Correlation coefficient and path analysis of yield and yield attributing characters of rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes under reproductive drought stress in the Terai region of Nepal

An experimental trial of nine rice genotypes was conducted in the Agronomy field of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS) Paklihawa Campus under a randomized block design layout with three replications from July to November of 2022. The aim was to study genetic variability and analyze the character association of yield and yield-attributing components in rice genotypes and their direct and indirect effect on grain yield under reproductive drought stress conditions. Observations on days to flowering (50%), plant height, panicle length, panicle weight, number of grains/panicles, effective panicle/m², grain yield, and 1000 kernel weight were recorded. Grain yield showed a highly positive significant correlation with effective panicle/m² (0.713**), followed by plant height (0.347) and panicle length (0.289). The path coefficient analysis of different traits revealed the highest positive direct effect of the effective panicle per m² (0.748963), followed by panicle length (0.24145) and plant height (0.227505). The highest negative direct effect was shown by the number of grains per panicle (-0.31218). The experimental results revealed that the selection of trait-effective panicle per square meter would be most beneficial for the improvement of yield in rice genotypes facilitating selection and plant breeding programs

Gingival augmentation procedure prior to fixed orthodontic treatment

Patients seek orthodontic treatment for correction of malocclusion and aesthetic improvement. A strong correlation between labially placed teeth and gingival recession has been found. If such cases are left untreated with or without orthodontic therapy, it may lead to an increase in the severity of the disease. A similar case of a 21-year-old male patient with gingival recession in the mandibular anterior region is reported. The patient was successfully treated using a free gingival graft technique. This technique not only improves the aesthetic aspect but also avoids future attachment loss and thus makes the patient more stable for further orthodontic treatment. The aim behind the treatment of gingival recession is not only to cover the exposed root surface, but also to improve aesthetics and reduce dentinal hypersensitivity. Different soft tissue-grafting procedures have been proposed for the treatment of gingival recession, of which free gingival graft is the most reliable one. The purpose of this case report is to illustrate the importance of root coverage prior to orthodontic treatment and to describe the planning for successful treatment which will improve the overall periodontal status of the patient

Photothermal Heterodyne Imaging of Micron Sized Objects

Micron sized dye-doped polymer beads were imaged using transmitted/reflected light microscopy and photothermal heterodyne imaging (PHI) measurements. The transmitted/reflected light images show distinct ring patterns that are attributed to diffraction effects and/or internal reflections within the beads. In the PHI experiments pump laser induced heating changes the refractive index and size of the bead, which causes changes in the diffraction pattern and internal reflections. This creates an analogous ring pattern in the PHI images. When the beads are imaged in an organic medium heat transfer changes the refractive index of the environment, and gives rise to a ring pattern external to the beads in the PHI images. This causes the beads to appear larger than their physical dimensions in the PHI experiments. This external signal does not appear when the beads are imaged in air, because the refractive index changes in air are very small

Molecular basis of heat stress tolerance in wheat

The rise in Earth’s temperature is one of the most alarming climatic issues in the field of agriculture and food production, in the present context. The increase in temperature leads to heat stress, major abiotic stress responsible for a huge decline in the production of crops. Wheat (Triticum aestivum), among many crops, also experiences a significant decline in yield and overall productivity due to extreme heat stress. But Wheat has also developed natural tolerance mechanisms to defend itself from heat damage. The selection of cultivars with a higher degree of tolerance mechanism protects against thermal stress, which minimizes the risk of poor productivity to a greater extent. In this review, we discuss the current works of literature concerning the heat stress tolerance mechanism in wheat plants and also highlight the strategic approaches that improve their heat stress tolerance at the molecular level. The success of these approaches depends on a better understanding of heat tolerance traits, their genomic composition, and molecular responses

Molecular mechanisms underlying alcohol-drinking behaviours

The main characteristic of alcohol use disorder is the consumption of large quantities of alcohol despite the negative consequences. The transition from the moderate use of alcohol to excessive, uncontrolled alcohol consumption results from neuroadaptations that cause aberrant motivational learning and memory processes. Here, we examine studies that have combined molecular and behavioural approaches in rodents to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that keep the social intake of alcohol in check, which we term ‘stop pathways’, and the neuroadaptations that underlie the transition from moderate to uncontrolled, excessive alcohol intake, which we term ‘go pathways’. We also discuss post-transcriptional, genetic and epigenetic alterations that underlie both types of pathways