eChapters

Appendix A: Diagrammatic Presentation of Processes Involved in Obtaining an Indian Patent

Bioinformatics is a multidisciplinary approach that combines computational and biological expertise to analyze biological data to advance research and development and it drew public attention with the announcement of the draft sequence of human genome by the then US President, Bill Clinton along with Craig Venter and Francis Collins in 2000. Bioinformatics and life sciences research are gaining attention in the government, industries and academic sectors. India was the first country in the world to establish a biotechnology information system (BTIS) network in 1987 through the Dept. of Biotechnology and created an infrastructure that enables it to harness biotechnology through the application of bioinformatics. Through this branch of science, biological data are acquired, stored and then analyzed. Bioinformatics can be used to store huge bioscience data for their future uses. By exploring computational tools, databases and new strategies for pests and diseases, resistant genes can be identified and plants with desired traits can be engineered to enhance agricultural productivity. Bioinformatics can be utilized in two ways for agriculture, viz., (i) at molecular level for application in breeding strategies and (ii) agri-informatics for land use planning, farmers window, early warning system, impact assessment and environmental applications.

The focus of world’s trade and economic activities is increasingly being shifted from resource-based economics to knowledge-based economics. This paradigm shift has been triggered due to the implementation of Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) and other related international treaties and policy frameworks. CBD for the first time states that bio-resources are the sovereign property of the countries in which they are found. It further stipulates that access to bio-resources by outside parties can be made only after prior approved consent of the concerned stakeholders and also with mutually agreed terms and conditions for equitable sharing of benefits accrued from the commercialization of biodiversity. To realize such proclaimed rights given in CBD and to fulfill obligations of various other relevant treaties, particularly in the context WTO regulation, it is imperative that the bio-resources-rich nations like India have comprehensive knowledgebase of the biodiversity and associated information systems in accessible form.

The advances in science and technology are deeply intertwined. Researchers can use the semiconductor manufacturing techniques that underlie miniaturization to build radios and exceptionally small mechanical structures that sense fields and forces in the physical world. These inexpensive, low-power communication devices can be deployed throughout a physical space, providing dense sensing close to physical phenomena, processing and communicating this information, and coordinating actions with other nodes. These multifunction devices are battery operated and are connected wirelessly with sensing, processing and communicating capabilities and are known as the wireless sensors. If we use these sensors with biological issues or Biotechnology, then we can find the new concepts biosensors. If we really implement these concepts in real life we can get rid of many diseases like heart attack, blood sugar level, gene reaction and other changes that happens in our body much before its shows to outside.

19.1 Python Turtle Graphics

Turtle is a special feathers of Python. Using Turtle, we can easily draw in a drawing board.

First we import the turtle module. Then create a window, next we create turtle object and using turtle method we can draw in the drawing board.

19.2 Some Turtle Method

Example

from turtle import *

t = Turtle() #object in python

wn=Screen()

wn.title(?my first graphic”)

wn.bgcolor(?yellow”) #color filling in window

t.shape(?turtle”) #turtle shape given

t.color(?red”, “green”)

Easykrishi is a young enterprise that uses digital interventions with an aim to change agricultural practices from Reactive Mode to Proactive Mode. It is a consortium of 12 FPOs and 150 Ground Organizations. 14 In a world of declining land-holdings, we realize aggregation of agricultural resources is the only way to keep this planet sustainable for human survival. Aggregation ensures viability and profitability of Agriculture. Easykrishi’s baby steps in the entire cycle of aggregation of agricultural resources have made significant impact for Food Producer Corporations across Karnataka and they have made a mark on organizations and individuals that are dedicated for the betterment of Agriculture and farmers.

Abstract

Real-time PCR, also known as qPCR, is a highly sensitive technique used to determine the real-time amplification of a target DNA sequence. However, the presence of secondary structures or spurious amplicons can distort the results. When using SYBR Green chemistry, the features of qPCR primers differ from those of standard endpoint PCR primers. As a result, designing primers for SYBR Green qPCR requires extra caution and attention. This chapter outlines the essential features and conditions for designing qPCR primers, including primer length, melting temperature, GC content, specificity, and avoiding primer-dimer formation.

Abstract

FASTA, which stands for “Fast All”, is a sequence alignment tool developed by William R. Pearson and David J. Lipman in 1985. It is commonly used to identify similarities between DNA and protein sequences. FASTA employs a “hashing” strategy to locate matches for short stretches of identical residues with a length of k, referred to as k-tuples or k-tups. This method enables FASTA to quickly search large databases for sequence similarities, making it a popular tool for identifying homologous sequences, predicting gene functions, and analyzing evolutionary relationships. This chapter elaborates some basics of FASTA.

