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We propose a novel variational ansatz for the ground-state preparation of the Z_{2} lattice gauge theory (LGT) in quantum simulators. It combines dissipative and unitary operations in a completely deterministic scheme with a circuit depth that does not scale with the size of the considered lattice. We find that, with very few variational parameters, the ansatz can achieve >99% precision in energy in both the confined and deconfined phase of the Z_{2} LGT. We benchmark our proposal against the unitary Hamiltonian variational ansatz showing a reduction in the required number of variational layers to achieve a target precision. After performing a finite-size scaling analysis, we show that our dissipative variational ansatz can predict accurate critical exponents without requiring a number of layers that scales with the system size, which is the standard situation for unitary ansätze. Furthermore, we investigate the performance of this variational eigensolver subject to circuit-level noise, determining variational error thresholds that fix the error rate below which it would be beneficial to increase the number of layers. In light of these quantities and for typical gate errors p in current quantum processors, we provide a detailed assessment of the prospects of our scheme to explore the Z_{2} LGT on near-term devices.

Quantum computers offer an intriguing path for a paradigmatic change of computing in the natural sciences and beyond, with the potential for achieving a so-called quantum advantage—namely, a significant (in some cases exponential) speedup of numerical simulations. The rapid development of hardware devices with various realizations of qubits enables the execution of small-scale but representative applications on quantum computers. In particular, the high-energy physics community plays a pivotal role in accessing the power of quantum computing, since the field is a driving source for challenging computational problems. This concerns, on the theoretical side, the exploration of models that are very hard or even impossible to address with classical techniques and, on the experimental side, the enormous data challenge of newly emerging experiments, such as the upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider. In this Roadmap paper, led by CERN, DESY, and IBM, we provide the status of high-energy physics quantum computations and give examples of theoretical and experimental target benchmark applications, which can be addressed in the near future. Having in mind hardware with about 100 qubits capable of executing several thousand two-qubit gates, where possible, we also provide resource estimates for the examples given using error-mitigated quantum computing. The ultimate declared goal of this task force is therefore to trigger further research in the high-energy physics community to develop interesting use cases for demonstrations on near-term quantum computers.

The quantum Rabi model describes the coupling of a two-state system to a bosonic field mode. Recent theoretical work has pointed out that a generalized periodic version of this model, which maps onto Hamiltonians applicable in superconducting qubit settings, can be quantum simulated with cold trapped atoms. Here, we experimentally demonstrate atomic dynamics predicted by the periodic quantum Rabi model far in the deep strong-coupling regime. The two-state system is represented by two Bloch bands of cold atoms in an optical lattice, and the bosonic mode by oscillations in a superimposed optical dipole trap potential. The observed dynamics beyond the usual quantum Rabi physics becomes relevant when the edge of the Brillouin zone is reached, and evidence for collapse and revival of the initial state is revealed at extreme coupling conditions.

The entero–mammary pathway is a specialized route that selectively translocates bacteria to the newborn’s gut, playing a crucial role in neonatal development. Previous studies report shared bacterial and archaeal taxa between human milk and neonatal intestine. However, the functional implications for neonatal development are not fully understood due to limited evidence. This study aimed to identify and characterize the microbiota and metabolome of human milk, mother, and infant stool samples using high-throughput DNA sequencing and FT-ICR MS methodology at delivery and 4 months post-partum. Twenty-one mothers and twenty-five infants were included in this study. Our results on bacterial composition suggest vertical transmission of bacteria through breastfeeding, with major changes occurring during the first 4 months of life. Metabolite chemical characterization sheds light on the growing complexity of the metabolites. Further data integration and network analysis disclosed the interactions between different bacteria and metabolites in the biological system as well as possible unknown pathways. Our findings suggest a shared bacteriome in breastfed mother–neonate pairs, influenced by maternal lifestyle and delivery conditions, serving as probiotic agents in infants for their healthy development. Also, the presence of food biomarkers in infants suggests their origin from breast milk, implying selective vertical transmission of these features.

