A group model for stable multi-subject ICA on fMRI datasets

Spatial Independent Component Analysis (ICA) is an increasingly used data-driven method to analyze functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) data. To date, it has been used to extract sets of mutually correlated brain regions without prior information on the time course of these regions. Some of these sets of regions, interpreted as functional networks, have recently been used to provide markers of brain diseases and open the road to paradigm-free population comparisons. Such group studies raise the question of modeling subject variability within ICA: how can the patterns representative of a group be modeled and estimated via ICA for reliable inter-group comparisons? In this paper, we propose a hierarchical model for patterns in multi-subject fMRI datasets, akin to mixed-effect group models used in linear-model-based analysis. We introduce an estimation procedure, CanICA (Canonical ICA), based on i) probabilistic dimension reduction of the individual data, ii) canonical correlation analysis to identify a data subspace common to the group iii) ICA-based pattern extraction. In addition, we introduce a procedure based on cross-validation to quantify the stability of ICA patterns at the level of the group. We compare our method with state-of-the-art multi-subject fMRI ICA methods and show that the features extracted using our procedure are more reproducible at the group level on two datasets of 12 healthy controls: a resting-state and a functional localizer study

Configurable unitary transformations and linear logic gates using quantum memories

We show that a set of optical memories can act as a configurable linear optical network operating on frequency-multiplexed optical states. Our protocol is applicable to any quantum memories that employ off-resonant Raman transitions to store optical information in atomic spins. In addition to the configurability, the protocol also offers favourable scaling with an increasing number of modes where N memories can be configured to implement an arbitrary N-mode unitary operations during storage and readout. We demonstrate the versatility of this protocol by showing an example where cascaded memories are used to implement a conditional CZ gate.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

Spatially Invariant Coding of Numerical Information in Functionally Defined Subregions of Human Parietal Cortex

Macaque electrophysiology has revealed neurons responsive to number in lateral (LIP) and ventral (VIP) intraparietal areas. Recently, fMRI pattern recognition revealed information discriminative of individual numbers in human parietal cortex but without precisely localizing the relevant sites or testing for subregions with different response profiles. Here, we defined the human functional equivalents of LIP (feLIP) and VIP (feVIP) using neurophysiologically motivated localizers. We applied multivariate pattern recognition to investigate whether both regions represent numerical information and whether number codes are position specific or invariant. In a delayed number comparison paradigm with laterally presented numerosities, parietal cortex discriminated between numerosities better than early visual cortex, and discrimination generalized across hemifields in parietal, but not early visual cortex. Activation patterns in the 2 parietal regions of interest did not differ in the coding of position-specific or position-independent number information, but in the expression of a numerical distance effect which was more pronounced in feLIP. Thus, the representation of number in parietal cortex is at least partially position invariant. Both feLIP and feVIP contain information about individual numerosities in humans, but feLIP hosts a coarser representation of numerosity than feVIP, compatible with either broader tuning or a summation cod

Synthèse des impacts écologiques des feux et des coupes forestières sur les lacs de l'écozone boréale au Québec

