First Insights Into the Virus and Viroid Communities in Hemp (Cannabis sativa)

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) production has increased significantly in recent years; however, the crop has been understudied in the U.S. since its production declined in the late 1950s. Disease identification and management is an increasing challenge for hemp growers across the country. In 2019, beet curly top virus (BCTV) was first reported in hemp in Colorado. Hence, we were motivated to understand the diversity and prevalence of BCTV strains infecting hemp in Colorado. We detected BCTV at high incidence rate (81%) in leaf samples from 12 counties. Two different strains of BCTV, Worland (Wor) and Colorado (CO) were present as a single or mixed infection in hemp leaf samples. Phylogenetic analysis revealed BCTV sequences from hemp formed a distinct group along with BCTV strains CO and Wor. To determine other potential viral and viroid pathogens in hemp, we performed next generation sequencing (NGS). Virome analysis revealed the presence of both virus and viroid sequences that had high nucleotide sequence identity with GenBank accessions for cannabis cryptic virus, cannabis sativa mitovirus, citrus yellow vein associated virus, opuntia-like virus and hop latent viroid. In contrast, tobacco streak virus sequences were highly variable compared to sequences in GenBank suggesting a possible new genotype of this virus. The data presented here has important implications for the epidemiology and management of the various diseases of hemp and will lead to the development of integrated pest management strategies designed to interrupt transmission cycles and facilitate efficient crop production

Quantum Computation with Coherent Spin States and the Close Hadamard Problem

We study a model of quantum computation based on the continuously-parameterized yet finite-dimensional Hilbert space of a spin system. We explore the computational powers of this model by analyzing a pilot problem we refer to as the close Hadamard problem. We prove that the close Hadamard problem can be solved in the spin system model with arbitrarily small error probability in a constant number of oracle queries. We conclude that this model of quantum computation is suitable for solving certain types of problems. The model is effective for problems where symmetries between the structure of the information associated with the problem and the structure of the unitary operators employed in the quantum algorithm can be exploited.Comment: RevTeX4, 13 pages with 8 figures. Accepted for publication in Quantum Information Processing. Article number: s11128-015-1229-

Religiousness as tourist performances: a case study of Greek Orthodox pilgrimage

The aim of this paper is to decipher ways of experiencing religiousness through tourist performances, intersecting textual approaches with the essential embodiment and materiality of the tourist world. Exploring the diversity of religious tourists’ practices within the Greek Orthodox context, two dimensions underpinning religious tourist experience are highlighted: institutional performances and unconventional performances. Focussing on the embodied experience and drawing upon theories of performance, the paper critiques the interplays of body and place to re-conceptualise current understanding of the pilgrimage/tourism relationship. In doing so, the paper proposes that tourism and religion are not separate entities but linked through embodied notions of godliness sensed through touristic performances