Capsaicin
Noodles containing chilli peppers having capsaicin were banned in Denmark.
- Main pungent (causing strong flavour and smell) ingredient of chilli peppers
- An example of secondary plant metabolite (substance made during metabolism) produced through cell and tissue cultures and can dissolve in fat.
- Side effects – Gastrointestinal issues, heartburn, etc
AlphaFold 3
Google’s DeepMind and Isomorphic Labs have developed a new AI model, AlphaFold-3
- Can predict structure of proteins, DNA, RNA, ligands, etc and how they interact.
- Given an input list of molecules (proteins, DNA, etc.), it generates their joint 3D structure, revealing how they all fit together.
- Can model chemical modifications to the molecules which control the healthy functioning of cells, that when disrupted can lead to disease
Revenue Sharing Model
Coal India has awarded 23 abandoned mines to private companies on a revenue sharing basis.
- A method for Public Private Participation (PPP) projects.
- Here the private entity shares its revenue with the government
- Contrary to this, in Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs), the private entity shares its profit with the government.
- Government of India brought Hydrocarbon Exploration Licensing Policy (HELP) in 2016 that replaced PSC for RSM for hydrocarbons (oil and gas, coal-bed methane, shale oil and gas and gas hydrate)
Excessive-deficit Procedure
European Commission (EC) is expected to put France into Excessive-deficit Procedure (EDP) due to it’s higher budgetary deficit.
- It ensures that EU member States adopt appropriate policy responses to correct excessive deficits.
- EC can launch an EDP against an EU country not respecting the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP).
- SGP – A body of rules governing the coordination of EU countries’ fiscal policies.
- Can be launched if the EU country has breached or is about to breach the deficit threshold or have violated the debt rule.
Purpurogallin
A study revealed that evolution of the purple pigment named Purpurogallin was probably vital for several adaptations in glacier algae.
- Grow on – Melting glacier and ice sheet surfaces across the cryosphere (i.e., the frozen water part of the Earth system).
- Example – Ancylonema alaskanum and Ancylonema nordenskiöldii Purpurogallin
- Purpurogallin – Acts like sunscreen and protects algal cells from damage of ultraviolet (UV) and visible light.
- Possesses antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects.