What does aspartame being ‘possibly carcinogenic’ mean

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared aspartame, an artificial sweetener used in the food industry, as a possible carcinogen. Substances that potentially cause cancer are called carcinogens.

The expert committee

In order to create a common reference point for the recommendations that arise from the deliberations of the expert working committees, the IARC uses a grading system.

1. Grade 1 substances are factors known to cause cancer in humans, with sufficient evidence supporting their carcinogenicity. This category includes smoking, asbestos, and processed meats, all of which have been linked to a higher cancer hazard.
2. Grade 2 substances, or exposures, are classified as being probably or possibly carcinogenic to humans. Within Grade 2, there are two subcategories. ‘2A’ includes agents that are probably carcinogenic in humans, supported by ample evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals but limited data regarding humans. Red meats, DDT pesticide, and night-shift work fall into the 2A category.
3. ‘2B’ includes agents that are possibly carcinogenic in humans but for which there is insufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in animals and limited or inadequate evidence in humans. For example, cell phone radiation and occupational exposure as a hairdresser falls under 2B.
4. A Grade 3 recommendation is assigned to agents that can’t be classified as carcinogenic due to limited or inadequate data, even in experiments. Coffee, mercury, and paracetamol are examples of agents in this category.

Risk v. hazard

• While the IARC grading system assesses the hazards with a substance for carcinogenicity, it does not measure the risk of cancer itself. A hazard is a source of harm – whereas a risk is the chance that you will be harmed by that hazard.
• IARC only categorises substances or exposures based on the strength of the available data about its properties and behaviour for carcinogenicity. It does not incorporate details regarding the level of harm each substance or exposure may pose to individuals.
• For example, both smoking and the consumption of processed meat are graded as carcinogens. But it is quite easy to comprehend that consuming small quantities of processed meat will not have the same level of harm as any amount of tobacco exposure.
• So it is not advisable to compare the IARC grades of two agents. A Grade 1 classification for both smoking and processed meat simply indicates that both agents can potentially cause cancer in certain situations. It does not provide any insight into the chance of a person developing cancer when exposed to such agents.
• In other words, exposure or substances within the same category of IARC grade does not carry the same risk – but it bears the same hazard.

Although the IARC’s report on the hazard of aspartame for cancer suggested limited evidence from human and animal studies, and qualified the carcinogenicity to be grade 2B (‘possible carcinogenic’), the JECFA report asserts that the risk threshold for the food additive remains within the acceptable limits for the average person consuming processed foods.

In sum, while aspartame has been classified as a ‘possible carcinogen’, it is still safe to be used as a food additive in various products in reasonable quantities. But taking all the available evidence together, ultra-processed and processed foods – which are food products that have undergone some degree of processing from their natural states – are not good for health and well-being. The IARC and JECFA reports highlight that less is more when it comes to any food additives or taste enhancers, including sugar and artificial sweeteners.

Over 60 species of plants that can survive extreme dehydration found in Western Ghats

• In the biodiversity hotspot Western Ghats, researchers have found 62 species of plants that can withstand harsh environments . The discovery of the species, called desiccation-tolerant (DT) vascular plants, has potential applications in agriculture, particularly in areas where water is scarce.
• DT plants can withstand extreme dehydration, losing up to 95 per cent of their water content. They are usually found in rocky outcrops in the tropics and can recover quickly when water supplies are restored.
• Futuristically speaking, the genes of these plants could be used to create a high-temperature tolerant variety of crops to improve climate resilience and ensure food security for the mass.
• Some plant species — ranging from algae to angiosperms — thrive in harsh environments and are termed as extremophytes. These species are found in extreme habitats, like hot and cold deserts, estuaries, rock outcrops, glaciers and other arid and semi-arid regions.
• To adapt to extreme conditions, these plant species develop adaptive strategies to survive through morphological and physiological traits
• Out of the 62 species identified, 16 are endemic to India while 12 are exclusive to Western Ghats outcrops, said Aboli Kulkarni, another author of the study.
• Hydration and desiccation-tolerance are two commonly studied strategies for plants in extreme habitats, he added.
• “Hydration is a condition where plant tissues can tolerate more than 30 per cent of water content. But in desiccation, plants undergo longer dry days during which the moisture content of the leaves is the same as in the air,” he said.
• Some bryophytes, ferns, lycophytes and angiosperms growing in seasonally dry and semi-arid habitats have evolved a mechanism known as desiccation-tolerance by which plants can tolerate a loss of 80–95 per cent of their relative water content and resurrect back.
• DT plant varieties are found in both flowering and non-flowering species and in both temperate and tropical climates. The global population of these species ranges between 300 and 1,500, according to the study.

One dead, seven injured in clash between forest team, encroachers

Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary

• It is located on the southern bank of river Brahmaputra in the Sonitpur district, Assam.
• It is a part of the Laokhowa-Burachapori eco-system.
• Flora:
  • It comprises of a mosaic of wet alluvial grassland, riparian and semi-evergreen forests dotted by wetland and river systems.
  • The grassland is also rich in various kinds of medicinal herbs and plants.
• Fauna:
  • It is home to the Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros, tiger, leopard, wild buffalo, hog deer, wild pig, and elephants.
  • It includes the highly endangered Bengal Florican.
  • It also makes it an ideal breeding place for several species of migratory birds during the winter season.

