The objectives of this article are to report 2 cases of trauma-induced invasive cervical resorption (ICR) treated with surgical and nonsurgical restoration modalities and to review the literature on the clinical effectiveness of these approaches. Both surgical and nonsurgical techniques resulted in successful outcomes for 2 patients with trauma-induced ICR, classified as class 4 in the Heithersay classification and 3Bp in the 3-dimensional classification proposed by Patel et al. In the first case, the inapproachable resorptive lacuna was restored surgically, while in the second case, the large, approachable resorptive lacunae was treated nonsurgically. Treatment included root canal therapy, removal of granulation tissue, and placement of trichloroacetic acid and mineral trioxide aggregate to restore the resorptive lacuna. Follow-up examinations at 24 and 18 months for cases 1 and 2, respectively, indicated no recurrence, demonstrating successful management. Supporting the positive outcomes observed in these 2 clinical cases, the published literature suggests that the use of advanced diagnostic tools and appropriate treatment modalities tailored to each specific case can substantially increase the long-term retention of teeth affected by ICR.

Legumes fulfil the dietary requirements of the global population and therefore are an important and indispensable component of the food basket. The production and productivity of legumes is severely constrained by the various abiotic stress factors like drought, heat stress, salinity stress and cold stress. A yield loss ranging from 30 to 100

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a globally essential pulse crop, providing dietary protein for millions. However, it suffers significant yield losses due to drought stress, therefore, identification of genes that confer drought tolerance is crucial. The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are vital proteins in plant growth and development, facilitating the transport of phytohormones like abscisic acid (ABA) that helps plants adapt to drought conditions. In this study, we identified 121 ABC transporter genes in chickpea, categorized into eight subfamilies. Consistent with other crops, the CaABCG family was the largest, with 48 members, while the CaABCE family had only one protein. Structural analysis revealed a conserved domain organization, including Walker A and B motifs and the ABC signature motif. Both segmental and tandem duplications were observed, with the highest duplication in the CaABCG and CaABCC subfamilies. Using RNA-seq and Whole Genome Bisulfite Sequencing (WGBS) data from the root tissues of two chickpea genotypes contrasting in drought tolerance, we found that DNA methylation at cytosine residues might regulate these genes under drought stress. Notably, the CaABCG41 gene was identified as drought-responsive, showing significant upregulation (p < 0.05) and hypermethylation (q < 0.01) in the drought tolerant genotype compared to the drought sensitive genotype under drought stress. CaABCG41 thus holds potential for developing drought-tolerant chickpea cultivars.

Chickpea, being an important grain legume crop, is often confronted with the adverse effects of high temperatures at the reproductive stage of crop growth, drastically affecting yield and overall productivity. The current study deals with an extensive evaluation of chickpea genotypes, focusing on the traits associated with yield and their response to heat stress. Notably, we observed significant variations for these traits under both normal and high-temperature conditions, forming a robust basis for genetic research and breeding initiatives. Furthermore, the study revealed that yield-related traits exhibited high heritability, suggesting their potential suitability for marker-assisted selection. We carried out single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping using the genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) method for a genome-wide association study (GWAS). Overall, 27 marker–trait associations (MTAs) linked to yield-related traits, among which we identified five common MTAs displaying pleiotropic effects after applying a stringent Bonferroni-corrected p-value threshold of <0.05 [−log10(p) > 4.95] using the BLINK (Bayesian-information and linkage-disequilibrium iteratively nested keyway) model. Through an in-depth in silico analysis of these markers against the CDC Frontier v1 reference genome, we discovered that the majority of the SNPs were located at or in proximity to gene-coding regions. We further explored candidate genes situated near these MTAs, shedding light on the molecular mechanisms governing heat stress tolerance and yield enhancement in chickpeas such as indole-3-acetic acid–amido synthetase GH3.1 with GH3 auxin-responsive promoter and pentatricopeptide repeat-containing protein, etc. The harvest index (HI) trait was associated with marker Ca3:37444451 encoding aspartic proteinase ortholog sequence of Oryza sativa subsp. japonica and Medicago truncatula, which is known for contributing to heat stress tolerance. These identified MTAs and associated candidate genes may serve as valuable assets for breeding programs dedicated to tailoring chickpea varieties resilient to heat stress and climate change.