Cet article présente une première synthèse comparative des impacts des feux et des coupes forestières sur la qualité des eaux et les communautés aquatiques des lacs de l'écozone boréale de l'est du Canada. La recherche a été réalisée de 1996 à 1998 dans le cadre d'un projet du Réseau de centre d'excellence sur la gestion durable des forêts (RCE-GDF) et porte sur 38 lacs du Bouclier Canadien du Québec. Les changements dans la qualité de l'eau ainsi que dans la diversité, la biomasse et la structure des communautés de plancton et de poissons ont été suivis pendant trois ans dans 20 lacs dont les bassins versants étaient non perturbés, dans 9 lacs qui avaient subit des coupes forestières et dans 9 lacs qui avaient subit des feux de forêt.Notre étude montre que les feux et les coupes ont des impacts significatifs qui diffèrent selon le type de perturbation. En général, les lacs affectés par les coupes et les feux ont des concentrations de phosphore 2 à 3 fois plus élevées que les lacs de référence. Toutefois, les lacs affectés par les feux montrent des concentrations en nitrates beaucoup plus élevées tandis que les lacs affectés par les coupes sont moins transparents et ont des eaux plus colorées, très riches en carbone organique dissous. Les feux et les coupes affectent aussi de façon différente la minéralisation des eaux et les concentrations des ions majeurs. Les feux et les coupes n'ont pas d'effet sur la biodiversité des communautés planctoniques, sauf dans les lacs ayant un grand bassin versant et plus de 40 % de perturbation. Aucune différence n'a été observée entre les lacs de référence et les lacs perturbés au niveau de l'occurrence, l'abondance et la croissance des espèces de poissons. En revanche, les feux et les coupes affectent la production et la structure des communautés aquatiques. Dans les lacs affectés par les feux, l'enrichissement en azote et phosphore provoque une hausse de la concentration en chlorophylle a, et de la biomasse du phytoplancton et du limnoplancton (seston > 53 µm), en particulier des diatomées, des rotifères et des gros crustacés, pendant deux à trois années après les feux. En revanche, dans les lacs affectés par les coupes, l'enrichissement en phosphore n'entraîne qu'une augmentation très faible et limitée à un an de la biomasse des algues et pas de changement dans les biomasses du limnoplancton, en raison de la forte couleur et de la transparence réduite des eaux, qui limite la production biologique. Les coupes ont un impact négatif sur les copépodes calanoïdes, un groupe de zooplancton caractéristique des lacs oligotrophes et transparents. Une diminution significative de la proportion des individus de petite taille a été observée chez les populations de perchaude et de meunier noir des lacs perturbés (lacs de coupe et de feux formant un seul groupe). Les impacts observés dans la qualité des eaux et la production du plancton augmentent avec l'importance relative des perturbations au niveau du bassin versant. Cependant, la variabilité dans les caractéristiques des bassins versants et des lacs, en particulier le rapport de drainage et le temps de résidence des eaux, a des effets confondants sur les réponses des écosystèmes lacustres aux perturbations par les feux et les coupes.This paper presents a comparative review on ecological impacts of wildfires and harvesting on water quality and aquatic community attributes of boreal lakes in eastern Canada. This project was carried out from 1996 to 1998, as part of the research program of the Sustainable Forest Management Network Centre of Excellence (NCE-SFM), on 38 lakes of the Boreal Canadian Shield (Québec, Canada). Changes in water quality, and in diversity, biomass and community structure of pelagic plankton and fish populations were monitored for 3 years in 20 reference lakes, 9 cut lakes and 9 burnt lakes.Our study shows that wildfires and logging have significant impacts on water quality as well as primary and secondary producers in boreal lakes. However, fire and logging does not have similar impacts. In general, cut and burnt lakes showed higher concentrations of total phosphorus (TP: 2-3 folds) than reference lakes. However nitrates concentrations (NO3-) were higher in burnt lakes than in reference and cut lakes, whereas dissolved organic carbon (DOC), light extinction coefficient (e PAR) and water colour were higher in cut lakes than in reference lakes, burnt lakes showing intermediate values. Wildfire and logging also affect ionic composition of lake water. Both burnt and cut lakes had higher concentrations of potassium (K+), chloride (Cl-) and calcium (Ca2+) than reference lakes, while sulphates (SO42-) and magnesium (Mg2+) increased only in burnt lakes. The observed increases in organic and mineral elements reflect their export from the watershed and were related to the drainage ratio. As mobile ions are rapidly flushed from the perturbed watersheds, ionic water composition returned to normal levels within three years after the perturbation. In contrast, some changes in water quality (P and N enrichment in perturbed lakes; DOC increase in cut lakes) seems to be on longer term and might have a more important effect on limnological features of lakes such as thermal stratification, mixed and euphotic depth, plankton biomass and bioaccumulation of mercury in zooplankton and fish.Wildfires and logging do not have significant impacts on species richness of planktonic communities, except for lakes with large drainage basins and those where the perturbation was higher than 40% of the watershed area. However, wildfires and logging affect biomass of plankton communities. In burnt lakes, the nutrient enrichment induced important increases in Chl. a concentration and phytoplankton biomass, and a small increase in limnoplankton biomass (seston > 53 µm). Diatoms, rotifers and large crustaceans showed significant increases. In burnt lakes, increases in phytoplankton were observed during the three years of the survey and were highest in the first 2 years after fires. Limnoplankton increases lasted only 2 years and were highest the second year after fires. In cut lakes, nutrient enrichment was not reflected in a proportional increase in plankton production due to increase in DOC concentrations and lake water colour that reduced water transparency. Phytoplankton slightly increased only the first year after logging and no increase was observed for limnoplankton and zooplankton. Logging negatively affect calanoids, a zooplankton group characteristic of clear and oligotrophic lakes. No significant differences were observed in the occurrence, abundance and growth of fish populations among reference and perturbed lakes. However, the proportion of small yellow perch and white sucker were significantly lower in populations of impacted lakes (burned and logged lakes pooled). In most cases, impacts on water quality and plankton communities were related to the intensity of fire or logging, when expressed as the percent area of watershed harvested or burnt divided by the lake surface or volume. Simple models may then be developed and help to predict the effect of harvesting practices on lake ecosystems. However, environmental variation in watershed and lakes characteristics, especially drainage ratio and lake water residence time, are important confounding factors in the responses of lakes to watershed perturbations by fire or logging. Lakes with drainage ratio > 4 and with more of 30% of their watershed perturbed are the most sensitive to fire and logging. These factors should be considered when developing lake management models in the boreal forest impacted by fire and logging