Abstract

Molecular modeling is a computational technique used to simulate the three-dimensional interactions between atoms and molecules. It allows for the visualization, manipulation, and prediction of molecular structures and chemical reactions. In this chapter, we discuss the different types of molecular models used in computational chemistry, including ball-and-stick models, space-filling models, wireframe models, and ribbon models. Ball- and-stick models depict atoms as spheres and bonds as sticks. Molecular modeling has numerous applications in drug discovery, materials science, and other fields of research, making it a valuable tool for computational chemists and molecular biologists. Here, this chapter focuses on different types of molecular models.

Abstract

Synthetic biology is a multidisciplinary field of study that seeks to understand living systems and organisms, and utilizes engineering principles to design and create new biological components, devices, and systems, as well as modify existing natural systems. This chapter provides an introduction to synthetic biology and describes the procedures and methodologies involved in the design and construction of novel biological systems. The applications of synthetic biology are vast and include the development of biosensors, gene circuits, metabolic pathways, and genetically modified organisms for use in a variety of industries, including healthcare, agriculture, energy, and environmental remediation.

Project Formulation and Finance
Project Formulation and Finance involves two key aspects of project
management: developing the project’s structure and ensuring it has the necessary financial resources. Here’s a closer look at each part:
1. Project Formulation: This is the initial phase where you define the project, including its scope, objectives, and outcomes. It involves identifying stakeholders, setting goals, and determining the resources required. Effective project formulation ensures that the project is feasible, aligns with organizational strategy, and addresses the stakeholders’ needs.
2. Project Finance: This aspect focuses on securing the financial resources needed to execute the project. It includes planning the budget, analyzing investment requirements, and managing financial risks. Financing strategies might involve obtaining funds through loans, equity, grants, or other financial instruments. This phase also covers the assessment of financial viability and the preparation of financial forecasts to ensure that the project is economically sustainable.

ABSTRACT

This paper presents an outline on the patenting system prevailing in India. 

INTRODUCTION

Ideas and knowledge are increasingly important parts of trade. Most of the value of new medicines and other high technology products lies in the amount of invention, innovation, research, design and testing involved. Hence, protection of such values is paramount. This paper details how these values are protected in India.

ABSTRACT

This paper presents few measures to be taken up by academic institutions, professional societies, industrial bodies and governmental agencies for the propagation of information of IPR in terms of encouragement of publication of books on IPR, establishment of IPR cells in academic and professional institutions and making IPR education as part of curriculum in Universities and institutions of higher learning.

Bioinformatics is a recently emerged frontier discipline, which helps in analyzing biological data with the help of information technology and statistical software packages. In a broader sense, bioinformatics is the application of computer technology in management of biological information. This interdisciplinary scientific tool having no barriers between different branches of science like biology, biotechnology, mathematics, computer science and information technology, has great influence on advanced bio-science research, particularly dealing with genes, proteins and cell biology.

Bioinformatics is the branch of study that deals with the use of information technology (IT) for managing data of biological science. Bioinformatics drew public attention with the announcement of the draft sequence of human genome by the then US President Bill Clinton along with Craig Venter and Francis Collins in 2000 (Uma and Sathyanathan, 2004).

Soil is formed by disintegration and decomposition of rocks, minerals and organic matter, Soil is a habitant for plant growth and serves as a storehouse of water and food nutrients for plants, Soil is not same everywhere and varies morphologically, physically, chemically and mineralogically from one point to another both in horizontal and vertical directions. Development of soil informatics is necessary to classify the soils, to assess the productivity of soils for various crop productions and to use the soil for various purposes such as land capability classification, soil irrigability classification, soil rating and soil mapping.

Morphologically soil may appear red, yellow, black, brown or ashy in colour. Soil may vary from sandy to clayey in texture. Depending upon the nutrient reserve capacity, the soil may be fertile or infertile. On the basis of climate, a soil may be classified as laterite soil. Red earth and red loam soil, podzol soil or desert soil.

Different kinds of soil contain minerals of various types and amounts and so exhibit distinct physio co-chemical properties. Although various methods have been used in the past to classify the soils, the most modern and scientific methods is based on dominants pedogenic processes acting on a place to from a soil. The new method of soil classification has two important characteristics-Firstly soil classification is based on certain diagnostic parameters which could be estimated quantatively, and secondly depending on diagnostic parameters, a scientific method is being followed to classify a soil from higher to lower levels such as order, suborder, great group, subgroup, family and series.

