Multicomponent membranes such as ternary mixtures of lipids and cholesterol can exhibit coexistence regions between two liquid phases. When such membranes adhere to a corrugated substrate, the phase separation process strongly depends on the interplay between substrate topography, bending rigidities, and line tension of the membrane domains as we show theoretically via energy minimization and M...

Recent experimental data [1–7] indicate that the elastic wormlike rod (WLR) model of DNA that works well on long length scales may break down on shorter scales relevant to biology. According to Noy and Golestanian (N&G) [8] molecular dynamics (MD) simulations predict DNA rigidity close to experimental data and confirm one scenario of such breakdown, namely, that for lengths of a few helical tur...

In this paper, use of folded patterns as core structures for paper-based flexible wall panels and floorboards building materials was investigated. Effect of changing the geometrical parameters/conditions of the Chevron and the Mating Surfaces Chevron (MSC) patterns on panel core structure performance were studied, aim is to achieve high compressive strength and equal bending stiffness in both t...

We present a new scheme to estimate the elastic properties of biological membranes in computer simulations. The method analyzes the thermal fluctuations in terms of a coupled undulatory mode, which disentangle the mixing of the mesoscopic undulations and the high-q protrusions. This approach makes possible the accurate estimation of the bending modulus both for membranes under stress and in ten...

We have developed a high-throughput approach to the labor-intensive problems of DNA cyclization, which we use to characterize DNA curvature and mechanical properties. The method includes a combinatorial approach to make the DNA constructs needed and automated real-time measurement of the kinetics using fluorescence. We validated the approach and investigated the flexibility of two kinds of nick...

It is shown that the strain field of an edge dislocation in a smectic crystal must be described in the framework of nonlinear theory, even far away from the core region. We present an exact solution of this nonlinear problem. The result of the linear theory is recovered in the limit of large bending rigidity.

The cytoskeleton of eukaryotic cells provides mechanical support and governs intracellular transport. These functions rely on the complex mechanical properties of networks of semiflexible protein filaments. Recent theoretical interest has focused on mesoscopic properties of such networks and especially on the effect of local, non-affine bending deformations on mechanics. Here, we study the impa...

Bananas are among the largest herbs in the world and their lightweight petioles hold up huge leaves. This study examined how the petioles manage to achieve adequate rigidity to do this, while allowing extensive and reversible reconfiguration in high winds. Morphological and anatomical examination of the petioles and leaves of Musa textilis suggested how these two apparently incompatible abiliti...

The dominant deformation behavior of two-dimensional materials (bending) is primarily governed by just two parameters: bending rigidity and the Gaussian modulus. These properties also set the energy scale for various important physical and biological processes such as pore formation, cell fission and generally, any event accompanied by a topological change. Unlike the bending rigidity, the Gaus...

The bending rigidity of small reverse aggregates involved in liquid-liquid extraction processes has been investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. Simulations of a common extractant (DMDOHEMA) with four hydrophobic chains in explicit solvent (n-heptane) and in vacuum have been performed to determine the effect of solvent penetration on film stiffness. Elastic film bending energy that is n...