Monomer depletion, pressure difference, and membrane tube radius reduction due to fiber polymerization in microspikes

In many processes vital to life, the growth of biological fibers outwards from a membrane surface naturally produces membrane tube tethers or microspikes in biological cells. Here, we investigate the novel effect of pressure difference (due to monomer depletion) on the polymerization dynamics of biological fibers within long membrane tubes. We crucially find that fiber monomers become depleted close to the growing tip as the fiber polymerizes, thus reducing the local pressure, and hence decreasing the membrane tube radius at the tip. This process is found to slow the growth of the fiber, a process which becomes important when we go on to construct a dynamical theory for biopolymer growth in long, narrow tubes. Our result is interesting in that it emphasizes how "passive" biological transport mechanisms such as via pressure differences may play an important role in cell movements.     

Characterization of mechanical and geometrical properties of a tube with axial and circumferential guided waves

Guided waves propagating in cylindrical tubes are frequently applied for the characterization of material or geometrical properties of tubes. In a tube, guided waves can propagate in the axial direction and called axial guided waves, or in the circumferential direction called circumferential guided waves. Dispersion spectra for the axial and circumferential guided waves share some common behaviors and however exhibit some particular behaviors of their own. This study provides an investigation with theoretical modeling, experimental measurements, and a simplex-based inversion procedure to explore the similarity and difference between the axial guided waves and circumferential guided waves, aiming at providing useful information while axial and circumferential guided waves are applied in the area of material characterization. The sensitivity to the radius curvature for the circumferential guided waves dispersion spectra is a major point that makes circumferential guided waves different from axial guided waves. For the purpose of material characterization, both axial and circumferential guided waves are able to extract an elastic moduli and wall-thickness information from the dispersion spectra, however, radius information can only be extracted from the circumferential guided waves spectra.     

Formation and interaction of membrane tubes

We show that the formation of membrane tubes (or membrane tethers), which is a crucial step in many biological processes, is highly nontrivial and involves first-order shape transitions. The force exerted by an emerging tube is a nonmonotonic function of its length. We point out that tubes attract each other, which eventually leads to their coalescence. We also show that detached tubes behave like semiflexible filaments with a rather short persistence length. We suggest that these properties play an important role in the formation and structure of tubular organelles.     

Phonon and thermal properties of achiral single wall carbon nanotubes

A detailed theoretical study of the phonon and thermal properties of achiral single wall carbon nanotubes has been carried out using force constant model considering up to third nearest-neighbor interactions. We have calculated the phonon dispersions, density of states, radial breathing modes (RBM) and the specific heats for various zigzag and armchair nanotubes, with radii ranging from 2.8 Å to 11.0 Å. A comparative study of phonon spectrum with measured Raman data reveals that the number of Raman active modes for a tube does not depend on the number of atoms present in the unit cell but on its chirality. Calculated phonon modes at the zone center more or less accurately predicted the Raman active modes. The radial breathing mode is of particular interest as for a specific radius of a nanotube it is found to be independent of its chirality. We have also calculated the variation of RBM and G-band modes for tubes of different radii. RBM shows an inverse dependence on the radius of the tube. Finally, the values of specific heat are calculated for various nanotubes at room temperature and it was found that the specific heat shows an exponential dependence on the diameter of the tube.     

A New Cooperation Mechanism of Kinesin Motors when Extracting Membrane Tube

Membrane tubes are important functional elements for riving cells. Experiments have found that membrane tubes can be extracted from giant lipid vesicles by groups of kinesin. How these motors cooperate in extracting the membrane tube is a very important issue but still unclear so far. In this paper, we propose a cooperation mechanism called two-track-dumbbell model, in which kinesin is regarded as a dumbbell with an end （tail domain） tethered on the fluid-like membrane and the other end （head domain） stepping on the microtubule. Taking account of the elasticity of kinesin molecule and the excluded volume effect of both the head domain and the tail domain of kinesin, which are not considered in previous models, we simulate the growth process of the membrane tube pulled by kinesin motors. Our results indicate that in the case of strong or moderate exclusion of motor tails, the average number of motors pulling the tube can be as high as 9 and thus motors moving along a single microtubule protofilament can generate enough force to extract membrane tubes from vesicles. This result is different from previous studies and may be tested by future experiments.     

A New Cooperation Mechanism of Kinesin Motors when Extracting Membrane Tube

Membrane tubes are important functional elements for living cells. Experiments have found that membrane tubes can be extracted from giant lipid vesicles by groups of kinesin. How these motors cooperate in extracting the membrane tube is a very important issue but still unclear so far. In this paper, we propose a cooperation mechanism called two-track-dumbbell model, in which kinesin is regarded as a dumbbell with an end (tail domain) tethered on the fluid-like membrane and the other end (head domain) stepping on the microtubule. Taking account of the elasticity of kinesin molecule and the excluded volume effect of both the head domain and the tail domain of kinesin, which are not considered in previous models, we simulate the growth process of the membrane tube pulled by kinesin motors. Our results indicate that in the case of strong or moderate exclusion of motor tails, the average number of motors pulling the tube can be as high as 9 and thus motors moving along a single microtubule protofilament can generate enough force to extract membrane tubes from vesicles. This result is different from previous studies and may be tested by future experiments.     

