Age-related Infection with Cryptosporidium Species and Genotype in Pigs in China

Objective Pigs, as hosts of zoonotic Cryptosporidium species/genotypes, are domestic animals with public health significance. The present study was to characterize the infection rate and species/genotype of Cryptosporidium in pre-weaned and post-weaned pigs from Shanghai and Shaoxing, China. Methods A total of 208 fecal samples （42 from pre-weaned piglets, and 166 from post-weaned pigs） were examined by nested PCR of the 185 rRNA gene and analyzed by phylogenetic DNA fragment sequencing of secondary PCR products. Results Infection was detected in 79 samples （19/42 pre-weaned piglets, and 60/166 post-weaned pigs）. C. suis （14/79） and Cryptosporidium pig genotype II （65/79） were identified; piglets were more susceptible to the former （13/14） and post-weaned pigs to the latter （59/65）. Conclusion Infection of Cryptosporidium spp. in pigs was age-specific; piglets were more susceptible to C. suis while pigs were more susceptible to Cryptosporidium pig genotype II. These findings combined with the isolation of the two Cryptosporidium from water suggest that pigs may be a source of zoonotic Cryptosporidium water pollution. Improvements in pig feeding practices, sewage discharge, feces disposal and field worker protection are therefore important to prevent potential public health problems.

A comprehensive evaluation of factors affecting the accuracy of pig genotype imputation using a single or multi-breed reference population

Genotype imputation has become an indispensable part of genomic data analysis. In recent years, imputation based on a multi-breed reference population has received more attention, but the relevant studies are scarce in pigs. In this study, we used the Illumina Porcine SNP50 Bead Chip to investigate the variations of imputation accuracy with various influencing factors and compared the imputation performance of four commonly used imputation software programs. The results indicated that imputation accuracy increased as either the validation population marker density, reference population sample size, or minor allele frequency(MAF) increased. However, the imputation accuracy would have a certain extent of decrease when the pig reference population was a mixed group of multiple breeds or lines. Considering both imputation accuracy and running time, Beagle 4.1 and FImpute are excellent choices among the four software packages tested. This work visually presents the impacts of these influencing factors on imputation and provides a reference for formulating reasonable imputation strategies in actual pig breeding.

A Real Life Study on Treatment of Egyptian Patients with HCV Genotype IV with Simeprevir and Sofosbuvir

Background and Aims: Treatment with a combination of the nucleotide polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir and NS3A (non-structural protein 3A) protease inhibitor simeprevir resulted in high rates of sustained virological response in chronic hepatitis C Genotype 4. Methods: We conducted a real life study on Egyptian patients coming to tropical medicine department clinic at El Mery main university hospital from February 2015 to February 2016 for treatment naive and treatment experienced patients with chronic HCV genotype 4, including cirrhotics and non cirrhotics. Naive (cir-rhotics and non cirrhotics) and relapsers (non cirrhotics) received nucleotide polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir and NS3A inhibitor simeprevir once daily for 12 weeks and 24 weeks for relapser cirrhotic patients. The primary end point was a sustained virologic response at 12 weeks after end of treatment. An informed consent was obtained from each patient at the beginning of the study (Real life study: a study on Egyptian patients when the drug was available in the market). Results: 30 naive patients with HCV genotype 4 and 20 relapsers (10 non cirrhotic and 10 cirrhotic patients) were enrolled. Patient inclusion criteria: Naive patients are those who tested positive for HCV RNA by PCR and had no experience to HCV treatment;Relapsers are those who tested positive for HCV RNA by PCR and had a previous treatment for HCV. Cirrhosis was diagnosed on ultrasound basis. Mean age was 53.57 ± 10.682 years old in naive patients and 48.30 ± 5.100 years old in relapsers. Median baseline HCV RNA was 360,069 IU/mL for naive patients and 1,245,000 IU/mL for relapsers;using Fib4 20% of naive patients were F3-F4, while 40% of relapsers were F3-F4. Degree of fibrosis was confirmed by fibrotest in relapsers. Upon treatment of patients with sofosbuvir and semiprevir once daily for 12 weeks and 24 weeks only to cirrhotic relapsers, end of treatment PCR was negative in 100% in all groups including cirrhotics and non cirrhotics. Primary end point (SVR 12) was achieved in 100% of all patients. Second end point (SVR 24) was achieved in 96.6% of naive pa-ients;SVR 24 for non-cirrhotic relapsers was achieved in 100% of patients and in 90% of cirrhotic relapsers. One patient had transient total bilirubin elevations without increased ALT (alanine aminotransferase) or AST (aspartate aminotransferase). One patient developed cutaneous rash. Conclusion: Once daily sofosbuvir and simeprevir for 12 weeks provided high rate of sustained virological response among treatment naive and treatment experienced patients with HCV genotype IV.

