Wheat genetic resources have avoided disease pandemics, improved food security, and reduced environmental footprints: A review of historical impacts and future opportunities.

The use of plant genetic resources (PGR)-wild relatives, landraces, and isolated breeding gene pools-has had substantial impacts on wheat breeding for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, while increasing nutritional value, end-use quality, and grain yield. In the Global South, post-Green Revolution genetic yield gains are generally achieved with minimal additional inputs. As a result, production has increased, and millions of hectares of natural ecosystems have been spared. Without PGR-derived disease resistance, fungicide use would have easily doubled, massively increasing selection pressure for fungicide resistance. It is estimated that in wheat, a billion liters of fungicide application have been avoided just since 2000. This review presents examples of successful use of PGR including the relentless battle against wheat rust epidemics/pandemics, defending against diseases that jump species barriers like blast, biofortification giving nutrient-dense varieties and the use of novel genetic variation for improving polygenic traits like climate resilience. Crop breeding genepools urgently need to be diversified to increase yields across a range of environments (>200 Mha globally), under less predictable weather and biotic stress pressure, while increasing input use efficiency. Given that the ~0.8 m PGR in wheat collections worldwide are relatively untapped and massive impacts of the tiny fraction studied, larger scale screenings and introgression promise solutions to emerging challenges, facilitated by advanced phenomic and genomic tools. The first translocations in wheat to modify rhizosphere microbiome interaction (reducing biological nitrification, reducing greenhouse gases, and increasing nitrogen use efficiency) is a landmark proof of concept. Phenomics and next-generation sequencing have already elucidated exotic haplotypes associated with biotic and complex abiotic traits now mainstreamed in breeding. Big data from decades of global yield trials can elucidate the benefits of PGR across environments. This kind of impact cannot be achieved without widescale sharing of germplasm and other breeding technologies through networks and public-private partnerships in a pre-competitive space.

Haplotype-tagged SNPs improve genomic prediction accuracy for Fusarium head blight resistance and yield-related traits in wheat.

KEY MESSAGE: Linkage disequilibrium (LD)-based haplotyping with subsequent SNP tagging improved the genomic prediction accuracy up to 0.07 and 0.092 for Fusarium head blight resistance and spike width, respectively, across six different models. Genomic prediction is a powerful tool to enhance genetic gain in plant breeding. However, the method is accompanied by various complications leading to low prediction accuracy. One of the major challenges arises from the complex dimensionality of marker data. To overcome this issue, we applied two pre-selection methods for SNP markers viz. LD-based haplotype-tagging and GWAS-based trait-linked marker identification. Six different models were tested with preselected SNPs to predict the genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) of four traits measured in 419 winter wheat genotypes. Ten different sets of haplotype-tagged SNPs were selected by adjusting the level of LD thresholds. In addition, various sets of trait-linked SNPs were identified with different scenarios from the training-test combined and only from the training populations. The BRR and RR-BLUP models developed from haplotype-tagged SNPs had a higher prediction accuracy for FHB and SPW by 0.07 and 0.092, respectively, compared to the corresponding models developed without marker pre-selection. The highest prediction accuracy for SPW and FHB was achieved with tagged SNPs pruned at weak LD thresholds (r2 < 0.5), while stringent LD was required for spike length (SPL) and flag leaf area (FLA). Trait-linked SNPs identified only from training populations failed to improve the prediction accuracy of the four studied traits. Pre-selection of SNPs via LD-based haplotype-tagging could play a vital role in optimizing genomic selection and reducing genotyping costs. Furthermore, the method could pave the way for developing low-cost genotyping methods through customized genotyping platforms targeting key SNP markers tagged to essential haplotype blocks.

