130 research outputs found
Common physical framework explains phase behavior and dynamics of atomic, molecular, and polymeric network formers
We show that the self-assembly of a diverse collection of building blocks can be understood within a common physical framework. These building blocks, which form periodic honeycomb networks and nonperiodic variants thereof, range in size from atoms to micron-scale polymers and interact through mechanisms as different as hydrogen bonds and covalent forces. A combination of statistical mechanics and quantum mechanics shows that one can capture the physics that governs the assembly of these networks by resolving only the geometry and strength of building-block interactions. The resulting framework reproduces a broad range of phenomena seen experimentally, including periodic and nonperiodic networks in thermal equilibrium, and nonperiodic supercooled and glassy networks away from equilibrium. Our results show how simple “design criteria” control the assembly of a wide variety of networks and suggest that kinetic trapping can be a useful way of making functional assemblies
Cooperative Behavior of Kinetically Constrained Lattice Gas Models of Glassy Dynamics
Kinetically constrained lattice models of glasses introduced by Kob and
Andersen (KA) are analyzed. It is proved that only two behaviors are possible
on hypercubic lattices: either ergodicity at all densities or trivial
non-ergodicity, depending on the constraint parameter and the dimensionality.
But in the ergodic cases, the dynamics is shown to be intrinsically cooperative
at high densities giving rise to glassy dynamics as observed in simulations.
The cooperativity is characterized by two length scales whose behavior controls
finite-size effects: these are essential for interpreting simulations. In
contrast to hypercubic lattices, on Bethe lattices KA models undergo a
dynamical (jamming) phase transition at a critical density: this is
characterized by diverging time and length scales and a discontinuous jump in
the long-time limit of the density autocorrelation function. By analyzing
generalized Bethe lattices (with loops) that interpolate between hypercubic
lattices and standard Bethe lattices, the crossover between the dynamical
transition that exists on these lattices and its absence in the hypercubic
lattice limit is explored. Contact with earlier results are made via analysis
of the related Fredrickson-Andersen models, followed by brief discussions of
universality, of other approaches to glass transitions, and of some issues
relevant for experiments.Comment: 59 page
Jamming percolation and glassy dynamics
We present a detailed physical analysis of the dynamical glass-jamming
transition which occurs for the so called Knight models recently introduced and
analyzed in a joint work with D.S.Fisher \cite{letterTBF}. Furthermore, we
review some of our previous works on Kinetically Constrained Models.
The Knights models correspond to a new class of kinetically constrained
models which provide the first example of finite dimensional models with an
ideal glass-jamming transition. This is due to the underlying percolation
transition of particles which are mutually blocked by the constraints. This
jamming percolation has unconventional features: it is discontinuous (i.e. the
percolating cluster is compact at the transition) and the typical size of the
clusters diverges faster than any power law when . These
properties give rise for Knight models to an ergodicity breaking transition at
: at and above a finite fraction of the system is frozen. In
turn, this finite jump in the density of frozen sites leads to a two step
relaxation for dynamic correlations in the unjammed phase, analogous to that of
glass forming liquids. Also, due to the faster than power law divergence of the
dynamical correlation length, relaxation times diverge in a way similar to the
Vogel-Fulcher law.Comment: Submitted to the special issue of Journal of Statistical Physics on
Spin glasses and related topic
Remembering the work of Phillip L. Geissler: A coda to his scientific trajectory
Phillip L. Geissler made important contributions to the statistical mechanics
of biological polymers, heterogeneous materials, and chemical dynamics in
aqueous environments. He devised analytical and computational methods that
revealed the underlying organization of complex systems at the frontiers of
biology, chemistry, and materials science. In this retrospective, we celebrate
his work at these frontiers
Applications of Field-Theoretic Renormalization Group Methods to Reaction-Diffusion Problems
We review the application of field-theoretic renormalization group (RG)
methods to the study of fluctuations in reaction-diffusion problems. We first
investigate the physical origin of universality in these systems, before
comparing RG methods to other available analytic techniques, including exact
solutions and Smoluchowski-type approximations. Starting from the microscopic
reaction-diffusion master equation, we then pedagogically detail the mapping to
a field theory for the single-species reaction k A -> l A (l < k). We employ
this particularly simple but non-trivial system to introduce the
field-theoretic RG tools, including the diagrammatic perturbation expansion,
renormalization, and Callan-Symanzik RG flow equation. We demonstrate how these
techniques permit the calculation of universal quantities such as density decay
exponents and amplitudes via perturbative eps = d_c - d expansions with respect
to the upper critical dimension d_c. With these basics established, we then
provide an overview of more sophisticated applications to multiple species
reactions, disorder effects, L'evy flights, persistence problems, and the
influence of spatial boundaries. We also analyze field-theoretic approaches to
nonequilibrium phase transitions separating active from absorbing states. We
focus particularly on the generic directed percolation universality class, as
well as on the most prominent exception to this class: even-offspring branching
and annihilating random walks. Finally, we summarize the state of the field and
present our perspective on outstanding problems for the future.Comment: 10 figures include
