Predicting the potential distribution in South Korea of two mealybug species (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) intercepted on pineapples in quarantine

Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) and Dysmicoccus neobrevipes Beardsley are major pests of pine­apples, ornamentals, and vegetable crops in many countries around the world. The potential distribution of these mealybug pests into South Korea remains a prime concern because of their high incidence in intercep­tions screened during inspection. Hence, these species prompted a modelling effort to assess their potential risk of introduction. Potential risk maps were developed for these pests with the CLIMEX model based on occurrence records under environmental data. The potential distribution of these pests in South Korea in the 2020s, 2050s and 2090s is projected based on the RCP 8.5 climate change scenario. Results show that D. brevipes and D. neobrevipes have little potential for invasion in the exterior environment of South Korea due to high cold stress. However, for D. brevipes, three locations in Jejudo were predicted to be marginally suit­able for this pest under future climate factors. In that respect, the results of these model predictions could be used to prepare a risk-based surveying program that improves the probability of detecting early D. brevipes and D. neobrevipes populations. The introduction of an exotic species to new geographical areas without their natural enemies has often been followed by large outbreaks in their population and subsequent economic damage to plants (CABI 2023a). Mealy­bugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) are plant feeders that have a more-or-less cryptic way of life because of their small size and limited mobility (Kondo and Watson 2022a). They are almost always found associated with plants, and are commonly intercepted on imported plant material (PIS 2023). As a result, they can easily be transported to other areas on the plants on which they live. A total of 114 species have been considered as pests in the world (Kondo and Watson 2022b). As of 2005, some 255 exotic scale insect species had become established in the USA; of these, 53 species were mealybugs (Miller et al. 2005). In South Korea, 91 exotic species have been documented from 1910 to 2019; of these, three species are mealybugs (RDA 2019). Numerous kinds of insect pests were intercepted during import inspections at South Korean ports of entry. Mealybugs comprised 16.3% of the 198,086 interceptions from 1996 to 2022 (PIS 2023), of which, Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) (22.9% of the mealybug interceptions) and Dysmicoccus neobrevipes Beardsley (54.3%) were intercepted most frequently (Table 1). The pink pineapple mealybug (PPM), D. brevipes, was described in 1893 from pineapples in Jamaica. Since then, it has become a major pest of pineapples, ornamental plants and vegetable crops in many other countries in the world where it has spread by the international trade of these goods (García Morales et al. 2016). The grey pineapple mealybug (GPM), D. neobrevipes, is probably native to the Australasian region and was first reported in 1959 from Hawaii. Over the last 60 years, this species has been found in 44 coun­tries on a wide variety of host plants (García Morales et al. 2016)

Properties of a beam splitter entangler with Gaussian input states

An explicit formula is given for the quantity of entanglement in the output state of a beam splitter, given the squeezed vacuum states input in each mode.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev.

A theorem for the beam splitter entangler

It is conjectured that the an entanglement output states from a beam splitter requires the nonclassicality in the input state(M.S. Kim, W. Son, V. Buzek and P. L. Knight, Phys. Rev. A, 65, 032323(2002)). Here we give a proof for this conjecture.Comment: Two relevant literatures added. To appear in Phys. Rev.

Deep Chandra Monitoring Observations of NGC 4649: II. Wide-Field Hubble Space Telescope Imaging of the Globular Clusters

We present g and z photometry and size estimates for globular clusters (GCs) in the massive Virgo elliptical NGC 4649 (M60) using a five-pointing Hubble Space Telescope/Advanced Camera for Surveys mosaic. The metal-poor GCs show a monotonic negative metallicity gradient of (-0.43 +/- 0.10) dex per dex in radius over the full radial range of the data, out to ~ 24 kpc. There is evidence for substantial color substructure among the metal-rich GCs. The metal-poor GCs have typical sizes ~ 0.4 pc larger than the metal-rich GCs out to large galactocentric distances (~> 20 kpc), favoring an intrinsic explanation for the size difference rather than projection effects. There is no clear relation between half-light radius and galactocentric distance beyond ~ 15 kpc, suggesting that the sizes of GCs are not generically set by tidal limitation. Finally, we identify ~ 20 candidate ultra-compact dwarfs that extend down to surprisingly faint absolute magnitudes (M_z ~ -8.5), and may bridge the gap between this class and "extended clusters" in the Local Group. Three of the brighter candidates have published radial velocities and can be confirmed as bona fide ultra-compact dwarfs; follow-up spectroscopy will determine the nature of the remainder of the candidates.Comment: ApJ in press. For redacted long table 1, see: http://www.pa.msu.edu/~strader/4649/table.te

Targeting the Microtubule-Network Rescues CTL Killing Efficiency in Dense 3D Matrices

