Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Prabla and about SeptifloTM )
What's the NEWS

• Dr Shweta Rawat from Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), DRDO, Timarpur, Delhi has developed a female-specific Full Body Protector (Prabla) to safeguard the Female troops deployed in riot control actions.
• This gear has been developed in collaboration with the Rapid Action Force using the ergonomic design principle based on anthropometric dimensions specific for female troops.
• The full Body Protector has unique properties, including anti-stab, anti-puncture, flame retardant and acid resistance.
• It is designed to assure greater comfort and flexibility to the women forces while deployed in law and order maintenance duties.

• Dr. Shalini Gupta, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, has successfully led the development of a technology SeptifloTM, which offers fast and affordable assay for point-of-care diagnosis and treatment of bacterial septicemia, one of the biggest in-hospital killers worldwide.

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about endophytic actinobacteria)
What's the NEWS

• Researchers at Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST) Guwahati, an autonomous institute under Department of Science & Technology, have found significant plant-growth-promoting and antifungal activities of endophytic actinobacteria associated with Tea plant and related genera, Eurya to find potent plant growth-promoting strains.

Know! more about endophytic Actinobacteria

• Application of endophytic Actinobacteria could reduce chemical inputs in Tea plantation.
• This research finding confirms that endophytic actinobacteria have the potential to exhibit multiple growth-promoting traits positively influence tea growth and production and can hence be used in the management and sustainability of Teacrop.
• Tea (Camellia sinensis) plays an important role in the Indian economy as a major portion of the tea produced is exported.
• However, in the recent years, due to higher demand of chemical residue-free made tea by the importing countries has led to a decline in the export of tea.
• The present study attempts the use of endophytic actinobacteria having plant beneficial characteristics to reduce and replace the use of chemical inputs in the tea industry.

Environment
Mass death of white-throated laughingthrush birds in Uttarakhand

Relevance IN - Prelims (about white-throated laughingthrush birds)
What's the NEWS

• Around 50 white-throated laughingthrush birds died mysteriously in the forests of Berinag sub-division of Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand.
• There are two possibilities behind the death of the birds in such large numbers. Either the group ate pesticide smeared food thrown about by people in the forest or they died of some infectious disease

Know! about the White-throated laughingthrushes

• White-throated laughingthrushes are local species of sub Himalayan hill tracts and are mostly seen in groups of 50 to 100.
• These birds are partially white and partially orange coloured below their neck.
• It is found mainly in the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent, primarily the Himalayas, and some adjoining and disjunct areas. It ranges across Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tibet and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
• IUCN Conservation Status - least Concern
  
  
  

Prelims Factoids
Luxembourg becomes first country to make public transport free

Relevance IN - Prelims (about Luxembourg )
What's the NEWS

• Luxembourg abolished fares for trains, trams and buses in what the government said was a bid to tackle road congestion and pollution, as well as supporting low earners.
• All standard-class journeys on public transport in the tiny and wealthy European country are now free of charge, compared to an annual pass worth 440 euros ($485) before. Travellers can still pay for first class, at a cost of 660 euros a year.
• The main reason is to have a better quality of mobility, and then the side reason is clearly also environmental issues.
• Luxembourg has just over 600,000 inhabitants, but 214,000 more travel in for work every day from neighbouring Germany, Belgium and France, causing heavy traffic jams as the majority of workers commute by car. More than half of Luxembourg's greenhouse gas emissions come from transport.
  
  

KEEP Learning KEEP Evolving
TEAM CL IAS