A recent study from India examining the effects of replacing sucrose or table sugar with an artificial sweetener, sucralose, in coffee and tea, found no adverse impact on glucose or HbA1c levels, and in fact indicated a slight improvement in body weight, waist circumference and body mass index (BMI).
About Sucralose:
It is a no-calorie sweetener that can be used to lower one’s intake of added sugars while still providing satisfaction from enjoying the taste of something sweet.
While some types of sweeteners in this category are considered low-calorie (e.g., aspartame) and others are no-calorie (e.g., sucralose, monk fruit sweeteners, and stevia sweeteners). Collectively, they are often referred to as sugar substitutes, high-intensity sweeteners, nonnutritive sweeteners, or low-calorie sweeteners.
Like other no-calorie sweeteners, sucralose is intensely sweet. It is about 600 times sweeter than sugar.
It can be used as an ingredient in any type of food or beverage.
It is exceptionally stable, so foods and beverages sweetened with sucralose stay sweet under a wide range of conditions.
Production:
It is made from a process that begins with regular table sugar (sucrose); however, it is not sugar.
Three select hydroxyl groups on the sucrose molecule are replaced with three chlorine atoms.
Its structure prevents enzymes in the digestive tract from breaking it down, which is an inherent part of its safety.
Absorption:
Most (about 85 percent) of consumed sucralose is not absorbed by the body and is excreted, unchanged, in the feces.
Of the small amount that is absorbed (about 15 percent), none is broken down for energy. Therefore, sucralose does not provide any calories.
All absorbed sucralose is excreted quickly in the urine.
Body Mass Index (BMI):
It is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of their height in meters.
For example, a BMI of 25 means 25 kg/m2.
For most adults, an ideal BMI is in the 18.5 to 24.9 range.
A high BMI can indicate high body fatness.
BMI screens for weight categories that may lead to health problems, but it does not diagnose the body fatness or health of an individual.
2.Graves' disease
Why in the news?
Actor Daisy Ridley recently opened up about her health, revealing she has been diagnosed with Graves' disease.
Graves' disease is a disorder of the immune system that causes an overproduction of hormones in the thyroid. Common symptoms include shakiness, sensitivity to heat, skin irritation, increased heart rate, rapid weight loss and exhaustion.
About Graves' disease:
It is also known as Exophthalmic Goitre.
It is an autoimmune disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own cells, specifically targeting the thyroid gland. This leads to speeding up metabolism and an increase in thyroid hormone production, which results in enlargement of the thyroid area.
Its main cause is hyperthyroidism, which occurs when the thyroid gland produces an excessive amount of thyroid hormones such as thyroxine.
Its symptoms include bulging eyes (exophthalmos), a fast heartbeat, feelings of anxiety, excessive sweating, and weight loss despite increased appetite.
The exact reasons for this immune system malfunction are not fully understood. However, other potential contributors to the disease include:
Genetics: Individuals with a family history of Graves’ disease are more likely to develop exophthalmic goitre.
Environmental factors: Factors like smoking, emotional stress, and exposure to iodine may trigger Graves’ disease in individuals who have a genetic predisposition.
Autoimmune diseases:
These are a complex group of disorders where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues.
Sometimes this follows an immune response to a certain pathogen.
The infection may subside but the body continues to be in fighting mode, attacking the affected tissues.
3.International Court of Justice
Why in the news?
Turkiye on Wednesday filed a request with a UN court to join South Africa’s lawsuit accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.
Turkey's Ambassador to the Netherlands, accompanied by a group of Turkish legislators, submitted a declaration of intervention to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
About International Court of Justice:
It is also known as the World Court.
It is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN).
It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the UN and began work in April 1946.
The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands).
Of the six principal organs of the UN, it is the only one not located in New York, United States.
The hearings of the ICJ are always public.
Official Languages include French and English.
Powers and Functions: The Court may entertain two types of cases:
First, it can act as a dispute settlement body between two member States in what are called “contentious cases.” Such disputes may concern, in particular, land frontiers, maritime boundaries, territorial sovereignty, the non-use of force, violation of international humanitarian law, non-interference in the internal affairs of States and diplomatic relations.
