Bayesian inference of agent-based models: a tool for studying kidney branching morphogenesis

The adult mammalian kidney has a complex, highly-branched collecting duct epithelium that arises as a ureteric bud sidebranch from an epithelial tube known as the nephric duct. Subsequent branching of the ureteric bud to form the collecting duct tree is regulated by subcellular interactions between the epithelium and a population of mesenchymal cells that surround the tips of outgrowing branches. The mesenchymal cells produce glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), that binds with RET receptors on the surface of the epithelial cells to stimulate several subcellular pathways in the epithelium. Such interactions are known to be a prerequisite for normal branching development, although competing theories exist for their role in morphogenesis. Here we introduce the first agent-based model of ex vivo kidney uretic branching. Through comparison with experimental data, we show that growth factor-regulated growth mechanisms can explain early epithelial cell branching, but only if epithelial cell division depends in a switch-like way on the local growth factor concentration; cell division occurring only if the driving growth factor level exceeds a threshold. We also show how a recently-developed method, "Approximate Approximate Bayesian Computation", can be used to infer key model parameters, and reveal the dependency between the parameters controlling a growth factor-dependent growth switch. These results are consistent with a requirement for signals controlling proliferation and chemotaxis, both of which are previously identified roles for GDNF

Close entrainment of massive molecular gas flows by radio bubbles in the central galaxy of Abell 1795

We present new ALMA observations tracing the morphology and velocity structure of the molecular gas in the central galaxy of the cluster Abell 1795. The molecular gas lies in two filaments that extend 5–7 kpc to the N and S from the nucleus and project exclusively around the outer edges of two inner radio bubbles. Radio jets launched by the central active galactic nucleus have inflated bubbles filled with relativistic plasma into the hot atmosphere surrounding the central galaxy. The N filament has a smoothly increasing velocity gradient along its length from the central galaxy’s systemic velocity at the nucleus to −370kms−1 −370kms−1 , the average velocity of the surrounding galaxies, at the furthest extent. The S filament has a similarly smooth but shallower velocity gradient and appears to have partially collapsed in a burst of star formation. The close spatial association with the radio lobes, together with the ordered velocity gradients and narrow velocity dispersions, shows that the molecular filaments are gas flows entrained by the expanding radio bubbles. Assuming a Galactic XCO factor, the total molecular gas mass is 3.2 ± 0.2 × 109 M⊙. More than half lies above the N radio bubble. Lifting the molecular clouds appears to require an infeasibly efficient coupling between the molecular gas and the radio bubble. The energy required also exceeds the mechanical power of the N radio bubble by a factor of 2. Stimulated feedback, where the radio bubbles lift low-entropy X-ray gas that becomes thermally unstable and rapidly cools in situ, provides a plausible model. Multiple generations of radio bubbles are required to lift this substantial gas mass. The close morphological association then indicates that the cold gas either moulds the newly expanding bubbles or is itself pushed aside and shaped as they inflate

A Galaxy-scale Fountain of Cold Molecular Gas Pumped by a Black Hole

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array and Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer observations of the brightest cluster galaxy in Abell 2597, a nearby (z = 0.0821) cool core cluster of galaxies. The data map the kinematics of a three billion solar mass filamentary nebula that spans the innermost 30 kpc of the galaxy's core. Its warm ionized and cold molecular components are both cospatial and comoving, consistent with the hypothesis that the optical nebula traces the warm envelopes of many cold molecular clouds that drift in the velocity field of the hot X-ray atmosphere. The clouds are not in dynamical equilibrium, and instead show evidence for inflow toward the central supermassive black hole, outflow along the jets it launches, and uplift by the buoyant hot bubbles those jets inflate. The entire scenario is therefore consistent with a galaxy-spanning "fountain," wherein cold gas clouds drain into the black hole accretion reservoir, powering jets and bubbles that uplift a cooling plume of low-entropy multiphase gas, which may stimulate additional cooling and accretion as part of a self-regulating feedback loop. All velocities are below the escape speed from the galaxy, and so these clouds should rain back toward the galaxy center from which they came, keeping the fountain long lived. The data are consistent with major predictions of chaotic cold accretion, precipitation, and stimulated feedback models, and may trace processes fundamental to galaxy evolution at effectively all mass scales

Molecular Gas Filaments and Star-forming Knots Beneath an X-Ray Cavity in RXC J1504–0248

