Raiganj University

Within Information and Communication Technology world, Metaverse is an alarming and emerging name. Scientifically Metaverse is a virtual platform with three-dimensional nature and combines with not only virtual reality but also online gaming, and social media from which users can interact each other digitally, and it may be persistent, and to be always active and real-time based and to be effective in proper ecosystem. Metaverse is helpful not only in entertainment but also in minimizing the limitations of geographical boundaries and comes with the valuable services to consumers and users. Metaverse finally dedicated in developing massive virtual universe which are impossible in the real-world context. It comes with beyond gaming and entertainment and offers aspects and features in socializing, education and learning, smooth and effective business opportunities. The education segment is significantly changes in recent past and in traditional education different aspects and systems been included and in digital and online education diverse changes drastically improved traditional way of education. Rapidly evolving technological sphere gives various teaching methods, chalkboard/blackboard to digital smart classes. Metaverse offers higher amount of advancement and virtual world features which is dedicated in promoting digital and online education integrated with effectiveness, entertaining features. This chapter is about Metaverse including its features, characteristics, types with special reference to the impact, potentialities, and possibilities of Metaverse in the education and allied sectors.

The study highlights a novel approach of wastewater valorization through the application of consortia of probiotic, nitrifying, and denitrifying bacteria. With an emphasis on addressing global water scarcity, the present investigation explored the synergistic contributions of diverse microbial components in wastewater treatment through an eco-friendly approach. Probiotic bacteria are essential for maintaining a stable microbial ecosystem, whereas nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria play crucial roles in conversion and subsequent removal of nitrogenous substances. The review evaluated key performance indicators, such as nutrient removal efficiencies and microbial community dynamics, providing insights into the consortia’s functional capabilities. Additionally, the study discussed the potential applications of the wastewater in different sectors, highlighting economic and environmental benefits. Emphasizing challenges and opportunities, this review serves as a valuable resource for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers involved in advancing sustainable wastewater treatment strategies on a global scale.

The goal of sustainable agriculture is to meet the rising need for food, while minimizing adverse impacts on the environment, protecting natural resources, and ensuring agricultural output over the long term. The pressing need to increase agricultural yield through sustainable agriculture is being emphasized. Several Bacillus species have been used as commercial biopesticides since they can act against plant pathogens by potentially suppressing them. At the same time, they can act as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and are known for their diverse characteristics and beneficial properties, making them potential candidates for use sustainable crop production programs. Knowledge of genetic information opens the door of possibility for understanding the way these microorganisms behave. By applying biotechnological tools to Bacillus, strategies can be adopted for the purpose of increasing the yield of crops and managing pests and pathogens that infect them. In this review, we identify the genes in the most significant Bacillus spp. that contribute to plant improvement. The most important biotechnological tools and advance computational approaches are described to provide an extended vision on this topic. However, increasing the crop production through application of beneficial microbial strains requires a multifaceted approach that considers ecological, economic, and social aspects. By implementing these strategies and practices, we can work towards a sustainable and resilient agricultural system that meets the growing food demand, while preserving the environment for future generations.

Herein, we report the synthesis of an (E)‐N‐(pyridine‐3‐ylmethylene)pyridine‐2‐amine Schiff base (ENppa) and its Cu (II) complex (Cu‐ENppa) using 2‐aminopyridine (2APy) and pyridine‐3‐carbaldehyde (P3C). This study aimed to investigate the ADMET profiles, electronic features, antibacterial and anticorrosion activities of the synthesized ligand, and its Cu (II) complex. The compounds were characterized using various techniques, including CHN analysis, FT‐IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, MALDI‐TOF MS, ICP‐MS, SEM, TGA/DTA, UV–visible spectroscopy, and powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD). The Cu (II) ion exhibited tetrahedral geometry in the complex by coordinating with two nitrogen atoms, one from an imine group and the other from a pyridine ring. UV–visible spectroscopy and magnetic moment data also supported this geometry. TGA/DTA revealed three stages of decomposition at 141°C°C–255°C, 255°C°C–367°C, and 549°C°C–659°C, with CuO as the final residue. PXRD analysis identified ENppa and Cu‐ENppa as nanocrystallites, with crystallinities of 82% and 49%, respectively. Both compounds were highly effective in inhibiting mild steel corrosion in acidic media, with inhibition efficiencies of 97% and 98%, respective for Cu‐ENppa and ENppa. They also exhibited favorable ADME profiles, indicating potential as drug candidates for in silico ADME studies. The antibacterial activity results demonstrated promising efficacy, with Cu‐ENppa showing higher activity than ENppa.