Giant magnetic anisotropy at nanoscale: overcoming the superparamagnetic limit

It has been recently observed for palladium and gold nanoparticles, that the magnetic moment at constant applied field does not change with temperature over the range comprised between 5 and 300 K. These samples with size smaller than 2.5 nm exhibit remanence up to room temperature. The permanent magnetism for so small samples up to so high temperatures has been explained as due to blocking of local magnetic moment by giant magnetic anisotropies. In this report we show, by analysing the anisotropy of thiol capped gold films, that the orbital momentum induced at the surface conduction electrons is crucial to understand the observed giant anisotropy. The orbital motion is driven by localised charge and/or spin through spin orbit interaction, that reaches extremely high values at the surfaces. The induced orbital moment gives rise to an effective field of the order of 103 T that is responsible of the giant anisotropy.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures, submitted to PR

Multiple effects of ice load changes and associated stress change on magmatic systems

Ice retreat on volcanoes reduces pressure at the surface of the Earth and induces stress changes in magmatic systems. The consequences can include increased generation of magma at depth, increased magma capture in the crust, and modification of failure conditions of magma chambers. We review the methodology to evaluate each of these effects, and consider the influence of ongoing ice retreat on volcanoes at the Mid-Atlantic divergent plate boundary in Iceland. Evaluation of each of these effects requires a series of assumptions regarding the rheology of the crust and mantle, and the nature of magmatic systems, contributing to relatively large uncertainty in response of a magmatic system to climate warming and associated ice retreat. Pressure release melting due to ice cap retreat in Iceland may at present times generate a similar amount of magma as plate tectonic processes; larger than realized previously. However, new modelling shows that part of this magma may be captured in the crust, rather than being erupted. Gradual retreat of ice caps do steadily modify failure conditions at magma chambers, which is highly dependent on their geometry and depth, as well as the details of ice load variations. A model is presented where long-term ice retreat at Katla volcano decreases the likelihood of eruption, as more magma is needed in the magma chamber to cause failure than in the absence of the ice retreat

Réponses de trois espèces sentinelles aquatiques à la contamination en métaux traces dans deux rivières de l'Abitibi, Québec

