We examine the dynamical implications of an interaction between some of the fluid components of the universe. We consider the combination of three matter components, one of which is a perfect fluid and the other two are interacting. The interaction term generalizes the cases found in scalar field cosmologies with an exponential potential. We find that attracting scaling solutions are obtained in several regions of parameter space, that oscillating behavior is possible, and that new curvature scaling solutions exist. We also discuss the inflationary behavior of the solutions and present some of the constraints on the strength of the coupling, namely, those arising from nucleosynthesis.

We carry out systematic Monte Carlo simulations of Gō lattice proteins to investigate and compare the folding processes of two model proteins whose native structures differ from each other due to the presence of a trefoil knot located near the terminus of one of the protein chains. We show that the folding time of the knotted fold is larger than that of the unknotted protein and that this difference in folding time is particularly striking in the temperature region below the optimal folding temperature. Both proteins display similar folding transition temperatures, which is indicative of similar thermal stabilities. By using the folding probability reaction coordinate as an estimator of folding progression we have found out that the formation of the knot is mainly a late folding event in our shallow knot system.

We study a simple model of a massive inflaton field $\varphi$ coupled to another scalar filed $\chi$ with interaction term $g^2{\varphi }^2{\chi }^2$. We use the theory developed by Kofman et al. [L. Kofman, A. D. Linde, and A. A. Starobinsky, Phys. Rev. D 56, 3258 (1997).] for the first stage of preheating to give a full description of the dynamics of the $\chi$ field modes, including the behavior of the phase, in terms of the iteration of a simple family of circle maps. The parameters of this family of maps are a function of time when expansion of the Universe is taken into account. With this more detailed description, we obtain a systematic study of the efficiency of particle production as a function of the inflaton field and coupling parameters, and we find that for $g\lesssim 3\times {10}^{-4}$ the broad resonance ceases during the first stage of preheating.

This paper proposes a multifunctional soft robotic gripper for a Dobot robot to handle sensitive products. The gripper is based on pneumatic network (PneuNet) bending actuators. In this study, two different models of PneuNet actuators have been studied, designed, simulated, experimentally tested, and validated using two different techniques (3D printing and molding) and three different materials: FilaFlex 60A (3D-printed), Elastosil M4601, and Dragonskin Fast 10 silicones (with molds). A new soft gripper design for the Dobot robot is presented, and a new design/production approach with molds is proposed to obtain the gripper’s PneuNet multifunctional actuators. It also describes a new control approach that is used to control the PneuNet actuators and gripper function, using compressed air generated by a small compressor/air pump, a pressure sensor, a mini valve, etc., and executing on a low-cost controller board—Arduino UNO. This paper presents the main simulation and experimental results of this research study.