Category: Science & Technology

KARNATAKA RECORDS: HEALTH & MEDICAL: First Successful Bone Marrow Transplant Performed at Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology

The State-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology has successfully conducted its first Autologous Stem Cell transplantation on an eight-year-old boy from Tumkuru. 

The patient, Jeevan Kumar, had been diagnosed with Refractory Hodgkins Lymphoma, S4, nine months ago. The transplantation was done on April 28 and the patient was discharged on Monday.

A team of doctors comprising Vasundhara Kailasnath, Linu Jacob, Smitha Saldanha and Gayatri from the Bone Marrow Transplantation unit at the hospital performed the surgery. The unit was inaugurated on February 15 on the occasion of International Childhood Cancer Day.

“We initially collected the healthy stem cells from the patient and cyropreserved (a process in which the cells are stored at minus 80 degree celsius). Subsequently, the patient was given high dose chemotherapy to kill the residual cancer cells and the stored stem cells were transfused back into the patient. This procedure is called Autologous Stem Cell transplantation,” said Dr. Kailasnath.

“The entire process has taken about 20-24 days and the patient has done well through the procedure. Autologous Stem Cell transplantation enables us to give very dose chemotherapy to the patient,” she said.

“We have 12 rooms plus five ICU beds in the transplantation unit. In the next four months, we will be ready to take up allogenic bone marrow transplantation for which about 15 patients are in the waitlist,” Dr. Kailasnath added.

Institute Director C. Ramachandra said the expensive procedure was done free of cost for the patient.  “About 20 patients have been lined up for this procedure and the next patient will be taken up within a week,” he said.

source/content: thehindu.com (edited)

INDIA RECORDS: PATENT : KARNATAKA RECORDS: FOOD & BEVERAGES : National Institute of Technology, Surathkal (NITK) Faculty gets Patent for Cashew Apple Wine

The faculty of NITK, Surathkal has received a patent for producing wine using cashew apple and raisins.

The technology is developed by Dr Prasanna Belur Devarabhatta, associate professor in the department of chemical engineering. The patent is titled ‘A process for production of an alcoholic beverage from cashew apple and raisins and the alcoholic beverage produced thereof.”

The NITK had filed an application for the patent in 2012 and received it on May 4, 2022.

Now, NITK is looking forward to transferring the technology (licensing) to the interested entrepreneurs/companies. Further, the NITK will also provide required technical support to the licensee during the implementation of the said technology.

source/content: deccanherald.com (edited)

INDIA RECORDS: KARNATAKA RECORDS: CFTRI brings out Seven New Technologies

Licences for some of the technologies have been taken by entrepreneurs

CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) on Wednesday announced the new technologies it has developed in the last one year, on the occasion of the National Technology Day that was observed here.

Also, the CFTRI gave licences to entrepreneurs for commercialising some of its technologies, thanks to the initiatives of the Technology Transfer and Business Development Department. Certificates and mementoes were presented to the licensee at the National Technology Day event for having used the technologies, by former Vice-Chancellor K. Chidananda Gowda who was the chief guest.

In total, seven new technologies, including gluten-free biscuits, gluten-free cookie cake, buckwheat noodles and pasta, multigrain nutri cookies, chikki with moringa, coffee brew mix, and high performance advanced oxidation process for STPs, greywater, industrial wastewaters (food and non-food), were developed by the R and D teams.

source/content: thehindu.com (edited)

INDIA RECORDS : KARNATAKA RECORDS: Centre Recognises Karnataka’s Progress in Malaria Eradication Awards ‘Certificate of Appreciation’

The state health department has progressed from Category 2 to Category 1 status between 2015 and 2021.

The Union Health Department has awarded the State Department of Health and Family Welfare with a certificate of appreciation, in recognition of its performance towards malaria eradication. The state health department has progressed from Category 2 to Category 1 status between 2015 and 2021.

According to Dr Ramesh K Kaulgud, Joint Director-NVBDCP, Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services, there were 7,381 cases of malaria in 2017, 5,289 in 2018, 3,499 in 2019, 1,701 in 2020 and 913 in 2021.

Speaking about the achievement, Dr Ramesh said malaria prevention and control activities are implemented across the state as per the directives of National Centre for Vector Borne Disease Control, Government of India.

The surveillance parameters as defined by the programme guidelines have been achieved, facilitating the state to progress towards the set goal of complete eradication.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (edited)

GLOBAL RECORDS: INDIA RECORDS: KARNATAKA RECORDS : India-born Scientist & Conservation Biologist Kamal Bawa Elected to US National Academy of Sciences

Conservation biologist Kamal Bawa has been elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Kamal Bawa is president of the Bengaluru-based Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE) as well as an elected fellow of the Royal Society (London) and the American Philosophical Society.

“The election is a reaffirmation of our important work on the ecology, conservation, and management of tropical forests that are declining all over the world but are critical to humanity’s well-being,” said Dr. Bawa.

A few years ago, Dr. Bawa brought together scientists from India’s leading institutions to develop the National Mission on Biodiversity and Human Wellbeing under the banner of the Biodiversity Collaborative.

The effort was supported by the office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, and is currently funded by the Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies.

source/content: thehindu.com (edited)

KARNATAKA RECORDS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: PES University Students Shining ‘Sitara’, Awarded for Kanglish Content, at 6th edition Azim Premji University’s National Level Science Enterprise Idea Challenge

‘Kanglish’ content on YouTube through Akkas and Annas, developed by a team of nine engineering students from PES University in Bengaluru has come as a blessing to children from 27 districts in Karnataka.

