The First Study on Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus Histopathological and Morphological Effects on the Strawberry Pest, Pentodon Algerinum (coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

In Egypt, strawberry is an economically important crop that has recently been destroyed by Pentodon algerinum, a worldwide polyphagous destructive insect pest. This study aimed to distinguish, for the first time, the histopathological and morphological effects of Spodoptera littoralis Nuclear polyhedrosis virus (SpliNPV) and Pentodon algerinum Nuclear polyhedrosis virus (PNPV) on Pentodon algerinum third instar larvae to confirm their success as safe alternative control agents against this pest. The results showed that PNPV and SpliNPV affected Pentodon larvae by the same effects in causing the following: integument deformation and rupture; the destruction of the hypodermal layer resulting in the inhibition of the process of molting into the pupa stage, reducing pest survival; larva leg corrosion, which prevents its spreading; the rupture of fat bodies, which leads to the loss of stored energetic materials; the distortion of muscle sarcolemma and fibers resulting in weakness and softness; the tracheal cuticular layer destruction, which inhibits breathing; midgut rupture with cells detaching from each other; irregular cytoplasm distribution; the loss of the columnar shape of cells; the appearance of vacuoles between cells, which results in their inability to feed or to digest; the swelling, softness, liquefaction, and, lastly, death of the larva.

Effects of Cereal-Legume Intercropping and Mulching on Maize (Zea Mays L.) Productivity in Dry Season using Drip Irrigation in South-Sudanian Climatic Zone of Burkina Faso

The availability and sustainability of water in rural areas are significant challenges facing agricultural producers in the Sahelian zones. Maize-legume intercropping with a mulch cover for water conservation with drip irrigation is a promising production practice for conserving water, increasing productivity and improving soil health. A randomized complete block trial with 04 replications and 08 treatments was established in Sonsongona (11.2522°N, 4.4559°W), a village located west of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. Means separation by analysis of variance (ANOVA) was with RStudio 1.2.1335 software at the 5% threshold according to the Newman-Keuls test. The mulched treatments significantly affect soil moisture, maize growth, weed growth, and important maize yield attributes.

Non-Arbitrage Models of Financial Markets

In the first part of the paper, we construct the models of the complete non-arbitrage financial markets for a wide class of evolutions of risky assets.This construction is based on the observation that for a certain class of risky as set evolutions the martingale measure is invariant with respect to these evolutions. For such a financial market model the only martingale measure being equivalent to an initial measure is built. On such a financial market,formulas for the fair price of contingent liabilities are presented. A multi-parameter model of the financial market is proposed, the martingale measure of which does not depend on the parameters of the model of the evolution of risky assets and is the only one.

Gauge Symmetries in Physical Fields (Review)

Gauge invariance is one of the fundamental symmetries in theoretical physics. In this paper, the gauge symmetry is reviewed to see how it is working in fundamental physical fields: Electromagnetism, Quantum Electro Dynamics and Geometric Theory of Gravity. In the 19th century, the gauge invariance was recognized as a mathematical non-uniqueness of the electromagnetic potentials. Real recognition of the gauge symmetry and its physical significance required two new fields developed in the 20th century: the relativity theory for physics of the world structure of linked 4d-spacetime and the quantum mechanics for the new dimension of a phase factor in complex representation of wave function. Finally the gauge theory was formulated on the basis of the gauge principle which played a role of guiding principle in the study of physicalfields such as Quantum Electrodynamics, Particle Physics and Theory of Gravitation. Fluid mechanics of a perfect fluid can join in this circles, which is another motivation of the present review. There is a hint of fluid gauge theory in the general representation of rotational flows of an ideal compressible fluid satisfying the Euler’s equation, found in 2013 by the author. In fact, law of mass conservation can be deduced from the gauge symmetry equipped in the new system of fluid-flow field combined with a gauge field, rather than given a priori.

Force-Mediating Particle of Coupling of Spin Angular Momenta

In this paper, a hypothesis is proposed, that something similar to what happen to the puzzle of the energy losing in decay of neutron may also occur to the puzzle of the sum losing of the z-components of spin angular momenta in the synthetic course of spin coupling in Spin Topological Space. The former puzzle is related to hidden neutrial antineutrino that carries a small amount of energy away, the latter puzzle is related to hidden "constructive" zero-spin particle playing the role of a force-mediator that carries some amount of spin angular momentum, which just offsets the same amount of angular momentum losing in the formation of spin coupling.

