The impact of external knowledge sourcing on innovation outcomes in rural and urban businesses in the U.S.

This paper examines the relationship between external knowledge sourcing and a diverse set of innovation outcomes in rural and urban establishments in the U.S. Existing studies in the broader knowledge management literature principally examine firms in a single industry, overwhelmingly rely on patent data to proxy for innovation, and cannot account for the innovations of businesses in rural American markets. By addressing these limitations using data from the 2014 Rural Establishment Innovation Survey of the USDA's Economic Research Service, this research provides novel insights into how externally acquired knowledge by American establishments may support innovation. Results of the analysis suggest that external knowledge sourcing may specifically promote product, process, and green innovation in U.S. firms. While collective results when external sources of information are divided by industry orientation fail to show that sources outside of a firm's industry play a dominant role in the innovation processes of American establishments in general, findings provide evidence for an outsized impact of these relationships within rural establishments specifically and suggest that external knowledge sourcing from extra‐industry organizations is most critical for promoting successful innovation in rural firms. Results additionally indicate that knowledge sourcing from non‐local organizations may be more important for supporting innovation in rural compared to urban markets.     

The role of ear environment in postharvest susceptibility of maize to toxigenic Aspergillus flavus

A kernel screening assay (KSA) was used to assess the genetic and environmental effects on the vulnerability of maize to aflatoxin accumulation. Kernels of 26 inbred lines that had been grown in seven environments, and 190 lines of the Intermated B73xMo17 (IBM) population grown in one location in the United States, were inoculated with a toxigenic strain of A. flavus and incubated in the dark at 30°C for 6 days. Percent kernel colonization (PKC), sporulation and aflatoxin were influenced by the maize genotypes (G), the location (“ear environment” or E) and the GxE interactions. Overall, low broad‐sense heritabilities were observed for PKC, sporulation and aflatoxin. PKC was significantly correlated with sporulation in all environments. Aflatoxin was positively correlated with colonization for two and with sporulation for all ear environments. Higher grain sulphur or magnesium in IBM was associated with less colonization or aflatoxin. Postharvest susceptibility of maize to aflatoxin is thus influenced by factors that are modulated by the ear environment. In a KSA, sporulation could be a proxy test for aflatoxin accumulation.     

Development of colchicine‐induced tetraploid St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) lines

St. Augustinegrass is well suited for lawns and commercial landscapes. While many genotypes are cross‐fertile, all cultivars are propagated vegetatively in sod production. To ensure varietal purity, development of sterile triploid hybrids by crossing tetraploid and diploid genotypes has been successfully used in other warm‐season turfgrasses. Applying this model in St. Augustinegrass would be beneficial to sod producers and turf managers who require purity for certification and uniformity for performance, respectively. This study was conducted to develop colchicine‐induced tetraploid lines of St. Augustinegrass. Seeds of cultivar ‘Raleigh’ were treated with four colchicine concentrations at four exposure times. A non‐treated control was included among the treatments. Seedlings that germinated were screened for genome size changes using flow cytometry. Line DSA 13005 and two progeny lines derived through selfing, DSA 16001 and DSA 16016, were corroborated as tetraploids (2n = 4x = 36) through chromosome counts. These lines will be used in future breeding efforts to attempt development of sterile triploid cultivars of St. Augustinegrass.     

Effects of different active constituents of Gynostemma pentaphyllum on mitochondrial energy metabolism-related proteins in endothelial cells induced by ox-LDL

AIM To investigate the effects of different components of Gynostemma pentaphyllum ［gypenosides (Gps), gypenoside XLIX (GpXLIX) and ginsenoside Rb3 (GRb3)］ on mitochondrial energy metabolism-related proteins in endothelial cells induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL). METHODS EA.hy926 cells were divided into control group, model group, Gps group, GpXLIX group and GRb3 group. The cells in control group were cultured only in DMEM complete medium. The cells in model group were treated with 100 mg/L ox-LDL for 48 h. The cells in Gps group, GpXLIX group and GRb3 group were treated with 100 mg/L ox-LDL for 24 h, and then treated with Gps, GpXLIX and GRb3 at 100 mg/L for another 24 h, respectively. The ATP content in each group was detected by ELISA. The expression levels of mitochondrial energy metabolism-related proteins, cytochrome C oxidase subunit 5a （Cox5a）, NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase core subunit S1 （Ndufs1）, ATP synthase F1 subunit alpha (ATP5a) and cytochrome C (Cyt C）, were determined by Wes automatic Western blot quantitative analysis system and Western blot. RESULTS Compared with control group, the ATP content in model group was decreased (P<0.01). After drug intervention, the ATP content increased to different degrees in Gps group, GpXLIX group and GRb3 group (P<0.01). The results of Wes automatic Western blot quantitative analysis system were consistent with those of Western blot. These results showed that compared with control group, the protein expression of Cox5a, Ndufs1 and ATP5a in model group was decreased, and the protein expression of Cyt C was increased (P<0.01). After intervention, the protein expression of Cox5a, Ndufs1 and ATP5a was increased and the protein expression of Cyt C was decreased in Gps group, GpXLIX group and GRb3 group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Among them, the effect of Gps on the protein expression of Cox5a, Ndufs1 and Cyt C was significantly stronger than those of the 2 monomer components, and the effect of GRb3 was found to be superior in the 2 monomer components. The effect of GpXLIX on ATP5a protein was superior to the other 2 components. CONCLUSION Gynostemma total saponins and related active ingredients protect ox-LDL-induced endothelial cells by affecting mitochondrial energy metabolism-related proteins, thereby preventing and treating atherosclerosis.     

