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Sleep deprivation increases risk of Alzheimer’s: Study

Representational Image

New Delhi (NVI):  can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other health issues including diabetes, depression and heart disease and is known to impact life expectancy, a study said.

According to the World Economic Forum report based on a recent study from Boston University researchers “our bodies use the non-REM (rapid eye movement) period of sleep – deep and dreamless – to wash our brain of toxins”.

By monitoring sleeping patients, scientists were able to show that during non-REM sleep neurons in the brain synchronize, firing on and off together at the same time.

When all the neurons are momentarily quiet, they need less oxygen, so less blood flows to the brain.

At that point, cerebrospinal fluid – a clear liquid which surrounds the brain – floods into the space left.

These waves of fluid help purge the brain of potentially toxic chemical byproducts.

This cerebrospinal fluid washing doesn’t occur when we are awake because our neurons are constantly firing and don’t synchronize in the same way.

The study also throws up other possibilities, including new potential research avenues for Alzheimer’s treatments.

The washing effect of the cerebrospinal fluid could also help clear away molecules associated with the disease.

This more general flush-out could have broader benefits than the current drugs being researched, which tend to focus on eliminating the effects of particular molecules.

UC Berkeley neuroscientist professor Matthew Walker argues increasing numbers of us are sleep-deprived and society does not pay enough attention to the problems this creates.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared insufficient sleep a public health problem, with a third of Americans saying they slept for less than six hours a night.

A 2017 study which attempted to quantify the economic impact of our sleepless society found a worker sleeping less than six hours a night loses around six working days a year to absenteeism or presenteeism when compared with a worker getting seven to nine hours a night.

Other studies suggest developed countries lose about 2 per cent of GDP through lack of sleep.

 

Workshop on encouraging steel use in Railways, Defence Sector

New Delhi (NVI): A workshop on encouraging use of steel in railways and defence sector will be held here next week.

The Ministry of Steel in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is organizing the workshop on February 17.

The workshop will discuss gaps and opportunities available in the supply of Steel and steel products.

Among the issues to be discussed at the workshop are capacities of Indian iron and steel industry in fulfilling the present need, future extension plans, assembling and R&D abilities.

The workshop will also discuss present and future prerequisite of Steel and Steel products across Railways, Army, Navy and Air Force .

Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel, Dharmendra Pradhan, will be the Chief Guest and Minister of State for Steel , Faggan Singh Kulaste will be the Guest of Honour. Mr. V. K. Yadav, Chairman, Railway Board, Mr. Ajay Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Defence and Mr. Binoy Kumar, Secretary (Steel) will be present on the occasion.

India electricity consumption expected to reach 1,280 TWh by 2040: Report

Power Ministry

New Delhi (NVI): India’s electricity consumption is projected to reach 1,280 Terawatt-hour (TWh) by 2040, a report said.

According to Invest India report based on Strategic Investment Research Unit (SIRU), with a growing industry, population and subsequent infrastructure demands, India’s need for renewable and on-demand energy supply is also increasing.

India has also committed to generating a growth of 40% in non-fossil fuel-based energy sources by 2030.

To top it, recent developments such as the government’s ambitious plans to introduce and promote electronic vehicles (EVs) are significantly dependent on energy storage systems.

As of September 2019, India had 82.58GW capacity in installed renewables.

Its aims for renewable energy installation are high, with over 200 such installations expected by 2022– a goal sometimes deemed overly ambitious as it is much more than the numbers agreed upon under the Paris Agreement- 175.

As part of government’s push for such expansions, the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) recently unveiled tenders for 1.2GW of PV projects and 1.2GW of solar-wind hybrid projects while the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) also decided to provide custom and excise duty benefits to the solar rooftop sector, which in turn will lower the cost of setting up as well as generating power, thus considerably boosting growth.

These tenders are in line to help India move towards its ambitious 225GW renewable energy target.

In this context, it is significant that major renewable producers Greenko Group and ReNew Power won the bid to supply 1200 MW of energy.

This flourishing sector is also a major contributor in creating employment. For instance, in nine years of its operation, ReNew projects have generated nearly 75,000 direct and indirect jobs.

