News on Science, Technology and Research in India
Health authorities have been strongly advocating the use of face masks to prevent corona infection. At the same time, wearinga mask for a long time is reportedly causing difficulties in breathing and congestion in the respiratory system. To address this issue, scientists at CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow, have developed a herbal decongestant spray.
Scientists of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jodhpur have explored the neuroinvasive nature of the COVID 19 virus SARS-CoV-2 highlighting that loss of smell and taste of infected patients makes their entire Central Nervous System (CNS) and the underlying structures in the brain more prone to viral infection with devastating effects.
Scientists at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India have found a low-cost metal-free nanomaterial for visible light microbial disinfection which can be an alternative to silver and other metal-based materials.
Department of Biotechnology’s Center of Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing (DBT-CIAB) at Mohali, has planned a bouquet of research projects aimed at generating products that could be used for prevention, diagnosis or cure of for the deadly COVID 19 infection that is currently sweeping over the entire world.
The drug contains heat-killed Mycobacterium W (Mw). It is found to be safe in patients and no systemic side effects are associated with its use. It can be used concurrently with any other therapies required in the management of such critically ill patients without any restriction. Its unique properties include boosting protective immunity (Th1, TLR2 agonist) and suppressing non-protective response (Th2).
Researchers from Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG), Navi Mumbai, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India, have developed a global model to predict the ionospheric electron density with larger data coverage—a crucial need for communication and navigation.
Scientists at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, have recently come up with an efficient, low-cost electro-catalyst from fish gills that can help develop environmentally friendly energy conversion devices.
The mission will also serve numerous other applications: surveillance of continental and coastal waters, follow up of urban heat traps, risk monitoring (fire detection and volcanic activity), study of the cryosphere (glaciers, frozen lakes) and radiation budget assessment.
Researchers at the Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science &Technology, Govt. of India, have developed a sensitive and low-cost sensor to rapidly detect bacteria. The portable device can detect as low as ten bacterial cells from a sample size of one milliliter in just 30 minutes. At present, they are working on a method for simultaneous separation and detection of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium.
The Indian government has been promoting the idea of video conferencing in this time of crisis as part of a challenge. The coronavirus crisis has rendered video conferencing as the only effective method of conducting meetings and meeting other people.
