UPSC Daily Quiz | 29 April 2024

Explanation: 

• Statement 2 is correct: Recently, the armies of India and Japan conducted the fourth edition of joint military exercise, ‘Ex Dharma Guardian’, at Camp Imazu in Japan’s Shiga province. 
• Statement 1 is correct:India’s quasi-sovereign wealth fund, the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) launched a $600-million fund to invest in sustainability projects.
• Statement 3 is correct: The Union Cabinet has approved a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between India and Japan on developing a semiconductor supply chain partnership, which will focus on research and development (R&D), manufacturing, design, and talent development for the industry.

Explanation: 

• Statement 1 is incorrect:It has no binding impact on policy and all decisions and commitments made at G7 meetings need to be ratified independently by governing bodies of member states.
  •  The G7 summit provides a forum for member countries to discuss shared values and concerns.
  •  The G7 Summit has been the birthplace for several global initiatives:
  •  In 1997, the G7 countries agreed to provide $300 million to the effort to contain the effects of the reactor meltdown in Chernobyl.
  • In 2002 summit, members decided to launch a coordinated response to fight the threat of AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
• Statement 2 is correct: The member countries represent 40% of global GDP and 10% of the world’s population.
• Statement 3 is correct:  The G7 draws its roots from a meeting between the current G7 members, excluding Canada, that took place in 1975.
• Statement 4 is incorrect: The Group of 7 (G7) is an informal group of seven countries — the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom, the heads of which hold an annual summit with the European Union and other invitees.

Explanation: 

• The SLU is specifically designed to load candidate symbols onto the VVPATs, which is crucial for ensuring that the VVPATs display the correct symbols associated with each candidate during voting.
•  This process is essential for the integrity of the voting system as it links candidate choices visibly for voter verification.

Explanation: 

• Antihistamines work primarily by blocking the action of histamine at the H1 receptor sites on cells, thereby preventing the histamine from triggering allergic response symptoms such as itching, swelling, and mucus production. This action helps alleviate symptoms associated with allergies.

• Ethylene oxide:  Ethylene oxide contamination in Indian products mainly originates from the agricultural and food processing sectors, says Dr Pranav Honnavara Srinivasan, senior consultant, Gastrointestinal Surgery, Gastrointestinal Oncology at Sparsh Hospital Bengaluru. “This chemical is often used as a sterilising agent to reduce microbial load in spices, dried vegetable products, and other food commodities susceptible to bacterial contamination during processing and storage.”
• Statement 1 is correct: While ethylene oxide effectively kills bacteria, fungi, and insects, he says, its use as a fumigant in food products is regulated due to its carcinogenic nature. 
• Statement 2 is correct:  Improper use or excessive application in the food supply chain, particularly in the spice industry, where hygiene standards require strict microbial control, has led to significant contamination issues.
• Statement 3 is correct: Alternatives to ethylene oxide in food processing  Dr Srinivasan asserts, “Exploring safer chemical alternatives that have similar antimicrobial properties without carcinogenic risks is crucial.” Substances such as ozone, hydrogen peroxide, or heat treatments could serve as potential replacements for ethylene oxide in certain applications.