Emerging Trends of Nanotechnology towards Picotechnology: Energy and Biomolecules

In nature, metal oxide particles display their existence at the level of picomolecules in solution state and bioactive states in the body. We present evidence of picomolar behavior of molecules different than nanomolar behavior of particles. These particles can be encapsulated in polymers and can be functionalized with protein, nucleotides, and drugs to develop as smart intracellular targeting pico-devices. The preparation technique and physiological conditions decide the size and functionality of these pico-carrier devices. Their usable success rate, feasibility and potentials are yet to be proven or we do not know. The major difference between nanodevices and pico-devices is their intermolecular and intramolecular thermodynamics in medium and their molecular conformational interaction with molecular assembly in cytoarchitecture of the neurofilament, actin-myosin, microtubule proteins. Pico-carrier devices can be presumed as potential spears without interacting with host signal transduction and immunoprotection. In conclusion, the ultrafine size of newer picotechnology products may be better suited and easier to functionalize for design of particle based picodrugs, picochemicals, and pico-targeting molecules

THERMOHYDRAULIC PERFORMANCE OF AN EQUILATERAL TRIANGULAR DUCT WITH ARTIFICIAL ROUGHNESS USED IN SOLAR AIR HEATER

The thermohydraulic performance of artificially roughened equilateral triangular solar air heater duct has been investigated and the comparision of the same has been presented with that of a conventional smooth solar air heater duct. The range of relative roughness height (e/Dh) is from 0.021 to 0.043, value of angle of attack (α) and relative roughness pitch (p/e) has been 30° and 8 respectively. The range of Reynolds number is from 5600 to 28000 and aspect ratio of the duct is 1.15. It has been found that the thermohydraulic performance of artificially roughened triangular solar air heater duct is always more than that of the smooth absorber plate in the range of Reynolds number investigated

EFFECT OF ARTIFICIAL ROUGHNESS ON HEAT TRANSFER AND FRICTION CHARACTERSTICS OF DOUBLE PASS SOLAR AIR HEATER

Double pass solar air heater (DPSAH) consisted of rectangular duct provided with artificial roughness on both side of the absorber plate has been experimentally investigated. Circular ribs of aluminium wire is used to provide roughness to increase heat transfer coefficient between absorber plate and air. Ribs are attached to absorber plate at four different angle of attackbetween 30° to 75° . Experiment is carried out over the range of Reynolds Number from 4900 to 12000, and relative roughness height (e/Dh) varies from 0.022 to 0.044. Experimentally different values of Nusselt number(Nu). and friction factor(fr) have been determined for various parameters. The enhance-ment in heat transfer and increment in the friction factor values of Nusselt number and friction factor have also been compared with the smooth one

Nanotoxicity Assessment toward the Applications of Carbon Nanotubes as a Small Biomolecule Carrier in Drug Delivery Systems

Carbon Nanotube (CNT) materials have superior properties in electric current carrying capacity, thermal conductivity, and thermal stability. Due to their structure with high aspect ratio, they have structural unusual toxicity and complicate safety issue in a target tissue. In optimized quantities with limited functionality, special type of CNT assembly such as “buckyball” can be used as a potential drug carrier of bioactive molecules and display with increased circulating time and acceptable functionality. We analyzed cytoxicity and inflammatory response following exposure of different size, mass, shape, and functionality of CNTs. We monitored the transport across skin, physiological perturbation of transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) during the exposure of different concentrations of CNTs. The mechanisms of CNTs’ toxicity are closely related to their structure, functional group, and surface charge on the molecule. We established the nanoscale toxicity of fullerenes of CNTs

A study of high-sensitivity C- reactive protein and trop-T in patients with coronary artery disease

Background: The diagnosis of Hs-CRP levels is helpful to correlate with the clinical severity of coronary artery disease and with coronary events in both acute and sub-acute phase of myocardial ischemia. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the major cause of death in the developed world. The level of certain proteins in plasma increase during acute inflammatory state or secondary to certain types of tissue damage.Methods: 100 subjects and 50 controls were taken from the outdoor and indoor department of medicine in Geetanjali Medical College & Hospital, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. C-reactive protein was estimated by immuno-turbidometry method.Results: We have also come across very high levels of Hs-CRP in the CAD patients and found that the value of Hs-CRP was 2.51±0.79 mg/L as compared to 0.76±0.34 mg/L in control and therefore the rise in Hs-CRP is highly significant because of p value (0.0001).Conclusions: Hs-CRP is highly significant in CAD patients when compared to the control group. It is an independent and better predictor of CAD

