Elena Rufeil

My research is focused on studying the structure and dynamics of domains in cell membrane models. It addresses the inter-domain interactions in lipid monolayer, and how these interactions affect the lateral organization and functioning of the biomimetic model membranes. In order to do this, I have combined a comprehensive set of approaches which include: (1) finding analytical results, (2) performing simulations such as Brownian dynamics and Monte-Carlo, and (3) carrying on experiments in Langmuir monolayers and fluorescence microscopy.

Besides, I'm also interested in non equilibrium thermodynamics, both theoretically and experimentally. Currently, I'm working on the study of heat capacity in magnetic and electric systems in the steady state.

Soft Matter - Biophysics - Non equilibrium thermodynamics

Selected Publications

Heat capacity of periodically driven two-level systems

We define the heat capacity for steady periodically driven systems and as an example we compute it for dissipative two-level systems where the energy gap is time-modulated. There, as a function of ambient temperature, the Schottky peak remains the dominant feature. Yet, in contrast with equilibrium, the quasistatic thermal response of a nonequilibrium system also reveals kinetic information present in the transition rates.

Phys. Rev. E 110, 024121 (2024)

Simulation study of integral equation theory for dipolar density interacting disks

Integral equation theories (IETs) based on the Ornstein--Zernike (OZ) relation can be used as an analytical tool to predict structural and thermodynamic properties and phase behavior of fluids, with low numerical cost. However, there are no studies of the IETs for the dipolar density interaction potential in 2D systems, a main inter-domain interaction in lipid monolayers with phase coexistence.

Phys. Rev. E 108, 064605 (2023)

Influence of Spontaneous Curvature on the Line Tension of Phase-Coexisting Domains in a Lipid Monolayer: A Landau-Ginzburg Model

The line tension between two coexisting phases of a binary lipid monolayer in its fluid state has contributions not only from the chemical mismatch energy between the two different lipid types but also from the elastic deformation of the lipid tails. We investigate to what extent differences in the spontaneous curvature of the two lipids affect the line tension.

J. Chem. Phys. 152, 054707 (2020)

Domain size polydispersity effects on the structural and dynamical properties in lipid monolayers with phase coexistence

In lipid monolayers with phase coexistence, domains of the liquid-condensed phase always present size polydispersity. However, very few theoretical works consider size distribution effects on the monolayer properties. By means of Brownian dynamics simulations, we study the radial distribution function, the average mean square displacement and the average time-dependent self-diffusion coefficient of lipid monolayers with normal distributed size domains.

Soft Matter 14, 1870-1878 (2018)

Dipolar interactions between domains in lipid monolayers at the air-water interface

A great variety of biologically relevant monolayers present phase coexistence characterized by domains formed by lipids in an ordered phase state dispersed in a continuous, disordered phase. From the difference in surface densities between these phases, inter–domain dipolar interactions arise. In this work, we propose a novel way of estimating the dipolar repulsion using a passive method based on the comparison of the pair correlation function obtained from experiments with that obtained from Brownian dynamics simulations of a model system.

Soft Matter, 12, 2469 (2016)

Publications

Google Scholar, Orcid, Scopus, ResearchGate
Heat capacity of periodically driven two-level systems, E. Rufeil Fiori and C. Maes, Phys. Rev. E 110, 024121 (2024), arXiv:2404.19426.
Simulation study of integral equation theory for dipolar density interacting disks, E. Rufeil Fiori and A. J. Banchio, Phys. Rev. E 108, 064605 (2023), arXiv:2305.12910.
Magnetization reversal study of Ni{4-x}Zn{x}Nb{2}O{9} compound using Monte Carlo simulations, E. Rufeil Fiori, J. P. Bolletta, C. Martin, A. Maignan and O. V. Billoni, J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 36, 015801 (2023).
Biobased supramolecular ionic networks with optimized crystallinity and mechanical properties as promising dynamic materials for eutectogels design, L.I. Ronco, G.C. Luque, C.A. Calderón, E.M. Euti, E. Rufeil Fiori, D.E. Barraco, E.P.M. Leiva, D. Mecerreyes, R.J. Minari and M.L. Picchio, Materials Today Chemistry 30, 101525 (2023).
Influence of Spontaneous Curvature on the Line Tension of Phase-Coexisting Domains in a Lipid Monolayer: A Landau-Ginzburg Model, E. Rufeil Fiori, R. Downing, G. Volpe-Bossa and S. May, J. Chem. Phys. 152, 054707 (2020).
Description of composite bosons in discrete models, Paula Céspedes, Elena Rufeil Fiori, P. Alexander Bouvrie, Ana P. Majtey and Cecilia Cormick, Phys. Rev. A 100, 012309 (2019), arXiv:1903.09906.
Domain size polydispersity effects on the structural and dynamical properties in lipid monolayers with phase coexistence, E. Rufeil Fiori and A. J. Banchio, Soft Matter 14, 1870-1878 (2018), arXiv:1802.05740.
Dipolar interactions between domains in lipid monolayers at the air-water interface, E. Rufeil Fiori, N. Wilke and A. J. Banchio, Soft Matter 12, 2469 (2016), arXiv:1510.04350.
A Shannon-Tsallis transformation, E. Rufeil Fiori and A. Plastino, Physica A, 392, 1742-1749 (2013), arXiv:1201.4507.
Effective one-body dynamics in multiple-quantum NMR experiments, E. Rufeil Fiori , C. M. Sánchez, F. Y. Oliva, H. M. Pastawski and P. R. Levstein, Phys. Rev. A., 79, 032324 (2009), Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology, 19, (2009). Virtual Journal of Quantum Information, 9, 1742-1749 (2009), arXiv:0810.1722.
Survival Probability of a local excitation in a Non-Markovian environment: Survival Collapse, Zeno and Anti-Zeno effects, E. Rufeil Fiori and H. M. Pastawski, Physica B, 404, 2812-2815 (2009), arXiv:0812.1009.
Survival probability of surface excitation in a 2d lattice: non-Markovian effects and Survival Collapse, E. Rufeil Fiori and H. M. Pastawski, Braz. Journ. of Phys., 36, 844-847 (2006), arXiv:0604069.
Non-Markovian decay beyond the Fermi Golden Rule: Survival Collapse of the polarization in spin chains, E. Rufeil Fiori and H. M. Pastawski, Chem. Phys. Lett., 420, 35-41 (2006), arXiv:0511176.

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E-mail

elena.rufeil (at) gmail.com