四川地区猕猴桃病毒1的RT-PCR检测及外壳蛋白基因序列分析

为了明确近期新西兰报道的侵染猕猴桃的新病毒——猕猴桃病毒1（Actinidia virus 1，AcV-1）在四川地区猕猴桃上的发生情况及其分子特性，采用RT-PCR对来自四川6个地区疑似感染病毒的90份猕猴桃主栽品种‘红阳’和‘金果’的叶片样品进行检测。结果表明，22份样品为AcV-1阳性，检出率为24.4%。将获得的5个AcV-1分离物和已报道的新西兰分离物K75的外壳蛋白（coat protein，CP）基因序列进行比对，结果表明，分离物间核苷酸序列和氨基酸序列的相似性分别为84.8% ~ 97.1%和89.7% ~ 99.6%，其中除邛崃分离物HYH5与新西兰分离物K75的核苷酸序列相似性较高（97.1%）外，其余4个分离物均低于91%。系统进化分析结果显示，这些分离物主要聚集在3个分支上，分离物HYH5与新西兰分离物K75位于同一分支，其余分离物位于另外2个分支。     

番茄/茄子嫁接对其根际土壤生物学性状及细菌群落结构的影响

以茄子作为砧木，番茄为接穗进行嫁接，并以番茄自根植株和茄子自根植株作为对照，基于传统及现代高通量测序技术分析根际土壤的生物学性状及细菌群落结构特征，旨在揭示嫁接植株抗性增强的机制。结果表明：番茄/茄子嫁接植株根际土壤中可培养细菌、放线菌数量，微生物生物量、酶活性和细菌丰富度、多样性指数均显著高于茄子和番茄自根植株；另一方面，norank_c_Acidobacteria、硝化螺菌属（Nitrospira）、芽孢杆菌属（Bacillus）、norank_f_Gemmatimonadaceae、norank_o_Gaiellales、norank_f_Xanthobacteraceae、norank_o_SC-I-84、norank_f_Anaerolineaceae、norank_f_Nitrosomonadaceae、鞘脂单胞菌属（Sphingomonas）细菌是嫁接植株与茄子、番茄自根植株根际土壤中的共有优势细菌属；g_unclassified_o_Ignavibacteriales 、 醋酸杆菌属（ g_Acetobacter ）、g_norank_f_Longimicrobiaceae 、g_unclassified_f_Verrucomicrobiaceae、g_norank_p_FBP、g_norank_p_Aminicenantes 属细菌是嫁接植株根际土壤的特有优势细菌属。与自根植株相比，番茄/茄子嫁接植株根际土壤存在更高可培养微生物数量，微生物生物量和相关酶活性，具有更高的土壤养分有效性，同时拥有不同占比的共有优势细菌门属，尤其拥有更为丰富的微生物可操作分类单元（operational taxonomic units，OTU）和特有 OTU 数量，这是嫁接植株抗性增强的主要原因。     

香蕉新品种‘南天红’

香蕉新品种‘南天红’由‘南天黄’的自然突变选育而成。假茎平均高度2.59 m，幼树假茎外表面暗红色，抽蕾后转绿。雄花苞片外表面常为深红色，花苞卷曲，常不脱落；从种植到收获11 ~ 13个月，单株产量25 kg，品质好。中高抗香蕉枯萎病4号小种，采用配套的栽培技术可在所有香蕉种植区推广。     

Individual-based modeling highlights the importance of mortality and landscape structure in measures of functional connectivity

Landscape Ecology - Functional landscape connectivity is vital for the conservation of wildlife species. Landscape connectivity models often overlook factors such as mortality and asymmetry in...     

水果番茄新品种“晶杏”的选育

"晶杏"是由XS12为母本、CM14为父本杂交而成,为无限生长型,生长势旺盛,中熟,果实淡黄色,高圆形,单果质量约50 g。色泽亮丽,坐果率高,坐果整齐一致,果实大小均匀。丰产性好,口味佳,抗裂果,高抗叶枯病和枯萎病。产量约达97.5 t·hm^-2,是目前栽培的理想樱桃番茄品种,适合于内蒙古中部地区早秋、早春日光温室和大棚越夏栽培。     

Three SNPs within exons of INHA and ACVR2B genes are significantly associated with litter size in Dazu black goats

The aim of this study was to analyse the association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms within INHA and ACVR2B and litter size in Dazu black goats. In total, twenty-two SNPs were genotyped in 190 individuals by SNaPshot and resequencing. The results showed that three SNPs (SNP_1, SNP_12 and SNP_13 in this study) were detected to have significant additive genetic effect on the recorded goat litter size (p < .05). The SNP_1 (NC_030809.1), a non-synonymous substitution of G for T at chr2-g. 28314990 in the exon 2 of INHA gene (NM_001285606.1), resulted in homozygote 2 (HOM2) contributed 0.25 and heterozygote (HET) contributed 0.12 larger litter than homozygote 1 (HOM1). Meanwhile, SNP_12 (Chr22-g. 11721225 A > T) and SNP_13 (Chr22-g. 11721227 A > C) (NC_030829.1) simultaneously mutated at the first and third position of a triplet AAA (lysine, K) in the exon 4 of ACVR2B gene (XM_018066623.1) had estimated genetic effects of HOM1 (0.00) and HOM2 (0.03) larger than HET (−0.12). In conclusion, one SNPs (chr2-g. 28314990 T > G) within the exon 2 of INHA and two SNPs (Chr22-g. 11721225 A > T and Chr22-g. 11721227 A > C) i n the exon 4 of ACVR2B gene were highly recommended as candidate markers of litter size in Dazu black goats. A large-scale association study to assess the impact of these variants on litter size is still necessary.