UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : Science and Technology MCQs on Regenerative medicine, Metal-Organic Frameworks and more (Week 132)

QUESTION 1

Regenerative medicine is an:

(a) emerging process of manipulating patients’ cells to produce replacement organs or tissues.

(b) branch of medicine that focuses only on preventing infectious diseases.

(c) traditional system of medicine based solely on herbal remedies.

(d) field of genetic engineering used exclusively for cloning animals.

Explanation

— Dr. John B. Gurdon, a British biologist and Nobel laureate who in the early 1960s introduced a paradigm-shifting method of cell manipulation that led to the world’s first cloning of a large mammal, a sheep named Dolly.

— His death was confirmed by Ben Simons, the director of the Gurdon Institute, a research center founded in Gurdon’s name in 1991 at the University of Cambridge in England. He did not specify where Gurdon died or cite the cause.

— An emeritus professor at the university, Gurdon was a giant in the field of developmental biology. His lifelong work in the study and manipulation of cells laid the foundation for stem cell biology and the discipline of regenerative medicine, an emerging process of manipulating patients’ cells to produce replacement organs or tissues.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

With reference to the Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), consider the following statements:

1. These are a class of materials composed of metal ions connected by organic molecules.

2. This design allows gases and liquids to flow through, making MOFs highly adaptable for various applications.

3. They lose their structure immediately when exposed to air or moisture.

4. These are naturally occurring minerals found in sedimentary rocks.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Explanation

— The Nobel Prize in Chemistry for this year has been given to Richard Robson, Susumu Kitagawa, and Omar Yaghi for creating molecular constructions with ‘rooms’ in between in which desired gases or chemicals can be stored.

— The three have “developed a new form of molecular architecture. In their constructions, metal ions function as cornerstones that are linked by long organic (carbon-based) molecules. Together, the metal ions and molecules are organised to form crystals that contain large cavities. These porous materials are called metal-organic frameworks (MOF). By varying the building blocks used in the MOFs, chemists can design them to capture and store specific substances.”

— MOFs are a class of materials composed of metal ions connected by organic molecules, forming a three-dimensional network with large, porous cavities. This design allows gases and liquids to flow through, making MOFs highly adaptable for various applications. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct.

— MOFs are synthetic materials that do not occur naturally. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

— MOFs are chemically stable and maintain their structure even under humid or ambient conditions. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

With reference to the lung function, consider the following statements:

1. It is a major factor in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

2. There is no cure to restore lost lung function.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— Low lung function is a major factor in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is now occurring at much younger ages in India. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— While there is no cure to restore lost lung function, it is possible to slow the decline by promoting healthier habits and early interventions. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Unlike sudden events such as heart attacks, COPD progressively suffocates patients over time, making it a silent but deadly threat. To tackle this, digital health solutions can play a key role.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

If two superconductors are joined together with a thin insulating barrier between them, it creates a:

(a) Supercapacitor

(b) Semiconductor diode

(c) Magnetic tunnel junction

(d) Josephson junction

Explanation

— If two superconductors are joined together with a thin insulating barrier between them, it creates a Josephson junction. This component is named after Brian Josephson, who performed quantum mechanical calculations for the junction.

— He discovered that interesting phenomena arise when the wave functions on each side of the junction are considered (Nobel Prize in Physics 1973).

— The Josephson junction rapidly found areas of application, including in precise measurements of fundamental physical constants and magnetic fields.

— The construction also provided tools for exploring the fundamentals of quantum physics in a new way. One person who did so was Anthony Leggett (Nobel Prize in Physics 2003), whose theoretical work on macroscopic quantum tunnelling at a Josephson junction inspired new types of experiments.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Source: http://www.nobelprize.org)

QUESTION 5

With reference to the Taurid, consider the following statements:

1. It is an annual meteor shower.

2. It seems to originate from a point in the constellation Taurus, which rises in the eastern sky.

3. The Northern Taurids peak in mid-November, the Southern Taurids dominate the early phase, culminating in late October.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— The annual Taurid meteor showers are back to excite stargazers. The Taurids, which come in two components — the Southern Taurid and the Northern Taurid — seem to originate from a point in the constellation Taurus, which rises in the eastern sky in the hours before midnight during October, as their names imply. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct.

— A meteor that burns so brightly in the night sky that it even outshines the planet Venus is called a fireball. When something that is a few inches to several feet in size collides with our environment, they are produced, and it frequently leaves noticeable trails behind it.

— The Taurids are persistent. While the Northern Taurids peak in mid-November, the Southern Taurids dominate the early phase, culminating in late October. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 127)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 132)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 131)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 131)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 131)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 131)

Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week.

Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us onInstagramand X.