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Purpose: The study aims to compare the analgesic efficacy of two analgesic interventions, continuous paravertebral (PVB) nerve block alone with continuous paravertebral and intercostal nerve block (PVB/ICB) in patients undergoing thoracotomy. Methods: A total of 70 patients undergoing thoracotomy were randomly enrolled in either continuous paravertebral nerve block (PVB) group or in continuous paravertebral and intercostal nerve block (PVB/ICB) group and received corresponding blocks. Analgesic efficacy measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain score, hemodynamic effects, total narcotic consumption, sedation score, patient's length of stay in hospital and patient's satisfaction with the analgesic technique were recorded. Results: Demographic characteristics of the patients were similar in both groups. The mean VAS pain score was not statistically significant in both groups at 24 h. The mean pulse rate and blood pressures were comparable in both groups for the first 24 h. Nalbuphine consumption was significantly higher in PVB group as compared to PVB/ICB group at 1 h (p = 0.01), 6 h (p = 0.03) and 12 h (p = 0.009) and 24 h (p = 0.03). The mean total nalbuphine consumption in the PVB group was higher (28.29 mg vs. 22.63 mg) and statistically significant then PVB/ICB group (p = 0.03). The total tramadol consumption as a rescue analgesic was higher in the PVB group (131.42 mg) as compared to PVB/ICB group (120 mg) after 24 h but not statistically significant (p = 0.17). Conclusion: Continuous paravertebral nerve block with intercostal nerve block provides effective post-operative pain relief after thoracotomy with reduced narcotic consumption compared to continuous paravertebral nerve block alone. Clinical trial registration number: Clinicaltrails.gov NCT04715880. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a switched multibeam multi-sector array antenna is proposed to provide 3-D coverage for vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) under 5G-IoT application framework. The multi-sector design is optimized using a quality-conscious communication area synthesis process to achieve $\mathbf {360}^\circ$ coverage in azimuth. Each sector of the design has two microstrip array antenna (MAA) to obtain coverage in the upper and lower halves of the elevation region. The proposed antenna is designed to enhance frequency-dependent beam squint phenomena exploited to achieve multibeam coverage in the elevation region. The simulation results of the proposed antenna having $\mathbf {3\times 2}$ size of MAA indicates the achieved desired radiation characteristics, and a prototype of the same operating in WLAN band ($\mathbf {5.15-5.825}$ GHz) is fabricated for verification. The experimental results show the maximum realized gain is $\mathbf {7.85}$ dBi and the beam tilt of $\mathbf {10.8}^\circ$ to $\mathbf {46.8}^\circ$ in elevation is achieved at central frequencies $\mathbf {5.15}$ GHz and $\mathbf {5.825}$ GHz, respectively. The coverage obtained is $\mathbf {360}^\circ$ in azimuth and $\mathbf {93.6}^\circ$ in elevation. The signal to interference ratio is measured around the antenna, which shows interference suppression of more than $\mathbf {10}$ dB achieved between the MAAs of alternate sectors. Moreover, the port isolation is better than $\mathbf {26}$ dB. Hence, sixteen simultaneous beams utilizing frequency re-use can be operated in the 3-D space around the access point to communicate with multiple drones/vehicles and IoT nodes to realize a smart vehicular application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blumeria graminis (DC). E.U. Speer f.sp. tritici Em. Marchal (Syn. Erysiphe graminis DC f.sp. tritici, Em. Marchal), a causal organism of powdery mildew (PM), is one of the important diseases of wheat worldwide. A comprehensive evaluation of wheat germplasm accessions (19,460) conserved in the National Genebank of ICAR–National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources was conducted to identify sources of resistance to PM. Accessions belonging to the three wheat species—bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L. subsp. aestivum) (15,944), durum wheat (T. durum Desf.) (3,359), and emmer wheat (T. dicoccum Schrank ex Schübl.) (157)—were screened at Wellington, a hotspot location for PM, for two consecutive seasons. Screening results indicated that 7271 (45%) from bread wheat, 756 (22%) from durum wheat, and 22 (14%) from emmer were resistant. Out of 8094 PM‐resistant accessions, 60% were indigenous, while majority of the 40% exotic were from CIMMYT. Focused identification of germplasm strategy (FIGS), which identifies a set of similar plant genotypes with a greater possibility of containing specific target traits, was used to form a subset of 52 accessions (from 19,460) that have the potential to contain new PM resistance genes. Resistant accessions identified in the study have enriched the existing gene pool for PM resistance in wheat and will serve as a potential source for resistance in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work aims to utilize AMA/MMA/BA/Aloe Vera (AMBA) nanoemulsion for the preparation of sustainable antimicrobial coating materials. The AMBA was synthesized using a semi-continuous seeded emulsion polymerization methodology. The developed coating material has been synthesized by SEM, DSC, TGA/DTA, XRD, and FT-IR spectroscopy. Some properties such as viscosity, hot box stability gloss retention, solid content, freezethaw stability, scrub resistance, electrolytic stability, weather resistance, solvent resistance, and opacity of the coating material were also investigated. It has been found that the coating developed with a 70:30 monomer ratio shows the best results the with highest antimicrobial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf rust (Puccinia triticina Eriks.) is a fungal disease of wheat (Triticum spp.), which causes considerable yield loss. Adult plant resistance (APR) is one of the most sustainable