Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme

Government of India has introduced the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme for survival, protection & education of the girl child. It aims to address the issue of declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) through a mass campaign across the country targeted at changing societal mindsets & creating awareness about the criticality of the issue. The Scheme will have focussed intervention & multi-sectoral action in 100 districts with low Child Sex Ratio.  The criteria/norms for selection/identification of 100 districts under the BetiBachaoBetiPadao programe are as under:- i)        87 Districts have been selected from 23 States/UTs having Child Sex Ratio below the National average of 918. ii)       8 Districts  have been selected from 8 States/UTs having Child Sex Ratio above National average of 918 but showing declining trend iii)     5 Districts have been selected from 5 States/UTs having Child Sex Ratio above National average of 918 and showing improving trend so that other parts of country can learn from them. It is a joint initiative of Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Human Resource Development. The Sectoral interventions under the programme include the following: i)        Ministry of WCD: Promote registration of pregnancies in first trimester in AnganwadiCentres (AWCs); Undertake Training of stakeholders; Community Mobilization & Sensitization; Involvement of Gender Champions; Reward & recognition of institutions & frontline workers. ii)       Ministry of Health & Family Welfare: Monitor implementation of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCP&DT)Act, 1994; Increased institutional deliveries; Registration of births; Strengthening PNDT Cells; Setting up Monitoring Committees. iii)     Ministry of Human Resource Development: Universal enrolment of girls; Decreased drop-out rate; Girl Child friendly standards in schools; Strict implementation of Right to Education (RTE); Construction of Functional Toilets for girls. As the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme has been approved recently, no fund allocation has been made so far to the States.

President Putin’s Visit Will Provide Fresh Impetus to Excellent Bilateral Relations between Two Nations

President of the Russian Federation to Visit India for the 15th Annual India-Russia Summit on 10-11 December

The President of the Russian Federation, H.E. Mr. Vladimir V. Putin, will pay an official visit to India on 10-11 December, 2014, for the 15th Annual India-Russia Summit. The Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Shri Syed Akbaruddin along with Shri Ajay Bisaria, Joint Secretary (Eurasia) told media persons in a media briefing in New Delhi today that Mr. Vladimir Putin will be accompanied by a high level official and business delegation. During the visit, President Putin will hold detailed talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, both in the restricted and delegation format. He will call on the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee who will host a Banquet in honour of the dignitary. The two leaders are also expected to jointly interact with Chief Executive Officers of major companies from both the countries. President Putin’s visit is a landmark event and is expected to provide a fresh impetus to the existing excellent bilateral relations between our two countries. A dominant theme of this Summit will be the spelling out by the two leaders of a joint vision of our relationship for the next decade. It will provide a roadmap for enhancing the partnership between our two countries to qualitatively new levels. It will have a strong focus on redefining the economic partnership between our countries. Several documents are under preparation for signing at the Summit, in the fields of defence, nuclear energy, customs, banking and energy. The India-Russia Annual Summit process was initiated under President Putin’s leadership during his visit to India in October, 2000. It has proved a highly effective mechanism for both countries to take high-level stock of India-Russia relations and to impart direction and impetus to them. The last Summit was held in Moscow during the visit of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to Russia in October, 2013. The two countries enjoy today what we call a special and strategic partnership. President Putin is known as a close friend of India and an architect of this strategic partnership. This has been strengthened considerably over the last 14 years in important and diverse areas. In fact, Annual Summits are at the apex of an elaborate multi-layered mechanism or machinery for bilateral interaction, one of the largest that we have with any country in the world. The other key institutional mechanism for high-level dialogue between the two countries are an Intergovernmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation, co-chaired by the two Defence Ministers; and an Intergovernmental Commission on trade, economic, scientific, technological and cultural cooperation which our External Affairs Minister co-chairs with Deputy Prime Minister Rogozin. We also have the India-Russia Trade & Investment Forum which is co-chaired by our Commerce & Industry Minister and the Russian Minister for economic development. This is a very significant visit. It will be the first Annual Summit meeting between the President Putin and Prime Minister Modi. The two leaders have already met twice this year. They first met on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Brazil in July for what was a very warm and friendly conversation. Prime Minister Modi mentioned at that meeting that every child in India knows that our closest friend is Russia. They met for the second time in Australia for the G20 Summit on November 15-16. The Prime Minister also met with the Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Myanmar on November 13th. Russia is a long-standing and a steadfast partner for India. We attach the greatest importance to our bilateral relations. Our Prime Minister considers our relation with Russia a major foreign policy priority for the country. He has warm recollections of his three visits to Russia as Chief Minister to Gujarat and has been very happy at his interactions with President Putin. We’ve had intense exchanges with this key partner ever since the new government took office India. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Rogozin visited New Delhi in June and in November this year. During his last visit Deputy Prime Minister Rogozin co-chaired the 20th Session of the Intergovernmental Commission along with our External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj. Our External Affairs Minister has also met her Russian Counterpart Foreign Minister Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Dushanbe. The Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev visited New Delhi last week for a meeting with our National Security advisor. Russia is a significant partner for India in strategic sectors like defence, nuclear security and science, including space. Russia is also our primary defence partner and will remain so for decades. Bilateral economic, commercial and investment ties between India and Russia have been growing but are way below potential. Bilateral trade in 2013 stood at about US $ 10 billion and is projected to stay at the same level in 2014. We are making strenuous efforts to create conducive conditions for strengthening our economic linkages through trade & investment. We are keenly interested in participating in more hydrocarbon projects in Russia. There has also been a substantial increase in tourist inflows between the two countries in recent years. The recently announced e-visa facility has also been extended to Russian nationals and this expected to boost tourist arrivals further. Cultural exchange is an important component of India-Russia relations. The "Festival of Russian Culture” is being celebrated in India this year and the "Year of Indian Culture” will be celebrated in Russia next year. Russia is also amongst our most important interlocutors on regional, international and multilateral issues. Our two countries work closely together in international fora, at the United Nations and other groupings such as the G20, BRICS, EAS and Russia-India-China (RIC). The two leaders can be expected to exchange views on the developments in the regions and developing cooperation in forums where we are members. We have an identity or similarity of views with Russia on important global issues including on threats from terrorism, particularly in our shared neighbourhood, on multi-polarity as an important element in the global architecture and the need to defuse the cold war-like tensions that are increasingly manifesting themselves in global relations. India has said clearly that it cannot be party to any sanctions against Russia.