If the 1990s were the decade of genomics, the first ten years of the new century are set to become the decade of proteomics. For the first time, the technologies of proteomics make it possible to generate quantitative protein expression data on a scale and sensitivity comparable to that achieved at the genetic level. This advance has major implications for our understanding of cellular organisation in health and disease and for pharmaceutical and agricultural biotechnology. Indeed, proteomics is already yielding important findings, across a wide range of applications. Most proteomics research, however, is directed towards the more proximal goal of investigating protein expression and function under specified physiological conditions.

The rapid evolution of proteomics has continued during the past years with a series of innovations in the core technologies of two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, and a diversity of productive research programmes. Well annotated proteomics databases are now emerging in a number of fields to provide a platform for systematic research, with particularly promising progress in clinical applications such as cardiology and oncology. Large-scale quantitative research, comparable in power and sensitivity to that achieved for gene expression, is thus becoming a reality at the protein level.

Gene silencing is the suppression of gene expression through nucleotide sequence-specific interactions that are mediated by RNA. Many manifestations of RNA silencing-RNA interference (RNAi) in animals, quelling in fungi and post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) in plants, appear to be related. RNA silencing is experimentally activated by double-stranded RNA (ds RNA) and is used as a powerful technique for specific inhibition of gene expression in a variety of organisms. In a natural context, ds RNA may be produced from rearranged loci by transcription from converging promoters or by host-or viral-encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRP). A key component of RNA silencing is 21-23 nt RNA known as short interfering RNA (Si RNA). In Drosophila, the siRNA is derived from ds RNA by the action of an RNase-III like enzyme named DICER. The siRNA guides a multi-subunit endnuclease, referred to as the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) and it specifically degrades RNA that share sequence similarly with the ds RNA.

Biotechnology provides significant opportunities and greater effects in horticulture, where even minor changes such as quality, colour, aroma, flavour, structure, disease-pest resistance and postharvest behaviour bring tremendous achievements commercially. Tissue culture, genetic engineering, molecular breeding, biofertilizers, biopesticides and postharvest biotechnology are important aspects of biotechnology in horticulture such as fruit, vegetable, ornamental, spice, medicinal, aromatic and plantation crops.

Tissue Culture

Tissue culture is the true reality of the plant biotechnology. The annual demand of tissue cultured production constitutes nearly 10 per cent of the total world biotech business, amounting to 15 billion US dollars. The global production of tissue culture industry is expanding @ 15% per annum (Chadha, 2000). In India, more than 130 tissue culture units are presently producing > 300 million plantlets per annum (Choudhury and Tejaswini, 2000).

The importance of Plant Pathology has been realized over the years owing to number of crop failures in different parts of the world. Plant disease control is indispensable for qualitative production and to compete in global agricultural trade. There is great need of sensitization of our research in various aspects which shall guide the generation to come for managing plant diseases not only for enhancing crop production but also in facilitating trade by conserving the biodiversity and environment.

Research Trend in Plant Pathology

Like in other sciences, there has been a change in the trend of research in Plant Pathology with passage of time. Up to the late 1960s most of the interest in plant pathology was concentrated in crop diseases mostly caused by fungi. Physiology of microorganisms and physiology of parasitism became increasingly popular fields of interest in 1960s.

The advancements in the field of informatics, biology and allied fields of technology led to the emergence of an inter-disciplinary field known as ‘Bioinformatics’. This field is an expanding and challenging tool for the collection, storage, organization, integration, analysis and simulation of biological data for utilization in biotechnology.

Collection of Data for Bioinformatics

An epoch making revolution in Genomics in recent years in deciphering plant, animal and microbial genome sequences, Proteomics, Statistics, Instrumental techniques, Structural and Computational Biology have given input to fragmented pieces-and-bits of information on biological materials. Each data is a discrete piece of important but defragmented information regarding a molecule (protein, RNA, DNA, sugars or lipids etc) or a reaction or at best a pathway, supposed to be occurring in a living system independently at a given time and space. However, as in a living system each molecule or a process exists in unison with other entities of its kind, these fragmented data are to be stored, organized, and then integrated and analysed to form an integrated part of a whole chain of events – now called a ‘SYSTEM’. Storage and organisation of data Explosion of knowledge in the field of biology and generation of new informations (data) needs well storage, organization and a faster distribution among the scientific workers. The advent of super computers, high speed computing and development of algorithms for data formatting, assists in the storage of data at the site of origin and distributed through the hyperlinks in world wide web (www).

