry1Ac) from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis into the

genome of various brinjal cultivars.

The insertion of the gene, along with other genetic elements

like promoters, terminators and an antibiotic resistance marker gene into the

brinjal plant is accomplished using mediated genetic transformation.

The Bt brinjal has been developed to give resistance

against lepidopteron insects, in particular the Brinjal Fruit and Shoot Borer

(Leucinodes orbonalis).

35.Tropical Legumes IITropical Legumes-II is a joint initiative of three international agricultural

research centres, viz. ICRISAT, IITA, and CIAT (International Centre for Tropical



Agriculture) that aims to increase productivity and production of legumes and the

income of poor farmers in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

The project is expected to help small farmers overcome productivity

constraints such as drought, pest and disease problems, and unavailability and

lack of access to quality seed of improved legume varieties.

The project’s strategy is to fast track testing and adoption of existing

varieties and advanced breeding lines for use by famers; generate new farmer-

and market-preferred varieties and hybrids with desirable traits (high yields,

tolerance to moisture stress, and resistance to pests and diseases); and establish

decentralized, pro-poor seed production and delivery systems.

36.REXUS (Rocket-Borne Experiments for University Students) REXUS is part of the EU student experiment program. The rocket has been

developed and built by students from universities spread all across Europe.

The REXUS program is a joint student project between the Swedish Space

Corporation, Esrange Space Center and the Mobile Rocket Base (Moraba) of the

German Aerospace Center.

The basic idea behind REXUS is to provide an experimental space platform

for students in the field of aerospace technology.

37.F. Sherwood RowlandHe was an American Nobel laureate and a professor of chemistry at

the University of California. His best-known work was the discovery

that chlorofluorocarbons contribute to ozone depletion. He died.

In 1974, F Sherwood "Sherry" Rowland and his co-author Mario Molina,

found chlorofluorocarbons already in wide and growing usage around the world

could cause pronounced thinning of the Earth's natural ozone layer, thus

subjecting life on the planet's surface to larger doses of harmful ultraviolet (UV)

rays from the sun.

A chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) is an organic compound that

contains carbon, chlorine, and fluorine, produced as a volatile derivative

of methane and ethane.



A common subclass is the hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which

contain hydrogen, as well. They are also commonly known by the DuPont trade

name Freon.

The Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer (a

protocol to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer) is an

international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the

production of numerous substances believed to be responsible for ozone

depletion.

The treaty was opened for signature on September 16, 1987, and entered

into force on January 1, 1989, followed by a first meeting in Helsinki, May 1989.

It is believed that if the international agreement is adhered to, the ozone

layer is expected to recover by 2050.

38.Nestlé IndiaNestlé India is a subsidiary of Nestlé S.A. of Switzerland. The Company was

founded in 1866 by Henri Nestlé in Vevey, Switzerland, where our headquarters

are still located today. Nestlé is the world's leading Nutrition, Health and Wellness

Company.

Nestle began trading as The Nestlé Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company

(Export) Limited, importing and selling finished products in the Indian market.

After India's independence in 1947, the economic policies of the Indian

Government emphasised the need for local production. Nestlé responded to

India's aspirations by forming a company in India and set up its first factory in

1961 at Moga, Punjab.

• Food and Energy

Cereals: Cereals form the staple diet in India, e.g., rice, wheat, maize.

Cereals are the main source of energy, contributing 60-70% of daily energy needs.

Cereals are a source of protein, calcium, iron and B-complex vitamins. Whole-

grains (grains with the intact outer layer like in brown rice, corn) are a good

source of fibre and B-complex vitamins and should be included in daily diet.



Pulses (legumes): Pulses are a rich source of proteins (up to 22%) and meet

the protein requirement of the vegetarians. They are also rich in B complex

vitamins. Germination (sprouting) of pulses increases the vitamin C and B group

vitamins and also improves the digestibility.

Milk and Milk Products: This category includes liquid and powdered milk,

paneer, curd, buttermilk etc. They are not only a good source of quality protein

but also calcium and riboflavin. These should be a part of everyday’s diet and

especially essential for children as they support healthy growth.

Fruits and Vegetables: these include

Roots and Tubers: these are rich in carbohydrates and are good sources of

energy and calcium. Root vegetables like carrots are a good source of vitamin

A.

