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Spectrum

Indian Satellite to Monitor Greenhouse Gases


As part of its contribution to with the Space Flight Laboratory means of the four-
the global efforts aimed at at the University of Toronto stage Indian space
mitigating the process of Institute of Aerospace studies in workhorse PSLV
climate change, India is Canada. This nano-satellite will (Polar Satellite
planning to build and launch carry a payload specifically Launch Vehicle), into
a dedicated satellite designed designed to facilitate the 867-km high orbit at
to monitor the emission of measurement of aerosols in the an inclination of 20
greenhouse gases such as atmosphere. According to Shri degrees with respect
methane and carbon dioxide. Jairam Ramesh, India’s Minister to equatorial plane.
Sources in the Indian of State for Environment and The Ministry of
Space Research Organisation Forests, “India cannot depend Environment and
(ISRO) point out that the on others to tell what is Forests is also joining hands with monitor snow cover over
satellite, which will be basically happening in our country.” ISRO to set up a National the Himalayan glaciers and
a remote sensing space Further, the Minister suggested Institute for Climate and its impact on the water
platform, will be placed into that India should try to get data Environment (NICE) in resources of northern India.
the polar orbit. This satellite, from Japan’s GOSAT and Bangalore. “Our aim is to build It is planned to put in place
whose technical details European ENVISAT space a world class institute which will automated stations over the
including the kind of systems , both of which are take up long term projects Himalayan ranges covering
instruments it would carry are designed to monitor the relating to the impact of climate Himachal Pradesh,
yet to be worked out, will conditions leading to the change on various aspects of Uttarakhand, Sikkim and
make India one of the few process of global climate the economy of which Arunachal Pradesh. Further,
countries in the world to have change. agriculture and water will form the Indian space agency
such an advanced space Meanwhile, ISRO is the most important areas to will also create a network
system to study dynamics of preparing for the launch of the begin with,” observes Shri of monitoring stations
global climate change. India’s Indo-French climate research Jairam Ramesh. He also aimed at getting better
Ministry of Environment and satellite Megha Tropiques revealed that the setting of NICE insight into the absorption
Forests will be actively sometime next year. This would mean that India has taken of greenhouse gases by the
associated with this satellite satellite features payloads for a big step forward in creating a forest cover spread across
project. studying the life cycle of nucleus for long term research the country, measuring seal
Prior to this, sometime convective systems and getting in the important area of climatic level along the coastal
next year, it is planned to an insight into their role in the change. zones as well as studying
launch a 50-kg. microsatellite associated energy and moisture As part of this multi- biologically rich ecosystems
for carrying out atmospheric budget of the atmosphere in disciplinary endeavour, a like the Western Ghats and
research. This satellite will be tropical regions. Megha well-conceived programme north eastern region of the
developed as part of a tie-up Tropiques, will be launched by will be launched by ISRO to country.
Contributed by Shri Radhakrishna Rao who is a freelance writer reporting on space-related events. Address: 1921, 5th Cross, 2nd Phase,
JP Nagar, Banglore-560078

Padma Shri Professor A. mother fleeing the British from Prof. A. Rahman Passes Away
Rahman passed away on 5 their home in the princely state
November 2009 in New of Tonk in Rajasthan, Prof. Trinity College in Cambridge to Chief, Planning. While he was
Delhi. Founder-Director of Rahman received his early read History of Science. On Chief Planning at the CSIR, he
the National Institute of schooling at Jamia Milia Islamia his return to India, Professor created the National Institute
Science & Technology and Minto Cirlcle in Aligarh. Rahman joined the Regional of Science Technology and
Studies (NISTADS), and After his BSc from the Aligarh Research Laboratory in Development Studies
Former Chief, Planning, Muslim University (AMU) and Hyderabad at the behest of Dr. (NISTADS) and became its
Council of Scientific & MSc. in biochemistry from the Hussain Zaheer. This was first Director in 1983.
Industrial Research (CSIR), Indian Institute of Science in followed by a stint at the Professor Rahman retired from
Prof. Rahman was well Bangalore, he proceeded to the Central Building Research NISTADS in 1985.
known for his seminal works University of Sheffield, U.K. to Institute in Roorkee, and then Prof. Rahman was an
on the History of Science in study biochemistry. at the Central Food Technology elected Member of the
the Indian sub-continent. While at Sheffield, he Research Institute in Mysore. International Academy of
Born on 19 February turned to the study of History Prof. Rahman later joined the History of Science (Paris), a
1923 in a temple in the of Science in the Indian sub- Council of Scientific and Fellow of the Operational
Indian city of Jaipur to a continent and proceeded to Industrial Research in Delhi as Research Society of India,

