OROP Scheme completes 10 years

About OROP

• It is based on the idea that military personnel retiring with the same rank and length of service should receive the same pension, no matter when they retire.
• Features: Pension to be re-fixed every 5 years; Pension of all past pensioners is re-fixed based on the pensions of personnel who retired in 2013, etc.
• Significance: 

• Benefits over 25 lakh Armed Forces pensioners.
• Addresses pension disparities caused by inflation, pay scale changes, etc.
• Ensured greater dignity for their service to the nation

Israel have developed PyPIM that enables computers to process data directly in memory, bypassing the need for the central processing unit (CPU).

About PyPIM

• It is a platform that combines the Python programming language with digital processing-in-memory (PIM) technology.

Significance: Processing data in memory reduces CPU reliance, addressing the "memory wall" issue (where processor's speed exceeds the rate at which data can be transferred to and from memory) to improve speed and efficiency.

Scientists have discovered a novel strain of cyanobacteria - Chonkus, that can be a prime candidate for biologically-based carbon sequestration projects and bioproduction of valuable commodities.

About Cyanobacteria 

• Also known as blue-green bacteria, blue-green algae, they are photosynthetic microscopic organisms. 
• They can be found in almost every terrestrial and aquatic habitat.
• Cyanobacteria get their colour from the bluish pigment phycocyanin, which they use to capture light for photosynthesis.
• Significance: Responsible for oxygenation of atmosphere and oceans, aids aquatic food chain, nitrogen fixation enriching soil and water.

A new World Health Organisation (WHO) study listed 17 pathogens as top priorities for new vaccine development.

• It’s the first global effort to prioritise endemic pathogens based on regional disease burden, antimicrobial resistance risk, etc

Key observations

• The study reconfirms longstanding priorities for vaccine research on longstanding diseases like HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis.

• It also focuses on emerging resistant pathogens like Group A streptococcus and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

• The study asserts research and development (R&D) on HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis.
  • Three diseases that collectively kill nearly 2.5 million people each year.

Women in Ladakh play a key role in sea buckthorn cultivation 

About sea buckthorn

• It was given GI Tag in 2023 
• In Ladakh, it is grown completely organically without any pesticides. The berries are harvested in September-October every year.
• 'Every part of the plant, including fruit, leaf, twig, root and thorn, has been traditionally used as medicine, nutritional supplement, etc.
  • Therefore, It is popularly known as ‘Wonder Plant, Ladakh Gold, Golden Bush or Gold Mine of cold deserts'. 

Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforests drops by nearly 31% compared to previous year. 

• Deforestation in Brazil's vast savannah, known as the Cerrado, decreased by 25.7%, the first decline in five years.

About Amazon Rainforest 

• Location: In South America, occupying much of Brazil and Peru, and also parts of Guyana, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Suriname, French Guiana, and Venezuela.
• World’s largest tropical rainforest is home to 10% of the world’s known species.
• It occupies drainage basin of the Amazon River and holds 20% of world’s liquid freshwater. 

The Office of Principal Scientific Advisor states that India’s Nutraceutical Industry is poised for growth.

• Nutraceuticals are products with biological functions that are derived only from foods. E.g., omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics,

Nutraceutical Industry:

• Currently, 90% of the total global nutraceutical market is captured by the USA, Japan and Europe.
• India's share around 2% global trade.

Initiatives: Development of the first-ever Harmonized System of Nomenclature codes for streamlined trade; PLI Scheme for nutraceuticals.

Recently, Scientists have successfully engineered animal cells capable of photosynthesis. 

• This can help create cells that consume less oxygen and emit less carbon dioxide – essentially turning them into mini oxygen producers.

About Photosynthesis

• Photosynthesis is a process that uses sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce oxygen and energy in form of sugars.
• It is carried out by plants, algae, and certain bacteria.
• During photosynthesis, plants take in CO₂ and water from the air and soil and transforms water into oxygen and CO₂ into glucose.
  • Process relies on a pigment called chlorophyll, which gives plants their green colour.