The expansion of food production is becoming more important due to a rising world population, which is relying on food security on regional and local scales. Intensive food production systems exert a negative impact on the regional ecosystem because of agrochemical pollution and nutrient-rich water discharging into nearby rivers. Furthermore, these systems highly depend on regional water resources, causing water scarcity and soil erosion due to the overexploitation of natural resources in general. The objective of this article is to review the water usage in the two most water-intensive food production systems, agriculture and aquaculture, showing lacking areas like system management and climate change, which must be considered in the implementation of a sustainable water footprint. In addition, the review includes an analysis of the combination of both production systems in aquaponic food production and the possibilities of water saving. There are a variety of analyses related to water usage for crop and aquatic animal production, but in these analyses, there is a lack of information about system management in general, which includes cleaning processes, water substitution, pond removal, water evaporation, and, especially in aquaculture, the water usage required for industrially elaborated fish feed.

Secondary metabolites, bioactive compounds produced by living organisms, can unveil symbiotic relationships in nature. In this study, soilborne entomopathogenic nematodes associated with symbiotic bacteria (Xenorhabdus stockiae and Photorhabdus luminescens) were extracted from solvent supernatant containing secondary metabolites, demonstrating significant inhibitory effects against E. coli, S. aureus, B. subtilus, P. mirabilis, E. faecalis, and P. stutzeri. The characterization of these secondary metabolites by Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy revealed amine groups of proteins, hydroxyl and carboxyl groups of polyphenols, hydroxyl groups of polysaccharides, and carboxyl groups of organic acids. Furthermore, the obtained crude extracts were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography for the basic identification of potential bioactive peptides. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of ethyl acetate extracts from Xenorhabdus stockiae identified major compounds including nonanoic acid derivatives, proline, paromycin, octodecanal derivatives, trioxa-5-aza-1-silabicyclo, 4-octadecenal, methyl ester, oleic acid, and 1,2-benzenedicarboxylicacid. Additional extraction from Photorhabdus luminescens yielded functional compounds such as indole-3-acetic acid, phthalic acid, 1-tetradecanol, nemorosonol, 1-eicosanol, and unsaturated fatty acids. These findings support the potential development of novel natural antimicrobial agents for future pathogen suppression.

The use of vermiliquers obtained from earthworm in hydroponic crops is well received as alternative for fertilization of leafy vegetables. The vermiliquer boosts growth, defense compounds and increases the uptake of nutrients and minerals by plants. The growth and enzymatic activities related to stress and phenolic compounds were explored in hydroponic lettuce crops treated with different concentrations of vermiliquer. The treatments consisted in three different vermiliquer, a Mesh Vermiwash, a Direct Vermiwash, and the Vermileachate, and its combinations as a complement for complete fertilization. The addition of vermiliquer to hydroponic lettuce affected the leaf and root fresh weight, and reactive oxygen species like superoxide dismutase (SOD) or phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL). Vermileachate (Vl) plus Direct Vermiwash treatment was higher in the first week in leaf and root lettuce, indicating an effect biostimulant. Vl gave the highest enzymatic activity in SOD and PAL, indicating an effect elicitor. In summary, vermiwash proved to improve hydroponic lettuce crop and enzymatic activities related to stress.

Light interaction with atoms depends on the strength of the light-matter coupling and the energy splitting of the modes involved. Here the authors study of quantum Rabi dynamics in a deep strong coupling regime by using a cloud of cold rubidium atoms.

Blackberry fruits are appreciated as a source of nutrients and compounds related to benefit human health. However, they are highly perishable and very susceptible to decay factors. Current methods to improve and maintain blackberry quality are limited in use because of the fruit's fragile physical properties. Regarding these properties, it has been reported that the activities of certain enzymes are linked to senescence and fruit softening processes. This study was aimed to assess the effect of salicylic acid (SA) and chitosan (COS) as preharvest treatments on the physiology related to improving fruit conservation and preserving the marketability index of blackberry fruit. The preharvest treatments were foliar sprayed on blackberry plants at different concentrations. The activities of enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), and polygalacturonase (PG) were measured. Total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), TSS/TA ratio, and marketability index (MI) were analyzed after 144 h of storage. The application of 3 mM of SA and 0.25% of COS treatments preserved the MI of blackberries by reducing leakage, red drupelet reversion (RDR), and mycelium presence in the fruit. SA application increased SOD, CAT, and PAL activities. Our results also showed that SA and COS preharvest treatments modified the activity of the cell wall degrading enzyme PG, which might play a role in improving the shelf life and resistance to decay factors of blackberry fruit without any significant effects on physicochemical properties like TSS, TA, and the TSS/TA ratio.

