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The coronavirus’s shape has an impact on how it spreads

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3 years ago

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The coronavirus’s shape has an impact on how it spreads

Since the start of the COVID-19 epidemic, images of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 have been permanently implanted in our minds. However, the virus is not exactly shaped like a sphere with spikes as we typically imagine it. Images taken under a microscope of infected tissues reveal coronavirus particles to be ellipsoidal in shape and to have a variety of compressed and elongated morphologies.

Researchers from Queen’s University in Canada and the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) in Japan are leading a global study team that has examined how different elliptical shapes affect how viral particles rotate within fluids, affecting how easy the virus can spread. Recent publication of the study in the journal Physics of Fluids.

According to Professor Eliot Fried, head of OIST’s Mechanics and Materials Unit, when coronavirus particles are breathed in, they move around inside the nose and lungs. “We want to know how mobile they are in these surroundings,” the researcher said.

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The speed at which particles rotate as they move through the fluid is controlled by rotational diffusivity, a particular type of movement that the scientists modelled (in the case of the coronavirus, droplets of saliva). Fluid drag is reduced and rotation speed is increased in smoother, more hydrodynamic particles. The ability of coronavirus particles to bind to and infect cells is influenced by their rotating speed.

In their research, the scientists modelled both prolate and oblate ellipsoids of revolution. Prolate shapes have one longer axis and oblate shapes have one shorter axis, which sets them apart from spheres (which have three axes of equal length). Prolate shapes grow into rod-like shapes when followed to their logical conclusion, whilst oblate shapes contract into coin-like shapes. On the other hand, coronavirus particles differ in a more subtle way.

The scientists improved the ellipsoids’ surface by coating them with spike proteins to create the most accurate model yet. The inclusion of triangular-shaped spike proteins slows the rotation of coronavirus particles, potentially increasing the virus’ ability to infect cells, according to earlier research from Queen’s University and OIST.

Each spike protein was represented by a single sphere on the surface of the ellipsoids in the scientists’ simplified model of the spike proteins.

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At order to determine the arrangement of the spikes on the surface of each ellipsoidal shape, Dr. Vikash Chaurasia, a postdoctoral researcher in the OIST Mechanics and Materials Unit, explained, “We then assumed that they all have the same charge. Similar charge spikes reject one another and seek out as much space as possible. They consequently surround the particle evenly, minimising its repulsion.

The researchers’ model revealed that a particle rotates more slowly the further it deviates from a spherical shape. This would suggest that the particles have improved alignment and cell-attachment abilities.

The model is still crude, the researchers acknowledge, but it advances our knowledge of the coronavirus’s transport characteristics and may help identify a factor that is crucial to the success of its infective process.

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DTC to start electric buses from 3 Delhi ISBTs to Noida airport by May end

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1 week ago

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May 10, 2025

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DTC to start electric buses from 3 Delhi ISBTs to Noida airport by May end

The buses will start and currently serve Greater Noida and Jewar, even though the airport is probably not going to be operational by May By the end of May, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) plans to begin operating electric buses from the Capital to the soon-to-be Noida International Airport (NIA) in Jewar, according to officials. The buses will begin at.

Delhi’s three Inter State Bus Terminals (ISBTs) — Maharana Pratap ISBT at Kashmere Gate, Swami Vivekanand ISBT at Anand Vihar, and Veer Hakikat Rai ISBT at Sarai Kale Khan — and currently serve Greater Noida and Jewar, even though the airport is probably not going to meet the May deadline to be operational The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) is set to launch.

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Electric bus services connecting Delhi’s Inter-State Bus Terminals (ISBTs) to the upcoming Noida International Airport (NIA) in Jewar by the end of May 2025. This initiative aims to enhance connectivity between the national capital and the new airport, providing a March 2025, DTC and NIA signed operate thesesustainable and efficient mode transportation for.

Key Features of the Service

  • Routes and Terminals: The electric buses will operate from three major ISBTs in Delhi: Maharana Pratap ISBT at Kashmere Gate, Swami Vivekanand ISBT at Anand Vihar, and Veer Hakikat Rai ISBT at Sarai Kale Khan. Initially, these buses will serve areas in Greater Noida and Jewar, catering to the March 2025, DTC and NIA signed an MoU to operate these demand for public transport in these regions.
  • Memorandum of Understanding (MoU): In March 2025, DTC and NIA signed an MoU to operate these bus services, formalizing the collaboration between the two entities The fleet will consist of air-conditioned, low-floor electric buses equipped with modern amenities, including GPS tracking, CCTV cameras, panic buttons, and broad aisle spaces to accommodate luggage. These features aim to ensure.
  • Commuters passenger safety and comfort during transit While the exact fare amounts are yet to be finalized, discussions are ongoing in consultation with the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida), which manages the Jewar area. The authorities aim to establish a cost-effective fare structure for commuters The bus services will initially be deployed on a pilot basis. Depending demand.

Additional Considerations

  • Infrastructure Development: A four-kilometer stretch of road that will be part of the bus route is not fully developed yet. DTC has reached out to Yeida to ascertain the usability and development timeline of this segment to ensure seamless operations. and passenger feedback, routes may be adjusted, and the number of buses increased to better serve commuters this, the bus services will begin as scheduled.
  • Airport Operational Timeline: Although the NIA was expected to commence operations by mid-May 2025, it is likely to miss this deadline due to ongoing construction work. Despite this, the bus services will begin as scheduled, providing connectivity to the surrounding areas in the interim providing connectivity to the surrounding areas in the interi This initiative reflects DTC’s commitment to.
  • Enhancing public transportation infrastructure and promoting eco-friendly travel options in the National Capital Region. By introducing electric buses on this route, the corporation aims to offer a reliable and sustainable alternative for commuters traveling between Delhi and the upcoming Noida International The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) is set to commence electric bus services.
  • connecting Delhi’s Inter-State Bus Terminals (ISBTs) to the upcoming Noida International Airport (NIA) in Jewar by the end of May 2025. This initiative aims to provide eco-friendly and convenient transportation options for commuters traveling between Delhi and the new airport NIA was expected to commence.
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