Practical security bounds against the Trojan-horse attack in quantum key distribution

In the quantum version of a Trojan-horse attack, photons are injected into the optical modules of a quantum key distribution system in an attempt to read information direct from the encoding devices. To stop the Trojan photons, the use of passive optical components has been suggested. However, to date, there is no quantitative bound that specifies such components in relation to the security of the system. Here, we turn the Trojan-horse attack into an information leakage problem. This allows us quantify the system security and relate it to the specification of the optical elements. The analysis is supported by the experimental characterization, within the operation regime, of reflectivity and transmission of the optical components most relevant to security.Comment: 18 pages, 11 figures. Some typos correcte

Suppression of the large pine weevil Hylobius abietis (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in pine stumps by entomopathogenic nematodes with different foraging strategies

Hylobius abietis is the most important pest of reforestation in Northern Europe. Weevils develop in stumps of felled conifers and emerging adults feed on and kill young trees. In trials conducted in each of 3 years, entomopathogenic nematodes were applied around pine stumps containing late instar weevils. Since these immature weevils are sedentary and occur within stumps at varying depths in soil, it is predicted that nematodes with a cruise foraging strategy, such as Heterorhabditis spp., should be most effective. The three commercially available species used in our trials, H. megidis, Steinernema feltiae, and S. carpocapsae, have cruise, intermediate and ambush strategies, respectively. We also included the indigenous species H. downesi and a strain of S. feltiae isolated from an Irish coniferous forest. Heterorhabditis downesi suppressed emergence of adult weevils in 2 of 3 trials; and commercial S. feltiae and H. megidis NLH85 in 1 trial each. Stump excavation showed that H. downesi parasitized 55â63% of developing weevils; this was matched by H. megidis NLH85 and S. carpocapsae in 2 and 1 years, respectively. A higher proportion of larvae (46%) than of pupae (32%) or callow adults (30%) were parasitized by nematodes. All nematodes, including S. carpocapsae, parasitized weevils 40â49 cm from the bole of the stump and 30â39 cm below soil level. We conclude that heterorhabditids, particularly H. downesi, have greatest potential against pine weevils in stumps, but that a reputation as an ambush forager should not exclude a species such as S. carpocapsae from trials against sedentary subterranean insect pests

Threshold Corrections in Precision LHC Physics: QED otimes QCD

With an eye toward LHC processes in which theoretical precisions of 1 percent are desired, we introduce the theory of the simultaneous YFS resummation of QED and QCD to compute the size of the expected resummed soft radiative threshold effects in precision studies of heavy particle production at the LHC. Our results show that both QED and QCD soft threshold effects must be controlled to be on the conservative side to achieve such precision goals.Comment: 4 pages, no figures; presented by B.F.L. Ward in DPF200

Optimizing application of entomopathogenic nematodes to manage large pine weevil, Hylobius abietis L. (Coleoptera:Curculionidae) populations developing in pine stumps, Pinus sylvestris

Hylobius abietis develops in stumps of recently felled coniferous trees, and adults emerge to feed on and kill young seedlings. Entomopathogenic nematodes applied to stumps containing late instar larvae and pupae can reduce the number of adults emerging. We tested the feasibility of reduced application rate and volume during a broader window of application in field trials in 2004 and 2005. Application at the standard rate of 3.5 million infective juveniles per stump suppressed the number of adults emerging by up to 79–85% relative to controls for Heterorhabditis downesi, 57–64% for Steinernema carpocapsae and 51–56% for S. feltiae. When the application rate was halved, only H. downesi gave a significant reduction in emergence (75–79%). Nematodes applied in April, May or June significantly reduced weevil populations, and application of nematode-killed insects in May was as effective as an aqueous suspension. A fourfold reduction in application volume from 500 to 125 ml per stump did not affect the percentage of weevils parasitized, and stump excavation revealed that even at the reduced volume, both S. carpocapsae (ambusher) and H. downesi (cruiser) parasitized weevils 40–49 cm from the bole and 40–49 cm below soil level. A higher percentage of larvae (60%) were infected than either pupae (36%) or callow adults (18%). Our trials show promise for expanding the use of entomopathogenic nematodes against pine weevil, as the standard application rate can be halved, and the volume reduced to 25% of the standard without significant loss of efficacy, and there is a wide window of opportunity for application, even when soil temperatures are as low as 9 °C

Optimizing application of entomopathogenic nematodes to manage large pine weevil, Hylobius abietis L. (Coleoptera:Curculionidae) populations developing in pine stumps, Pinus sylvestris

