Science Horizon Volume 2 Issue 7 July, 2017 President, Odisha Bigyan Academy Editorial Board Prof. Sanghamitra Mohanty Prof. Rama Shankar Rath Chief Editor Er. Mayadhar Swain Prof. Niranjan Barik Prof. G. B. N. Chainy Editor Dr. Trinath Moharana Prof. Tarani Charan Kara Prof. Madhumita Das Managing Editor Prof. Bijay Kumar Parida Dr. Prafulla Kumar Bhanja Secretary, Odisha Bigyan Academy Dr. Shaileswar Nanda CONTENTS Subject Author Page 1. Editorial : Hepatitis : A Silent Killer Prof. Tarani Charan Kara 1 2. Challenges in Science-Communication Dr. Nikhilanand Panigrahy 3 3. Fresh Water from Sea Er. Mayadhar Swain 8 4. Constellation : A Different Way to Look at the Stars Sibani Nanda 13 5. Anand Kumar : A Pioneering Teacher Prof. Gopendra Kishore Roy 17 6. A Brilliant Star Faded Untimely Dr. Ramesh Chandra Parida 21 7. Yves Meyer and Abel Prize 2017 Sri Bibhuprasad Mohapatra 22 8. Y Chromosome of Man Prof. Prafulla Kumar Mohanty 25 9. Antibiotic Resistance Prof. A. K. Patra 30 Mr. Baibhab Nayak 10. Hepatitis Susmita Mohapatra 33 11. Grow Bhindi A Highly Remunerative Vegetable Dr. Parshuram Dhal 36 12. Microbes for Food and Food Processing Dr. Pragyan Roy 38 13. Antartic Ice on the Decline Sri Nikunja Bihari Sahu 43 14. Why can't you use your mobiles in-flight ? Sri Arun Kumar Bharati 46 15. Quiz : Energy Sri Girisha Chandra Tripathy 47 The Cover Page depicts : Hepatitis : A Silent Killer Cover Design : Sanatan Rout EDITORIAL HEPATITIS : A SILENT KILLER The birthday of Dr. Baruch Samuel Blumberg B, C and D are transmitted when blood or mucous (1925-2011) is observed as World Hepatitis Day membrane is exposed to infected blood and body annually on July 28th. Dr. Blumberg discovered the fluids typically through infection, blood transfusion Hepatitis B virus in 1967 and two years later and sexual contact. Hepatitis B and C can present developed the first hepatitis B vaccine for which he either acutely or chronically. Hepatitis D is a defective was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1979 in Physiology virus that requires hepatitis B co-infection for survival. or Medicine. Hepatitis B and C often lead to many serious problems which may lead to liver cancer. Hepatitis A, B and D Hepatitis is an inflammatory condition of the are preventable with immunization. Medication liver. Causes of hepatitis are quite different : (antiviral treatment) may be used to treat chronic cases infectious, metabolic, autoimmune genetic and others. of viral hepatitis. Hepatitis A, C and E are usually Infectious agents include viruses, bacteria and curable but hepatitis B is not curable. So prevention parasites. Toxins, drugs, alcohol, fatty liver disease of the disease is the only way. However, liver are metabolic causes of liver injury and inflammation. transplantation can also be an option in certain cases. However, the most common cause worldwide is viruses. There are five unrelated hepatoviruses of the Hepatitis B poses a serious threat to Indians. type A, B, C, D and E which mainly cause viral Approximately four to six crore people in India are Hepatitis. All hepatitis viruses can cause inflammation carriers of HBV. In our country a large number of of the liver, and chronic hepatitis B and C can lead to hepatitis patients are diagnosed jaundice which is the liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. According to the initial symptom of Hepatitis but specialized high Global Hepatitis report, 2017 of WHO, viral hepatitis quality blood tests like NAT testing mechanism is is a major health concern with around 328 million rarely found in pathology laboratories around the people globally and 52 million people in India living country. With NAT one can be 100% sure that the with chronic hepatitis B and C. In India, Hepatitis is a blood is free from any virus including hepatitis. It is serious health problem and hyper-endemic for HAV still a long road for us. WHO report points out that and HEV. About one million Indians are at risk of there is no national public health research agenda for acquiring hepatitis B and around 10,000 people die viral hepatitis. There is also no routine screening done from viral hepatitis every year. Hepatitis B is 50-100 amongst the general population in India. times and hepatitis is C is 10 times more infectious Therefore government should step up its act and than HIV. Both Hepatitis B and C viruses live in the intervene by forming policies to tackle hepatitis, body for decades, without showing any symptoms particularly hepatitis B and C. Every patient who making them silent killers. comes to a public hospital should be screened for In some people no symptom is seen, whereas Hepatitis virus and treatment should be made free. others develop yellowing of skin and eyes, poor Also screening of high risk groups like sex workers appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal pain and flue- and drug addicts should be made mandatory. like symptoms on infection from viral hepatitis. Vaccination against the disease amongst adults should Hepatitis may be acute (temporary) or chronic (long- be promoted and encouraged