Advanced Mechanical Models Of Dna Elasticity

Advanced Mechanical Models of DNA Elasticity includes coverage on 17 different DNA models and the role of elasticity in biological functions with extensive references. The novel advanced helicoidal model described reflects the direct connection between the molecule helix structure and its specific properties, including nonlinear features and transitions. It provides an introduction to the state of the field of DNA mechanics, known and widely used models with their short analysis, as well as coverage on experimental methods and data, the influence of electrical, magnetic, ionic conditions on the persistence length, and dynamics with viscosity influence. It then addresses the need to understand the nature of the non-linear overstretching transition of DNA under force and why DNA has a negative twist-stretch coupling. Includes coverage of 17 contemporary models of DNA mechanics with analysis Provides comparison of DNA and RNA mechanical features Covers advances in experimental techniques including AFM, X-ray, and optical tweezers Contains extensive references for further reading

A representative cross-section of elastic biomolecules is covered in this volume, which combines seventeen contributions from leading research groups. State-of-the-art molecular mechanics experiments are described dealing with the elasticity of DNA and nucleoprotein complexes, titin and titin-like proteins in muscle, as well as proteins of the cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix. The book speaks particularly to cell biologists, biophysicists, or bioengineers, and to senior researchers and graduate students alike, who are interested in recent advances in single-molecule technology (optical tweezers technique, atomic force microscopy), EM imaging, and computer simulation approaches to study nanobiomechanics. The findings discussed here have redefined our view of the role mechanical signals play in cellular functions and have greatly helped improve our understanding of biological elasticity in general.

The stability of the DNA double helix is contingent on fine-tuning a number of physicochemical control parameters. Varying any one of them leads to separation of the two strands, in what constitutes a rare physical example of a thermodynamic phase transition in a one-dimensional system. The present book aims at providing a self-contained account of the statistical physics of cooperative processes in DNA, e.g. thermal and mechanical dissociation, force-induced melting, equilibria of hairpin-like secondary structures. In addition, the book presents some fundamental aspects of DNA elasticity, as observed in key experiments, old and new. The latter include some recently published scattering data on apparently soft, short DNA chains and their interpretation in terms of local structural defects (permanent bends, "kinky DNA", after the original Crick-Klug hypothesis). The development of mathematical models used (Kratky-Porod polymer chain, Poland-Scheraga and Peyrard-Bishop-Dauxois models of DNA melting) emphasizes the use of realistic parameters and the relevance of practical numerical methods for comparing with experimental data. Accordingly, a large number of specially produced figures has been included. The presentation is at the level of an advanced undergraduate or introductory graduate course. An extra chapter provides the necessary mathematical background on elasticity of model polymer chains.

The physical properties of knotted and linked configurations in space have long been of interest to mathematicians. More recently, these properties have become significant to biologists, physicists, and engineers among others. Their depth of importance and breadth of application are now widely appreciated and valuable progress continues to be made each year. This volume presents several contributions from researchers using computers to study problems that would otherwise be intractable. While computations have long been used to analyze problems, formulate conjectures, and search for special structures in knot theory, increased computational power has made them a staple in many facets of the field. The volume also includes contributions concentrating on models researchers use to understand knotting, linking, and entanglement in physical and biological systems. Topics include properties of knot invariants, knot tabulation, studies of hyperbolic structures, knot energies, the exploration of spaces of knots, knotted umbilical cords, studies of knots in DNA and proteins, and the structure of tight knots. Together, the chapters explore four major themes: physical knot theory, knot theory in the life sciences, computational knot theory, and geometric knot theory.

During the last decades, applications of dynamical analysis in advanced, often nonlinear, engineering systems have been evolved in a revolutionary way. In this context one can think of applications in aerospace engineering like satellites, in naval engineering like ship motion, in mechanical engineering like rotating machinery, vehicle systems, robots and biomechanics, and in civil engineering like earthquake dynamics and offshore technology. One could continue with this list for a long time. The application of advanced dynamics in the above fields has been possible due to the use of sophisticated computational techniques employing powerful concepts of nonlinear dynamics. These concepts have been and are being developed in mathematics, mechanics and physics. It should be remarked that careful experimental studies are vitally needed to establish the real existence and observability of the predicted dynamical phenomena. The interaction between nonlinear dynamics and nonlinear control in advanced engineering systems is becoming of increasing importance because of several reasons. Firstly, control strategies in nonlinear systems are used to obtain desired dynamic behaviour and improved reliability during operation, Applications include power plant rotating machinery, vehicle systems, robotics, etc. Terms like motion control, optimal control and adaptive control are used in this field of interest. Since mechanical and electronic components are often necessary to realize the desired action in practice, the engineers use the term mechatronics to indicate this field. If the desired dynamic behaviour is achieved by changing design variables (mostly called system parameters), one can think of fields like control of chaos.

This book highlights important aspects of nonlinear dynamics of biophysical nanosystems, such as DNA, alpha helix, and microtubules. It presents the differences between the linear and nonlinear models in these molecules and includes interesting chapters on Soliton dynamics of the DNA molecule. This book is meant not only for researchers but also for both graduate and undergraduate students. Chapters include derivations, detailed explanations, and exercises for students. Therefore, the book is convenient to be used as a textbook in suitable courses.

This monograph presents a general mathematical theory for biological growth. It provides both a conceptual and a technical foundation for the understanding and analysis of problems arising in biology and physiology. The theory and methods are illustrated on a wide range of examples and applications. A process of extreme complexity, growth plays a fundamental role in many biological processes and is considered to be the hallmark of life itself. Its description has been one of the fundamental problems of life sciences, but until recently, it has not attracted much attention from mathematicians, physicists, and engineers. The author herein presents the first major technical monograph on the problem of growth since D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson’s 1917 book On Growth and Form. The emphasis of the book is on the proper mathematical formulation of growth kinematics and mechanics. Accordingly, the discussion proceeds in order of complexity and the book is divided into five parts. First, a general introduction on the problem of growth from a historical perspective is given. Then, basic concepts are introduced within the context of growth in filamentary structures. These ideas are then generalized to surfaces and membranes and eventually to the general case of volumetric growth. The book concludes with a discussion of open problems and outstanding challenges. Thoughtfully written and richly illustrated to be accessible to readers of varying interests and background, the text will appeal to life scientists, biophysicists, biomedical engineers, and applied mathematicians alike.

"Nonlinear Deformable-body Dynamics" mainly consists in a mathematical treatise of approximate theories for thin deformable bodies, including cables, beams, rods, webs, membranes, plates, and shells. The intent of the book is to stimulate more research in the area of nonlinear deformable-body dynamics not only because of the unsolved theoretical puzzles it presents but also because of its wide spectrum of applications. For instance, the theories for soft webs and rod-reinforced soft structures can be applied to biomechanics for DNA and living tissues, and the nonlinear theory of deformable bodies, based on the Kirchhoff assumptions, is a special case discussed. This book can serve as a reference work for researchers and a textbook for senior and postgraduate students in physics, mathematics, engineering and biophysics. Dr. Albert C.J. Luo is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL, USA. Professor Luo is an internationally recognized scientist in the field of nonlinear dynamics in dynamical systems and deformable solids.