Daily Quiz #7 UPSC Prelims Marathon – October 10, 2019

Explanation: The first ever Industry-Academia mission to accelerate biopharmaceutical development in India will be formally launched by the Cabinet Minister for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan in New Delhi on 30th June 2017. The program named Innovate in India (i3) will witness an investment of USD 250 million with USD 125 million as a loan from World Bank and is anticipated to be a game changer for the Indian Biopharmaceutical industry. It aspires to create an enabling ecosystem to promote entrepreneurship and indigenous manufacturing in the sector.

Explanation: Recently International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) along with its partners has successfully cultivated Golden Rice in a controlled environment on International Rice Research Institute campus.
• Golden rice is the collective name of rice varieties that are genetically modified to counter vitamin A deficiency in developing countries.
• Golden rice differs from standard rice in that it contains extra genes one from maize and one from bacterial origin together responsible for the production of provitamin A (betacarotene) in the rice grain.
•Provitamin A colors the grains yellow-orange, hence the name ‘Golden Rice’. o Once absorbed into the body, provitamin A is converted into vitamin A.
•Provitamin A is found in many fruits and vegetables; it is also what makes carrots orange, for example.
• Research has indicated that one cup of Golden Rice can provide up to 50 per cent of the daily requirement of an adult for vitamin A.
•It reduces water use by up to 30 per cent without any yield loss.

Explanation: The Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016–2030 was adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2015. It provides a comprehensive framework to guide countries in their efforts to accelerate progress towards malaria elimination. The strategy sets the target of reducing global malaria incidence and mortality rates by at least 90% by 2030. It emphasizes the need for universal coverage of core malaria interventions for all populations at risk and highlights the importance of using high-quality surveillance data for decision-making. It also identifies areas where innovative solutions will be essential for attaining the goals, and summarizes the estimated global costs of implementation. The WHO strategy was developed in close alignment with the Roll Back Malaria Partnership’s Action and Investment to defeat Malaria 2016-2030 – for a malaria-free world to ensure shared goals and complementarity.

Explanation: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)-Administered Treaties for Classifications:
• The Nice Agreement (1957) establishes a classification of goods and services for the purposes of registering trademarks and service marks (the Nice Classification).
• The Locarno Agreement (1968) establishes a classification for industrial designs (the Locarno Classification).
• The Vienna Agreement (1973) establishes a classification (the Vienna Classification) for marks that consist of, or contain, figurative elements.
• The International Patent Classification (1971) is used to classify patents and utility models according to the different areas of technology to which they pertain. It was established by the Strasbourg Agreement.

Explanation: Today, the value of the global space industry is estimated to be $350 billion and is likely to exceed $550 billion by 2025.
• India’s share is estimated at $7 billion (just 2% of the global market) covering broadband and direct-to Home television (accounting for two-thirds of the share), satellite imagery and navigation.
• India’s space programme stands out as one of the most cost-effective in the world. India has earned worldwide recognition for launching lunar probes, built satellites, ferried foreign satellites up and has even succeeded in reaching Mars.