Network traits predict ecological strategies in fungi

Colonization of terrestrial environments by filamentous fungi relies on their ability to form networks that can forage for and connect resource patches. Despite the importance of these networks, ecologists rarely consider network features as functional traits because their measurement and interpretation are conceptually and methodologically difficult. To address these challenges, we have developed a pipeline to translate images of fungal mycelia, from both micro- and macro-scales, to weighted network graphs that capture ecologically relevant fungal behaviour. We focus on four properties that we hypothesize determine how fungi forage for resources, specifically: connectivity; relative construction cost; transport efficiency; and robustness against attack by fungivores. Constrained ordination and Pareto front analysis of these traits revealed that foraging strategies can be distinguished predominantly along a gradient of connectivity for micro- and macro-scale mycelial networks that is reminiscent of the qualitative ‘phalanx’ and ‘guerilla’ descriptors previously proposed in the literature. At one extreme are species with many inter-connections that increase the paths for multidirectional transport and robustness to damage, but with a high construction cost; at the other extreme are species with an opposite phenotype. Thus, we propose this approach represents a significant advance in quantifying ecological strategies for fungi using network information

Does ohmic heating influence the flow field in thin-layer electrodeposition?

In thin-layer electrodeposition the dissipated electrical energy leads to a substantial heating of the ion solution. We measured the resulting temperature field by means of an infrared camera. The properties of the temperature field correspond closely with the development of the concentration field. In particular we find, that the thermal gradients at the electrodes act like a weak additional driving force to the convection rolls driven by concentration gradients.Comment: minor changes: correct estimation of concentration at the anode, added Journal-re

Experimental investigation of the initial regime in fingering electrodeposition: dispersion relation and velocity measurements

Recently a fingering morphology, resembling the hydrodynamic Saffman-Taylor instability, was identified in the quasi-two-dimensional electrodeposition of copper. We present here measurements of the dispersion relation of the growing front. The instability is accompanied by gravity-driven convection rolls at the electrodes, which are examined using particle image velocimetry. While at the anode the theory presented by Chazalviel et al. describes the convection roll, the flow field at the cathode is more complicated because of the growing deposit. In particular, the analysis of the orientation of the velocity vectors reveals some lag of the development of the convection roll compared to the finger envelope.Comment: 11 pages, 15 figures, REVTEX 4; reference adde

Sliding window averaging in normal and pathological motor unit action potential trains

Objective: To evaluate the performance of a recently proposed motor unit action potential (MUAP) averaging method based on a sliding window, and compare it with relevant published methods in normal and pathological muscles. Methods: Three versions of the method (with different window lengths) were compared to three relevant published methods in terms of signal analysis-based merit figures and MUAP waveform parameters used in the clinical practice. 218 MUAP trains recorded from normal, myopathic, subacute neurogenic and chronic neurogenic muscles were analysed. Percentage scores of the cases in which the methods obtained the best performance or a performance not significantly worse than the best were computed. Results: For signal processing figures of merit, the three versions of the new method performed better (with scores of 100, 86.6 and 66.7%) than the other three methods (66.7, 25 and 0%, respectively). In terms of MUAP waveform parameters, the new method also performed better (100, 95.8 and 91.7%) than the other methods (83.3, 37.5 and 25%). Conclusions: For the types of normal and pathological muscle studied, the sliding window approach extracted more accurate and reliable MUAP curves than other existing methods. Significance: The new method can be of service in quantitative EMG

Multiparticle Biased DLA with surface diffusion: a comprehensive model of electrodeposition

We present a complete study of the Multiparticle Biased Diffusion-Limited Aggregation (MBDLA) model supplemented with surface difussion (SD), focusing on the relevance and effects of the latter transport mechanism. By comparing different algorithms, we show that MBDLA+SD is a very good qualitative model for electrodeposition in practically all the range of current intensities {\em provided} one introduces SD in the model in the proper fashion: We have found that the correct procedure involves simultaneous bulk diffusion and SD, introducing a time scale arising from the ratio of the rates of both processes. We discuss in detail the different morphologies obtained and compare them to the available experimental data with very satisfactory results. We also characterize the aggregates thus obtained by means of the dynamic scaling exponents of the interface height, allowing us to distinguish several regimes in the mentioned interface growth. Our asymptotic scaling exponents are again in good agreement with recent experiments. We conclude by discussing a global picture of the influence and consequences of SD in electrodeposition.Comment: 15 pages, 20 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review