Roadmap on Machine learning in electronic structure
AbstractIn recent years, we have been witnessing a paradigm shift in computational materials science. In fact, traditional methods, mostly developed in the second half of the XXth century, are being complemented, extended, and sometimes even completely replaced by faster, simpler, and often more accurate approaches. The new approaches, that we collectively label by machine learning, have their origins in the fields of informatics and artificial intelligence, but are making rapid inroads in all other branches of science. With this in mind, this Roadmap article, consisting of multiple contributions from experts across the field, discusses the use of machine learning in materials science, and share perspectives on current and future challenges in problems as diverse as the prediction of materials properties, the construction of force-fields, the development of exchange correlation functionals for density-functional theory, the solution of the many-body problem, and more. In spite of the already numerous and exciting success stories, we are just at the beginning of a long path that will reshape materials science for the many challenges of the XXIth century
Residues Clustered in the Light-Sensing Knot of Phytochrome B are Necessary for Conformer-Specific Binding to Signaling Partner PIF3
The bHLH transcription factor, PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 3 (PIF3), interacts specifically with the photoactivated, Pfr, form of Arabidopsis phytochrome B (phyB). This interaction induces PIF3 phosphorylation and degradation in vivo and modulates phyB-mediated seedling deetiolation in response to red light. To identify missense mutations in the phyB N-terminal domain that disrupt this interaction, we developed a yeast reverse-hybrid screen. Fifteen individual mutations identified in this screen, or in previous genetic screens for Arabidopsis mutants showing reduced sensitivity to red light, were shown to also disrupt light-induced binding of phyB to PIF3 in in vitro co-immunoprecipitation assays. These phyB missense mutants fall into two general classes: Class I (eleven mutants) containing those defective in light signal perception, due to aberrant chromophore attachment or photoconversion, and Class II (four mutants) containing those normal in signal perception, but defective in the capacity to transduce this signal to PIF3. By generating a homology model for the three-dimensional structure of the Arabidopsis phyB chromophore-binding region, based on the crystal structure of Deinococcus radiodurans phytochrome, we predict that three of the four Class II mutated phyB residues are solvent exposed in a cleft between the presumptive PAS and GAF domains. This deduction suggests that these residues could be directly required for the physical interaction of phyB with PIF3. Because these three residues are also necessary for phyB-imposed inhibition of hypocotyl elongation in response to red light, they are functionally necessary for signal transfer from photoactivated phyB, not only to PIF3 and other related bHLH transcription factors tested here, but also to other downstream signaling components involved in regulating seedling deetiolation
FHY1 Mediates Nuclear Import of the Light-Activated Phytochrome A Photoreceptor
The phytochrome (phy) family of photoreceptors is of crucial importance throughout the life cycle of higher plants. Light-induced nuclear import is required for most phytochrome responses. Nuclear accumulation of phyA is dependent on two related proteins called FHY1 (Far-red elongated HYpocotyl 1) and FHL (FHY1 Like), with FHY1 playing the predominant function. The transcription of FHY1 and FHL are controlled by FHY3 (Far-red elongated HYpocotyl 3) and FAR1 (FAr-red impaired Response 1), a related pair of transcription factors, which thus indirectly control phyA nuclear accumulation. FHY1 and FHL preferentially interact with the light-activated form of phyA, but the mechanism by which they enable photoreceptor accumulation in the nucleus remains unsolved. Sequence comparison of numerous FHY1-related proteins indicates that only the NLS located at the N-terminus and the phyA-interaction domain located at the C-terminus are conserved. We demonstrate that these two parts of FHY1 are sufficient for FHY1 function. phyA nuclear accumulation is inhibited in the presence of high levels of FHY1 variants unable to enter the nucleus. Furthermore, nuclear accumulation of phyA becomes light- and FHY1-independent when an NLS sequence is fused to phyA, strongly suggesting that FHY1 mediates nuclear import of light-activated phyA. In accordance with this idea, FHY1 and FHY3 become functionally dispensable in seedlings expressing a constitutively nuclear version of phyA. Our data suggest that the mechanism uncovered in Arabidopsis is conserved in higher plants. Moreover, this mechanism allows us to propose a model explaining why phyA needs a specific nuclear import pathway
Roadmap on Machine learning in electronic structure
In recent years, we have been witnessing a paradigm shift in computational materials science. In fact, traditional methods, mostly developed in the second half of the XXth century, are being complemented, extended, and sometimes even completely replaced by faster, simpler, and often more accurate approaches. The new approaches, that we collectively label by machine learning, have their origins in the fields of informatics and artificial intelligence, but are making rapid inroads in all other branches of science. With this in mind, this Roadmap article, consisting of multiple contributions from experts across the field, discusses the use of machine learning in materials science, and share perspectives on current and future challenges in problems as diverse as the prediction of materials properties, the construction of force-fields, the development of exchange correlation functionals for density-functional theory, the solution of the many-body problem, and more. In spite of the already numerous and exciting success stories, we are just at the beginning of a long path that will reshape materials science for the many challenges of the XXIth century.</p
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