En el presente artículo se citan 58 novedades corológicas para la sierra de Gredos (Sistema Cen¬tral, España). Algunas suponen relevantes disyunciones del área ibérica conocida, como los casos de Cytinus ruber (Fourr.) Fritsch, Isolepis fluitans (L.) R.Br., Alyssum montanum L. y Lysimachia ephemerum L.; otras, como Carex lainzii Luceño, E. Rico & T. Romero, Iberodes brassicifolia (Lag.) Serrano, R. Carbajal & S. Ortiz, Lycopodiella inundata (L.) J. Holub y Tephroseris coincyi (Rouy) Holub tienen un marcado interés desde el punto de vista de la conservación, puesto que se trata de especies amenazadas. Por último, se presentan numerosas novedades provinciales, principalmente para Ávila. In the present paper, 58 chorological novelties for Gredos range (Central System, Spain) are showed. Some of them re-present important disjunctions with respect to known Iberian distribution, as the cases of Cytinus ruber (Fourr.) Fritsh, Isolepis fluitans (L.) R.Br., Alyssum montanum L. and Lysimachia ephemerum L. Some species, such as Ca¬rex lainzii Luceño, E. Rico & T. Romero, Iberodes brassicifolia (Lag.) Serrano, R. Carbajal & S. Ortiz, Lycopodiella inundata (L.) J. Holub and Tephroseris coincyi (Rouy) Holub are of great interest from a conservational point of view. Finally, we present a number of provincial novelties, mainly for Ávila.

As a recently explored agricultural practice, the controlled elicitation of plants offers high potential in multiple crop needs as growth promotion, activation of defenses and the production of specific metabolites. Extracellular DNA has been identified as a plant immune system elicitor but some aspects of the plant response have not been explored. In the present work, five DNA treatments were applied in tomato plants and the response of catalase, superoxide dismutase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase activities, hydrogen peroxide, total phenolics and flavonoid contents in leaves were spectrophotometrically measured. Treatments differed by the source and concentration of DNA and plant phenological stage of application. Furthermore, mathematical modeling and principal component analysis were performed to explore the behavior of each variable and their interaction. The most effective treatment was the self-DNA application in young plants based on the intensity and duration of immune system activation. The information given by the measured variables correlated positively with the phenylpropanoid pathway markers and negatively with catalase and superoxide dismutase activities. Results reported here propose an easy way to evaluate plant immune response activation by DNA and any other elicitor and provide useful information for future development of controlled elicitation strategies in crop production.

Agriculture depends on fertilizers to provide nutrients for plants. Phosphorus (P) is one of these nutrients and is the second-most necessary for plant growth. Global production of P fertilizer is concentrated in Morocco, China and the United States. A large amounts of P resources are found in organic wastes that can be transformed through phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms during the composting process. In this study, we first determined the enzymatic activity of phosphatases and phytase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATC 15442. Second, we evaluated the mineralization of P in mature compost when inoculated with P. aeruginosa ATC 15442, phytases, a cocktail of phosphate-solubilizing enzymes and their combinations. Finally, we evaluated different concentrations of the cocktail trying to release more P in the compost. The results indicated that P. aeruginosa exuded alkaline phosphatases, acid phosphatase, neutral phosphatase and phytase. The enzymatic cocktail increased inorganic P (Pi) when added to the mature compost: this was able to release up to 95% more Pi in the compost compared to the amount of Pi released in the control compost. The current study demonstrated the importance of adding the cocktail to enhance Pi in mature compost; however, further studies are required to confirm the results and practical applications.

The need to produce food in a sustainable way to counteract the effects of excessive use of agrochemicals opens the door to the generation of new technologies that are not based on fossil fuels and are less toxic to ecosystems. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) could represent an alternative to chemical biofertilizers and pesticides offering protection for biotic and abiotic stresses. In this work, a bacterial isolate from roots of castor bean (Ricinus communis) was identified and named as Bacillus cereus strain “Amazcala” (B.c-A). This isolate displayed the ability to solubilize inorganic phosphate and produce gibberellic acid (GA3). Moreover, this bacterium provided significant increases in height, stem width, dry weight, and total chlorophyll content in tomato plants. Interestingly, B.c-A also significantly decreased the severity of bacterial canker disease on tomato caused by Clavibacter michiganensis (Cmm) in preventive disease assays under greenhouse conditions. Based on our results, B.c-A can be considered as PGPB and a useful tool in Cmm disease control on tomato plant under greenhouse conditions.