official answer key for CSAT by UKPSC HARIDWAR,samveg ias,dehradun

http://ukpsc.gov.in/files/PCS_Pre_Exam_2012_Answer_Key_(G.A.)_-_2012.pdf


COMBINED STATE CIVIL/UPPER SUBORDINATE SERVICE (PRE) EXAM -2012


Sub. : General Aptitude
Answer Key Series A

COMBINED STATE CIVIL/UPPER SUBORDINATE SERVICE (PRE) EXAM -2012
Sub. : General Aptitude
Q. No. Ans key Q. No. Ans key
1 D 51 B
2 A 52 A
3 B 53 B
4 C 54 D
5 C 55 C
6 A 56 B
7 D 57 B
8 A 58 D
9 B 59 D
10 C 60 C
11 A 61 B
12 C 62 D
13 B 63 C
14 B 64 A
15 D 65 C
16 C 66 B
17 D 67 D
18 C 68 B
19 A 69 C
20 B 70 B
21 C 71 A
22 C 72 A
23 D 73 B
24 B 74 C
25 B 75 D
26 A 76 B
27 C 77 C
28 D 78 A
29 C 79 B
30 C 80 D
31 B 81 B
32 D 82 A
33 B 83 C
34 C 84 B
35 D 85 B
36 A 86 C
37 D 87 A
38 B 88 C
39 D 89 D
40 C 90 A
41 B 91 D
42 B 92 C
43 C 93 B
44 D 94 B
45 C 95 A
46 A 96 D
47 B 97 C
48 A 98 A
49 A 99 B
50 C 100 C
Answer Key Series B
COMBINED STATE CIVIL/UPPER SUBORDINATE SERVICE (PRE) EXAM -2012
Sub. : General Aptitude
Q. No. Ans key Q. No. Ans key
1 B 51 B
2 C 52 A
3 C 53 C
4 D 54 B
5 B 55 C
6 B 56 D
7 A 57 B
8 C 58 C
9 D 59 A
10 C 60 B
11 C 61 D
12 B 62 A
13 D 63 A
14 A 64 B
15 C 65 C
16 D 66 C
17 A 67 A
18 D 68 D
19 B 69 A
20 B 70 D
21 C 71 C
22 B 72 A
23 B 73 C
24 C 74 B
25 D 75 B
26 C 76 D
27 A 77 C
28 B 78 D
29 A 79 C
30 A 80 B
31 D 81 A
32 B 82 C
33 A 83 B
34 B 84 B
35 D 85 C
36 C 86 A
37 B 87 B
38 B 88 A
39 D 89 D
40 D 90 C
41 C 91 B
42 B 92 C
43 D 93 D
44 C 94 D
45 A 95 C
46 C 96 A
47 B 97 B
48 D 98 C
49 B 99 B
50 C 100 A

