CURRENT AFFAIRS: 07.06.2017

1.    Child-friendly HIV drug gets government nod

·        The child-friendly HIV drug in oral pellet form has been registered by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

·        This has opened up crucial supplies from Cipla Pharmaceuticals in the HIV segment, to the National AIDS Control Programme (NACO).

·        India ran out of Lopinavir syrup, a child-friendly HIV drug, in March after Cipla – the sole manufacturer of the drug – stopped production consequent to non-payment by the Health Ministry.

·        Last month, an expert committee of the CDSCO has permitted the child-friendly and heat-stable pellet formulation of the HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) to be registered.

·        The lack of child-friendly HIV formulations is one of the major reasons why there is such a large treatment gap between adults and children, and is also why paediatric HIV is considered to be a ‘neglected disease’.

·        The pellets, which come in capsules and are dosed by weight, can be sprinkled over a small amount of soft food.

·        For infants – who must be able to swallow them – the pellets can be added to a spoonful of breast milk or put on the infant’s tongue.

HIV

Ø HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus, which is the virus that causes HIV infection.

Ø AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection.

Ø HIV attacks and destroys the infection-fighting CD4 cells of the immune system. The loss of CD4 cells makes it difficult for the body to fight infections and certain cancers.

Ø Without treatment, HIV can gradually destroy the immune system and advance to AIDS.

Ø HIV is spread through contact with certain body fluids from a person infected with HIV. These body fluids include:

o   Blood

o   Semen

o   Pre-seminal fluid

o   Vaginal fluids

o   Rectal fluids

o   Breast milk

Ø The use of HIV medicines to treat HIV infection is called antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Source: The Hindu

2.    EL Nino is weaker than anticipated, says IMD

·        A strong EL Nino was expected this year by the Indian Meteorological Department would now be much weaker than anticipated.

·        The EL Nino – characterised by the surface waters of the equatorial Pacific warming up by more than a half a degree – is known to dry up monsoon rain every six out of 10 years.

·        A Positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is said to buffer the impact of EL Nino and contribute to better rains.

·        IOD: it is a swing in surface temperatures that turns the western Indian Ocean alternately warmer and then colder than the eastern part of the ocean.

DYNAMICAL MODEL

·        In April, the IMD shifted to using a new monsoon forecast system, called a dynamical model that works by supercomputers simulating the weather and extrapolating it.

·        It plans to make this as the base for all future forecasts, ranging from short-term weekly forecasts to the trajectory of the four-month-long monsoon.

·        The dynamical model is good for computing the all-India figure but not yet good at capturing the regional spread.

Source: The Hindu

3.    Adding colour to young dreams

·        Colour Academy, started at the Industrial Training Institute (ITI), is guiding the youths in the painting profession in an attempt to tap the huge market for painters in Rajasthan.

·        A leading manufacturer of paints has launched the academy offering vocational courses in painting as a first initiative to prepare professionals in the field.

·        The state government’s Department of Skills, Employment and Entrepreneurship (SEE) has joined hands with Asian paints to offer certificate courses and expertise to youths in the field at ITI in Jaipur.

·        The youths will get exposed to new levels of training to understand both theoretical and practical aspects of the profession.

·        The courses would cover various aspects of painter training, surface preparation, health and safety, undercoats application, elementary understanding of wood finishes, scaffolding and also behavioural modules to help the participants know more about the site behaviour.

Source: The Hindu

4.    SC reserves order on postgraduate quota for in-house students

·        SC reserved its order on aAllahabad High Court decision setting aside 50% reservation for in-house students for admissions to postgraduate courses in Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

·        The prevalent PG admission policy cannot be reversed by opening up to 50% reserved seats for candidates selected through NEET.

·        The High Court passed the orders without even considering the point that the admission regulations of the Medical Council of India of March 10 were not under challenge.

Source: The Hindu

QUESTIONS BASED ON

CURRENT AFFAIRS: 07.06.2017

1.    The Child-friendly HIV drug in oral pellet form has been registered by whom?

(a)              Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation

(b)             Drugs Control Department

(c)              Department of Drug Administration

(d)             Department of Pharmaceuticals

2.    This year in March, India ran out of a child-friendly HIV drug. Its name is ________?

(a)              Abacavir

(b)             lamivudine

(c)              Lopinavir

(d)             Zidovudine

3.    HIV can spread through

(i)                       Blood

(ii)                   Air

(iii)                Vaginal fluids

(iv)                 Breast milk

Which of the following is correct?

(a)              i and ii

(b)             ii and iv

(c)              i, iii and iv

(d)             all of these

4.    which of the following is/are correct?

(i)                       A Positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is said to reduce the impact of EL Nino and contribute to lesser rains.

(ii)                   IOD is a swing in surface temperatures that turns the eastern Indian Ocean alternately warmer and then colder than the western part of the ocean.

(a)              I only

(b)             II only

(c)              Both I and II

(d)             None of the above

5.    which academy, started at the ITI in Rajasthan is guiding the youths in the painting profession (first initiative to prepare professionals in the fields)?

(a)              Painting academy

(b)             Colour academy

(c)              Art academy

(d)             Modern painting academy

                                ANSWERS

                             1.   (a)

                             2.   (c)

                             3.   (c)

                             4.   (d)

                             5.   (b)