approaches to control leaf rust. In this study, field-testing was carried out across ten different locations, followed by molecular screening, to detect the presence of APR genes, Lr34+, Lr46+, Lr67+ and Lr68 in Indian wheat germplasm. In field screening, 190 wheat accessions were selected from 6,319 accessions based on leaf tip necrosis (LTN), disease severity and the average coefficient of infection. Molecular screening revealed that 73% of the accessions possessed known APR genes either as single or as a combination of two or three genes. The occurrence of increased LTN intensity, decreased leaf rust severity and greater expression of APR genes were more in relatively cooler locations. In 52 lines, although the presence of the APR genes was not detected, it still displayed high levels of resistance. Furthermore, 49 accessions possessing either two or three APR genes were evaluated for stability across locations for grain yield. It emerged that eight accessions had wider adaptability. Resistance based on APR genes, in the background of high yielding cultivars, is expected to provide a high level of race non-specific resistance, which is durable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some new diorganotin(IV) derivatives formulated as R 2 SnL (where R = Me, Bu, Ph and Oct) were obtained upon treatment of diorganotin(IV) precursors with acylhydrazones [H 2 L a  = N'-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)furan-2-carbohydrazide, H 2 L b  = N'-(5-chloro-2-hydroxybenzylidene)furan-2-carbohydrazide and H 2 L c  = N'-(2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzylidene)furan-2-carbohydrazide] derived from Schiff base condensation of furan-2-carbohydrazide and substituted salicylaldehydes in methanol in appropriate molar ratio. The enolic tridentate chelating mode of the acylhydrazones towards the diorganotin moieties [R 2 Sn(IV)] 2+ was ascertained by micro-analysis and various spectroscopic techniques viz., Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), multinuclear ( 1 H, 13 C and 119 Sn) magnetic resonance (NMR) and electrospray ionization mass (ESMS) spectrometry. The single crystal X-ray diffraction investigation of Me 2 SnL b and Ph 2 SnL b demonstrates that they crystallize in monoclinic space groups ‘P 2 1 ’ and ‘P 2 1 /c’ respectively, and comprised of crystallographically discrete 2 and 4 molecules in their respective unit cells. Both mononuclear complexes adopt a highly distorted square-pyramidal geometry (SP) wherein the imine nitrogen preferably occupies the apical site whereas the more electronegative enolic and phenolic oxygen atoms of the ligand and two carbon atoms of the methyl/phenyl groups of the organotin(IV) moiety align themselves equatorially around the five-coordinated tin center in a square plane. Diorganotin(IV) derivatives were also analyzed in air by thermo-gravimetric (TG, DTG and DTA) techniques to elucidate their thermal stability and decomposition trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three novel binuclear diorganotin(IV) derivatives formulated as (R 2 Sn) 2 L (where R = Me, Bu and Ph) of a new symmetrical adipodihyrazone ligand, 1,6-bis(5-hydroxy-3-methyl-5-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)hexane-1,6-dione (H 4 L) derived from the Schiff base condensation of adipic acid dihydrazide and benzoylacetone in a 1:2 M ratio were synthesized. The micro-analysis and various spectroscopic techniques viz., infrared (IR), multinuclear ( 1 H, 13 C and 119 Sn) magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and electrospray ionization mass (ESMS) spectrometry were employed to establish the chelating mode of the dihyrazone ligand towards the diorganotin moieties [R 2 Sn(IV)] 2+ . The single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of complex, (Me 2 Sn) 2 L reveals that it crystallizes in monoclinic space group ‘P 2 1 /n’ and consists of crystallographically discrete molecules. The complex has been investigated to prefer a highly distorted trigonal-bipyramidal geometry (TBP) over the square-pyramidal geometry (SP) around each tin centre wherein the more electronegative enolic and benzoylic oxygen atoms of the ligand are aligned axially, and two carbon atoms of the methyl groups attached to the tin metal atom and the imine nitrogen atom of the ligand aligned themselves equatorially around the tin centre in a trigonal plane. Thermal decomposition patterns of the dimethyl- and diphenyltin(IV) derivatives in air were also investigated by TG, DTG and DTA techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New triphenyltin(IV) complexes of flexible tripodal Schiff base ligands, viz. tris(2-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)ethyl)amine) (H 3 saltren), tris(2-(2-hydroxyacetophenylidene)ethyl)amine) (H 3 hatren), and tris(2-(5-chloro-2-hydroxybenzylidene)ethyl)amine (H 3 5-Cl-saltren) have been synthesized. The coordination behaviour of Schiff bases towards triphenyltin(IV) moiety is discussed on the basis of electronic, infrared, multinuclear ( 1 H, 13 C, and 119 Sn) magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic studies, and electrospray mass spectrometry (ESMS). Detailed single crystal X-ray studies demonstrate that adduct, Ph 3 SnCl.