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Rust (Melampsora apocyni) on Apocynum venetum is the major constraint to the commercial development of this medicinal herb. To determine the factors influencing rust intensity (maximum disease index [DImax]), rust was investigated from 2011 to 2015 in both cultivated and wild A. venetum plants. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) was used to analyze the paths and extent of the factors related to pathogen, environment, and host that affect rust intensity. DImax exhibited considerable variations across years and study sites, with variations linked to various factors fostering disease development. PLS-PM explained 80.0 and 70.1% of variations in DImax in cultivated and wild plants, respectively. Precipitation was the key factor determining DImax in both cultivated and wild plants (path coefficient [PC] = 0.313 and 0.544, respectively). In addition, the topsoil water content in cultivated plants and the total vegetation coverage in wild plants were also critical determinants of DImax via their effects on the microclimatic factor (contribution coefficients [CC] = 0.681 and 0.989, respectively; PC = 0.831 and 0.231, respectively). In both cultivated and wild plants, host factors were mainly dominated by A. venetum density (CC = 0.989 and 0.894, respectively), and their effect on DImax via the microclimatic factor (PC = 0.841 and 0.862, respectively) exceeded that via the inoculum factor (PC = 0.705 and 0.130, respectively). However, the indirect effects led to DImax variation, while the dilution effect on host (CC = 0.154) from weed in wild plants led to the indirect effect size in wild plants of 0.200, which was lower than −0.699 in cultivated plants.

Two weed samples, G52 from Ageratum conyzoides and G87 from Malvastrum coromandelianum, showing leaf curling and vein thickening symptoms were collected in Nanning, Guangxi Province, China. The complete nucleotide sequences of DNA-A-like molecules of G52 and G87 were determined to be 2735 and 2745 nucleotides respectively. Both DNA-A molecules have a genomic organization typical of begomoviruses and share 73.4% sequence identity with each other. Sequence comparisons showed that the DNA-A of G52 and G87 were most closely related to those of Ageratum yellow vein virus (AYVV; 85% sequence identity) and Tobacco leaf curl Yunnanvirus (75.7% sequence identity) respectively. Further sequence comparisons showed that G52 has arisen by recombination among viruses related to AYVV, Papaya leaf curl China virus and an unidentified Begomovirus species. The molecular data suggest that G52 and G87 are two distinct begomoviruses, for which the names Ageratum leaf curl virus for G52 and Malvastrum leaf curl virus for G87 are proposed. The satellite DNAβ molecule was only found to be associated with G87. G87 DNAβ consists of 1354 nucleotides, and shares the highest nucleotide sequence identity (68.9%) with that associated with Sida yellow vein China virus. A defective DNAβ molecule was also found to be associated with G87.

There is a need to detect and assess the incidence of Sclerotinia rot disease in celery (Apium graveolens). In this study, we examined the potential of hyperspectral sensing to detect the symptoms of this disease in celery crop. Using a portable spectrometer, sample measurements of diseased and healthy leaves were collected from celery leaves in the field. Both raw and transformed spectral data were used in the development of Partial Least Squares regression models. The cross‐validated results showed that the incidence of disease on celery could be predicted using the raw spectra and the first and second derivative data, with prediction errors ranging from 11.08 to 13.62 percent. The visible and near‐infrared wavelengths (400–1300nm) produced similar detection ability with that of the full range wavelengths (400–2500nm).

5-methylcytosine (m5C) as a rare base exists in eukaryotic genomes, which is a normal constitution in many eukaryotic DNA and the existence of m5C is a feature of eukaryotic DNA. Under regular physiological conditions, cytosine of eukaryotic DNA is usually methylated. Up to the present, many people consider that the m5C may be mutation hotspots by the deamination leading to gene mutation. Our study indicated that the spontaneous mutation caused by the transition of G.C --> A.T, in eukaryotic DNA, may result from the tautomer changing of base pairs and may also be cause by other factor actions, however it could not be caused by the deamination of m5C.

The three-dimensional molecular models of DNA triple helices and triple-stranded brain-like structure were built up by molecular architecture, and their structural features and energy decomposition were examined. The results showed: (i) The base triplet is the element forming braid-like and triple helix DNA; (ii) Under specified conditions, DNA could form the triplet-stranded braid like structure; (iii) DNA stability of the braid-like structure is less than that of the triple-helix structure.

The present study was aimed to compare the developmental changes of carcass composition, meat quality characteristics and organ weight in pigs of different breeds. Six pigs (sex balance) of each breed were slaughtered at 35, 80 and 125 days of age, respectively. The carcass was chilled and the left carcass side was dissected into bone, lean meat, fat and skin; additionally, organ weight and meat quality parameters were observed. Carcasses of the Jinhua pig were lighter (P < 0.001), contained less lean meat percentage (P < 0.01) and more carcass fat percentage (P < 0.05) than did carcasses of the Landrace. L*-values were lower in Jinhua pigs than in Landrace at 125 days of age (P < 0.05), but the Jinhua pig had higher a*-values compared with Landrace at the age of 80 days (P < 0.01) and 125 days (P < 0.01), respectively. In addition, Jinhua pigs showed lower colour scores (P < 0.05), higher intramuscular fat (IMF) percentage (P < 0.05), less marbling scores (P < 0.05) and lower drip loss (P < 0.05) than Landrace. For organ weight, Jinhua pigs had higher relative heart weight at the age of 80 days (P < 0.05) and 125 days (P < 0.001), and higher relative liver weight at 125 days of age (P < 0.01) than that of Landrace. In addition, the relative kidney weight was heavier (P < 0.001) in the Jinhua pig than in the Landrace during the whole experiment. These results indicated that developmental changes of carcass composition, meat quality parameters and organ weight displayed breed differences. Jinhua pigs were fatter than Landrace but the former had better quality characteristics in the meat.

Essential hypertension (EH) is the most common risk factor for cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and renal diseases. It is a complex trait that is heritable and involves multiple quantitative trait loci (QTL) and environmental conditions affecting the underlying physiological mechanisms.1 Genetic linkage studies and genome wide scans have disclosed many possible candidate loci contributing to hypertension. Hypertension has been found to occur more often than expected in families with familial hyperlipidaemia. Because dyslipidaemia is a common finding in hypertensive patients, the lipoprotein lipase ( LPL ) gene is a logical candidate gene that could contribute to the development of hypertension.2 LPL is a crucial enzyme in plasma lipoprotein metabolism, which hydrolyses triglycerides and chylomicrons. Two genetic linkage studies of hypertension in Taiwan suggested some positive linkage signals in or near the LPL gene region with blood pressure (BP).3,4 Because most Taiwanese have consanguinity with Chinese Han people, it is feasible and rational to verify these results in another homogeneous group. Adducin is a membrane skeletal protein that is involved in the regulation of cellular signal transduction and membrane ion transport. Hypertension has also been linked to the α-adducin ( ADD1 ) gene in some human studies.5–7 ### Key points