Application of bond energy model for different nanomaterials

A simple theory has been developed using bond energy model of nanomaterials. The formulation has been obtained for the size and shape dependence of specific heat and conductivity. We have computed the size dependence of specific heat of Ag and Au nanoparticles. The results obtained have been compared with the available experimental data as well as with the earlier theoretical relation. It has been found that specific heat increases by decreasing the particle size. There is an appreciable improvement in the results as compared with the earlier relation and a good agreement with the available simulation data. We extend the model to study the effect of shape for the size dependence of specific heat and thermal conductivity of different nanomaterials. The results obtained have been discussed in the light of earlier investigations as well as experimental data. A good agreement between theory and experiment demonstrates the suitability of the formulation has been developed in the present paper

Search of a model for melting temperature and cohesive energy of nanomaterials

Three different models viz. Nanda model, Jiang model and BK model with different physical origin have been used to study the size dependence of melting temperature and cohesive energy of nanomaterials. A critical analysis demonstrates that the suitability of Jiang model or Nanda model depends on the material considered. Moreover, BK model works well for different nanomaterials considered in the present work. This demonstrates the suitability of the models proposed earlier. We therefore, extend the BK model for the size dependence of cohesive energy and Debye temperature. Nanda model has been found to give the reverse trends for the size dependence of cohesive energy as observed experimentally. However, Jiang model and BK model give similar trends of variation as observed experimentally. A comparison of the computed results with the experimental data demonstrates the superiority of the BK model. We also extend the BK model for the study of size dependence of Debye temperature. A good agreement between theory and experiment demonstrates the validity of the model proposed

Design and Development of Domestic Solar Dryer with Comparative Analysis of Nutritional Aspect of Dried Raisins

Solar dryer technology is simple and can be implemented by households and small communities due to its simplicity. The suitable design of the absorber/collector is very vital for any solar drying system as the collector efficiency plays a key role in determining the overall system drying efficiency. To study the practical applicability of a developed solar dryer, grapes were dried in the drying chamber of a designed and developed solar dryer and for comparison, in open sunlight. Faster drying was noted for the grapes dried in the unit. The study on nutritional aspects indicated that solar drying process retained the major nutritional components like total sugars, total proteins and total lipids in raisins. The comparison between the solar dried raisins and open sun dried ones showed a higher ash content of 2.71% with solar dried ones and 1.95% in case of open sun dried raisins. The quantity of MUFA content was also affected by the varying drying practices implemented with 10.95% and 7.12% MUFA in solar dried and open sun dried raisins respectively. The drying technique also affects the bacterial load on raisins as observed in our current study with negligible bacterial growth on on solar dried raisins compared to open dried ones

Developing Measures of Automation Implementation in Indian Industries

In the international business market, Automation has increased the competence of Indian Industry by making them fast, error free and providing them with greater customization option. This paper performs the review of automation and attempts to develop a framework for the implementation of automation by validating “IMPLAUT” (IMPLementing AUTomation) for Indian Industries. An exhaustive literature survey proceeded by simple meta-analysis have been carried out to find out various research gaps and further to address these gaps few objectives of this research study have been explored. For developing model for automation, the different variables are explored using ‘Churchill’s approach’ as may be applicable to Indian industrial scenario. It is evident from the model of “IMPLAUT” that automation will lead to the rise of competence in Indian industry provided the various input and output model suggested by the generic model are to be kept in view. It has been observed that the application of “IMPLAUT” reduces the manufacturing and downtime therefore increasing the overall efficiency of the industry. So “IMPLAUT” can be further researched and must be considered as an emerging field for research in engineering discipline. Keywords: Automation, IMPLAUT, classification schemes, Meta analysis, dimension

Genomic characterization and epidemiology of an emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant in Delhi, India