We present recent ALMA observations of the CO (1–0) and CO (3–2) emission lines in the brightest cluster galaxy of RXC J1504.1−0248, which is one of the most extreme cool core clusters known. The central galaxy contains $1.9\times {10}^{10}\,{M}_{\odot }$ of molecular gas. The molecular gas morphology is complex and disturbed, showing no evidence for a rotationally supported structure in equilibrium. A total of 80% of the gas is situated within the central 5 kpc of the galactic center, while the remaining gas is located in a 20 kpc long filament. The cold gas has likely condensed out of the hot atmosphere. The filament is oriented along the edge of a putative X-ray cavity, suggesting that active galactic nucleus activity has stimulated condensation. This is energetically feasible, although the morphology is not as conclusive as systems whose molecular filaments trail directly behind buoyant radio bubbles. The velocity gradient along the filament is smooth and shallow. It is only consistent with freefall if it lies within 20° of the plane of the sky. The abundance of clusters with comparably low velocities suggests that the filament is not freefalling. Both the central gas and filamentary gas are coincident with bright UV emission from ongoing star formation. Star formation near the cluster core is consistent with the Kennicutt–Schmidt law. The filament exhibits increased star formation surface densities, possibly resulting from either the consumption of a finite molecular gas supply or spatial variations in the CO-to-H2 conversion factor

An Enormous Molecular Gas Flow in the RX J0821+0752 Galaxy Cluster

We present recent Chandra X-ray observations of the RX J0821.0+0752 galaxy cluster, in addition to ALMA observations of the CO(1–0) and CO(3–2) line emission tracing the molecular gas in its central galaxy. All of the CO line emission, originating from a ${10}^{10}\,{M}_{\odot }$ molecular gas reservoir, is located several kiloparsecs away from the nucleus of the central galaxy. The cold gas is concentrated into two main clumps surrounded by a diffuse envelope. They form a wide filament coincident with a plume of bright X-ray emission emanating from the cluster core. This plume encompasses a putative X-ray cavity that is only large enough to have uplifted a small percent of the molecular gas. Unlike other brightest cluster galaxies, stimulated cooling, where X-ray cavities lift low-entropy cluster gas until it becomes thermally unstable, cannot have produced the observed gas reservoir. Instead, the molecular gas has likely formed as a result of sloshing motions in the intracluster medium induced by a nearby galaxy. Sloshing can emulate uplift by dislodging gas from the galactic center. This gas has the shortest cooling time, so it will condense if disrupted for long enough

A 13CO Detection in a Brightest Cluster Galaxy

We present ALMA Cycle 4 observations of CO(1-0), CO(3-2), and 13CO(3-2) line emission in the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) of RXJ0821+0752. This is one of the first detections of 13CO line emission in a galaxy cluster. Half of the CO(3-2) line emission originates from two clumps of molecular gas that are spatially offset from the galactic center. These clumps are surrounded by diffuse emission that extends 8 kpc in length. The detected 13CO emission is confined entirely to the two bright clumps, with any emission outside of this region lying below our detection threshold. Two distinct velocity components with similar integrated fluxes are detected in the 12CO spectra. The narrower component (60 km s−1 FWHM) is consistent in both velocity centroid and linewidth with 13CO(3-2) emission, while the broader (130–160 km s−1), slightly blueshifted wing has no associated 13CO(3-2) emission. A simple local thermodynamic model indicates that the 13CO emission traces 2.1 × 109 M ⊙ of molecular gas. Isolating the 12CO velocity component that accompanies the 13CO emission yields a CO-to-H2 conversion factor of α CO = 2.3 M ⊙ (K km s−1)−1, which is a factor of two lower than the Galactic value. Adopting the Galactic CO-to-H2 conversion factor in BCGs may therefore overestimate their molecular gas masses by a factor of two. This is within the object-to-object scatter from extragalactic sources, so calibrations in a larger sample of clusters are necessary in order to confirm a sub-Galactic conversion factor

