NANDI (NOC Approval for New Drug and Inoculation System) Portal launched (GS Paper 2, Health)
Why in news?
- Recently, the Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, NOC Approval for New Drug and Inoculation System portal at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi.
- With this portal, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) will facilitate the regulatory approval process with transparency to assess and examine veterinary product proposals will be more streamlined through seamless integration with the SUGAM portal of Central Drugs Standard Control Organization.
Key Highlights:
- The launch of the NANDI portal is notable undertaking following the animal vaccination coverage initiative and Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs). This initiative would also provide valuable support to researchers and industries from a commercial perspective.
- NANDI will bring about growth and innovation by enabling quick and easy coordination between various Government Departments, Institutes, and Industry through a seamless interconnected system designed to expedite and strengthen the regulatory process.
- The portal has inbuilt features for end-to-end coordination between Departments, Committees/Subcommittee and Applicants.
- The department has developed NANDI portal through CDAC in coordination with Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).
Way Forward:
- With the launch of NANDI (NOC Approval for New Drug and Inoculation System), DAHD continues to stride towards achieving the interventions laid out as part of its Animal Pandemic Preparedness Initiative (APPI).
NASA makes breakthrough discovery of carbon molecule in space
(GS Paper 3, Science and Technology)
Why in news?
- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently made a breakthrough in their search for the existence of life in the universe with the discovery of a carbon molecule which is said to be the foundation for all life known to exist.
- The breakthrough discovery of carbon molecules was made by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope.
Methyl cation:
- Known as methyl cation (pronounced cat-eye-on) (CH3+), the molecule is important because it aids the formation of more complex carbon-based molecules.
- Methyl cation was detected in a young star system, with a protoplanetary disk, known as d203-506, which is located about 1,350 light-years away in the Orion Nebula.
- While the star in d203-506 is a small red dwarf, the system is bombarded by strong ultraviolet (UV) light from nearby hot, young, massive stars.
Role of UV radiation:
- Scientists believe that most planet-forming disks go through a period of such intense UV radiation since stars tend to form in groups that often include massive, UV-producing stars.
- Generally complex organic molecules are destroyed by UV radiation and hence, the discovery of CH3+ is a big achievement.
- However, they predict that UV radiation might actually provide the necessary source of energy for CH3+ to form in the first place. Once formed, it then promotes additional chemical reactions to build more complex carbon molecules.
- The molecules they see in d203-506 are quite different from typical protoplanetary disks. In particular, they could not detect any signs of water.
Way Forward:
- This discovery not only validates Webb's incredible sensitivity but also emphasises the postulated central importance of CH3+ in interstellar chemistry.