Germin-like proteins (GLPs) are encoded by a family of genes found in all plants, and in terms of function, the GLPs are implicated in the response of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses. CchGLP is a gene encoding a GLP identified in a geminivirus-resistant Capsicum chinense Jacq accession named BG-3821, and it is important in geminivirus resistance when transferred to susceptible tobacco in transgenic experiments. To characterize the role of this GLP in geminivirus resistance in the original accession from which this gene was identified, this work aimed at demonstrating the possible role of CchGLP in resistance to geminiviruses in Capsicum chinense Jacq. BG-3821. Virus-induced gene silencing studies using a geminiviral vector based in PHYVV component A, displaying that silencing of CchGLP in accession BG-3821, increased susceptibility to geminivirus single and mixed infections. These results suggested that CchGLP is an important factor for geminivirus resistance in C. chinense BG-3821 accession.

Viruses are estimated to be responsible for approximately 50% of the emerging plant diseases, which are difficult to control, and in some cases, there is no cure. It is essential to develop therapy practices to strengthen the management of these diseases caused by viruses in economically important crops. Metal nanoparticles (MeNPs) possess diverse physicochemical properties that allow for them to have a wide range of applications in industry, including nanomedicine and nano-agriculture. Currently, there are reports of favorable effects of the use of nanoparticles, such as antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects, in animals and plants. The potential antiviral property of MeNPs makes them a powerful option for controlling these histological agents. It is crucial to determine the dosage of NPs, the application intervals, their effect as a biostimulant, and the clarification of the mechanisms of action, which are not fully understood. Therefore, this review focuses on discussing the ability of metal nanoparticles and metal oxides to control viruses that affect agriculture through an exhaustive analysis of the characteristics of the particles and their interaction processes for a possibly beneficial effect on plants.

Chili pepper (Capsicum spp.) is one of the most economically important horticultural crops in the world; its production for the food and pharmaceutical industries has been increasing worldwide. The economic importance of this crop is due, in part, to the nutraceutical properties derived from its secondary metabolism. Drought is the main environmental factor that affects crop production. Nevertheless, studies involving water deficit have considered short-term responses to sharp water deficit rather than long-term acclimation processes through moderate and gradually increasing water deficits, which omitted the dynamics and profile of the secondary metabolism that are part of the plant’s defence system against this stress factor. The present study aimed to identify the different mechanisms that chili pepper plants use to cope with drought stress using a progressive decrease and increase of water availability, conditions that commonly occur for crops in open fields. Four treatments were applied as follows: gradual water deficit (GWD), initial waterlogging with gradual water deficit (IWGD), sudden water deficit with gradual recovery (SWDR), and no deficit of water (NDW). These conditions should represent a more real situation similar to that faced by plants in the agricultural environment. In order to evaluate the response mechanisms associated with these water deficits, changes in phenological variables, proline accumulation, and the gene expression of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), chalcone synthase (CHS), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured in chili pepper plants growing on land under different irrigation regimes in two contrasting soil types in areas where chili pepper plants are cultivated in central Mexico. The variables evaluated showed a differentiated response of the mechanisms in plants growing under different levels of water deficit. Given the differential response observed for the gene expression and morphological and biochemical variables studied in chili pepper plants against different water regimes, in this work, this may have implications for more efficient use of water in crops with high nutraceutical content, in addition to prospects for using products derived from secondary metabolism in the pharmaceutical industry.

Over time plants developed complex mechanisms in order to adapt themselves to the environment. Plant innate immunity is one of the most important mechanisms for the environmental adaptation. A myriad of secondary metabolites with nutraceutical features are produced by the plant immune system in order to get adaptation to new environments that provoke stress (stressors). Hormesis is a phenomenon by which a stressor (i.e., toxins, herbicides, etc.) stimulates the cellular stress response, including secondary metabolites production, in order to help organisms to establish adaptive responses. Hormetins of biotic origin (i.e., biostimulants or biological control compounds), in certain doses might enhance plant performance, however, in excessive doses they are commonly deleterious. Biostimulants or biological control compounds of biotic origin are called “elicitors” that have widely been studied as inducers of plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. The plant response toward elicitors is reminiscent of hormetic responses toward toxins in several organisms. Thus, controlled management of hormetic responses in plants using these types of compounds is expected to be an important tool to increase nutraceutical quality of plant food and trying to minimize negative effects on yields. The aim of this review is to analyze the potential for agriculture that the use of biostimulants and biological control compounds of biotic origin could have in the management of the plant hormesis. The use of homolog DNA as biostimulant or biological control compound in crop production is also discussed.