Introduction of protocols for mass production of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites of the genotype II PRU strain

Background:Few investigations of genotype II of Toxoplasma gondii,the most preva-lent form of the Toxoplasma parasite in humans,have been carried out on due to the rapid conversion of tachyzoites to bradyzoites in its life cycle.The current study aimed to create animal and in vitro models for production of the tachyzoites of the Prugniaud(PRU)genotype II strain.Methods:To develop an immunocompromised model and obtain tachyzoites of the PRU strain,BALB/c mice were orally treated with dexamethasone(10 mg/kg),cyclo-phosphamide(36 mg/kg),and cyclosporine(18 mg/kg)from 5 days prior to inocula-tion.Then,10-15 tissue cysts of PRU strain were inoculated intraperitoneally into the mice.The tachyzoites obtained from mice were then cultivated in a HeLa cell culture.The resulting yield of tachyzoites was cryopreserved in 92%fetal calf serum,8%dimethyl sulfoxide.The infectivity of these tachyzoites was evaluated using in vivo and in vitro examinations.Results:Numerous tachyzoites were observed in the peritoneal fluid of the immuno-suppressed mice within 10-15 days after inoculation,and many tachyzoites were har-vested from the HeLa cell culture.Trypan Blue staining showed 80%viability of the tachyzoites recovered from cryopreservation and this was confirmed by HeLa cell culture.In addition,mice infected intraperitoneally with the recovered tachyzoites presented with cysts in the brain after 2 months.Conclusion:We have developed an animal model for mass production of T.gondii tachyzoites of the PRU strain.This method can provide fresh viable tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii for use as and when required in future investigations.

Dicamba Growth Regulator Promotes Genotype Independent Somatic Embryogenesis from Immature Zygotic Embryos of Tropical Maize Inbred Lines

Maize is one of the most important cereal crops in Sub-Saharan Africa and an important source of energy for humans. However, the difference in the dedifferentiation frequency of immature embryos among various genotypes indicates that callus induction and genetic transformation is dependent on the genotype. This phenomenon is an impediment in the fundamental process of improving tropical maize germplasm especially through genetic engineering. Here, five tropical maize （Zea mays L.） genotypes, CML 216, CML 144, A 04, E 04 and TL 21, were evaluated for callus induction on MS medium supplemented with the growth regulator dicamba. Embryogenic and non embryogenic callus induction was independent ofgenotype when young immature embryos, 12 days after pollination （DAP） were used for tissue culture in combination with dicamba. The optimal concentration of dicamba for induction ofembryogenic callus in all the genotypes was 3 mg/L, which was also the concentration at which non embryogenic callus formation was lowest. The frequency of embryogenic callus induction ranged from 35% to 79% among the five genotypes and somatic embryos regenerated R0 shoots that produced normal R1 progenies. This regeneration method is expected to facilitate the development of a more efficient genotype independent Agrobacterium- mediated transformation system for tropical inbred lines.

