Our sixty sixth independence day

Today is our Independence Day. The day is precious to us because we celebrate the meaning of ‘Swatantra’ today.  We have acquired independence or ‘Swatantrata’ in exercising, executing, effecting, accomplishing and implementing our freedom to get in to all kinds of creative endeavor whatever we wish to pursue. Creation is the basis for expressing new ideas emanating from within. Creation is the basis of foundation, invention, design, establishment and manufacture. In freedom and independence of individuals and our nation, lie the germs of developing technologies.


On the mid-night of August 14, 1947 our beloved leader Nehru in a part of his great speech to the nation said,’ At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom…..’ This was a great speech but factually what was mentioned was not correct:  the world was not sleeping; the entire west including USA was awake and was toiling for developing new technologies, new inventions and new discoveries! Asia might have been sleeping…..


Our emphasis on our freedom and independence have not have been adequate for new technologies, new inventions and new discoveries.


I have greatest esteem for those for whose work and sacrifice we got freedom and independence. I am also very proud that we have made phenomenal progress during the last 65 years after our independence and have created considerable wealth for our country. But the point is, ‘Are these adequate?’


Even today we know that we have the largest numbers of poor people in the world compared to any other country.


Two major indicators come to my mind the working on which shall  improve the  destination of our  nation : one, the income and wealth  distribution are not rational nor has the created wealth percolated among the people in a balanced manner ; and two , we have not put whole-hearted attention on developing appropriate technologies for our people.

I strongly believe that by emphasizing on the conceptualization, creation, nurturing, development and propagation of tiny and small industries in diverse sectors, we can greatly even up the income and wealth distribution disparities. This would require people-friendly policies created and propagated by the country, which would include political will, access to money, space, materials, skills, transportation, markets, competition and enforcement of law & order.


I also believe that the application of efficient technologies, which would provide us with opportunities for a quantum leap in all areas of our concern and activities, must be developed by our people for our use. Basic science is important; but  bogging down to basics without applications would cut down so much of our resources that we would  never have the chance to share the fruits of our understanding in our life time! Our science and technological institutions would have to contribute more in applications and application –oriented skills.


As a proud citizen of our great country, while celebrating our 66th independence day, I look forward to possibilities that take shape in evening up our wealth distribution through socially acceptable scientific methods by the application of country-developed novel and appropriate technologies. Jai Hind!

Molecular Diagnostics: Emerging Technologies

Molecular Diagnostics: Emerging Technologies

Human born from two haploid cells forming a zygote cell, divides up to 10 trillion cells in life-time. Each nucleated cell has 22 pairs plus either one pair of XY or XX chromosomes in the nucleus. Human genome is stored in 23 chromosome pairs and a small mitochondrial DNA. Haploid human genome occupies a total of over three billion DNA base pairs. Nearly 30,000 to 40,000 protein-coding genes each individual possesses. Humans also carry over 90 trillion microbes in the gut. Each human life is an orchestra of manifestation of events in an environment, emanating from own 10 trillion cells and carried 90 trillion microbes. Human possesses more DNA from environment than what it inherits and magnifies in its life process. In a physical environment, all the manifestations of health or diseases emanate from own and acquired cells, where expressions stem from the genes through transcription and translation, manifesting a wide range of properties through enzymes, diverse metabolites and other substances. All precise predictions reside in the understandings that emanate and spread from the DNA level.

The aim of effective molecular diagnostics is to find effective biomarkers. A biomarker is a molecule or a response of the cells/tissues/body, which can be objectively measured /evaluated as an indicator of normal biologic processes, pathogenic processes, or pharmacologic responses. In microbial diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases or diabetes or other chronic diseases a biomarker refers to a substance or a process that is indicative of the presence or dormant stage of the disease in the body. Genetic, epigenetic, proteomic and glycomic biomarkers can be used for diagnosis, prognosis and epidemiology. These markers can be assayed non-invasively from the collected biological fluids/ body fluids. Examples of genetic biomarkers are: BRCA1 for breast cancer, GDF15 for bladder cancer, Troponin I and CRP for cardio vascular diseases etc.

In molecular diagnostics, the aim is to measure polymorphism of SNPs, haplotype blocks, candidate genes (genes suspected to be involved in an expression), certain proteins and metabolytes as also the spectra of microbial genome in the gut. Information on and about polymorphism is to be generated, measured and correlated with health or disease status.