Drug designing is the approach of finding drugs by design based on their biological targets. The substance used for medical purpose, either alone or in mixture that changes the state or function of cells, organs or organism as a whole is known as a drug. So typically a drug target is a key molecule involved in particular metabolic or signaling pathway that is specific to disease condition or pathology, or to the infectivity or survival of a microbial pathogen. Drugs may be designed that bind to the active region and inhibit the key molecule that causes disease. However these drugs would also have to be designed in such a way that they should not affect any other important molecules similar to the key molecule. These can also be used to enhance the normal pathway of metabolism by promoting specific molecules that may have been suppressed in disease state.

Bioinformatics can be defined as “the collection, archiving, organization and interpretation of biological data” (Orengo et al., 2003). By extension, structural bioinformatics deals with the collection, archiving, organization and interpretation of 3-D structural data of bio macromolecules. Structural bioinformatics emerged with the first crystal structures of haemoglobin and myoglobin. These structures were analyzed and contributed significantly to our understanding of the principles of life at a molecular level. A repository of all publicly accessible protein crystal structures, the Protein Data Bank (PDB) was established by Walter Hamilton et al., at Brookhaven National Laboratory in 1971. Until the late 1980s, structural biologists often knew all the available structures of bio macromolecules and much of the analysis, such as structure comparison and hydrogen-bonding analysis was done manually without much computer intervention. As the number of available structures increased, so did the need for software tools for structure analysis. Structural bioinformatics encompasses a wide variety of applications, including structure visualization, validation, classification, structure-based function prediction, identification of targets for structural genomics projects and prediction of the structures of individual bio macromolecules and complexes as well the binding modes of small molecules inside proteins of pharmaceutical or biotechnological interestStructural and theoretical analyses of proteins are central to the understanding of complex molecular mechanisms and are fundamental to the drug discovery process.

Biodiversity conservation and sustainable use has, for many people, become associated mainly with issues related to plants and wild animals. Although much less discussed, the loss of farm animal genetic resources may well be much more serious than in crops because the gene pool is smaller and very few wild relatives remain. The fact that 32% of livestock breeds worldwide are at risk of becoming extinct and that the rate of extinction continues to accelerate (FAO, 2000) is thus a serious cause for concern. Animals of different characteristics and hence outputs suit differing local community needs.

The union territory of A & N Islands constitutes the farthest and the remotest part of Indian union. The islands are situated in the Bay of Bengal surrounded by sea. The neighboring countries are Burma in north east and Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia in south east. The Union territory of A & N Islands is situated between 60 and 140 north latitude and 920 and 940 east longitude forming a broken row of continuous islands from. North to South direction. They can be divided into two groups namely Andaman and Nicobar groups. The dreaded 100 channel which is about 145 Kms wide and 400 fathoms deep, separates the two groups

Among several respiratory diseases affecting man, bronchial asthma is the most common disabling syndrome, nearly 7 to 10 per cent of the world population suffer from bronchial asthma, which is a chronic illness involving the respiratory system in which the airway occasionally constricts, becomes inflamed, and is lined with excessive amounts of mucus, often in response to one or more triggers. These episodes may be triggered by such things as exposure to an environmental stimulant (or allergen), cold air, warm air, moist air, exercise or exertion, or emotional stress. In children, the most common triggers are viral illnesses such as those that cause the common cold. A variety of exogenous determinants of asthma were also been, some of which are air pollution, tobacco smoking, diet, occupation and respiratory infection, these pollutants may serve as inciters or triggers of asthmatic reaction in airways that are already hyper responsive, they may exert direct toxic influence on the respiratory epithelium or may augment or modify immune responses to inhaled antigens. During an asthma episode, inflamed airways react to environmental triggers such as smoke, dust, or pollen. The airways narrow and produce excess mucus, making it difficult to breathe. In essence, asthma is the result of an immune response in the bronchial airways. As according to the World Health Organization over 80% of the people in developing countries depend upon traditional medicine for their primary health care. Medicinal plants are considered as source of various alkaloids and other chemical substances essential for mankind.

A fundamental problem facing researchers today is how to make effective use of available wealth of online background domain knowledge to improve their understanding of complex biological system. Effective use of such online background domain knowledge plays a crucial role in all stages of integrated biological studies.