Hepatitis B virus infection and genotype in asymptomatic people from 10 ethnic groups in Yunnan, China

AIM: To evaluate the infection and genotype distribution of hepatitis B virus(HBV) in ethnic groups in Yunnan, China.METHODS: Two thousand five hundred and eightyfour asymptomatic local people from 10 ethnic groups were investigated in Yunnan, China. Infection and genotype distribution were evaluated by serological and genetic methods. Genotyping was verified by sequencing. Ethnic genotype distribution was compared by proportion test. RESULTS: Four types of infection model based on HBV serum markers were identified, and the average HBV infection rate was 5.7% in those asymptomatic local people. The genotype prevalence was 59.6% for B, 21.1% for C and 19.3% BC; subgenotypes Ba, Cs and Ce were identified in this study. Hepatitis B surface antigen-positive rate and the proportion of genotype B were significantly lower in ethnic groups with a northern origin compared to those with a southern origin(50% vs 73.9%, P = 0.037; 4.2% vs 10.5%, P = 0.000).CONCLUSION: Genotype B is dominant and genotype BC has high occurrence in asymptomatic local ethnic groups in Yunnan. HBV infection status and genotype distribution may associate with ethnic origin.

Distribution and changes in hepatitis C virus genotype in China from 2010 to 2020

BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus(HCV)causes a large number of infections worldwide.New infections seem to be increasing according to a report of the World Health Organization in 2015.Although direct-acting antivirals are quite effective for most genotypes of the HCV,some genotypes fail to respond.Therefore,the trend of genotype distribution is vital to better control the development of this infection.AIM To analyze the distribution and trends of the HCV genotype before and after the emergence of direct-acting antivirals in China.METHODS We searched all literature published in five electronic databases-China National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wan Fang Data,VIP Chinese Journal Database,Chinese Biomedical Literature Service System,and PubMed-from January 1,2010 to December 31,2020.The search strategy combined medical subject headings and free-text terms,including“hepatitis C virus”or“HCV”and“genotype”or“subtype”and“China”or“Chinese”.Additional relevant articles were searched by manual selection.Data were extracted to build a database.All of the data were totaled according to regions,periods,routes of transmission,and sexes.The percentages in various stratifications were calculated.RESULTS There were 76110 samples from 30 provinces included in the study.Genotype 1(G1)accounted for 58.2%of cases nationwide,followed by G2,G6,G3b,G3a,unclassified and mixed infections(17.5%,7.8%,6.4%,4.9%,1.8%,and 1.2%,respectively).The constitution of genotype varied among different regions,with G6 and G3b being more common in the south and southwest,respectively(28.1%,15.4%).The past ten years have witnessed a decrease in G1 and G2 and an increase in G3 and G6 in almost all regions.The drug-use population had the most abundant genotypes,with G6 ranking first(33.3%),followed by G1 and G3b(23.4%,18.5%).CONCLUSION G3 and G6 pose a new challenge for HCV infection.This study revealed the distribution of HCV genotypes in China over the past 10 years,providing information for HCV management strategies.

Characteristics of Potassium-Enriched, Flue-Cured Tobacco Genotype in Potassium Absorption, Accumulation, and In-Ward Potassium Currents of Root Cortex

This study was to investigate the main traits of potassium-enriched, flue-cured tobacco genotypes related to potassium absorption, accumulation, and in-ward potassium currents of the root cortex. Hydroponic methods, K^＋-depletion methods, and patch-clamp, whole-cell recordings were conducted to study the accumulation of dry matter and potassium in different organs, and to measure potassium absorption and dynamic and in-ward potassium currents in potassium-enriched, fluecured tobacco genotypes. The average dry weights of leaves and whole plant of potassium-enriched, flue-cured tobacco genotype ND202 were 10.20, and 14.85 g, respectively, higher than JYH （8.50 and 13.11 g, respectively） and NC2326 （8.39 and 12.72 g, respectively）, when potassium concentration in the solution ranged from 0.1 to 50 mmol L^-1. Potassium accumulation in the leaves of ND202 was 18.6% higher than JYH and 34% higher than NC2326 when potassium concentration in the solution was superior to 0.5 mmol L^-1. The Vmax （the maximum velocity） of ND202 was 118.11 lamol FW g^-1 h^-1, obviously higher than that of JYH （58.87 μmol FW g^-1 h^-1） and NC2326 （64.40 μmol FW g^-1 h^-1）. In the in-ward potassium currents, the absolute value of current density （pA/pF） of ND202 was 60, higher than that of JYH （50） and NC2326 （40）. Potassium concentration in leaves, Vmax, and in-ward potassium currents, could be used to screen potassium-enriched, flue-cured tobacco genotypes.