A shortest-path algorithm determines the path with the lowest cost between two vertices in a graph/network. Through the use of information expressed in natural language, computing with words involves applying soft computing techniques to decision-making problems. In this chapter, we suggest a modified version of Dijkstra’s algorithm for finding the shortest paths in a linguistic Z-graph between a source node and all other nodes, where the arc lengths are denoted by some linguistic terms and a numerical value to represent weight in combined form. In a linguistic Z-graph, nodes are represented by linguistic elements, such as words or concepts, and edges are denoted by linguistic relationships between them. Also, we introduce a theoretical approach of homophily principles in linguistic Z-graphs to cover uncertainty accurately.

A crucial component of network analysis in a variety of contexts, including social networks and biological systems, is link prediction. Conventional link prediction techniques frequently depend on deterministic measurements, which are insufficient to reflect the intrinsic uncertainty present in real-world networks. We refer to linguistic Z-Graphs that work well for managing uncertainty. We further improve the ability to make decisions in uncertain contexts by integrating linguistic Z-numbers into the link prediction process. The proposed technique (DSS algorithm) of link prediction is dependent on nodes’ accuracy value, node degree, homophily, and heterophily in order to forecast the likelihood of a link between two vertices in the linguistic Z-Graph network.

Globally, hypertension among mid & old aged population is considered a severe chronic health issue. The latest LASI (longitudinal ageing study in India) wave data shows that in the northern region of India, middle-aged and elderly population have a higher prevalence of hypertension than in other parts of the country. Thus, this study aims to identify the risk factors for hypertension among the mid & old aged population of north India .This study has utilised the first wave of LASI secondary data. A total of 11476 respondents have been considered for this study. The Binary logistic regression model has been administered to determine the associated risk factors of hypertension among mid and old aged population. Our result shows that the higher odd ratios of hypertension found among respondents above 60 years old (OR = 1.55, 95%, CI = 1.38–1.73), urban dwellers (OR = 1.30, 95%, CI = 1.15–1.47), female respondents (OR = 1.56, 95%, CI = 1.33–1.81), diabatic respondents (OR = 2.86, 95%, CI = 2.41–3.40), richer respondents (OR = 1.56, 95%, CI = 1.29–1.89), non-Hindu religious groups (OR = 1.49, 95%, CI = 1.32–1.59), and depressed respondents (OR = 1.38, 95%, CI = 1.20–1.60). Therefore, formulating strategic policy to reduce the hypertension problem among mid & old-aged populations should be prioritised.

Research has shown that there is a close relationship between the fertility with the demographic and socioeconomic determinants. The human life is dependent on human characteristics. So, the human fertility is affected by the different aspects of demographic and socioeconomic determinants. This chapter focuses on role of demographic and socioeconomic determinants impact on tribal fertility of Dinhata-II block in the Cooch Behar District. The study was interview-based, with one respondent from one household. A total of 90 currently married women (CMW) who are in reproductive age group of 15–49 years olds were surveyed from 7 Gram Panchayat of Dinhata-II Block through a questionnaire survey during 25 December 2022 to 25 May 2023, with purposive random sampling technique and pre-designed questionnaire. The chi-square test was used to analyse the association between the fertility behaviour with the demographic and socioeconomic determinants of the tribal fertility. The multiple regression analysis was used to find out the most significant determinants and its significant role on fertility. According to the data, there was a significant relationship between the demographic and socioeconomic determinants of tribal fertility of the proposed study. The field survey report showing the children ever born, total number of pregnancies, gender preference and desire for son in the tribal families depends on the social determinant education status of married women and husband.

