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A system can be driven between metastable configurations by a time-dependent driving protocol, which uses external control parameters to change the potential energy of the system. Here we investigate the correspondence between driving protocols that are designed to minimize work and the spontaneous transition paths of the system in the absence of driving. We study the spin-inversion reaction in a 2D Ising model, quantifying the timing of each spin flip and heat flow to the system during both a minimum-work protocol and a spontaneous transition. The general order of spin flips during the transition mechanism is preserved between the processes, despite the coarseness of control parameters that are unable to reproduce more detailed features of the spontaneous mechanism. Additionally, external control parameters provide energy to each system component to compensate changes in internal energy, showing how control parameters are tuned during a minimum-work protocol to counteract underlying energetic features. This paper supports a correspondence between minimum-work protocols and spontaneous transition mechanisms.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.106.064124 | DOI Listing |
Plant Genome
September 2025
Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.
Crop growth rate is a critical physiological trait for forage and bioenergy crops like sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], influencing overall crop productivity, particularly in photoperiod-sensitive (PS) types. Crop growth rate studies focus on either a physiological approach utilizing a few genotypes to analyze biomass accumulation or a genetic approach characterizing easily scorable proxy traits in larger populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdv Wound Care (New Rochelle)
September 2025
Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, PR China.
Wound healing is a complex, tightly regulated process involving a range of enzymes, growth factors, and cytokines that coordinate cellular activities essential for tissue repair and wound closure. However, in cases of extensive or severe injury, the intrinsic repair mechanisms are often insufficient, underscoring the need for advanced therapeutic strategies to accelerate healing and minimize scar formation. Electrically conductive hydrogels (ECHs), combining the advantageous properties of hydrogels with the physiological and electrochemical characteristics of conductive materials, present a safer and more convenient alternative to traditional electrode-based electrical stimulation (ES) for treating chronic and nonhealing wounds.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSchizophr Bull
September 2025
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QG, United Kingdom.
Background And Hypothesis: The dysconnectivity hypothesis of schizophrenia suggests that atypical neural communication underlies the disorder's diverse symptoms. Building on this framework, we propose that specific synaptic disturbances within thalamo-cortical circuits contribute to an imbalance in excitation and inhibition, leading to alteration in oscillations. Our study investigates these alterations and explores whether synaptic restoration can remediate neural activity of schizophrenia and align it with healthy patterns.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiophys J
September 2025
Department of Physics and Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125.
A variety of biomolecular systems rely on exploratory dynamics to reach target locations or states within a cell. Without a mechanism to remotely sense and move directly towards a target, the system must sample over many paths, often including resetting transitions back to the origin. We investigate how exploratory dynamics can confer an important functional benefit: the ability to respond to small changes in parameters with large shifts in the steady-state behavior.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Cosmet Sci
September 2025
Department of Materials, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Objectives: Machine-based cyclic combing of hair tresses under dry conditions is a proven method for evaluating hair strength and the impact of treatments. Recent advancements in image analysis allow for a detailed review of hair fragment lengths and quantities produced after specific combing cycles. Our aim is to provide an in-depth analysis of the kinetics of hair fragment formation.
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