Fluid Gauge Theory

According to the general gauge principle, Fluid Gauge Theory is presented to cover a wider class of flow fields of a perfect fluid without internal energy dissipation under anisotropic stress field. Thus, the theory of fluid mechanics is extended to cover time dependent rotational flows under anisotropic stress field of a compressible perfect fluid, including turbulent flows. Eulerian fluid mechanics is characterized with isotropic pressure stress fields. The study is motivated from three observations. First one is experimental observations reporting large-scale structures coexisting with turbulent flow fields. This encourages a study of how such structures observed experimentally are possible in turbulent shear flows, Second one is a theoretical and mathematical observation: the ”General solution to Euler’s equation of motion” (found by Kambe in 2013) predicts a new set of four background-fields, existing in the linked 4d-spacetime. Third one is a physical query, ”what symmetry implies the current conservation law ?”. The latter two observations encourage a gauge-theoretic formulation by defining a differential one-form representing the interaction between the fluid-current field jμand a background field aμ.

Composition, Density and Spatial Distribution of Zooplankton in Inner Ambon Bay, Indonesia

Inner Ambon Bay is part of Ambon Bay; it is semi-closed area and a small pelagic fish fishing ground, especially anchovy. The anchovy is a zooplankton predator; therefore the existence of anchovy is affected by the abundance of zooplankton. The aims of the research are to obtain information on the composition, density, and spatial distribution of the zooplankton in these waters. Data of zooplankton composition were obtained from sampling by using plankton net at ten observation stations. Meanwhile, data of densities were collected using a scientific hydroacoustic system, BioSonic DTX supported with split-beam technology, on six parallel transect lines and one cross-parallel transect line. Geostatistical analyses technique was used to describe horizontal distributions of zooplankton, and vertical distributions pattern were plot in the graphs. The result shows that the zooplankton community is dominated by Copepod and meroplankton. The highest average density was found in August (9393 ind./m2),while the lowest density was in June (903 ind./m2).

Competitiveness Analysis of the Acai Berry Producers of Northeastern of Para

The purpose of this study is to identify what the perspectives of competitiveness by rural production of acai are, from terra firme and várzea in northeast Pará. Region considered the one that produces the most acai in Brazil. The main objective is to describe a certain sample of producers and to identify and evaluate the competitiveness perspectives of this sample in relation to the competitiveness factors defined in the research, starting from the null hypothesis that there are no significant differences in perspectives between terra firme and várzea producers. The theoretical basis considered for the research is composed of an approach on agrichain and factors of competitiveness. The method used for the execution of the research was the Rapid Appraisal, where a semi-structured questionnaire was prepared for the agents of the acai production chain. The main key agents taken into consideration and characterized were: Producers of acai; intermediaries and representatives of some organizations.

Null Distribution of the Test Statistic for Model Selection via Marginal Screening: Implications for Multivariate Regression Analysis

Marginal screening (MS) is the computationally simple and commonly used for the dimension reduction procedures. In it, a linear model is constructed for several top predictors, chosen according to the absolute value of marginal correlations with the dependent variable. Importantly, when kpredictors out of mprimary covariates are selected, the standard regression analysis may yield false-positive results if m>> k(Freedman's paradox). In this work, we provide analytical expressions describing null distribution of the test statistics for model selection via MS. Using the theory of order statistics, we show that under MS, the common F-statistic is distributed as a mean of ktop variables out of mindependent random variables having a 21χdistribution. Based on this finding, we estimated critical p-values for multiple regression models after MS, comparisons with which of those obtained in real studies will help researchers to avoid false-positive result. Analytical solutions obtained in the work are implemented in a free Excel spreadsheet program.

Isolation, Selection and Antimicrobial Activity of Actinomycetes from Mangrove Soil of Can Gio Forest, Hochiminh City, Vietnam

The Can Gio Mangrove is a Biosphere Reserve of UNESCO since 2000 and it is also a well-known example of “mangrove afforestation and reforestation area’’. A total of 63 actinomycetes were isolated from 25 samples of 9 different sites in mangrove forest soil Can Gio, HoChiMinh city, Vietnam. Almost their colonies have round-shaped; milky, white clear and yellow, entire or loabate margin; diameter size of these colonies varied from 0.2 to 3.0 mm. Twenty-nine of 63 tested isolates could produce antimicrobial active metabolites inhibiting at least one of the tested pathogens and 9 isolates were selected for 16S rDNA sequencing. The result showed that genus Streptomyces (8 isolates) and other genera including 1 isolates were Gram-negative bacteria (Stenotrophomonas). The antimicrobial activity and the amplifying genes coding for polyketide synthetase (PKS) and nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) showed that 8 strains had broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, mainly against gram-positive bacteria as Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus.