Rice biofortification: breeding and genomic approaches for genetic enhancement of grain zinc and iron contents

Rice is a highly consumed staple cereal cultivated predominantly in Asian countries, which share 90% of global rice production. Rice is a primary calorie provider for more than 3.5 billion people across the world. Preference and consumption of polished rice have increased manifold, which resulted in the loss of inherent nutrition. The prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies (Zn and Fe) are major human health challenges in the 21st century. Biofortification of staples is a sustainable approach to alleviating malnutrition. Globally, significant progress has been made in rice for enhancing grain Zn, Fe, and protein. To date, 37 biofortified Fe, Zn, Protein and Provitamin A rich rice varieties are available for commercial cultivation (16 from India and 21 from the rest of the world; Fe > 10 mg/kg, Zn > 24 mg/kg, protein > 10% in polished rice as India target while Zn > 28 mg/kg in polished rice as international target). However, understanding the micronutrient genetics, mechanisms of uptake, translocation, and bioavailability are the prime areas that need to be strengthened. The successful development of these lines through integrated-genomic technologies can accelerate deployment and scaling in future breeding programs to address the key challenges of malnutrition and hidden hunger

Distinct tooth regeneration systems deploy a conserved battery of genes.

BackgroundVertebrate teeth exhibit a wide range of regenerative systems. Many species, including most mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, form replacement teeth at a histologically distinct location called the successional dental lamina, while other species do not employ such a system. Notably, a 'lamina-less' tooth replacement condition is found in a paraphyletic array of ray-finned fishes, such as stickleback, trout, cod, medaka, and bichir. Furthermore, the position, renewal potential, and latency times appear to vary drastically across different vertebrate tooth regeneration systems. The progenitor cells underlying tooth regeneration thus present highly divergent arrangements and potentials. Given the spectrum of regeneration systems present in vertebrates, it is unclear if morphologically divergent tooth regeneration systems deploy an overlapping battery of genes in their naïve dental tissues.ResultsIn the present work, we aimed to determine whether or not tooth progenitor epithelia could be composed of a conserved cell type between vertebrate dentitions with divergent regeneration systems. To address this question, we compared the pharyngeal tooth regeneration processes in two ray-finned fishes: zebrafish (Danio rerio) and threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). These two teleost species diverged approximately 250 million years ago and demonstrate some stark differences in dental morphology and regeneration. Here, we find that the naïve successional dental lamina in zebrafish expresses a battery of nine genes (bmpr1aa, bmp6, cd34, gli1, igfbp5a, lgr4, lgr6, nfatc1, and pitx2), while active Wnt signaling and Lef1 expression occur during early morphogenesis stages of tooth development. We also find that, despite the absence of a histologically distinct successional dental lamina in stickleback tooth fields, the same battery of nine genes (Bmpr1a, Bmp6, CD34, Gli1, Igfbp5a, Lgr4, Lgr6, Nfatc1, and Pitx2) are expressed in the basalmost endodermal cell layer, which is the region most closely associated with replacement tooth germs. Like zebrafish, stickleback replacement tooth germs additionally express Lef1 and exhibit active Wnt signaling. Thus, two fish systems that either have an organized successional dental lamina (zebrafish) or lack a morphologically distinct successional dental lamina (sticklebacks) deploy similar genetic programs during tooth regeneration.ConclusionsWe propose that the expression domains described here delineate a highly conserved "successional dental epithelium" (SDE). Furthermore, a set of orthologous genes is known to mark hair follicle epithelial stem cells in mice, suggesting that regenerative systems in other epithelial appendages may utilize a related epithelial progenitor cell type, despite the highly derived nature of the resulting functional organs

Distinct tooth regeneration systems deploy a conserved battery of genes.