Efficacy of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)-based immunotherapy is still unsatisfactory against solid tumors, which are frequently characterized by condensed extracellular matrix. Here, using a unique 3D killing assay, we identify that the killing efficiency of primary human CTLs is substantially impaired in dense collagen matrices. Although the expression of cytotoxic proteins in CTLs remained intact in dense collagen, CTL motility was largely compromised. Using light-sheet microscopy, we found that persistence and velocity of CTL migration was influenced by the stiffness and porosity of the 3D matrix. Notably, 3D CTL velocity was strongly correlated with their nuclear deformability, which was enhanced by disruption of the microtubule network especially in dense matrices. Concomitantly, CTL migration, search efficiency, and killing efficiency in dense collagen were significantly increased in microtubule-perturbed CTLs. In addition, the chemotherapeutically used microtubule inhibitor vinblastine drastically enhanced CTL killing efficiency in dense collagen. Together, our findings suggest targeting the microtubule network as a promising strategy to enhance efficacy of CTL-based immunotherapy against solid tumors, especially stiff solid tumors

Lead Optimization of 7-benzyloxy 2-(4′-pyridylmethyl)Thio Isoflavone Aromatase Inhibitors

Aromatase, the enzyme responsible for estrogen biosynthesis, is a particularly attractive target in the treatment of hormone-dependent breast cancer. The synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of 2-(4′-pyridylmethyl)thio, 7-alkyl- or aryl-substituted isoflavones as potential aromatase inhibitors are described. The isoflavone derivatives demonstrate IC50 values from 79 to 553 nM and compete with the endogenous substrate, androstenedione. Data supporting the ability of these analogs to suppress aromatase enzyme activity in the SK-BR-3 breast cancer cell line are also presented

Stray Flux Monitoring for Reliable Detection of Rotor Faults under the Influence of Rotor Axial Air Ducts

International audienc

Evolution of the Chern-Simons Vortices

Based on the gauge potential decomposition theory and the $\phi$-mapping theory, the topological inner structure of the Chern-Simons-Higgs vortex has been showed in detail. The evolution of CSH vortices is studied from the topological properties of the Higgs scalar field. The vortices are found generating or annihilating at the limit points and encountering, splitting or merging at the bifurcation points of the scalar field $\phi .$Comment: 10 pages, 10 figure

Note on Generalized Janus Configurations

We study several aspects of generalized Janus configuration, which includes a theta term. We investigate the vacuum structure of the theory and find that unlike the Janus configuration without theta term there is no nontrivial vacuum. We also discuss BPS soliton configuration both by supersymmetry analysis and from energy functional. The half BPS configurations could be realized by introducing transverse (p,q)-strings in original brane configuration corresponding to generalized Janus configuration. It turns out the BPS soliton could be taken as modified dyon. We discuss the solution of half BPS equations for the sharp interface case. Moreover we construct less supersymmetric Janus configuration with theta term.Comment: 27 pages; References adde

Bubbling AdS and droplet descriptions of BPS geometries in IIB supergravity

This paper focuses on supergravity duals of BPS states in N=4 super Yang-Mills. In order to describe these duals, we begin with a sequence of breathing mode reductions of IIB supergravity: first on S^3, then S^3 x S^1, and finally on S^3 x S^1 x CP^1. We then follow with a complete supersymmetry analysis, yielding 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2 BPS configurations, respectively (where in the last step we take the Hopf fibration of S^3). The 1/8 BPS geometries, which have an S^3 isometry and are time-fibered over a six-dimensional base, are determined by solving a non-linear equation for the Kahler metric on the base. Similarly, the 1/4 BPS configurations have an S^3 x S^1 isometry and a four-dimensional base, whose Kahler metric obeys another non-linear, Monge-Ampere type equation. Despite the non-linearity of the problem, we develop a universal bubbling AdS description of these geometries by focusing on the boundary conditions which ensure their regularity. In the 1/8 BPS case, we find that the S^3 cycle shrinks to zero size on a five-dimensional locus inside the six-dimensional base. Enforcing regularity of the full solution requires that the interior of a smooth, generally disconnected five-dimensional surface be removed from the base. The AdS_5 x S^5 ground state corresponds to excising the interior of an S^5, while the 1/8 BPS excitations correspond to deformations (including topology change) of the S^5 and/or the excision of additional droplets from the base. In the case of 1/4 BPS configurations, by enforcing regularity conditions, we identify three-dimensional surfaces inside the four-dimensional base which separate the regions where the S^3 shrinks to zero size from those where the S^1 shrinks.Comment: 94 pages, 6 figures, latex, typos corrected, references added, one new Appendi