Category: World Opinion

** Technology weaves a stronger silk supply chain

Silk occupies a prime position in our country’s sartorial profile. The Indian wardrobe is rarely complete without silk garments, especially saris, that function like a cultural calling card for the country’s weaving communities. Places like Mysore, Kanchipuram, Tirubhuvanam, Varanasi, Bhagalpur and Chanderi are famous for their silks even among those who may have not visited them.

India is the only country that produces all the five known commercial silks — mulberry, tropical tussar, oak tussar, eri and the distinctive gold-tinted muga. Of these, mulberry silk is the most widely produced, with 25,345 metric tonnes produced in 2018-19.

** 3D, laser mapping of 125 monuments in 8 districts completed

The 3D and laser mapping of 125 monuments spread over 8 districts in south Karnataka region under the jurisdiction of the Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Karnataka, have been completed.

The exercise was taken by the Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology (KSCST) under the Karnataka Digital Heritage project. This entails 3D mapping of 844 protected monuments across Karnataka coming under the State Department of Archaeology.

While the report pertaining to105 monuments spread over 9 districts coming under Bengaluru division was submitted last year, the report on 125 monuments under Mysuru division was submitted recently.

Three kids get life-saving Rs 16-crore injections for free at Bengaluru hospital

Three girls suffering from the rare disease, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, were administered the expensive gene therapy, Zolgensma, for free at Bangalore Baptist Hospital on Thursday. Each vial of the one-time injection costs Rs 16 crore and is capable of changing the genetic code in the body.

In all, the initiative amounts to Rs 48 crore for the three children, and is being given for free by the manufacturing company, through a lottery system (CSR). Three other girls with the same disease are being administered Spinraza, a drug costing Rs 70 lakh each (Rs 2.10 crore for three kids) in the same hospital. This is also being given for free by the Compassionate Access Programme of the NGO Direct Relief. The total cost is Rs 50.1 crore.

The cost for treatment for rare diseases is high as it takes 8-10 years to develop a drug, explained Prasanna Shirol, founder of Bengaluru-based Organization for Rare Diseases India

** Agro centres to tie up with Israel, help double farm income in India

A collaboration between the two countries in this sector will improve quality and profitability, he said.

The centres are located in Kolar, Bagalkot and Dharwad, and will provide scientific inputs and methodologies.

Giving the example of the mango, he said the Alphonso, Mallika and Raspuri are local mango varieties but farmers have long been complaining of dwindling profitability. Innovative solutions can make the mango crop better again, the CM said. Tomar said new methods would help not just production, but also post harvest management.

** Israeli aerospace firm donates 100 oxygen concentrators to BEL

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Israel’s leading aerospace and aviation manufacturer, has donated 100 oxygen concentrators to defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) as a goodwill gesture.

The oxygen concentrators were handed over by Anandi Ramalingam, Director (Marketing), BEL, to Shivakumaran K M, Director (HR) at BEL corporate office in Bengaluru.

** Students can now access Sweden’s COMSOL simulator at IISc

Students pursuing scientific discipline and researchers across the country can now have access to Sweden’s COMSOL – a multi-physics software suite – at no cost. This became possible after the I-STEM, an initiative of the office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Union government, entered into a collaborative arrangement with the COMSOL group. I-STEM is located in the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.

Students only have to register themselves with I-STEM, which is an online repository of information pertaining to science research equipment available in the country, and use the variety of computer simulations that the suite offers.

** Mumbai: FACC degree conferred upon Manipal Kasturba Hospital cardiologist Dr Abdul Razak

Prestigious American College of Cardiology, medical organization of America conferred an FACC degree on Dr Abdul Razak U K, cardiologist of Manipal Kasturba Hospital considering his valuable medical service.