Clinical characteristics and ABCC2 genotype in Dubin-Johnson syndrome:A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND Dubin-Johnson syndrome(DJS)is a benign autosomal recessive liver disease involving mutations of the ABCC2 gene.It is characterized by chronic or intermittent conjugated hyperbilirubinemia,with chronic idiopathic jaundice as the main clinical manifestation.Genetic alterations of the ABCC2 gene are commonly used for diagnosing DJS;however,the causative ABCC2 point mutation in Chinese patients remains unknown.Research on ABCC2 mutations in Chinese DJS patients is extremely rare,and the diagnosis of DJS remains limited.The routine analysis of ABCC2 mutations is helpful for the diagnosis of DJS.Here,we report the clinical characteristics and ABCC2 genotype of an adult female DJS patient.This article is to expound the discovery of more potentially pathogenic ABCC2 variants will that contribute to DJS identification.CASE SUMMARY This study investigated a woman referred for DJS and involved clinical and genetic analyses.ABCC2 mutations were identified by next-generation sequencing(NGS).The patient showed intermittent jaundice and conjugated hyperbilirubinemia.Histopathological examinations were consistent with the typical phenotype of DJS.Genetic diagnostic analysis revealed an ABCC2 genotype exhibiting a pathogenic variant,namely c.2443C>T(p.Arg815*),which has not been reported previously in the domestic or foreign literature.CONCLUSION Pathogenic ABCC2 mutations play an important role in the diagnosis of DJS,especially in patients with atypical presentations.Currently,NGS is used in the routine analysis of DJS cases and such tests of further cases will better illuminate the relationship between various genotypes and phenotypes of DJS.

Genotype 3 is the predominant hepatitis C genotype in a multi-ethnic Asian population in Malaysia

BACKGROUND： Genotypes of hepatitis C virus （HCV） are distributed differently across the world. There is a paucity of such data in a multi-ethnic Asian population like Malaysia. The objectives of this study were to determine the distribution of HCV genotypes between major ethnic groups and to ascer- tain their association with basic demographic variables like age and gender.

Predicting Genotype Information Related to COVID-19 for Molecular Mechanism Based on Computational Methods

Novel coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)is an ongoing health emergency.Several studies are related to COVID-19.However,its molecular mechanism remains unclear.The rapid publication of COVID-19 provides a new way to elucidate its mechanism through computational methods.This paper proposes a prediction method for mining genotype information related to COVID-19 from the perspective of molecular mechanisms based on machine learning.The method obtains seed genes based on prior knowledge.Candidate genes are mined from biomedical literature.The candidate genes are scored by machine learning based on the similarities measured between the seed and candidate genes.Furthermore,the results of the scores are used to perform functional enrichment analyses,including KEGG,interaction network,and Gene Ontology,for exploring the molecular mechanism of COVID-19.Experimental results show that the method is promising for mining genotype information to explore the molecular mechanism related to COVID-19.

