Investigation of DNA denaturation from generalized Morse potential

International audienceIn this paper, we present a non-linear model for the study of DNA denaturation transition. To this end, we assume that the double-strands DNA interact via a realistic generalized Morse potential that reproduces well the features of the real interaction. Using the Transfer Matrix Method, based on the resolution of a Schrödinger equation, we first determine exactly their solution, which are found to be bound states. Second, from an exact expression of the ground state, we compute the denaturation temperature and the free energy density, in terms of the parameters of the potential. Then, we calculate the contact probability, which is the probability to find the double-strands at a (finite) distance apart, from which we determine the behaviour of the mean-distance between DNA-strands. The main conclusion is that, the present analytical study reveals that the generalized Morse potential is a good candidate for the study of DNA denaturation

Polymer nanocomposites from natural clay: Understanding clay-PEG interaction and their effect on spacing between clay-plates

International audienceThe interactions between clay-plates and hydrophilic polymer are investigated assuming that the polyethylene glycol chains are grafted onto face-to-face clay-plates. Besides the usual van der Waals attractive interaction, the clay-plates experience a repulsive effective interaction, due to the excluded volume force between monomers along the grafted PEG chains. The face-to-face clay-plates then play the role of polymer brushes. The free energy (per unit area) of a clay-plate pair is the sum of these interactions, and from its expression, we determine the minimal inter-sheet distance, after intercalation, which corresponds to a critical percentage of PEG. Finally, our results are found to be in good agreement with some recent experimental work

Surface-mediated attraction between colloids

We investigate the equilibrium properties of a colloidal solution in contact with a soft interface. As a result of symmetry breaking, surface effects are generally prevailing in confined colloidal systems. In this Letter, particular emphasis is given to surface fluctuations and their consequences on the local (re)organization of the suspension. It is shown that particles experience a significant effective interaction in the vicinity of the interface. This potential of mean force is always attractive, with range controlled by the surface correlation length. We suggest that, under some circumstances, surface-induced attraction may have a strong influence on the local particle distribution

A synthesis and characterization of lanthanum potassium niobate oxide with tetragonal tungsten bronze (TTB) type structure

The main aim of this study is to lower the reaction and sintering temperatures of K2LaNb5O15 in order to improve the quality of this material. The K2LaNb5O15 compound has been synthetized by soft chemistry (coprecipitation) and its physico-chemical properties were studied.This method permits the synthesis of chemical purty, fine powder materials with good crystallization at low temperatures.The main aim of this study is to lower the reaction and sintering temperatures of K2LaNb5O15 in order to improve the quality of this material. The K2LaNb5O15 compound has been synthetized by soft chemistry (coprecipitation) and its physico-chemical properties were studied.This method permits the synthesis of chemical purty, fine powder materials with good crystallization at low temperatures

Statistical mechanics of a colloidal suspension in contact with a fluctuating membrane

Surface effects are generally prevailing in confined colloidal systems. Here we report on dispersed nanoparticles close to a fluid membrane. Exact results regarding the static organization are derived for a dilute solution of non-adhesive colloids. It is shown that thermal fluctuations of the membrane broaden the density profile, but on average colloids are neither accumulated nor depleted near the surface. The radial correlation function is also evaluated, from which we obtain the effective pair-potential between colloids. This entropically-driven interaction shares many similarities with the familiar depletion interaction. It is shown to be always attractive with range controlled by the membrane correlation length. The depth of the potential well is comparable to the thermal energy, but depends only indirectly upon membrane rigidity. Consequenses for stability of the suspension are also discussed

Certainty Closure: Reliable Constraint Reasoning with Incomplete or Erroneous Data

Constraint Programming (CP) has proved an effective paradigm to model and solve difficult combinatorial satisfaction and optimisation problems from disparate domains. Many such problems arising from the commercial world are permeated by data uncertainty. Existing CP approaches that accommodate uncertainty are less suited to uncertainty arising due to incomplete and erroneous data, because they do not build reliable models and solutions guaranteed to address the user's genuine problem as she perceives it. Other fields such as reliable computation offer combinations of models and associated methods to handle these types of uncertain data, but lack an expressive framework characterising the resolution methodology independently of the model. We present a unifying framework that extends the CP formalism in both model and solutions, to tackle ill-defined combinatorial problems with incomplete or erroneous data. The certainty closure framework brings together modelling and solving methodologies from different fields into the CP paradigm to provide reliable and efficient approches for uncertain constraint problems. We demonstrate the applicability of the framework on a case study in network diagnosis. We define resolution forms that give generic templates, and their associated operational semantics, to derive practical solution methods for reliable solutions.Comment: Revised versio

Renormalization and Hyperscaling for Self-Avoiding Manifold Models

The renormalizability of the self-avoiding manifold (SAM) Edwards model is established. We use a new short distance multilocal operator product expansion (MOPE), which extends methods of local field theories to a large class of models with non-local singular interactions. This validates the direct renormalization method introduced before, as well as scaling laws. A new general hyperscaling relation for the configuration exponent gamma is derived. Manifolds at the Theta-point, and long range Coulomb interactions are briefly discussed.Comment: 10 pages + 1 figure, TeX + harvmac & epsf (uuencoded file), SPhT/93-07

Long-term treatment of postmenopausal osteoporotic women with strontium ranelate : results at 10 years

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