The key issues in the development hover around measurement of polymorphism, the speed of measurement and the instruments used. Worldwide floods of information are being generated and validated presently correlating with disease risks though new information on: SNPs, haplotype blocks, disease linked DNA/RNA sequences, candidate genes and allelies, novel proteins, novel metabolites, study of cell systems at a single cell level and study of human gut microbial genetics. Computational methods are being developed through robust cyber infrastructure. In all such studies, effective linkages are being established between environmental, dietary, and behavioral data-sets for eco-genetic analysis. High throughput measurements are being evolved to integrate phenotypes with genotypes and to enable application of personalized medicines. Breakthrough tests from the above techniques and analysis shall predict the present and future states of body and evolve suggestive /predictive care. Our expectations are that simple, doable and cost-effective diagnostic device should appear soon to serve human health better.

The main of molecular diagnostics is to predict and prevent diseases well in advance and to support more appropriate personalized medicines. In future, scenario of molecular diagnostics seems to appear like this: a patient would come for an examination to a physician; the physician will collect a sample of body fluid and subject the sample to genomic sequencing; the SNP and the haplotype pattern, for example shall be known where from the physician shall link the status with problems in the body of the patient through computational software programs, which are already prepared and available through a computer. The physician would therefore be able to suggest if the patient needs a medication or what should be done to prevent a disease that is going to appear soon or what additional test must be carried out to conclude about the ailment of the patient. In some cases, the physician may pick up blood samples or samples from the solid tumors and would find the extent of mutated cells in the body to have insight on whether the patient is going to get into the symptoms of certain chronic diseases. In many cases the sequencing data would enable the physician to correlate what medicine would be more suitable for the patient suffering from certain chronic diseases. Such would be the feat and power of molecular diagnostics!

Molecular diagnostics are gaining importance because of high speed of innovative research; discovery of more reliable advanced techniques and machines as well as better understanding of disease progression. People are also becoming more health conscious and as there is an increase in the middle class families, their abilities to pay are also increasing. This situation is also seen as an advantage by the manufacturers as the services are supposed to be more remunerative. The government policies are also supportive to the development as molecular diagnostics are eventually promising better health opportunities to the people.

The future of molecular diagnostics is therefore seen to proceed as under:

1. Knowledge about our body at DNA level would become more profound.

2. Correlations between individual genomic information with own microbial genomics information shall be stronger and methods would be available to make change in the microbial flora in individual gut.

3. Genetics and genome studies would become more personal for individual care, individualized therapy and individualized cure.

4. Genomics & Proteomics would hold the key for innovation in discovery of predictive biomarkers.

5. Every individual will have his/ her genome sequenced fully and would know distinct SNP patterns and haplotype blocks , empowering the physicians for decision making, for choosing more appropriate drugs in chronic diseases.

6. All validated molecular techniques shall lead to more patient empowerment.

7. In the coming years low cost, simple, non-invasive and predictive tests are going to take very important position in our lives and healthcare system.

GMO’s ARE GOING TO BE IMPORTANT IN INDIAN AGRICULTURE

When the Bt-cotton technology was authorized by the Indian Government for commercial cultivation in March 2002, it was thought that in years to come, newer genetically modified (GM) seeds and plant cultivars shall make profound positive impact in Indian agriculture. It was a strong and positive call for the country from its authoritative level. Immediately thereafter, there was a need for an action-plan from the government for upgrading its basic infrastructure for handling different kinds of GM seeds that were expected to emerge from research within the country or through imports or both. The central and the state governments were to plan and move together in the matter for obtaining and determining a fast success in the country in the use of GM plant technologies to benefit Indian agriculture.

Bt refers to a Gram-positive soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt); Bt produce among others ,a kind of proteins named as ‘Cry’ proteins; these proteins are toxic to a wide range of caterpillars in their crawling stage of life-forms; when ingested, the caterpillars die. Bt-cotton is the man-made cotton plant where specific genetic materials coding for Bt –proteins have been stably integrated in to the genome of cotton plants by a technology, known as the recombinant DNA technology. By doing so, the Bt-cotton plants during their growth and survival produce among other substances, Bt- proteins too. Therefore, caterpillars feeding on any part of such cotton plant would die.

In order to derive benefits from the use of newer GM seeds and plant cultivars in a wide range of settings such as obtaining disease resistant cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables as also producing nutritionally enriched food ushered newer hopes .Through the use of recombinant DNA technology, the preservation of freshness of fruits and vegetables were also considered as doable possibilities. There was therefore a need to prepare the country for the accomplishments.