Nonsmoker COPD represents a clinically Distinct Phenotype: A Prospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) has been characterized as a smoker's disease, which has resulted in the usual exclusion of never-smokers from COPD studies. It is now recognized that never-smokers account for nearly one-fourth of all COPD cases, and thus airflow limitation in never-smokers needs further evaluation. Our study aims to elucidate the clinical and physiological aspects of COPD in nonsmokers and to compare smokers and nonsmokers with COPD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 200 naïve sequential patients with COPD were recruited. The severity of airflow limitation in COPD patients was defined as per Global Initiative for COPD (GOLD) 2019 criteria, and the severity of breathlessness was assessed by the modified Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnea scale. Data was collected using a patient pro forma, including risk factors for COPD and detailed clinical history. Phenotypic differences along with biomass exposure between never-smokers and smokers were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared to smokers, never-smokers presented at a younger age (55.69 ± 11.5 years; p < 0.001), with a longer duration of dyspnea (5.05 ± 4.96 vs 7.35 ± 6.98 years, p < 0.01). Chest radiographs revealed hyperinflation in a higher number of smokers as compared to never-smokers (82.9 vs 64.6%, p < 0.05). On spirometry evaluation, smokers were found to have significantly poorer lung function [forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1) 40.36 ± 17.76%; forced vital capacity (FVC): 58.16 ± 17.02%] as compared to never-smokers (FEV1: 47.1 ± 16.47%; FVC: 67.38 ± 17.02%) with p < 0.05. With respect to severity at presentation, most (45.8%) never-smokers presented with stage 2 COPD as compared to the majority of smokers (46.7%) who presented with stage 3 COPD (p-value of <0.05). Absolute eosinophil count (AEC) and eosinophil proportion in total leucocyte count (TLC) was significantly higher in never-smokers as compared to the smokers (232 ± 204.2 vs 309 ± 238.8, p < 0.05). Risk factor analysis showed mean biomass exposure index was significantly higher in never-smokers as compared to smokers (56.02 vs 6.28; p-value of <0.001). CONCLUSION: Compared to smokers, COPD in never-smokers presents at a younger age, with a longer duration of dyspnea and higher eosinophil count. Biomass exposure is one of the major contributors to etiologies for COPD in nonsmokers.

Genomic selection for spot blotch in bread wheat breeding panels, full-sibs and half-sibs and index-based selection for spot blotch, heading and plant height.

KEY MESSAGE: Genomic selection is a promising tool to select for spot blotch resistance and index-based selection can simultaneously select for spot blotch resistance, heading and plant height. A major biotic stress challenging bread wheat production in regions characterized by humid and warm weather is spot blotch caused by the fungus Bipolaris sorokiniana. Since genomic selection (GS) is a promising selection tool, we evaluated its potential for spot blotch in seven breeding panels comprising 6736 advanced lines from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center. Our results indicated moderately high mean genomic prediction accuracies of 0.53 and 0.40 within and across breeding panels, respectively which were on average 177.6% and 60.4% higher than the mean accuracies from fixed effects models using selected spot blotch loci. Genomic prediction was also evaluated in full-sibs and half-sibs panels and sibs were predicted with the highest mean accuracy (0.63) from a composite training population with random full-sibs and half-sibs. The mean accuracies when full-sibs were predicted from other full-sibs within families and when full-sibs panels were predicted from other half-sibs panels were 0.47 and 0.44, respectively. Comparison of GS with phenotypic selection (PS) of the top 10% of resistant lines suggested that GS could be an ideal tool to discard susceptible lines, as greater than 90% of the susceptible lines discarded by PS were also discarded by GS. We have also reported the evaluation of selection indices to simultaneously select non-late and non-tall genotypes with low spot blotch phenotypic values and genomic-estimated breeding values. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of integrating GS and index-based selection for improving spot blotch resistance in bread wheat.

Genetic dissection for head blast resistance in wheat using two mapping populations.

