Unexpected result when calculating mean curvature in MatLab - matlab

Question

I am running simulations of a protein/membrane system, and want to quantify the degree of membrane deformation. I have averaged the membrane surface on a grid during the simulation, which results in a text file with three columns, containing the x, y, and z points of the membrane. I then convert this information to a mesh surface in matlab, which I then use to calculate the gaussian and/or mean curvature. The problem is, I'm getting similar values at the very beginning of the simulation, when the surface (membrane) is very flat, and at the end, when it is completely deformed. Unless I'm misunderstanding what curvature is, this is not correct and I believe I am doing something wrong in the matlab portion of this process. Here's the script where I loop over many frames (each of which is a different file containing x,y,z coordinates of the averaged membrane) and convert it to a mesh:
https://pastebin.com/reqWAz01
for i = 0:37
file = strcat('cg-topmem_pos-', num2str(i), '.out');
A = load(file);
x = A(:,1);
y = A(:,2);
z = A(:,3);
xv = linspace(min(x), max(x), 20);
yv = linspace(min(y), max(y), 20);
[X,Y] = meshgrid(xv, yv);
Z = griddata(x,y,z,X,Y);
[K,H,Pmax,Pmin] = surfature(X,Y,Z);
M = max(max(H))
if i == 0
fileID = fopen('Average2-NoTMHS-5nmns.txt', 'a');
fprintf(fileID, '%f %f\n',M);
fclose(fileID);
else
fileID = fopen('Average2-NoTMHS-5nmns.txt', 'a');
fprintf(fileID, '\n%f %f\n',M);
fclose(fileID);
end
end
Then using the following calculates curvature:
https://pastebin.com/5D21PdBQ
function [K,H,Pmax,Pmin] = surfature(X,Y,Z),
% SURFATURE - COMPUTE GAUSSIAN AND MEAN CURVATURES OF A SURFACE
% [K,H] = SURFATURE(X,Y,Z), WHERE X,Y,Z ARE 2D ARRAYS OF POINTS ON THE
% SURFACE. K AND H ARE THE GAUSSIAN AND MEAN CURVATURES, RESPECTIVELY.
% SURFATURE RETURNS 2 ADDITIONAL ARGUMENTS,
% [K,H,Pmax,Pmin] = SURFATURE(...), WHERE Pmax AND Pmin ARE THE MINIMUM
% AND MAXIMUM CURVATURES AT EACH POINT, RESPECTIVELY.
% First Derivatives
[Xu,Xv] = gradient(X);
[Yu,Yv] = gradient(Y);
[Zu,Zv] = gradient(Z);
% Second Derivatives
[Xuu,Xuv] = gradient(Xu);
[Yuu,Yuv] = gradient(Yu);
[Zuu,Zuv] = gradient(Zu);
[Xuv,Xvv] = gradient(Xv);
[Yuv,Yvv] = gradient(Yv);
[Zuv,Zvv] = gradient(Zv);
% Reshape 2D Arrays into Vectors
Xu = Xu(:); Yu = Yu(:); Zu = Zu(:);
Xv = Xv(:); Yv = Yv(:); Zv = Zv(:);
Xuu = Xuu(:); Yuu = Yuu(:); Zuu = Zuu(:);
Xuv = Xuv(:); Yuv = Yuv(:); Zuv = Zuv(:);
Xvv = Xvv(:); Yvv = Yvv(:); Zvv = Zvv(:);
Xu = [Xu Yu Zu];
Xv = [Xv Yv Zv];
Xuu = [Xuu Yuu Zuu];
Xuv = [Xuv Yuv Zuv];
Xvv = [Xvv Yvv Zvv];
% First fundamental Coeffecients of the surface (E,F,G)
E = dot(Xu,Xu,2);
F = dot(Xu,Xv,2);
G = dot(Xv,Xv,2);
m = cross(Xu,Xv,2);
p = sqrt(dot(m,m,2));
n = m./[p p p];
% Second fundamental Coeffecients of the surface (L,M,N)
L = dot(Xuu,n,2);
M = dot(Xuv,n,2);
N = dot(Xvv,n,2);
[s,t] = size(Z);
% Gaussian Curvature
K = (L.*N - M.^2)./(E.*G - F.^2);
K = reshape(K,s,t);
% Mean Curvature
H = (E.*N + G.*L - 2.*F.*M)./(2*(E.*G - F.^2));
H = reshape(H,s,t);
% Principal Curvatures
Pmax = H + sqrt(H.^2 - K);
Pmin = H - sqrt(H.^2 - K);
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm afraid that there is some issue between how the mesh is created and how curvature is calculated, but I am not matlab literate and could use some help. Thanks very much.