Ephedra gerardiana Wall. is an endangered and important medicinal plant, being used in various herbal formulations. Present report describes the development of a micropropagation protocol using BAP and Kn followed by assessment of the genetic integrity of in vitro raised plants. Most responsive media was MS Basal Medium supplemented with 15 µM Kn and 5 µM BAP showing the best results in terms of both percentage response and maximum number of shoot buds. The shoots rooted best onto ¼ MS containing 20 µM IBA. Hardening was followed by transplantation and finally field establishment where 76.8

Drought is an enormous threat to global crop production. In order to ensure food security for the burgeoning population, we must develop drought tolerant crop varieties. This necessitates the identification of drought-responsive genes and understanding the mechanisms involved in their regulation. DNA methylation is a widely studied mechanism of epigenetic regulation of gene expression, which is known to play vital role in conferring tolerance to various biotic and abiotic stress factors. The recent advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, has allowed unprecedented access to genome-wide methylation marks, with single base resolution. The most important roles of DNA methylation have been studied in terms of gene body methylation (gbM), which is associated with regulation of both transcript abundance and its stability. The availability of mutants for the various genes encoding enzymes involved in methylation of DNA has allowed ascertainment of the biological significance of methylation. Even though a vast number of reports have emerged in the recent past, where both genome-wide methylation landscape and locus specific changes in DNA methylation have been studied, a conclusive picture with regards to the biological role of DNA methylation is still lacking. Compounding this, is the lack of sufficient evidence supporting the heritability of these epigenetic changes. Amongst the various epigenetic variations, the DNA methylation changes are observed to be the most stable. This review describes the drought-induced changes in DNA methylation identified across different plant species. We also briefly describe the stress memory contributed by these changes. The identification of heritable, drought-induced methylation marks would broaden the scope of crop improvement in the future.

Anguina tritici, a plant parasitic nematode (PPN) from clade IV of the phylum Nematoda, causes earcockle and tundu diseases in wheat. It stands out from other PPNs due to its ability to parasitize wheat plant seeds and its long-term survival capability under anhydrobiosis conditions within the seeds. Therefore, the genome of A. tritici provides an opportunity to understand the genomic basis for its adaptation to parasitize the aerial parts of the plant. The Illumina MiSeq sequencing strategy yielded a total of 11,065,381,294 bases, with a read count of 40,210,848. The genome, with a size of 164 MB and 39,965 protein-coding genes, was sequenced at 60-fold coverage. Key statistics include a GC content of 39.1%, Q20% of 92.73, and Q30% of 84.08. KEGG analysis identified the involvement of genes in 375 different pathways, highlighting significant pathways related to parasitism, anhydrobiosis, and stress responses. Comparative genomic analysis yielded insightful results regarding the orthologous relationships among the six analysed species, including A. tritici, Aphelenchoides besseyi, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, Ditylenchus destructor, Globodera pallida, and Meloidogyne incognita. Sixty-one overlaps were identified, indicating shared orthologous clusters among these species. A single-copy orthologue-based phylogenetic tree showed A. tritici and D. destructor in a monophyletic group. Expert functional annotations revealed the occurrence of several gene homologs involved in developmental processes, neuropeptide signaling, aging, anhydrobiosis, parasitism, RNA interference (RNAi), chemosensory mechanisms, and sex determination processes in A. tritici. These findings offer a comprehensive genetic framework for understanding the parasitism and survival strategies of A. tritici, with significant implications for developing novel control methods and advancing research in plant pathology and Nematology.

Anguina tritici, the wheat seed gall nematode, causes the ‘ear-cockle’ or seed gall disease of wheat (Triticum sp.), leading to an extensive decline of yield (30–70%) in underdeveloped wheat cultivating countries of the world. The nematode is known to survive in anhydrobiotic conditions for up to 32 years. Here, we present the first transcriptome assembly of A. tritici, which will be a valuable resource for understanding the genes responsible for nematode survival and above-ground plant parasitism. The final 133.2 Mb assembly consists of 105606 open reading frames (including isoforms) with the following BUSCO scores against Nematoda database: 80.3% complete (16.4% single copy and 63.9% duplicated), 2.1% fragmented, and 17.6% missing.