In this article, we report the results of the photocatalytic effect of the cost effective grown SnSe nanoparticles (NPs), nanoflakes (NFs), nanoflowers (NFLs) on the toxic water contaminant dye of Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation different duration time. The results showed that for the degradation of 99 %, 96 % and 94 % of the RhB have been occurred in presence of NFs, NFLs, NPs, respectively for the irradiation time of 30 min, 45 min, 65 min, respectively. Before photocatalytic test, the grown SnSe were characterised optically and structurally. The nanoparticles, nano flakes, nanoflowers morphology along with atomic composition of Sn and Se were observed from FESEM images and EDAX analysis. The direct band gap of the NPs, NFs, NFLs was calculated from UV‐VIS spectrum and found to be 1.89 eV, 1.78 eV, 1.7 eV, respectively. The crystal structure showed orthorhombic crystal phase with nanocrystal sizes varies from 22 nm to 31 nm. The Scavenger test in presence of the scavenging elements BQ, IPA, ethanol and EDTA have been discussed. The stability test showed that SnSe NFs is a good and stable catalysis for practical applications. The effect of the NFs, NPs, NFLs on red blood cell showed that all the tested SnSe nanostructures had <2 % hemolysis, suggesting their hemocompatible nature.

Treating bacterial infections triggered by multidrug‐resistant bacteria is a global priority. Issue of multidrug resistance can be managed by inhibiting bacterial quorum sensing mechanism. Quorum‐sensing inhibitors (QSIs) are promising alternatives to antibiotics. Herein, a library of FDA‐approved anthelmintic medications was screened using in silico techniques for LuxR protein associated with the quorum‐sensing (QS) mechanism of Staphylococcus aureus. Drug repurposing can reduce the time and financial risk of drug development. Seven FDA‐approved drugs (Fenbendazole, Mebendazole, Flubendazole, Praziquantel, Oxyclozanide, Rafoxanide, and Albendazole) showed strong binding affinity to the LuxR protein with binding free energy less than −6.00 kcal/mol. Molecular dynamic simulation (100 ns) of the docked complexes revealed that Fenbendazole and Rafoxanide remain at the binding pocket of the LuxR protein most of the time. During the whole simulation period, backbone of all seven complexes displayed small fluctuation in the RMSD and Rg. The free energy landscape of LuxR–Rafoxanide and LuxR–Fenbendazole complexes showed promising stability compared to the rest of the complexes. Both the complexes showed excellent MMPBSA binding free energy: −92.882 ± 15.636 kJ/mol (LuxR–Rafoxanide) and −74.873 ± 9.233 kJ/mol (LuxR–Fenbendazole). The reactivity of the ligands was ascertained from their DFT‐based various descriptors.

The rising demand for fresh and safe food is driving advancements in preservation technologies, with nanoparticles offering a revolutionary solution. These particles extend shelf life, preserve nutritional value, and enhance food safety, aligning with present consumer expectations. This study explores the eco-friendly synthesis, characterization, and application of silk sericin-based silver nanoparticles (SS-AgNPs) for antibacterial and food coating purposes. Silk sericin, a byproduct of the silk industry, is typically discarded despite its valuable properties like biocompatibility, biodegradability, and antimicrobial activity. In this research, sericin from Bombyx mori cocoons was used as a reducing and stabilizing agent to synthesize SS-AgNPs. Characterization was performed using UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Antibacterial tests confirmed the efficacy of SS-AgNPs against Pseudomonas sp. and Staphylococcus sp., while food coating trials on tomatoes significantly reduced weight loss and microbial contamination. Biocompatibility was further verified through hemolysis and MTT assays, confirming SS-AgNPs' safety for biomedical and food-related uses. This study underscores the potential to convert sericin waste into a valuable resource, promoting sustainability and increasing the commercial value of sericulture.

