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Maize is one of the important food crops after rice and wheat. It has good nutritive value in terms of starch, proteins, vitamins, and micronutrients which makes this crop important for industrial use. Many elite maize inbred lines and hybrids have already been developed which are having several combinations of nutritional quality traits, viz., quality protein maize (QPM), provitamin A, low phytate, and vitamin E using molecular marker-assisted breeding (MAB), especially in India, and China. Hence, the identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for various quality traits is an important aspect. Several QTLs have been identified for quality traits and introgressed into elite germplasm by various research groups to develop multi-nutrient-rich maize genotypes. The use of potential QTLs in molecular breeding with advanced phenotyping platforms for quick identification or quality check may help the breeders to develop and commercialize biofortified maize. In this review, comprehensive information about QTLs for different quality traits in maize has been discussed for their potential utility in maize breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, training in surgical disciplines has been based around a trainer training a trainee in clinical and surgical skills. However, this is no longer thought to be sufficient to train the future surgeons, especially in Minimal Access Surgery, as it involves teaching of theoretical as well as practical skills. The learning curve of most MAS procedures is steeper compared to open surgery, and needs additional skills like bimanual dexterity, hand–eye coordination and handling of long instruments. The traditional trainer-trainee model when applied to training in MAS has been shown to be time consuming, costly, inconsistent and risky for the patients. Studies have shown that simulation training in MAS allows development of proficiency and confidence outside the operation theatre. The various simulators used for MAS training include basic box trainers, advanced virtual reality simulators and animal or cadaveric models. The skills acquired on simulators have been shown to be translatable into actual operative environment. It is important to optimally design and implement training curriculum and assessment methods for MAS trainees in India. Accreditation bodies should therefore make assessment in MAS skills mandatory as a part of exit examinations in general surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cauliflower is an important extensively grown cool season vegetable in India. Black rot and downy mildew are major devastating diseases reducing yield and quality of the crop. To tackle these through host plant resistance, a marker-assisted backcross breeding method was followed to pyramid a black rot-resistant gene (Xca1bo) and a downy mildew-resistant gene (Ppa3) from donors BR-161 and BR-2, respectively, into the background of Pusa Meghna cauliflower cultivar. Marker-assisted backcross breeding was followed up to BC2 generation using SCAR marker ScOPO-04833 and SSR marker BoGMS0624 for black rot and downy mildew resistance genes in foreground selection, respectively. In background selection, at each stage of backcrossing, 47 parental polymorphic SSR markers were used. The graphical genotyping of the five two-gene (Xca1boXca1boPpa3Ppa3) homozygous BC2F2 plants showed an average recovery of 85.44% of the Pusa Meghna genome with highest genome recovery of 91.7%. The genome contribution of donor parents (BR-161 and BR-2) was 8.26 with 6.34% of residual heterozygousity. The backcross derived pyramided lines BC2F2:3-7-16 and BC2F2:3-7-33 showed high resistance to both the diseases and exhibited higher yield and vitamin C content as compared with recipient parent Pusa Meghna. It is, therefore, evident from this study that resistant genes can be introgressed successfully into a Pusa Meghna cultivar without any yield penalty, benefitting farmers with reduced input cost and consumers with chemical residue free produce. Besides, the pyramided lines carrying dominant resistant genes can be exploited in a hybridization programme to develop hybrid(s) in cauliflower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this prospective study was to estimate the prevalence and risk factors for maternal anaemia and low birth weight (LBW) in pregnant women living in Maharashtra state, India. Study design: This is a prospective study. Methods: Women between 3 and 5 months of pregnancy were recruited from 34 villages based in Maharashtra state. Baseline data collection, anthropometric measurements and blood investigations were performed. Participants were followed-up to record birth weight. Results: In total, 303 women were eligible, and 287 (95%) provided data. 77% were anaemic, defined as haemoglobin less than 11.0 g/dl at the time of recruitment, with a mean corpuscular volume of 80.5 fl/cell (standard deviation: 7.22, range: 53.4-93.8). The increased risk of anaemia was seen in women with consanguineous marriages (odds ratio [OR]: 2.41, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16-5.01, P = 0.01) after adjustment for potential confounding factors. Postdelivery data from full-term singleton live births demonstrated a 7% prevalence of LBW. Consanguineous marriage was a major risk factor for LBW (OR: 4.10, 95% CI: 1.25-13.41, P = 0.02). The presence of maternal anaemia during 3-5 months of pregnancy was associated with lower risk of LBW (unadjusted OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.13-0.92, P = 0.03). Conclusion: About 30% of our study participants were in a consanguineous marriage, which was identified as a potentially avoidable risk factor for both anaemia and LBW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

traditional Type 3 Basmati rice cultivar grown in India is tall and lodges even under low nitrogen fertilizer dose. In addition to lodging, it is highly susceptible to several diseases and pests including bacterial blight (BB). BB resistance genes ( Xa21 and xa13) and a semidwarfing gene ( sd- 1) were pyramided in Type 3 Basmati from a rice cultivar PR106-P2 using marker-assisted selection (MAS). Foreground selection for BB resistance genes, Xa21 and xa13 and reduced plant height gene, sd- 1 was carried on the basis of linked molecular markers pTA248, RG136 and 'h', respectively. The BCF progenies with both the BB resistance genes were highly resistant with lower lesion length than either of the genes individually. Background profiling of the selected 16 BCF progenies was done using 95 anchored SSR and 12 ISSR markers. Among the selected 16 BCF progenies, 38-5-2 and 38-5-36 closely clustered along with the recipient parent Type 3 Basmati showing above 85% genetic similarity with the same. Further selection was continued till F generation for higher recovery for Type 3 Basmati characteristics. The desirable alleles of intermediate amylose content ( wx) and aroma ( fgr) loci of Type 3 Basmati were also tracked using the linked SSR markers. The BCF pyramid lines T3-4, T3-5, T3-6 and T3-7 homozygous for the three target genes Xa21, xa13 and sd- 1 from the donor parent with wx and fgr alleles of Type 3 Basmati had excellent cooking quality and strong aroma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]