(H 3 trensal) crystallizes in orthorhombic space group, ‘P 2 1 2 1 2 1 ’ with cell parameters (a (Å) = 13.803(5), b (Å) = 21.117(5), c (Å) = 28.815(5)). The tin atom adopts a slightly distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry wherein most electronegative chlorine and oxygen atoms are apically arranged, and ipso carbons of three phenyl rings of tin are aligned to constitute an equatorial plane around it. Thermal studies of all of the synthesized triphenyltin(IV) chloride adducts have also been carried out using TG, DTG and DTA techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive germplasm evaluation study of wheat accessions conserved in the Indian National Genebank was conducted to identify sources of rust and spot blotch resistance. Genebank accessions comprising three species of wheat–Triticum aestivum, T. durum and T. dicoccum were screened sequentially at multiple disease hotspots, during the 2011–14 crop seasons, carrying only resistant accessions to the next step of evaluation. Wheat accessions which were found to be resistant in the field were then assayed for seedling resistance and profiled using molecular markers. In the primary evaluation, 19,460 accessions were screened at Wellington (Tamil Nadu), a hotspot for wheat rusts. We identified 4925 accessions to be resistant and these were further evaluated at Gurdaspur (Punjab), a hotspot for stripe rust and at Cooch Behar (West Bengal), a hotspot for spot blotch. The second round evaluation identified 498 accessions potentially resistant to multiple rusts and 868 accessions potentially resistant to spot blotch. Evaluation of rust resistant accessions for seedling resistance against seven virulent pathotypes of three rusts under artificial epiphytotic conditions identified 137 accessions potentially resistant to multiple rusts. Molecular analysis to identify different combinations of genetic loci imparting resistance to leaf rust, stem rust, stripe rust and spot blotch using linked molecular markers, identified 45 wheat accessions containing known resistance genes against all three rusts as well as a QTL for spot blotch resistance. The resistant germplasm accessions, particularly against stripe rust, identified in this study can be excellent potential candidates to be employed for breeding resistance into the background of high yielding wheat cultivars through conventional or molecular breeding approaches, and are expected to contribute toward food security at national and global levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is a rare hamartomatous polyposis syndrome characterized by the presence of intestinal polyps and mucocutaneous melanotic pigmentations. It is associated with various gastrointestinal and extraintestinal malignancies. This case report deals with the clinical presentation, investigations, operative findings, and outcome of a patient harboring this disease. A 45-year-old female presented to us with intermittent colicky abdominal pain for the last 6 months and a single episode of melena 1 month back. She had a previous history of resection of a jejunal growth 22 years back. The histopathology report was suggestive of papillary adenocarcinoma. On examination, hyperpigmented macules were seen on her lips and buccal mucosa. Laparotomy revealed multiple polyps mainly in the proximal small intestine and a focus of ileoileal intussusception. A limited resection was done. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 27-year-old white man, who was admitted in hospital after cocaine with a chest pain. Topics discussed include the patient undergoing a transthoracic echocardiogram (ECG), detection of the Wellens' syndrome, and association of Wellens' syndrome with cardiac diseases. It offers an answer to a question related to the findings of the ECG.

Wheat, an important cereal crop globally, faces major challenges due to increasing global population and changing climates. The production and productivity are challenged by several biotic and abiotic stresses. There is also a pressing demand to enhance grain yield and quality/nutrition to ensure global food and nutritional security. To address these multifaceted concerns, researchers have conducted numerous meta-QTL (MQTL) studies in wheat, resulting in the identification of candidate genes that govern these complex quantitative traits. MQTL analysis has successfully unraveled the complex genetic architecture of polygenic quantitative traits in wheat. Candidate genes associated with stress adaptation have been pinpointed for abiotic and biotic traits, facilitating targeted breeding efforts to enhance stress tolerance. Furthermore, high-confidence candidate genes (CGs) and flanking markers to MQTLs will help in marker-assisted breeding programs aimed at enhancing stress tolerance, yield, quality and nutrition. Functional analysis of these CGs can enhance our understanding of intricate trait-related genetics. The discovery of orthologous MQTLs shared between wheat and other crops sheds light on common evolutionary pathways governing these traits. Breeders can leverage the most promising MQTLs and CGs associated with multiple traits to develop superior next-generation wheat cultivars with improved trait performance. This review provides a comprehensive overview of MQTL analysis in wheat, highlighting progress, challenges, validation methods and future opportunities in wheat genetics and breeding, contributing to global food security and sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat is one of the most important cereal crops in the world. Cold stress is a major constraint in production of wheat grown in cold climate regions. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of cold stress tolerance in wheat genotypes through field screening, cell membrane stability through electrolyte leakage assay and biochemical profiling. A core set comprising 4560 genotypes was evaluated for two years (2021–2022), revealing substantial genetic variation for cold stress tolerance. Most genotypes exhibited moderate tolerance, while a smaller proportion showed susceptibility to cold stress. Based on the cold screening data in the field, a mini‐core set of 350 genotypes was selected for membrane stability analysis using electrical conductivity assays. Significant differences were observed in membrane stability among the genotypes, indicating the presence of genetic variation for this trait. Furthermore, a mini‐core set was narrowed down to 50 diverse candidate genotypes that were subsequently profiled for various biochemicals, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) like lipid peroxidation (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H202), osmoprotectant (proline) and enzymatic antioxidants including ascorbate peroxidase (APX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), and catalase (CAT). Correlation