Study for the pentaquark potential in SU(3) lattice QCD

We perform the first study of the static pentaquark (5Q) potential V(5Q) in SU(3) quenched lattice QCD with 16(3) x 32 and beta = 6.0. From the 5Q Wilson loop, V(5Q) is calculated in a gauge-invariant manner, with the smearing method to enhance the ground-state component. V(5Q) is well described by the OGE-plus-multi-Y ansatz: a sum of the one-gluon-exchange (OGE) Coulomb term and the multi-Y-type linear term proportional to the minimal total length of the flux tube linking the five quarks. Comparing with QQ and3Q potentials, we find a universality of the string tension, sigma(QQ) approximately sigma(3Q) approximately sigma(5Q), and the OGE result for Coulomb coefficients.     

Anisotropic packing and one-dimensional fluctuations of C60 molecules in carbon nanotubes

The confinement of a C60 molecule encapsulated in a cylindrical nanotube depends on the tube radius. In small tubes with radius RT approximately < 7 A, a fivefold axis of the molecule coincides with the tube axis. The interaction between C60 molecules in the nanotube is then described by a O2-rotor model on a 1D liquid chain with coupling between orientational and displacive correlations. This coupling leads to chain contraction. The structure factor of the 1D liquid is derived. In tubes with a larger radius the molecular centers of mass are displaced off the tube axis. The distinction of two groups of peapods with on- and off-axis molecules suggests an explanation of the apparent splitting of Ag modes of C60 in nanotubes measured by resonant Raman scattering.     

Fluctuation spectrum of fluid membranes coupled to an elastic meshwork: jump of the effective surface tension at the mesh size

We identify a class of composite membranes: fluid bilayers coupled to an elastic meshwork that are such that the meshwork's energy is a function F(el)[A(xi)] not of the real microscopic membrane area A, but of a smoothed membrane's area A(xi), which corresponds to the area of the membrane coarse grained at the mesh size xi. We show that the meshwork modifies the membrane tension sigma both below and above the scale xi, inducing a steep crossover of amplitude deltasigma=dF(el)/dA(xi). The predictions of our model account for the fluctuation spectrum of red blood cell membranes coupled to their cytoskeleton. Our results indicate that the cytoskeleton might be under extensional stress, which would provide a means to regulate available membrane areas. We also predict an observable tension jump for membranes decorated with polymer "brushes."     

Force barriers for membrane tube formation

We used optical tweezers to measure the force-extension curve for the formation of tubes from giant vesicles. We show that a significant force barrier exists for the formation of tubes, which increases linearly with the radius of the area on which the pulling force is exerted. The tubes form through a first-order transition with accompanying hysteresis. We confirm these results with Monte Carlo simulations and theoretical calculations. Whether membrane tubes can be formed in, for example, biological cells, thus depends on the details of how forces are applied.     

Size-dependent surface tension of a cylindrical nanobubble in liquid Ar

In view of the continued disputes on the fundamental question of whether the surface tension of a vapour bubble in liquid argon increases,or decreases,or remains unchanged with the increase of curvature radius,a cylindrical vapour bubble of argon is studied by molecular dynamics simulation in this paper instead of spherical vapour bubble so as to reduce the statistical error.So far,the surface tension of the cylindrical vapour bubble has not been studied by molecular dynamics simulation in the literature.Our results show that the surface tension decreases with radius increasing.By fitting the Tolman equation with our data,the Tolman length δ = -0.6225 sigma is given under cut-off radius 2.5σ,where σ = 0.3405 nm is the diameter of an argon atom.The Tolman length of Ar being negative is affirmed and the Tolman length of Ar being approximately zero given in the literature is negated,and it is pointed out that this error is attributed to the application of the inapplicable empirical equation of state and the neglect of the difference between surface tension and an equimolar surface.     

Disjoining pressure of discrete surface charges on thin aqueous films

The disjoining pressure of charged parallel interfaces confining an electrolyte solution is to a large extent determined by the screening clouds of the surface charges. We evaluate the pressure in terms of the number density sigma of discrete charges and film thickness d and find, at sigmad(2) approximately 1, a crossover from the well-known law P approximately sigma(2) to a linear behavior P approximately sigma. For the latter case, each surface charge results in strongly inhomogeneous pressure profiles at both interfaces.     

