The improbable event of spontaneous cell rejuvenation

Unlike most other laws of nature, the second law of thermodynamics is of a statistical nature, according to Boltzmann, meaning that its reliability arises from the vast number of particles present in macroscopic systems. This means that such systems will lead towards their most likely state, that is, the one with the most homogeneous probability distribution. However, Boltzmann states that entropy-decreasing processes can occur (without doing any work) - it is just very improbable. It is therefore not impossible, in principle, for all 6 x 10^23 atoms in a mole of a gas to spontaneously move to one half of a container; it is only fantastically unlikely. A similar idea has here been applied to a human cell. All somatic cells seem to age and deteriorate in unfavorable conditions. If the ageing process is defined as the accumulation of dysfunctional polymers resulting from, among other things, chemical bond breakage, where polymers aggregate into harmful arrangements, spreading out randomly in the cell and leading to an altered function, then it also applies that there will be a difference in entropy between, for instance, a 20-year old individual and the same individual at age 80. The goal of this article is to demonstrate that the second law does not tell us that the cell necessarily must go toward a high entropy state and stay that way but that it is possible - according to statistical mechanics - for an old cell to experience a return to a younger state. We find the probability of this spontaneous return to a more ordered state to be expressed by P = 10^(-202)^(-889). In spite of this number, it does show that a reversal of the ageing process is not prohibited by nature. There is a theoretical possibility of rejuvenation. Whether this will ever become a practical reality is another matter

Violation of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem in glassy systems: basic notions and the numerical evidence

This review reports on the research done during the past years on violations of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem (FDT) in glassy systems. It is focused on the existence of a quasi-fluctuation-dissipation theorem (QFDT) in glassy systems and the currently supporting knowledge gained from numerical simulation studies. It covers a broad range of non-stationary aging and stationary driven systems such as structural-glasses, spin-glasses, coarsening systems, ferromagnetic models at criticality, trap models, models with entropy barriers, kinetically constrained models, sheared systems and granular media. The review is divided into four main parts: 1) An introductory section explaining basic notions related to the existence of the FDT in equilibrium and its possible extension to the glassy regime (QFDT), 2) A description of the basic analytical tools and results derived in the framework of some exactly solvable models, 3) A detailed report of the current evidence in favour of the QFDT and 4) A brief digression on the experimental evidence in its favour. This review is intended for inexpert readers who want to learn about the basic notions and concepts related to the existence of the QFDT as well as for the more expert readers who may be interested in more specific results.Comment: 120 pages, 37 figures. Topical review paper . Several typos and misprints corrected, new references included and others updated. to be published in J. Phys. A (Math. Gen.

The effective temperature

This review presents the effective temperature notion as defined from the deviations from the equilibrium fluctuation-dissipation theorem in out of equilibrium systems with slow dynamics. The thermodynamic meaning of this quantity is discussed in detail. Analytic, numeric and experimental measurements are surveyed. Open issues are mentioned.Comment: 58 page

What is the temperature of a granular medium?

In this paper we discuss whether thermodynamical concepts and in particular the notion of temperature could be relevant for the dynamics of granular systems. We briefly review how a temperature-like quantity can be defined and measured in granular media in very different regimes, namely the glassy-like, the liquid-like and the granular gas. The common denominator will be given by the Fluctuation-Dissipation Theorem, whose validity is explored by means of both numerical and experimental techniques. It turns out that, although a definition of a temperature is possible in all cases, its interpretation is far from being obvious. We discuss the possible perspectives both from the theoretical and, more importantly, from the experimental point of view

Temperature in and out of equilibrium: a review of concepts, tools and attempts

We review the general aspects of the concept of temperature in equilibrium and non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. Although temperature is an old and well-established notion, it still presents controversial facets. After a short historical survey of the key role of temperature in thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, we tackle a series of issues which have been recently reconsidered. In particular, we discuss different definitions and their relevance for energy fluctuations. The interest in such a topic has been triggered by the recent observation of negative temperatures in condensed matter experiments. Moreover, the ability to manipulate systems at the micro and nano-scale urges to understand and clarify some aspects related to the statistical properties of small systems (as the issue of temperature's "fluctuations"). We also discuss the notion of temperature in a dynamical context, within the theory of linear response for Hamiltonian systems at equilibrium and stochastic models with detailed balance, and the generalised fluctuation-response relations, which provide a hint for an extension of the definition of temperature in far-from-equilibrium systems. To conclude we consider non-Hamiltonian systems, such as granular materials, turbulence and active matter, where a general theoretical framework is still lacking.Comment: Review article, 137 pages, 12 figure

New Class of Generalized Extensive Entropies for Studying Dynamical Systems in Highly Anisotropic Phase Space

Starting from the geometrical interpretation of the R\'enyi entropy, we introduce further extensive generalizations and study their properties. In particular, we found the probability distribution function obtained by the MaxEnt principle with generalized entropies. We prove that for a large class of dynamical systems subject to random perturbations, including particle transport in random media, these entropies play the role of Liapunov functionals. Some physical examples, which can be treated by the generalized R\'enyi entropies are also illustrated.Comment: 13 pages, 0 figure

Weak ergodicity breaking induced by global memory effects

We study the phenomenon of weak ergodicity breaking for a class of globally correlated random walk dynamics defined over a finite set of states. The persistence in a given state or the transition to another one depends on the whole previous temporal history of the system. A set of waiting time distributions, associated to each state, set the random times between consecutive steps. Their mean value is finite for all states. The probability density of time-averaged observables is obtained for different memory mechanisms. This statistical object explicitly shows departures between time and ensemble averages. While the mean residence time in each state may result divergent, we demonstrate that this condition is in general not necessary for breaking ergodicity. Hence, global memory effects are an alternative mechanism able to induce this property. Analytical and numerical calculations support these results.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure

Fluctuation theorem for non-equilibrium relaxational systems driven by external forces

We discuss an extension of the fluctuation theorem to stochastic models that, in the limit of zero external drive, are not able to equilibrate with their environment, extending results presented by Sellitto (cond-mat/9809186). We show that if the entropy production rate is suitably defined, its probability distribution function verifies the Fluctuation Relation with the ambient temperature replaced by a (frequency-dependent) effective temperature. We derive modified Green-Kubo relations. We illustrate these results with the simple example of an oscillator coupled to a nonequilibrium bath driven by an external force. We discuss the relevance of our results for driven glasses and the diffusion of Brownian particles in out of equilibrium media and propose a concrete experimental strategy to measure the low frequency value of the effective temperature using the fluctuations of the work done by an ac conservative field. We compare our results to related ones that appeared in the literature recently.Comment: 39 pages, 6 figure