This study investigates the inheritance pattern of petalous and apetalous traits in yellow sarson (Brassica rapa var yellow sarson) and its significance for breeding efforts. Utilizing three crucial crosses between petalous (Pant Sweta, Pant Girija, YSH0401) and ‘apetalous’ parents, we observed the absence of apetalous plants in the F1 generation, indicating dominant inheritance of petalous plants. The F2 generation consistently displayed a 3:1 ratio of petalous to apetalous plants, confirming the dominance of the petalous trait. Chi-squared tests on each generation supported this conclusion. Backcrosses with petalous parents yielded no fruit, reinforcing the dominance of the petalous trait. Chi-squared tests on these backcrosses further confirmed the dominance inheritance pattern. Conversely, backcrosses with apetalous parents consistently exhibited a 1:1 ratio, highlighting the recessive nature of the apetalous trait. The study underscores the importance of understanding the inheritance pattern of petalous and apetalous traits in B. rapa var yellow sarson crop, as it has implications for breeding goals. Knowledge on trait inheritance can guide future breeding strategies, facilitating the transfer of the apetalous trait as needed. This study provides valuable insights for genetic investigations and breeding initiatives in B. rapa var yellow sarson.

Teosinte, the wild progenitor of maize, has immense potential for providing unique traits and is more divergent compared to inbred lines and landraces. One hundred and sixty-nine teosinte-introgressed maize backcross inbred lines were developed to widen the genetic base of maize with predomestication alleles. The population was evaluated phenotypically and genotypic data of 76 SSR markers were used to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) governing the targeted traits. Sixty-six QTLs were detected for eight plant architect-related traits that are spread over 10 different chromosomes with phenotypic variation ranging from 2.29 to 13.97%. Maximum three stable QTLs were recorded for days to anthesis (DA) followed by two for days to silking (DS), plant height (PH) and node bearing first ear (NBE). For rest of three traits namely flag leaf length (FLL), flag leaf width (FLW) and ears per plant (E/P) only one stable QTL was detected. Among the 16 common QTLs, the marker phi328178-linked QTL governed four characters (DA, DS, FLL, FLW) simultaneously, followed by umc1622-linked (ASI, FLW, E/P), umc2341-linked (DA, DS, NBE) and phi075-linked QTLs (ASI, PH, NBE) controlling three traits each. Remaining 12 QTLs controlled two characters. Molecular association between co-localized QTLs for different traits was also validated at the phenotypic level by significant correlation estimates. For eight studied traits, 53 superior lines were identified which along with parents (teosinte and maize inbred DI-103) were grouped into 12 clusters. Therefore, lines clustered independently can be combined to accumulate desirable traits for the improvement of maize.

In India, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) accounted for nearly 62% of all deaths in 2016. Four NCDs – high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma and heart disease – together accounted for over 34% of these deaths. Using data from two rounds of the India Human Development Surveys (IHDSs), levels and changes in the prevalence rates of the four NCDs (based on diagnosed cases) among adults aged 15–69 years in India between 2004–05 and 2011–12 were examined by socioeconomic and demographic factors and for five broad occupation categories. The socioeconomic and demographic risk factors for each of these NCDs were determined using multiple linear logistic regression analysis of pooled data from two rounds of the IHDS. The results showed that while urban residence, age, female sex and education were associated with higher odds of high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease, household economic status was associated with higher odds for all four NCDs. Furthermore, increased higher odds of high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease were found for the legislator/senior official/professional occupation group compared with non-workers. Skilled agricultural/elementary workers had lower odds of high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma and heart disease. Craft/machine-related trade workers had higher odds of high blood pressure and diabetes, and reduced odds of asthma and heart disease. Compared with non-workers, the odds ratios for asthma were lower for all other occupational categories. During the two study decades, the Government of India implemented several programmes designed to improve the health and well-being of its people. However, more focused attention on the adult population is needed, and special attention should be paid to the issue of the occupational health of the working population through the strict implementation of work place safety protocols and the removal of potential health hazards.

The implementation of stable, accurate, and wideband second-order microwave integrators (SOMIs) is presented in this paper. These designs of SOMIs are obtained by using different combinations of transmission line sections and shunt stubs in cascading. Particle swarm optimization (PSO), cuckoo search algorithm (CSA), and gravitational search algorithm (GSA) are applied to obtain the optimal values of the characteristic impedances of these line elements to approximate the magnitude response of ideal second-order integrator (SOI). The performance measure criteria for the proposed SOMIs are carried out based on magnitude response, absolute magnitude error, phase response, convergence rate, pole-zero plot, and improvement graph. The simulation results and statistical analysis demonstrate that GSA surpasses the PSO and CSA to approximate the ideal SOI in all state-of-the-art, that is eligible for wide-band microwave integrator. The designed SOMI is compact in size and suitable to cover microwave applications. The magnitude errors for the proposed SOMIs GSA based are as low as 4.9954 and 3.6573, respectively. The structure of the designed SOMI is implemented in the form of microstrip line on RT/Duroid substrate with dielectric constant 2.2 and having height 0.762 mm. The simulated and measured magnitude result agrees well with the ideal one in the frequency range of 3–15 GHz.