BackgroundVertebrate teeth exhibit a wide range of regenerative systems. Many species, including most mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, form replacement teeth at a histologically distinct location called the successional dental lamina, while other species do not employ such a system. Notably, a 'lamina-less' tooth replacement condition is found in a paraphyletic array of ray-finned fishes, such as stickleback, trout, cod, medaka, and bichir. Furthermore, the position, renewal potential, and latency times appear to vary drastically across different vertebrate tooth regeneration systems. The progenitor cells underlying tooth regeneration thus present highly divergent arrangements and potentials. Given the spectrum of regeneration systems present in vertebrates, it is unclear if morphologically divergent tooth regeneration systems deploy an overlapping battery of genes in their naïve dental tissues.ResultsIn the present work, we aimed to determine whether or not tooth progenitor epithelia could be composed of a conserved cell type between vertebrate dentitions with divergent regeneration systems. To address this question, we compared the pharyngeal tooth regeneration processes in two ray-finned fishes: zebrafish (Danio rerio) and threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). These two teleost species diverged approximately 250 million years ago and demonstrate some stark differences in dental morphology and regeneration. Here, we find that the naïve successional dental lamina in zebrafish expresses a battery of nine genes (bmpr1aa, bmp6, cd34, gli1, igfbp5a, lgr4, lgr6, nfatc1, and pitx2), while active Wnt signaling and Lef1 expression occur during early morphogenesis stages of tooth development. We also find that, despite the absence of a histologically distinct successional dental lamina in stickleback tooth fields, the same battery of nine genes (Bmpr1a, Bmp6, CD34, Gli1, Igfbp5a, Lgr4, Lgr6, Nfatc1, and Pitx2) are expressed in the basalmost endodermal cell layer, which is the region most closely associated with replacement tooth germs. Like zebrafish, stickleback replacement tooth germs additionally express Lef1 and exhibit active Wnt signaling. Thus, two fish systems that either have an organized successional dental lamina (zebrafish) or lack a morphologically distinct successional dental lamina (sticklebacks) deploy similar genetic programs during tooth regeneration.ConclusionsWe propose that the expression domains described here delineate a highly conserved "successional dental epithelium" (SDE). Furthermore, a set of orthologous genes is known to mark hair follicle epithelial stem cells in mice, suggesting that regenerative systems in other epithelial appendages may utilize a related epithelial progenitor cell type, despite the highly derived nature of the resulting functional organs

Persuasive Serious Social Health Games for Managing Diabetes

Prevalence of chronic diseases is becoming a serious problem facing our society. Many of these diseases are caused due to dietary and lifestyle risk factors and can be perceived as hard to cure. However, behavioural changes such as adopting a healthy diet and lifestyle are effective in reducing chronic conditions. Lifestyle-related diseases are now being combated through the use of ICT-based systems and persuasive technologies to help change lifestyle and manage diseases. We can observe the adoption of serious health games as an aid to persuade individuals to adopt healthy lifestyles. This research leverages information technologies and type 2 diabetes studies to design games that can act as a catalyst to educate, prevent and reverse type 2 diabetes, especially among the Maori and Pacific Island communities. These games not only support the formation of healthy habits but also helps individuals to work together collectively towards a healthier life that embraces their uniqueness

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Not AvailableA study was conducted to evaluate the genetic variability parameters, correlation and path coefficient analysis for eight yield related traits in segregating F2 population of an aerobic restorer AR 9-18 × YPK 198 (Donor for yield enhancing genes Gn1a and OsSPL14) at ICAR-IIRR, Hyderabad during the kharif, 2019. The results indicated that, productive tiller number, grain number per panicle and plant yield showed high PCV and GCV. Height of plant, productive tiller number, grain number per panicle and plant yield exhibited a high heritability and also high genetic advance as per cent of mean which indicates simple selection would be effective for enhancement of these traits. Correlation studies indicated that plant yield was associated significantly positive with height of plant, productive tiller number, length of panicle and grain number per panicle. High positive direct effect on plant yield was recorded by productive tiller number, grain number per panicle and height of plant.Not Availabl

annual report 2017-18

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Patient Frailty Is Independently Associated With the Risk of Hospitalization for Acute‐on‐Chronic Liver Failure

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There is significant interest in identifying risk factors associated with acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF). In transplant candidates, frailty predicts waitlist mortality and post-transplant outcomes. However, the impact of frailty on ACLF development and mortality is unknown. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of U.S. Veterans with cirrhosis identified between 2008 to 2016. First hospitalizations were characterized as ACLF or non-ACLF admissions. Pre-hospitalization patient frailty was ascertained using a validated score based on administrative coding data. We used logistic regression to investigate the impact of increasing frailty score on the odds of ACLF hospitalization and short-term ACLF mortality. Cox regression was used to analyze the association between frailty and long-term survival from hospitalization. RESULTS: We identified 16,561 cirrhosis hospitalizations over median follow-up 4.19 years (interquartile range 2.47–6.34). In adjusted models, increasing frailty score was associated with significantly increased odds of ACLF hospitalization versus non-ACLF hospitalization (odds ratio [OR] 1.03 per point, 95% CI 1.02–1.03, p<0.001). By contrast, frailty score was not associated with ACLF 28- or 90-day mortality (p=0.13 and p=0.33, respectively). In adjusted Cox analysis of all hospitalizations, increasing frailty scores were associated with poorer long-term survival from the time of hospitalization (HR 1.02 per 5 points, 95% CI 1.01–1.04, p=0.004). CONCLUSION: Frailty increases the likelihood of ACLF hospitalization among patients with cirrhosis, but does not impact short-term ACLF mortality. These findings have implications for clinicians caring for frail outpatients with cirrhosis, including tailored follow-up, risk mitigation strategies, and possible expedited transplant evaluation