Hylobius abietis develops in stumps of recently felled coniferous trees, and adults emerge to feed on and kill young seedlings. Entomopathogenic nematodes applied to stumps containing late instar larvae and pupae can reduce the number of adults emerging. We tested the feasibility of reduced application rate and volume during a broader window of application in field trials in 2004 and 2005. Application at the standard rate of 3.5 million infective juveniles per stump suppressed the number of adults emerging by up to 79–85% relative to controls for Heterorhabditis downesi, 57–64% for Steinernema carpocapsae and 51–56% for S. feltiae. When the application rate was halved, only H. downesi gave a significant reduction in emergence (75–79%). Nematodes applied in April, May or June significantly reduced weevil populations, and application of nematode-killed insects in May was as effective as an aqueous suspension. A fourfold reduction in application volume from 500 to 125 ml per stump did not affect the percentage of weevils parasitized, and stump excavation revealed that even at the reduced volume, both S. carpocapsae (ambusher) and H. downesi (cruiser) parasitized weevils 40–49 cm from the bole and 40–49 cm below soil level. A higher percentage of larvae (60%) were infected than either pupae (36%) or callow adults (18%). Our trials show promise for expanding the use of entomopathogenic nematodes against pine weevil, as the standard application rate can be halved, and the volume reduced to 25% of the standard without significant loss of efficacy, and there is a wide window of opportunity for application, even when soil temperatures are as low as 9 °C

In vitro synergy and enhanced murine brain penetration of saquinavir coadministered with mefloquine.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy has substantially improved prognosis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, the integration of proviral DNA, development of viral resistance, and lack of permeability of drugs into sanctuary sites (e.g., brain and lymphocyte) are major limitations to current regimens. Previous studies have indicated that the antimalarial drug chloroquine (CQ) has antiviral efficacy and a synergism with HIV protease inhibitors. We have screened a panel of antimalarial compounds for activity against HIV-1 in vitro. A limited efficacy was observed for CQ, mefloquine (MQ), and mepacrine (MC). However, marked synergy was observed between MQ and saquinavir (SQV), but not CQ in U937 cells. Furthermore, enhancement of the antiviral activity of SQV and four other protease inhibitors (PIs) by MQ was observed in MT4 cells, indicating a class specific rather than a drug-specific phenomenon. We demonstrate that these observations are a result of inhibition of multiple drug efflux proteins by MQ and that MQ also displaces SQV from orosomucoid in vitro. Finally, coadministration of MQ and SQV in CD-1 mice dramatically altered the tissue distribution of SQV, resulting in a >3-fold and >2-fold increase in the tissue/blood ratio for brain and testis, respectively. This pharmacological enhancement of in vitro antiviral activity of PIs by MQ now warrants further examination in vivo

RpfC (Rv1884) atomic structure shows high structural conservation within the resuscitation promoting factor catalytic domain

We report the first structure of the catalytic domain of RpfC (Rv1884), one of theresuscitation-promoting factors (RPFs) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The structure was solved using molecular replacement, once the space group had been correctly identified as twinned P21 rather than the apparent C2221 by searching for anomalous scattering sites in P1. The structure displays a very high degree of structural conservation with the structures of the catalytic domains of RpfB (Rv1009) and RpfE (Rv2450) already published. This structural conservation highlights the importance of the versatile domain composition of the RPF family

Multiple Gluon Effects in q+qˉ→t+tˉ+Xq+\bar q\to t+\bar t + X at FNAL Energies: Semi-Analytical Results

We apply our Yennie-Frautschi-Suura exponentiated cross section formulas for the parton processes q + {^(} \bar q {^)}{^\prime} \ra q{^\prime}{^\prime} + {^(} \bar q {^)}{^\prime}{^\prime}{^\prime} + n(G) to the process q + \bar q \ra t + \bar t + n(G) at FNAL energies, where G is a QCD gluon. We use semi-analytical methods to compute the ratio $r_{exp}=\sigma_{exp}/\sigma_B$, where $\sigma_{exp}$ is our soft gluon YFS exponentiated cross section and $\sigma_B$ is the Born cross section. For $m_t= 0.176(0.199)$TeV, we get $r_{exp}=1.65(1.48)$, respectively, for $q=u$ for example. These results are not inconsistent with the recent observations by CDF and D0.Comment: 6 pages, latex replaces postscript at archiver's reques