analysis of the biochemicals revealed negative associations between antioxidants and reactive oxygen species (ROS), highlighting their role in mitigating oxidative damage under cold stress. This study enhances our understanding of the physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying cold stress tolerance in wheat. The identified genotypes with superior cold stress tolerance can serve as valuable genetic resources for wheat breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs are ~22 nucleotide long non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at posttranscriptional level. Genome-wide analysis was performed to identify polycistronic miRNAs from wheat. Total 89 polycistronic miRNAs were identified in bread wheat which were distributed on three component sub-genomes (A = 26, B = 33 and D = 30). Except some, most of the identified polycistronic miRNAs were also present in other cultivated and wild wheat species. Expression of 11 identified polycistronic miRNAs could be validated using previously assembled transcriptomes, RNA-seq/s-RNA seq data of cultivated and wild wheats and RT-PCR. Polycistronic miRNAs orthologs were also localized on rice and Brachypodium genomes. As a case study, we also analyzed molecular evolution of miR395 family polycistrons in wheat. Both tandem and segmental duplications contributed to expansion of miR395 family polycistrons. Our findings provide a comprehensive view on wheat polycitronic miRNAs that will enable their in-depth functional analysis in the future. • Polycitrsonic microRNA (miRNA) loci exist in wheat and these are broadly conserved across the ancestral wheat species. • Expression of 11 polycistronic miRNA loci were validated using previously assembled transcriptomes, deep small RNA sequencing (sRNA-seq) data sets and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). • miR395 family polycistrons were evolved by duplication and subsequent divergence of an ancestral basic polycitronic unit containing two genes. • Massive loss of nucleotide diversity at majority of the A sub-genome polycistronic miRNA loci during domestication. However, a few polycistronic loci were highly conserved across domesticated and wild wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Salinity severely limits wheat production in many parts of the world. Development of salt tolerant varieties represents the most practical option for enhancing wheat production from these areas. Application of marker assisted selection may assist in fast tracking development of salt tolerant wheat varieties. However, SSR markers available in the public domain are not specifically targeted to functional regions of wheat genome, therefore large numbers of these need to be analysed for identification of markers associated with traits of interest. With the availability of a fully annotated wheat genome assembly, it is possible to develop SSR markers specifically targeted to genic regions. We performed extensive analysis to identify candidate gene based SSRs and assessed their utility in characterizing molecular diversity in a panel of wheat genotypes. Results Our analysis revealed, 161 SSR motifs in 94 salt tolerance candidate genes of wheat. These SSR motifs were nearly equally distributed on the three wheat sub-genomes; 29.8% in A, 35.7% in B and 34.4% in D sub-genome. The maximum number of SSR motifs was present in exons (31.1%) followed by promoters (29.8%), 5’UTRs (21.1%), introns (14.3%) and 3’UTRs (3.7%). Out of the 65 candidate gene based SSR markers selected for validation, 30 were found polymorphic based on initial screening and employed for characterizing genetic diversity in a panel of wheat genotypes including salt tolerant and susceptible lines. These markers generated an average of 2.83 alleles/locus. Phylogenetic analysis revealed four clusters. Salt susceptible genotypes were mainly represented in clusters I and III, whereas high and moderate salt tolerant genotypes were distributed in the remaining two clusters. Population structure analysis revealed two sub-populations, sub-population 1 contained the majority of salt tolerant whereas sub-population 2 contained majority of susceptible genotypes. Moreover, we observed reasonably higher transferability of SSR markers to related wheat species. Conclusion We have developed salt responsive gene based SSRs in wheat for the first time. These were highly useful in unravelling functional diversity among wheat genotypes with varying responses to salt stress. The identified gene based SSR markers will be valuable genomic resources for genetic/association mapping of salinity tolerance in wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stripe rust (Sr), caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), is the most devastating disease that poses serious threat to the wheat-growing nations across the globe. Developing resistant cultivars is the most challenging aspect in wheat breeding. The function of resistance genes (R genes) and the mechanisms by which they influence plant-host interactions are poorly understood. In the present investigation, comparative transcriptome analysis was carried out by involving two near-isogenic lines (NILs) PBW343 and FLW29. The seedlings of both the genotypes were inoculated with Pst pathotype 46S119. In total, 1106 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified at early stage of infection (12 hpi), whereas expressions of 877 and 1737 DEGs were observed at later stages (48 and 72 hpi) in FLW29. The identified DEGs were comprised of defense-related genes including putative R genes, 7 WRKY transcriptional factors, calcium, and hormonal signaling associated genes. Moreover, pathways involved in signaling of receptor kinases, G protein, and light showed higher expression in resistant cultivar and were common across different time points. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to further confirm the transcriptional expression of eight critical genes involved in plant defense mechanism against stripe rust. The information about genes are likely to improve our knowledge of the genetic mechanism that controls the stripe rust resistance in wheat, and data on resistance response–linked genes and pathways will be a significant resource for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Yellow or stripe rust, caused by the fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) is an important disease of wheat that threatens wheat production. Since developing resistant cultivars offers a viable solution for disease management, it is essential to understand the genetic basis of stripe rust resistance. In recent years, meta-QTL analysis of identified QTLs has gained popularity as a way to dissect the genetic architecture underpinning quantitative traits, including disease resistance. Results: Systematic meta-QTL analysis involving 505 QTLs from 101 linkage-based interval mapping studies was conducted for stripe rust resistance in wheat. For this purpose, publicly available high-quality genetic maps were used to create a consensus linkage map involving 138,574 markers. This map was used to project the QTLs and conduct meta-QTL analysis. A total of 67 important meta-QTLs (MQTLs) were identified which were refined to 29 high-confidence MQTLs. The confidence interval (CI) of MQTLs ranged from 0 to 11.68 cM with a mean of 1.97 cM. The mean physical CI of MQTLs was 24.01 Mb, ranging from 0.0749 to 216.23 Mb per MQTL. As many as 44 MQTLs colocalized with marker–trait associations or SNP peaks associated with stripe rust resistance in wheat. Some MQTLs also included the following major genes- Yr5, Yr7, Yr16, Yr26, Yr30, Yr43, Yr44, Yr64, YrCH52, and YrH52. Candidate gene mining in high-confidence MQTLs identified 1,562 gene models. Examining these gene models for differential expressions yielded 123 differentially expressed genes, including the 59 most promising CGs. We also studied how these genes were expressed in wheat tissues at different phases of development. Conclusion: The most promising MQTLs identified in this study may facilitate marker-assisted breeding for stripe rust resistance in wheat. Information on markers flanking the MQTLs can be utilized in genomic selection models to increase the prediction accuracy for stripe rust resistance. The candidate genes identified can also be utilized for enhancing the wheat resistance against stripe rust after in vivo confirmation/validation using one or more of the following methods: gene cloning, reverse genetic methods, and omics approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant yield losses in major cereal-growing regions around the world have been linked to cereal cyst nematodes (Heterodera spp.). Identifying and deploying natural sources of resistance is of utmost importance due to increasing concerns associated with chemical methods over the years. We screened 141 diverse wheat genotypes collected from pan-Indian wheat cultivation states for nematode resistance over two years, alongside two resistant (Raj MR1, W7984 (M6)) and two susceptible (WH147, Opata M85) checks. We performed genome-wide association analysis using four single-locus models (GLM, MLM, CMLM, and ECMLM) and three multi-locus models (Blink, FarmCPU, and MLMM). Single locus models identified nine significant MTAs (−log10 (P) > 3.0) on chromosomes 2A, 3B, and 4B whereas, multi-locus models identified 11 significant MTAs on chromosomes 1B, 2A, 3B, 3D and 4B. Single and multi-locus models identified nine common significant MTAs. Candidate gene analysis identified 33 genes like F-box-like domain superfamily, Cytochrome P450 superfamily, Leucine-rich repeat, cysteine-containing subtype Zinc finger RING/FYVE/PHD-type, etc., having a putative role in disease resistance. Such genetic resources can help to reduce the impact of this disease on wheat production. Additionally, these results can be used to design new strategies for controlling the spread of H. avenae, such as the development of resistant varieties or the use of resistant cultivars. Finally, the obtained results can also be used to identify new sources of resistance to this pathogen and develop novel control methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During the last few decades, the diverse sources of resistance, several genes and QTLs for spot blotch resistance have been identified. However, a large set of germplasm lines are still unexplored that have the potential to develop highly resistant wheat cultivars for the target environments. Therefore, the identification of new sources of resistance to spot blotch is essential for breeding programmes to develop spot blotch resistant cultivars and sustain wheat production. The association mapping panel of 294 diverse bread wheat accessions was used to explore new sources of spot blotch disease resistance and to identify genomic regions using genome wide association analysis (GWAS). The genotypes were tested in replicated trials for spot blotch disease at three major hot spots in India (Varanasi in UP, Pusa in Bihar, and Cooch Behar in West Bengal). The area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was calculated to assess the level of resistance in each genotype. Results: A total of 19 highly and 76 moderately resistant lines were identified. Three accessions (EC664204, IC534306 and IC535188) were nearly immune to spot blotch disease. The genotyping of all accessions resulted in a total of 16,787 high-quality polymorphic SNPs. The GWAS was performed using a Compressed Mixed Linear Model (CMLM) and a Mixed Linear Model (MLM). A total of seven significant MTAs, common in both the models and consistent across the environment, were further validated to develop KASP markers. Four MTAs (AX-94710084, AX-94865722, AX-95135556, and AX-94529408) on three chromosomes (2AL, 2BL, and 3BL) have been successfully validated through the KASP marker. Conclusions: The new source of resistance was identified from unexplored germplasm lines. The genomic regions identified through GWAS were validated through KASP markers. The marker information and the highly resistant sources are valuable