Second, it can accept requests to issue an advisory opinion on a legal question referred to it by aUN body or specialized agency. These opinions can clarify the ways in which such organizations may lawfully function or strengthen their authority in relation to their member States.
Its judgments in contentious cases are final and binding on the parties to a case, and without appeal.
Unlike its judgments, advisory opinions are not binding.
It decides disputes in accordance with international law as reflected in international conventions, international custom, general principles of law recognized by civilized nations, judicial decisions, and the writings of the most highly qualified experts on international law.
Composition:
It consists of 15 judges, all from different countries, who are elected to nine-year terms by majority votes in the UN General Assembly and the Security Council.
The judges, one-third of whom are elected every three years, are eligible for reelection.
Once elected, a member of the Court is a delegate neither of the government of his own country nor of any other State.
In addition, the ICJ Statute allows a state party to a case before it which does not have a judge of its nationality on the bench to appoint a person to sit as judge ad hoc in that specific case.
The Court is assisted by a Registry, its permanent administrative secretariat, which is independent of the United Nations Secretariat.
4.Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve
Why in the news?
The Chhattisgarh government announced that it would establish a new tiger reserve, making it the fourth such reserve in the forest-rich State.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had given its in-principle approval for the project a decade ago.
It will be named Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve, after integrating the regions of Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Sanctuary located in the districts of Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur, Koriya, Surajpur, and Balrampur.
About Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve:
It is located in the northern part of the state Chhattisgarh, bordering Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.
This will be the fourth Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh, after the Udanti-Sitanadi, Achanakmar, and Indravati Reserves.
It is spread across the combined areas of the Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary in Chhattisgarh.
This area is home to various mammal species, including tigers, leopards, hyenas, jackals, wolves, sloth bears, barking deer, chinkara, and chital.
It serves as the origin of significant rivers such as Hasdeo Gopad and Baranga and a catchment area for rivers like Neur, Bijadhur, Banas, Rehand, and numerous smaller rivers and rivulets.
Guru Ghasidas National Park
It connects Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh and provides a corridor for tigers to move between the Bandhavgarh and Palamau Tiger Reserves.
It was originally part of the Sanjay Dubri National Park, Guru Ghasidas Park was created as a separate entity in Chhattisgarh’s Sarguja region after the formation of the state in 2001.
National Tiger Conservation Authority:
It was established in 2006 under Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
Its objective is providing statutory authority to Project Tiger so that compliance of its directives becomes legal.
5.National Green Tribunal (NGT)
Why in the news?
Reacting to Assam government’s plans to hand over land to luxury hotels adjacent to the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) took suo motu cognisance of the case.
NGT’s principal bench transferred the case to the green tribunal’s Eastern Zone for further hearing on the matter.
About National Green Tribunal (NGT):
It has been established under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010.
New Delhi is the principal place of sitting of the tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai shall be the other four places of sitting of the Tribunal.
It is mandated to make disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of the filing of the same.
Composition:
It comprises the Chairperson, the Judicial Members, and Expert Members.
They shall hold office for a term of 5 years and are not eligible for reappointment.
The Chairperson is appointed by the Central Government in consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
A Selection Committee shall be formed by the central government to appoint the Judicial Members and Expert Members.
There are to be at least 10 and a maximum of 20 full-time Judicial members and Expert Members in the tribunal.
Powers & Jurisdiction:
It has been established for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.
It has appellate jurisdiction to hear appeals as a Court.
It is not bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by principles of natural justice.
Appellate jurisdiction:
It is the power of the higher court to review the decision or change the result of the decisions made by the lower courts that are called appellate jurisdiction.
Natural Justice:
It refers to the minimum standards or principles which the administrative authorities should follow in deciding matters which have the civil consequences.
There are mainly two Principles of Natural Justice which every administrative authority should follow whether or not these are specifically provided in the relevant Acts or rules. Principles are:
No one should be the judge in his/her own case – (Nemo Judex In Causa Sua).
Each party should be given the opportunity to be heard – (Audi Alteram Partem).
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