A patient suffering from Parkinson’s plus syndrome has undergone a high cervical spinal cord stimulation.

Parkinson Plus Syndrome:

• It is a neurodegenerative disorder that manifest in a similar fashion to Parkinson’s Disease.
• It is also called atypical parkinsonism, refers to a group of neurodegenerative movement disorders that resemble idiopathic Parkinson''s disease (PD) with certain distinguishing clinical and pathophysiological features.
• They attack the brain cells and nerves and lead to movement disorders, just like Parkinson’s.
• There are several conditions that are categorized as Parkinson’s Plus Syndrome, some of which include;
• Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), Lewy Body Dementia (LBD), and Corticobasal Ganglionic Degeneration (CBGD).
• The cause of Parkinson’s Plus Syndrome is unknown, with a combination of genetic and environmental factors usually held responsible.

Symptoms:

• Tremors in one hand
• Balance and coordination problems
• Difficulty walking or shuffling gait
• Stiffness in the jaw or reduced facial expressions
• Treatment: Medication can help some people move more easily and feel less stiff.

A Gigantic Ocean 700 km under the Earth Discovered by Scientists.

• A massive ocean hidden deep beneath the Earth''s crust. This subterranean reservoir is located 700 kilometers below the surface of the Earth in a rock called ringwoodite.

Ringwoodite:

• It is a fascinating mineral that exists in the Earth’s transition zone.
• It has a unique crystal structure that allows it to absorb water and hydrogen, acting like a sponge. This mineral can hold a significanat amount of water.
• It is a rare type of mineral that forms from olivine under very high pressures and temperatures.
• The weight of hundreds of kilometers of rock and very high temperatures above 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 Fahrenheit) break down water into its components.
• When the minerals containing this water reach certain depths, they break down in a process called dehydration and release the water to form magmas.
• Such "dehydration melting" is common in the shallow mantle and forms the source for magmas in many volcanoes.

Implications for Earth’s water cycle:

• The discovery of this deep water reservoir has significant implications for our understanding of the Earth’s water cycle.
• It suggests that water can be transported to the Earth’s surface from deep within its mantle, contributing to the water found in oceans, rivers, and lakes.
• This internal water source could also play a role in volcanic activity and the formation of new crust.

Bitcoin Halving 2024: How mega crypto event impacted BTC price, investors.

• Bitcoin has completed its fourth halving. This historic moment, which occurred on April 19, 2024, saw the block reward for Bitcoin miners reduced by half, from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC.
• The halving refers to an alteration in the foundational blockchain technology of Bitcoin, aimed at decreasing the pace of generating new bitcoins.
• Since its creation by the pseudonymous figure Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin has been structured to possess a finite supply of 21 million tokens.
• The process of halving will persist until 2041, by which time all Bitcoins will have been mined.

Bitcoin Halving:

• The Bitcoin Halving refers to the 50% reduction in the reward paid to Bitcoin miners who successfully process other people’s cryptocurrency transactions so that they can be added to the public digital ledger known as the blockchain.
• The halving policy was integrated into Bitcoin's mining algorithm to mitigate inflation by preserving scarcity.
• In order to “grow” Bitcoin’s blockchain and keep the ecosystem running, Bitcoin miners rely on advanced computer equipment to solve a complex mathematical puzzle through a process known as ‘Proof of work.’

Why does the Bitcoin Halving matter to crypto investors?

• Bitcoin mining increases the supply of BTC in circulation while the Bitcoin Halving reduces the rate at which these coins are released, making the asset more scarce.
• Scarcity is seen as pushing up prices, as is the case with gold.
• While there can only ever be 21 million BTC in the world, over 19 million have already been “mined” or released.
• This sounds like the end of the story, but the Bitcoin Halving means it will take far more time for the remaining coins to be mined.
• In theory, the decrease in the rate of Bitcoin issuance suggests that the price could rise if demand remains constant.
• A halving takes place after 2,10,000 blocks are mined, and has happened so far in 2012, 2016, and 2020 - every four years.
• In 2009, a successful Bitcoin miner could claim a prize of 50 BTC.
• After this 2024’s halving, they will only get 3.125 BTC.

Impact the Crypto market:

• Experts say that the halving event might impact Bitcoin's price as its heightened scarcity could result in upward pressure on prices and attract a wave of new investors to the cryptocurrency market.

The story of indelible ink, a lasting symbol of Indian elections, and who makes it?

Indelible ink:

• It contains silver nitrate. It is a colourless compound which becomes visible when exposed to ultraviolet light, including sunlight.
• The higher silver nitrate’s concentration, the higher the ink’s quality.
• For up to 72 hours after application it can remain resistant to soap, liquids, home-cleansing, detergents, etc.
• This water-based ink also contains a solvent like alcohol to allow its faster drying… The precise protocol for making this ink including its chemical composition and the quantity of each constituent is, however, not known to many people.”
• The indelible ink was first manufactured at the Election Commission of India’s request by the government’s Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR).
• Mysore Paints & Varnish Ltd. has been licensed to manufacture the ink and has been in the business since 1962.
• It is exported to more than 25 countries that include Canada, Ghana, Nigeria, Mongolia, Malaysia, Nepal, South Africa and the Maldives
• The Representation of the People Act (RoPA) of 1951mentions the ink.
• Section 61 states that rules may be made under the Act “for the marking with indelible ink of the thumb or any other finger of every elector who applies for a ballot paper or ballot papers for the purpose of voting at a polling station before delivery of such paper or papers to him.”

Silver nitrate?

• It is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula AgNO₃. In its solid form, silver nitrate is coordinated in a trigonal planar arrangement. It is often used as a precursor to other silver-containing compounds.