The genus Logfia Cass. was described by Cassini in 1819 and has always been considered closely related to Filago L. The species of Logfia have been frequently included within Filago but, recently, based on morphological characters and DNA sequence analysis it has been demostrated that Logfia is more closely related to the American representatives of the tribe Filagininae than to the genus Filago and the idea that Filago and Logfia should be considered independent genera has been resurrected. In this work, the first complete taxonomic account for the western Mediterranean taxa belonging to Logfia is presented, based on the revision of more than 3400 sheets lodged at 32 herbaria. A detailed description of the genus and a key for the four species present in the study area are proposed. Descriptions of all species together with a complete nomenclatural treatment, as well as indications about habitat preferences, phenology, and geographic distribution are also provided. Additionally nine nomenclatural types are designated, among them, the lectotypes for the accepted names Logfia clementei (Willk.) Holub and Logfia minima (Sm.) Dumort. and the neotype of Logfia heterantha (Raf.) Holub.

Studies on the biological aspects of fish typically focus on species that currently have commercial value, causing species that lack such market value to be ignored. This is the case of several freshwater fish, specifically of several members of the Goodeidae family. In the State of Querétaro there are several species of this family characterized for being viviparous and having distinctive sexual dimorphism that may have commercial potential. The subject of this study is Girardinichthys multiradiatus, a viviparous fish endemic to the upper-half of the Lerma River basin. The lack of knowledge regarding its biology and ecology has prevented the development of guidelines to manage its habitat and to preserve its population. The objective was to determine the ecophysiological responses of G. multiradiatus to its environmental management. From the sampling (24 hours every two months) population structure and dynamics were analyzed throughout a hydrological cycle using meristic data (standard length). Trophic and ecophysiological responses to fluctuations in environmental factors were also identified. Although the mexcalpique is a polytrophic species, results show that it prefers feeding on Diptera or Cladocera, while detritus is the third substance frequently found in their stomachs. Environmentally, the water regime is responsible for fluctuations in the population dynamics of the species, while temperature changes are the most influence its energy balance. These results can guide efforts to conserve this species and its habitat.Los estudios sobre aspectos biológicos de los peces se centran, generalmente, en especies que actualmente tienen interés comercial, lo que ocasiona que las especies que carecen de tal valor en el mercado estén prácticamente olvidadas; tal es el caso de varios peces de agua dulce y más específicamente de algunos integrantes de la familia Godeidae. En el estado de Querétaro se encuentran varias especies pertenecientes a esta familia que se caracterizan por ser vivíparas y presentar un marcado dimorfismo sexual, aspectos que pudieran definir un potencial comercial. El pez objeto de este estudio es Girardinichthys multiradiatus, especie endémica de la parte alta-media de la cuenca del río Lerma; los lugares donde habita presentan procesos de degradación, fragmentación del hábitat y extracción de agua, que ponen en riesgo su existencia. Además, la falta de conocimiento sobre su biología y ecología, no permiten que se elaboren pautas de gestión de sus poblaciones o hábitats con fines de conservación y preservación de la especie o de los procesos ecológicos que mantienen la estabilidad del ecosistema que ocupa. En el presente trabajo se estudió la población de G. multiradiatus localizada en el bordo de San Martín, Amealco. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue determinar las respuestas ecofisológicas de G. multiradiatus debido al manejo de su ambiente. Se hicieron ciclos de 24 horas en muestreos bimensuales a lo largo de un ciclo hidrológico en el que se analizaron la estructura y dinámica de la población; asimismo, se determinaron las respuestas tróficas y ecofisiológicas de la población ante las fluctuaciones de los factores ambientales de su entorno. Los resultados muestran que aunque el mexcalpique es polítrofo, prefiere dípteros, cladóceros y detritus, habiendo diferencias alimentarias entre las clases de edades. G. multiradiatus presenta 12 clases de talla que van de 8 a 48 mm de longitud patrón. En el medio ambiente, el régimen de agua es responsable de las fluctuaciones en la dinámica poblacional de las especies, mientras que el cambio de temperatura es el factor de mayor influencia sobre su balance energético. Estos resultados pueden guiar los esfuerzos para conservar esta especie y su hábitat.

