TEACHERS’ VISION | BANK PO – CLREK |SSC| GOVT JOBS

DAILY DOSE 4^thAPRIL -2024 CURRENT AFFAIRS

1) OptiDrop Platform:

The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) in Bengaluru has developed a new platform called OptiDrop.
OptiDrop Platform is an innovative microfluidic chip-based platform that simplifies and reduces the cost of studying single cells. It employs a novel approach that enables precise and cost-effective analysis of single cells encapsulated in droplets.
The platform’s unique features include live data visualisation, a smaller data footprint, and a ‘closed’ system design that prevents external contamination.
This research was supported by the Biotechnology Industry Research Council (BIRAC), the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).
This cutting-edge technology has potential applications in diagnostics, therapeutics, agriculture and animal health.
It helps in studying the impact on individual cells during a drug screen, environment control (water contamination counter), detection and sorting of CAR-T cells in immuno-oncotherapeutics, selection of CRISPR-modified single cells and selection of high-efficiency clones in single-cell genomics

2) Mother Of Dragons Comet:

A rare, formerly-horned comet that astronomers have dubbed the “Mother of Dragons” is now visible after dusk in the Northern Hemisphere.
Mother of Dragons comet is officially known as Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks.
It is a ‘Halley-type’ comet with an orbital period of roughly 71 years and a nucleus approximately 30 km wide.
It is composed of ice, dust and rocky material. When it approaches the Sun, heat causes the ice inside the comet to turn from solid to gas.
It is classified as a Jupiter-family comet, meaning its orbit is influenced by Jupiter’s gravitational pull.

3) Large Value Fund (LVF) Scheme:

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of shares of MG Motor India Private Limited by IndoEdge India Fund under the Large Value Fund (LVF) Scheme.
Large Value Fund (LVF) Scheme: It is an Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) wherein every investor is an accredited investor and invests a minimum amount of Rs 70 crore.
Alternative Investment Fund(AIF): An AIF is a privately pooled or collective investment fund incorporated in India for investment purposes.
SEBI categorizes AIFs into 3 types:
Category-1 AIFs:
Invest in startups, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), and socially beneficial sectors like infrastructure.
Includes Infrastructure Funds, Venture Capital Funds, Angel Funds, and Social Venture Funds.
Category-2 AIFs:
Invest in equities and debt securities, excluding Category 1 or 3.
Includes Fund of Funds, Debt Funds, and Private Equity Funds.
Category-3 AIFs:
Aim for short-term investment returns, utilizing complex trading strategies.
Includes Hedge Funds and Private Investment in Public Equity Funds.

4) Atomic Clocks:

India is deploying atomic clocks nationwide to synchronize all digital devices with Indian Standard Time, enhancing uniformity and national security.
An atomic clock is a highly accurate timekeeping device that combines a quartz crystal oscillator with an atom, typically caesium or hydrogen, to measure time precisely.
It uses the consistent frequency of atoms to maintain accurate time, making it more stable than conventional quartz clocks.
It was Invented in 1955 by Louise Essen. It combines a quartz crystal oscillator with an atom for precise timekeeping.
Types of Atomic Clocks Caesium and hydrogen maser atomic clocks
Hydrogen maser clocks are more accurate and used in scientific research.
Quartz crystal oscillators are commonly used in modern clocks, vibrating at a precise frequency when voltage is applied.
However, they become slightly slow every hour and require frequent adjustments.
Atomic clocks are like super accurate timekeepers.
They use special atoms, usually caesium atoms, which vibrate at a very steady rate.
By sending microwaves to these atoms, we can make them vibrate even more regularly.
Then, we compare these vibrations with the vibrations of a quartz crystal in a regular clock.
The most advanced atomic clocks lose just one second every 300 billion years.

5) New EMPS 2024 scheme:

The new Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme 2024(EMPS 2024) under Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India came into effect on 1st April, 2024 and will continue till the end of July 2024.
Meanwhile, the 2nd phase of FAME-II (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India) scheme ends on 31st March, 2024.
Under the FAME scheme, subsidies will be eligible for e-vehicles sold till 31st March or till the time funds are available.

6) Gagan Shakti-2024:

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has launched a 10-day war exercise named ‘Gagan Shakti-2024’ from April 1 to April 10, 2024, to display its prowess in executing high-intensity operations across India.
The Pokhran Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan; Bhuj in Gujarat; Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh; and other locations nationwide will host the exercise.

7) SEBI launches SCORES 2.0 to Strengthen Complaint Redressal System:

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) launched the new version of SCORES (SEBI Complaint Redressal System), i.e., SCORES 2.0.
This will enhance investor complaint resolution in the securities market by auto routing and auto escalation, monitoring by designated bodies, and reducing timelines

8) Rajeev Singhal Appointed as MD of Tata International Limited:

The Tata International Limited (TIL), the global trading and distribution arm of Tata Group, appointed Rajeev Singhal as its Managing Director (MD).

9) Judith Tuluka Appointed as First Female Prime Minister of DR Congo:

Felix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), appointed Judith Suminwa Tuluka as the first woman Prime Minister of the DRC.

10) Havana Syndrome : Surge

There has been a noticeable surge in interest in the Havana Syndrome, particularly concerning its occurrence among US diplomats.
Havana Syndrome is a mysterious illness causing a range of neurological problems. It was first reported by the US Embassy staff in Havana, Cuba in 2016, when they began experiencing extreme headaches and hearing piercing sounds at night.
Other symptoms including bloody noses, headaches and vision problems were later reported by embassy staff in China and Europe.
In 2021, Havana Syndrome gained attention in India after a US intelligence officer travelling with CIA director William Burns to New Delhi reported symptoms.
A ‘syndrome’ does not mean a unique medical condition but denotes a cluster of symptoms that commonly occur together, making it hard to determine their precise origin.