UPSC Daily Current Affairs| Prelim Bits 02-01-2025

Cells of Endocrine Glands

Why in News?

Recent analysis at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, Israel shows the number of cells in an endocrine gland that secrete hormones.

• Endocrine Glands – An organ that makes hormones that are released directly into the blood and travel to tissues and organs all over the body.
• Functions – It controls many body functions, including growth and development, metabolism, and fertility.

Hormones are signaling molecules found in most multicellular organisms which facilitate communication between organs and tissues in body that are far apart. The signals regulate a wide range of physiological and behavioral processes, such as growth and maturation, sleep, digestive functions, and stress responses.

• 8 Major glands – They are scattered from head to toe.

• Findings – Every hormone producing cell has about 2,000 target cells.
• The number of hormone-secreting cells are in proportion to the number of cells that are targeted.
• Only 1-2% of cells in the pancreas produce insulin, which targets the liver and muscle cells.
• Parathyroid gland has about 10 million cells that secrete the parathyroid hormone.
• Adrenal cortex over 5 grams has 4.5 billion cells that secrete cortisol.

Thyroid hormones keep up metabolic balance throughout the body and Pancreas has a major role in secreting digestive enzymes.

References

1. The Hindu| Analysis of Cells in each of the Endocrine Glands
2. NIH| Endocrine Glands

Lion Tailed Macaque

Why in News?

Recently, the researchers from Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) said that human interactions threaten endangered lion-tailed macaque.

• Lion-Tailed Macaque – It is one of the smaller macaque species and an Old-World monkey.
  • Scientific name – Maraca Soleus.
  • Genus Maraca – known for its adaptability to human-altered environments.
• Habitat – Evergreen, semi-evergreen rainforests & monsoon forests.
• Distribution – Found only in India in the Western Ghats.
• Distribution in Western Ghats – Anamalai Hills, Nelliyampathy, Nilambur Ghats, Sholayar, Gavi, Sabarimala, Vallimalai Hills, Valparai and Agumbe.

• Morphology – Its body is covered with black fur and tail is long, thin, and naked, with a tuft of black puffy hair at the tip.
• Both males and females have a grayish lion-like mane of fur that surrounds the face and the face itself is bare and black.

• Behavior – It is arboreal (pertaining to trees) and diurnal.
• It is a social animal, living in groups of 30-40 animals.
• It is polygynous, having more than 1 wife or female mate at a time.
• Uniqueness – They are the only macaques in which males use loud call to let entering troops know their territorial boundaries.
• Threats – With only about 4,200 individuals remaining, they face severe risks due to food provisioning, which leads to malnutrition, and disease.
• The long-term consequences of increased human interaction include
  • Increased exposure to zoonotic diseases and diet-related illnesses.
  • Behavioural changes like reduced foraging in natural habitats and increased reliance on human-provided food.
  • Rise in injuries, roadkill incidents, and stress-induced mortality.

Approximately 25% of the macaque population in habitat areas engage in interactions with humans where hotspots like Valparai, Nelliyampathy, and Sabarimala have seen rising interactions, especially due heightened tourist and pilgrim footfall.

• Conservation status
  • IUCN Status – Endangered (as of IUCN Redlist 2023)
  • CITES – Appendix I.
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 – Schedule I.

References

1. The Hindu| Human Interactions threaten to lion-tailed macaque
2. Animal Diversity Web| Lion-Tailed Macaque

Pilippatti Merchant Guild Inscription

Why in News?

Recently, the epigraphy division of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) deciphered a Chola-period merchant guild inscription found at Pilippatti village in Pudukkottai district in Tamilnadu.

• The team copied the inscription on maplitho paper using the estampage method.

Estampage is used in order to get an exact copy of an inscription. It is typically derived by applying wet paper onto the rock face, over which any ink material is wiped.

• Time period – It dates back to the 10^th century.
• Installation – It was probably installed during the reign of either Parantaka Chola or Uttama Chola.
• Features – It has various symbols including Ankush (sharp pointed hook then used to control elephants), Trishul and lamps.

• Trade groups – It mentions trade groups of various territorial divisions, including
  • Ainurruvars of Mangala Nadu, Puramalai Nadu, Poongundra Nadu, Manalur Nadu.
  • Virapattinam of Kodumbalur.

ASI team has also copied nearly 10 inscriptions from the walls of Pilavaneswarar temple in Virachilai in Tirumayam taluk. These 11^th century inscriptions of Sundarapandiyan and Veerapandiyan mention donations given to the temple.

Trade guilds

Guilds or Shreni, in Ancient India, was an association of traders, merchants, and artisans. Generally, a separate shreni existed for a particular group of persons engaged in the same vocation or activity.

• Traders founded guilds and called themselves as sudesi, nanadesi, ainurruvar and others.
• Several trade guilds flourished during the Chola period.
• Members of the trade guilds convened their meetings to make decisions and engraved them as inscriptions and installed them in public places.

References

1. The Hindu| Copying of Chola Trade Guild Inscriptions
2. Government of Tamil Nadu| Guild Inscriptions

Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS)

Why in News?

Recently, the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) successfully resolved over 70 lakh grievances from 2022-2024.

• CPGRAMS – It is a 24*7 online platform for citizens to lodge their grievances to the public authorities on any subject related to service delivery.
• Launched in – 2007.
• Monitored by – Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions.
• Coverage – It connects 92 Central Ministries, Departments and Organizations with 36 States/UTs.
  • Supported by – Over 73,000 active subordinate users.
  • Organizations – 96,295 registered.
• Compliant filing – Citizen can file complaints through the web portal or mobile app or UMANG app.
• Each complaint receives a unique registration ID, allowing users to track its progress.
• Tracking - My Grievance app serves as an independent platform for filing and tracking complaints.
• Grievance Redressal timeline – 21 days.
• Appeal mechanism – If a citizen is dissatisfied with the resolution, they file an appeal once the grievance is closed.

• Matters not treated as Grievance
  • Right To Information (RTI) Matters
  • Court related / Subjudice matters
  • Religious matters
  • Suggestions
  • Service matters of Government employees.
• Policy Guidelines 2024 – Ensuring quicker resolutions & better citizen engagement.

From 2022 to 2024, the system enabled the resolution of 70,03,533 grievances and mapped 1,03,183 Grievance Redressal Officers (GROs) as on 31 October 2024.

References

1. PIB| CPGRAMS A Citizen-Centric Path
2. PG Portal| CPGRAMS