A germin-like gene (CchGLP) cloned from geminivirus-resistant pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq. Line BG-3821) was characterized and the enzymatic activity of the expressed protein analyzed. The predicted protein consists of 203 amino acids, similar to other germin-like proteins. A highly conserved cupin domain and typical germin boxes, one of them containing three histidines and one glutamate, are also present in CchGLP. A signal peptide was predicted in the first 18 N-terminal amino acids, as well as one putative N-glycosylation site from residues 44–47. CchGLP was expressed in E. coli and the recombinant protein displayed manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) activity. Molecular analysis showed that CchGLP is present in one copy in the C. chinense Jacq. genome and was induced in plants by ethylene (Et) and salicylic acid (SA) but not jasmonic acid (JA) applications in the absence of pathogens. Meanwhile, incompatible interactions with either Pepper golden mosaic virus (PepGMV) or Pepper huasteco yellow vein virus (PHYVV) caused local and systemic CchGLP induction in these geminivirus-resistant plants, but not in a susceptible accession. Compatible interactions with PHYVV, PepGMV and oomycete Phytophthora capsici did not induce CchGLP expression. Thus, these results indicate that CchGLP encodes a Mn-SOD, which is induced in the C. chinense geminivirus-resistant line BG-3821, likely using SA and Et signaling pathways during incompatible interactions with geminiviruses PepGMV and PHYVV.

Asian Soybean Rust is one of the most important soybean diseases. Since the past decade, some im- portant soybean production areas in America, like Brazil and the United States of America, have been affected by this disease. Due to the seriousness of this threaten, in 2009, the Mexican government implemented a surveillance program based on the installation and monitoring of sentinel plots in areas planted with crops considered as susceptible hosts for this organism. In order to support the strategy to prevent the establishment of the disease in Mexico, in the present study the potential distribution of the organism was evaluated considering the following criteria: 1) the suitability of climatic conditions for soybean rust; 2) the extent of the cultivated areas with susceptible hosts, and 3) the inoculums availability. Favorable days for Asian soybean rust infection were calculated with a simple model which uses climatic variables as inputs. The model was applied to classify the agricultural areas of the country according to the probability of occurrence of favorable conditions for infection of soybean rust in the summer and winter growing seasons. The Results indicate that in the summer the greatest number of favorable days for infection occurs, mainly in Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Yucatan, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Michoacan, Jalisco, Nayarit, Sinaloa and Sonora. In the winter, the favorable days decrease considerably. Based on these results we conclude that the probability that the Asian soybean rust would be overwintering in Mexico is low.

Several processes related to the reproductive biology of the Iberian species of the genus Potentilla L. subg. Trichothalamus (Spreng.) Rchb., Comarum (L.) Syme and Fragariastrum (Heist. ex Fabr.) Rchb. are studied. We provide data concerning compatibility, agamospermy and hybridization along with pollination and fruit dispersal. No agamospermy mechanisms were found in any of the taxa, nor were there signs of any hybridization, although potential signs of self-incompatibility were detected. Regarding to pollination, a marked tendency toward autogamy was observed in certain groups. Finally, some mechanisms for the release and dispersal of diaspores are described in relation to diaspore and flower receptacle morphology.

We investigate the finite-density phase diagram of a non-abelian $SU(2)$ lattice gauge theory in $(1+1)$-dimensions using tensor network methods. We numerically characterise the phase diagram as a function of the matter filling and of the matter-field coupling, identifying different phases, some of them appearing only at finite densities. For weak matter-field coupling we find a meson BCS liquid phase, which is confirmed by second-order analytical perturbation theory. At unit filling and for strong coupling, the system undergoes a phase transition to a charge density wave of single-site (spin-0) mesons via spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking. At finite densities, the chiral symmetry is restored almost everywhere, and the meson BCS liquid becomes a simple liquid at strong couplings, with the exception of filling two-thirds, where a charge density wave of mesons spreading over neighbouring sites appears. Finally, we identify two tri-critical points between the chiral and the two liquid phases which are compatible with a $SU(2)_2$ Wess-Zumino-Novikov-Witten model. Here we do not perform the continuum limit but we explicitly address the global $U(1)$ charge conservation symmetry.