A new species of polychaete, Armandia sampadae was collected from shallow sandy sediments off Rutland Island (57 m depth) and off North Andaman (52 m depth) during a benthic survey along the continental shelf of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The major character which distinguishes this species from other members of the genus Armandia is the presence of a pair of large, flattened, rounded, stalked, pigmented, leaf-shaped ventral papillae at the ventral base of the ringed anal funnel and the occurrence of a pair of sub-triangular black pigmented spots in the basal portion of the ventral papillae.

Soil quality integrates the effects of soil physical, chemical and biological attributes. Some of them are dynamic in nature and behave differentially in various agro-ecosystems (AESs) and are quantified in terms of a soil quality index (SQI). An attempt has been made in this paper to develop an SQI based on a minimum data set (MDS), which could be used to evaluate the sustainability of the crop production in three varying AESs in India, namely sub-humid, semi-arid and arid. Thirteen indicators were utilized to develop the SQI from the properties measured from the surface soil layer (0–15 cm). Each indicator of the MDS was transformed into a dimensionless score based on scoring functions (linear and non-linear) and integrated into four SQIs. The weighted non-linear index (WNLI) was identified as the most sensitive for all the AESs and was recommended as an index for future assessments. Based on this index, the quantification of soil quality under several cropping systems was carried out for sub-humid, semi-arid and arid AESs and the most suitable cropping system was identified. WLNI was positively and significantly correlated (R2 = 0.79, p < 0.01) with wheat equivalent yield for all the cropping systems. This clearly indicated that the index may be used satisfactorily for quantifying soil quality.

Lactation is known to be associated with a transient loss of bone mineral density (BMD) during 3–6 months post-partum. Bone changes during lactation in women consuming low dietary calcium are not sufficiently studied. The present longitudinal study examined the BMD changes during lactation in undernourished women and the relationship of bone changes to the nutritional status. Whole-body bone mineral content and BMD at hip, lumbar spine and forearm were assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in thirty-six lactating women from the low socio-economic group at four time points – within 1 month after delivery (baseline), and at 6, 12 and 18 months after delivery. Maternal body composition and biochemical parameters of bone metabolism were estimated at the same time. It was observed that femoral neck BMD reduced by 4·6 % at 6 months, but recovery to the baseline was incomplete at 18 months with a deficit of 2 %. Hip BMD reduction at 6 months was transient. Lumbar spine BMD did not show significant loss at 6 months and BMD increased by 3·6 and 6·3 % at 12 and 18 months, respectively. Regression analyses indicated that baseline lean mass was the most important determinant of bone preservation at femoral neck, hip as well as whole body, whereas baseline body weight was the most important determinant of per cent gain in lumbar spine. Maternal nutritional status as indicated by body weight and lean mass appears to influence the lactation-related BMD changes in undernourished women from the low socio-economic group in India.

Physical activity is known to influence the bone mass of an individual. Few studies have examined the effect of occupational activities on bone health. The present study investigated the relationship between occupational activities and the bone parameters measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 158 women from a low-income group in India. Women involved in three occupations with different bone-loading patterns (beedi (cigarette) makers, sweepers and construction workers) were included in the study. Anthropometric parameters, parity and percentage of menopausal women did not differ significantly between the three groups and dietary intake of Ca was low in all the groups. Bone mineral density (BMD) values of the overall group at all the sites were much lower than those reported from developed countries, possibly due to different body sizes in these regions. Femoral neck and hip BMD were not different in the three groups in spite of marked differences in activity patterns. However, bone area in the femoral neck was higher in the beedi makers compared with sweepers probably due to the squatting position adopted by beedi makers. Lumbar spine BMD was significantly lower among the sweepers when compared with the beedi makers and the groups performing walking and weight-bearing activities (sweepers and construction workers) had a higher prevalence of osteoporosis in the lumbar spine. However, weight-bearing effects of the upper body due to a squatting position were associated with better lumbar spine BMD in the beedi makers. The present study thus indicates that undernutrition might affect the relationship between occupational activities and bone parameters.