Answer Key Series C

COMBINED STATE CIVIL/UPPER SUBORDINATE SERVICE (PRE) EXAM -2012
Sub. : General Aptitude
Q. No. Ans key Q. No. Ans key
1 B 51 A
2 B 52 C
3 C 53 B
4 D 54 B
5 C 55 D
6 A 56 C
7 B 57 D
8 A 58 C
9 A 59 B
10 D 60 C
11 C 61 C
12 A 62 C
13 B 63 D
14 D 64 B
15 C 65 B
16 B 66 A
17 B 67 B
18 D 68 D
19 D 69 C
20 C 70 C
21 B 71 B
22 D 72 D
23 C 73 A
24 A 74 C
25 C 75 D
26 B 76 A
27 D 77 D
28 B 78 B
29 C 79 B
30 B 80 C
31 A 81 C
32 C 82 B
33 B 83 A
34 C 84 C
35 D 85 A
36 B 86 B
37 C 87 B
38 A 88 C
39 B 89 B
40 D 90 C
41 A 91 D
42 B 92 A
43 B 93 D
44 C 94 A
45 C 95 B
46 A 96 C
47 D 97 B
48 A 98 A
49 D 99 D
50 A 100 C
SERIES D

STATE CIVIL/UPPER SUBORDINATE SERVICE (PRE) EXAM -2012
Sub. : General Aptitude
Q. No. Ans key Q. No. Ans key
1 B 51 A
2 B 52 C
3 C 53 B
4 D 54 B
5 C 55 D
6 A 56 C
7 B 57 D
8 A 58 C
9 A 59 B
10 D 60 C
11 C 61 C
12 A 62 C
13 B 63 D
14 D 64 B
15 C 65 B
16 B 66 A
17 B 67 B
18 D 68 D
19 D 69 C
20 C 70 C
21 B 71 B
22 D 72 D
23 C 73 A
24 A 74 C
25 C 75 D
26 B 76 A
27 D 77 D
28 B 78 B
29 C 79 B
30 B 80 C
31 A 81 C
32 C 82 B
33 B 83 A
34 C 84 C
35 D 85 A
36 B 86 B
37 C 87 B
38 A 88 C
39 B 89 B
40 D 90 C
41 A 91 D
42 B 92 A
43 B 93 D
44 C 94 A
45 C 95 B
46 A 96 C
47 D 97 B
48 A 98 A
49 D 99 D
50 A 100 C

official answer key for general study by UKPSC HARIDWAR,samveg ias,dehradun

DEAR CANDIDATE,DISCUSS THE QUESTION'S ANS and if u have doubt definitly make a complain to ukpsc.
see the ans key


http://ukpsc.gov.in/files/recruitment/PCS_Pre_Exam_2012_Answer_Key_(GS)_-_2012.pdf