A study of the flora of irrigated crops in two Spanish provinces (Salamanca and Zamora, SW Castilla y León) has been carried out. After careful analysis of a catalogue comprising more than 344 taxa, we have found that 237 of them (68,9 %) belong to 8 families, the most relevant of which are Compositae, Gramineae and Leguminosae, although the latter is less important among the most frequent species. The best represented chorological group is that of those widely distributed species, to which more than half of the species in the catalogue belong, as well as 85,4 % of the most invasive ones. On the contrary the group of Mediterranean and endemic taxa represent just a third of the total. The predominant biological type is the terophytes (66,6 % of the annotated species), while hemicryptophytes represent 26 % and geophytes just less than 5 %. Anemochory is the commonest dispersal type (ca. 70 % of the species) followed by barochory and zoochory. The latter has greater relative importance (more or less 30 %) among the most harmful plants.

We present a unified framework to describe lattice gauge theories by means of tensor networks: this framework is efficient as it exploits the high local symmetry content native to these systems by describing only the gauge invariant subspace. Compared to a standard tensor network description, the gauge invariant model allows one to increase real and imaginary time evolution up to a factor that is square of the dimension of the link variable. The gauge invariant tensor network description is based on the quantum link formulation, a compact and intuitive formulation for gauge theories on the lattice, which is alternative to and can be combined with the global symmetric tensor network description. We present some paradigmatic examples that show how this architecture might be used to describe the physics of condensed matter and high-energy physics systems. Finally, we present a cellular automata analysis which estimates the gauge invariant Hilbert space dimension as a function of the number of lattice sites that might guide the search for effective simplified models of complex theories.

Studies on the biological aspects of fish typically focus on species that currently have commercial value, causing species that lack such market value to be ignored. This is the case of several freshwater fish, specifically of several members of the Goodeidae family. In the State of Querétaro there are several species of this family characterized for being viviparous and having distinctive sexual dimorphism that may have commercial potential. The subject of this study is Girardinichthys multiradiatus, a viviparous fish endemic to the upper-half of the Lerma River basin. The lack of knowledge regarding its biology and ecology has prevented the development of guidelines to manage its habitat and to preserve its population. The objective was to determine the ecophysiological responses of G. multiradiatus to its environmental management. From the sampling (24 hours every two months) population structure and dynamics were analyzed throughout a hydrological cycle using meristic data (standard length). Trophic and ecophysiological responses to fluctuations in environmental factors were also identified. Although the mexcalpique is a polytrophic species, results show that it prefers feeding on Diptera or Cladocera, while detritus is the third substance frequently found in their stomachs. Environmentally, the water regime is responsible for fluctuations in the population dynamics of the species, while temperature changes are the most influence its energy balance. These results can guide efforts to conserve this species and its habitat.

Secondary metabolites, bioactive compounds produced by living organisms, can unveil symbiotic relationships in nature. In this study, soilborne entomopathogenic nematodes associated with symbiotic bacteria (Xenorhabdus stockiae and Photorhabdus luminescens) were extracted from solvent supernatant containing secondary metabolites, demonstrating significant inhibitory effects against E. coli, S. aureus, B. subtilus, P. mirabilis, E. faecalis, and P. stutzeri. The characterization of these secondary metabolites by Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy revealed amine groups of proteins, hydroxyl and carboxyl groups of polyphenols, hydroxyl groups of polysaccharides, and carboxyl groups of organic acids. Furthermore, the obtained crude extracts were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography for the basic identification of potential bioactive peptides. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of ethyl acetate extracts from Xenorhabdus stockiae identified major compounds including nonanoic acid derivatives, proline, paromycin, octodecanal derivatives, trioxa-5-aza-1-silabicyclo, 4-octadecenal, methyl ester, oleic acid, and 1,2-benzenedicarboxylicacid. Additional extraction from Photorhabdus luminescens yielded functional compounds such as indole-3-acetic acid, phthalic acid, 1-tetradecanol, nemorosonol, 1-eicosanol, and unsaturated fatty acids. These findings support the potential development of novel natural antimicrobial agents for future pathogen suppression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]