Mean and range of grain iron, zinc, protein and thousand kernel weight in RIL population grown in rabi 2012–13 and 2013–14 at ICAR-IARI, GBPUA&T, and Pusa Bihar.

<p>Mean and range of grain iron, zinc, protein and thousand kernel weight in RIL population grown in rabi 2012–13 and 2013–14 at ICAR-IARI, GBPUA&T, and Pusa Bihar.</p

Frequency distributions of grain iron and zinc concentration measured during 2012–13 and 2013–14 in the parents and their RIL population.

<p>Frequency distributions of grain iron and zinc concentration measured during 2012–13 and 2013–14 in the parents and their RIL population.</p

Molecular mapping of the grain iron and zinc concentration, protein content and thousand kernel weight in wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.)

<div><p>Genomic regions responsible for accumulation of grain iron concentration (Fe), grain zinc concentration (Zn), grain protein content (PC) and thousand kernel weight (TKW) were investigated in 286 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between an old Indian wheat variety WH542 and a synthetic derivative (<i>Triticum dicoccon</i> PI94624/<i>Aegilops squarrosa</i> [409]//BCN). RILs were grown in six environments and evaluated for Fe, Zn, PC, and TKW. The population showed the continuous distribution for all the four traits, that for pooled Fe and PC was near normal, whereas, for pooled Zn, RILs exhibited positively skewed distribution. A genetic map spanning 2155.3cM was constructed using microsatellite markers covering the 21 chromosomes and used for QTL analysis. 16 quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified in this study. Four QTLs (<i>QGFe</i>.<i>iari-2A</i>, <i>QGFe</i>.<i>iari-5A</i>, <i>QGFe</i>.<i>iari-7A</i> and <i>QGFe</i>.<i>iari-7B</i>) for Fe, five QTLs (<i>QGZn</i>.<i>iari-2A</i>, <i>QGZn</i>.<i>iari-4A</i>, <i>QGZn</i>.<i>iari-5A</i>, <i>QGZn</i>.<i>iari-7A</i> and <i>QGZn</i>.<i>iari-7B</i>) for Zn, two QTLs (<i>QGpc</i>.<i>iari-2A</i> and <i>QGpc</i>.<i>iari-3A</i>) for PC, and five QTLs (<i>QTkw</i>.<i>iari-1A</i>, <i>QTkw</i>.<i>iari-2A</i>, <i>QTkw</i>.<i>iari-2B</i>, <i>QTkw</i>.<i>iari-5B</i> and <i>QTkw</i>.<i>iari-7A</i>) for TKW were identified. The QTLs together explained 20.0%, 32.0%, 24.1% and 32.3% phenotypic variation, respectively, for Fe, Zn, PC and TKW. <i>QGpc</i>.<i>iari-2A</i> was consistently expressed in all the six environments, whereas, <i>QGFe</i>.<i>iari-7B</i> and <i>QGZn</i>.<i>iari-2A</i> were identified in two environments each apart from pooled mean. <i>QTkw</i>.<i>iari-2A</i> and <i>QTkw</i>.<i>iari-7A</i>, respectively, were identified in four and three environments apart from pooled mean. A common region in the interval of <i>Xgwm359-Xwmc407</i> on chromosome 2A was associated with Fe, Zn, and PC. One more QTL for TKW was identified on chromosome 2A but in a different chromosomal region (<i>Xgwm382-Xgwm359</i>). Two more regions on 5A (<i>Xgwm126-Xgwm595</i>) and 7A (<i>Xbarc49-Xwmc525</i>) were found to be associated with both Fe and Zn. A QTL for TKW was identified (<i>Xwmc525-Xbarc222</i>) in a different chromosomal region on the same chromosome (7A). This reflects at least a partly common genetic basis for the four traits. It is concluded that fine mapping of the regions of the three chromosomes of A genome involved in determining the accumulation of Fe, Zn, PC, and TKW in this mapping population may be rewarding.</p></div

Estimates of phenotypic correlation coefficients for grain iron, zinc, protein and thousand kernel weight in RILs of WH542 × Synthetic derivative in rabi 2012–2013 and 2013–14 grown at ICAR-IARI, GBPUA&T, and Pusa Bihar.

<p>Estimates of phenotypic correlation coefficients for grain iron, zinc, protein and thousand kernel weight in RILs of WH542 × Synthetic derivative in rabi 2012–2013 and 2013–14 grown at ICAR-IARI, GBPUA&T, and Pusa Bihar.</p

Frequency distributions of grain protein content measured during 2012–13 and 2013–14 in the parents and their RIL population.

<p>Frequency distributions of grain protein content measured during 2012–13 and 2013–14 in the parents and their RIL population.</p

QTLs identified for grain iron, zinc, protein and thousand kernel weight in RILs of WH 542 × Synthetic derivative in rabi 2012–13 and 2013–14 at ICAR-IARI, GBPUA&T and Pusa Bihar.

<p>QTLs identified for grain iron, zinc, protein and thousand kernel weight in RILs of WH 542 × Synthetic derivative in rabi 2012–13 and 2013–14 at ICAR-IARI, GBPUA&T and Pusa Bihar.</p

Osteoconductive Amine-Functionalized Graphene–Poly(methyl methacrylate) Bone Cement Composite with Controlled Exothermic Polymerization

Bone cement has found extensive usage in joint arthroplasty over the last 50 years; still, the development of bone cement with essential properties such as high fatigue resistance, lower exothermic temperature, and bioactivity has been an unsolved problem. In our present work, we have addressed all of the mentioned shortcomings of bone cement by reinforcing it with graphene (GR), graphene oxide (GO), and surface-modified amino graphene (AG) fillers. These nanocomposites have shown hypsochromic shifts, suggesting strong interactions between the filler material and the polymer matrix. AG-based nanohybrids have shown greater osteointegration and lower cytotoxicity compared to other nanohybrids as well as pristine bone cement. They have also reduced oxidative stress on cells, resulting in calcification within 20 days of the implantation of nanohybrids into the rabbits. They have significantly reduced the exothermic curing temperature to body temperature and increased the setting time to facilitate practitioners, suggesting that reaction temperature and settling time can be dynamically controlled by varying the concentration of the filler. Thermal stability and enhanced mechanical properties have been achieved in nanohybrids vis-à-vis pure bone cement. Thus, this newly developed nanocomposite can create natural bonding with bone tissues for improved bioactivity, longer sustainability, and better strength in the prosthesis