Related papers: Energy from food
In the theory of special relativity, energy can be found in two forms: kinetic energy and rest mass. Potential energy of a body is actually stored under the form of rest mass, interaction energy too, temperature is not. Information acquired…
A simple and effective approach to thermodynamics is suggested, which solves the major difficulties in the traditional presentation of the subject. The internal energy is introduced from the behavior of deformable bodies, whereas the…
ATP synthase's intrinsic molecular electrostatic potential (MESP) adds constructively to, and hence reinforces, the chemiosmotic voltage. This ATP synthase voltage represents a new free energy term that appears to have been overlooked. This…
The diffusion of a molecular motor in the presence of a constant external force is considered on the basis of a simple theoretical model. The motor is represented by a Brownian particle moving in a series of parabolic potentials placed…
The received wisdom on how activity affects energy expenditure is that the more activity is undertaken, the more calories will have been burned by the end of the day. Yet traditional hunter-gatherers, who lead physically hard lives, burn no…
The cytoskeletal component actomyosin is a canonical example of active matter since the powerstroke cycle locally converts chemical energy in the form of adenoside triphosphate (ATP) into mechanical work for remodelling. Observing myosin II…
The thermosynthesis concept, biological free energy gain from thermal cycling, is combined with the concept of the RNA World. The resulting overall origin of life model gives new explanations for the emergence of the genetic code and the…
Biological molecular machines are enzymes that simultaneously catalyze two processes, one donating free energy and second accepting it. Recent studies show that most native protein enzymes have a rich stochastic dynamics that often…
Free energy and entropy are examined in detail from the standpoint of classical thermodynamics. The approach is logically based on the fact that thermodynamic work is mediated by thermal energy through the tendency for nonthermal energy to…
In pancreatic $\beta$-cells, calcium oscillation signal is the core part of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Intracellular calcium concentration oscillates in response to the intake of glucose, which triggers the exocytosis of insulin…
The excess work required to drive a stochastic system out of thermodynamic equilibrium through a time-dependent external perturbation is directly related to the amount of entropy produced during the driving process, allowing excess work and…
To sustain metabolism, intracellular ATP concentration must be regulated within an appropriate range. This coordination is achieved through the function of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a cellular "fuel gauge" that is expressed…
The overall process of photosynthesis consists of two main phases, the so-called light and dark eactions: light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll molecules and transferred to regenerate NADH and ATP, then drive Calvin-Benson cycle to…
Mismatch repair is a critical step in DNA replication that occurs after base selection and proofreading, significantly increasing fidelity. However, the mechanism of mismatch recognition has not been established for any repair enzyme.…
Cells generally convert external nutrient resources to support metabolismand growth. Understanding the thermodynamic efficiency of this conversion is essential to determine the general characteristics of cellular growth. Using a simple…
Molecular motors fulfill critical functions within all living beings. Understanding their underlying working principles is therefore of great interest. Here we develop a simple model inspired by the two-component biomolecular motor Fo-F1…
Neoplasms are highly dependent on glucose as their substrate for energy production and are generally not able to catabolize other fuel sources such as ketones and fatty acids. Thus, removing access to glucose has the potential to starve…
In this paper we report, clarify and broaden various recent efforts to complement the chemistry-centered models of force generation in muscles by mechanics-centered models. The physical mechanisms of interest can be grouped into two…
It is argued that a typical many body energy eigenstate has a well defined thermodynamic entropy and that individual eigenstates possess thermodynamic characteristics analogous to those of generic isolated systems. We examine large systems…
The peristaltic motion of the stomach walls combines with the secretion of enzymes to initiate the process that breaks down food. Computational modelling of this phenomenon can help reveal the details that would be hard to capture via…