Similarities between protein folding and granular jamming.

Grains and glasses, widely different materials, arrest their motions upon decreasing temperature and external load, respectively, in common ways, leading to a universal jamming phase diagram conjecture. However, unified theories are lacking, mainly because of the disparate nature of the particle interactions. Here we demonstrate that folded proteins exhibit signatures common to both glassiness and jamming by using temperature- and force-unfolding molecular dynamics simulations. Upon folding, proteins develop a peak in the interatomic force distributions that falls on a universal curve with experimentally measured forces on jammed grains and droplets. Dynamical signatures are found as a dramatic slowdown of stress relaxation upon folding. Together with granular similarities, folding is tied not just to the jamming transition, but a more nuanced picture of anisotropy, preparation protocol and internal interactions emerges. Results have implications for designing stable polymers and can open avenues to link protein folding to jamming theory

Relaxation in open one-dimensional systems

A new master equation to mimic the dynamics of a collection of interacting random walkers in an open system is proposed and solved numerically.In this model, the random walkers interact through excluded volume interaction (single-file system); and the total number of walkers in the lattice can fluctuate because of exchange with a bath.In addition, the movement of the random walkers is biased by an external perturbation. Two models for the latter are considered: (1) an inverse potential (V $\propto$ 1/r), where r is the distance between the center of the perturbation and the random walker and (2) an inverse of sixth power potential ($V \propto 1/r^6$). The calculated density of the walkers and the total energy show interesting dynamics. When the size of the system is comparable to the range of the perturbing field, the energy relaxation is found to be highly non-exponential. In this range, the system can show stretched exponential ($e^{-{(t/\tau_s)}^{\beta}}$) and even logarithmic time dependence of energy relaxation over a limited range of time. Introduction of density exchange in the lattice markedly weakens this non-exponentiality of the relaxation function, irrespective of the nature of perturbation

Anomalous glassy relaxation near the isotropic-nematic phase transition

Dynamical heterogeneity in a system of Gay-Berne ellipsoids near its isotropic-nematic (I-N) transition and also in an equimolar mixture of Lennard-Jones spheres and Gay-Berne ellipsoids in deeply supercooled regime is probed by the time evolution of non-Gaussian parameter (NGP). The appearance of a dominant second peak in the rotational NGP near the I-N transition signals the growth of pseudonematic domains. Surprisingly such a second peak is instead observed in the translational NGP for glassy binary mixture. Localization of orientational motion near the I-N transition is found to be responsible for the observed anomalous orientational relaxation.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Formation of nanoclusters under radiation pressure in solution: a Brownian dynamics simulation study

When radiation is scattered by a medium, a part of its momentum is transferred to the target particles. This is purely a mechanical force which comes into effect when radiation is not coherently interacting. This force is known in literature as radiation pressure. Recent experimental studies have demonstrated the feasibility of using radiation pressure of a laser beam as a tool for cluster formation in solution. In this paper we describe the Brownian dynamics simulation of solute molecules under the perturbation induced by laser radiation. Here the force field generated by a laser beam in the fundamental mode is modeled as that of a two-dimensional harmonic oscillator. The radial distribution function of the perturbed system gives indication of high inhomogeneities in the solute distribution. An explicit analysis of the nature of these clusters is carried out by calculating the density-density correlation functions in the plane perpendicular to beam direction g(rxy); and along the direction of beam g(z), they give an average picture of shell structure formation in the different directions. The relaxation time of the first shell structure calculated from the van Hove correlation function is found to be relatively large in the perturbed solution. This is the signature of formation of stable nanoclusters in the presence of the radiation field. Our study on the dynamics of solute molecules during the cluster formation and dissolution gives the duration of collective relaxation, far away from the equilibrium to an equilibrium distribution. This relaxation time is found to be large for a perturbed solution

