Soybean genetics, genomics, and breeding for improving nutritional value and reducing antinutritional traits in food and feed.

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is a globally important crop due to its valuable seed composition, versatile feed, food, and industrial end-uses, and consistent genetic gain. Successful genetic gain in soybean has led to widespread adaptation and increased value for producers, processors, and consumers. Specific focus on the nutritional quality of soybean seed composition for food and feed has further elucidated genetic knowledge and bolstered breeding progress. Seed components are historical and current targets for soybean breeders seeking to improve nutritional quality of soybean. This article reviews genetic and genomic foundations for improvement of nutritionally important traits, such as protein and amino acids, oil and fatty acids, carbohydrates, and specific food-grade considerations; discusses the application of advanced breeding technology such as CRISPR/Cas9 in creating seed composition variations; and provides future directions and breeding recommendations regarding soybean seed composition traits.

Clean and sustainable transportation through electric vehicles - a user survey of three-wheeler vehicles in Pakistan.

Transportation sector is one of the major contributors to GHG emissions, and it is essential to investigate the role of electric vehicles in economic and environmental performance of developing countries. In this research work, the authors seek to investigate the usage pattern of three-wheeler vehicle by taking a Pakistan-based survey approach and analyzing the responses from various three-wheeler drivers across the country. The survey results indicate that the adoption of hybrid and electric three-wheelers in Pakistan would be welcomed by the users due to increased economic benefits, despite having a high initial capital cost. On an average basis, the regular three-wheeler is run for more than 5 days a week, 101-150 km daily across more than 10 h, and enables the owner to make around PKR 20,000-25,000 (~ US $119-US $149) after approximately PKR 15,000 (~ USD $89) is spent every month on fuel and maintenance. The adoption of hybrid or electric three-wheelers can easily improve the monthly earnings by 50%. In addition to this, the GHG emissions from the transportation sector will be considerably lowered around 3-6 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year per three-wheeler. At an investment return period of 13-16 months, the electric three-wheeler is a highly lucrative opportunity.

Scoring Of Pain Perception During Phacoemulsification Under Topical Anaesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Topical anaesthesia is safe and inexpensive type of anaesthesia used during phacoemulsification as compared to local anaesthesia. The trend of conducting surgeries under topical anaesthesia is increasing globally. The objective of this study was to determine the perception of severity of pain during phacoemulsification using topical anaesthesia. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Jinnah International Hospital Abbottabad for a period of one year and included 196 patients of posterior subcapsular cataracts. Data was collected on a pretested structured questionnaire and analysed by SPSS version 20. Chi square test was used to find association between variables and p-value of equal or less than 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 60.43±14.63 years. Out of 196 patients, 110 (56.1%) were males and 86 (43.9%) were females. During surgery pain score was 0 (no pain) in 149 (76%), 1 (mild) in 14 (7.1%), 2 (moderate) in 15 (7.7%) and 3 (severe) in 18 (9.2%) patients. Pain score was found to be significantly associated with gender (p=0.003) and age group (p=0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Phacoemulsification can be safely performed under topical anaesthesia in patients with posterior subcapsular cataracts with minimum intraoperative pain perception by the patients.

Cardiac compression following cardiac surgery due to unrecognised hiatus hernia.

A 76-year-old man who had undergone a routine coronary artery bypass grafting operation developed severe haemodynamic instability in the early postoperative period in spite of multiple inotropic supports. Due to persistent instability of haemodynamics and worsening acidosis his chest was re-explored with detection of no obvious abnormality. An intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) was inserted for additional support. The chest had to be left open overnight and closed formally next morning. A chest X-ray at that stage showed a large hiatus hernia with huge gastric dilatation compressing the heart. Decompressions of the stomach lead to dramatic improvement in his circulatory status with rapid weaning of inotropes and IABP and he could be extubated. This case illustrates the importance of recognising the presence of hiatus hernia in preoperative chest X-ray and prophylactic NG tube insertion at the time of cardiac surgery in these cases.