Shivsanjeevi Sripathi

This book on biodiversity encompasses concepts and research findings on this topic. The CBD or Convention on Biological Diversity defines biological diversity as "the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part: this includes diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems." This book comes at a time when the threats to biodiversity are enormous given the extensive destruction of nature under the name of "development." In addition to statistics, interesting organisms and facts with research findings, this book also briefly covers the threats and solutions to mitigate the threats.

This book covers the essentials of a few types of blood cells and goes on to discuss the number of these cells both under healthy conditions and during disease (can we say in sickness and health?). Results from research papers have been shared to enable a reader to see that the data is backed by actual findings. An important aspect is then covered-blood transfusion. This becomes very important in today's scenario given the pandemic. In fact, the Red Cross issued a statement of dire shortage during the pandemic, which seems to have spilled over after the pandemic. Many of these chapters have included the relevance of artificial intelligence (AI) given the booming interest and emergence of this field.

Metabolic engineering is the actual engineering of metabolism-the reactions that sustain life. This book covers the need for cell engineering by starting off with several applications of plants and microbes followed by the approaches. The application of artificial intelligence(AI) and machine learning(ML) in this field, along with case studies, has also been covered. This becomes pertinent given the entry of this field in almost all aspects of living! Several examples of metabolic engineering have been covered to enable a reader to be aware of the concepts and developments.

Temples have been constructed by sages, kings and people to serve as a channel where one can experience the divinity that has been consecrated. When our phone batteries lose charge they go out-this requires us to charge them by connecting them to a source of power. They are then back in action. Our lives in today's world and our karma makes us also lose our aim, mood or in other words our "battery" goes out. Temples and mantras then serve as the sources of power-in this case what we call as Shakti that can be seen as Ganesha or Shiva or Devi or Vishnu or Hanuman. Such temples also are centers of art, culture and economic growth sustaining the material and spiritual life of people. This book would be a compilation of sacred geometries and temple centers-a brief snapshot of the architecture, history and science of the spots. The temples will be given as per the directions: north, south, east and west with the temples grouped under each direction. The aim is to enable any seeker/traveler to gain access to select well-known and relatively lesser-known temples in India along with valid pointers. This will be the first such book presenting this data in this format.

Biotherapeutics refer to therapeutic approaches with the active substance extracted or produced from a biological source. This book is one of the first in compiling select biotherapeutics-based systems viz. mAbs, ADCs, cytokines, growth factors and nucleic acids backed by research studies. This paves the way for part 2 listing the remaining technologies with research-backed data. This research-backed book presents insights and developments for several issues that plague humanity including case studies of COVID-19.

Man has always been on a quest for answers and the search for molecules suitable to target ailments or their causes such as pathogens has intensified with the COVID-19 epidemic. The marine environment is home to 32 of the 33 animal phyla that are recognized with 15 types exclusively only marine! This diversity in genetics opens up the avenue for chemical diversity setting the stage for novel drugs. This book is the first to describe the promise of marine organisms as a treasure chest of molecules to target a slew of diseases. This is inclusive of what has been presented by research in terms of quelling symptoms of diabetes, CVD and rheumatoid arthritis-that are all chronic conditions still on the quest for a "perfect cure".

This book presents interesting insights into allergic diseases. Apart from discussing its prevalence around the world, a range of indoor allergens has also been covered as backed by research. This includes carpets as potential sinks of allergens and pet fur along with practical tips for handling them. An interesting research finding on the role of "personality" and food allergy has also been covered. This becomes vital in today's times when "personality development" is at the forefront. The impact of mental health on allergies and vice versa has also been presented.

Whether it is a newspaper article or an internet "trend" or countless advertisements on social media-one molecule that most people know is "cholesterol". Given this background, this book is the first of the series on cholesterol. After a brief introduction of the key aspects of its synthesis and processing, research studies have been presented discussing the global cholesterol profiles, the roles of genes, as well as links between COVID-19 and cholesterol.

According to the WHO Fact Sheet (January 2020), the numbers of people suffering from depression globally exceed 264 million people. The sheet goes on to describe that depression is "a common illness". In the recent COVID-19 epidemic, studies have shown that the prevalence of depressive disorder was around four times than what was reported in the second quarter of 2019, showing how depression has affected our lives due to a pandemic. This book comes at a time when the world is on the path to recovering from the aftermath of a viral epidemic: healing at physical, emotional, financial, social, and mental aspects. It features new insights into handling depression, and pointers that can be kept in mind while discussing with a healthcare provider during the design of the treatment module.