President of india presents bhoomi samman 2023

• The 9 state Secretaries and 68 District Collectors were presented with “Bhoomi Samman awards who have excelled in achieving saturation of the core components of Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP).

Bhoomi Samman Awards:

• It aims to acknowledge and encourage outstanding performance in the implementation of the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP).
• Madhya Pradesh has secured the first position in the field of Digital India Land Records modernization in the country.
• 15 districts of Madhya Pradesh have been awarded Platinum Grading for 100 percent achievement in all the components of Digital India Land Records Management Programme.
• It is a fine example of Centre-State cooperative federalism based on trust and partnership, as the grading system is largely based on reports and inputs of the States/UTs in the core components of computerization and digitization of land records.

DILRMP

• It is a central sector scheme being implemented by the Department of Land Resources under the Ministry of Rural Development.
• Aim: It attempts to build upon the commonalities that exist in the arena of land records in various States to develop an appropriate Integrated Land Information Management System (ILIMS) across the country.
• The ILIMS integrates all the processes and lands records databases with the banks, financial institutions, circle rates, Registration Offices and other sectors.
• Major components: Computerization of land records, Survey/re-survey, Computerization of Registration.

Picolinic acid could help treat SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A

• It is a pyridinemonocarboxylic acid in which the carboxy group is located at position 2.
• It is an intermediate in the metabolism of tryptophan.
• It has a role as a MALDI matrix material and a human metabolite.
• It is a conjugate acid of a picolinate.
• The study describes the compound’s remarkable ability to disrupt the entry of enveloped viruses into the host’s cell and prevent infection.
• It is known to help in the absorption of zinc and other trace elements from our gut, but, in its natural form, it stays inside the body only for a short duration, and is usually excreted out quickly.
• It is effective against a variety of enveloped viruses, including flaviviruses like the Zika virus and the Japanese encephalitis virus.
• When the compound was tested in SARS-CoV-2 and influenza animal models, it was found to protect the animals from infection.
• It was also found to reduce viral load in the lungs when given to infected animals.
• In addition, the researchers found that picolinic acid led to an increase in the number of immune cells in the animals.

PFRDA to allow funds to invest in sovereign green bonds

• The Government of India is expected to issue sovereign green bonds in the second half of the current financial year as part of the overall market borrowing programme.

Sovereign Green Bonds

• These are bonds issued by any sovereign entity, inter-governmental groups or alliances and corporates.
• Aim: The proceeds of the bonds are utilised for projects classified as environmentally sustainable.
• These are issued with longer maturity period.
• In India, the framework for the sovereign green bond was issued by the government on November 9, 2022.

PFRDA

• It is a statutory regulatory body set up under PFRDA Act enacted in 2014.
• Objective: To promote old age income security by establishing, developing, and regulating pension funds and to protect the interests of subscribers to schemes of pension funds and related matters.
• Composition: It consists of a Chairperson and not more than six members, of whom at least three shall be Whole-Time Members, to be appointed by the Central Government.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Finance.
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Functions:
  • Regulate National Pension System (NPS) and other pension schemes to which PFRDA Act applies.
  • Establish, develop and regulate pension funds.
  • Protect the interest of pension fund subscribers.
  • Register and regulate intermediaries.
  • Laying down norms for management of corpus of pension funds.
  • Establish grievance redressal mechanism for subscribers.
  • Settle disputes among intermediaries and also between intermediaries and subscribers.

Genetic resources commission gathers in Rome to deliberate on biodiversity, nutrition & human health

CGRFA

• It is the only permanent intergovernmental body that deals with all components of biodiversity for food and agriculture.
• It was established in 1983.
• Aim: To reach international consensus on policies for the sustainable use and conservation of genetic resources for food and agriculture and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from their use.
• Member: It has 179 countries as its members.
• India is also a member of this commission.
• Functions:
  • The intergovernmental body guides the preparation of periodic global assessments of the status and trends of genetic resources and biodiversity for food and agriculture.
  • It also develops global plans of action, codes of conduct or other policy instruments and monitors their implementation.
• Some of the Commission’s landmark achievements include: the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA).

ITPGRFA

• It was adopted by the Thirty-First Session of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on 3 November 2001.
• The Treaty aims at:
  • Recognizing the enormous contribution of farmers to the diversity of crops that feed the world.
  • Establishing a global system to provide farmers, plant breeders and scientists with access to plant genetic materials.
  • Ensuring that recipients share benefits they derive from the use of these genetic materials with the countries where they have been originated.

