An Interpreter for Quantum Circuits

This paper describes an ACL2 interpreter for "netlists" describing quantum circuits. Several quantum gates are implemented, including the Hadamard gate H, which rotates vectors by 45 degrees, necessitating the use of irrational numbers, at least at the logical level. Quantum measurement presents an especially difficult challenge, because it requires precise comparisons of irrational numbers and the use of random numbers. This paper does not address computation with irrational numbers or the generation of random numbers, although future work includes the development of pseudo-random generators for ACL2.Comment: In Proceedings ACL2 2013, arXiv:1304.712

Frequency of HIV testing among gay and bisexual men in the UK: implications for HIV prevention

Objectives: The aim of the study was to explore HIV testing frequency among UK men who have sex with men (MSM) in order to direct intervention development. Methods: Cross-sectional surveys were completed by 2409 MSM in Edinburgh, Glasgow and London in 2011 and a Scotland-wide online survey was carried out in 2012/13. The frequency of HIV testing in the last 2 years was measured. Results: Overall, 21.2% of respondents reported at least four HIV tests and 33.7% reported two or three tests in the last 2 years, so we estimate that 54.9% test annually. Men reporting at least four HIV tests were younger and less likely to be surveyed in London. They were more likely to report higher numbers of sexual and anal intercourse partners, but not “higher risk” unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with at least two partners, casual partners and/or unknown/discordant status partners in the previous 12 months. Only 26.7% (238 of 893) of men reporting higher risk UAI reported at least four tests. Among all testers (n = 2009), 56.7% tested as part of a regular sexual health check and 35.5% tested following a risk event. Differences were observed between surveys, and those testing in response to a risk event were more likely to report higher risk UAI. Conclusions: Guidelines recommend that all MSM test annually and those at “higher risk” test more frequently, but our findings suggest neither recommendation is being met. Additional efforts are required to increase testing frequency and harness the opportunities provided by biomedical HIV prevention. Regional, demographic and behavioural differences and variations in the risk profiles of testers suggest that it is unlikely that a “one size fits all” approach to increasing the frequency of testing will be successful

Association between ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the vine mealybug (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in table-grape vineyards in Eastern Spain