In the past years, research in molecular biology and molecular medicine has accumulated enormous amounts of data. This includes genomic sequences gathered by the Human Genome Project, gene expression data from micro array experiments, protein identification and quantification data from proteomics experiments, and SNP data from high-throughput SNP arrays. However, the understanding of the biological processes underlying these data lags behind. There is a strong interest in employing methods of knowledge discovery and data mining to generate models of biological systems. Mining biological databases put forward challenges which knowledge discovery and data mining have to address in the future. Important background knowledge in bioinformatics is often contained in documents, such as scientific publications or database annotations. Analyzing data from biological databases often requires the consideration of data from multiple relations rather than from one single table. Recently, approaches (such as propositionalization algorithms) are being studied that utilize multi-relational data and yet meet the efficiency requirements of large-scale data mining problems.

Algae refer to an assemblage of polyphyletic organism that conducts oxygen evolving photosynthesis other than land plants. They are distributed widely throughout India in the sea, in fresh water and in moist situations on land. Algae also form an important component of biodiversity of Andaman and Nicobar Group of Islands. Database for Algae resources of Andaman and Nicobar Islands are created with an aim of providing an information pool to the researchers working in fields related to fresh water and marine water algae in Andaman and Nicobar Group of Islands. About 313 fresh water algal species belonging to 15 families and 57 marine algal species belonging to 18 families has included in this database among which 40 species has been found to be first time reported in India. Algae have a wide application in a variety of Industries such as Food, Fodder, and Fertilizer etc. They are also important sources of Protein, Iodine, Vitamins, Minerals and Substances of Antibiotic Nature.

Data Mining is the process of automatic discovery of novel and understandable models and patterns from large amounts of data. Bioinformatics is the science of storing, analyzing and utilizing information from biological data such as sequences, molecules, gene expressions, and pathways. Development of novel data mining methods will play a fundamental role in understanding these rapidly expanding sources of biological data. Data mining techniques are an automated means of reducing the complexity of data in large bioinformatics databases and of discovering meaningful and useful patterns and relationships in data. Bioinformatics, the application of computational techniques to analyze the information associated with biomolecules on a large-scale, has now firmly established itself as a discipline in molecular biology, and encompasses a wide range of subject areas from structural biology, genomics to gene expression studies. It provides an introduction and overview of the current state of the field. The main principles that underpin bioinformatics analyses look at the Data Mining in Bioinformatics and databases that are commonly used, and finally examine some of the studies that are being conducted, particularly with reference to transcription regulatory systems.

To understand IoT “Internet of Things” it is important to understand internet first. Internet is connecting a device to other device anywhere in the world. When two devices are connected with the Internet, they can send and receive all kinds of information such as text, graphics, voice, and video. The high-speed, fiber-optic cables are used, through which the bulk of the Internet data travels. The Internet has revolutionized the communication world. In today’s scenario the internet is an important part for people around the world. The Internet is a global network of billions of electronic devices. The World Wide Web (www) is most widely used part of the Internet.

The “Internet of Things is a potentially integrated part of the ‘Future Internet’. IoT can be defined as a dynamic global network with self - configuring capabilities based on communication protocols where physical and virtual ‘Things’ interact with each other.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is inter-connecting the networks of smart devices. Smart devices may be embedded with vehicles, buildings, or other electronics object with software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity. Network connectivity enables smart devices to collect and exchange data. The Internet of Things (IoT), also referred to as the Internet of Everything (IoE) which comprises of the web-enabled devices. IoT has its applications in smart city, smart surveillance, automated transportation, smarter energy management systems, water distribution, urban security and environmental monitoring. Agriculture is another new area of IoT application.

Due to advancement in technology the processing power and storage capacity has been increased, in the recent years. At the same time technology is making the devices pervasive, wearable and mobile. Smart devices are fitted with sensors, actuators which enable devices to sense, compute and act intelligently. They are able to exchange information with environment.

3.1 Introduction

Internet of Things (IoT) allows computational devices and sensory support to connect with each other and access services on the Internet. The IoT idea was introduced to connect devices through the Internet and facilitate access to information for users. The potential application of IoT includes agriculture. The aim of this chapter is to explain the role of NodeMCU in the agriculture field. NodeMCU is IoT module which can be used to present the IoT concept as a basis for monitoring and control. The systems used in farm production processes. NodeMCU play a key role, with a focus on their realization by available microcontroller platforms and appropriate sensors. IoT based system provides opportunity to users to monitor and control the process remotely.

