Amazing Feats – Page 24 – Karnataka First

First successful bone marrow transplant performed at Kidwai

The State-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology has successfully conducted its first Autologous Stem Cell transplantation on an eight-year-old boy from Tumkuru.

The patient, Jeevan Kumar, had been diagnosed with Refractory Hodgkins Lymphoma, S4, nine months ago. The transplantation was done on April 28 and the patient was discharged on Monday.

A team of doctors comprising Vasundhara Kailasnath, Linu Jacob, Smitha Saldanha and Gayatri from the Bone Marrow Transplantation unit at the hospital performed the surgery. The unit was inaugurated on February 15 on the occasion of International Childhood Cancer Day.

“We initially collected the healthy stem cells from the patient and cyropreserved (a process in which the cells are stored at minus 80 degree celsius). Subsequently, the patient was given high dose chemotherapy to kill the residual cancer cells and the stored stem cells were transfused back into the patient. This procedure is called Autologous Stem Cell transplantation,” said Dr. Kailasnath.

“The entire process has taken about 20-24 days and the patient has done well through the procedure. Autologous Stem Cell transplantation enables us to give very dose chemotherapy to the patient,” she said.

** Digitisation Of ORI’s Rare Manuscripts Begins

Mysore/Mysuru:

The first stage of conserving rare and priceless palm leaf scripts and paper manuscripts of many centuries stored at Oriental Research Institute (ORI), governed by the University of Mysore (UoM), has begun.

ORI, established 130 years ago, is a repository of about 70,000 manuscripts that date back to more than 700 years in languages including Sanskrit, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu. It also has 41,000 rare printed and other types of manuscripts.

These manuscripts of ancient and mediaeval India are preserved by way of literary works and treatise on various subjects. UoM has signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Bengaluru’s Mythic Society for digitisation of manuscripts.

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** Nanobots to prevent recurrence of infections after root canal

A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has designed a nanobot that helps prevent recurrence of infections after a root canal.

The researchers, who also belong to IISc-incubated startup Theranautilus, were able to devise a way to remove all infection-causing bacteria left behind after a root canal procedure.

The procedure needs to be undertaken when the flesh or ‘pulp’ inside a tooth becomes infected due to bacteria. The procedure involves removing the infected pulp or tissue and cleaning out residual bacteria. The bacteria often hides within microscopic canals in the tooth.

“The dentinal tubules are very small and bacteria reside deep in the tissue. Current techniques are not efficient enough to go all the way inside and kill the bacteria,” said Shanmukh Srinivas, one of the founders of the startup and a research associate at IISc.

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** Over 130 participate in challenge to build robot janitors

Janitorial tasks include vacuuming, mopping, sanitising restrooms, taking out trash, recycling, washing and cleaning windows and mirrors

India may soon witness robot janitors in washrooms, if the initiatives carried out by city-based not-for-profit foundation, AI & Robotics Technology Park (ARTPARK) find success.

A not-for-profit foundation received over 130 applications from across India in response to a challenge that required robots to demonstrate janitorial tasks that would be typically performed in a public washroom.

The challenge was posted by Bengaluru-based not-for-profit foundation AI & Robotics Technology Park (ARTPARK) as part of a mission to support, nurture and co-create a robotics ecosystem to make India the global leader in robotics platforms and technologies.

** NITK faculty gets patent for cashew apple wine

The faculty of NITK, Surathkal has received a patent for producing wine using cashew apple and raisins.

The technology is developed by Dr Prasanna Belur Devarabhatta, associate professor in the department of chemical engineering. The patent is titled ‘A process for production of an alcoholic beverage from cashew apple and raisins and the alcoholic beverage produced thereof.”

The NITK had filed an application for the patent in 2012 and received it on May 4, 2022.

Now, NITK is looking forward to transferring the technology (licensing) to the interested entrepreneurs/companies. Further, the NITK will also provide required technical support to the licensee during the implementation of the said technology.

** Alumni event at K’mukh finds place in International Book of Records

The ‘Guruvandana-2022’, which witnessed the registration of 620 alumni, and 70 teachers who had served at four schools including the Government PU college, organised in Kudremukh in Mudigere taluk in the district, found a place in the International Book of Records.

Dharmakartharu of Sri Kshetra Horanadu G Bheemeshwara Jhoshy, on behalf of the International Book of Records, presented medals to Naveen Jamble and 17 members of Besties Forever Welfare Trust at a glittering programme organised at Arjuna Kridangana in Kudremukh on Sunday.

** Shivamogga nurse wins Florence Nightingale Award

Gangamma P L was one among a dozen nurses who were felicitated by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar during the event.

A nurse from government-run McGann Teaching Hospital in Shivamogga was conferred Florence Nightingale Award in the Best Nurse category on the occasion of International Nurses Day on Thursday.

During her tenure at the General Hospital in Bhadravathi, between 1986 and 1990, Gangamma assisted in 2,500 family planning cases, both tubectomy and laparoscopic operations.

2,000 Karnataka citizens log into self-sketch platform

The Svavlambhi web platform allows citizens to prepare sketches of their plots without having to wait for a government surveyor.

Two weeks after the government allowed citizens to draw their own sketches for their landholdings online, about 2,000 users have logged in and 150 have paid for the service, authorities said.

The Svavlambhi web platform allows citizens to prepare sketches of their plots without having to wait for a government surveyor. Citizens need to visit the website rdservices.karnataka.gov.in to apply.

** Bantwal: Queen Abbakka made special contribution to country’s history – Santhosh Hegde

“Rani Abbakka has made a special contribution to the history of the country. The government should introduce her to the entire nation,” said retired Supreme Court justice N Santhosh Hegde.

He was speaking after unveiling the Rani Abbakka Tulu research centre and Rani Abbakka statue at Tulu Baduku museum, Sanchayagiri, B C Road here. “The efforts of Tukaram Poojary to establish the centre to introduce Rani Abbakka to the world is worth commending,” he said.

** Mangaluru: Karnataka tops country in FDI inflow, says Nirani

Minister of Large & Medium Industries, Murugesh Nirani said the state is ranked number 1 in the country in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows.

Addressing a press meet at the TMA Pai convention hall, Nirani said, “Various companies are flocking to Karnataka with mega projects. For the past one year, Karnataka has been at the top position in attracting FDIs. Nearly, 42% of FDI into the country is from Karnataka. In the IT-BT sector, Karnataka is in the number one position. Karnataka is the silicon valley of India.”

For the first time in the country, he said Karnataka has introduced a policy for semiconductor companies. Under this, he said we have cleared three projects which would come in three locations. One project is coming up in Mysuru involving an investment of Rs 22,500 crore, he said.

He also said that the government is giving importance to EV vehicles and Ethanol fuel extracted from different raw materials. “In 2020-21, we have produced 12% ethanol in the country. In 2022-23, we would like to touch 20%. The Centre is providing an interest subsidy of up to 6%. The Union government is supporting in increasing the GDP of the country. It is providing financial assistance for the various sectors for instance Bulk Drug Park. This would come up in three places in the country. Already, we have reserved 3000 hectares of land in Kadechur, Raichur. Almost 80 drug industries are all set to invest in this place. The Union government will release Rs 1000 crore for the project,” he said.