The study provides a descriptive understanding of the toxic effect of heavy metal chromium on the hematological, biochemical, and digestive enzyme profiles in the fingerlings of Labeo rohita. The 96-h LC50 of hexavalent chromium was found to be 15.76 mg/L. Further, the toxicity study was conducted with four different sub-lethal concentrations of 96-h LC50 viz. 1/40th, 1/20th, 1/10th, and 1/5th respectively. The blood samples from the control and treated groups exposed to different concentrations were examined for various physiological parameters. The obtained data showed that, with the increase in sub-lethal concentration, a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in red blood cell (RBCs), hemoglobin (Hb), and hematocrit (Hct) was observed, while total white blood cell (WBCs), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) increased significantly (p < 0.05) in all the treatments. Fishes exposed to chromium for 30 days responded by becoming hyperglycemic, hyperproteineric, and hypoalbuminemia with a gradual rise in concentrations. Alteration in the intestinal digestive enzyme profiles was also observed after 30 days of study. The activity of protease (89.76%), and amylase (41.88%) decreased in the intestine with the highest concentration compared to the control. Conversely, compared to the control, the highest concentration resulted in an increase (146%) in lipase activity. Overall, this study has greatly enhanced our comprehension of the impact of chromium toxicity on various hematological, biochemical, and digestive enzyme parameters in Labeo rohita.

For thousands of years, silkworms have been bred for their silk production, which is a crucial industry in many countries. Scientists have made significant progress in improving the production of silk through the study of silkworm genomics. This involves examining the entire genetic material of silkworms, including their DNA sequences, gene functions, and genetic variations among different strains. In 2004, the genome of the silk moth Bombyx mori was sequenced, a groundbreaking achievement in the field of insect genomics. This milestone has allowed researchers to identify key genes involved in silk production, development, immunity, and other essential biological processes. Silkworm genomics has revolutionized the field of sericulture by providing a deeper understanding of the genetic basis of silk production and other essential biological processes in silkworms. Genomics has also facilitated the development of molecular breeding strategies to improve desired traits in silkworms more efficiently. Silkworms are susceptible to various diseases that can significantly impact silk production. By identifying genes that confer resistance, scientists can develop silkworm strains with improved disease resistance, thereby reducing economic losses. The knowledge gained from studying the silkworm genome has significant implications for crop improvement, allowing researchers to develop silk with enhanced quality and quantity, breed silkworms with improved disease resistance, and explore new avenues for molecular breeding strategies. The continuous advancements in genomic technology and analytical techniques promise even more exciting discoveries and innovations in the future of silkworm research and sericulture industry. This chapter provides insights into the silkworm genomics and candidate genes identified using genomics for applications in silkworm breeding and inducing disease resistance, as well as its role in improving silk fiber.

Biodegradable polymeric membranes are attractive green alternatives to traditionally used artificial polymers, polypropylene suture, etc. and may find varied biomedical applications. Natural composite fiber silk biologically produced by the silkworm named Bombyx mori is structurally comprised of chiefly hydrophobic fibroin protein and hydrophilic glycoprotein sericin. Sericin primarily contains four amino acids, threonine, serine, glycine, and aspartic acid. It has two isoforms, sericin A (17% nitrogen) and sericin B (16.8% nitrogen). Sericin shows its attractive bioactivity because of its variable amino acid content. Recent biomedical applications of sericin stem from its altered amino acid composition and presence of different functional groups. Researchers have already reported sericin-based fibers, films, dressings, sponges, hydrogels, foams, and nanoparticles for plausible pharmaceutical and biomedical applications partnering to wound healing, tissue engineering, drug delivery, etc. This chapter provides a concise description about the development of sericin-based hybrid materials for biomedical applications and its future perspectives.

A new generalised non-local nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation is introduced which possesses a Lax pair and is parity–time (PT)-symmetric. Thus, it is confirmed that the generalised non-local NLS equation is integrable. The inverse scattering transform for the generalised non-local NLS equation is developed using a Riemann–Hilbert problem for rapidly decaying initial data and an approach for finding pure soliton solutions is described. The analytical characteristics of the eigenfunctions, scattering data and their symmetries are discussed. Finally, using Mathematica some important two-dimensional plots of the wave solutions are shown to illustrate the dynamics of the model.

The marine environment covers about 70% of the Earth’s surface, and its fisheries resources form a significant source of protein for the global population. Although abundant, these resources are not limitless. Ecologically, ocean or marine ecosystems regulate significant part of the climate. Almost 70% of the Earth’s surface is made up of open ocean ecosystem, which is the largest marine ecosystem. Society benefits greatly from healthy marine and terrestrial ecosystems in many ways, including food, materials, recreation, and carbon controls. Owing to the effects of climate change, growing human population, and increased pressure, marine ecosystems are changing quickly. The marine ecosystem provides extensive services of ecology. The ocean resources can be classified into two main sources of the wide variety of biotic and abiotic resources found in the seas and oceans. This chapter critically reviewed the aquatic bioprospecting of the marine through fishing.