[EN] BACKGROUNDThe vine mealybug, Planococcus ficus (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is a key pest of grapevine in the Mediterranean Basin. Some honeydew collecting ant species are known to increase mealybug populations in other grape-growing regions. However, there is scarce information on either the ant species present in Mediterranean vineyards or their impact on mealybugs. We conducted a study in four commercial vineyards in Eastern Spain in order to i) identify the ant species foraging on the vine canopies, ii) study the association among ant activity, vine mealybug abundance and fruit damage, and iii) test a novel method for ant management, distracting ants from guarding vine mealybugs by providing sugar dispensers. RESULTSWe recorded three ant species native to the Mediterranean foraging on the vine canopies: Lasius grandis (Forel), Pheidole pallidula (Nylander) and Plagiolepis schmitzii (Forel). The mean percentage of damaged fruits per vine was positively correlated with the number of vine mealybugs captured in traps placed at the trunk. We detected a positive but weak relationship between ant activity, vine mealybug abundance and fruit damage. The provisioning of sugar dispensers reduced the number of ants foraging on the vines by 23.4% although this reduction was not statistically significant. Vine mealybug abundance was significantly reduced (72%) after sugar provisioning. CONCLUSIONOur results suggest that the ant species native to vineyards in eastern Spain induce population increases of the vine mealybug. Moreover, the provisioning of sugars can be a valuable tool for ant management and mealybug control. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical IndustryWe are grateful to two anonymous reviewers for their comments. This research was supported by the European grants FP7-IAPP #324475 'Colbics' and FP7-IRSES #612566 'Biomodics'.Beltrà Ivars, A.; Navarro Campos, C.; Calabuig Gomar, A.; Estopa, L.; Wäckers, F.; Pekas, A.; Soto Sánchez, AI. (2017). Association between ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the vine mealybug (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in table-grape vineyards in Eastern Spain. Pest Management Science. 73(12):2473-2480. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.4640S247324807312Ramzi, M., Kaouthar, G.-L., Pompeo, S., Gaetana, M., & Agatino, R. (2017). Key scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) of high economic importance in a Mediterranean area: host plants, bio-ecological characteristics, natural enemies and pest management strategies – a review. Plant Protection Science, 53(No. 1), 1-14. doi:10.17221/53/2016-ppsDaane, K. M., Almeida, R. P. P., Bell, V. A., Walker, J. T. S., Botton, M., Fallahzadeh, M., … Zaviezo, T. (2012). Biology and Management of Mealybugs in Vineyards. Arthropod Management in Vineyards:, 271-307. doi:10.1007/978-94-007-4032-7_12García Morales M Denno B Miller DR Miller GL Ben-Dov Y Hardy NB http://scalenet.infoBerlinger, M. J. (1977). The Mediterranean vine mealybug and its natural enemies in southern Israel. Phytoparasitica, 5(1), 3-14. doi:10.1007/bf03179429Tsai, C.-W., Chau, J., Fernandez, L., Bosco, D., Daane, K. M., & Almeida, R. P. P. (2008). Transmission of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 by the Vine Mealybug (Planococcus ficus). Phytopathology®, 98(10), 1093-1098. doi:10.1094/phyto-98-10-1093Almeida, R. P. P., Daane, K. M., Bell, V. A., Blaisdell, G. K., Cooper, M. L., Herrbach, E., & Pietersen, G. (2013). Ecology and management of grapevine leafroll disease. Frontiers in Microbiology, 4. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2013.00094Bartlett, B. R. (1961). The Influence of Ants Upon Parasites, Predators, and Scale Insects1. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 54(4), 543-551. doi:10.1093/aesa/54.4.543González-Hernández, H., Johnson, M. W., & Reimer, N. J. (1999). Impact of Pheidole megacephala (F.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on the Biological Control of Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae). Biological Control, 15(2), 145-152. doi:10.1006/bcon.1999.0714Helms, K. R., & Vinson, S. B. (2002). WIDESPREAD ASSOCIATION OF THE INVASIVE ANT SOLENOPSIS INVICTA WITH AN INVASIVE MEALYBUG. Ecology, 83(9), 2425-2438. doi:10.1890/0012-9658(2002)083[2425:waotia]2.0.co;2Zhou, A., Zeng, L., Lu, Y., Xu, Y., & Liang, G. (2012). Fire Ants Protect Mealybugs against Their Natural Enemies by Utilizing the Leaf Shelters Constructed by the Leaf Roller Sylepta derogata. PLoS ONE, 7(11), e49982. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049982DEGEN, A. A., & GERSANI, M. (1989). Environmental effects on activity and honeydew collection by the weaver antPolyrhachis simplex(Hymenoptera: Formicidae) when attending the mealybugTrabutinasp. (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae). Journal of Zoology, 218(3), 421-432. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1989.tb02554.xCudjoe, A. R., Neuenschwander, P., & Copland, M. J. W. (1993). Interference by ants in biological control of the cassava mealybug Phenacoccus manihoti (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Ghana. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 83(1), 15-22. doi:10.1017/s0007485300041730DAANE, K. M., SIME, K. R., FALLON, J., & COOPER, M. L. (2007). Impacts of Argentine ants on mealybugs and their natural enemies in California’s coastal vineyards. Ecological Entomology, 32(6), 583-596. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2311.2007.00910.xWay, M. J. (1963). Mutualism Between Ants and Honeydew-Producing Homoptera. Annual Review of Entomology, 8(1), 307-344. doi:10.1146/annurev.en.08.010163.001515Buckley, R., & Gullan, P. (1991). More Aggressive Ant Species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Provide Better Protection for Soft Scales and Mealybugs (Homoptera: Coccidae, Pseudococcidae). Biotropica, 23(3), 282. doi:10.2307/2388205Tena, A., Hoddle, C. D., & Hoddle, M. S. (2013). Competition between honeydew producers in an ant–hemipteran interaction may enhance biological control of an invasive pest. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 103(6), 714-723. doi:10.1017/s000748531300045xMgocheki, N., & Addison, P. (2010). Spatial distribution of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), vine mealybugs and mealybug parasitoids in vineyards. Journal of Applied Entomology, 134(4), 285-295. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0418.2009.01494.xMgocheki, N., & Addison, P. (2009). Interference of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with biological control of the vine mealybug Planococcus ficus (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Biological Control, 49(2), 180-185. doi:10.1016/j.biocontrol.2009.02.001Mansour, R., Suma, P., Mazzeo, G., La Pergola, A., Pappalardo, V., Grissa Lebdi, K., & Russo, A. (2012). Interactions between the antTapinoma nigerrimum(Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the main natural enemies of the vine and citrus mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Biocontrol Science and Technology, 22(5), 527-537. doi:10.1080/09583157.2012.665832Carabalí-Banguero, D. J., Wyckhuys, K. A. G., Montoya-Lerma, J., Kondo, T., & Lundgren, J. G. (2013). Do additional sugar sources affect the degree of attendance ofDysmicoccus brevipesby the fire antSolenopsis geminata? Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 148(1), 65-73. doi:10.1111/eea.12076Nyamukondiwa, C., & Addison, P. (2011). Preference of foraging ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) for bait toxicants in South African vineyards. Crop Protection, 30(8), 1034-1038. doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2011.03.014Tollerup, K. E., Rust, M. K., Dorschner, K. W., Phillips, P. A., & Klotz, J. H. (2004). Low-toxicity baits control ants in citrus orchards and grape vineyards. California Agriculture, 58(4), 213-217. doi:10.3733/ca.v058n04p213Buczkowski, G., Roper, E., Chin, D., Mothapo, N., & Wossler, T. (2014). Hydrogel baits with low-dose thiamethoxam for sustainable Argentine ant management in commercial orchards. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 153(3), 183-190. doi:10.1111/eea.12239Daane, K. M., Sime, K. R., Hogg, B. N., Bianchi, M. L., Cooper, M. L., Rust, M. K., & Klotz, J. H. (2006). Effects of liquid insecticide baits on Argentine ants in California’s coastal vineyards. Crop Protection, 25(6), 592-603. doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2005.08.015Cooper, M. L., Daane, K. M., Nelson, E. H., Varela, L. G., Battany, M. C., Tsutsui, N. D., & Rust, M. K. (2008). Liquid baits control Argentine ants sustainably in coastal vineyards. California Agriculture, 62(4), 177-183. doi:10.3733/ca.v062n04p177Costello, M. J., & Welch, M. D. (2014). Influence of Weeds on Argentine Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and Obscure Mealybug (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in a Central California Vineyard. Journal of Economic Entomology, 107(3), 1194-1200. doi:10.1603/ec13469Nagy, C., Cross, J. V., & Markó, V. (2013). Sugar feeding of the common black ant, Lasius niger (L.), as a possible indirect method for reducing aphid