Delhi, the national capital of India, experienced multiple severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreaks in 2020 and reached population seropositivity of >50% by 2021. During April 2021, the city became overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases and fatalities, as a new variant, B.1.617.2 (Delta), replaced B.1.1.7 (Alpha). A Bayesian model explains the growth advantage of Delta through a combination of increased transmissibility and reduced sensitivity to immune responses generated against earlier variants (median estimates: 1.5-fold greater transmissibility and 20% reduction in sensitivity). Seropositivity of an employee and family cohort increased from 42% to 87.5% between March and July 2021, with 27% reinfections, as judged by increased antibody concentration after a previous decline. The likely high transmissibility and partial evasion of immunity by the Delta variant contributed to an overwhelming surge in Delhi

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 Delta variant replication and immune evasion

Abstract: The B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first identified in the state of Maharashtra in late 2020 and spread throughout India, outcompeting pre-existing lineages including B.1.617.1 (Kappa) and B.1.1.7 (Alpha)1. In vitro, B.1.617.2 is sixfold less sensitive to serum neutralizing antibodies from recovered individuals, and eightfold less sensitive to vaccine-elicited antibodies, compared with wild-type Wuhan-1 bearing D614G. Serum neutralizing titres against B.1.617.2 were lower in ChAdOx1 vaccinees than in BNT162b2 vaccinees. B.1.617.2 spike pseudotyped viruses exhibited compromised sensitivity to monoclonal antibodies to the receptor-binding domain and the amino-terminal domain. B.1.617.2 demonstrated higher replication efficiency than B.1.1.7 in both airway organoid and human airway epithelial systems, associated with B.1.617.2 spike being in a predominantly cleaved state compared with B.1.1.7 spike. The B.1.617.2 spike protein was able to mediate highly efficient syncytium formation that was less sensitive to inhibition by neutralizing antibody, compared with that of wild-type spike. We also observed that B.1.617.2 had higher replication and spike-mediated entry than B.1.617.1, potentially explaining the B.1.617.2 dominance. In an analysis of more than 130 SARS-CoV-2-infected health care workers across three centres in India during a period of mixed lineage circulation, we observed reduced ChAdOx1 vaccine effectiveness against B.1.617.2 relative to non-B.1.617.2, with the caveat of possible residual confounding. Compromised vaccine efficacy against the highly fit and immune-evasive B.1.617.2 Delta variant warrants continued infection control measures in the post-vaccination era

Application of bond energy model for different nanomaterials

210-217A simple theory has been developed using bond energy model of nanomaterials. The formulation has been obtained for the size and shape dependence of specific heat and conductivity. We have computed the size dependence of specific heat of Ag and Au nanoparticles. The results obtained have been compared with the available experimental data as well as with the earlier theoretical relation. It has been found that specific heat increases by decreasing the particle size. There is an appreciable improvement in the results as compared with the earlier relation and a good agreement with the available simulation data. We extend the model to study the effect of shape for the size dependence of specific heat and thermal conductivity of different nanomaterials. The results obtained have been discussed in the light of earlier investigations as well as experimental data. A good agreement between theory and experiment demonstrates the suitability of the formulation has been developed in the present paper

Search of a model for melting temperature and cohesive energy of nanomaterials

361-368Three different models viz. Nanda model, Jiang model and BK model with different physical origin have been used to study the size dependence of melting temperature and cohesive energy of nanomaterials. A critical analysis demonstrates that the suitability of Jiang model or Nanda model depends on the material considered. Moreover, BK model works well for different nanomaterials considered in the present work. This demonstrates the suitability of the models proposed earlier. We therefore, extend the BK model for the size dependence of cohesive energy and Debye temperature. Nanda model has been found to give the reverse trends for the size dependence of cohesive energy as observed experimentally. However, Jiang model and BK model give similar trends of variation as observed experimentally. A comparison of the computed results with the experimental data demonstrates the superiority of the BK model. We also extend the BK model for the study of size dependence of Debye temperature. A good agreement between theory and experiment demonstrates the validity of the model proposed