1) Stem cell scaffolding: Stem cells are the body’s raw materials — cells from which all other cells with specialized functions are generated. Under the right conditions in the body or a laboratory, stem cells divide to form more cells called daughter cells.
- Developing a stem cell scaffolding architecture (temporary platform to build tissues) supports vascular cell ingrowth, and promotes wound healing and regenerative medicine that is effective in treating bone, cartilage, blood vessel, skin, tendon, and nerve damage.
- Using a bio-printer, a stem cell scaffold is made to repair abnormalities to valves in blood vessels and to mend holes between the two main pumping chambers of the heart.
2) Bullock’s Heart Tree: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) recently won the prize for developing a cost-effective bio-insecticide from the leaves of bullock’s heart tree (Annona reticulata), popularly known as Ramphal.
- Bullock heart tree’s extracts have traditionally been used to cure conditions including dysentery and pediculosis (louse infestation). Extracts from its leaves may be useful against three destructive pests — Pod borer, Green peach aphid and fall armyworm. It is best known for its fruit, called custard apple.
3) Betta-Kuruba tribe: lives in the hilly regions of Karnataka and is one of the few indigenous communities of the Nilgiris. They belong to the Hindu caste native to the Indian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
- Traditionally, the Kuruba people drew sustenance from hunting, gathering and collecting wild honey. They are generally believed to be the descendants of the Pallavas.
- Consanguineous marriages like cross-cousin marriages are preferred among the Kurumbas.
- The Lok Sabha passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2022 to include Betta-Kuruba in the Scheduled Tribes (STs) list of Karnataka as a synonym for the already categorised Kadu-Kuruba tribe in the State.
4) Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM): The Commission is a statutory body which was first formed by an ordinance in October 2020.
- The erstwhile Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority, or EPCA had been dissolved to make way for the Commission.
- it will supersede bodies such as the central and state pollution control boards of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan.
- Chairperson: To be chaired by a government official of the rank of Secretary or Chief Secretary. He will hold the post for three years or until s/he attains the age of 70 years.
- It will have experts from CPCB, ISRO, Civil Society and NCR states.
5) Hooch: it is a commonly used term for poor quality alcohol, derived from Hoochinoo, a native Alaskan tribe that was known to produce very strong liquor.
- Unlike branded liquor which is produced in factories with sophisticated equipment and rigorous quality control, hooch is made in more crude settings without any quality checks.
- Alcohol is produced using two basic processes: fermentation and distillation
- When heated, yeast reacts with sugar (from grain, fruits, sugarcane, etc.) to ferment and produce a mixture containing alcohol. Distillation is the process of physically separating the alcohol from the rest of the mixture using evaporation and condensation.