Vegetables and Green Leafy Vegetables (GLV’s): vegetables add both color

and variety to the diet. They provide minerals, vitamins and fiber (which add

bulk to the diet). GLV’s are a rich source of calcium iron, vitamin A (β-

carotene), vitamin C, folic acid.

Fruits: these provide vitamins and fiber. Green, Yellow and Orange fruits

are a rich source of beta carotene. Citrus fruits, amla, and guava are rich in

vitamin C. dried fruits like dates supply iron. Seasonal fruits should be

encouraged. Fruits also contain pectins which provide bulk to the diet and

helps bowel movement.

Animal Foods: This category includes eggs, chicken, meat, fish etc. They are

a good source of high quality protein and other important nutrients. Fish is rich in

omega-3 PUFA which is protective against cardiovascular diseases and calcium as

well. A special feature in flesh foods is the presence of vitamin B12, which is

absent in plant foods.

Fats, Nuts and Oils: These are calorie-rich foods, and are useful for

increasing the energy density of foods. Fats can be the visible fats (ghee, butter,

oil) or the invisible fats (present inherently in each food). They are required in



moderate quantities in the daily diet as they provide essential fatty acids and

promote absorption of fat soluble vitamins along with improving the palatability

of the food. However, the total calories from fat should not exceed 10-15%.

Sugars: This group includes table sugar, jaggery, honey, syrups etc which

are energy concentrates. They are the sweetening agents which should be

consumed in moderation as they provide calories but not much in the way of

nutrition. Also excessive sugar consumption has been linked to weight gain.

Protein: Human body needs three vital macronutrients to survive. These

are carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It also needs micronutrients like vitamins

and minerals, but these are required in lesser amounts. For optimal health, intake

of carbohydrates, proteins and fats should be balanced.

Protein is the body's nutritional powerhouse, a critical need for both adults

and children at every stage. Proteins are the building blocks of muscles, bones,

hormones, skin cells and tissues. It is responsible for the regeneration of body

cells. That's why it's so important for growing children and lactating women. In

adults, it helps heal wounds and recover more rapidly from injury, prevents hair

loss and weakness.

Protein helps re-build the muscle tissue. More muscle in the body helps

burn more calories and this also gives the strength and energy to work out more

vigorously. This is why weight loss is so much faster when there is adequate

protein in the diet.

High protein diets are also considered better for better diabetic control and

dyslipidemia.

But protein should never be taken when you're starving or very hungry.

This is because the body, in starvation mode, tends to convert protein into

carbohydrates, thus defeating the purpose.

Protein Content in Common FoodsFoods Protein Value

1 Egg White 6 gm35 gm (2-3 pieces) of lean meat like skinless chicken & fish 7 – 8 gm200 ml of skimmed milk 6-7 gm



35 gm (half cup) of Paneer (Cottage Cheese) 6-7 gm35 gm of Tofu 8 gm100 gm of Cheese 30.9 gmYoghurt (100 gm) 4.5 gmAlmonds (7-8 pieces) 8 gmPeanuts (2 tsps) 8 gm

39.St. Martin's IslandIt is a small island in the northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal, about 9 km

south of the tip of the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf peninsula, and forming the

southernmost part of Bangladesh.

It is about 8 km west of the northwest coast of Myanmar, at the mouth of

the Naf River. It is the only coral island in Bangladesh.

St. Martin's Island near Bangladesh is threatened by environmental

collapse.

40. Mithilanchal belt (Purnea, Araria and Supaul Districts) The fertile and chronically flood-lacerated swathe of the Mithilanchal belt

in north Bihar witnessed a watershed moment in its urban ecosystem when

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated the ‘Kosi Maha Sethu' — a rail-

cum-road bridge — in Supaul district.

The bridge was destroyed in the 1934 Bihar-Nepal earthquake, dividing

Mithilanchal into two halves and reducing the entire townships to rubble and

killing tens of thousands of people.

The loss of this bridge, known as the ‘Lifeline of Mithilanchal,' had

hampered traffic and commerce for several decades.

Kosi River, also Saptakoshi for its seven Himalayan tributaries—is a trans-

boundary river flowing through Nepal and India. Some of the rivers of the

Koshi system, such as the Arun, the Sun Kosi and the Bhote Koshi, originate in

the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It is one of the largest tributaries of

the Ganges.