On Saturday, the team ‘Sitara’, which has developed content to teach Maths and Science to Class 10 students, has won the 6th Edition of Azim Premji University’s National Level Science Enterprise Idea Challenge in which 100 teams across the country participated.

The trio–Ananya V, Shriya Shankar and Srushti Jayaramu– who will be graduating in the next one and half months will quit their careers in engineering and continue full time with ‘Sitara’. Srushti tells TNIE, “The children’s hunger to learn motivated me, and pushed me to work harder.” The content has been appreciated and well received.”

source/content: newindianexpress.com (edited)

INDIA RECORDS: KARNATAKA RECORDS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY : INVENTION : IISc-Bangalore Develops 3D Print Glove to Aid Long-Distance Physiotherapy for Stroke Victims

Physiotherapy is the often-used method to treat victims of stroke.

 In a world where digitisation is becoming prevalent, the IISc has developed 3D printed gloves to help aid in long-distance physiotherapy for stroke patients. One of the leading causes of death in India, strokes are also known to be a major cause of disabilities.

Physiotherapy is the often-used method to treat victims of stroke. However, with the recent pandemic, in-person physiotherapy sessions for patients have been a challenge. “Physiotherapy often requires daily hospital visits. Home visits by professionals or sophisticated devices to monitor patients remotely, although ideal, are not readily available and are expensive,” the researchers said.

From the institute’s department of physics, the researchers developed a 3d printed glove that uses light to sense a patient’s movements. “We wanted to develop something affordable, and available to a person at all times at their convenience.

The product should be easy to use and must provide feedback,” says Aveek Bid, an associate professor of physics and one of the researchers.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (edited)

 KARNATAKA RECORDS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: TRANSPORT : Bengaluru’s Rail Wheel Factory (RWF) for the First Time set to Supply Axles, for India’s Fastest Train ‘Train 18 – Vande Bharat Express”

Train 18 is a semi high-speed train with GPS system operated by IR under the `Make in India’ initiative. It touched 180 km/hr during tests and maximum of 160 kmph on commercial runs.

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis has ensured that the Rail Wheel Factory (RWF) got an opportunity to ready axles for the first time for the prestigious Vande Bharat Express (Train 18).

The Yelahanka-based concern which caters to the requirements of Indian Railways is set to despatch a total of 136 axles for Train 18, India’s fastest train.

Train 18 is a semi high-speed train with GPS system operated by Indian Railways under the `Make in India’ initiative. It touched a speed of 180 km/hr during tests but the maximum during commercial runs is 160 kmph. It is only manufactured at Integral Coach Factory at Perambur in Chennai and presently runs only on two routes: New Delhi to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and New Delhi to Varanasi.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (edited)

GLOBAL INVESTMENT : KARNATAKA RECORDS. INDIA : California-based Applied Materials, USA Acquires Land in Bengaluru for ₹350 crore

California-based Applied Materials has invested ₹350 crore ($50 million) to purchase land in Whitefield in Bengaluru where it is planning to expand its engineering infrastructure.

The company said the expansion would boost its next phase of growth in India.

“We expect this investment to support future product development and R&D, as well as benefit the development of the local supply chain,’‘ said Srinivas Satya, country president and Managing Director, Applied Materials India at Semicon India 2022 in Bengaluru on April 29.

Indian Government’s mission mode approach to evolve the country’s semiconductor sector, together with the ease-of-business initiatives and scaling up of indigenous electronics end-manufacturing, were positive and practical steps to enable its Semiconductor Mission, he added.

Applied Materials supplies equipment, services and software for the manufacture of semiconductor (integrated circuit) chips for electronics, flat panel displays for computers, smartphones, televisions, and solar products.

source/content : thehindu.com (edited)

KARNATAKA RECORDS : ‘Sarvottama Seva Awards’ Conferred On State Government Officers And Staff

In recognition of their services at various Government sectors, a total of 20 State Government officers and staff were conferred with ‘Sarvottama Seva Awards’ for the year 2021 and 2022 at a programme jointly organised by the District Administration and Karnataka State Government Employees Association at Kalamandira in city this morning as part of State Government Employees Day celebrations.

They are with MLA L. Nagendra, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr. Bagadi Gautham, Zilla Panchayat (ZP) CEO B.R. Poornima and others.

The awardees include — 2021:

Dr. M. Sadashivappa, Senior Pulmonologist, PKTB and CD Hospital;

H.L. Manjunath, Senior Assistant Director, Kannada and Culture Department;

D.M. Rani, Assistant Director, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Department;

G. Ravi Shankar, Junior Training Officer; Narahari, Development Officer, Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj;

G. Satish Babu, Office Superintendent, ESI Hospital;

K.B. Shantala, Nursing Superintendent;

Hilda D’Souza, Senior Nursing Officer, K.R. Hospital

T.G. Sripathi, Bailiff, District Court.

2022:

Dr. H.M. Chandrakala, Medical Officer, Health Department; 

H. Channappa, Assistant Director, Kannada and Culture Department;

A.D. Jayalakshmi Bai, Superintendent, District Institute of Education and Training (DIET);

G. Varadaraju, Superintendent, Agriculture Department;

Sreenivas Raj Urs, First Division Assistant (FDA), Revenue Department;

G.N. Prasanna, Junior Training Officer, Government Industrial Training Institute;

G. Krishna Prasad, FDA, Police Department;

Karigowda, Assistant, Horticulture Department;

M.L. Vishwanath, Superintendent, Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj

Zulfikar Kalligudi, FDA, Employment Exchange Department.

source/content: starofmysore.com (edited)