populations on apple by disturbing ant-aphid mutualism. Biological Control, 65(1), 24-36. doi:10.1016/j.biocontrol.2013.01.005Mansour, R., Mazzeo, G., Pergola, A., Lebdi, K., & Russo, A. (2011). A Survey of Scale Insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) and Tending Ants in Tunisian Vineyards. Journal of Plant Protection Research, 51(3). doi:10.2478/v10045-011-0034-8Pekas, A., Tena, A., Aguilar, A., & Garcia-Marí, F. (2010). Effect of Mediterranean Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on California Red Scale (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) Populations in Citrus Orchards. Environmental Entomology, 39(3), 827-834. doi:10.1603/en09207Crawley MJ The R Book John Wiley New York 950 2007Pekas, A., Tena, A., Aguilar, A., & Garcia-Marí, F. (2010). Spatio-temporal patterns and interactions with honeydew-producing Hemiptera of ants in a Mediterranean citrus orchard. Agricultural and Forest Entomology, 13(1), 89-97. doi:10.1111/j.1461-9563.2010.00501.xSanchez, J. A., & Ortín-Angulo, M. C. (2012). Abundance and population dynamics of Cacopsylla pyri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) and its potential natural enemies in pear orchards in southern Spain. Crop Protection, 32, 24-29. doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2011.11.003Cerdá, X., Palacios, R., & Retana, J. (2009). Ant Community Structure in Citrus Orchards in the Mediterranean Basin: Impoverishment as a Consequence of Habitat Homogeneity. Environmental Entomology, 38(2), 317-324. doi:10.1603/022.038.0203Calabuig, A., Garcia-Marí, F., & Pekas, A. (2013). Ants affect the infestation levels but not the parasitism of honeydew and non-honeydew producing pests in citrus. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 104(4), 405-417. doi:10.1017/s0007485313000564CALABUIG, A., TENA, A., WÄCKERS, F. L., FERNÁNDEZ-ARROJO, L., PLOU, F. J., GARCIA-MARÍ, F., & PEKAS, A. (2015). Ants impact the energy reserves of natural enemies through the shared honeydew exploitation. Ecological Entomology, 40(6), 687-695. doi:10.1111/een.12237Walters, A. C., & Mackay, D. A. (2003). An experimental study of the relative humidity preference and survival of the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): comparisons with a native Iridomyrmex species in South Australia. Insectes Sociaux, 50(4), 355-360. doi:10.1007/s00040-003-0685-1CAMPOS, M., FERNANDEZ, L., RUANO, F., COTES, B., CARDENAS, M., & CASTRO, J. (2011). Short term response of ants to the removal of ground cover in organic olive orchards. European Journal of Entomology, 108(3), 417-423. doi:10.14411/eje.2011.053Detrain, C. (1990). Field study on foraging by the polymorphic ant species,Pheidole pallidula. Insectes Sociaux, 37(4), 315-332. doi:10.1007/bf02225995Cerdá, X., Retana, J., & Cros, S. (1998). Critical thermal limits in Mediterranean ant species: trade-off between mortality risk and foraging performance. Functional Ecology, 12(1), 45-55. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2435.1998.00160.xGEIGER, C. A., & DAANE, K. M. (2001). Seasonal Movement and Distribution of the Grape Mealybug (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae): Developing a Sampling Program for San Joaquin Valley Vineyards. Journal of Economic Entomology, 94(1), 291-301. doi:10.1603/0022-0493-94.1.291Sime, K. R., & Daane, K. M. (2014). A Comparison of Two Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) of the Vine Mealybug: Rapid, Non-Discriminatory Oviposition Is Favored When Ants Tend the Host. Environmental Entomology, 43(4), 995-1002. doi:10.1603/en13192Beltrà, A., Soto, A., & Tena, A. (2015). How a slow-ovipositing parasitoid can succeed as a biological control agent of the invasive mealybug Phenacoccus peruvianus: implications for future classical and conservation biological control programs. BioControl, 60(4), 473-484. doi:10.1007/s10526-015-9663-6Offenberg, J. (2001). Balancing between mutualism and exploitation: the symbiotic interaction between Lasius ants and aphids. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 49(4), 304-310. doi:10.1007/s002650000303Engel, V., Fischer, M. K., Wäckers, F. L., & Völkl, W. (2001). Interactions between extrafloral nectaries, aphids and ants: are there competition effects between plant and homopteran sugar sources? Oecologia, 129(4), 577-584. doi:10.1007/s004420100765Wäckers, F. L., Alberola, J. S., Garcia-Marí, F., & Pekas, A. (2017). Attract and distract: Manipulation of a food-mediated protective mutualism enhances natural pest control. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 246, 168-174. doi:10.1016/j.agee.2017.05.03

