Insecticidal effect of Bacillus pumilus PTB180 and Bacillus subtilis PTB185 used alone and in combination against the foxglove aphid and the melon aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

The foxglove aphid, Aulacorthum solani (Kaltenbach) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), and the melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), are among the serious insect pests found in greenhouses. The efficacy of microbial control against these insects has been demonstrated and can be enhanced by the combination of different microbial agents. This study evaluated the efficacy of Bacillus pumilus Meyer and Gottheil PTB180 and Bacillus subtilis (Ehrenberg) Cohn PTB185, used alone and together, to control these two aphids both in the laboratory and in greenhouse on tomato, Solanum lycopersicum Linnaeus (Solanaceae), and cucumber, Cucumis sativus Linnaeus (Cucurbitaceae), plants. The results from the laboratory tests showed an increase in mortality induced by all biological treatments. In the greenhouse, all treatments induced mortality rates significantly higher than that of the control for A. solani. Similarly, all treatments performed better than the control against A. gossypii, significantly reducing its reproduction. Furthermore, we found no additive effects when mixing products nor negative interactions affecting survival for the bacteria investigated. These microorganisms therefore have potential for use in biological control.Les pucerons de la digitale, Aulacorthum solani (Kaltenbach) (Hemiptera : Aphididae), et du melon, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera : Aphididae), font partie des ravageurs les plus nuisibles en serres. L’efficacité de la lutte microbienne contre ces insectes a été démontrée et pourrait être améliorée par la combinaison de différents agents microbiens. Cette étude a évalué l’efficacité de Bacillus pumilus Meyer and Gottheil PTB180 et Bacillus subtilis (Ehrenberg) Cohn PTB185, utilisés seuls ou ensemble, pour lutter contre ces deux pucerons en laboratoire et en serre sur des plants de tomate, Solanum lycopersicum Linnaeus (Solanaceae), et de concombre, Cucumis sativus Linnaeus (Cucurbitaceae). En laboratoire, les résultats ont montré une augmentation de la mortalité induite par tous les traitements biologiques. En serres, pour A. solani, tous les traitements ont induit un taux de mortalité nettement supérieur au témoin. Tous les traitements ont aussi significativement réduit la reproduction de A. gossypii. De plus, nous ne montrons aucun effet additif lors du mélange des produits ni aucune interaction négative affectant la survie des bactéries. Ces microorganismes ont donc un potentiel intéressant pour la lutte biologique

Automatic laser alignment for multifocal microscopy using a LCOS-SLM and a 32x32 pixel CMOS SPAD array

International audienceAlignment of a laser to a point source detector for confocal microscopy can be a time-consuming task. The problem is further exacerbated when multiple laser excitation spots are used in conjunction with a multiple pixel single photon detector; in addition to X, Y and Z positioning, pixels in a 2D array detector can also be misaligned in roll, pitch and yaw with respect to each other, causing magnification, rotation and focus variation across the array. We present a technique for automated multiple point laser alignment to overcome these issues using closed-loop feedback between a laser illuminated computer controlled Liquid Crystal on Silicon Spatial Light Modulator (LCOS-SLM) acting as the excitation source and a 32 32 pixel CMOS Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) array as the multiple pixel detection element. The alignment procedure is discussed and simulated to prove its feasibility before being implemented and tested in a practical optical system. We show that it is possible to align each independent laser point in a sub-second time scale, significantly simplifying and speeding up experimental set-up times. The approach provides a solution to the difficulties associated with multiple point confocal laser alignment to multiple point detector arrays, paving the way for further advances in applications such as Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) and Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM)

Content Poisoning in Named Data Networking: Comprehensive Characterization of real Deployment

International audienceInformation Centric Networking (ICN) is seen as a promising solution to re-conciliate the Internet usage with its core architecture. However, to be considered as a realistic alternative to IP, ICN must evolve from a pure academic proposition deployed in test environments to an operational solution in which security is assessed from the protocol design to its running implementation. Among ICN solutions, Named Data Networking (NDN), together with its reference implementation NDN Forwarding Daemon (NFD), acts as the most mature proposal but its vulnerability against the Content Poisoning Attack (CPA) is considered as a critical threat that can jeopardize this architecture. So far, existing works in that area have fallen into the pit of coupling a biased and partial phenomenon analysis with a proposed solution, hence lacking a comprehensive understanding of the attack's feasibility and impact in a real network. In this paper, we demonstrate through an experimental measurement campaign that CPA can easily and widely affect NDN. Our contribution is threefold: (1) we propose three realistic attack scenarios relying on both protocol design and implementation weaknesses; (2) we present their implementation and evaluation in a testbed based on the latest NFD version; and (3) we analyze their impact on the different ICN nodes (clients, access and core routers, content provider) composing a realistic topology

Release of serine/threonine-phosphorylated adaptors from signaling microclusters down-regulates T cell activation

Serine/threonine phosphorylation of the T cell adaptor proteins SLP76 and GADS by HPK1 induces their release from signaling microclusters and subsequent termination of the T cell response

Specialist laboratory networks as preparedness and response tool - the Emerging Viral Diseases-Expert Laboratory Network and the Chikungunya outbreak, Thailand, 2019.

We illustrate the potential for specialist laboratory networks to be used as preparedness and response tool through rapid collection and sharing of data. Here, the Emerging Viral Diseases-Expert Laboratory Network (EVD-LabNet) and a laboratory assessment of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in returning European travellers related to an ongoing outbreak in Thailand was used for this purpose. EVD-LabNet rapidly collected data on laboratory requests, diagnosed CHIKV imported cases and sequences generated, and shared among its members and with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Data across the network showed an increase in CHIKV imported cases during 1 October 2018-30 April 2019 vs the same period in 2018 (172 vs 50), particularly an increase in cases known to be related to travel to Thailand (72 vs 1). Moreover, EVD-LabNet showed that strains were imported from Thailand that cluster with strains of the ECSA-IOL E1 A226 variant emerging in Pakistan in 2016 and involved in the 2017 outbreaks in Italy. CHIKV diagnostic requests increased by 23.6% between the two periods. The impact of using EVD-LabNet or similar networks as preparedness and response tool could be improved by standardisation of the collection, quality and mining of data in routine laboratory management systems