Wheat head blast is a dangerous fungal disease in South America and has recently spread to Bangladesh and Zambia, threatening wheat production in those regions. Host resistance as an economical and environment-friendly management strategy has been heavily relied on, and understanding the resistance loci in the wheat genome is very helpful to resistance breeding. In the current study, two recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations, Alondra/Milan (with 296 RILs) and Caninde#2/Milan-S (with 254 RILs and Milan-S being a susceptible variant of Milan), were used for mapping QTL associated with head blast resistance in field experiments. Phenotyping was conducted in Quirusillas and Okinawa, Bolivia, and in Jashore, Bangladesh, during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 cropping cycles. The DArTseq® technology was employed to genotype the lines, along with four STS markers in the 2NS region. A QTL with consistent major effects was mapped on the 2NS/2AS translocation region in both populations, explaining phenotypic variation from 16.7 to 79.4% across experiments. Additional QTL were detected on chromosomes 2DL, 7AL, and 7DS in the Alondra/Milan population, and 2BS, 4AL, 5AS, 5DL, 7AS, and 7AL in the Caninde#2/Milan-S population, all showing phenotypic effects <10%. The results corroborated the important role of the 2NS/2AS translocation on WB resistance and identified a few novel QTL for possible deployment in wheat breeding. The low phenotypic effects of the non-2NS QTL warrantee further investigation for novel QTL with higher and more stable effects against WB, to alleviate the heavy reliance on 2NS-based resistance.

An Unusual Case of Pancytopenia: The Lessons Learnt.

Pancytopenia is a common hematological abnormality encountered in clinical practice. We here report a 36-year-old male who presented to emergency department with complaints of weakness of bilateral lower limbs, burning sensation in all four limbs with history of loose stools, and vomiting 5 days back. The complete blood count of patient showed pancytopenia with no circulating atypical cells. Bone marrow examination performed showed nonspecific but characteristic findings. After excluding the possibility of infective etiology, a possibility of heavy metal toxicity was suspected in multidisciplinary meeting. The urine and blood levels of arsenic done came out very high, and a diagnosis of arsenic poisoning was made. Patient had multisystemic involvement with features characteristic of arsenic poisoning. The present case was a diagnostic challenge in face of nonforthcoming history. This case beautifully highlighted the importance of multidepartmental approach in such cases to arrive at unerring diagnosis and the unique bone marrow findings, although nonspecific were sufficient enough to indicate the possibility of acute insult to the hematopoiesis. How to cite this article: Nair RR, Singh PK, Sharma J, Gambhir I, Khanna S, Jain AK, et al. An Unusual Case of Pancytopenia: The Lessons Learnt. Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(1):141-144.

Mapping for Adult-Plant Resistance Against Septoria Tritici Blotch in a Common Wheat Line Murga.

Septoria tritici blotch (STB) is a major foliar disease globally that is notorious for quickly developing fungicide resistance, making host resistance an indispensable component in mitigating STB. The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) wheat line Murga is well known for its high, durable, and broad-spectrum resistance against STB infection. This study aimed to investigate the resistance mechanism of Murga to facilitate its utilization in breeding. A recombinant inbred line population was derived from a cross between Murga and STB-susceptible line Huirivis#1, comprising 297 progenies. The population was evaluated for adult-plant STB resistance in Toluca, Mexico (from 2017 to 2019), and in La Estanzuela, Uruguay (from 2016 to 2018). Genotyping was performed with the DArTseq platform. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping indicated a major and stable QTL on chromosome 3DL, explaining a phenotypic variation for STB of 41.2 to 62.5% in Mexico and 27.5 to 40.3% in Uruguay. This QTL was regarded as Stb16 based on the comparison of its physical position, the possible origin from synthetic wheat, and its broad-spectrum resistance. Additional QTLs with minor effects were identified on chromosomes 2B, 2D, 3A, 3B, and 5B. The QTL on 5BS was significant in four of the six environments and must be new. Murga was the resistant donor for all QTLs except for those on 2B and 3A. Being an elite breeding line, Stb16 carrier Murga could be used as a promising STB resistance donor. Rational employment of Stb16 could contribute to STB management yet avoid the rapid emergence of Stb16-virulent isolates.

Tofacitinib Associated with Reduced Intubation Rates in the Management of Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Preliminary Experience.