Abstract

The two most important tasks for a patentee to undertake after being granted a patent, in any patent regime, would be to pay the renewal fees necessary to keep the patent alive, and provide proof of having worked the patent in the jurisdiction. This article seeks to highlight features of India’s legal requirements with regard to the working of patents on a commercial scale. The number of patents granted in a country is an indicator of the technological strength of the country. However, it should be noted that actual technological growth depends upon the working of patents. Working of a patent means the commercial exploitation of the invention that is embodied in the patent.

Introduction

In the perspective of the accelerating national growth rate of 8% recorded at the end of the 10th Plan to a projected growth rate of 10% by the end of the 11th Plan, yielding an average GDP growth rate of about 9% it was appearing that the nation is going to have a strong footing of development. However, it could not be fully achieved due to several reasons including the global recession and other factors related to international economic setback which may deter achieving a projected growth rate of 10% in the 12th Plan. In consideration of the international scenario of growing complicacy in economic growth more emphasis should be given on further efficient utilization of natural resources and intellectual properties of grass root innovators to improve per capita income leading to a promising national structure of economics ensuring wide spread benefits to the society. In this regard, true development of a nation like India can be primarily realized by recognition of wide spread enthusiasm of its innovative human resources living in village and rural areas. It can be made possible only through working with them by appreciating their struggle for survival using all round innovative measures coming out of their daily life experiences and traditional knowledge. Technopreneur Promotion Programme (TePP) is a unique scheme of Government of India for development of society especially by promoting the intellectual properties of grass- root level innovators coming out from the society with a source of inspiration arising out of their daily life struggle for existence. In spite of its limited publicity in remote areas an awareness of this programme has often been found to raise great hope to the villagers to do something for their society exploring the ideas generated from the experiences of life with the help of local resources. Such naturally grown innovation can be found undoubtedly novel and the idea can change their world of dreaming for a more prosperous life by bringing changes in socioeconomic pattern of trade and employment in rural areas with proper support from Government if India through the scheme like TePP.

10.1 Lambda Function

Lambda Function or anonymous function in python programming

A lambda function can take any number of arguments, but can only have one expression.

Syntax:

Lambda arguments: expression only single line

The expression is executed and the result is returned.

Example

x=lambda a:a+10

Print(x(5))

13.1 Statistical Functions

Statistical methods help in the understanding and analyzing the behavior of data. We will now learn a few statistical functions, which we can apply on Pandas objects.

Percent_change

Series, DatFrames and Panel, all have the function pct_change(). This function compares every element with its prior element and computes the change percentage.

Example

import pandas as pd

import numpy as np

s = pd.Series([1,2,3,4,5,4])

print s.pct_change()

df = pd.DataFrame(np.random.randn(5, 2))

print(df.pct_change())

Abstract

Bioinformatics is an important interdisciplinary field that brings together several areas of science, including molecular biology, biostatistics, and computer science (vis-a-vis information technology). With the rapid increase in the sequencing of DNA/RNA/protein molecules, as well as the growing understanding of the interconnections between different areas of biological science, the importance of bioinformatics is only increasing. This chapter seems to provide a thorough introduction to the definition, concept, and importance of bioinformatics. It also appears to highlight the relevance and potential scope of the subject for students interested in pursuing a career in the field. As bioinformatics continues to evolve and expand, it is likely to become an increasingly important area of research and development in the life sciences.

Abstract

This chapter provides a brief overview of the key milestones in the development of bioinformatics that would help to understand the historical context and evolution of a subject. As an interdisciplinary field, bioinformatics has grown gradually from molecular biology, with the development of various algorithms, databases, and other important tools that have helped to advance computational biology. Some important events in the history of bioinformatics might include the development of the first algorithms for sequence alignment and comparison, the creation of early databases such as GenBank and Swiss- Prot, and the development of software tools for molecular modeling and drug design. Other key milestones might include the sequencing of the first genomes, the development of high-throughput sequencing technologies, and the emergence of new areas of research such as systems biology and synthetic biology. By understanding the historical context of bioinformatics, students and researchers can gain a deeper appreciation for the current state of the field and the ongoing efforts to advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie life.

Abstract

Biological databases that are composed of a large collection of digital nucleic acid sequences, protein sequences, or other polymer sequences stored on a computer, which is made available to the research community worldwide using web servers. The vast amount of information generated in molecular biology is analyzed, curated, tabulated, and arranged in databases. There are different types of biological databases, based on their contents. Besides, the database management system, a program to manage the databases, can be of two types: distributed DBMS and relational DBMS. This chapter briefly narrates the importance and purpose of biological databases.