16 SCIENCE REPORTER, January 2010

CM CM
Spectrum
New Hope for Indian Pharma
The Defence Institute of DIBER has
Bio-Energy Research, successfully
Haldwani (DIBER), In vitro culture of developed the
DRDO has transferred Cordyceps sinensis protocol for mycelium
the technology for culture of Cordyceps
laboratory culture of mycelium in the laboratory. The
Cordyceps sinensis or availability of the
Caterpillar Mushroom specimens in nature is
to Biotech International scant and it involves
Limited, New Delhi. This high labour cost to
has opened new vistas collect the fungus
for the introduction of a from the natural
variety of Cordyceps habitat. Under such
based products in the circumstances,
market in near future. laboratory culture of
Cordyceps sinensis, Cordyceps sinensis (Natural sample) this fungus is an
locally known as Yarsha alternate solution to
Gamboo, is a high value Starter culture Broth culture Mycelia mat fulfill the demand &
medicinal fungus, which supply. Optimization
is found growing on of protocol for
insect caterpillar in the l a b o r a t o r y
high altitude Himalayas production of the
including Nepal, China, mycelium of C.
Tibet and India. The sinensis will definitely
specimens of this fungus prove a great success
are very rare, found in in formulation of
the far reaches of various products
extreme cold and arid from the dried
hills at an altitude between The regular use of this fungus bronchitis, insomnia, mycelium, which has
12000 ft to 16000 ft above may prevent senile disorder. hypertension, pneumonia, numerous therapeutic
the sea level. This fungus has Cordyceps is found beneficial in tuberculosis, pulmonary potential applications.
high medicinal value and is case of climatic age illness, emphysema, anemia, night
used in traditional remedies impotence, neurasthemia, sweats and cough. Presently the Contributed by Shri P.S. Negi, Shri
for various physiological rheumatoid arthritis, cirrhosis, cost of natural specimens in the Ranjit Singh & Shri Z. Ahmed,
disorders. flabby waist and knee etc. national market is more than Rs Defence Institute of Bio-Energy
Being a hormone Besides, Cordyceps has been in 2 lakh per kg while it is sold at a Research, Haldwani, Nainital
stimulator, Cordyceps is known traditional use for the treatment rate of more than Rs 3 lakh per (Uttarakhand)-263139; Email:
as anti-aging medicine. of various ailments like chronic kg in the international market. sangwanranjit@rediffmail.com

Fellow of the of India, Vice President of the regularly advised UNESCO,


International Science Research Committee on ESCAP and UNCTAD.
Policy Foundation, Science and Politics of the He wrote and edited
Honorary Professor of International Political Science several books including,
the Chinese Academy Association, and President of Jehangir The Naturalist,
of Sciences, Fellow of the International Council for Anatomy of Science,
the Soviet Academy Science Policy Studies. Intellectual Colonisation,
of Sciences, Fellow of Prof. Rahman advised History of Indian Science,
the German numerous Governments on Technology and Culture, and
Academy of Sciences, the development of their Social Goals and Planning of
President of the Science and Technology Science among others. His
Research and Policy, including the writings have been translated
Development Governments of Iraq, Poland, into French, Russian, German,
Planning and Brazil, China, Japan and the Romanian, Polish, Hungarian,
Management Society former Soviet Union. He Japanese and Chinese.