resources to rapidly develop immune or near immune wheat varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining duplicate germplasms in genebanks hampers effective conservation and utilization of genebank resources. The redundant germplasm adds to the cost of germplasm conservation by requiring a large proportion of the genebank financial resources towards conservation rather than enriching the diversity. Besides, genome-wide-association analysis using an association panel with over-represented germplasms can be biased resulting in spurious marker-trait associations. The conventional methods of germplasm duplicate removal using passport information suffer from incomplete or missing passport information and data handling errors at various stages of germplasm enrichment. This limitation is less likely in the case of genotypic data. Therefore, we developed a web-based tool, Germplasm Duplicate Identification and Removal Tool (G-DIRT), which allows germplasm duplicate identification based on identity-by-state analysis using single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping information along with pre-processing of genotypic data. A homozygous genotypic difference threshold of 0.1% for germplasm duplicates has been determined using tetraploid wheat genotypic data with 94.97% of accuracy. Based on the genotypic difference, the tool also builds a dendrogram that can visually depict the relationship between genotypes. To overcome the constraint of high-dimensional genotypic data, an offline version of G-DIRT in the interface of R has also been developed. The G-DIRT is expected to help genebank curators, breeders and other researchers across the world in identifying germplasm duplicates from the global genebank collections by only using the easily sharable genotypic data instead of physically exchanging the seeds or propagating materials. The web server will complement the existing methods of germplasm duplicate identification based on passport or phenotypic information being freely accessible at http://webtools.nbpgr.ernet.in/gdirt/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tinospora cordifolia, commonly known as "Giloe" in India, is a shrub belonging to the family Menispermaceae. It is an important medicinal plant known for its antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and antidiabetic properties and is used in the treatment of jaundice, gout, and rheumatism. Despite its economic importance, the limited information related to its genomic resources prohibits its judicious exploitation through molecular breeding or biotechnological approaches. In this study, we generated a meta-transcriptome assembly of 43,090 non-redundant transcripts by merging the RNASeq data obtained from Roche 454 GS-FLX, and Illumina platforms, and report the first transcriptome-based database for simple sequence repeats and transcription factors ("TinoTranscriptDB" (Tinospora cordifolia Transcriptome Database)). We annotated 26,716 (62%) of the total transcripts successfully from National Center for Biotechnology Information non-redundant protein (NCBI-NR), gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Swiss-Prot, and Pfam databases. This database contains information of 2620 perfect simple sequence repeats (P-SSRs) with a relative abundance of 340.12 (loci/Mb), and relative density of 6309.29 (bp/Mb). Excluding mono-nucleotides, the most abundant SSR motifs were tri-nucleotides (54.31%), followed by di-nucleotides (37.51%), tetra-nucleotides (4.54%), penta-nucleotides (3.16%) and hexa-nucleotides (0.45%). Additionally, we also identified 4,311 transcription factors (TFs) and categorized them into 55 sub-families. This database is expected to fill the gap in genomic resource availability in T. cordifolia and thus accelerate molecular breeding and related functional and other applied studies aimed towards genetic improvements of T. cordifolia and related species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted using six different multi-locus GWAS models and 35K SNP array to demarcate genomic regions underlying reproductive stage salinity tolerance. Marker-trait association analysis was performed for salt tolerance indices (STI) of 11 morpho-physiological traits, and the actual concentrations of Na+ and K+, and the Na+/K+ ratio in flag leaf. A total of 293 significantly associated quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) for 14 morpho-physiological traits were identified. Of these 293 QTNs, 12 major QTNs with R2 ≥ 10.0% were detected in three or more GWAS models. Novel major QTNs were identified for plant height, number of effective tillers, biomass, grain yield, thousand grain weight, Na+ and K+ content, and the Na+/K+ ratio in flag leaf. Moreover, 48 candidate genes were identified from the associated genomic regions. The QTNs identified in this study could potentially be targeted for improving salinity tolerance in wheat. • Fifty consistent genomic regions were demarcated for 13 morpho-physiological traits using six multi-locus GWAS models. • Four highly consistent QTNs/genomic regions, one each for flag leaf Na+ content (Q.Na-6AL), flag leaf K+ content (Q.K-1AS), above ground biomass (Q.STI-BM-1BL) and Na+/K+ Ratio (Q.NaK-1BS) were identified. • Wheat chromosome 5B harbored the maximum number of genomic regions for yield contributing traits. • The identified QTN regions contained some important stress responsive candidate genes encoding for cytochrome 450 (CYP) family protein, detoxification protein, auxin responsive protein, MYB family transcription factor and peptidylprolyl isomerase (PPI). • ISIS EM-BLASSO is the most efficient model for multi-trait mapping of reproductive stage salinity tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root lesion nematode (RLN; Pratylenchus thornei) causes extensive yield losses in wheat worldwide and thus pose serious threat to global food security. Reliance on fumigants (such as methyl bromide) and nematicides for crop protection has been discouraged due to environmental concerns. Hence, alternative