This paper presents a quantization algorithm for complex-valued rank-one matrices that exploits rescaling-invariances of the problem to obtain better results than round-to-nearest strategy. This algorithm is also used as a building block for an heuristic strategy to quantize complex-valued butterfly-structured sparse matrices appearing for example in the fast Fourier transform. Compared to element-wise round-to-nearest quantization, the number of bits is reduced by 30% the number of bits for a given precision on butterfly matrices, while maintaining a polynomial time complexity in the dimension of the matrices.

Chez les animaux, l'alimentation est connue pour réguler les fonctions physiologiques et notamment la reproduction. Les interactions entre alimentation et reproduction impliquent des aspects écologiques, morpho-anatomiques, comportementaux et endocriniens, nécessaires à la compréhension des stratégies adaptatives des animaux dans leur milieu naturel. Le mâle du papillon de nuit Agrotis ipsilon est un modèle d'étude pour comprendre l'interaction alimentation-reproduction au regard des connaissances acquises sur sa maturation sexuelle à différents niveaux biologiques.Bien que son alimentation n'ait pas été caractérisée à l'état naturel, grâce à de nouvelles approches expérimentales (e.g. cages d'alimentation automatisées), nos expériences ont prédit qu'A. ipsilon est une espèce généraliste avec une préférence pour les nectars riches en saccharose, fructose et glucose, et que le mâle pratique le puddling pour un apport en sodium. De plus, nous avons observé que les comportements alimentaires de cette espèce, sexuellement dimorphiques, sont contrôlés par l'environnement photique via des horloges circadiennes. Par ailleurs, nous avons démontré qu'un régime riche en sucres et sodium accélère la maturation de l'appareil reproducteur du mâle (i.e. développement des testicules et des glandes sexuelles accessoires, migration des spermatozoïdes, biosynthèse des protéines séminales), améliorant ainsi son succès reproducteur. En parallèle, par des approches électrophysiologique et comportementale, nous avons révélé qu'un tel régime alimentaire augmente la détection de la phéromone sexuelle par les antennes, et induit l'ontogenèse précoce du comportement sexuel en favorisant un vol orienté du mâle vers la femelle. Enfin, nous avons mis en évidence que les effets d'une alimentation sucrée avec du sodium sur la reproduction sont sous-tendus par des interactions entre des acteurs du système endocrinien. En effet, ce régime potentialise les actions biologiques des insulin-like peptides et de l'hormone juvénile chez le mâle.En conclusion, ces travaux fournissent une vision intégrative de l'interaction alimentation-reproduction chez les Insectes, et offrent des perspectives appliquées dans la gestion des populations ravageuses de cultures.

Cushion plants, which dominate nival ecosystems, are known to host a large diversity of plant, microbe, and animal life. However, a comprehensive assessment of this diversity is still lacking, particularly with regard to invertebrate soil fauna. In this study, we sampled soil beneath cushion plants in various climatic and geological conditions throughout the French Alps. Our results demonstrate that cushion plants host a remarkably high abundance and diversity of invertebrates, with some individual cushions hosting nearly 400 specimens belonging to 15 different families. Across all samples, 8845 specimens were found. The taxonomic diversity is particularly notable, with groups such as Collembola, Acari, and Nematoda, as well as Gastropoda, Diptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, and Hemiptera. In total, 44 different families were identified. In particular, our findings show that cushion plants not only function as habitats for adult invertebrates, but also as site for the egg laying and larval development of several insect groups, including Diptera, Hemiptera, and Lepidoptera. In addition, different species of cushion plant tend to host distinct invertebrate communities, which makes them a key driver spatial variation in invertebrate populations. However, the factors determining the alpha diversity of invertebrates assemblages in nival environments remain unclear. Overall, our results emphasize the key role of cushion plants in maintaining biodiversity in the nival vegetation belt.

Hybrid photon counting detectors have significantly advanced synchrotron research. In particular, the introduction of large cadmium telluride-based detectors in 2015 enabled a whole new range of high-energy X-ray measurements. This article describes the specifications of the new PILATUS4 cadmium telluride detector and presents results from prototype testing for high-energy powder X-ray diffraction studies conducted at two synchrotrons. The experiments concern time-resolved in situ solid-state reactions at MAX IV (Sweden) and fast-scanning X-ray diffraction computed tomography of a battery cell at the ESRF (France). The detector's high quantum efficiency up to 100 keV, combined with a maximum frame rate of 4000 Hz, enables fast data collection. This study demonstrates how these capabilities contribute to improved time and spatial resolution in high-energy powder X-ray diffraction studies, facilitating advancements in materials, chemical and energy research.

