Maintenance of host specialisation gradients in ectomycorrhizal symbionts

Many fungi that form ectomycorrhizas exhibit a degree of host specialisation, and individual trees are frequently colonised by communities of mycorrhizal fungi comprising species that fall on a gradient of specialisation along genetic, functional and taxonomic axes of variation. By contrast, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi exhibit little specialisation. Here, we propose that host tree root morphology is a key factor that gives host plants fine-scale control over colonisation and therefore opportunities for driving specialisation and speciation of ectomycorrhizal fungi. A gradient in host specialisation is likely driven by four proximate mechanistic ‘filters’ comprising partner availability, signalling recognition, competition for colonisation, and symbiotic function (trade, rewards and sanctions), and the spatially restricted colonisation seen in heterorhizic roots enables these mechanisms, especially symbiotic function, to be more effective in driving the evolution of specialisation. We encourage manipulation experiments that integrate molecular genetics and isotope tracers to test these mechanisms, alongside mathematical simulations of eco-evolutionary dynamics in mycorrhizal symbioses.</p

Fitting a sum of exponentials to lattice correlation functions using a non-uniform prior

Excited states are extracted from lattice correlation functions using a non-uniform prior on the model parameters. Models for both a single exponential and a sum of exponentials are considered, as well as an alternate model for the orthogonalization of the correlation functions. Results from an analysis of torelon and glueball operators indicate the Bayesian methodology compares well with the usual interpretation of effective mass tables produced by a variational procedure. Applications of the methodology are discussed.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, 8 tables, major revision, final versio

gNDΛcg_{ND\Lambda_{c}} from QCD Sum Rules

The $ND\Lambda_c$ coupling constant is evaluated in a full QCD sum rule calculation. We study the Borel sum rule for the three point function of one pseudoscalar one nucleon and one $\Lambda_c$ current up to order seven in the operator product expansion. The Borel transform is performed with respect to the nucleon and $\Lambda_c$ momenta, which are taken to be equal, whereas the momentum $q^2$ of the pseudoscalar vertex is taken to be zero. This coupling constant is relevant in the meson cloud description of the nucleon which has been recently used to explain exotic events observed by the H1 and ZEUS Collaborations at HERA.Comment: 9 pages, Latex, 5 ps figure

Radiation induced oscillatory Hall effect in high mobility GaAs/AlGaAs devices

We examine the radiation induced modification of the Hall effect in high mobility GaAs/AlGaAs devices that exhibit vanishing resistance under microwave excitation. The modification in the Hall effect upon irradiation is characterized by (a) a small reduction in the slope of the Hall resistance curve with respect to the dark value, (b) a periodic reduction in the magnitude of the Hall resistance, $R_{xy}$, that correlates with an increase in the diagonal resistance, $R_{xx}$, and (c) a Hall resistance correction that disappears as the diagonal resistance vanishes.Comment: 4 pages text, 4 color figure

Finite temperature Casimir effect of massive fermionic fields in the presence of compact dimensions

We consider the finite temperature Casimir effect of a massive fermionic field confined between two parallel plates, with MIT bag boundary conditions on the plates. The background spacetime is $M^{p+1}\times T^q$ which has $q$ dimensions compactified to a torus. On the compact dimensions, the field is assumed to satisfy periodicity boundary conditions with arbitrary phases. Both the high temperature and the low temperature expansions of the Casimir free energy and the force are derived explicitly. It is found that the Casimir force acting on the plates is always attractive at any temperature regardless of the boundary conditions assumed on the compact torus. The asymptotic limits of the Casimir force in the small plate separation limit are also obtained.Comment: 10 pages, accepted by Phys. Lett.

