9 PM Current Affairs Brief – April 7th, 2020

Good Evening Friends! We are posting Todays 9pm Current Affair Brief

COVID-19:Scientific initiatives and Organizations in News

Facts:

Intensification of Research in High Priority Area (IRPHA) scheme:

• It was launched by the Science and Engineering Research Board(SERB) to support projects in high priority areas from the viewpoint of advances in fundamental science.

Science and Engineering Research Board(SERB):

• It is a statutory body established through an Act of Parliament in 2008.
• It is chaired by the Secretary to the Department of Science and Technology and has other senior government officials and eminent scientists as members. 
• Aim:To promote basic research in science and engineering and to provide financial assistance to scientists, academic institutions and other agencies for such research.

National Innovation Foundation(NIF):

• It was set up in 2000 as an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology.
• Aim:To help India become a creative and knowledge-based society by expanding policy and institutional space for grassroots technological innovators.
• Situated at: Ahmedabad,Gujarat.

Initiatives by NIF:

• INSPIRE Award – MANAK:It is being executed by the Department of Science & Technology and NIF to motivate school children in the group of 10-15 years and studying in classes 6 to 10 for original ideas/ innovations rooted in science and societal applications.

• Micro Venture Innovation Fund(MVIF):It was established by NIF with support from Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to provide risk capital to innovation based enterprise projects.
• IGNITE:It is an annual competition for student’s ideas and innovations conducted by NIF in partnership with the Central Board of Secondary Education(CBSE).

Shukrayaan-1 Mission

News:Scientists have said that the future missions such as Shukrayaan-1 could confirm the presence of active volcanoes on Venus.

Facts:

• Shukrayaan-1 is a proposed mission of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• Launch Year: 2023
• Aim:To study the surface and atmosphere of Venus.

Pench Tiger Reserve(PTR)

News:The death of a tiger in the Pench Tiger Reserve(PTR) has raised concerns whether the tiger should be tested for the coronavirus disease.

Facts:

• Pench Tiger Reserve(PTR) is an inter state tiger reserve spanning across two states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
• The portion of the reserve that is in Madhya Pradesh is located in the Satpura ranges.
• The reserve comprises the Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park, the Pench Mowgli Sanctuary and a buffer.
• The reserve is also among the sites notified as Important Bird Areas (IBA) of India.
• The tiger reserve is named after the Pench river that flows through.The Meghdoot dam built across Pench River falls both in M.P. and Maharashtra.

Additional Facts:

• Other Tiger Reserves in Madhya Pradesh: a) Kanha Tiger Reserve b) Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve c) Sanjay Dubri Tiger Reserve d) Bori- Satpura Tiger Reserve and e) Panna Tiger Reserve.
• Important Bird Areas(IBA):It is a programme of Birdlife International which aims to identify, monitor and protect a global network of IBAs for conservation of the world’s birds and associated biodiversity.

Explained:What is cytokine storm?

News:Several infected patients are developing severe COVID-19 because of an overreaction of their immune systems which triggers what is known as a cytokine storm syndrome(CSS).

Facts:

• Cytokine Storm:It occurs when the body’s immune system overreacts to an intruder such as a virus by producing high levels of cytokines. 
• However, overproduction of cytokines can be harmful as it can attack healthy tissues as well.
• Symptoms:High fever, inflammation (redness and swelling), severe fatigue and nausea.

Additional Facts:

• Cytokines:They are a large group of proteins, peptides or glycoproteins that are secreted by specific cells of the immune system to mediate and regulate immunity and inflammation response.
• Immune System:It is a complex network of cells, organs and tissues that work in tandem to protect the body from infection.