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- NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) has uncovered the intricate structures within a newly identified X-ray binary system named Swift J1727.8-1613, commonly referred to as Swift J1727.
- About Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE):
- IXPE is part of NASA's Small Explorer Mission, developed in partnership with the Italian Space Agency (ASI).
- The mission was launched on December 9, 2021, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
- IXPE marks NASA’s inaugural mission focused on studying the polarization of X-rays emitted by a wide range of celestial objects.
- Celestial bodies like black holes can heat nearby gases to extreme temperatures, often exceeding a million degrees. The resulting high-energy X-ray radiation can become polarized, meaning it vibrates in a specific direction.
- The IXPE observatory consists of three identical telescopes, each featuring a mirror module assembly paired with a polarization-sensitive imaging X-ray detector at its focal point.
- The measurements provided by IXPE will offer unprecedented insights into various cosmic X-ray sources, including active galactic nuclei (AGN), microquasars, pulsars and pulsar wind nebulae, magnetars, accreting X-ray binaries, supernova remnants, and the Galactic center.
- Scientists in India have achieved a breakthrough in using gene therapy to successfully treat severe hemophilia A.
- About Hemophilia A:
- Hemophilia A, also known as classic hemophilia, is one of three types of hemophilia, a rare inherited blood disorder.
- This condition occurs when the blood does not clot properly, causing bleeding to persist or slow down.
- It is a sex-linked disorder, meaning the gene responsible for hemophilia is located on the X chromosome.
- Causes:
- When bleeding occurs, a series of reactions take place in the body to form blood clots, known as the coagulation cascade.
- This process involves over 20 specialized proteins, known as coagulation or clotting factors.
- If one or more of these clotting factors are deficient or malfunctioning, it can lead to excessive bleeding.
- Hemophilia A is caused by a deficiency in clotting factor VIII. Without sufficient factor VIII, the blood is unable to clot effectively to stop bleeding.
- Symptoms:
- Symptoms can vary in severity, with prolonged bleeding being the primary sign.
- Bleeding may occur internally in joints and muscles or externally from minor cuts, dental procedures, or injuries.
- Treatment:
- Treatment for hemophilia A typically involves increasing levels of clotting factors or replacing missing clotting factors (replacement therapy).
- Other treatment options may include medications that encourage clotting or surgical interventions to repair any damage caused by bleeding.
- Malaria cases in India have decreased by 69%, dropping from 6.4 million in 2017 to 2 million in 2023. Deaths have also fallen by 68%, from 11,100 to 3,500, as reported in the World Malaria Report 2024.
- About World Malaria Report 2024:
- The World Malaria Report 2024 is an annual publication by the World Health Organization (WHO).
- It serves as an essential tool for evaluating global progress and identifying gaps in the global battle against malaria.
- Highlights of the 2024 Report:
- Globally, the report recorded approximately 263 million malaria cases and 597,000 deaths in 2023. This represents an increase of 11 million cases from 2022, though the death toll remained nearly unchanged.
- Africa remains the epicenter of the disease, accounting for 94% of global malaria cases and 95% of malaria-related deaths in 2023, with children under 5 years old representing 76% of the fatalities.
- Four countries—Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, and Tanzania—together contributed to over half of the malaria deaths in Africa.
- In India, the report highlights the country’s official exit from the High Burden to High Impact (HBHI) group in 2024, due to substantial reductions in both malaria incidence and mortality in high-endemic states.
- The number of malaria cases in India dropped from 6.4 million in 2017 to 2 million in 2023, a decline of 69%.
- Similarly, malaria-related deaths fell from 11,100 to 3,500, reflecting a 68% decrease.
- However, despite these significant achievements, India accounted for half of all malaria cases in the WHO South-East Asia Region in 2023. This region, which represents a quarter of the global population, saw an 82.4% decrease in malaria cases, from 22.8 million in 2000 to 4 million in 2023. In 2023, the South-East Asia Region accounted for 1.5% of global malaria cases.