Antimicrobial wound dressings offer enhanced efficacy compared to conventional dressing platforms by limiting bacterial infections, expediting the healing process, and creating a barrier against additional wound contamination. The use of silk derived from silkworm cocoons in wound healing applications is attributed to its exceptional characteristics. Compared to mulberry silk, sericin from non-mulberry cocoons has higher water exchange mobility and moisture retention. Eri, a non-mulberry silkworm, is an unexplored source of silk with an eco-friendly nature of production where the natural life cycle of silkworms is not disrupted, and no moths are sacrificed. This work reports on an eri silk cocoon-based scaffold decorated with silver nanoparticles as a wound dressing material effective against burn-wound-associated multiple-drug-resistant bacteria. The UV-vis spectroscopy showed maximum absorbance at 448 nm due to the surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles. FT-IR spectra exhibited the functional groups in the eri silk proteins accountable for the reduction of Ag⁺ to Ag⁰ in the scaffold. SEM-EDX analysis revealed the presence of elemental silver, and XRD analysis confirmed their particle size of 5.66–8.82 nm. The wound dressing platform showed excellent thermal stability and hydrophobicity, fulfilling the criteria of a standard waterproof dressing material, and anticipating the prevention of bacterial biofilm formation in chronic wounds. The scaffold was found to be effective against both Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC 87) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC 1688) multiple-drug-resistant pathogens. Electron microscopy revealed the bacterial cell damage, suggesting its bactericidal property. The results further revealed that the scaffold was both hemocompatible and cytocompatible, suggesting its potential application in chronic wounds such as burns. As an outcome, this study presents a straightforward, cost-effective, and sustainable way of developing a multifunctional wound dressing platform, suggesting its significant therapeutic potential in clinical and biomedical sectors and facile commercialization.

In accordance to the American Heart Association (AHA), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death around the globe, causing more than 19.1 million deaths in 2020. Heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) is required for the metabolism of fatty acids (FA) inside cardiomyocytes is reported as a biomarker for myocardial damage. As early as one hour after an Acute myocardial infarction (AMI), H-FABP can be used to detect myocardial ischemia. Thus, H-FABP based detection can reduce the burden on the emergency department. A peptide-based detection system can provide point-of-care diagnostics for CVDs. There is a lot of research being done on peptide-based detection, and it has a lot of potential to help with unmet medical diagnostic needs. A twelve (12) amino acid peptide has been discovered using Phage Display Library Screening. The affinity of peptide with H-FABP and other FABPs has been done using molecular docking and ADMET profile has been done. Molecular docking of small peptides against the target protein can play a crucial role in recognizing peptide binding sites and poses. The docking study was done using the HDOCK server and the visualization of the docked complex was done using Pymol and UCSF chimera. The molecular simulation study of three protein-peptide complexes were done which also validated the binding affinity of peptide with the proteins. The RMSD, RMSF and radius of gyration are also analyzed. The results indicate that H-FABP shows higher level of binding interaction with the peptide having bond length ranging from 2.3 to 3.4 Å. The screened peptide is suitable for H-FABP binding and can be used for prognosis purposes in the heart ischemic conditions.

Designated silkworms (Antheraea mylitta D.) are found in the Smilipal Biosphere Reserve (SBR) and consist of four ecological groups. This study examined the genetics of eight ethnic groups from four ecological groups (Modal, Nalia, Bogai and Jata) using RAPD and ISSR markers. The RAPD primer produced 127 bands, of which 41 out of 116 polymorphic regions had a PIC value above 0.45. ISSR markers assigned PIC data values to 57 of 127 polymorphic sites. Cluster analysis revealed genetic differences between ecological populations, with markers separating ecological populations into groups. Low testicles and high genetic diversity indicate that these individuals are at different levels. If adequate protection is not provided, the risk of extinction of ecospecies designed in SBR increases. This study shows that the combined use of RAPD + ISSR markers can improve the results of the technology in identifying different diseases in situations where genomic information is limited.