One of the biggest challenge arising with renewable energy in India has been the ‘must-run’ status of renewable energy, which means that power distribution companies are compelled to use solar or wind energy whenever generated and reduce the same amount of power generation from non-renewable sources.

This becomes a problem because no mechanism exists to reduce non-renewable sources in sync with fluctuating renewable energy sources like wind and solar energy.

However, there has been a positive shift lately with the growing usage of storage systems such as lithium-ion batteries or pumped-storage hydro plants, as a result of which, India might soon become capable of providing renewable energy on-demand by fully embracing the new technologies.

Due to this, energy companies can buy renewable power on a systematic schedule and thus, better regulate their non-renewable sources.

This further ties in with the national agenda to increase dependency on renewables by allowing renewable power to be used in meeting energy demands at peak hours.

In terms of cost, the per unit renewable energy supplied by Greenko and ReNew Power is around Rs 4.03 and Rs. 4.30 respectively, which is already lower than the Rs. 4.87 that the National Thermal and Power Corporation currently offers.

Further, the usage of renewables as an alternative to coal is estimated to save USD 8.43 billion annually.

In the conclusion, the renewables sector in India is set to expand and supply electricity to an increasingly large number of people.

From public transport to infrastructure for industry and societal development, renewable energy and the technological capability to store power for on-demand usage creates a new dynamic within the country to further explore green opportunities for future.

Pulwama attack anniversary: CRPF pays homage

Officials paid homage

 

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): A memorial with the names of 40 martyred CRPF personnel engraved on it was inaugurated at the Lethpora camp of the force today on the anniversary of the Pulwama attack.

The Army further paid homage and maintained a two-minute silence in order to pay respects. Floral tributes were also paid to martyrs.

CRPF Special Director, Zulfikhar Hassan, said, that we paid homage to all those brave men who were killed in the attack.

“All the outfits operating in Kashmir have since been decimated. Militants are on the backfoot, we hope the coming days will be peaceful,” Hassan said.

He said that Indian security forces had made concerted efforts against militancy after the Pulwama attack. The main militants involved were neutralised and those who supported them to carry out the attack were arrested, Hassan said.

“Investigations into the terror attack are on in the right direction. We have made huge progress,” the officer said.

A blood bank was also organized in which as 50 security personnel men donated blood on the occasion.

PM to visit Varanasi on Feb 16

surge in Covid cases

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi to inaugrate various projects on February 16.

On this one day visit Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in the closing ceremony of the centenary celebrations of Jagadguru Vishwaradhya Gurukul.

Modi will also be releasing the translated version of the Siddhant Shikhamani Granth in 19 languages and its mobile app.

Modi later will be dedicating to the nation the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Memorial Centre. At the event the Prime Minister will also unveil the 63 feet Pancha Loha Statue of Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya.

This is the largest statue of the leader in the country. Over 200 artisans were working day & night for the last one year to complete the statue.

The Memorial Centre shall also have the engravings of the life and times of Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya. About 30 Odisha craftsmen and artists worked on the project during the last year.

The PM later at a Public function shall be dedicating to the nation over 30 projects. This includes a 430 bed super speciality government hospital at Kashi Hindu Vishwavidyalaya (BHU), and a 74 bed psychiatry hospital at BHU.

The Prime Minister shall also be flagging off the IRCTC’s Maha Kaal Express through video link. The train will connect 3 Jyotirling Pilgrim Centres – Varanasi, Ujjain and Omkareshwar.

This would be first overnight journey private train in the country.

He will also inaugurate ‘Kashi Ek Roop Anek’.

And during this he will interact with buyers and artisans coming from different countries of the world including America, England and Australia. ‘Kashi Ek Roop anek’ is a two-day event at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Hastakala Sankul. It will showcase products from all over Uttar Pradesh.

Indian tourism industry expected to grow USD 460 billion by 2028: Invest India

tourism
File Photo

New Delhi (NVI): Travel and Tourism– the largest service industry in India — is expected to grow by USD 460 billion by 2028 which is 9.9% of the GDP, according to Invest India.

Travel and Tourism industry was worth USD 234 billion in 2018.