Herbivory and Plant Genotype Influence Fitness-Related Responses of<i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>to Indirect Plant-Plant Interactions

Previous studies have demonstrated that genetic identity between interacting perennial plants results in more effective defense when emitter and receiver neighbors have greater genetic similarity. However, the effects of both genetic relatedness and presence of herbivores on fitness-related responses of neighboring plants have not yet been explored. Our aim was to examine how manipulating these two important factors genetic and environmental factors can influence indirect plant-plant communication in the annual crucifer Arabidopsis thaliana. Plants of a single genotype (receivers) were exposed to volatile emissions of neighboring emitter plants with a similar or different genotype, and either intact or damaged by larvae of a specialist herbivore for ten days. Each of the four treatments was isolated in separate environmental chambers and the full experiment was replicated twice. Receiver plant growth and reproductive-related traits were measured ten days after exposure to treatments, and at senescence. Results showed that the effect of herbivory and plant genotype of emitter plants influenced responses related growth and reproduction in receiver plants. Receiver plants grew taller, had more inflorescence branching, and produced more fruits (60% more) when exposed to undamaged emitters of a different genotype than receivers exposed to the other emitter plant treatments. Therefore, genotype identity and environmental context (presence of herbivory) may be important factors influencing indirect plant-plant communication, which could, in turn, result in selection for genotypes showing increased fitness-related responses.

Inheritance and Genotype Inference of Main Traits of‘Meiting’Nectarine

[Objectives]This study was conducted to investigate the inheritance laws of'Meiting'nectarine.[Methods]With'Meiting'nectarine as the material,the inheritance of the main traits was studied,and the genotypes were inferred.[Results]The two paired traits,freestone and tree height,segregated in the self-bred progenies of'Meiting'nectarine,and the segregation ratio was basically in line with Mendel's independent allocation rule of a pair of gene traits of 3:1,indicating that these two pairs of genes are heterozygous.The round fruit,glabrous fruit surface,yellow flesh,rose-shaped flower,pollen,inseparable flesh and skin,half-opened tree shape,straight leaf edge and kidney-shaped leaf nectary did not segregated in the progenies,indicating that these traits are homozygous.Based on the above results,the genotypes of the main traits of'Meiting'nectarine were inferred.[Conclusions]This study provides a theoretical basis for peach parent selection,thereby improving breeding efficiency.

Prevalence of Wild-Type Butyrylcholinesterase Genotype in Patients with Alzheimer’s Dementia

Approximately, two-thirds patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are reported to have homozygous wild-type butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) gene expression. It is associated with a higher rate of hydrolysis of acetylcholine, which ultimately leads to increase in the levels of BuChE in advanced stages of the disease. Rivastigmine, a dual inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and BuChE, might be of additional benefit in patients with AD with wild-type BuChE allele.

Establishment on Genotype Identification PCR Detection of Porcine Circovirus Type 2

ORF2 gene fragment was amplified from Porcine circovirus type 2（ PCV2） Shandong isolates by PCR,homology analysis and genotype identification were conducted on PCV2 ORF2 gene combining with the sequences listed in Gen Bank. The dominating popular genotype of PCV2 in Shandong Province was developed and the gene genetic variation characteristics of PCV2 was discussed. Specific PCR primers were designed and synthesized according to the differences among PCV2 genetypes,PCV2 gene identification PCR detection was established,and feasibility of the method was evaluated from the respects of sensitivity,specificity and repeatability,etc A total of 28 PCV2 ORF2 complete genes were obtained including 4 PCV2 a isolates,21 PCV2 b isolates and 3 PCV2 d isolates,indicating that the dominating popular genotype of PCV2 in Shandong Province was PCV2 b. Analysis on gene homology showed that homology of isolates in different regions from2000 to 2012 was 90. 5%- 99. 8%,amino acid sites sequences existed in different genotypes of PCV2 were different. Fragments amplified by the established PCR method were 341 bp and 177 bp,the lowest content of DNA could be detected was 5 ng / μL. Specific test results showed that the DNA amplifications on PCV2 a and PCV2 b were both positive,while amplifications on Porcine circovirus virus 1（ PCV1）,Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus（ PRRSV）,Pseudorabies virus（ PRV）,Porcine parvovirus（ PPV）,Classical swine fever virus（ CSFV）,Japanese encephalitis virus（ JEV） and Escherichia coli（ E. coli） were all negative,all the tests were conducted for 10 times,and the results were consistent. Test results indicated that the established PCR method had good specificity and repeatability,which could be applied to the identification of PCV2 genotypes.