BACKGROUND: The second wave of COVID-19 pandemic was not only associated with a rapid and severe surge in the number of cases but also limited availability of recommended medicines. Baricitinib has been known to reduce recovery time in COVID-19 pneumonia in association with remdesivir. Tofacitinib, with limited evidence, was used in severe COVID-19 pneumonia based on its similarity of action with baricitinib. METHODS: Data of all patients admitted to the COVID-19 intensive care unit in the month of April were accessed and analyzed. Data of patients who were on other immunomodulators, invasive ventilation, or suffering from end-stage organ diseases were excluded from the analysis. RESULTS: Out of 73 patients, data of 50 were analyzed. Twenty-five received tofacitinib and the other 25 were managed with standard of care. Age, comorbidities, and gender distribution between the two groups were similar. On day 7 of admission, the change in SpO2/FiO2 ratio was 1.26 ± 1 and 0.72 ± 1 in the tofacitinib group and control group, respectively. Similarly, a higher number of subjects in the control group showed worsening in the World Health Organization (WHO) ordinal scale (36 vs 12%, p = 0.01). The clinical objective improvement was similar in the two groups. The intubation rates in the tofacitinib group were significantly lower than that in the control group (32% vs 8%, p = 0.034). CONCLUSION: Tofacitinib, in this retrospective single-center experience, was found to be associated with reduced intubation rates and reduced worsening in the WHO ordinal scale. There was no difference in mortality in the two groups. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Singh PK, Lalwani LK, Govindagoudar MB, Aggarwal R, Chaudhry D, Kumar P, et al. Tofacitinib Associated with Reduced Intubation Rates in the Management of Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Preliminary Experience. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(10):1108-1112.

QTL mapping for field resistance to wheat blast in the Caninde#1/Alondra population.

KEY MESSAGE: Wheat blast resistance in Caninde#1 is controlled by a major QTL on 2NS/2AS translocation and multiple minor QTL in an additive mode. Wheat blast (WB) is a devastating disease in South America, and it recently also emerged in Bangladesh. Host resistance to WB has relied heavily on the 2NS/2AS translocation, but the responsible QTL has not been mapped and its phenotypic effects in different environments have not been reported. In the current study, a recombinant inbred line population with 298 progenies was generated, with the female and male parents being Caninde#1 (with 2NS) and Alondra (without 2NS), respectively. Phenotyping was carried out in two locations in Bolivia, namely Quirusillas and Okinawa, and one location in Bangladesh, Jashore, with two sowing dates in each of the two cropping seasons in each location, during the years 2017-2019. Genotyping was performed with the DArTseq® technology along with five previously reported STS markers in the 2NS region. QTL mapping identified a major and consistent QTL on 2NS/2AS region, explaining between 22.4 and 50.1% of the phenotypic variation in different environments. Additional QTL were detected on chromosomes 1AS, 2BL, 3AL, 4BS, 4DL and 7BS, all additive to the 2NS QTL and showing phenotypic effects less than 10%. Two codominant STS markers, WGGB156 and WGGB159, were linked proximally to the 2NS/2AS QTL with a genetic distance of 0.9 cM, being potentially useful in marker-assisted selection.

Quantitative Trait Loci Mapping for Spot Blotch Resistance in Two Biparental Mapping Populations of Bread Wheat.

Spot blotch (SB), caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana, is a major fungal disease of wheat in South Asia and South America. Two biparental mapping populations with 232 F2:7 progenies each were generated, with CIMMYT breeding lines CASCABEL and KATH as resistant parents and CIANO T79 as the common susceptible parent. The two populations were evaluated for field SB resistance in CIMMYT's Agua Fria station for three consecutive cropping seasons, with artificial inoculation. Genotyping was done with the DArTseq platform and approximately 1,500 high quality and nonredundant markers were used for quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping. In both populations, a major QTL was found on chromosome 5A in the Vrn-A1 region, explaining phenotypic variations of 13.5 to 25.9%, which turned up to be less- or nonsignificant when days to heading and plant height were used as covariates in the analysis, implying a disease escape mechanism. Another major QTL was located on chromosome 5B in CASCABEL, accounting for 8.9 to 21.4% of phenotypic variation. Minor QTL were found on 4A and 4B in CASCABEL; 1B, 4B, and 4D in KATH; and 1B, 2B, and 4B in CIANO T79. Through an analysis of QTL projection onto the IWGSC Chinese Spring reference genome, the 5B QTL in CASCABEL was mapped in the Sb2 region, delimited by the single nucleotide polymorphism marker wsnp_Ku_c50354_55979952 and the simple sequence repeat marker gwm213, with a physical distance of about 14 Mb to the Tsn1 locus.