Density and energy relaxation in an open one-dimensional system

A new master equation to mimic the dynamics of a collection of interacting random walkers in an open system is proposed and solved numerically. In this model, the random walkers interact through excluded volume interaction (single-file system); and the total number of walkers in the lattice can fluctuate because of exchange with a bath. In addition, the movement of the random walkers is biased by an external perturbation. Two models for the latter are considered: (1) an inverse potential (V∝1/r), where r is the distance between the center of the perturbation and the random walker and (2) an inverse of sixth power potential (V∝1/r6). The calculated density of the walkers and the total energy show interesting dynamics. When the size of the system is comparable to the range of the perturbing field, the energy relaxation is found to be highly nonexponential. In this range, the system can show stretched exponential (e-(t/τs)β) and even logarithmic time dependence of energy relaxation over a limited range of time. Introduction of density exchange in the lattice markedly weakens this nonexponentiality of the relaxation function, irrespective of the nature of perturbation

ANALYZING NON-PERFORMING ASSETS IN EDUCATIONAL LOANS: A CASE STUDY OF INDIA

The primary objective of this research study is to investigate non-performing assets in Indian educational loans. Education is a critical foundation of the Indian economy. It represents the primary source of livelihood for the development and the development of an economy. Educational loans are very important in order to achieve technological development and, implicitly, to reduce costs and use sustainable strategies. The data sample was collected from 80 lenders (bank managers) and 80 borrowers of education loans from Pudukkottai district, Tamilnadu state in India. The Multi Stage Disproportionate Sampling method has been applied for the purpose of collecting information from both the borrowers and the lenders. The analysis results refute the hypothesis, as there is no substantial variation in how various types of banks manage non- performing assets in educational credit, since the bulk of NPA instances in educational credit are the consequence of borrowers' intentional default. The majority of defaults were caused by political leaders' announcements of debt forgiveness. The empirical results are relevant and contribute to a better understanding of the impact of non-performing assets in educational loans on sustainable economic growth in India

The Expectation Disconfirmation Theory of Green Banking Practices of State Bank of India with special reference to Kerala - A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

In light of Agenda 2030, sustainability awareness is steadily growing worldwide. All institutions, including banks and financial institutions, are working to reduce their carbon footprints. Several indirect problems have arisen for India as a result of the banking process, such as global warming, climate change, irregular monsoon, air pollution, heavy rain, poor air quality, health problems, ozone depletion, fossil fuel use, recurrent destruction of forests for daily use, improper e-waste disposal. These issues can be overcome with sustainable banking practices (Green banking), which benefit the customer's satisfaction and quality of life. However, sustainability can be achieved only when the customers accept green banking and are satisfied with it. In order to do that, the bank must understand the level of expectations and perception of its customers toward green initiatives and to what extent the initiatives satisfy their day-to-day needs. This paper provides an overview of Expectancy disconfirmation integrations into customer satisfaction of India's largest public sector banks. As part of the present theoretical analysis, we first examine the level of awareness, expectations, and perception differences of customers to determine their satisfaction level. We then provide some evidence from SBI in Kerala regarding dissatisfying factors in green banking practices

CLINICO – MYCOLOGICAL PROFILE OF DERMATOPHYTIC INFECTIONS

Objective: The objective of this study was to isolate and identify the dermatophytic infected patients attending Perunduarai IRT Medical College and Hospital, Erode.Methods: The samples of skin, nail and hair from patients having the sign of superficial mycoses were gathered over a period of one year. The clinical material was examined microscopically by KOH mount and the culture was done on Sabouraud dextrose agar, Potato dextrose agar Dermatophyte test agar medium and incubated at 28-30 °C.Results: The demographic data shows that the men (82%) were highly susceptible to the infection; the infected age group is between 15-30 y (74%). In that students, (28%) were highly exposed to Tinea corporis and Tinea cruris infection.Conclusion: The results of the study suggested that the preliminary information on the prevalence and distribution of dermatophytes in the area of sampling. So the knowledge of the efficient screening, management, reduction and treatment of the dermatophytic infection should be fruitful in the future.Keywords: Skin, KOH mount, Dermatophyte test medium (DTM), Tinea cruri