Markush-Darc

Markush DARC system, 18 212, 230, 245 Markush structures, 18 206 Markush TOPFRAG programs, 18 226 Marl, 15 28... 

Whatever the search software offered, however, the database was of utmost importance. The DARC system not only offered a means to search generic structures in the short term, it also offered a way to record all of the information about structures found in patents, through a new and flexible input system. This capability was of incredible import to Derwent we could build a database that would not only serve the users today, but in future could be of more utility as search software was further developed. As opposed to the fragmentation code, there should never be a question of time-ranging. Moreover, though we assume that Markush DARC is a system not only of today but of tomorrow, we are building a database that can be converted and adapted to other search systems that may be offered by other organisations. 

Derwent was able to reduce the number of concepts required as Superatoms by the use of further qualifiers, or Attributes, for Superatoms and atoms generally. Markush DARC afforded Derwent the capability not only to index normal types of attributes, such as charge, abnormal mass, abnormal valency, and presence of deuterium or tritium, but also to indicate special attributes on the Superatom terms. These attributes are consistently applied to all occurrences of Ring or Chain Superatoms. 

Markush DARC, with a test database of 1321 compounds drawn from INPI and Derwent indexing, went into beta-test on 26 May 1987. We estimate that these 1321 compounds represent, conservatively, four million individual chemical compounds. Considering that the test database represents only five weeks of input data, the possibilities for the future are astounding, if not a bit unnerving. 

The future system that will be offered to the chemical searching community represents the high level of investment and effort expended by both Derwent and INPI, in the creation of standards by which chemicals in patents are indexed. However, no database is effective if there is not a system by which it can be searched, and here is where full credit is due to the Telesystemes DARC team. Markush DARC is available today, a testament to the excellence and ingenuity of Jean-Claude Roussel, Technical Manager of the DARC team, his current staff, and the people that created DARC as a flexible piece of software in the past. 

Markush DARC represents a system from which we can progress. Derwent and INPI have built in essential information into the database that allows for future expansion of capabilities. These capabilities include generic search, translation of generic expressions to specifics and specifics to generic expressions, and sophisticated limitations in search results. Derwent believes that the Markush DARC system should be viewed as not only a product of today, but also as an embryonic representation of what the future holds. 

CAS = chemical abstracts service CDB = IFI/Plenem comprehensive code DWPI = Derwent world patents index INPI = Institut national de la propriete industrielle (the french patent office, producer of pharmsearch) MARPAT = chemical abstracts service database of Markush chemical structures from patents MDARC = Markush DARC MPHARM = pharmsearch Markush file, produced by INPI WPIM = world patents index Markush file. 

Markush DARC (MDARC) is commercially available on the Questel online system, and contains two databases World Patents Index Markush (WPIM), produced by Derwent Information, Ltd. and Markush Pharmsearch (MPHARM), produced by Institut National de la Ptopriete Industrielle (INPI, the French patent office). The initial development of MDARC was a collaboration between Questel and INPI. This development was later Joined by Derwent with commercial implementation in 1987. 

Schmuff has published a comparison of MARPAT and Markush DARC software. To generalize, at this stage both commercially available systems have similar capabilities in terms of retrieval and overall functionality. Both systems have the ability to represent in their databases and queries generic nodes typical of Markush structures in patents. Both systems have translation capabilities between generic node.s and specific nodes in database records and queries, and both systems have the ability to highlight elements in the database record that caused the retrieval. The similarities no doubt reflects the Sheffield connection, which both Questel and STN supported, but also the demands the patent searching community, which the developers of both systems consulted with extensively. 

MARPAT contains up till now, in addition to the Registry database, 200,000 Markush structures. The CA abstract number and therefore the reference to the patent is mentioned with each structure. MARPAT is one of the only two information sources worldwide, which allow structure searching only in patents and ascertain the most obscure substance which could be concealed in a Markush structure. Without the support of computer programs the systematic interpretation of Markush structures would often be impossible. The second database, which offers similar possibilities, is Markush DARC (Sect. 7.8). 

Apart from MARPAT there is another database describing Markush structures, it is the Markush system of Derwent in combination with the database PHARMPAT of the Institut National de la Propriete, which is offered exclusively by the host QUESTEL, where it is searchable using the Markush-Darc system. Markush-Darc is a joint venture by Derwent Publications Ltd., the Institut National de la Propriete Industrielle and QUESTEL. It has been available since 1989 online and contains two files ... 

The DARC-Fl format was initially developed for Markush-DARC to allow the transfer of Markush structures to the host from the PCs used by the data base producers with the Markush registration software. 

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