Disease Resistance Evaluation of Elite CIMMYT Wheat Lines Containing the Coupled Fhb1 and Sr2 Genes.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) and stem rust are among the most devastating diseases of wheat worldwide. Fhb1 is the most widely utilized and the only isolated gene for FHB resistance, while Sr2 is a durable stem rust resistance gene used in rust-prone areas. The two loci are closely linked on the short arm of chromosome 3B and the two genes are in repulsion phase among cultivars. With climate change and the shift in Fusarium populations, it is imperative to develop wheat cultivars resistant to both diseases. The present study was dedicated to developing wheat germplasm combining Fhb1 and Sr2 resistance alleles in the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)'s elite cultivars' backgrounds. Four recombinant inbred lines (RILs) in Hartog background that have the resistant Fhb1 and Sr2 alleles in coupled phase linkage were crossed with seven CIMMYT bread wheat lines, resulting in 208 lines. Molecular markers for both genes were employed in addition to the use of pseudo-black chaff (PBC) as a phenotypic marker for the selection of Sr2. At various stages of the selection process, progeny lines were assessed for FHB index, Fusarium damaged kernels (FDK), stem rust, and PBC expression as well as other diseases of interest (stripe rust and leaf spotting diseases). The 25 best lines were selected for CIMMYT's wheat breeding program. In addition to expressing resistance to FHB, most of these 25 lines have an acceptable level of resistance to other tested diseases. These lines will be useful for wheat breeding programs worldwide and potentially speed up the resistance breeding efforts against FHB and stem rust.

Novel Sources of Wheat Head Blast Resistance in Modern Breeding Lines and Wheat Wild Relatives.

Wheat head blast (WHB), caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae pathotype triticum, is a devastating disease affecting South America and South Asia. Despite 30 years of intensive effort, the 2NVS translocation from Aegilops ventricosa contains the only useful source of resistance to WHB effective against M. oryzae triticum isolates. The objective of this study was to identify non-2NVS sources of resistance to WHB among elite cultivars, breeding lines, landraces, and wild-relative accessions. Over 780 accessions were evaluated under field and greenhouse conditions in Bolivia, greenhouse conditions in Brazil, and at two biosafety level-3 laboratories in the United States. The M. oryzae triticum isolates B-71 (2012), 008 (2015), and 16MoT001 (2016) were used for controlled experiments, while isolate 008 was used for field experiments. Resistant and susceptible checks were included in all experiments. Under field conditions, susceptible spreaders were inoculated at the tillering stage to guarantee sufficient inoculum. Disease incidence and severity were evaluated as the average rating for each 1-m-row plot. Under controlled conditions, heads were inoculated after full emergence and individually rated for percentage of diseased spikelets. The diagnostic marker Ventriup-LN2 was used to test for the presence of the 2NVS translocation. Four non-2NVS spring wheat International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center breeding lines (CM22, CM49, CM52, and CM61) and four wheat wild-relatives (A. tauschii TA10142, TA1624, TA1667, and TA10140) were identified as resistant (<5% of severity) or moderately resistant (5 to <25% severity) to WHB. Experiments conducted at the seedling stage showed little correlation with disease severity at the head stage. M. oryzae triticum isolate 16MoT001 was significantly more aggressive against 2NVS-based varieties. The low frequency of WHB resistance and the increase in aggressiveness of newer M. oryzae triticum isolates highlight the threat that the disease poses to wheat production worldwide and the urgent need to identify and characterize new resistance genes that can be used in breeding for durably resistant varieties.

Tocilizumab and COVID-19.

The number of cases in COVID-19 pandemic is rising rapidly. There has not been a single effective proven medication for COVID-19 disease. Highest mortality has been reported among subjects who develop acute respiratory disease (ARDS). The histopathological analysis of lung specimens has given rise to theories that propose the major role of cytokine release syndrome in the development of ARDS. IL-6 has often been found to be raised in subjects having severe disease. Tocilizumab is a selective inhibitor of the IL-6 pathway and has been approved for various rheumatological diseases. Its use in COVID-19 has been evaluated following the success of other immunosuppressive drugs like steroids. The data in support of against its use in COVID19 are lacking. Similarly, the risk of early- and late-onset infections after tocilizumab in COVID-19 remains unknown. The study by Nasa et al. is a valuable addition to the evidence concerning its use. Despite multiple articles, its safety and efficacy in COVID-19 remain unknown. Caution must be used about its timing and role of IL-6 levels for disease monitoring. How to cite this article: Chaudhry D, Singh PK. Tocilizumab and COVID-19. Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(9):741-743.

