Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a rare and incurable genetic illness, is being researched by teams of researchers in India.

Affordably priced DMD therapies are being developed in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jodhpur.

What is DMD?

 DMD is a condition that causes progressive muscle deterioration and is brought on by changes to the dystrophin protein.

Mostly affecting boys, it is the most lethal and prevalent kind of muscular dystrophy.

Progressive muscle deterioration, weakness, and ultimately wheelchair dependence, mechanical ventilation, and early death are the results.

Symptoms and Impact of DMD

Muscle Weakness: Muscle weakness is the primary symptom of DMD, initially affecting proximal muscles and later distal limb muscles. Difficulties in jumping, running, and walking are common.

Other Symptoms: Enlargement of calves, a waddling gait, lumbar lordosis (inward curve of the spine), and later heart and respiratory muscle involvement. Pulmonary function impairment and respiratory failure may occur.

Current Challenges

Costly treatment: Current therapeutic options for DMD are minimal and expensive, with costs reaching up to Rs 2-3 crore per child per year.

Limited Treatment Options: The treatments are predominantly imported, making them financially unattainable for most families.

Efforts to Develop Affordable Therapeutics

[A] Antisense Oligonucleotide (AON)-Based Therapeutics

The IIT Jodhpur researchers are working on enhancing the efficacy of AON-based therapeutics.

AONs can mask specific exons in a gene sequence, addressing the challenges faced in DMD patients.

Personalized medicine is necessary due to the variations in mutations among DMD patients.

[B] Clinical Trials and Molecular Tags

The research team has received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to conduct multi-centric clinical trials on AON-based exon skipping in DMD patients.

They are also working on reducing the therapeutic dose of AON through new molecular tags.

EU Nature Restoration Law faces backlash from Farmers

The adoption of a rule by the EU Parliament on nature restoration has provoked criticism and discussion over strategies for preserving threatened ecosystems.

The law, which attempts to combat species loss and repair degraded habitats, is an essential component of the European Green Deal.

What makes nature restoration law news?

The law’s goals include restoring 30% of the bad condition terrestrial, coastal, freshwater, and marine environments by 2030.

Farmers and conservative MPs are opposed to the legislation vigorously, especially with regard to proposals to restore drained peatlands. They contend that the loss of important agricultural land could have negative economic and social repercussions as well as possible threats to food security.

Importance of Peatlands and Environmental Impact

Peatland Carbon Storage: Peatlands, wetland ecosystems formed over thousands of years, store more carbon than any other ecosystem. They absorb nearly twice as much carbon dioxide as all of the Earth’s forests combined.

Drained Peatlands: When peatlands are drained for agriculture or other purposes, they transition from being carbon sinks to significant greenhouse gas sources, contributing to emissions.

European Peatlands: More than half of Europe’s peatlands have been permanently damaged, leading to approximately 7% of the continent’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Calls for Rewetting and Paradigm Shift

Rewetting Peatlands: The proposed legislation includes plans to rewet 50% of former peatlands in Europe, aiming to restore their environmental functions and mitigate climate change.

Paradigm Shift in Agriculture: Experts advocate for a paradigm shift in agriculture, moving away from farming on drained peatlands and investing in paludiculture (farming on wetlands), which is agriculture on rewetted peat soil. This approach would stop carbon emissions while improving soil and water quality.

Political Challenges and Compromises

Opposition by Conservative Groups: Conservative groups, including the European People’s Party, seek to reduce the scope of wetland restoration plans and oppose the conversion of agricultural land.

Concerns and Dissemination of Misinformation: Critics claim that villages could be cleared for wetland restoration, leading to economic and social fallout. However, these claims have been labeled as misinformation and populist.

Economic and Environmental Benefits

Long-Term Economic Return: The European Commission estimates that every euro invested in restoring natural resources would yield at least eight times the economic return over the long term.

Sustainable Land Use: While rewetted land may not support traditional monocultures, it could enable the growth of other crops, such as timber, grasses, and reeds for insulation materials and organic plastic substitutes. Revitalized areas could also become grazing grounds for alternative livestock. 

First GSI Survey of the Siachen

NJ 9842 vs. 5Q 131 05 084: Exploring India-Pakistan’s last demarcated point and the Siachen glacier’s assigned number by the Geological Survey of India (GSI).

Lack of recognition: Despite the historical importance, the first Siachen survey remains overlooked by scholars and mountaineers.

About Siachen

Location: Siachen Glacier is located in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas, just northeast of the point where the Line of Control between India and Pakistan ends.

Significance: As the second-longest glacier in the world’s non-polar areas, Siachen Glacier stretches for 76 km, holding historical and strategic importance.