Abstract

Molecular phylogeny is an important method for understanding the evolutionary relationships between different organisms. Molecular phylogeny is based on the idea that organisms that share a more recent common ancestor will have more similarities in their DNA or protein sequences. The chapter seems to cover the basic concepts and terminology used in molecular phylogeny, including the difference between rooted and unrooted trees, as well as various methods used for constructing phylogenetic trees. Further, chapter also covers some common tools and software used for analyzing molecular data and constructing phylogenetic trees. Overall, this chapter provides a useful introduction to molecular phylogeny and the methods used for understanding the evolutionary relationships between different organisms. Understanding these concepts is important for many areas of biological research, including evolutionary biology, ecology, and biotechnology.

Abstract

PCR primer design is a crucial skill for molecular biologists, as it enables the study of gene expression, gene amplification, and molecular markers. Primer3 is an online tool widely used for designing optimal PCR primers, which are pairs of short oligonucleotides that initiate DNA synthesis in vitro using a thermocycler. This tool uses a range of parameters to generate high- quality primers, including target sequence length, melting temperature, GC content, specificity, and product size. Understanding and effectively utilizing these parameters is essential for achieving accurate and reliable PCR results. In this chapter, the practical aspect of primer designing using the online tool Primer3 has been discussed. The parameters and the purpose of their usage have been given in a tabulated manner.

Abstract

The Basic Local Alignment Search Tool, or BLAST, is an online tool provided by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) that allows users to search for matches between their query sequences and the sequences stored in NCBI databases. BLAST can be used to search for nucleotide sequences against nucleotide sequences, protein sequences against protein sequences, and protein sequences against translated nucleotide sequences in the databases. BLAST is widely used to study sequence similarity, identify target sequences, analyze the functional aspects of molecular sequences, and investigate evolutionary relationships. This chapter details on the BLAST and its applications.

Abstract

Proteins are complex molecules composed of one or more polypeptide chains made up of amino acid residues. These molecules perform a variety of essential functions in living organisms, including DNA replication, molecule transport, catalyzing metabolic processes, and providing structural support to cells. In this chapter, we explore the four levels of protein structure: primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary. Primary structure refers to the specific sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain, while secondary structure describes the folding of the chain into alpha-helices, beta-sheets, or other patterns. Tertiary structure is the three-dimensional shape of a single polypeptide chain, and quaternary structure refers to the interactions between multiple polypeptide chains to form a larger protein complex. Additionally, this chapter covers various methods used to predict protein structure, including homology modeling, ab initio prediction, and threading algorithms.

Abstract

When only sequence data is available, homology modeling has become a useful tool for predicting protein structure. Protein structure is often more important than sequence data when evaluating protein function. Homology modeling, also known as comparative modeling, is based on the principle that two sequences that exhibit a high degree of identity or similarity will also share similar structures. This chapter explores the steps involved in homology modeling, including template selection, alignment, model building, refinement, and validation. The Ramachandran plot is a valuable tool for assessing the conformation and bond angles in a protein model, and we discuss its significance in the context of homology modeling. Ultimately, homology modeling is an effective method for predicting protein structure and has numerous applications in protein engineering, drug discovery, and other fields.

Abstract

Systems biology is an interdisciplinary field that combines computer and mathematical analysis with biological research to understand the complex interactions within biological systems. This chapter explores the history and evolution of systems biology and its significant impact on modern biology. Systems biology uses a holistic approach to analyze biological systems at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels, providing a better understanding of biological processes and the interactions between genes, proteins, and other molecules. Systems biology has immense potential in improving human health, agriculture, and the environment, and this chapter explores the ongoing efforts to translate systems biology research into practical applications.

The Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks is governed by two treaties. The first one is he Madrid Agreement, which was concluded in 1891 and revised at Brussels (1900), Washington (1911), The Hague (1925), London (1934), Nice (1957) and Stockholm (1967), and amended in 1979. The other one is the Protocol related to this agreement which was concluded in 1989. The aims of this protocol are to make the Madrid system more flexible and more compatible with the domestic legislation of certain countries or intergovernmental organizations that had not been able to accede to the Agreement. 

It is the most significant international convention in the field of protecting copyright. The Berne Convention deals with the protection of works and the rights of their authors. It is based on three basic principles and contains a series of provisions determining the minimum protection to be granted, as well as special provisions available to developing countries that want to make use of them. The Berne Convention, signed on 9 September, 1886, was revised at Paris in 1896 and at Berlin in 1908, completed at Berne (Switzerland) in 1914, revised at Rome in 1928, at Brussels in 1948, at Stockholm in 1967 and at Paris in 1971, and was amended in 1979.