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Not AvailableThe low and highly fluctuating agricultural productivity and farm income is causing detrimental effect on the interest in farming, and farm investment, and is also forcing more and more farmers, particularly younger group, to leave farming. It is apparent that income earned by a farmer from agriculture is crucial to address agrarian distress and promote farmers welfare. Realizing the need to pay special attention to the plight of farmers, the Hon’ble Prime Minister announced to double the farmers income by 2022 to promote farmers welfare, reduce agrarian distress and bring parity between income of farmers and those working in nonagricultural profession. Agriculture in Eastern India have been facing the challenges of the new economic regime, besides the usual problems of rising population, unemployment and poverty; declining investment in agriculture and degradation of natural resources. The second generation problems have emerged in agriculture due to over exploitation of natural resources after Green Revolution. Hence, the major focus needs to be given on resource conservation technologies (RCTs) including retention of crop residues on soil surface to improve the soil health. Use of RCTs especially zero tillage (ZT) in wheat in ricewheat system is one of the fast growing technologies in the region, and has resulted in average yield gain of 7.6%, seed saving by 12-15 kg/ha and reduction in cost of crop establishment by Rs. 1500/ha. The technology has been adopted in more than 2.5 lakh hectare area during last 5 years in Bihar. Spread of this technology even in 50% wheat growing area (10.6 lakh ha) by 2022 will result in an additional production of 2.12 lakh tonnes of wheat besides net savings of 13,800 tonnes of seed and Rs 1632.4 million on crop establishment. Besides, the technology is spreading fast in other winter crops like lentil and chickpea. Similarly diversification of rice-wheat system with pulses, vegetables, green manuring crops like Sesbania, etc. is urgently required to improve the soil fertility and to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. The Eastern region has developed a large number of technologies related to agrihorti crops, vegetables, livestock, poultry and fisheries. In order to enhance agricultural productivity, sustainability and profitability, there is a need to make planned efforts for promotion and use of these technologies in befitting manner so as to increase farmer’s income, ensure sustainable food and livelihood security, besides achieving the nutritional security at household and even at individual level.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableThe present investigation was carried to know the extent of genetic variability in sixty-five germplasm lines of rice collected from all over India, for yield and yield attributing characters. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences for all the 10 characters, indicating the presence of genetic variability among the genotypes. The present investigation revealed that the estimates of PCV were slightly higher than GCV for all the characters studied indicating less influence of environmental factors on the expression of traits and the possibility for genetic improvement through direct selection for these traits. The magnitude of PCV and GCV estimates were moderate for three traits viz., days to 50% flowering, plant height, panicle length, total number of tillers per plant, effective number of tillers per plant and test weight, indicating the influence of environment rather than the genotype alone. The heritability and genetic advance estimates were moderate for panicle length and high for all the other traits viz., days to 50% flowering, plant height, total number of tillers per plant, effective number of tillers per plant, panicle weight, number of filled grains per panicle, number of unfilled grains per panicle, test weight and single plant yield indicating the influence of additive gene action, as such selection would likely be effective for improvement of these traits.Not Availabl

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Not Available“Our mandate is to undertake strategic and adaptive research for efficient integrated management of natural resources to enhance productivity of agricultural production systems in Eastern India” ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region is a multi-commodity and multidisciplinary institute catering to the eastern states of India. Eastern India is endowed with natural resources. However, in terms of agricultural productivity and livelihood status, it is still far away from the national average. The region has about 71% marginal farmers, small and fragmented landholdings, lack of mechanization, the lowest per capita income, the highest population density, poor infrastructure facilities for storage, processing and marketing, limit adoption of modern farming practices in the region. Eastern region comprising of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Assam, Bihar, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal accounts for nearly 82% of the total rice-fallow area (11.7 m ha) of the country. These areas are suitable for intensification with a short duration (≤3 months), low water-consuming grain legumes such as chickpea, lentils, blackgram, greengram, and oilseeds viz. linseed and safflower, to improve smallholder farmer’s incomes and soil health. With appropriate planning and policy interventions combined with efficient crop production technologies, these fallow lands could be converted in to productive lands in a phased manner. Even if 50% (~ 5.0 m ha) of the rice fallows in eastern India with minimum of 0.5t/ha pulse productivity could be brought under pulses, an additional production of 2.5 m tones could be added in national pulse basket, besides improving the soil health. This additional pulse production will not only cut foreign exchange incurred on the import, but also provide nutritional security to weaker sections of the society.Not Availabl