Ans: B

Exp:

Statement 1 is correct: The Punganur is an indigenous breed native to the Punganoor, Vayalapadu, Madanapalli, and Palamaneer talukas of Chittoor district in the Rayalaseema region of southern Andhra Pradesh. They are a unique dwarf breed, considered the shortest humped cattle in the world. Their small size makes it easy to keep them at home. Punganur cows can be white or grey, or of shades of light or dark brown. They have small, crescent-shaped horns of 10-15 cm length, which often curve backward and forward in male cattle and lateral and forward in female cattle of the breed. Females have slightly longer horns than the stumpier ones in males.

Statements 2 is incorrect: The Punganur were once on the verge of extinction, and their numbers had fallen below 3,000 heads of cattle across the country. However, in recent years, these numbers have increased. Of the pure breed of Punganur, the 2019 livestock census recorded the largest number, 8,806, in Andhra Pradesh, followed by Telangana (977), Karnataka (66), Kerala (15), Maharashtra (6), and Tamil Nadu (6). In the Punganur graded category too, the largest numbers were recorded in Andhra Pradesh (2,725), followed by Telangana (399), Karnataka (351), Tamil Nadu (10), and Kerala (4).

The National Kamdhenu Breeding Centre (NKBC) for the southern region has been established at Chintaladevi, Nellore, in Andhra Pradesh.

Ans: D

Exp:

Human microbiome, the full array of microorganisms (the microbiota) that live on and in humans and, more specifically, the collection of microbial genomes that contribute to the broader genetic portrait, or metagenome, of a human. The genomes that constitute the human microbiome represent a remarkably diverse array of microorganisms that includes 

• Bacteria 

• Archaea (primitive single-celled organisms)

• Fungi

• Protozoans 

• Nonliving viruses. 

Bacteria are by far the most numerous members of the human microbiome: the bacterial population alone is estimated at between 75 trillion and 200 trillion individual organisms, while the entire human body consists of about 50 trillion to 100 trillion somatic (body) cells. The sheer microbial abundance suggests that the human body is in fact a “supraorganism,” a collection of human and microbial cells and genes and thus a blend of human and microbial traits.

Ans: A

Exp:

Statement 1 is incorrect: Graphene is the first and simplest example of a two-dimensional form of crystalline carbon, either a single layer of carbon atoms forming a honeycomb (hexagonal) lattice or several coupled layers of this honeycomb structure. The word graphene, when used without specifying the form (e.g., bilayer graphene, multilayer graphene), usually refers to single-layer graphene.

Statement 2 is correct: Graphene is a parent form of all graphitic structures of carbon: graphite, which is a three-dimensional crystal consisting of relatively weakly coupled graphene layers; nanotubes, which may be represented as scrolls of graphene; and buckyballs, spherical molecules made from graphene with some hexagonal rings replaced by pentagonal rings.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Graphene, being electrically conducting, transparent, strong, and flexible, may be a prospective material for use in touch screens. Graphene also has very high thermal conductivity and, therefore, could be used to remove heat from electronic circuits. Being very strong mechanically, it could be used as a scaffold for studying biological molecules and materials.

Ans: C

Exp:

Statement 1 is incorrect: Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus (it is transmitted from animals to humans) and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people. In infected people, it causes a range of illnesses from asymptomatic (subclinical) infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. The virus can also cause severe disease in animals such as pigs, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers.  

Statement 2 is correct: Initial signs and symptoms of Nipah virus infection are nonspecific, and the diagnosis is often not suspected at the time of presentation. Nipah virus infection can be diagnosed with clinical history during the acute and convalescent phase of the disease. The main tests used are real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from bodily fluids and antibody detection via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Other tests used include polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, and virus isolation by cell culture.

Statement 3 is correct: There are currently no drugs or vaccines specific for Nipah virus infection although WHO has identified Nipah as a priority disease for the WHO Research and Development Blueprint.  Intensive supportive care is recommended to treat severe respiratory and neurologic complications.

Ans: B

Exp: 

Pair 1 is correctly matched: The Tibetan brown bear is characterised by its yellowish scarf-like collar that broadens from the shoulders to the chest, very different from the more commonly found Himalayan black bear in appearance. It is an omnivore animal. It is sometimes called as the Tibetan blue bear — is an endangered species in the Himalayan region according to the red data list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Pair 2 is correctly match: Snow leopard, large long-haired Asian cat, classified as either Panthera uncia or Uncia uncia in the family Felidae. The snow leopard inhabits the mountains of central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Between 1986 and 2017 the snow leopard was listed as an endangered species on the Red List of Threatened Species from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, in 2017 the species’ status was changed to “vulnerable” after a population calculation error was discovered in the species’ 2008 population assessment.

Pair 3 is incorrectly matched: Asiatic lions are slightly smaller than African lions. Adult males weigh 160 to 190 kg, while females weigh 110 to 120 kg. The most striking morphological character, which is always seen in Asiatic lions, and rarely in African lions, is a longitudinal fold of skin running along its belly. It is Listed in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, in Appendix I of CITES and as Endangered on IUCN Red List.