SET A
Q. No. Ans key Q. No. Ans key Q. No. Ans key
1 D 51 A 101 C
2 A 52 D 102 B
3 B 53 C 103 A
4 D 54 B 104 C
5 B 55 C 105 D
6 A 56 B 106 A
7 D 57 B 107 B
8 A 58 A 108 A
9 C 59 B 109 B
10 D 60 D 110 A
11 D 61 C 111 B
12 B 62 C 112 D
13 A 63 A 113 B
14 C 64 C 114 A
15 D 65 D 115 D
16 D 66 C 116 A
17 C 67 A 117 C
18 B 68 C 118 A
19 C 69 B 119 B
20 A 70 A 120 D
21 D 71 A 121 B
22 D 72 B 122 B
23 A 73 A 123 C
24 A 74 A 124 A
25 D 75 A 125 C
26 B 76 B 126 B
27 C 77 D 127 C
28 D 78 A 128 D
29 A 79 A 129 C
30 A 80 D 130 B
31 B 81 B 131 A
32 A 82 C 132 C
33 D 83 B 133 B
34 A 84 A 134 A
35 C 85 B 135 D
36 B 86 A 136 B
37 D 87 B 137 D
38 C 88 C 138 A
39 C 89 B 139 D
40 D 90 A 140 A
41 C 91 C 141 C
42 D 92 D 142 A
43 C 93 A 143 B
44 C 94 C 144 C
45 A 95 B 145 D
46 D 96 C 146 B
47 B 97 A 147 C
48 D 98 B 148 C
49 B 99 C 149 A
50 A 100 A 150 D
COMBINED STATE CIVIL/UPPER SUBORDINATE SERVICE (PRE) EXAM -2012
Sub. : General Studies
Answer Key Series B

COMBINED STATE CIVIL/UPPER SUBORDINATE SERVICE (PRE) EXAM -2012
Sub. : General Studies
Q. No. Ans key Q. No. Ans key Q. No. Ans key
1 C 51 C 101 A
2 C 52 B 102 D
3 D 53 A 103 A
4 C 54 C 104 A
5 D 55 D 105 A
6 C 56 A 106 B
7 C 57 C 107 C
8 A 58 B 108 D
9 D 59 C 109 B
10 B 60 B 110 C
11 D 61 B 111 C
12 D 62 C 112 A
13 A 63 A 113 D
14 A 64 C 114 C
15 D 65 B 115 A
16 C 66 A 116 B
17 B 67 C 117 D
18 C 68 D 118 B
19 B 69 A 119 A
20 B 70 B 120 D
21 A 71 A 121 A
22 B 72 A 122 C
23 D 73 A 123 D
24 B 74 B 124 D
25 C 75 D 125 D
26 A 76 B 126 A
27 C 77 A 127 C
28 D 78 D 128 D
29 C 79 A 129 D
30 A 80 C 130 C
31 C 81 A 131 B
32 B 82 B 132 C
33 A 83 B 133 A
34 A 84 B 134 D
35 B 85 B 135 D
36 C 86 C 136 B
37 A 87 A 137 A
38 A 88 C 138 D
39 B 89 B 139 B
40 D 90 C 140 A
41 A 91 D 141 D
42 A 92 C 142 A
43 D 93 B 143 A
44 B 94 D 144 B
45 C 95 C 145 A
46 B 96 B 146 D
47 A 97 A 147 A
48 A 98 D 148 C
49 A 99 B 149 B
50 B 100 D 150 C
Answer Key Series C
COMBINED STATE CIVIL/UPPER SUBORDINATE SERVICE (PRE) EXAM -2012
Sub. : General Studies
Q. No. Ans key Q. No. Ans key Q. No. Ans key
1 A 51 C 101 D
2 B 52 B 102 B
3 D 53 C 103 A
4 A 54 D 104 A
5 A 55 C 105 A
6 D 56 B 106 A
7 B 57 D 107 B
8 C 58 B 108 A
9 B 59 B 109 D
10 A 60 A 110 A
11 A 61 D 111 C
12 A 62 B 112 B
13 B 63 D 113 C
14 C 64 A 114 D
15 B 65 D 115 C
16 A 66 A 116 D
17 C 67 A 117 C
18 D 68 C 118 D
19 A 69 B 119 C
20 C 70 C 120 C
21 B 71 D 121 A
22 C 72 B 122 D
23 B 73 C 123 B
24 A 74 C 124 D
25 C 75 A 125 D
26 A 76 D 126 C
27 C 77 C 127 A
28 B 78 A 128 D
29 A 79 B 129 C
30 C 80 D 130 B
31 D 81 B 131 C
32 A 82 A 132 B
33 B 83 D 133 B
34 A 84 A 134 A
35 A 85 C 135 B
36 B 86 D 136 D
37 B 87 D 137 B
38 D 88 D 138 A
39 B 89 A 139 A
40 A 90 C 140 C
41 D 91 D 141 D
42 A 92 D 142 C
43 C 93 C 143 A
44 A 94 B 144 C
45 B 95 C 145 B
46 B 96 A 146 A
47 A 97 D 147 A
48 B 98 D 148 B
49 C 99 B 149 C
50 A 100 A 150 C