There are two national parks in the Koshi river basin:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_park


• the Sagarmatha National Park, located in eastern Nepal, containing

parts of the Himalayas and the southern half of Mount Everest;

• the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve situated on the floodplains of the

Sapta-Koshi River in eastern Nepal.

41.Jawai Bandh forests Rajasthan accords the bio-diversity rich Jawai Bandh forests in Pali district

the status of a conservation reserve.

The rich forests and the water bodies along the Jawai dam in Sumerpur

tehsil have a large presence of crocodiles. The wildlife census in 2011 had put

their number at 288.

The reserve is fifth in the category in the State. It is in the Luni river basin

close proximity of Kumbalgarh Sanctuary.

42.Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV)The Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) is designed and developed by

the Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI), Durgapur — a

constituent establishment of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

(CSIR). The ‘AUV-150' was developed by a team of scientists of the Robotics and

Automation division of CSIR-CMERI under the leadership of S.N. Shome.

The ‘AUV-150,' as the prototype is named is built to operate 150 metres

under the sea. It was developed in technical collaboration with the Indian

Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur.

The performance parameters of the lab-scale model, developed by the IIT,

acted as a precursor to the prototype developed by CSIR-CMERI. The project is

sponsored by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

The cylindrical AUV is capable of independently carrying out a plethora of

underwater operations, including ocean floor-mapping, surveillance activities and

oceanographic studies, based on data gathered using its onboard sensors.

It has an onboard computer that can be pre-programmed to carry out

specific tasks, which makes it a smart vehicle endowed with the ability to devise


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koshi_Tappu_Wildlife_Reserve

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagarmatha_National_Park


its own stratagems to execute a mission. The payload and the configuration are

determined by the nature of the mission it is tasked with.

The AUV has hybrid communication channels. It uses radio frequency while

on surface, but switches to acoustic communication when submerged. The AUV

has its own power, propulsion, navigation and control systems.

For movement underwater, it locates own geographical position using

navigational sensors, while its forward-looking sonar facilitates obstacle evasion

and safe passage. For effective operation, it is equipped with navigational sensors

like the inertial navigation system, depth sonar, altimeter etc., and payload

sensors like camera, side scan sonar and the like.

It has extra roll stability, a cruising speed of up to four knots, and weighs

about 490 kg. Sea trials of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle are scheduled for

January-end.

43.Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI)CMERI is the apex R&D institute for mechanical engineering under the aegis

of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Being the only national level research institute in this field, CMERI’s

mandate is to serve industry and develop mechanical engineering technology so

that India’s dependence on foreign collaboration is substantially reduced in

strategic and economy sectors.

Besides, the institute is facilitating innovations and inventions for

establishing the claims of Indian talent in international fields where Indian

products shall ultimately compete.

Prof. (Dr.) Gautam Biswas, is the Director of CMERI-Durgapur

44.Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic FeverCrimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is caused by infection with a tick-

borne virus (Nairovirus) in the family Bunyaviridae.

The disease was first characterized in the Crimea in 1944 and given the

name Crimean hemorrhagic fever. It was then later recognized in 1969 as the

cause of illness in the Congo, thus resulting in the current name of the disease.



Ixodid (hard) ticks, especially those of the genus, Hyalomma, are both a

reservoir and a vector for the CCHF virus. Numerous wild and domestic animals,

such as cattle, goats, sheep and hares, serve as amplifying hosts for the virus.

Transmission to humans occurs through contact with infected animal blood

or ticks. CCHF can be transmitted from one infected human to another by contact

with infectious blood or body fluids.

The first case of human infection caused by Crimean–Congo Hemorrhagic

Fever (CCHF) virus in Ahmedabad was confirmed by the Indian Council of Medical

Research (ICMR).

• National Institute of Virology

The National Institute of Virology is one of the major Institutes of the Indian

Council of Medical Research (ICMR). It was established at Pune, Maharashtra

State in 1952 as Virus Research Centre (VRC) under the auspices of the ICMR and

the Rockefeller Foundation (RF), USA. It was an outcome of the global programme

of the RF for investigating the Arthropod Borne viruses.

On the recommendation of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), the

VRC acquired its status of national importance and was renamed as National

Institute of Virology (NIV) in 1978.


csat currentaffairs 2012 part 4

Documents