1. Introduction

Libraries play an important role in developing reading habit among students. The Academic library specially means to support the teaching learning process and is focus to work on curriculum based education system. Inculcating reading habit among students in academic Library is a challenge. Our College SMRK BK AK Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Nashik is dedicated towards the Women’s Education has accepted this challenge and established Book Club to inculcate reading habit among students. Reading Drive is one of the unique practices run in our college from 2014. Every year more than 200 students enrolled under the Book Club and read the books other than academics. Under this club, we take various activities such as Book Review Competition, Book talk, Books Exhibitions on Various Occasions, Digital Exhibition of Book Reviews submitted by students, New Arrivals Desk, Ask a Librarian and execute this Reading Drive.

Rabies is an ancient, dreadful disease known to mankind from the vedic ages. It is a zoonotic disease caused by Rabies virus, genus Lyssavirus family Rhabdoviridae, affecting all mammals including man. The WHO categorizes rabies as a neglected zoonotic disease that causes around 59,000 human deaths globally annually after onset of symptoms. It is a vaccine preventable disease reported from over 150 countries and territories barring the island nations like Australia, Brunei, Japan, Maldives, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Timor Leste and the Pacific Island Countries. The Indian islands of Andaman Nicobar and Lakshadweep are rabies free so far.

On the other hand, Africa and Asia has the highest burden of human rabies including South-East Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, DPRK, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The Asia Pacific region having 60% of the world’s population includes the world’s most populous countries – India and China. Asia alone shares almost half of the global rabies deaths annually.

Veterinary Nuclear Medicine (VNM)

Veterinary Nuclear Medicine (VNM) is a specialized field that uses radioisotopes to detect, diagnose, and treat diseases. Gamma scintigraphy involves injecting radioactive tracer pharmaceuticals into the animal’s body and imaging them as they move through the body using a gamma radiation-sensitive camera. This technique provides a 2D or 3D image of the whole body or a specific organ, allowing for the estimation of the quantitative distribution within the region of interest (ROI). Advancements in gamma scintigraphy have allowed for the acquisition of information about both static and dynamic high-resolution images, such as heart wall motion, blood flow, and myocardial perfusion. Unlike other diagnostic modalities viz X-rays, ultrasonography, and CT; gamma scintigraphy offers functional information of specific organs. The most commonly used gamma radiation-emitting isotope is 99m-Technetium (99mTc), which emits a gamma energy of 98% 140-keV photon with only 10% internal conversion. Other radionuclides used in veterinary nuclear medicine facilities include iodine (123I and 131I), Gallium (67Ga), and Thallium (201Ti).

Technology Scouting and Innovations in Technology Incubation
Technology scouting and innovations in technology incubation have a symbiotic relationship, fuelling each other for the benefit of budding startups and the broader technology ecosystem. Let’s dive deeper into their individual roles and how they interact:
Technology Scouting
Technology Scouting is the process of discovering, analyzing and evaluating new or existing technologies that will help them with their innovation process. In simple terms, it is a process for companies to find the necessary technology outside the company.
Hunting for promising technologies: Scouts actively search for emerging technologies, patents, research advancements, and market trends across various sectors.
Evaluating potential and fit: They assess the technical feasibility, market potential, and compatibility with the needs of incubators and their supported startups.
Connecting innovators and ventures: Scouts bridge the gap between technology creators (researchers, inventors, startups) and potential users (incubators, established companies).
Fuelling innovation pipelines: Technology scouting helps incubators access a wider range of technologies and ideas, enriching their portfolio and diversifying the innovations supported.

ABSTRACT

This paper is an attempt to draw the attention of readers of this volume to understand the importance of documentation and preservation of earth’s resources.  

Introduction

Earth has innumerable treasures that were and are being exploited by mankind. Geo-resources in the form of minerals, non-renewable hydrocarbons, paleontologic relics and related evidences indicate earth’s evolutionary history. Continuum of biological activity albeit varying rates of proliferation had resulted in accumulation of natural resources embedded in Earth and distributed at specific geographical niches. Biological perspective of earth history is significant in unraveling bio-geo-sphere interactions through geological time. Fossil records of invertebrates, vertebrates and plants are signals of major changes in earth’s evolutionary history. These constitute unparalleled windows to understand continental separation. Intercontinental and intra continental migration of living forms are also traced through fossil study.