Breeding of Leptin Receptor Gene Knockout Mice and Genotype Identification of the Offspring

The leptin（ LP） receptor gene heterozygous mice were mated in four ways. Genomic DNA was extracted from offspring tails and analyzed by PCR. The result showed that the ratios of the offspring genotypes fit the Mendel＇s laws. The male and female LP^（-/-）mice（ DB / DB mice） were infertile. LP^（-/-）mice could be effectively bred by mating of male and female LP^（＋/-）mice. PCR methods could identify LP^（-/-）mice precisely.

Selenium Differentially Regulates Flavonoid Accumulation and Antioxidant Capacities in Sprouts of Twenty Diverse Mungbean(Vigna radiata(L.)Wilczek)Genotypes

Seed germination with selenium(Se)is promising for producing Se-biofortified foods.Mungbean(Vigna radiata(L.)Wilczek)sprout is freshly eaten as a salad dressed with sauce,making it superior for Se biofortification.Since the Se safety range for the human body is extremely narrow,it is imperative to evaluate the genotypic responses of mungbean sprouts to Se.This study evaluated the Se enrichment capacity and interaction withflavonoids and antioxidant systems in sprouts of 20 mungbean germplasms.Selenium treatment was done by immersing mung-bean seeds in 20μM sodium selenite solution for 8 h.Afterward,the biomass,Se amounts,flavonoid(particularly vitexin and isovitexin)contents,antioxidant capacity,and key biosynthetic gene expressions were measured.Sprout Se content was 2.0-7.0μg g^(-1) DW among the 20 mungbean germplasms.Selenium treatment differentially affected the biomass,totalflavonoid,vitexin,isovitexin,antioxidant enzyme activities,and antioxidant capacities of the mungbean germplasms.Eight germplasms showed increased biomass(p<0.05),the highest increasing by 127%,but 13 did not phenotypically respond to Se treatment.Seven and six germplasms showed varied levels of vitexin and isovitexin increment after Se treatment,the highest measuring 2.67-and 2.87-folds for vitexin and isovitexin,respectively.Two mungbeanflavonoid biosynthesis genes,chalcone synthase(VrCHS)and chalcone isomerase(VrCHI)were significantly up-regulated in the germplasms with increased vitexin and isovitexin levels(p<0.05).Moreover,Se enrichment capacity was significantly correlated with the vitexin,isovitexin,and antiox-idant capacities.In conclusion,mungbean sprouts could be a useful Se-biofortified food,but the Se enrichment capacity and nutritional response must be determined for each germplasm before commercialization.

Identification of S-RNase genotype and analysis of its origin and evolutionary patterns in Malus plants