A Massive, Clumpy Molecular Gas Distribution and Displaced AGN in Zw 3146

We present a recent Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observation of the CO(1−0) line emission in the central galaxy of the Zw 3146 galaxy cluster (z = 0.2906). We also present updated X-ray cavity measurements from archival Chandra observations. The 5 × 1010 M⊙ supply of molecular gas, which is confined to the central 4 kpc, is marginally resolved into three extensions that are reminiscent of the filaments observed in similar systems. No velocity structure that would be indicative of ordered motion is observed. The three molecular extensions all trail X-ray cavities, and are potentially formed from the condensation of intracluster gas lifted in the wakes of the rising bubbles. Many cycles of feedback would be required to account for the entire molecular gas reservoir. The molecular gas and continuum source are mutually offset by 2.6 kpc, with no detected line emission coincident with the continuum source. It is the molecular gas, not the continuum source, that lies at the gravitational center of the brightest cluster galaxy. As the brightest cluster galaxy contains possible tidal features, the displaced continuum source may correspond to the nucleus of a merging galaxy. We also discuss the possibility that a gravitational wave recoil following a black hole merger may account for the displacement

Neonicotinoid exposure disrupts bumblebee nest behavior, social networks, and thermoregulation.

Neonicotinoid pesticides can negatively affect bee colonies, but the behavioral mechanisms by which these compounds impair colony growth remain unclear. Here, we investigate imidacloprid's effects on bumblebee worker behavior within the nest, using an automated, robotic platform for continuous, multicolony monitoring of uniquely identified workers. We find that exposure to field-realistic levels of imidacloprid impairs nursing and alters social and spatial dynamics within nests, but that these effects vary substantially with time of day. In the field, imidacloprid impairs colony thermoregulation, including the construction of an insulating wax canopy. Our results show that neonicotinoids induce widespread disruption of within-nest worker behavior that may contribute to impaired growth, highlighting the potential of automated techniques for characterizing the multifaceted, dynamic impacts of stressors on behavior in bee colonies

Massive Molecular Gas Flows in the A1664 Brightest Cluster Galaxy

We report ALMA Early Science CO(1-0) and CO(3-2) observations of the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) in A1664. The BCG contains 1.1 × 1010 M ☉ of molecular gas divided roughly equally between two distinct velocity systems: one from –250 to +250 km s–1 centered on the BCG's systemic velocity and a high-velocity system blueshifted by 570 km s–1 with respect to the systemic velocity. The BCG's systemic component shows a smooth velocity gradient across the BCG center, suggestive of rotation about the nucleus. However, the mass and velocity structure are highly asymmetric and there is little star formation coincident with a putative disk. It may be an inflow of gas that will settle into a disk over several 108 yr. The high-velocity system consists of two gas clumps, each ~2 kpc across, located to the north and southeast of the nucleus. Each has a line of sight velocity spread of 250-300 km s–1. The velocity of the gas in the high-velocity system increases toward the BCG center and may be a massive flow into the nucleus. However, the velocity gradient is not smooth. These structures are also coincident with low optical-ultraviolet surface brightness regions, which could indicate dust extinction associated with each clump. The structure is complex, making a clear interpretation difficult, but if the dusty, molecular gas lies predominantly in front of the BCG, the blueshifted velocities would indicate an outflow. Based on the energy requirements, such a massive outflow would most likely be driven by the active galactic nucleus. A merger origin is unlikely but cannot be ruled out

ALMA observations of cold molecular gas filaments trailing rising radio bubbles in PKS 0745-191

We present ALMA observations of the CO(1-0) and CO(3-2) line emission tracing filaments of cold molecular gas in the central galaxy of the cluster PKS 0745-191. The total molecular gas mass of 4.6 ± 0.3 × 109 M⊙, assuming a Galactic XCO factor, is divided roughly equally between three filaments each extending radially 3–5 kpc from the galaxy centre. The emission peak is located in the SE filament ∼ 1 arcsec (2 kpc) from the nucleus. The velocities of the molecular clouds in the filaments are low, lying within ± 100 km s−1 of the galaxy's systemic velocity. Their FWHMs are less than 150 km s−1, which is significantly below the stellar velocity dispersion. Although the molecular mass of each filament is comparable to a rich spiral galaxy, such low velocities show that the filaments are transient and the clouds would disperse on <107 yr timescales unless supported, likely by the indirect effect of magnetic fields. The velocity structure is inconsistent with a merger origin or gravitational free-fall of cooling gas in this massive central galaxy. If the molecular clouds originated in gas cooling even a few kpc from their current locations their velocities would exceed those observed. Instead, the projection of the N and SE filaments underneath X-ray cavities suggests they formed in the updraft behind bubbles buoyantly rising through the cluster atmosphere. Direct uplift of the dense gas by the radio bubbles appears to require an implausibly high coupling efficiency. The filaments are coincident with low temperature X-ray gas, bright optical line emission and dust lanes indicating that the molecular gas could have formed from lifted warmer gas that cooled in situ