Electron rains on Mercury cause X-ray auroras, finds BepiColombo during close flyby

BepiColombo

• BepiColombo is a joint European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) mission to Mercury.
• The mission was named after Giuseppe "Bepi" Colombo, an Italian mathematician and engineer who made significant contributions to the understanding of Mercury''s orbit.
• Launched on October 20, 2018, BepiColombo is an ambitious and complex mission designed to study Mercury''s surface, composition, magnetic field, and its interaction with the solar environment.
• The BepiColombo spacecraft consists of two main components:
  • Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO): The MPO is primarily provided by ESA and is responsible for mapping and studying Mercury''s surface, as well as its composition and topography.
  • Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO): The MMO is provided by JAXA and focuses on studying Mercury''s magnetic field and magnetosphere.
• Objectives:
• Investigating Mercury''s surface and composition to better understand its geological history and formation processes.
• Studying Mercury''s magnetic field and magnetosphere to gain insights into its internal structure and how it interacts with the solar wind.
• Measuring Mercury''s exosphere (a thin atmosphere) and understanding its composition and dynamics.
• Conducting experiments to test certain principles of general relativity and improve our understanding of gravity.

India-made C295 to start rolling out 2026 from Vadodara, says Airbus

C295 Transport Aircraft

• It is a new-generation tactical airlifter in the light and medium segment that will replace the ageing Avro aircraft of the Indian Air Force.
• It was designed and built by Airbus, a European multinational aerospace corporation.
• It is robust and reliable but also highly versatile in terms of the number of different missions it can perform.
• The aircraft, with a flight endurance of up to 11 hours, can carry out multi-role operations under all weather conditions.
• It has a rear ramp door for quick reaction and para-dropping of troops and cargo.
• Short take-off/land from semi-prepared surfaces is another of its features.
• Types of Missions:
  • It is known to be a superior aircraft used for tactical transport of up to 71 troops or 50 paratroopers.
  • Air-to-Air refuelling: It can be converted into an air tanker that can deliver up to 6,000 kg of gasoline to fixed and rotary wing receivers by adding a detachable refuelling kit.
  • Airborne Early Warning (AEW): It has a cutting-edge radar with 360-degree coverage to give a complete picture of the airspace in its Airborne Early Warning variant.
  • Water-Bomber: It can be transformed into a powerful water bomber that can put out forest fires with up to 7,000 litres of water due to a flexible roll-on/roll-off system.
  • Armed/Ground ISR (Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance): A close-air-support operation that uses an ISR with a multi-mission radar that can also be weaponized.
  • The aircraft can be utilised for casualty or medical evacuation as well as airdropping loads and paratroopers.
  • It is equipped to handle special missions, disaster relief operations, and maritime patrol responsibilities.

Henley Passport Index: India moves up 7 ranks to 80th place, Singapore replaces Japan as most powerful passport

Henley Passport Index 2023

• The Henley Passport Index is the original, authoritative ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa.
• It is published by Henley & Partners, a global citizenship and residence advisory firm, in partnership with the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
• The index includes 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations.
• The index is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and enhanced by Henley & Partners’ research team.
• Highlights of Henley Passport Index 2023:
  • Singapore has topped the passport rankings with visa-free access to 192 global destinations.
  • With visa-free access to 190 destinations, three European countries – Germany, Italy and Spain – share the second rank on the list.
  • Japan, the previous top-rank holder, slipped down to the third rank. Japan shares the rank with Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, South Korea and Sweden.
  • With 101, 102 and 103 ranks respectively, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan are the world’s weakest passports. Pakistan is on the 100th spot.
• India’s rank:
  • India has climbed seven places to 80th rank from 87 last year.
  • It shares the spot with Senegal and Togo, with visa-free access to 57 destinations.

Arhtiyas oppose apple sale by weight, threaten stir from today

Arhtiyas

• "Arhtiyas" refers to commission agents or middlemen in the agricultural sector.
• Primary Functions:
  • Procurement: Arhtiyas procure agricultural produce from farmers either directly from the farm or at local agricultural markets (mandis).
  • Financial Services: They often provide credit to farmers to meet their immediate financial needs, including inputs for the next cropping season or personal expenses.
  • Storage: Arhtiyas may offer warehousing facilities for the storage of agricultural commodities.
  • Marketing: They facilitate the sale of agricultural produce to wholesale buyers, such as government agencies or private traders, on behalf of the farmers.
• Commission: Arhtiyas charge a commission for their services, usually a percentage of the transaction valu The commission rates can vary depending on the region, crop, and prevailing market conditions.
• They play a significant role in the traditional agricultural marketing system, particularly in states like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
• Arhtiyas are an integral part of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) system in India.

OECD wants data sharing on foreign real estate deals

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

• It is an international organisation of 38 countries committed to democracy and the market economy.
• OECD members are typically democratic countries that support free-market economies.
• The OECD was established on Dec. 14, 1960, by 18 European nations, plus the United States and Canada.
• Headquarters: Paris, France.
• Goal: The stated goalof the OECD is to shape policies that foster prosperity, equality, opportunity and well-being for all.
• The OECD publishes economic reports, statistical databases, analyses, and forecasts on the outlook for economic growth worldwide.
• The organization also seeks to eliminate bribery and other financial crime worldwide.
• The OECD maintains a so-called "black list" of nations that are considered uncooperative tax havens.
• India is one of the many non-member economies with which the OECD has working relationships in addition to its member countries.