Modified Barrier Enclosure for Noninvasive Respiratory Support in COVID-19 Outbreak.

AIM: To develop a device that can reduce the exposure of aerosols to healthcare workers (HCWs) who are working in coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) critical units. BACKGROUND: Barrier enclosure has recently been proposed for use during intubations where the risk of aerosolization is high. In COVID-19 outbreak, use of noninvasive respiratory support is increasing. But at the same time, it is associated with high risk of aerosol generation, leading to infections among HCWs. We have made a modification in the intubation box and hence expanded its use with an aim to reduce COVID-19 exposure. TECHNIQUE: Vacuum suction tubing was attached to wall mount, and the other end of tubing was fixed, using adhesive surgical tapes, to the inside of the roof of barrier enclosure. Keeping the vacuum suction switched-on inside the box created a negative pressure while overall air flow is into the box from outside. This led us to believe that aerosols if generated are not contaminating patient's vicinity. Currently, we are using barrier enclosure boxes on all patients who are on noninvasive support (noninvasive ventilation or high-flow oxygen therapy). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: We believe that adding barrier enclosure with the above-mentioned negative-pressure modification will provide an opportunity to use noninvasive support widely, while at the same time, HCW's exposure to aerosols will be reduced. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Kumar P, Chaudhry D, Lalwani LK, Singh PK. Modified Barrier Enclosure for Noninvasive Respiratory Support in COVID-19 Outbreak. Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(9):835-837.

COVID-19: Winter is COMING!

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has battered the healthcare system of India recently. Though the mortality rate is low but the mortality itself is high. In this issue, dedicated to COVID-19, the authors have presented a concise and directed look at the pieces of evidence for COVID-19. Today, there is a plethora of information available on COVID-19 but the same does not translate into true knowledge. This issue serves as the one-point reference for pieces of evidence on various critical aspects of COVID-19. As winters are approaching and air pollution will again be bothering the healthcare system, these times are vital for preparing ourselves and resources for a long and exhaustive battle. How to cite this article: Chaudhry D, Kumar P, Singh PK, Govindagoudar MB. COVID-19: Winter is COMING! Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(Suppl 5):S223-S224.

Indications for Proning in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Expanding the Horizon!

BACKGROUND: Previously prone positioning (PP) was described in addition to invasive mechanical ventilation and it has been known to reduced mortality and improve oxygenation in patients of ARDS. Recently novel timing of prone positioning was described with the use of high-frequency nasal cannula (HFNC) and noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in patients of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) to avoid the intubation. Here we would like to share a case of severe ARDS where prone positioning was used in a step further ahead. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 38-year-old gentleman presented with the complaints of progressive breathlessness, dry cough and fever for 7 days. Patient was diagnosed as a case of H1N1 pneumonia with severe ARDS. Patient was initially managed with invasive mechanical ventilation according to ARDS-Net protocol. Despite persistent hypoxia he was put on prone positioning for consecutive 4 days. Patient was extubated after 10 days of mechanical ventilation and put on HFNC in view of persistent high oxygen requirement. At this point of time, we attempted prone positioning in addition to HFNC. Patient was comfortable on prone position and put himself in the same condition for prolonged periods. His oxygenation showed a remarkable improvement from PaO2 of 63 (before prone positioning) to 136 mm Hg (after prone positioning). Oxygen supplementation was later tapered off and subsequently, he improved and was shifted to ward. CONCLUSION: Prone positioning is a harmless and still extremely effective intervention which can and should be utilized at all steps of ARDS-management. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Lalwani LK, Sharma V, Chaudhry D, Singh PK. Indications for Proning in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Expanding the Horizon! Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(7):589-591.