The action -plan included plans for actions for increased up- gradation abilities of the central and state-government institutions including those supported by the government as autonomous institutions as also the autonomous public sector facilities like the state and the central agricultural universities and institutions for assessing environmental and ecological safety issues linked with the use of GM seeds and cultivars. The food safety issues were also to be addressed and the national institutions dealing with food and nutritional safety had to be activated. It was amply understood that addressing the environmental, ecological and food safety issues were intimately linked with the societal acceptance of these new products both scientifically and emotionally. It was surmised that well-thought out protocols for large field studies of GM plants, animals, and microorganisms would be prepared ; the effects of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on flora and fauna would be thoroughly studied in the public sector settings and the data would be published for the benefit of the public; scientifically sound animal models would be developed for assessing the safety of food containing GM traits; a couple of model transgenic microorganisms would be developed for producing the transgenic proteins in large quantities so as to generate monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies in lab animals for easing quantitation of transgenic traits in target GMOs or non-target life forms, where transgenic traits might spill over. Further, national facilities would be set up for insect-rearing and for developing bioassays for quantitation of insect-lethal proteins. Also, analytical methods would be developed and standardized at the national level to trace transgenic traits in the open environment or in traded agricultural commodities or in the food products. Empowerment of the national system would enable the government to handle the rational development of GMOs within the country as well as to decide on importing such materials containing varied trans-genetic traits. Concomitantly, at the decision making level as well at the scientific institutions there was a profound need of having more numbers of scientifically trained people to address the diverse issues and complexities associated with the utilization of GMOs in commercial agriculture.

Every country makes progress with the passage of time. India must have also made considerable progress during the last 10y after the first authorization of GMOs (the lepidopteron insect-resistant cotton, popularly known as the Bt-cotton) in commercial agriculture in the country. Much of the capacity building traits as enumerated above may have been in place though there are no public access to those. The research towards achieving specific products of GM seeds to significantly enhance productivity in agriculture is also not visible yet. By the end of 2011, the Indian people have not heard about any new announcement about the introduction of any new transgenic trait in its open environment in agriculture other than a range of Bt-cotton. It is not clear therefore, to the common people if the use of the GMOs had been considered to be an important positive aspect for improving the productivity of Indian agriculture. There has not been any assertive statement from the authorities of the country if strong emphasis was placed on the use of this technology at least during the future years as one strong option, to address the emerging issues of food security.

None can belittle certain crucial facts that have come to light such as due to intense human activities and factors linked with increase in human population all over the world (demand for more energy for example for diverse reasons leading to increase in greenhouse gasses), there will be rise in the temperature across the world which shall lead to some visible catastrophe. There shall be rise in the sea-level, which would cause penetration of sea-water into many parts of fertile land. Ultra-violet light shall penetrate the ozone layer more in many parts of the world and shall show its deleterious effects in terms of reduced agricultural productivity in certain areas, and increase in certain diseases in human and animals.

On the other end, the world population is no longer natural. Science has provided a world that has contained major childhood diseases by the development and use of more than a dozen of improved vaccines. Improvement in medical science has contributed to increase in longevity which is manifested in far large number of aged, but active people all around. Thus while on one hand, more food has to be produced, on the other hand, salt and temperature-tolerant plant cultivars would have to be developed. There would also be the need for drought-tolerant seeds and plant materials in certain areas while at many other areas water-stress resistant plants would be in great need for utilizing water-logged or flooded lands for agriculture. Moreover, there would be profound need for the long-term preservation of natural food including crops, cereals, fruits and vegetables for longer times, preventing these from spoilage or delaying of ripening.

Seeds and planting materials for deployment in such conditions would not be developed without the use of recombinant DNA technology, where possibilities exist for isolating, reconstructing and integrating genetic traits in to plant cultivars that do not possess them. The resulting GM seeds and planting materials could be used in situations and in lands possessing adverse conditions. It would not be possible to develop seeds and planting materials suitable for such conditions, by any other method including the breeding technology.

Pest resistant or disease-tolerant or herbicide resistant plants have been the low-pick developmental needs of recombinant DNA technology, where success is already in place and GM plants are used in commercial agriculture in several parts of the world. The brighter sides of the deployment of GM plants thus far have been their contributions to reducing the use of chemical pesticides, reduction in the deployment of human labor (for herbicide resistant plants) thereby reducing agricultural production costs, and concomitant increase in agricultural productivities, often due to longer periods of sound plant health, especially during their productive periods. GM plants have also been used for producing better qualities of carbohydrates and triglycerides and some other traits. While some of these achievements have been downplayed by local public, the use of GMOs could not be stopped because of overall economic benefits, which accrued to the farmers and to the society.