Identification of the S genotype of Malus plants will greatly promote the discovery of new genes,the cultivation and production of apple,the breeding of new varieties,and the origin and evolution of self-incompatibility in Malus plants.In this experiment,88 Malus germplasm resources,such as Aihuahong,Xishuhaitang,and Reguanzi,were used as materials.Seven gene-specific primer combinations were used in the genotype identification.PCR amplification using leaf DNA produced a single S-RNase gene fragment in all materials.The results revealed that 70 of the identified materials obtained a complete S-RNase genotype,while only one S-RNase gene was found in 18 of them.Through homology comparison and analysis,13 S-RNase genotypes were obtained:S_(1)S_(2)(Aihuahong,etc.),S_(1)S_(28)(Xixian Haitang,etc.),S_(1)S_(51)(Hebei Pingdinghaitang),S_(1)S_(3)(Xiangyangcun Daguo,etc.),S_(2)S_(3)(Zhaiyehaitang,etc.),S_(3)S_(51)(Xishan 1),S_(3)S_(28)(Huangselihaerde,etc.),S_(2)S_(28)(Honghaitang,etc.),S_(4)S_(28)(Bo 11),S_(7)S_(28)(Jiuquan Shaguo),S_(10)S_e(Dongchengguan 13),S_(10)S_(21)(Dongxiangjiao)and S_(3)S_(51)(Xiongyue Haitang).Simultaneously,the frequency of the S gene in the tested materials was analyzed.The findings revealed that different S genes had varying frequencies in Malus resources,as well as varying frequencies between intraspecific and interspecific.S_(3) had the highest frequency of 68.18%,followed by S_(1)(42.04%).In addition,the phylogenetic tree and origin evolution analysis revealed that the S gene differentiation was completed prior to the formation of various apple species,that cultivated species also evolved new S genes,and that the S_(50) gene is the oldest S allele in Malus plants.The S_(1),S_(29),and S_(33) genes in apple-cultivated species,on the other hand,may have originated in M.sieversii,M.hupehensis,and M.kansuensis,respectively.In addition to M.sieversii,M.kansuensis and M.sikkimensis may have also played a role in the origin and evolution of some Chinese apples.

Serological Investigation into the Infected Genotypes of Patients with Japanese Encephalitis in the Coastal Provinces of China

Objective Genotypes(G)1,3,and 5 of the Japanese encephalitis virus(JEV)have been isolated in China,but the dominant genotype circulating in Chinese coastal areas remains unknown.We searched for G5 JEV-infected cases and attempted to elucidate which JEV genotype was most closely related to human Japanese encephalitis(JE)in the coastal provinces of China.Methods In this study,we collected serum specimens from patients with JE in three coastal provinces of China(Guangdong,Zhejiang,and Shandong)from 2018 to 2020 and conducted JEV cross-neutralization tests against G1,G3,and G5.Results Acute serum specimens from clinically reported JE cases were obtained for laboratory confirmation from hospitals in Shandong(92 patients),Zhejiang(192 patients),and Guangdong(77 patients),China,from 2018 to 2020.Seventy of the 361 serum specimens were laboratory-confirmed to be infected with JEV.Two cases were confirmed to be infected with G1 JEV,32 with G3 JEV,and two with G5 JEV.Conclusion G3 was the primary infection genotype among JE cases with a definite infection genotype,and the infection caused by G5 JEV was confirmed serologically in China.

Characterization of early maturing elite genotypes based on MTSI and MGIDI indexes:an illustration in upland cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Background Globally,the cultivation of cotton is constrained by its tendency for extended periods of growth.Early maturity plays a potential role in rainfed-based multiple cropping system especially in the current era of climate change.In the current study,a set of 20 diverse Gossypium hirsutum genotypes were evaluated in two crop seasons with three planting densities and assessed for 11 morphological traits related to early maturity.The study aimed to identify genotype(s)that mature rapidly and accomplish well under diverse environmental conditions based on the two robust multivariate techniques called multi-trait stability index(MTSI)and multi-trait genotype-ideotype distance index(MGIDI).Results MTSI analysis revealed that out of the 20 genotypes,three genotypes,viz.,NNDC-30,A-2,and S-32 accomplished well in terms of early maturity traits in two seasons.Furthermore,three genotypes were selected using MGIDI method for each planting densities with a selection intensity of 15%.The strengths and weaknesses of the genotypes selected based on MGIDI method highlighted that the breeders could focus on developing early-maturing genotypes with specific traits such as days to first flower and boll opening.The selected genotypes exhibited positive genetic gains for traits related to earliness and a successful harvest during the first and second pickings.However,there were negative gains for traits related to flowering and boll opening.Conclusion The study identified three genotypes exhibiting early maturity and accomplished well under different planting densities.The multivariate methods(MTSI and MGIDI)serve as novel approaches for selecting desired genotypes in plant breeding programs,especially across various growing environments.These methods offer exclusive benefits and can easily construe and minimize multicollinearity issues.