Three-Quark Potential in SU(3) Lattice QCD

The static three-quark ( 3Q) potential is studied in SU(3) lattice QCD with 12(3)x24 and beta = 5.7 at the quenched level. From the 3Q Wilson loop, 3Q ground-state potential V(3Q) is extracted using the smearing technique for ground-state enhancement. With accuracy better than a few percent, V(3Q) is well described by a sum of a constant, the two-body Coulomb term, and the three-body linear confinement term sigma(3Q)L(min), with L(min) the minimal value of total length of color flux tubes linking the three quarks. Comparing with the Q-&Qmacr; potential, we find a universal feature of the string tension, sigma(3Q) approximately sigma(Q&Qmacr;), and the OGE result for Coulomb coefficients, A(3Q) approximately 1 / 2A(Q&Qmacr;).     

Size-dependent surface tension of cylindrical nano-bubble in liquid Ar

In view of the continued disputes on the fundamental question whether the surface tension of vapour bubble in liquid argon increases, or decreases, or remains unchanged with the increase of curvature radius, the cylindrical vapour bubble of argon is studied by molecular dynamics simulation in this paper instead of spherical vapour bubble so as to reduce the statistical error. So far the surface tension of the cylindrical vapour bubble has not been studied by molecular dynamics simulation in the literature. Our results show that the surface tension decreases with radius increasing. By fitting Tolman equation with our data, the Tolman length δ =-0.6225 sigma is given under cut-off radius 2.5σ, where σ =0.3405 nm is the diameter of argon atom. The Tolman length of Ar being negative is affirmed and the Tolman length of Ar being approximately zero given in the literature is negated, and it is pointed that this error is attributed to the application of the inapplicable empirical equation of state and the neglect of the difference between surface of tension and equimolar surface.     

Roughness of stylolites: implications of 3D high resolution topography measurements

Stylolites are natural pressure-dissolution surfaces in sedimentary rocks. We present 3D high resolution measurements at laboratory scales of their complex roughness. The topography is shown to be described by a self-affine scaling invariance. At large scales, the Hurst exponent is zeta(1) approximately 0.5 and very different from that at small scales where zeta(2) approximately 1.2. A crossover length scale at around L(c)=1 mm is well characterized. Measurements are consistent with a Langevin equation that describes the growth of a stylolitic interface as a competition between stabilizing long range elastic interactions at large scales or local surface tension effects at small scales and a destabilizing quenched material disorder.     

Molecular dynamic investigation of mechanical properties of armchair and zigzag double-walled carbon nanotubes under various loading conditions

Using molecular dynamic simulation (MDS), effects of chirality and Van der Waals interaction on Young's modulus, elastic compressive modulus, bending, tensile, and compressive stiffness, and critical axial force of double-walled carbon nanotube (DWCNT) and its inner and outer tubes are considered. Achieving the highest safety factor, mechanical properties have been investigated under applied load on both inner and outer tubes simultaneously and on each one of them separately. Results indicate that as a compressive element, DWCNT is more beneficial than single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) since it carries two times higher compression before buckling. Except critical axial pressure and tensile stiffness, in other parameters zigzag DWCNT shows higher amounts than armchair type. Outer tube has lower strength than inner tube; therefore, most reliable design of nanostructures can be attained if the mechanical properties of outer tube taken as the properties of DWCNT.     

Universality in crossover function for convection in fluids with a free surface

We show that in the onset of convection in a thin fluid layer with a free surface, the passage from surface tension driven to buoyancy driven convection with changing thickness of the fluid layer follows a universal curve and can be calculated very accurately using a variational method. We have shown that the balance between surface tension traction to buoyancy force determines the crossover length scale of the fluid which is independent of viscosity or thermal diffusivity. We suggest a scenario near critical point of fluids in which this crossover can be observed.     

Double-walled carbon nanotube with surrounding elastic medium under axial pressure

In this paper, the buckling behavior and critical axial pressure of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) with surrounding elastic medium are investigated. A double-shell (circular cylindrical shell) model is presented and the effects of surrounding elastic medium on the outer tube and the van der Waals forces between two adjacent tubes are taken into account. The analysis and the numerical solution method are based on the classical theory of plates and shells and the Galerkin method. Equations are derived for the critical axial forces and pressures of DWCNTs; the critical axial forces and pressures are calculated for different axial half sine wavenumbers and circumferential sine wavenumbers and compared with those for single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs).Results indicate that the critical axial force of a DWCNT is higher than that of an SWCNT, but the critical axial pressure of a DWCNT is lower than the critical axial pressure of a SWCNT. Although the critical axial force of a DWCNT decreases as the axial half sine wavenumbers increase, it rises as the circumferential sine wavenumbers increase.     

Torsion of cylindrically anisotropic nano/microtubes from seven-constant tetragonal crystals. Poynting’s effect

In the paper presented, we continue the research in the elastic properties of seven-constant tetragonal crystals and nano/microtubes. Our previous study concerned tension of this type of structures, and here we are dealing with their torsion, Poynting’s effect or axial extension under torsion with no tensile force, and torsional stiffness. It is demonstrated that there exists inverse Poynting’s effect: the tubes experience torsion under tension without applying a torque.