Geographical and Political Context

Border dispute: Both India and Pakistan claim sovereignty over the entire Siachen region, leading to intermittent conflict since 1984.

Military presence: The region houses the highest battleground on Earth, with permanent military outposts at altitudes above 6,000 m (20,000 ft).

International recognition: Efforts to establish a transboundary peace park and nominate the region for the World Heritage List have been made.

Why discuss Siachen?

Human casualties: Harsh weather conditions have claimed more lives than combat, with both India and Pakistan sustaining significant losses.

Failed demilitarization attempts: Despite the desire to disengage from the costly military outposts, the lack of official recognition of the current line of control has hindered progress.

Mountaineering expeditions and awareness: Limited expeditions have been allowed to showcase the dominance of Indian troops and raise awareness about the region.

The First Siachen Survey

V.K. Raina’s leadership: In June 1958, V.K. Raina, an Indian geologist, conducted the inaugural Siachen survey.

Unforeseen conflict: The peaceful region surveyed in 1958 became a disputed area between India and Pakistan, leading to Operation Meghdoot in 1984.

Geologists’ Himalayan Exploration

Previous expeditions: Raina’s involvement in the SaserKangri expedition and the geological survey of the Leh-Manali Highway.

International Geophysical Year: The significance of 1958 as a year of geological studies worldwide.

GSI’s limited resources: GSI’s plan to study the Himalayan glacier systems, assigning Raina the responsibility of surveying five glaciers in Ladakh.

Raina’s Journey and Findings

Expedition details: Raina’s team’s journey from Calcutta to Siachen, traveling by train, bus, and foot.

Glacier characteristics: Raina’s observations of the Siachen glacier, including the appearance of ice caves and the Nubra River’s flow.

Survey procedures: Mapping the snout region, establishing reference points, and capturing photographs for future analysis.

Pakistan’s Response

No objections raised: Despite the expedition’s significance and publicity, Pakistan did not lodge any protests or objections against India’s presence on the glacier during the survey.

Reasons for indifference: The lack of objections can be attributed to the mutual demarcation under the Karachi ceasefire agreement and the absence of perceived threats or intentions of occupation.

Challenging Pakistan’s Claims

Significance of the expedition: The 1958 GSI survey holds immense historical and geostrategic importance as it contradicts Pakistan’s early claims to the Siachen glacier.

Pakistan’s delayed claim: It was only 25 years later, in 1983, that Pakistan formally extended the Line of Control, staking its claim to the region, violating the Simla Agreement.

India’s response: India pre-empted Pakistan’s actions by occupying the strategic Saltoro Heights in April 1984, in response to Pakistan’s attempts to claim the Siachen glacier.

Bastille Day

The National Day of France, also known as Bastille Day, is celebrated on July 14 every year.

Known as La Fete Nationale or Le 14 Juillet in French, the day is celebrated with fireworks and a parade.

One of the most important days in the history of France, it marks the fall of the Bastille, a military fortress and political prison, then considered a symbol of the monarchy and armoury.

French Revolution: A quick recap

The French Revolution, which occurred between 1789 and 1799, was a significant period of social and political upheaval in France.

The revolution was characterized by a period of radical social and political change, which saw the-

Overthrow of the French monarchy

Establishment of a republic, and

Execution (Guillotine) of thousands of people, including King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette

Fall of the Bastille

Symbolism and Discontent: The Bastille, located in Paris, represented the autocratic rule and abuse of power by the monarchy.

Rising Unrest: Dissatisfaction with King Louis XVI’s leadership grew, and on July 14, 1789, Parisians gathered at the Bastille.

Demands and Confrontation: The crowd demanded the release of political prisoners and access to the fortress’s weapons. The Governor refused, leading to a violent clash.

Storming of the Bastille: After hours of fighting, the fortress fell as the people of Paris overwhelmed its defenders.

Significance of the Event

Symbol of Triumph: The fall of the Bastille symbolized the people’s victory over the monarchy and the end of the oppressive old regime.

Catalyst for Change: This event sparked a period of intense violence and upheaval, paving the way for the revolutionaries to seize power and establish a new order.

Socio-political Transformations: The French Revolution led to the abolition of feudalism, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, and the establishment of the First French Republic.

Ideological Influence: The revolutionary principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity have left a lasting impact on global political and social movements.

Global Importance of the Event

Inspiring Other Nations: The fall of the Bastille became an inspiration for other nations to fight for their own rights and freedom.

Spreading Revolutionary Ideals: The French Revolution’s principles resonated globally, influencing subsequent revolutionary movements throughout history.

Rise of Democracy: The revolution’s emphasis on individual rights, democratic governance, and social equality has significantly shaped the political and social landscape worldwide.