The industry has become the third-largest Foreign Exchange Earner in India with a 17.9% growth in Foreign Exchange Earnings (in rupee terms) in March 2018 over March 2017.

According to The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), tourism generated USD 240 billion or 9.2% of India’s GDP in 2018 and supported 42.67 million jobs which is 8.1% of its total employment.

The sector is predicted to grow at an annual rate of 6.9% to USD 460 billion by 2028 which is 9.9% of GDP.

According to Invest India, tourism plays a role of significant economic multiplier and becomes critical since India has to grow at rapid rates and create jobs.

India offers geographical diversity, world heritage sites and niche tourism products like cruises, adventure, medical, eco-tourism, etc.

Incredible India has spurred growth in Tourists Arrivals and Employment.

India’s ranking in the Travel and Tourism Competitive Index (TTCI) of World Economic Forum moved from 52nd position in 2015 to 40th position in 2017.

Now India has moved up by another 6 positions and ranked at 34th position in 2019.

Tourism tends to encourage the development of multiple-use infrastructure including hotels, resorts & restaurants, transport infrastructure (aviation, roads, shipping & railways) and healthcare facilities.

By 2028 it is forecasted that Tourism & Hospitality is to earn USD 50.9 billion as visitor exports compared to USD 28.9 billion earned in 2018

By 2029, Travel & Tourism will account for nearly 53 million jobs as compared to the 43 million jobs directly in 2018 (8.1% of total employment)

And by 2030, India is expected to be among the top five business travel market

FTAs in April 2019 were 7,71,353 which is 7,45,051 in April 2018 registering a growth of 3.5%.

Further to this, FTAs during the period January-April 2019 were 39,35,293 which is 38,60,871 in January- April 2018 registering a growth of 1.9%.

During April 2019 total of 2,01,137 tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 1,57,094 during the month of April 2018 registering a growth of 28.0%.

Further to this, during January- April 2019, a total of 11,08,665 tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 9,18,792 during January-April 2018, registering a growth of 20.7%.

 

Cannabis does not reduce pain, it makes pain more bearable: Study

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): Cannabis does not reduce pain but makes it more bearable, according to a study.

The findings were reported by researchers from Oxford University’s Centre for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain (FMRIB) in the journal Pain.

The authors added that people in pain act differently to cannabis, according to their brain imaging study.

In the research it was found that an element called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) present in cannabis reduces the activation of the parts of the brain responsible for feeling pain. This increases the ability of patients to fight and tolerate it.

When volunteers took oral tablets of THC, they tended to find the experience of pain more tolerable. There was no evidence that THC reduced pain intensity.

Using the ‘brain imaging’ technique, researchers found that cannabis contains some elements that reduce the activation of a particular part of the brain. Researchers say that this is the part of the brain that is related to the emotional aspect of pain.

Lead researcher, Dr Michael Lee, said, “We know little about cannabis and what aspects of pain it affects, or which people might see benefits over the side-effects or potential harms in the long term. We carried out this study to try and get at what is happening when someone experiences pain relief using cannabis.”

“Our small-scale study, in a controlled setting, involved 12 healthy men and only one of many compounds that can be derived from cannabis. That’s quite different from doing a study with patients. My view is the findings are of interest scientifically but it remains to see how they impact the debate about use of cannabis-based medicines. Understanding cannabis’ effects on clinical outcomes, or the quality of life of those suffering chronic pain, would need research in patients over long time periods.”

For a number of patients who have not responded adequately to drugs, cannabis or cannabis-based medications are an effective way of controlling their pain. Many, however, report no benefits from cannabis and some undesirable side effects.

In the medical language, cannabis, called Sativa, is used a lot in Ayurvedic treatment. Cannabis is used differently in Ayurveda depending on the symptoms and causes of the disease.

It is used in the treatment of pain, nausea and vomiting. It is also used in the treatment of loss of weight due to diabetes and nervous system diseases. If taken in the right amount, it can help treat fever and dysentery, prompt digestion and increase appetite.

Cannabis can also be used to treat arthritis, depression and anxiety, while it is also beneficial in the treatment of skin diseases. Many people complain of dry and rough skin and it has been found that by applying a paste of fresh hemp leaves, the skin heals.

