On classical string configurations

Equations which define classical configurations of strings in $R^3$ are presented in a simple form. General properties as well as particular classes of solutions of these equations are considered.Comment: 10 pages, Latex, no figures, trivial corrections, submitted to Modern Physics Letters

Force Modulating Dynamic Disorder: Physical Theory of Catch-slip bond Transitions in Receptor-Ligand Forced Dissociation Experiments

Recently experiments showed that some adhesive receptor-ligand complexes increase their lifetimes when they are stretched by mechanical force, while the force increase beyond some thresholds their lifetimes decrease. Several specific chemical kinetic models have been developed to explain the intriguing transitions from the "catch-bonds" to the "slip-bonds". In this work we suggest that the counterintuitive forced dissociation of the complexes is a typical rate process with dynamic disorder. An uniform one-dimension force modulating Agmon-Hopfield model is used to quantitatively describe the transitions observed in the single bond P-selctin glycoprotein ligand 1(PSGL-1)$-$P-selectin forced dissociation experiments, which were respectively carried out on the constant force [Marshall, {\it et al.}, (2003) Nature {\bf 423}, 190-193] and the force steady- or jump-ramp [Evans {\it et al.}, (2004) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA {\bf 98}, 11281-11286] modes. Our calculation shows that the novel catch-slip bond transition arises from a competition of the two components of external applied force along the dissociation reaction coordinate and the complex conformational coordinate: the former accelerates the dissociation by lowering the height of the energy barrier between the bound and free states (slip), while the later stabilizes the complex by dragging the system to the higher barrier height (catch).Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, submitte

Theory on quench-induced pattern formation: Application to the isotropic to smectic-A phase transitions

During catastrophic processes of environmental variations of a thermodynamic system, such as rapid temperature decreasing, many novel and complex patterns often form. To understand such phenomena, a general mechanism is proposed based on the competition between heat transfer and conversion of heat to other energy forms. We apply it to the smectic-A filament growth process during quench-induced isotropic to smectic-A phase transition. Analytical forms for the buckling patterns are derived and we find good agreement with experimental observation [Phys. Rev. {\bf E55} (1997) 1655]. The present work strongly indicates that rapid cooling will lead to structural transitions in the smectic-A filament at the molecular level to optimize heat conversion. The force associated with this pattern formation process is estimated to be in the order of $10^{-1}$ piconewton.Comment: 9 pages in RevTex form, with 3 postscript figures. Accepted by PR

Numerical observation of non-axisymmetric vesicles in fluid membranes

By means of Surface Evolver (Exp. Math,1,141 1992), a software package of brute-force energy minimization over a triangulated surface developed by the geometry center of University of Minnesota, we have numerically searched the non-axisymmetric shapes under the Helfrich spontaneous curvature (SC) energy model. We show for the first time there are abundant mechanically stable non-axisymmetric vesicles in SC model, including regular ones with intrinsic geometric symmetry and complex irregular ones. We report in this paper several interesting shapes including a corniculate shape with six corns, a quadri-concave shape, a shape resembling sickle cells, and a shape resembling acanthocytes. As far as we know, these shapes have not been theoretically obtained by any curvature model before. In addition, the role of the spontaneous curvature in the formation of irregular crenated vesicles has been studied. The results shows a positive spontaneous curvature may be a necessary condition to keep an irregular crenated shape being mechanically stable.Comment: RevTex, 14 pages. A hard copy of 8 figures is available on reques

Interpretation of AIRS Data in Thin Cirrus Atmospheres Based on a Fast Radiative Transfer Model

A thin cirrus cloud thermal infrared radiative transfer model has been developed for application to cloudy satellite data assimilation. This radiation model was constructed by combining the Optical Path Transmittance (OPTRAN) model, developed for the speedy calculation of transmittances in clear atmospheres, and a thin cirrus cloud parameterization using a number of observed ice crystal size and shape distributions. Numerical simulations show that cirrus cloudy radiances in the 800–1130-cm^(-1) thermal infrared window are sufficiently sensitive to variations in cirrus optical depth and ice crystal size as well as in ice crystal shape if appropriate habit distribution models are selected a priori for analysis. The parameterization model has been applied to the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on board the Aqua satellite to interpret clear and thin cirrus spectra observed in the thermal infrared window. Five clear and 29 thin cirrus cases at nighttime over and near the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program (ARM) tropical western Pacific (TWP) Manus Island and Nauru Island sites have been chosen for this study. A X^2-minimization program was employed to infer the cirrus optical depth and ice crystal size and shape from the observed AIRS spectra. Independent validation shows that the AIRS-inferred cloud parameters are consistent with those determined from collocated ground-based millimeter-wave cloud radar measurements. The coupled thin cirrus radiative transfer parameterization and OPTRAN, if combined with a reliable thin cirrus detection scheme, can be effectively used to enhance the AIRS data volume for data assimilation in numerical weather prediction models

Primary role of the barely occupied states in the charge density wave formation of NbSe2

NbSe2 is a prototypical charge-density-wave (CDW) material, whose mechanism remains mysterious so far. With angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we mapped out the CDW gap and recovered the long-lost nesting condition over a large broken-honeycomb region in the Brillouin zone, which consists of six saddle band point regions with high density of states (DOS), and large regions away from Fermi surface with negligible DOS at the Fermi energy. We show that the major contributions to the CDW come from these barely occupied states rather than the saddle band points. Our findings not only resolve a long standing puzzle, but also overthrow the conventional wisdom that CDW is dominated by regions with high DOS.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

GWmodelS: a standalone software to train geographically weighted models

With the recent increase in studies on spatial heterogeneity, geographically weighted (GW) models have become an essential set of local techniques, attracting a wide range of users from different domains. In this study, we demonstrate a newly developed standalone GW software, GWmodelS using a community-level house price data set for Wuhan, China. In detail, a number of fundamental GW models are illustrated, including GW descriptive statistics, basic and multiscale GW regression, and GW principle component analysis. Additionally, functionality in spatial data management and batch mapping are presented as essential supplementary activities for GW modeling. The software provides significant advantages in terms of a user-friendly graphical user interface, operational efficiency, and accessibility, which facilitate its usage for users from a wide range of domains

Evolution of the Electronic Structure of 1T-CuxTiSe2

The electronic structure of a new charge-density-wave/ superconductor system, 1T-CuxTiSe2, has been studied by photoemission spectroscopy. A correlated semiconductor band structure is revealed for the undoped case. With Cu doping, the charge density wave is suppressed by the raising of the chemical potential, while the superconductivity is enhanced by the enhancement of the density of states. Moreover, the strong scattering at high doping might be responsible for the suppression of superconductivity in that regime.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Bending and Base-Stacking Interactions in Double-Stranded Semiflexible Polymer

Simple expressions for the bending and the base-stacking energy of double-stranded semiflexible biopolymers (such as DNA and actin) are derived. The distribution of the folding angle between the two strands is obtained by solving a Schr\"{o}dinger equation variationally. Theoretical results based on this model on the extension versus force and extension versus degree of supercoiling relations of DNA chain are in good agreement with the experimental observations of Cluzel {\it et al.} [Science {\bf 271}, 792 (1996)], Smith {\it et al.} [{\it ibid.} {\bf 271}, 795 (1996)], and Strick {\it et al.} [{\it ibid.} {\bf 271}, 1835 (1996)].Comment: 8 pages in Revtex format, with 4 EPS figure