This paper discusses efforts made by past researchers to steady the expansive (problematic) soils using mechanical and chemical techniques - specifically with EPS beads, lime and fly ash. Administering swelling of problematic soils is critical for civil engineers to prevent structural distress. This paper summarizes studies on reduction of swelling potential using EPS, lime and fly ash individually. Chemical stabilization with lime and fly ash are conventional methods for expansive soil stabilization, with known merits and demerits. This paper explores the suitability of different materials under various conditions and stabilization mechanisms, including cation exchange, flocculation, and pozzolanic reactions. The degree of stabilization is influenced by various factors such as the type and amount of additives, soil mineralogy, curing temperature, moisture content during molding, and the presence of nano-silica, organic matter, and sulfates. Additionally, expanded polystyrene (EPS) improves structural integrity by compressing when surrounded clay swells, reducing overall swelling. Thus, EPS addresses limitations of chemicals by mechanical means. Combining EPS, lime and fly ash creates a customized system promoting efficient, long-lasting, cost-effective and eco-friendly soil stabilization. Chemicals address EPS limitations like poor stabilization. This paper benefits civil engineers seeking to control expansive soil swelling and prevent structural distress. It indicates potential of an EPS-lime-fly ash system and concludes by identifying research gaps for further work on such combinatorial stabilizer systems.

The objectives of this article are to report 2 cases of nonsurgical endodontic treatment for the management of periapical lesions associated with large cortical bone perforations and review the literature on the clinical efficacy of nonsurgical endodontic treatment to draw insights from published case reports. Large, cyst-like periapical lesions in 2 patients were successfully treated with combined modalities of root canal treatment, antimicrobial therapy (calcium hydroxide and triple antibiotic paste [TAP]), and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) obturation of the canal space. In both cases, instrumentation was extended 1 mm beyond the apical foramen to facilitate drainage through the root canal, because it was assumed that the periapical lesion could be cystic. After instrumentation, TAP was placed within the canal space to aid in disinfection and healing of the dental, pulpal, and periapical conditions. In both patients, the teeth were asymptomatic and functional at follow-up examinations (case 1, 3 years; case 2, 30 months). Supporting the positive outcomes in the 2 clinical cases, the published literature suggests that the use of biocompatible materials such as MTA, which can promote the deposition of hydroxyapatite, has the potential to contribute to tissue regeneration and the healing of large periapical lesions.

Background Traditional breeding methods have long been employed worldwide for the evaluation and development of pepper cultivars. However, these methods necessitate multiple generations of screening, line development, evaluation, recognition, and crossing to obtain highly homozygous lines. In contrast, in vitro anther-derived microspore culture represents a rapid method to generate homozygous lines within a single generation. In the present study, we have optimized a protocol for microspore embryogenesis from anther cultures of pepper hybrids Orobelle and Bomby. Results We achieved early and successful embryo formation from both genotypes by subjecting the buds to a cold pretreatment at 4 °C for 4 days. Our optimized culture medium, comprised of MS medium supplemented with 4 mg/L NAA, 1 mg/L BAP, 0.25% activated charcoal, 2.6 g/L gelrite, 30 g/L sucrose, and 15 mg/L silver nitrate, exhibited the highest efficiency in embryo formation (1.85% and 1.46%) for Orobelle and Bomby, respectively. Furthermore, successful plant regeneration from the anther derived microspore embryos was accomplished using half-strength MS medium fortified with 2% sucrose and 0.1 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (BA), solidified with 2.6 g/L gelrite. The ploidy status of the microspore-derived plantlets was analyzed using flow cytometry technique. Notably, the haploid plants exhibited distinct characteristics such as reduced plant height, leaf length, leaf width, and shorter internode length when compared to their diploid counterparts derived from seeds. Conclusion Our findings highlight the potential of anther culture and microspore embryogenesis as an advanced method for accelerating pepper breeding programs, enabling the rapid production of superior homozygous lines.

The endeavor to implement value addition to mine waste while ensuring sustainability is marked by a complex array of challenges and barriers. Foremost among these is the inherent variability in the composition and characteristics of mine waste, posing difficulties in devising standardized processes for its extraction and utilization. Geological and environmental factors further compound the issue, necessitating tailored solutions adapted to diverse mining sites. Concurrently, addressing the adverse environmental consequences of traditional mining activities, including soil and water contamination, is imperative for achieving sustainable practices. Regulatory complexities and protracted permitting procedures can stymie innovation in mine waste management, amplifying the challenge. Striking a harmonious balance between economic viability and upholding environmental and social responsibility is a delicate feat. Interdisciplinary collaboration emerges as an indispensable factor, facilitating the formulation of comprehensive and sustainable strategies to transmute mine waste into valuable resources. Triumphing over these multifaceted hurdles is pivotal in harnessing the complete potential of mine waste while preserving the well-being of our planet. This chapter endeavors to elucidate the hurdles and sustainable methodologies linked to the creation of value-added products from mining waste. It delves into the prospects of revolutionizing mining waste into valuable commodities through pioneering approaches. The chapter highlights the difficulties linked to transforming mining waste into valuable commodities. It also delves into the concept of life cycle assessment in the context of achieving a circular economy for the advancement and market introduction of these value-added products.

