Current Affairs 8th november 2015

• Scientists develop 3-D printing method to make embryonic stem cells

Scientists from China and United States have developed a 3-D printing method to produce highly uniform‘blocks’ of embryonic stem cells.

The method was developed by the researchers from Beijing based Tsinghua University (China) and Philadelphia based Drexel University (US).

Key facts

• The new method used extrusion-deposition based 3-D printing technology to produce a grid-like 3-D (three dimensional) cell structure to grow embryoid body.
• This 3D printed embryoid body demonstrated cell viability and rapid self-renewal for 7 days by maintaining high pluripotentcy.
• The grown embryoid body in such a controlled manner is uniform and homogenous and serves as a basic starting point for further tissue growth.
• Potential Applications: These cells are capable of generating all cell types in the body which could be used as the ‘Lego bricks’ to build larger structures of tissues , tissue constructs and even micro-organs.
• This technique can be further enhanced to produce embryoid body at a high throughput, providing the basic building blocks for tissue regeneration and for drug screening studies.

About 3D printing technology

• 3D printing is a process of making 3-D (three dimensional) solid objects from a digital file with extreme precision.
• This technology is also termed additive manufacturing as the 3D printed object is created us additive processes i.e. by laying down successive layers of manufacturing material on each other until the entire object is created.
• This technology has limitless possibilities and can create almost anything with just raw material and a computer generated model.

• India-Russia Joint Military Exercise Indra-2015 begins in Rajasthan

The seventh edition India-Russia Joint Military Exercise ‘Indra-2015’ has begun in Bikaner district of Rajasthan.

This edition of exercise is focusing on ‘Counter Terrorism Operations in Desert Terrain under a United Nations Mandate’.

Key facts

• The bilateral exercise would be held between Indian Army’s Infantry Battalion and Independent Russian Motorised Brigade from 7 to 20 November 2015.
• It would be conducted 2 phases, namely ‘Combat Conditioning & Tactical Training’ and ‘Validation’ phases.
• Both participating battalions would initially acquaint themselves with each other’s counter terrorism approaches including Command and Control systems, operations, arms and equipment.
• They would also focus on ensuring a high degree of physical fitness, tactical drills, techniques and procedures.
• This joint exercise will also engage in variety of joint missions including joint planning, Search and Rescue, Cordon and Search operations, special arms skills and joint tactical drills.
• The bilateral exercise seeks to further boost people to people as well as military to military ties between India and Russia.

• WHO officially declares Sierra Leone Ebola-free

World Health Organization (WHO), a U.N. health agency has officially declared Sierra Leone Ebola-free.

This announcement is considered as a major milestone in UN-backed efforts to wipe out Ebola from the three western African countries viz. Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Key facts

• WHO’s announcement comes after no new cases were reported over two incubation periods of human-to-human transmission of Ebola virus, each of 21 days (Total 42 days) in Sierra Leone.
• Now, Sierra Leone’s neighbour Guinea is the only western African country still having few reported cases Ebola since the deadly outbreak began in December 2013.
• Earlier in May 2015, WHO had officially declared Liberia as first country to be Ebola-free.
• Since May 2014 after the first Ebola case was reported in Sierra Leone, total 8,704 people were infected with the deadly disease and around 3,589 have died due it, of them 221 are healthcare workers.

Summary of Ebola Outbreak

• The current Ebola outbreak is considered as the deadliest in history. It was initially centred on Guinea’s remote south-eastern region of Nzerekore in early 2013 and later had spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone.
• Liberia was worst hit among the western African nations in this outbreak. As per WHO estimates, the deadly epidemic has infected more than 28,600 people across the three hardest-hit West African nations and has claimed 11,300 lives since December 2013.

• Ravichandran Ashwin has become the fastest Indian Off-spinner to reach 150 test wickets

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin became the fastest Indian to reach 150 wickets mark in the Indian test cricket.

He achieved this title in the first innings of the first test against South Africa and also became the first bowler to take 50 wickets after opening the bowling.

Previously, Colin Blythe held this record.

• Heena Sindhu has won gold in 13th Asian Shooting Championship

India’s Heena Sindhu won the gold medal in the 10m air pistol women’s event at the 13th Asian Shooting Championship.

Earlier, in 8th Asian Air Gun Championship, she had also won the gold medal in the 10m air pistol event.

Other Indian medal winners

• 10m air pistol junior women’s event - Nivetha (Gold)
• 25m pistol men’s junior event - Shivam Shukla (Gold)
• Junior skeet men’s competition - Angad Bajwa (Gold)