Answer Key Series D

COMBINED STATE CIVIL/UPPER SUBORDINATE SERVICE (PRE) EXAM -2012
Sub. : General Studies
Q. No. Ans key Q. No. Ans key Q. No. Ans key
1 D 51 D 101 A
2 B 52 A 102 A
3 A 53 B 103 C
4 D 54 D 104 D
5 A 55 D 105 C
6 C 56 C 106 A
7 A 57 B 107 C
8 B 58 C 108 B
9 B 59 A 109 A
10 A 60 D 110 A
11 B 61 D 111 B
12 C 62 B 112 C
13 A 63 A 113 C
14 C 64 C 114 A
15 B 65 B 115 B
16 C 66 A 116 D
17 D 67 A 117 A
18 C 68 D 118 A
19 B 69 A 119 D
20 D 70 B 120 B
21 B 71 A 121 C
22 B 72 D 122 B
23 A 73 A 123 A
24 D 74 C 124 A
25 B 75 B 125 A
26 D 76 C 126 A
27 A 77 D 127 C
28 D 78 A 128 B
29 A 79 D 129 A
30 A 80 C 130 C
31 C 81 D 131 D
32 B 82 C 132 A
33 C 83 C 133 C
34 D 84 A 134 B
35 B 85 D 135 C
36 C 86 B 136 B
37 C 87 D 137 A
38 A 88 D 138 B
39 D 89 C 139 A
40 C 90 C 140 C
41 A 91 D 141 B
42 B 92 C 142 A
43 D 93 B 143 C
44 B 94 C 144 D
45 A 95 B 145 A
46 D 96 B 146 B
47 A 97 A 147 A
48 C 98 B 148 A
49 D 99 D 149 B
50 D 100 B 150 C

UN climate summit begins in Peru

Officials from over 190 nations, including India, on Monday converged here at the UN climate summit to negotiate on a new ambitious and binding deal to cut global carbon emissions, in the last chance to reach on a historic deal to be signed next year in Paris.

Negotiations have been ongoing for 20 years, as the UN continues to bring its member countries together to help curb the damaging effects of coal burning and petroleum use, among other sources of pollution.

During the 12—day summit in the Peruvian capital, countries will put forward what they plan to contribute to the 2015 pact in the form of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) by the first quarter of 2015, well in advance of the Paris conference in December.

The Lima conference needs to provide final clarity on what the INDCs need to contain, including for developing countries who are likely to have a range of options from, for example, sector—wide emission curbs to energy intensity goals.

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar leads India’s 17-member delegation to negotiate terms for the final agreement to be signed in Paris, which will take effect in 2020.

Ahead of the summit, a report by UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that populous coastal cities Mumbai and Kolkata are most vulnerable to loss of life and properties due to flooding in the second half of the century.

“Never before have the risks of climate change been so obvious and the impacts so visible. Never before have we seen such a desire at all levels of society to take climate action,” said Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Climate Convention.

The UN report warned against extreme weather events like occurrence of heatwave, heavy precipitation, droughts, floods, cyclones and wildfire that cause damage to ecosystems and human systems in various regions.

It suggested that given the current levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and top polluters’ expected emissions in the coming years, it may be impossible to stop the planet from warming to the breaking point of 2 degrees Celsius.

What are the Centre and States doing to curb climate change, asks NGT

‘There is a conflict of interest between the Central Government and various States and because of this an important plan like the NAPCC has failed to get implemented in its true letter and spirit’

The National Green Tribunal on Monday sought response from the Centre, States and Union Territories about the measures they have been adopting to check climate change and how the governments have implemented the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued notices to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Ministry of Power, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and several States.

The Bench was hearing a petition filed by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, who has been raising various environmental concerns before the NGT. Mr. Bansal sought directions to place on record the relevant materials and documents relating to steps taken by the Centre and States to implement the NAPCC.

The plea said, “As a part of the international commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions in India, the then Prime Minister on June 30, 2008, had released the NAPCC and said it reflects the importance the government attaches to mobilising the national energies to meet the challenges of climate change.”