environment friendly control measures like finding and deployment of resistance genes against Pratylenchus thornei are of significant importance. In the present study, genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed using single-locus and multi-locus methods. In total, 143 wheat genotypes collected from pan-Indian wheat cultivation states were used for nematode screening. Genotypic data consisted of > 7K SNPs with known genetic positions on the high-density consensus map was used for association analysis. Principal component analysis indicated the existence of sub-populations with no major structuring of populations due to the origin. Altogether, 25 significant marker trait associations were detected with − log10 (p value) > 4.0. Three large linkage disequilibrium blocks and the corresponding haplotypes were found to be associated with significant SNPs. In total, 37 candidate genes with nine genes having a putative role in disease resistance (F-box-like domain superfamily, Leucine-rich repeat, cysteine-containing subtype, Cytochrome P450 superfamily, Zinc finger C2H2-type, RING/FYVE/PHD-type, etc.) were identified. Genomic selection was conducted to investigate how well one could predict the phenotype of the nematode count without performing the screening experiments. Prediction value of r = 0.40 to 0.44 was observed when 56 to 70% of the population was used as a training set. This is the first report where GWAS has been conducted to find resistance against root lesion nematode (P. thornei) in Indian wheat germplasm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of untapped plant genetic resources of wheat (Triticum spp.) can enhance its productivity. In the present study, we characterized 22,416 accessions of three different species of wheat conserved in the Indian National Genebank using 23 qualitative and 12 quantitative traits to develop a core set. These accessions were highly diverse on the basis of range, coefficient of variation, and Shannon–Weaver diversity index. Initial grouping was done on the bases of species and origin, and thereafter, agromorphological data were used to develop core sets for each species group using the heuristic approach with PowerCore. Finally, a composite core set was constituted comprising 2,226 accessions, which included 1,779 accessions of bread wheat (T. aestivum L.), 394 of durum wheat [T. turgidum L. subsp. durum (Desf.) van Slageren], and 53 of emmer wheat [T. dicoccon Schrank; syn. T. turgidum L. subsp. dicoccon (Schrank) Thell]. The core set was validated under field conditions. Also, the coincidence rate of range (CR) (bread wheat, 85.78%; durum wheat, 87.52%; and emmer wheat, 95.34%) and variable rate of the coefficient of variation (VR) (bread wheat, 174.9%; durum wheat, 136.5%; and emmer wheat, 105.81%) were more than the threshold values of 80 and 100%, respectively. The phenotypic correlations among different traits attributable to coadapted gene complexes and total variation shown by principal components in the entire set were also mostly preserved in the core set. The composite wheat core and the trait‐specific germplasm sets identified would serve as valuable resources for global wheat improvement programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lesion mimic (Lm) mutants display hypersensitive responses (HR) without any pathogen attack; their symptoms are similar to those produced by a pathogen and result in cell death. In wheat, such mutants have been reported to be resistant against leaf rust due to their biotrophic nature. However, Lm mutants tend to encourage spot blotch (SB) disease caused by Bipolarissorokiniana since dead cells facilitate pathogen multiplication. In this study, 289 diverse wheat germplasm lines were phenotyped in three consecutive growing seasons (2012–2015). Genotype data was generated using the Illumina iSelect beadchip assay platform for wheat germplasm lines. A total of 13,589 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected andused for further association mapping. Lm was positively associated with Area Under Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC) for SB but negatively with glaucous index (GI), leaf tip necrosis (Ltn) and latent period (LP). Ltn had a negative association with AUDPC and Lm but a positive one with LP. In a genome-wide association study (GWAS), 29 markers were significantly associated with these traits and 27 were an notated. Seven SNP markers associated with Lm were on chromosome 6A; another on 1B was found to be linked with Ltn. Like wise, seven SNP markers were associated with GI; one on chromosome 6A with the others on 6B. Five SNP markers on chromosomes 3B and 3Dwere significantly correlated with LP, while nine SNP markers on chromosomes 5A and 5B were significantly associated with AUDPC for SB. This study is the first to explore the interaction in wheat between Lm mutants and the hemibiotrophic SB pathogen B.sorokiniana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is one of the major constraints in wheat production and causes a huge loss at grain-filling stage. In this study we highlighted the response of different wheat genotypes under drought stress at the grain-filling stage. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate 72 wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes under two water regimes: irrigated and drought condition. Four wheat genotypes, two each of drought tolerant (IC36761A, IC128335) and drought-susceptible category (IC335732 and IC138852) were selected on the basis of agronomic traits and drought susceptibility index (DSI), to understand their morphological, biochemical and molecular basis of drought stress tolerance. Among agronomic traits, productive tillers followed by biomass had high percent reduction under drought stress, thus drought stress had a great impact. Antioxidant activity (AO), total phenolic and proline content were found to be significantly higher in IC128335 genotype. Differential expression pattern of transcription factors of ten genes revealed that transcription factor qTaWRKY2 followed by qTaDREB, qTaEXPB23 and qTaAPEX might be utilized for developing wheat varieties resistant to drought stress. Understanding the role of TFs would be helpful to decipher the molecular mechanism involved in drought stress. Identified genotypes (IC128335 and IC36761A) may be useful as parental material for future breeding program to generate new drought-tolerant varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the frequency of esophageal varices in patients with cirrhosis and to evaluate the diagnostic value of mean spleen size and portal vein diameter for non-invasive detection of esophageal varices. Material and Methhods: Th is cross-sectional study was conducted at Medical Unit-I, Dr. Ruth K. M. Pfau Civil Hospital, Karachi from July 2016 to January 2017. A total of 200-patients with established cirrhosis were included. Th e severity of cirrohosis was classifi ed according to Child-Pugh classifi cation. Ultrasound was done to assess portal vein diameter and splenic measurements. Defi nitive diagnosis of esophageal varices was done on endoscopy. Data were entered and analyzed in SPSS version 21. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were applied. P-value ≤0.05 was taken as signifi cant. Results: Th ere were 132 (66%) males and 68 (34%) females. Out of 200-patients,155 (77.5%) were found to have esophageal varices on endoscopy. Overall, mean spleen size was 14.93 ± 2.99 cm and mean portal vein diameter, 1.23 ± 0.25 cm. Signifi cant association of esophageal varices was observed with age (p<0.001), duration of cirrhosis (p=0.010), Child-Pugh class (p=0.039) and etiology of liver cirrhosis (p<0.001) while no signifi cant association was observed with gender (p=0.411), BMI (p=0.300), residence (p=0.252), socio-economic status (p=0.262) and smoking (p=0.359). Statistically signifi cant diff erences were found in mean spleen size (p<0.001) and portal vein diameter(p<0.001) among patients with or without esophageal varices. Conclusion: In conclusion, spleen size and portal vein diameter may be used as reliable non-invasive predictors for the presence of esophageal varices among cirrhotic patients in resource-constrained sett ing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spot blotch (SB) caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana, is one of the most important diseases of wheat in the eastern part of south Asia causing considerable yield loss to the wheat crop. There is an urgent need to identify genetic loci closely associated with resistance to this pathogen for developing resistant cultivars. Hence, genomic regions responsible for SB resistance were searched using a wheat association mapping initiative (WAMI) panel involving 287 spring wheat genotypes of different origin. Genome-wide association mapping (GWAM) was performed using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers from a custom 90 K wheat SNP array. A mixed linear model (MLM) was used for assessing the association of SNP markers with spot blotch resistance in three consecutive years. Three traits were measured: incubation period, lesion number and area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC). Significant SNP markers were found linked to five, six and four quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for incubation period, lesion number and AUDPC respectively. They were detected on 11 different chromosomes: 1A, 1B, 1D, 4A, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 6D, 7A, 7B with marker R2 range of 0.083 to 0.11. The greatest number of significant SNP-markers was found for lesion number and AUDPC on chromosome 6B and 5B, respectively, representing a better coverage of B-genome by SNPs. On the other hand, the most significant and largest SNP markers for incubation period were detected on 6A and 4A chromosomes indicating that this trait is associated with the A-genome of wheat. Although, QTLs for spot blotch resistance have been reported in wheat on these same chromosomes, the association of incubation period and lesion number with SB resistance has not been reported in previous studies. The panel exhibits considerable variation for SB resistance and also provides a good scope of marker-assisted selection using the identified SNP markers linked to resistant QTLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Crystal structure of two new [Mn(Hmpth) 2 (bpy)] (1) and [Mn(Hmpth) 2 (o -phen)] (2) complexes • Spectroscopic and thermal studies of [Mn(Hmpth) 2 (bpy)] (1) and [Mn(Hmpth) 2 (o -phen)] (2) complexes • The photoluminescence activity of synthesized ligands and metal complexes. • Electrochemical characterizations of complexes through modified electrodes (MWCNT/Nf-Complexes). • Cyclic voltammetry studies indicate a reversible one electron transfer process corresponding to the Mn2+/3+ redox processes. Here, two complexes [Mn(Hmpth) 2 (bpy)] (1) and [Mn(Hmpth) 2 (o -phen)](2) with 1-(4-methoxybenzoyl)-4-phenyl-3-thiosemicarbazide (H 2 mpth) have been synthesized which contains 2-2′-bipyridine (bpy)/ o -phenanthroline (o -phen) as co-ligand. The ligand, H 2 mpth and its Mn(II) complexes have been characterized by IR, NMR, magnetic behaviour and single crystal X-ray data. In both complexes, the metal ions adopt a distorted octahedral geometry. Here, role of co-ligands (2,2-bpy and o -phen) on the optoelectronic properties of Mn(II) complexes is investigated for the first time. Complex 1 exhibits high fluorescence intensity as compared to ligand H 2 mpth and complex 2. The order of fluorescent behaviour found as complex 1 > complex 2 > H 2 mpth. Thermal behaviour of complexes were also studied. The electrochemical characteristics of Mn(II) complexes is studied using cyclic voltammetry technique after immobilizing it on the glassy carbon electrode modified with Nafion-multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The cyclic voltammetry studies indicate a reversible one electron transfer process corresponding to the Mn2+/3+ redox processes. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]