Strong public support for quarantine, travel ban to contain coronavirus: Survey

New Delhi (NVI): Amid concerns over the spread of coronavirus, a new global survey has found that there is strong public support for quarantine and travel ban to contain the outbreak and more than 80% of respondents are in favour of mandatory screening of people travelling from infected countries.

Researchers have found high levels of concern about the dangers posed by the respiratory virus, which has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization and is officially named COVID-19.

In the survey by IPSOS, a global research specialist, it was found that more than half of respondents in Japan, Australia and the US feel the outbreak represents a high or very high threat to the world. In France and Germany this drops to just below half, and concern levels fall further in Canada, Russia and the UK.

For a third of people surveyed, the threat level remains moderate. While almost 60% of people surveyed think the virus poses a low threat.

Whereas, on an average, a fifth of people think the outbreak has been contained and the danger will soon be over.

But more than twice as many people disagree, expressing concerns that the threat from the virus is ongoing. This viewpoint was expressed by more than half of respondents in Canada, UK and Australia.

Regardless of differing opinions about the virus, the majority of respondents were united in their desire to stay informed about its spread. More than 80% of people contacted by the survey had seen, read or heard a great deal or a fair amount about the outbreak.

There is widespread support for significant actions to control the virus. More than 80% of respondents are in favour of mandatory screening of people travelling from infected countries, and there is similar support for mandatory quarantine of those suspected of contracting the disease.

Other measures garnering support include airline restrictions on flights to China and travel bans to and from affected countries.

Meanwhile, China on Friday reported 121 more deaths from the coronavirus outbreak, 116 of which are from the epicentre of the infection in Hubei Province alone, bringing to at least 1,488 the total number of deaths across the country.

Rise in smuggling cases worldwide, business, govts suffer revenue loss: Minister

Ramesh Chand Meena addressing the seminar in Jaipur.

New Delhi (NVI):Smuggling related crimes have increased across the world resulting in loss of revenue to government and business, Rajasthan Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Ramesh Chand Meena said today .

He made this observation at FICCI CASCADE (Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy) seminar organised in Rajasthan.

“Smuggling related crimes have increased manifold in the global market resulting in revenue loss to government and businesses and adversely impacting the health and safety of the consumers,” Meena said.

The seminar discussed the importance of increased awareness on the hazards of counterfeiting and smuggling, and need for effective enforcement to enhance India’s economic development.

Member of FICCI Rajasthan State Council & Honorary Secretary General, KL Jain, said that illicit trade has a serious decelerating effect on growth which must be curbed substantially. Consumers must be encouraged to take a bill on every purchase for making India a tax compliant nation and encouraging citizens to be a part of progressive nation building.

FICCI CASCADE’s recent study titled ‘Invisible Enemy: Impact of Smuggling on Indian Economy and Employment’ quantitatively estimates both revenue and employment opportunity lost due to smuggling in five specific industries.

As per the report, total loss to the industry on account of illicit markets in just seven manufacturing sectors is about Rs 1,05,381 crore and the loss to the government is Rs 39,239 crore.

Another FICCI report titled ‘Illicit trade: Fueling Terror Financing and Organized Crime’, highlights that the total employment losses globally due to counterfeit and piracy stood at 2 to 2.6 million jobs in 2013 and is expected to rise to 4.2 to 5.4 million jobs in 2022, suggesting an approximate increase of 110 per cent.

As per the reports, seizures of highly smuggled goods such as gold, cigarettes etc. have been carried out in Rajasthan. Smuggled cigarettes are widely available in major cities such as Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, etc, apart from other small towns.

Nation remembers Pulwama bravehearts

A year of Pulwama terror attack

New Delhi (NVI): President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi today payed homage to the 40 CRPF personnel killed in the Pulwama attack in Jammu and Kashmir last year, saying India will never forget their martyrdom.

“A grateful nation salutes the supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers who lost their lives in the dastardly attack by terrorists in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir on this day last year,” the President said.

The Prime Minister described the martyred personnel as exceptional individuals who devoted their lives to serving and protecting the nation.

As many as 40 CRPF personnel were killed when their convoy was targeted by a suicide bomber of Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammad in Pulwama district.

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