In August 2009, the Central Government had directed all States and Union Territories to formulate individual state action plan on climate change guided by and consistent with the structure and strategies of the NAPCC, but nothing has been done in this direction, it said.

“The idea behind the individual State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) was that individual States and Union Territories must lay out sector-specific as well as cross sector time-bound priority actions along with indicative budgetary requirements, supplemented with details of necessary institutional and policy infrastructure for operationalisation of actions,” it said. The plea claimed that despite the Central Government’s direction, Maharashtra has not drafted its SAPCC. It further claimed that while preparing the SAPCCs, no States offered a clear, consistent and well-argued set of recommendations with either a vision or an action plan.

“There is a conflict of interest between the Central Government and various States of the country and because of this an important plan like the NAPCC has failed to get implemented in its true letter and spirit,” the plea said.

On January 30, 2010, the Joint Secretary, MoEF, in a letter to the Executive Secretary of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change had informed that India will try to reduce the emission intensity by 20-25 per cent by 2020 in comparison to the 2005 level, it said.

IISc: novel way to reduce cell damage found

Vanadia nanowires mimic an antioxidant enzyme produced by the body

Preliminary studies have shown a way to reduce cell damage and blunt the effect of one of the factors responsible for the onset of several diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and ageing.

Reactive oxygen species, which are produced continuously in the body during cellular metabolism and responsible for cellular damage, are removed by naturally occurring antioxidants. However, the scavenging system fails when the amount of ROS produced is elevated. The most prevalent reactive oxygen species is hydrogen peroxide; excess amount of hydrogen peroxide can damage the cells the most.

By using vanadia nanowires, a team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore was able to successfully remove any excess reactive oxygen species produced. The vanadia nanowires functionally mimic an antioxidant enzyme (glutathione peroxidase) produced by the body to scavenge hydrogen peroxide. Glutathione peroxidase is one of the two enzymes that control the level of hydrogen peroxide inside a cell.

The results of the study were published recently in the journal Nature Communications.

Unlike the nano form, the bulk, foam and complex forms of vanadium do the exact opposite. They produce more reactive oxygen species thereby negatively affecting the viability of cells.

In a nano form, vanadium is able to reduce hydrogen peroxide without changing the oxidation state of the metal, which is unusual for a metal ion.

“If the metal changes its oxidation state then vanadium can produce reactive oxygen species, which is what happens when vanadium is in a bulk and foam form,” said Prof. Govindasamy Mugesh from the Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, IISc. He is one of the corresponding authors of the paper.

The nanowires proved successful as an ROS scavenger as they reacted with hydrogen peroxide to produce water. “Hydrogen peroxide reacts with vanadia on the surface of the nanowires, and once water is produced, the next molecule of hydrogen peroxide binds to the nanowire surface. So vanadia is able to continuously scavenge hydrogen peroxide without getting deactivated,” Prof. Mugesh said.

The efficiency of the nanowires as a scavenger was tested using hydrogen peroxide in a test tube and inside cells; cell lines were used for in vitro studies. “The scavenging is 100 per cent when hydrogen peroxide is used. But inside a cell, vanadia maintains optimum levels of reactive oxygen species,” Prof. Mugesh said.

The scavenging capacity inside a cell was significant even after 24 hours.

Apparently, the inability to completely remove hydrogen peroxide turns out to be beneficial.

“Optimum removal ensures that other biological functions remain unaffected by vanadia. If it scavenges all the hydrogen peroxide then it may block certain functions of the cell,” he explained.

According to Prof. Patrick D’Silva, Department of Biochemistry, IISc, the vanadia nanowires work in parallel to and in conjunction with the normal cellular antioxidant system. Prof. D’Silva is the other corresponding author of the paper.

Though the number of nanowires that get into a cell cannot be controlled, the amount of vanadia nanowires used is very small — in parts per million.

As vanadium is found in trace quantity in human body, its antioxidant potential inside cells was investigated. Since its harmful effects when in bulk and foam form were already known, the researchers studied its properties at nanoscale. “We tested a few other metal oxide nanoparticles but they did not show such antioxidant effect,” Prof. Mugesh said.

They have not studied how the nanowires get into a cell but know that they cannot stay inside a cell for over a day or two.

Its potential as an antioxidant will be known only when animal and human clinical trials are carried out.