1,875 research outputs found
Modelling Disorder: the Cases of Wetting and DNA Denaturation
We study the effect of the composition of the genetic sequence on the melting
temperature of double stranded DNA, using some simple analytically solvable
models proposed in the framework of the wetting problem. We review previous
work on disordered versions of these models and solve them when there were not
preexistent solutions. We check the solutions with Monte Carlo simulations and
transfer matrix numerical calculations. We present numerical evidence that
suggests that the logarithmic corrections to the critical temperature due to
disorder, previously found in RSOS models, apply more generally to ASOS and
continuous models. The agreement between the theoretical models and
experimental data shows that, in this context, disorder should be the crucial
ingredient of any model while other aspects may be kept very simple, an
approach that can be useful for a wider class of problems. Our work has also
implications for the existence of correlations in DNA sequences.Comment: Final published version. Title and discussion modified. 6 pages, 3
figure
Dependence on temperature and GC content of bubble length distributions in DNA
We present numerical results on the temperature dependence of the
distribution of bubble lengths in DNA segments of various guanine-cytosine (GC)
concentrations. Base-pair openings are described by the Peyrard-Bishop-Dauxois
model and the corresponding thermal equilibrium distributions of bubbles are
obtained through Monte Carlo calculations for bubble sizes up to the order of a
hundred base pairs. The dependence of the parameters of bubble length
distribution on temperature and the GC content is investigated. We provide
simple expressions which approximately describe these relations. The variation
of the average bubble length is also presented. We find a temperature
dependence of the exponent c that appears in the distribution of bubble
lengths. If an analogous dependence exists in the loop entropy exponent of real
DNA, it may be relevant to understand overstretching in force-extension
experiments.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures. Published on The Journal of Chemical Physic
Electrochemical behavior of Sn-Zn alloys with different grain structures in chloride-containing solutions
In the present research the electrochemical behavior of the Sn-Zn alloys (Sn-1 wt.%Zn, Sn-4 wt.%Zn and 8.9 wt.%Zn) in 3% NaCl solution is analyzed using potentiodynamic cyclic polarization measurements and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) technique. Specimens were longitudinally solidified with simultaneous heat extraction in two opposite directions. Working electrodes were constructed using longitudinal and cross sections of the specimens with both types of structure: columnar and equiaxed. Results obtained from the polarization curves indicated that the two types of grain structures of Sn-Zn alloys (Sn-1 wt.%Zn, Sn-4 wt.%Zn and Sn-8.9 wt.%Zn) corresponding to longitudinal section present a pseudo passive zone. In the case of specimens from cross sections of the samples, the columnar and equiaxed zones of Sn-8.9 wt.%Zn are the only ones that do not have this pseudo passive region. In addition, the interdendritic zone of alloys is susceptible to corrosion by dealloying because this phase is zinc-rich. This type of corrosion also occurs in the zinc rich lamellar structure present in the eutectic. The percentage of zinc in the alloy increases with increasing susceptibility to pitting corrosion. The EIS values obtained revealed that the susceptibility to corrosion increases with increasing zinc content in alloys, for both the columnar and equiaxed zones. In addition, the columnar zones of Sn-4 wt.%Zn and Sn-8.9 wt.%Zn specimens are more resistant to corrosion than the equiaxed grain specimens. However, the equiaxed zone of Sn-1 wt.%Zn alloy is less susceptible to corrosion than the columnar zone. After adjustment by equivalent circuits it is revealed that the equiaxed zone of Sn-8.9 wt.%Zn alloy has a second porous layer composed of corrosion products on the electrode surface.Fil: Mendez, Claudia Marcela. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Materiales de Misiones. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Instituto de Materiales de Misiones; ArgentinaFil: Scheiber, Verónica L.. Provincia de Misiones. Comité de Desarrollo e Innovación Tecnológica. Centro de Desarrollo e Innovación Tecnológica; ArgentinaFil: Rozicki, Roberto S.. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Kociubczyk, Alex Iván. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Materiales de Misiones. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Instituto de Materiales de Misiones; ArgentinaFil: Ares, Alicia Esther. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Materiales de Misiones. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Instituto de Materiales de Misiones; Argentin
Theory of Bubble Nucleation and Cooperativity in DNA Melting
The onset of intermediate states (denaturation bubbles) and their role during
the melting transition of DNA are studied using the Peyrard-Bishop-Daxuois
model by Monte Carlo simulations with no adjustable parameters. Comparison is
made with previously published experimental results finding excellent
agreement. Melting curves, critical DNA segment length for stability of bubbles
and the possibility of a two states transition are studied.Comment: 4 figures. Accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter
Super-roughening as a disorder-dominated flat phase
We study the phenomenon of super-roughening found on surfaces growing on
disordered substrates. We consider a one-dimensional version of the problem for
which the pure, ordered model exhibits a roughening phase transition. Extensive
numerical simulations combined with analytical approximations indicate that
super-roughening is a regime of asymptotically flat surfaces with non-trivial,
rough short-scale features arising from the competition between surface tension
and disorder. Based on this evidence and on previous simulations of the
two-dimensional Random sine-Gordon model [Sanchez et al., Phys. Rev. E 62, 3219
(2000)], we argue that this scenario is general and explains equally well the
hitherto poorly understood two-dimensional case.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in Europhysics Letter
Hidden structure in the randomness of the prime number sequence?
We report a rigorous theory to show the origin of the unexpected periodic
behavior seen in the consecutive differences between prime numbers. We also
check numerically our findings to ensure that they hold for finite sequences of
primes, that would eventually appear in applications. Finally, our theory
allows us to link with three different but important topics: the
Hardy-Littlewood conjecture, the statistical mechanics of spin systems, and the
celebrated Sierpinski fractal.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures. New section establishing connection with the
Hardy-Littlewood theory. Published in the journal where the solved problem
was first describe
SiGe quantum dots for fast hole spin Rabi oscillations
We report on hole g-factor measurements in three terminal SiGe self-assembled
quantum dot devices with a top gate electrode positioned very close to the
nanostructure. Measurements of both the perpendicular as well as the parallel
g-factor reveal significant changes for a small modulation of the top gate
voltage. From the observed modulations we estimate that, for realistic
experimental conditions, hole spins can be electrically manipulated with Rabi
frequencies in the order of 100MHz. This work emphasises the potential of
hole-based nano-devices for efficient spin manipulation by means of the
g-tensor modulation technique
Second order equation of motion for electromagnetic radiation back-reaction
We take the viewpoint that the physically acceptable solutions of the
Lorentz--Dirac equation for radiation back-reaction are actually determined by
a second order equation of motion, the self-force being given as a function of
spacetime location and velocity. We propose three different methods to obtain
this self-force function. For two example systems, we determine the second
order equation of motion exactly in the nonrelativistic regime via each of
these three methods, the three methods leading to the same result. We reveal
that, for both systems considered, back-reaction induces a damping proportional
to velocity and, in addition, it decreases the effect of the external force.Comment: 13 page
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