Important Facts for Prelims (29th January 2019)

• 29 Jan 2019

New Delhi Superbug Gene Reaches the Arctic

• Recently soil samples taken in Svalbard (a Norwegian archipelago between mainland Norway and the North Pole) have confirmed the presence of blaNDM-1 (called New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase-1) into the High Arctic.
• blaNDM-1 is Antibiotic-Resistant Gene (ARG) which results in multi-drug resistance (MDR) in microorganisms.
• It got New Delhi in its name because it was first detected in a Swedish patient of Indian origin who travelled to India in 2008.
• British scientists later found the "superbug" in New Delhi's public water supply. Since then, the resistant gene has been found in over 100 countries, including new variants.
• According to researchers blaNDM-1 and other ARGs found in Arctic soils were likely spread through the faecal matter of birds, other wildlife and human visitors to the area.
• Encroachment into areas like the Arctic reinforces how rapid and far-reaching the spread of antibiotic resistance has become.

Multidrug-resistant organisms

• Multidrug-resistant organisms are bacteria that have become resistant to certain antibiotics, and these antibiotics can no longer be used to control or kill the bacteria.
• Antibiotics are important medicines. They help fight infections that are caused by bacteria. Bacteria that resist treatment with more than one antibiotic are called multidrug-resistant organisms.

Sangrai dance

• Sangrai dance is performed by the Mog tribal community on the occasion of Sangrai festival during the month of Chaitra (in April) of the Bengali calendar year.
• The Mogs are one of the 19 tribes in Tripura.
• The Mogs are Arakanese descendants who migrated to Tripura through Chittagong Hill Tracts.
• Mogs’ language is grouped under Tibeto-Chinese family which is also linked with Assam-Burmese section of language.

India Becomes 2nd Top Steel Producer

• India has replaced Japan as world's second largest steel producing country, while China is the largest producer of crude steel accounting for more than 51 percent of production, according to World Steel Association (worldsteel).
• Others in the top 10 steel producing countries include the United States (4th place), South Korea (5th place), Russia (6th), Germany (7th), Turkey (8th), Brazil (9th) and Iran (10th).

World Steel Association

• The World Steel Association (worldsteel) is a non-profit organisation with headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. A second office in Beijing, China, opened in April 2006.

• Worldsteel represents over 160 steel producers (including 9 of the world's 10 largest steel companies), national and regional steel industry associations, and steel research institutes. worldsteel members cover around 85% of world steel production.

• It was founded as the International Iron and Steel Institute on 10 July 1967. It changed its name to the World Steel Association on 6 October 2008. The association celebrated its 50th year anniversary in 2017.