to be on the safer side. term) depending on the type of viral infection. General awareness on hepatitis needs to be intensified. Strengthening efforts in prevention, screening and Hepatitis A and E are usually acute, short-term control is urgently required. This would help the illness that do not lead to chronic hepatitis. Their country to fulfil the theme of the year "Eliminate infection is the most frequent cause of sporadic and Hepatitis" and move our action in a positive direction epidemic hepatitis in India. Both these viruses are to achieve the 2030 elimination goal as envisioned in transmitted by consumption of viral contaminated the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 of WHO. food and water. It is a water borne disease. Hepatitis Prof. Tarani Charan Kara e-mail : [email protected] JULY, 2017 CHALLENGES IN a brighter livelier and more attractive look and go a long way in strengthening science- SCIENCE- communication. COMMUNICATION That was in 1847, when a public meeting Dr. Nikhilanand Panigrahy consisting of laymen, was being held. There James Prescott Joule, a celebrated English Science communication is riddled with physicist of the 19th century divulged his most several intricate problems such as; lack of important scientific principle for the first time. enthusiasm on the part of scientists to interact His pronouncement dealt with a fundamental with general public and mass-media; idea of physics, which states that where force conflicting and indefinite views on scientific is destroyed by percussion, energy facts among scientists themselves, non- (mechanical) is transformed into equivalent recruitment of journalists having special of heat (energy). This simple event, involving background of science-knowledge by general mass directly, rather than any research newspaper editors; lack of unanimity in journal, has many implications. This has science-knowing community regarding sub- illustrated the self-confidence of a scientist categorisation of science-topics etc. These that he (a scientist) can make intelligible his issues require special attention. Never-the-less complicated theories to the laymen. This scientists who generally get funds for their further emphasizes that a scientist, living in a work from tax-payers, owe a responsibility to democratic society and using the tax-payers the public to explain their research findings money for his research works, owes a either directly or through mass-media. Trained responsibility to the society and should offer journalists need to question even the top an explanation to the public that their hard- scientists regarding their research matter, earned taxes have been properly utilised for because close questioning often results in their well-being and benefit. DW Burkett has arriving at correct facts. Sub-categorisation dealt with this matter with due weightage, of science-topics is inherently difficult, as when he writes "New roles have been thrust science is expanding rapidly in all dimensions upon the scientists. These derive partly from quite often in the complex inter disciplinary public trust accompanying the acceptance of level. In India, mass-illiteracy as well as public money, from the need for more gradual declining interest in science-education leadership and coordination and from the size in the upper strata of society are additional and cost of scientific understanding... hurdles. Perhaps due to this, there is no Accompanying the changing role of the significant increase in science-coverage in scientist in the society has been his acceptance Indian national dailies. However, this may be of new responsibility to report to the society regarded as a transitory phase. It is anticipated which sustains his activity. In some cases, the that the print media aided by internet may have reports fulfil the legal requirements under Science Horizon 3 JULY, 2017 government contracts. But more and more the communication. The agencies, like print scientists seek public understanding. One media which form a vital link between the manifestation of this is to increase cooperation S&T experts and the laymen, fail to perform with the press. However, it should be said that their duty satisfactorily. MW Thistle, Public this cooperation was desired more by the press Information Officer for National Research than by scientists." The scientist has a basic Council of Canada, has rightly argued that, duty of creating public awareness about his "the decision makers on newspapers seldom works and other related scientific have any idea of the time, back-ground and investigations. In fact, many scientists have study needed to produce a good item of shouldered this responsibility to an admirable science, neither do they move among extent such as Issac Assimov. Despite his scientists to the degree they move among the preoccupation with fundamental research political, economic or social leaders." The works he found time for writing popular newspaper-editors should change their paperback editions on Genetic Code-a attitude radically towards journalism in the complicated and recent topic of that time.