This case report highlights the intricate anatomy of root canals and the challenges they pose for clinicians. A 26-year-old female patient presented to the department with a chief complaint of pain in her left upper back tooth region. After thorough clinical and radiographical examinations, the diagnosis of pulpal necrosis with symptomatic apical periodontitis in the maxillary left first molar was confirmed. An intraoperative cone-beam computed tomography was performed. The axial imaging unveiled that there were, two distal (DB1 and DB2) canals, two palatal (P1 and P2) canals, and three mesiobuccal (MB1, MB2, and MB3) canals. The appearance of a convoluted root canal configuration serves to highlight the inherent complexity that clinicians may encounter during endodontic procedures. However, when this complexity is further compounded by the incident of separation of root canal instruments, the challenges faced by clinicians become significantly more demanding. It exemplifies the increased difficulty posed by the combination of tortuous root canal morphology and the additional complication of instrument separation, highlighting the importance of careful management and precise techniques in such scenarios and the significance of modern adjuncts, into the diagnostic process and magnification in the surgical and endodontic therapy.

Heterologous expression of a nematode-responsive promoter in tomato successfully driven the RNAi constructs to impart root-knot nematode resistance. The root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita seriously afflicts the global productivity of tomatoes. Nematode management options are extremely reliant on chemical methods, however, only a handful of nematicides are commercially available. Additionally, nematodes have developed resistance-breaking phenotypes against the commercially available Mi gene-expressing tomatoes. Nematode resistance in crop plants can be enhanced using the bio-safe RNAi technology, in which plants are genetically modified to express nematode gene-specific dsRNA/siRNA molecules. However, the majority of the RNAi crops conferring nematode tolerance have used constitutive promoters, which have many limitations. In the present study, using promoter-GUS fusion, we functionally validated two nematode-inducible root-specific promoters (pAt1g74770 and pAt2g18140, identified from Arabidopsis thaliana) in the Solanum lycopersicum-M. incognita pathosystem. pAt2g18140 was found to be nematode-responsive during 10–21 days post-inoculation (dpi) and became non-responsive during the late infection stage (28 dpi). In contrast, pAt1g74770 remained nematode-responsive for a longer duration (10–28 dpi). Next, a number of transgenic lines were developed that expressed RNAi constructs (independently targeting the M. incognita integrase and splicing factor genes) driven by the pAt1g74770 promoter. M. incognita parasitic success (measured by multiplication factor ratio) in pAt1g74770:integrase and pAt1g74770:splicing factor RNAi lines were significantly reduced by 60.83–74.93

Global agriculture is facing the wrath of climatic stresses, which significantly impact global food production and demand. Continuously changing global climatic conditions leading to prolonged climate extremes like flooding and drought, extreme precipitation, brusque temperature fluctuations, soil salinization, land degradation and decreased soil fertility, soil compaction, decreased microbial diversity, war, and war-like situations pose significant yield penalties on global agriculture, and therefore puts food security at risk. The prolonged intensive use of agrochemicals (chemical fertilizers and pesticides) globally adds heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Hg, Pb, Cu, and As) to the agriculturally suitable land. As the population is mounting, excessive exploitation of natural resources occurs, and unsustainable agricultural practices putting extra burden on lands and soil. Approximately, 90% of the arable land is at high risk because of one or more abiotic stresses. Abiotic stresses have significant potential to cause ~51%–82% crop yield loss in major food crops of global agriculture. Therefore the mechanistic understanding of abiotic stress in global agriculture is imperative to develop improved and climate-resilient crops and adoption of measures to deal with changing climatic conditions. The chapter is intended to understand the causes of abiotic stresses, plant responses to abiotic stresses, and their impact on major food crops of global agriculture and abiotic stress management.

