Density of states Monte Carlo simulations have been performed to study the isotropic-nematic (IN) transition of the Lebwohl-Lasher model for liquid crystals. The IN transition temperature was calculated as a function of system size using expanded ensemble density of states simulations with histogram reweighting. The IN temperature for infinite system size was obtained by extrapolation of three independent measures. A subsequent analysis of the kinetics in the model showed that the transition occurs via spinodal decomposition through aggregation of clusters of liquid crystal molecules.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4108680 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4722209 | DOI Listing |
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
January 2025
Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305.
DNA methylation is a crucial epigenetic modification that orchestrates chromatin remodelers that suppress transcription, and aberrations in DNA methylation result in a variety of conditions such as cancers and developmental disorders. While it is understood that methylation occurs at CpG-rich DNA regions, it is less understood how distinct methylation profiles are established within various cell types. In this work, we develop a molecular-transport model that depicts the genomic exploration of DNA methyltransferase within a multiscale DNA environment, incorporating biologically relevant factors like methylation rate and CpG density to predict how patterns are established.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTheor Appl Genet
January 2025
CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.
Zebularine-treated wheat uncovered a phenotype with characteristics of an epigenetically regulated trait, but major chromosomal aberrations, not DNA methylation changes, are the cause, making zebularine unsuitable for epigenetic breeding. Breeding to identify disease-resistant and climate-tolerant high-yielding wheats has led to yield increases over many years, but new hardy, higher yielding varieties are still needed to improve food security in the face of climate change. Traditional breeding to develop new cultivars of wheat is a lengthy process taking more than seven years from the initial cross to cultivar release.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Appl Mater Interfaces
January 2025
Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States.
We study the Raman signature of stripe domains in monolayer WMoS alloys, characterized using experimental techniques and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. These stripe domains were found in star-shaped monolayer WS exhibiting a high concentration of molybdenum (Mo) atoms in its central region, and unique Raman peaks that were not previously reported. We attribute these peaks to the splitting of the original doubly degenerate E modes, arising from the lower symmetry of the W-Mo stripe domains.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Appl Mater Interfaces
January 2025
Center of Nanomaterials for Renewable Energy (CNRE), State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, School of Electrical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, P. R. China.
The Fe-N-C catalyst, featuring a single-atom Fe-N configuration, is regarded as one of the most promising catalytic materials for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, the significant activity difference under acidic and alkaline conditions of Fe-N-C remains a long-standing puzzle. In this work, using extensive ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations, we revealed that pH conditions influence ORR activity by tuning the surface charge density of the Fe-N-C surface, rather than through the direct involvement of HO or OH ions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSoft Matter
January 2025
Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44122, USA.
Data-driven techniques, such as proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) and uniform manifold approximation & projection (UMAP), are powerful methods for understanding polymer behavior in complex systems that extend beyond ideal conditions. They are based on the principle that low-dimensional behaviors are often embedded within the structure and dynamics of complex systems. Here, the internal motions of a thermoresponsive, LCST polymer are investigated for two cases: (1) the coil-to-globule transition that occurs as the system is heated above its critical temperature and (2) intramolecularly crosslinked, single chain nanoparticles (SCNPs) both above and below the critical temperature ().
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!