Rice Grain Quality: Current Developments and Future Prospects

Grain quality of rice is more complex than other cereals, since it is mostly consumed as whole grain in countries where it serves as a staple food. Quality characteristics are major determinants of market price and include milling, physical appearance, cooking, sensory, palatability, and nutritional value. A better understanding of the factors that control these quality characteristics will be useful for developing new breeding strategies. In this chapter, we will review the progress made toward improvement of important grain quality traits along with their genetic basis. This chapter will also give innovative insights into the knowledge gained through new tools that integrate grain quality with high yield in the present scenario of diminishing natural resources and environmental fluctuations

Incomplete development of second sacral lamina: a case report

Sacrum is made up of large fused 5 sacral vertebra forming posterior wall of pelvis. On routine examination of the bones present in the bone bank of our department we noticed a sacrum in which sacral canal was incompletely formed due to imperfect formation of second sacral laminae. Knowledge of such type of variation may be of importance to the clinicians in dealing with patients presenting with bladder and or bowel disturbances or presenting with some neurological deficit of the lower limb. Orthopaedic surgeons should also be aware of this anomaly while operating in the sacral region

Absence of costal element of the foramen transversarium of atlas vertebrae

Background: Since scanty literature is available on the absence of costal element forming foramen transversarium of atlas vertebra therefore this study was undertaken. Atlas vertebrae were examined to see the presence of foramen transversarium and their boundaries.Methods: Hundred foramina transversaria of 50 atlas vertebrae were examined grossly.Results: Foramen transversarium was seen to be present in all the transverse processes of the atlas vertebrae examined. Costal element was found to be missing in seven foramina tranversaria out of 100 foramina seen. It was found to be absent on the right side in three vertebrae and in two it was absent bilaterally.Conclusions: In case the costal element of the foramen transversarium is absent, the second part of vertebral artery passing through this foramen is liable to be damaged while operating at the level of atlanto-occipital joint the operating surgeon should be aware of such variations so as to avoid injury of second part of vertebral artery and subsequently preventing any kind of neurological involvement. Radiologists must also know about such variations so as to correctly interpret radiological image of the craniovertebral region

Anatomical variations and clinical relevance of dorsal sacral foramina in North Indians

Lateral side of each intermediate crest has four dorsal sacral foramina for the passage of posterior division of the sacral nerves. Not only they serve as an important landmark in placement of spinal instrumentation but are also of great importance in transsacral block of sacral nerves for producing analgesia and anesthesia in pelvic surgeries. Therefore a study on the variation in number of dorsal sacral foramina was conducted in 60 adult dry North Indian sacra. Three dorsal sacral foramina were seen on the lateral side of each intermediate crest in four sacra (6.6%) and five in 6 sacra (10%) amongst all the sacra examined. Either a single pair, double pair or totally absent foramina were not observed in any of the sacra seen. This study revealed that there is variation in the number of dorsal sacral foramina. Anaesthetists should be aware of this disparity to be able to perform trans-sacral nerve block successfully. Radiologists must also know about this variation to interpret the radiographs of lumbosacral region. Neurologist and orthopedist should also be cognizant of this fact to diagnose patients presenting with bizarre clinical findings

Foramen of Huschke in North Indians: an anatomical study

Background:The deficiency in the antero-inferior wall of the bony part of external auditory canal (EAC) closes by 5 years of age but if it persists beyond that age it is called foramen of Huschke. Depending on the population studied, persistence of this foramen has been seen in 0-67% of adult crania. Review of literature revealed that no data was available in North Indian population; therefore the present study is being undertaken.Methods:Sixty North Indian adult human crania were examined and the presence of foramen of Huschke was noted. The side to which it belonged to, its shape and size were observed. Size of the foramen was measured using vernier caliper.Results:Out of sixty North Indian adult human crania seen, foramen of Huschke was present in 14 crania. It was observed unilaterally in 10 crania and bilaterally in 4. Although different shapes of the foramen like pin point, pin head, circular, irregular and U shape were observed but in majority of cases it was U shaped. Its size varied from pin point- 10 mm transversely and pin point to 9 mm longitudinally.Conclusion: This study revealed that about 23% of North Indian adult human crania have foramen of Huschke. Persistent foramen of Huschke in the adult life may be involved in different abnormalities of the EAC and may lead to otological complications. Therefore, ENT surgeons should be aware of persistent foramen of Huschke and keep it as one of the possible diagnoses while dealing with patients presenting with otological complications. Also the surgeons should be careful while performing endoscopy of Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) so that accidental damage of TMJ can be prevented.

Congenital malformation of fifth lumbar vertebra: A case report

Fifth lumbar vertebra is an atypical vertebra as it has widely separated inferior articular processes and thick transverse processes projecting out from the body and pedicles of the vertebra. On routine examination of osteology specimens we found a fifth lumbar vertebra in two separate parts. One part consisted of body, pedicles, transverse and superior articular processes. The other part consisted of lamina, spinous and inferior articular processes. Knowledge of this variation may be of importance to the clinicians for diagnosis of certain neurological deficits in the lower limb and to orthopaedic surgeons and neurosurgeons during the surgical intervention of that area

Photosynthetic carboxylases in wild and cultivated wheats

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Challenging gender inequity through male involvement in maternal and newborn health: critical assessment of an emerging evidence base

Men\u27s involvement in the health of women and children is considered an important avenue for addressing gender influences on maternal and newborn health. The impact of male involvement around the time of childbirth on maternal and newborn health outcomes was examined as one part of a systematic review of maternal health intervention studies published between 2000 and 2012. Of 33,888 articles screened, 13 eligible studies relating to male involvement were identified. The interventions documented in these studies comprise an emerging evidence base for male involvement in maternal and newborn health. We conducted a secondary qualitative analysis of the 13 studies, reviewing content that had been systematically extracted. A critical assessment of this extracted content finds important gaps in the evidence base, which are likely to limit how ‘male involvement’ is understood and implemented in maternal and newborn health policy, programmes and research. Collectively, the studies point to the need for an evidence base that includes studies that clearly articulate and document the gender-transformative potential of involving men. This broader evidence base could support the use of male involvement as a strategy to improve both health and gender equity outcomes