Construction and Performance Analysis of an Indirect Solar Dryer Integrated with Solar Air Heater

AbstractThe use of conventional sources of energy for drying agricultural product is an expensive process in developing countries. Therefore, an appropriate technology for drying of agricultural produce has been developed and its performance for the drying of tomatoes was evaluated. An indirect type natural convection solar dryer was developed. The aim of this study is to evaluate dryer performance under natural and forced convection modes of drying. In natural and forced convection, air mass flow rates of 0.00653kg/s and 0.019kg/s respectively were obtained. Hot air reached an average drying temperature of 45°C in natural convection and 40°C in forced convection. The results obtained from natural and forced convection modes of drying were also compared with open sun drying. The colour, flavour and time required for drying is favorable in solar drying as compared to sun drying

IMECE2005-80758 MODELLING CONDUCTION AND RADIATION IN REACTIVE POROUS BED OF THE GASIFIER

ABSTRACT This paper presents the heat transfer model for the gasifier to predict the temperature profile in the bed using the single zone sub-model. The single zone sub-model is also used to verify the correctness and to demonstrate the effect of various parameters for e.g. solid/fluid flow, temperatures of inflow/outflow control volume (CV), heat generation/absorption and with/without heat loss. The study shows that solid/fluid flow, inflow CV temperature and heat generation/absorption within the CV of interest are the strong influencing parameters, whether, the outflow CV temperature has insignificant effect on the temperature values of the CV of interest. The six similar zones correspond to preheating, drying, pyrolysis, oxidation, reduction and annular jacket zone are also coupled in order to predict the temperature profile in the gasifier bed. The simulation result shows that temperature of the down stream zones are more sensitive to heat generation in the bed as compared to upstream zone temperature, while the increase in gas flow rate resulting into the decrease in temperature profile depending upon the values of heat generation/absorption in bed is being fixed

A rare case of meningioma with extracalvarial extension: A Case report

Meningioma is a common primary tumor of the central nervous system. Here, we describe a case of meningioma en plaque with intracranial mass with osteolysis with extracalvarial extension. The patient was a 54 years male who presented to us with a rapidly growing mass in the left frontal region. On magnetic resonance imaging brain, the mass was avid heterogeneously enhancing extra-axial lesion in the left frontal lobe with surrounding cerebrospinal fluid cleft with an erosion of overlying frontal calvaria on the left side with an extracranial component. Simpson’s grade 1 excision was carried out. Histopathology showed a meningothelial meningioma with low tumor cell proliferation but with infiltration into the bone and angioinvasion. The patient was taken for radiotherapy. The patient recovered well in the post-operative period

Epidemiological study of intracranial meningiomas in a tertiary care hospital

Meningiomas are tumours that arise from the meningothelial cells. Most of these tumours are intracranial; some are intraspinal and few extra cranial. There are many histological variants classified into three grades depending on clinical behaviour. Classification is important for determining the modality of treatment. Objectives: To study the incidence, location, sex and age predilection, histological variants and grading of meningiomas based on WHO 2007 classification and recurrence if present. Materials and methods: All 200 cases of meningiomas. Based on Histological features, typing and grading of meningiomas was done as per the WHO 2007 classification of Meningiomas. Age, Sex incidence, Location of meningiomas were studied. Results: Meningiomas comprised 26.17% of all CNS tumours during the study period. Of 764 CNS tumours, 200 were meningiomas. Most of them were intracranial, predominantly involving the convexities of brain, females and the 41 – 50 age group. Of these, 180 were benign grade I tumours, 12 were grade II and 8 were grade III. The most common histological variant was fibroblastic and meningothelial. Grade II and Grade III tumours commonly recurred. Conclusion: Meningiomas are slow-growing tumours arising from the meningothelial cells accounting for 26.17% of all CNS neoplasms showing a variety of histological patterns, more common in women, predominantly Grade I tumours. Recurrence of tumours depends on histological grade and extent of surgery