SCIENCE REPORTER, January 2010


17

CM CM
Spectrum
News Briefs Paragonimosis Poses Threat to Tiger
Conservation
 A team of US scientists has uncovered the Indian tigers are facing P. westermani, the definitive
complete genetic code of corn, a discovery numerous threats from hosts i.e. the reservoir
that promises to speed development of higher infectious and parasitic animals, man; the first
yielding varieties of one of the world’s most diseases. In the recent past, intermediate host, the aquatic
important food crops. Corn is the third most Feline Pan Leukopenia and snails, and the second
abundant cereal crop, after rice and sorghum. Trypanosomiasis were reported intermediate host, the cray
Advances in its production could mean major steps toward feeding to cause mortalities. The fish and crab. The eggs are
the world’s growing population as it struggles with climate change. authors have, probably for the excreted in the sputum or
 Cigarettes are widely contaminated with bacteria, including first time in India, demonstrated faeces of the definitive host,
some known to cause disease in the presence of the lung fluke contaminating the water and
people, concludes a new Paragonimus westermani in the playing an important role in
international study. The study is numerous cysts in lung the transmission of infection
the first to show that cigarettes parenchyma of tigers. to the snail.
themselves could be the direct Paragonimus sp. infection may Dog, cat, pig, leopard,
source of exposure to a wide not contribute to heavy wolf, tiger, fox, beaver, field rat,
array of potentially pathogenic mortality in tigers but may be Indian mongoose crab eating
microbes among smokers and a contributing factor for mongoose and civet cat are the
other people exposed to second sporadic deaths. natural reservoir hosts of the
hand smoke. Still, further research will be needed to determine Paragonimiasis is a parasite. Rabbit, mouse and
zoonotic parasitic infection wild bear are considered as the
the possible health impacts of cigarette-borne bacteria.
affecting both human beings parataenic hosts of the
 Climate change is the biggest global health threat to children
and animals. Endemic parasite. The adult fluke is
in the 21st century and a quarter of a million kids might lose
haemoptysis or pulmonary usually found in the cystic
their lives next year due to adverse effects of climate change,
paragonimiasis caused by P. dilatations of the lung or
warn scientists. According to the study more than 900 million
westermani is widely bronchi of these animals. The
children in the next generation will be affected by water shortage
distributed in the countries of affected area becomes
and about 160 million children will be at risk of catching malaria
West Africa, South America functionless. The diseased tiger
– one of the biggest killers of children under five.
and the Indian subcontinent. become lethargic and may not
 The copper sequestering drug tetrathiomolybdate (TM) has be able to do hard work, kill
been shown in studies to be effective in the treatment of Wilson The susceptible animals and
humans acquire the disease by the prey and becoming unfit for
disease, a disease caused by an overload of copper, and certain competitive life in the free
metastatic cancers. A new study has provided an invaluable clue. ingestion of raw or
inadequately cooked crabs or range, may die much before
The drug sequesters the chaperone and its bound copper, their actual survival age.
cray fish, infected with
preventing both from carrying out their normal functions in the However, a systemic and
metacercariae, the infective
cell. For patients with Wilson disease and certain cancers whose scientific study is essential to
stages of the parasite. There
initial growth is helped by copper-dependent angiogenesis, this know the prevalence and
are three important
is very promising. severity of the infection.
components in the life cycle of
 For anyone trying to remember a new skill, sleeping on it
may be good advice, says Contributed by Shri A. B. Shrivastav, Shri R. K. Sharma, Shri J. P. Tripathi,
a new study. While asleep, Shri S. Agrawal & Shri D. K. Tiwari, Department of Wildlife Health and
people might process Management, College of Veterinary Science and A. H., JNKVV, Jabalpur-
anything that happened 482001 (M.P.)
during the day. Deep sleep
actually is a key time for  A new study has found that certain immune cells primarily
memory processing. The associated with asthma and allergies may enhance innate immunity
research raises questions and improve clearance of bacterial infections and may be an
such as whether it may be effective new therapy against bacterial infections and sepsis in
possible to improve humans. Eosinophils are white blood cells whose normal function
learning by playing is to protect the body against parasitic infections. They are also
recorded information during sleep, or help people forget commonly associated with asthma and allergies. In the study,
unwanted memories. researchers found that isolated mouse eosinophils possessed
 Many people who are overweight or obese develop insulin antibacterial properties against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro.
resistance and type 2 diabetes. A European research shows  In the race for renewable energy, organic solar cells are now
that serum levels of a chemokine molecule CXCL5, produced really starting to take off. They can be manufactured easily and
by certain adipose tissue cells, appear at much high levels in cheaply, they have low environmental impact. Organic solar cells
the tissues of obese people than in those of individuals with are not intended to compete with silicon, but rather to be used
normal weight. The most important part of the study is the for specific applications, such as packaging, clothing, flexible
discovery that an experimental treatment aimed at inhibiting screens, and recharging cell phones and laptops. However, in
the action of CXCL5 can help to protect obese people from the longer term, they could make significant contribution to the
developing type 2 diabetes. photovoltaic conversion of solar energy.

18 SCIENCE REPORTER, January 2010

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