Surprises in the Orbital Magnetic Moment and g-Factor of the Dynamic Jahn-Teller Ion C_{60}^-

We calculate the magnetic susceptibility and g-factor of the isolated C_{60}^- ion at zero temperature, with a proper treatment of the dynamical Jahn-Teller effect, and of the associated orbital angular momentum, Ham-reduced gyromagnetic ratio, and molecular spin-orbit coupling. A number of surprises emerge. First, the predicted molecular spin-orbit splitting is two orders of magnitude smaller than in the bare carbon atom, due to the large radius of curvature of the molecule. Second, this reduced spin-orbit splitting is comparable to Zeeman energies, for instance, in X-band EPR at 3.39KGauss, and a field dependence of the g-factor is predicted. Third, the orbital gyromagnetic factor is strongly reduced by vibron coupling, and so therefore are the effective weak-field g-factors of all low-lying states. In particular, the ground-state doublet of C_{60}^- is predicted to show a negative g-factor of \sim -0.1.Comment: 19 pages RevTex, 2 postscript figures include

The paleolimnologist's guide to compound-specific stable isotope analysis - An introduction to principles and applications of CSIA for quaternary lake sediments

The stable isotope composition of key chemical elements for life on Earth (e.g., carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur) tracks changes in fluxes and turnover of these elements in the biogeosphere. Over the past 15-20 years, the potential to measure these isotopic compositions for individual, source-specific organic molecules (biomarkers) and to link them to a range of environmental conditions and processes has been unlocked and amplified by increasingly sensitive, affordable and wide-spread analytical technology. Paleoenvironmental research has seen enormous step-changes in our understanding of past ecosystem dynamics. Vital to these paradigm shifts is the need for well-constrained modern and recent analogues. Through increased understanding of these environments and their biological pathways we can successfully unravel past climatic changes and associated ecosystem adaption. With this review, we aim to introduce scientists working in the field of Quaternary paleolimnology to the tools that compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) provides for the gain of information on biogeochemical conditions in ancient environments. We provide information on fundamental principles and applications of novel and established CSIA applications based on the carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur isotopic composition of biomarkers. While biosynthesis, sources and associated isotope fractionation patterns of compounds such as n-alkanes are relatively well-constrained, new applications emerge from the increasing use of functionalized alkyl lipids, steroids, hopanoids, isoprenoids, GDGTs, pigments or cellulose. Biosynthesis and fractionation are not always fully understood

Radiation-induced oscillatory magnetoresistance as a sensitive probe of the zero-field spin splitting in high mobility GaAs/AlGaAs devices

We suggest an approach for characterizing the zero-field spin splitting of high mobility two-dimensional electron systems, when beats are not readily observable in the Shubnikov-de Haas effect. The zero-field spin splitting and the effective magnetic field seen in the reference frame of the electron is evaluated from a quantitative study of beats observed in radiation-induced magnetoresistance oscillations.Comment: 4 pages, 4 color figure

Momentum state engineering and control in Bose-Einstein condensates

We demonstrate theoretically the use of genetic learning algorithms to coherently control the dynamics of a Bose-Einstein condensate. We consider specifically the situation of a condensate in an optical lattice formed by two counterpropagating laser beams. The frequency detuning between the lasers acts as a control parameter that can be used to precisely manipulate the condensate even in the presence of a significant mean-field energy. We illustrate this procedure in the coherent acceleration of a condensate and in the preparation of a superposition of prescribed relative phase.Comment: 9 pages incl. 6 PostScript figures (.eps), LaTeX using RevTeX, submitted to Phys. Rev. A, incl. small modifications, some references adde

Heat transfer enhancement in a micro-channel cooling system using cylindrical vortex generators.

Three-dimensional conjugate heat transfer under laminar flow conditions within a micro-channel is analysed numerically to explore the impact of a new design of vortex generator positioned at intervals along the base of the channel. The vortex generators are cylindrical with quarter-circle and half-circle cross sections, with variants spanning the whole width of the channel or parts of the channel. Micro-channels with Reynolds number ranging from 100 to 2300 are subjected to a uniform heat flux relevant to microelectronics cooling. To ensure the accuracy of the results, validations against previous microchannel studies were conducted and found to be in good agreement, before the new vortex generators with radii up to 400 µm were analysed. Using a thermal-hydraulic performance parameter expressed in a new way, the VGs described here are shown to offer significant potential in combatting the challenges of heat transfer in the technological drive toward lower weight/smaller volume electrical and electronic devices