Critical end point behaviour in a binary fluid mixture

We consider the liquid-gas phase boundary in a binary fluid mixture near its critical end point. Using general scaling arguments we show that the diameter of the liquid-gas coexistence curve exhibits singular behaviour as the critical end point is approached. This prediction is tested by means of extensive Monte-Carlo simulations of a symmetrical Lennard-Jones binary mixture within the grand canonical ensemble. The simulation results show clear evidence for the proposed singularity, as well as confirming a previously predicted singularity in the coexistence chemical potential [Fisher and Upton, Phys. Rev. Lett. 65, 2402 (1990)]. The results suggest that the observed singularities, particularly that in the coexistence diameter, should also be detectable experimentally.Comment: 17 pages Revtex, 11 epsf figures. To appear in Phys. Rev.

An automated archival VLA transients survey

In this paper we present the results of a survey for radio transients using data obtained from the Very Large Array archive. We have reduced, using a pipeline procedure, 5037 observations of the most common pointings - i.e. the calibrator fields. These fields typically contain a relatively bright point source and are used to calibrate 'target' observations: they are therefore rarely imaged themselves. The observations used span a time range ˜1984-2008 and consist of eight different pointings, three different frequencies (8.4, 4.8 and 1.4 GHz) and have a total observing time of 435 h. We have searched for transient and variable radio sources within these observations using components from the prototype LOFAR transient detection system. In this paper we present the methodology for reducing large volumes of Very Large Array data; and we also present a brief overview of the prototype LOFAR transient detection algorithms. No radio transients were detected in this survey, therefore we place an upper limit on the snapshot rate of GHz frequency transients >8.0 mJy to ρ≤ 0.032 deg-2 that have typical time-scales 4.3 to 45.3 d. We compare and contrast our upper limit with the snapshot rates - derived from either detections or non-detections of transient and variable radio sources - reported in the literature. When compared with the current Log N-Log S distribution formed from previous surveys, we show that our upper limit is consistent with the observed population. Current and future radio transient surveys will hopefully further constrain these statistics, and potentially discover dominant transient source populations. In this paper we also briefly explore the current transient commissioning observations with LOFAR, and the impact they will make on the field

Design of synthetic bacterial communities for predictable plant phenotypes

Specific members of complex microbiota can influence host phenotypes, depending on both the abiotic environment and the presence of other microorganisms. Therefore, it is challenging to define bacterial combinations that have predictable host phenotypic outputs. We demonstrate that plant–bacterium binary-association assays inform the design of small synthetic communities with predictable phenotypes in the host. Specifically, we constructed synthetic communities that modified phosphate accumulation in the shoot and induced phosphate starvation–responsive genes in a predictable fashion. We found that bacterial colonization of the plant is not a predictor of the plant phenotypes we analyzed. Finally, we demonstrated that characterizing a subset of all possible bacterial synthetic communities is sufficient to predict the outcome of untested bacterial consortia. Our results demonstrate that it is possible to infer causal relationships between microbiota membership and host phenotypes and to use these inferences to rationally design novel communities

Homeostatic apoptosis prevents competition-induced atrophy in follicular B cells

While the intrinsic apoptosis pathway is thought to play a central role in shaping the B cell lineage, its precise role in mature B cell homeostasis remains elusive. Using mice in which mature B cells are unable to undergo apoptotic cell death, we show that apoptosis constrains follicular B (FoB) cell lifespan but plays no role in marginal zone B (MZB) cell homeostasis. In these mice, FoB cells accumulate abnormally. This intensifies intercellular competition for BAFF, resulting in a contraction of the MZB cell compartment, and reducing the growth, trafficking, and fitness of FoB cells. Diminished BAFF signaling dampens the non-canonical NF-κB pathway, undermining FoB cell growth despite the concurrent triggering of a protective p53 response. Thus, MZB and FoB cells exhibit a differential requirement for the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. Homeostatic apoptosis constrains the size of the FoB cell compartment, thereby preventing competition-induced FoB cell atrophy.Stéphane Chappaz, Kate McArthur, Liam Kealy, Charity W. Law, Maximilien Tailler, Rachael M. Lane ... et al