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The prickly pear cactus, Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller, is the most economically important Cactaceae species worldwide. It thrives in arid and semiarid agricultural lands with minimal inputs, providing benefits such as livestock fodder, fruit, and vegetable production. The South American cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg), represents the most important insect pest of prickly pear crops. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of C. cactorum feeding on O. ficus-indica plants in a plantation in northwestern Argentina. Fruit production, fruit attributes, and plant size were evaluated under increasing C. cactorum pest densities in a manipulative 3-yr-long experiment (2018 to 2020). In the 2019 harvest, the increase in the pest density significantly reduced the number of fruits produced/plant. Plants with the highest pest density produced 60% fewer fruits than pest-free plants. In the 2020 harvest, the reduction was marginal. Fruit and pulp weights significantly declined with increasing C. cactorum densities in both years. No effect occurred on plant size or fruit sweetness. This was the first effort to measure the magnitude of the impact of C. cactorum on a cactus crop species and provides crucial information for prickly pear fruit producers. This information is helpful to implement more effective preventive and control measures to protect producers’ investment and ensure a profitable harvest. Further studies in younger plantations and other areas will help develop an economic damage threshold level to support Integrated Pest Management decisions to limit C. cactorum’s impact.

1. Describing the genetic structure and diversity of invasive insect pest populations is essential to better understand a species' invasion history and success throughout its distribution range. Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) is a destructive pest of tomato and many other solanaceous crops, with very high economic impacts. Its invasion threatens food security in a large part of the globe, in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa where the agricultural resilience has already been weakened by rapid human-induced changes due in particular to population growth, increased trade and global change. 2. This work aimed to investigate the diversity and genetic structure of 60 populations of T. absoluta using microsatellite markers, with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa. 3. Our results revealed distinct differentiation and diversity patterns between T. absoluta native versus invaded areas, and high genetic homogeneity among the African populations sampled. However, for the first time, two weakly differentiated but distinct genetic clusters in Africa were identified. 4. The results suggest few introduction events of the species in Africa or multiple introductions from genetically close areas, significant gene flow between outbreaks and seem to indicate the existence of two distinct clusters in Africa. This new data enable us to formulate hypotheses on the species' invasion patterns and the dynamics of its invasive populations. 5. These hypotheses must be verified with more extensive sampling over the whole range of T. absoluta, especially in its presumed native area.

The cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a major agricultural pest affecting crops like cotton, maize, tomatoes, and wheat across southern Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and western Asia. Whole genome analyses have revealed adaptive evolution in chemosensation and detoxification genes in S. littoralis. However, the extent of intraspecific diversity influenced by recent adaptive evolutionary forces remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a population genomics analysis using 31 S. littoralis individuals from sub-Saharan Africa, northern Africa, and southern Europe to assess the existence of intraspecific population divergence and identify the underlying evolutionary forces. We show whole genome differentiation between populations based on geographic origin from the analyzed samples. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that sub-Saharan and southern European populations share a common ancestor, distinct from several northern African populations. FST and dXY statistics along the chromosomes reveal loci with restricted gene flow among populations. These loci are associated with population-specific selective sweeps, indicating the role of divergent natural selection in limiting gene flow. Notably, these loci are enriched with detoxification genes, including cytochrome P450, multidrug resistance, and xanthine dehydrogenase genes, all of which are potentially associated with detoxification. These results demonstrate that divergent selection limits gene flow among geographically distinct populations with the possibility of the involvement of detoxification as a key trait. We argue that this genetic heterogeneity can be considered in pest monitoring and management, as strategies tailored to specific populations may not be relevant for others.

We present the first nuclear genome assembly and a complete mitogenome for Hylesia metabus (Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Saturniidae). The assembled nuclear genome sequence is 1,271 Mb long, which is among the 10 largest lepidopteran genome assemblies published to date. It is scaffolded in 31 pseudo chromosomes, has a BUSCO score of 99.5%, and has a highly conserved synteny compared to phylogenetically close species. Repetitive elements make up 67% of the nuclear genome and are mainly located in intergenic regions, among which LINEs were predominant, with CR1-Zenon being the most abundant. Phylogenetic and comparative analyses of H. metabus assembly and 17 additional Saturniidae and Sphingidae assemblies suggested that an accumulation of repetitive elements likely led to the increased size of H. metabus’ genome. Gene annotation using Helixer identified 26,122 transcripts. The Z scaffold was identified using both a synteny analysis and variations of coverage for two resequenced male and female H. metabus . The H. metabus nuclear genome and mitogenome assemblies can be found and browsed on the BIPAA website and constitute useful resources for future population and comparative genomics studies.