The main objections from the vocal public against the use of GM seeds and planting materials have been that (1) these substances enhance the spread of different kinds of nucleic acids and genetic materials across a wide range of genera and species that do not naturally possess them , such spread in ‘unnatural’ and therefore, such happenings could be catastrophic and must be avoided; (2) some of these trans-genetic materials code for toxic proteins that, when ingested by other living forms can create catastrophes by manifestation of toxicity or allergenicity; in smaller life forms , toxicities could kill or adversely affect population and thus could disturb the ecology of the environment; in higher life forms like in animals toxicities could limit the food chain; (3) food , feed and fodder toxicity or allergenicity could adversely affect the human and animal food chain; (4) the long-term effect of trans-genes opens up the possibilities of transfer of unwanted traits across the natural boundaries of species barriers; (5) since the technologies are held presently by a hand-full of private companies, the food security issues will have to be transferred to the whims of a few technology-rich private companies. Transfer genetic materials across the species barriers takes place naturally, even though the spread is very slow. ‘Unnatural’ transfers across the barriers have to have the capacity to survive; in most of the times, ‘unnatural’ genetic transfers are aborted, or the generated ‘new substance’ self-destroys it. Only a few trans-genetic constructs, the fittest ones, created by human kind survive. Such created clones are to be continuously multiplied and propagated to keep the genetic traits ‘alive’. In natural settings, most often the trans-genetic traits get aborted. Even in situations where such traits have escaped to the environment, these have not manifested with any situation that cannot be handled by human kind. The stories of ‘super weed’ formation or ‘genetic contamination resulting in catastrophe’ are exaggerated. All trans-genetic substances are tested for safety on a precautionary principle before these are released by any country for commercial use; unsafe substances are never released. All risks are assessed rigorously by scientifically deployed methods. Unfortunately, the present day science cannot find answers to certain questions of safety such as the long term use of GMOs. However for this uncertainty, a close watch is kept on the use of each GMO; any substantial adversity shall call for its withdrawal. Some people think that it would not be possible to withdraw substances, once these are set out to the open environment. This fear is untenable as GMOs that are linked with irreversible damage ( such as growth hormone gene containing fish that have high feed conversion ratio but are known to have lower longevity than the natural counterpart)) are not allowed by the governments to be propagated in the open environment. Unintended release is expected to be contained by nature as the law of survival for the fittest would eventually prevail; humankind might not have precise clues for such happenings though. Use of GMOs more extensively shall enable the development of newer technologies that will diffuse the presently surmised monopolistic situation. Introduction of Bt-otton in India resulted in the development and introduction of more than one alternate technology, which were different from Monsanto’s Bollgard cotton. Necessities drove the development of alternatives! There is a strong case therefore, for the faster use of the GMO technology across the world and in poor countries like India. Introduction of any new technology carries with it several kinds of risks; people using those technologies would learn to live with the risks. People would also learn to contain them.

People from the developing world spend a large sum of their income on food. In extremely poor settings, such expenses can go even up to 70% of their income. This situation cannot be adequately appreciated by people from the developed world where expenses on food are minor part of their earnings. Choice of better food materials that are grown without the use of pesticides, or which are natural, or which are grown organically are options no doubt. But these options are more suiting to the needs of the rich and the rich nations. Any reduction in the price of safe food resulting from the deployment of better technologies is a much needed option of the poor nations. Use of genetically modified seeds or planting materials, resulting in higher productivities directly or indirectly, is therefore an option for reducing the cost of food. Countries are free to make their individual food choices. But such choices should not be influenced by emotional reasoning or pre-emptive threats of risks that have neither been proven nor detected.

We do not and cannot live in a ‘natural world’ anymore! The food that is produced is primarily from our agriculture. Our agriculture utilizes seeds and planting materials that have been developed over many years of research, utilizing different kinds of technologies. Our seeds and planting materials cannot even survive in pure natural settings; those that would survive would not yield productivities without the inputs of fertilizer, water, pesticides and many more. For that matter, even we are not natural anymore. Food, shelter, medicines, hygiene, clothing, education and social environment have radically changed with the deployment of different kinds of technologies the world-over. In such a setting, we cannot ignore the potentials of GM seeds and plant cultivars merely on the basis of voices that do not find comforts from their deployment.

In such a setting, what has been done within the country for intensively utilizing the GMOs in Indian agriculture? A visit at web page at www.igmoris.nic.in provides a glimpse of the status of Indian development in GM plant applications in agriculture including those in the developmental stage. The scenario depicts a weak standing of preparedness at the national level. This also portrays substantial weakness in the scientific and technological developments of GMOs in the public sector settings in the country. Moreover, the preparedness of the country to exhaustively examine the benefits or the short-comings including risks are not adequately elaborated. Should we therefore, redesign our strategy?

Spirit of Nature

Spirit of Nature

I was one day casually watching

A large droplet of water

On a blossomed lotus leaf

Shinning during the soft morning hours of autumn!

In the split of a second I found

The lotus flower passing a naughty blinking look with a sober flying expression of affection

Through its pink wide-open eyes and the shinning yellow lips,

Sending a storm of glee and joy all around!

A puff of wind blew away delightfully over the shinning droplet

The mid-aged leaf resting at leisure on the calm surface of water

Became restless on its bed

As the droplet started to dance, stimulated from the wink!

The sky above me was clearly at glee

And in a chorus joined the trees and the grasses from the green fields all around

The droplet remained engrossed in its own delight

As I rediscovered the innate fortitude of Nature in its integrated whole!

COCOON

COCOON

We slowly and gradually create

Our own varieties of cocoons around.

These mature and get stronger with the span of time.

We create within, our own planet and a new universe of our own

Our satellites and many more are invented around!

And we get engrossed within

In its limited space of narrowness

And the egoistic smelling labyrinth

Almost everyone during the entire life span

Do not sense the incompleteness and limitations of our own cocoons!

Life is larger than fantasy and fiction

The limitless spectra take us to situations unknown

Through experiences of unbearable pain or limitless joy,

Though greatest events of successes

Or through most miserable moments of failures!

The bondage and limitations of our souls

Get shaken up in such never-experienced situations.

Our so securely created individual cocoons staying around

Break away in to pieces in the split of a second!

Then and only then we discover the strength of our soul!

We discover that our souls are gifted with wings

Liberated, the souls can freely fly anywhere in any direction to any place

And from the high sky every cocoon looks narrow, small and alike!

Liberated, we get to realize

We are attached to none except to the Creator who sets us free!

POETRY

POETRY

For professionals and businesslike minds of diverse kinds like ours

Often we do not come to recognize when poetry or verse comes to us

Silently she steps in through our quiet or busy but distinctly lonely times

Poetry dresses herself soft and attractive every time she is very close to us

Suiting our tastes and molding us softer at our diversely different transacting moods!

Poetry arrives to awaken us to magnify our expressions of thought

Poetry is much closer to our mind and surely to our heart

But at times we do not wish to accept or to recognize the emotions

We, the professionals with businesslike mindset are often more close to our brain

Although we recognize the strengths that bind and unite through the feelings of heart

We lament when we fail regretting why we didn’t use our thoughts

Expressed more in the words of emotional knots

Through her sweet and meaningful verse,

Even though that would mean a bit worse

Some defeat in the pride of our intellectual logistic thoughts.

Poetry is a companion, a creative entity of every one of us

Poetry is the expression of maturity of our thoughts

Poetry empowers us, poetry provides us with strength

And for those who spend time with her more

They appear emotional, ripened and expressive from the core!

Poetry leaves for them who are closer to her

More of her finer humane and imaginative qualities of creations

In all their expressions, demonstrations and acts,

In the diversities of life, in all the determining events

Through the manifestation of maturities and through the detailing of thoughts.

THE TOP EXECUTIVE

THE TOP EXECUTIVE

As the head of a business unit

I have certainly a duty to perform.

Through measures and actions,

The targets of production, sales and profits must surely come.

The relations I develop with acquaintances at workplace

Are often casual and informal,

With feelings of inadequate zeal,

Though these are not considered strange or abnormal!

I have a heart

Within my flesh and blood,

That seeks to build relations,

To be closer to be delighted and to be glad.

Feelings could get worked up in emotions,

But I need to hide them and I can’t surely express.

I must act as the symbol of substance

That remains unchanged in good times or in distress!

From my office,

I have no time to breathe a sigh of relief!

I don’t come to know how the tired days

Lie down in the laps of mother darkness in trust and belief!

The charms of morning hours

That I felt in my youth are all lost in daily routine,

The monster of burden forces me relentlessly

To be set in, to be focused and to be competent to win!

When in my car I am traveling alone,

I sometime engage

My eyes to take a glimpse of the flying birds,

The moving herds and the morning rays!

And the joys of the silent mansions

And the dancing branches of the left over trees…

They make me to feel for moments

That I am alive as before, I can be careless to hug the nature and the breeze!

But in moments I realize that I cannot stop

Nor can I wait,

For my assignments

Must be met!

And this is the flavor of life of all top brass executives,

Alike the best Managers too of any country often are!

Joys, pleasures of togetherness or leisure for their personal care

Are often lost from their world forever!