La métallothionéine (MT) est un ligand protéinique intracellulaire important à cause de son implication dans les processus de régulation des métaux traces essentiels et non-essentiels. Bon nombre de travaux ont été conduits en laboratoire pour bien comprendre les mécanismes de synthèse de cette protéine, mais les études réalisées en milieu aquatique sont beaucoup plus rares, particulièrement dans les rivières (milieu lotique). Dans ce contexte, la présente étude avait deux objectifs principaux : (1) identifier en milieu lotique les métaux traces (argent "Ag", cadmium "Cd", cuivre "Cu", nickel "Ni", plomb "Pb" et zinc "Zn") susceptibles d'induire la synthèse de la MT chez trois espèces sentinelles, soit le mollusque bivalve Pyganodon grandis, la larve d'éphémère Hexagenia limbata et le grand brochet du nord Esox lucius ; (2) définir les variables physico-chimiques ou toxicologiques pouvant influencer la prise en charge des métaux traces et conséquemment les concentrations en MT chez le mollusque P. grandis et l'éphémère H. limbata. Deux rivières de la région de l'Abitibi ont été échantillonnées à l'été 2001 afin de récolter les espèces sentinelles à 21 stations. Les concentrations en métaux traces, ainsi qu'en métallothionéine, ont été mesurées dans les branchies des mollusques, dans le rein des brochets et dans le corps entier des éphémères. La métallothionéine a été mesurée à l'aide d'une technique de saturation au mercure. D'après nos résultats, le cadmium tissulaire semble être le meilleur prédicteur de la concentration de MT chez les trois espèces sentinelles. Cependant, l'implication d'autres métaux est également possible. Dans le cas de P. grandis, la concentration de manganèse (Mn) dans les sédiments pourrait influencer la prise en charge du Cd et la synthèse de MT.Metallothionein (MT), an intracellular metal binding protein, is recognized for its role in the regulation of essential and non-essential trace metals. The mechanisms of synthesis of this protein have been studied in the laboratory but much less work has been carried out in the field, particularly in lotic environments. According to the literature, metallothionein protects tissues from metal damage, and may be used as a direct measure of the biochemical state of the affected tissue. Metallothionein shows high affinity for group IB and IIB metals ions (e.g. Cd, Cu, Zn), and consequently can sequester and detoxify metals. The use of MT as a biomarker for elevated levels of trace metals in aquatic environments has therefore been proposed as a tool in ecotoxicological studies. Changes at the biochemical level offer distinct advantages as biomarkers, since molecular alterations are normally the first detectable responses to environmental changes.The present study focused on two objectives, the first of which was to identify which trace metals (silver "Ag", cadmium "Cd", copper "Cu", nickel "Ni", lead "Pb" and zinc "Zn") may induce MT synthesis in three sentinel species collected in two northern Quebec rivers (Colombière River, close to Val d'Or, and Matagami River close to the town of Matagami) in a mining region (Abitibi, Québec). The three sentinel species were the adult bivalve Pyganodon grandis, the larval mayfly Hexagenia limbata, and the adult great northern pike Esox lucius. The second objective was to define variables that could influence the uptake of these trace metals and consequently the concentrations of MT in the sentinel species. The selection of these sentinel species was based on the following criteria: their relative abundance in the aquatic systems studied; their relative immobility; the ease of sampling; metal tolerance; metal bioaccumulation capacity; dynamics of metal accumulation; capacity to synthesize metallothionein; and availability of physiological and behavioural data.In 2001, physico-chemical conditions (e.g.: temperature, oxygen, transparency, phosphorus, chlorophyll a, etc.) were monitored during two sampling campaigns at 21 stations. Trace metals were measured in water and sediment in all stations, and in tissues of the sentinel species that were collected when present at the station (P. grandis - gills; H. limbata - whole body; E. lucius - kidney). Dialysis cells were used to collect water samples for the determination of concentrations of total dissolved metals, major anions and cations, humic and fulvic acids, and dissolved organic carbon. At each sampling site, divers collected three replicate sub-samples from two sediment cores for metal analyses. The cores were extruded in the boat and samples taken from the uppermost 0.5 cm, i.e. from the oxidized layer.The two rivers differ in their morphometry, their physico-chemistry, and their biology. The Allard River is larger (200 m vs. 7 m) and deeper (30 m vs. 3 m) than the Colombière River. The Colombière River is slightly more acid (pH: 6.2 - 6.7) and less productive (14 - 32 µg total P L-1) than the Allard River (pH: 6.7 - 7.4; 24 - 45 µg total P L-1). However, the rivers present some similarities such as slow current conditions and limited water transparencies. The range of Ag, Cu and Ni concentrations in water and sediment was greater in the Colombière River, whereas Pb concentrations were higher in the Allard River and Cd concentrations were similar in the two rivers. Zinc was the dominant metal in both rivers, but variations were more significant in water in the Colombière River. Although trace metal and MT concentrations were highly variable among species, stations and rivers, no consistent spatial gradients were detected in animals collected downstream from mining activities.As was the case for the ambient environment, Zn was also the dominant metal in organisms of both rivers. Zinc concentrations were similar in mayflies from the two rivers, but higher in molluscs and lower in pike collected from the Colombière River than in comparable animals from the Allard River. Following Zn, Cu was the second metal in importance in species from the two rivers, whereas the concentrations of Ag were low in all organisms and were undetectable in pike. Cadmium was more concentrated in mayflies and molluscs from the Colombière River than in those from Allard River, and also higher in the pike collected in the contaminated zone of the Colombière River. The concentrations of Ni in all species were comparable between rivers, but were more elevated in mayflies than in the other sentinel species.The range of Pb concentrations was comparable between rivers for all species, but concentrations were lower in the pike (kidney). The concentration of MT was higher in the pike than in the two other species. Mayflies had higher MT levels in the Allard River, while MT concentrations were higher in molluscs of the Colombière River. The relationships between metals and MT were very variable between rivers and species. Nevertheless, MT concentrations were most strongly related to those of accumulated Cd in the three sentinel species. The relationships between MT and Cd for all three species were stronger in the Allard River than in the Colombière River. In the case of P. grandis, because the number of stations where the bivalves could be collected from the Colombière River was low (n=4), no statistically significant relationship was observed between MT and Cd in the tissues, in spite of the high correlation coefficient (r=0.98). For the bivalves, manganese (Mn) concentrations in the sediment were negatively correlated with accumulated Cd concentrations and with MT levels. In H. limbata, in addition to Cd, other metals such as Cu (-) and Zn (+) also exhibited weak relationships with MT. Finally, in bivariate analyses, Pb concentrations in pike liver were significantly correlated with those of MT in this species, but based on multiple regression models, no variable other than Cd affected the level of MT in E. lucius