Critical Care for COVID-19 Affected Patients: Updated Position Statement of the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine.

The management of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is witnessing a change as we learn more about the pathophysiology and the severity of the disease. Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analysis have been published over the last few months. Several interventions and therapies which showed promise in the initial days of the pandemic have subsequently failed to show benefit in well-designed trials. Understanding of the methods of oxygen delivery and ventilation have also evolved over the past few months. The Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine (ISCCM) has reviewed the evidence that has emerged since the publication of its position statement in May and has put together an addendum of updated evidence. How to cite this article: Mehta Y, Chaudhry D, Abraham OC, Chacko J, Divatia J, Jagiasi B, et al. Critical Care for COVID-19 Affected Patients: Position Statement of the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine. Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(Suppl 5):S225-S230.

Critical Care for COVID-19 Affected Patients: Position Statement of the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine.

The global pandemic involving severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-COV-2) has stretched the limits of science. Ever since it emerged from the Wuhan province in China, it has spread across the world and has been fatal to about 4% of the victims. This position statement of the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine represents the collective opinion of the experts chosen by the society. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Mehta Y, Chaudhry D, Abraham OC, Chacko J, Divatia J, Jagiasi B, et al. Critical Care for COVID-19 Affected Patients: Position Statement of the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine. Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(4):222-241.

Investigation and genome-wide association study for Fusarium crown rot resistance in Chinese common wheat.

BACKGROUND: Fusarium crown rot (FCR) is a severe and chronic disease in common wheat and is able to cause serious yield loss and health problems to human and livestock. RESULTS: Here, 234 Chinese wheat cultivars were evaluated in four greenhouse experiments for FCR resistance and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were performed using the wheat 660 K genotyping assay. The results indicated that most cultivars evaluated showed FCR disease index (DI) of 40-60, while some cultivars showed stably good FCR resistance (DI < 30). GWAS identified 286 SNPs to be significantly associated with FCR resistance, of which 266, 6 and 8 were distributed on chromosomes 6A, 6B and 6D, respectively. The significant SNPs on 6A were located in a 7.0-Mb region containing 51 annotated genes. On the other hand, QTL mapping using a bi-parental population derived from UC1110 and PI610750 detected three QTLs on chromosomes 6A (explaining 7.77-10.17% of phenotypic variation), 2D (7.15-9.29%) and 2A (5.24-6.92%). The 6A QTL in the UC1110/PI610750 population falls into the same chromosomal region as those detected from GWAS, demonstrating its importance in Chinese materials for FCR resistance. CONCLUSION: This study could provide useful information for utilization of FCR-resistant wheat germplasm and further understanding of molecular and genetics basis of FCR resistance in common wheat.

Genetics for low correlation between Fusarium head blight disease and deoxynivalenol (DON) content in a bread wheat mapping population.

KEY MESSAGE: Two QTL with major effects on DON content reduction were identified on chromosomes 3BL and 3DL, with the former showing minor and the latter showing no effects on FHB resistance. Deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination in food and feed is a major concern regarding Fusarium head blight (FHB) infection in wheat. However, relatively less attention has been paid on DON compared to FHB. In this study, a FHB-susceptible cultivar 'NASMA' was hybridized with a FHB-resistant CIMMYT breeding line 'IAS20*5/H567.71' to generate 197 recombinant inbred lines. The population was phenotyped for FHB and associated traits including DON accumulation in spray-inoculated field experiments at CIMMYT-Mexico across four years. Genotyping was performed by using the Illumina Infinium 15 K Beadchip and SSR markers. QTL mapping results indicated that the field FHB resistance was mainly controlled by QTL at Rht-D1 and Vrn-A1, along with a few minor QTL. For DON content, two major QTL were identified: the first located on chromosome 3BL (R2 of 16-24%), showing minor effects on FHB, and the second was on chromosome 3DL (R2 of 10-15%), exhibiting no effect on FHB resistance. It is likely that both DON QTL are new based on comparison with previous studies. This study indicates that resistance to DON accumulation and FHB disease could involve different genes, and the utilization of the two DON QTL in breeding could be helpful in further reducing DON contamination in food and feed.