The Dual Role of TNF in Pulmonary Edema

—Pulmonary edema, a major manifestation of left ventricular heart failure, renal insufficiency, shock, diffuse alveolar damage and lung hypersensitivity states, is a significant medical problem worldwide and can be life-threatening. The proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) has been shown to contribute to the pathogenesis and development of pulmonary edema. However, some recent studies have demonstrated surprisingly that TNF can also promote alveolar fluid reabsorption in vivo and in vitro. This protective effect of the cytokine is mediated by the lectin-like domain of the cytokine, which is spatially distinct from the TNF receptor binding sites. The TIP peptide, a synthetic mimic of the lectin-like domain of TNF, can significantly increase alveolar fluid clearance and improve lung compliance in pulmonary edema models. In this review, we will discuss the dual role of TNF in pulmonary edema

Molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the evolution of form and function in the amniote jaw.

The amniote jaw complex is a remarkable amalgamation of derivatives from distinct embryonic cell lineages. During development, the cells in these lineages experience concerted movements, migrations, and signaling interactions that take them from their initial origins to their final destinations and imbue their derivatives with aspects of form including their axial orientation, anatomical identity, size, and shape. Perturbations along the way can produce defects and disease, but also generate the variation necessary for jaw evolution and adaptation. We focus on molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate form in the amniote jaw complex, and that enable structural and functional integration. Special emphasis is placed on the role of cranial neural crest mesenchyme (NCM) during the species-specific patterning of bone, cartilage, tendon, muscle, and other jaw tissues. We also address the effects of biomechanical forces during jaw development and discuss ways in which certain molecular and cellular responses add adaptive and evolutionary plasticity to jaw morphology. Overall, we highlight how variation in molecular and cellular programs can promote the phenomenal diversity and functional morphology achieved during amniote jaw evolution or lead to the range of jaw defects and disease that affect the human condition

Dbx1-Expressing Cells Are Necessary for the Survival of the Mammalian Anterior Neural and Craniofacial Structures

Development of the vertebrate forebrain and craniofacial structures are intimately linked processes, the coordinated growth of these tissues being required to ensure normal head formation. In this study, we identify five small subsets of progenitors expressing the transcription factor dbx1 in the cephalic region of developing mouse embryos at E8.5. Using genetic tracing we show that dbx1-expressing cells and their progeny have a modest contribution to the forebrain and face tissues. However, their genetic ablation triggers extensive and non cell-autonomous apoptosis as well as a decrease in proliferation in surrounding tissues, resulting in the progressive loss of most of the forebrain and frontonasal structures. Targeted ablation of the different subsets reveals that the very first dbx1-expressing progenitors are critically required for the survival of anterior neural tissues, the production and/or migration of cephalic neural crest cells and, ultimately, forebrain formation. In addition, we find that the other subsets, generated at slightly later stages, each play a specific function during head development and that their coordinated activity is required for accurate craniofacial morphogenesis. Our results demonstrate that dbx1-expressing cells have a unique function during head development, notably by controlling cell survival in a non cell-autonomous manner

Impact of SARS-Cov-2 infection in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy : results of an international multicentre registry

To describe the natural history of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) compared with a control group and to identify predictors of adverse events. Three hundred and five patients [age 56.6 ± 16.9 years old, 191 (62.6%) male patients] with HCM and SARS-Cov-2 infection were enrolled. The control group consisted of 91 131 infected individuals. Endpoints were (i) SARS-CoV-2 related mortality and (ii) severe clinical course [death or intensive care unit (ICU) admission]. New onset of atrial fibrillation, ventricular arrhythmias, shock, stroke, and cardiac arrest were also recorded. Sixty-nine (22.9%) HCM patients were hospitalized for non-ICU level care, and 21 (7.0%) required ICU care. Seventeen (5.6%) died: eight (2.6%) of respiratory failure, four (1.3%) of heart failure, two (0.7%) suddenly, and three (1.0%) due to other SARS-CoV-2-related complications. Covariates associated with mortality in the multivariable were age {odds ratio (OR) per 10 year increase 2.25 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12-4.51], P = 0.0229}, baseline New York Heart Association class [OR per one-unit increase 4.01 (95%CI: 1.75-9.20), P = 0.0011], presence of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction [OR 5.59 (95%CI: 1.16-26.92), P = 0.0317], and left ventricular systolic impairment [OR 7.72 (95%CI: 1.20-49.79), P = 0.0316]. Controlling for age and sex and comparing HCM patients with a community-based SARS-CoV-2 cohort, the presence of HCM was associated with a borderline significant increased risk of mortality OR 1.70 (95%CI: 0.98-2.91, P = 0.0600). Over one-fourth of HCM patients infected with SARS-Cov-2 required hospitalization, including 6% in an ICU setting. Age and cardiac features related to HCM, including baseline functional class, left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, and systolic impairment, conveyed increased risk of mortality