Entropy driven key-lock assembly.

The effective interaction between a sphere with an open cavity (lock) and a spherical macroparticle (key), both immersed in a hard sphere fluid, is studied by means of Monte Carlo simulations. As a result, a two-dimensional map of the key-lock effective interaction potential is constructed, which leads to the proposal of a self-assembling mechanism: There exists trajectories through which the key-lock pair could assemble avoiding trespassing potential barriers. Hence, solely the entropic contribution can induce their self-assembling even in the absence of attractive forces. This study points out the solvent contribution within the underlying mechanisms of substrate-protein assemblydisassembly processes, which are important steps of the enzyme catalysis and protein mediated transport.

Effect of confinement on the interaction between two like-charged rods.

Monte Carlo simulations were employed to study two charged rods confined between two unlike charged plates, all immersed in a model electrolyte. Recently, it was shown that two rods immersed in a multivalent counterion solution may show attraction [Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 2477 (1997)10.1103/PhysRevLett.78.2477]. Here we show for a monovalent electrolyte that rod-rod attraction and repulsion can switch sign depending on confinement and ionic size. We also propose a simple self-assembling mechanism which may be helpful to understand the DNA-lipid bilayers complexation.

The effects of unequal ionic sizes for an electrolyte in a charged slit.

The modified Gouy-Chapman (MGC) theory has been used to study the electrical double layer near two charged plates immersed in a model electrolyte. The effects of assigning to the cations and anions different distances of closest approach to the charged surfaces are examined. The dependence of overcharging and charge reversal on the system parameters such as concentration, ion size and valence, is investigated both inside and outside the charged slit.

Acoustic behavior of ordered droplets in a liquid: a phase space approach.

The transmission of an acoustical signal through a spatial arrangement consisting of a bidimensional crystal of droplets (liquid spheres) immersed into another liquid is analyzed. As a first approximation, the paraxial case is solved by considering a set of acoustical lenses which allow us to model the effect of each droplet on the signal. An expression for the Wigner distribution function that lets us evaluate the corresponding image, diffraction pattern, and even the output signal of any given paraxial input signal to that crystalline substrate is obtained, with particular emphasis on the case of an incoming plane wave. To solve the nonparaxial situation, a generalization of the concept of focal distance interpreting every sphere as a superposition of concentric rings of different radius, which permits us to find a general expression for the Wigner distribution function is proposed.

Periodic precursors of nonlinear dynamical transitions.

We study the resonant response of a nonlinear system to external periodic perturbations. We show by numerical simulation that the periodic resonance curve may anticipate the dynamical instability of the unperturbed nonlinear periodic system, at parameter values far away from the bifurcation points. In the presence of noise, the buried intrinsic periodic dynamics can be picked out by analyzing the system's response to periodic modulation of appropriate intensity.

Complex dynamics in a periodically perturbed electro-chemical system.

Dynamical response of a passivation model subjected to parametric periodic and stochastic perturbations is studied numerically. In response to weak periodic modulation, the system exhibits a rich variety of resonance behavior and induced dynamics, including periodically induced oscillation, birhythmicity, switching between two bistable states, selection of one of the bistable states, mixed-mode and chaotic oscillations. These phenomena are discussed in terms of the stability of saddle focus and an incomplete homoclinic connection. Our numerical results are relevant for a wide class of electro-chemical oscillatory systems, where the re-injection of unstable trajectory on the neighborhood of a saddle focus is a typical feature in the phase space.

Noise-induced coherence in bistable systems with multiple time delays.

We study the correlation properties of noise-driven bistable systems with multiple time-delay feedbacks. For small noisy perturbation and feedback magnitude, we derive the autocorrelation function and the power spectrum based on the two-state model with transition rates depending on the earlier states of the system. A comparison between the single and double time delays reveals that the auto correlation functions exhibit exponential decay with small undulation for the double time delays, in contrast with the remarkable oscillatory behavior at small time lags for the single time delay.

Synchronization and symmetry-breaking bifurcations in constructive networks of coupled chaotic oscillators.

The spatiotemporal dynamics of networks based on a ring of coupled oscillators with regular shortcuts beyond the nearest-neighbor couplings is studied by using master stability equations and numerical simulations. The generic criterion for dynamic synchronization has been extended to arbitrary network topologies with zero row-sum. The symmetry-breaking oscillation patterns that resulted from the Hopf bifurcation from synchronous states are analyzed by the symmetry group theory.

Nonlinear effects in the electrophoresis of a spherical colloidal particle.

The reduced electrophoretic mobility-reduced zeta potential relationship for a charged macroparticle is shown to be nonuniversal and to be highly nonlinear. In agreement with experimental results, a mobility reversal due to the macroion's charge inversion and a nonlinear dependence of the mobility on salt concentration is obtained.