Knotting probabilities after a local strand passage in unknotted self-avoiding polygons

We investigate the knotting probability after a local strand passage is performed in an unknotted self-avoiding polygon on the simple cubic lattice. We assume that two polygon segments have already been brought close together for the purpose of performing a strand passage, and model this using Theta-SAPs, polygons that contain the pattern Theta at a fixed location. It is proved that the number of n-edge Theta-SAPs grows exponentially (with n) at the same rate as the total number of n-edge unknotted self-avoiding polygons, and that the same holds for subsets of n-edge Theta-SAPs that yield a specific after-strand-passage knot-type. Thus the probability of a given after-strand-passage knot-type does not grow (or decay) exponentially with n, and we conjecture that instead it approaches a knot-type dependent amplitude ratio lying strictly between 0 and 1. This is supported by critical exponent estimates obtained from a new maximum likelihood method for Theta-SAPs that are generated by a composite (aka multiple) Markov Chain Monte Carlo BFACF algorithm. We also give strong numerical evidence that the after-strand-passage knotting probability depends on the local structure around the strand passage site. Considering both the local structure and the crossing-sign at the strand passage site, we observe that the more "compact" the local structure, the less likely the after-strand-passage polygon is to be knotted. This trend is consistent with results from other strand-passage models, however, we are the first to note the influence of the crossing-sign information. Two measures of "compactness" are used: the size of a smallest polygon that contains the structure and the structure's "opening" angle. The opening angle definition is consistent with one that is measurable from single molecule DNA experiments.Comment: 31 pages, 12 figures, submitted to Journal of Physics

Tightness of slip-linked polymer chains

We study the interplay between entropy and topological constraints for a polymer chain in which sliding rings (slip-links) enforce pair contacts between monomers. These slip-links divide a closed ring polymer into a number of sub-loops which can exchange length between each other. In the ideal chain limit, we find the joint probability density function for the sizes of segments within such a slip-linked polymer chain (paraknot). A particular segment is tight (small in size) or loose (of the order of the overall size of the paraknot) depending on both the number of slip-links it incorporates and its competition with other segments. When self-avoiding interactions are included, scaling arguments can be used to predict the statistics of segment sizes for certain paraknot configurations.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, REVTeX

(I)Migrantes, diversidades e desigualdades no sistema educativo português : balanço e perspectivas

O objectivo do presente artigo consiste em procurar transmitir um olhar sociologicamente informado no que concerne à situação portuguesa no domínio das políticas educativas públicas e investigações produzidas relacionadas com o sistema educativo e a (i)migração, ou seja, com a tentativa de construção de uma educação intercultural. Neste sentido, será realizada uma análise descritiva e compreensivo-interpretativa da evolução desta problemática em Portugal desde que a mesma se tornou objecto de reflexão por parte de investigadores/as e políticos nos finais da década de oitenta, início da década de noventa do século XX. Nesta análise, será dada ênfase às investigações e quadros teóricos produzidos e às medidas legislativas e políticas educativas no domínio do tratamento da diferença cultural dentro do sistema educativo português.The aim of this article consists in attempting to transmit a sociologically informed view in what the Portuguese situation in the field of public policies and research related to the educational system and (im)migration are concerned, that is, in attempting to construct an intercultural education. In this way, a descriptive and comprehensiveinterpretative analysis of the evolution of this problem in Portugal will be realized, since the latter became an object of reflection on the part of researchers and politicians towards the end of the 80s, the beginning of the 90s of the XXth century. In this analysis, emphasis will be given on the research and theoretical frameworks produced and on the legislative measures and educational policies in the field of treating cultural difference in the Portuguese educational system