Expansive soils pose major geotechnical challenges due to significant volume changes. This research investigates an innovative stabilization approach using sand, expanded polystyrene (EPS) beads, and jute fibres to enhance the properties of expansive soil. The purpose is to utilize the unique characteristics of these admixtures to restrict swelling potential and improve strength and load-bearing capacity. Experimental testing quantified improvements through parameters like unconfined compressive strength (UCS), swelling pressure, California bearing ratio (CBR), compaction characteristics, and Atterberg limits. Soil samples were prepared with individual and combined admixtures at optimum proportions and extensively tested after proper curing. Quantitative results indicated that including sand, EPS beads, and jute fibres increased the soil’s UCS by 41, 29, and 23%, respectively. The swelling pressure, on the other hand, decreased by 14, 18, and 11%, respectively. Maximum improvements were achieved with combined admixtures: UCS increased by 65%, swelling pressure reduced by 23%, and CBR improved from 5 to 6.5%. Regression analysis indicated a strong correlation (R 2 = 0.96) between admixture proportions and resultant UCS. The key achievements are effective swelling control, a marked increase in shear strength parameters, and synergy between admixtures in enhancing expansive soil properties. This sustainable stabilization method using industrial by-products presents a promising solution for constructing stable civil structures even in problematic expansive soil regions.

The growing utilization of Rare Earth Elements (REE) in various industries presents both opportunities and challenges. This chapter explores the eco-environmental challenges associated with the application of REE. It delves into the current trends in the development of mineral-based products utilizing REE, emphasizing the significance of sustainable practices. The chapter investigates the application of rare earth minerals in the metallurgical industry, highlighting the complexities of extraction, processing, and disposal methods that impact the environment. Additionally, it discusses the economic concerns related to REE application and production, considering the balance between economic growth and environmental preservation. This chapter provides valuable insights into the intricate relationship between technological advancement, economic considerations, and environmental sustainability in the context of REE application, offering a comprehensive overview for researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals.

Modifications within the epigenome of an organism in response to external environmental conditions allow it to withstand the hostile stress factors. Drought in chickpea is a severely limiting abiotic stress factor which is known to cause huge yield loss. To analyse the methylome of chickpea in response to drought stress conditions and how it affects gene expression, we performed whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and RNA-seq of two chickpea genotypes which contrast for drought tolerance. It was observed that the mCHH was most variable under drought stress and the drought tolerant (DT) genotype exhibited substantial genome-wide hypomethylation as compared to the drought sensitive (DS) genotype. Specifically, there was substantial difference in gene expression and methylation for the ribosomal genes for the tolerant and sensitive genotypes. The differential expression of these genes was in complete agreement with earlier reported transcriptomes in chickpea. Many of these genes were hypomethylated (q < 0.01) and downregulated under drought stress (p < 0.01) in the sensitive genotype. The gene RPS6 (ribosomal protein small subunit) was found to be downregulated and hypomethylated in the drought sensitive genotype which could possibly lead to reduced ribosomal biosynthesis. This study provides novel insights into regulation of drought -responsive genes in chickpea.

The present study investigated the linkage between days to flowering (DTF) and growth habit (GH) in pigeonpea using QTL mapping, QTL-seq, and GWAS approaches. The linkage map developed here is the largest to date, spanning 1825.56 cM with 7987 SNP markers. In total, eight and four QTLs were mapped for DTF and GH, respectively, harbouring 78 pigeonpea orthologs of Arabidopsis flowering time genes. Corroboratively, QTL-seq analysis identified a single linked QTL for both traits on chromosome 3, possessing 15 genes bearing genic variants. Together, these 91 genes were clustered primarily into autonomous, photoperiod, and epigenetic pathways. Further, we identified 39 associations for DTF and 111 associations for GH through GWAS in the QTL regions. Of these, nine associations were consistent and constituted nine haplotypes (five late, two early, one each for super-early and medium duration). The involvement of multiple genes explained the range of allelic effects and the presence of multiple LD blocks. Further, the linked QTL on chromosome 3 was fine-mapped to the 0.24-Mb region with an LOD score of 8.56, explaining 36.47% of the phenotypic variance. We identified a 10-bp deletion in the first exon of TFL1 gene of the ICPL 20338 variety, which may affect its interaction with the Apetala1 and Leafy genes, resulting in determinate GH and early flowering. Further, the genic marker developed for the deletion in the TFL1 gene could be utilized as a foreground marker in marker-assisted breeding programmes to develop early-flowering pigeonpea varieties.

Grain yield is a product of biomass (BM) and harvest index (HI). HI, not BM, is the major constraint of chickpea productivity in the long season environments of northern Indian plains. This is the first genome wide association study (GWAS) of shelling percentage (Sh.