Grindability Evaluation of Ultrasonic Assisted Grinding of Silicon Nitride Ceramic Using Minimum Quantity Lubrication Based SiO_(2)Nanofluid

Minimum quantity Lubrication(MQL)is a sustainable lubrication system that is famous in many machining systems.It involve the spray of an infinitesimal amount of mist-like lubricants during machining processes.The MQL system is affirmed to exhibit an excellent machining performance,and it is highly economical.The nanofluids are understood to exhibit excellent lubricity and heat evacuation capability,compared to pure oil-based MQL system.Studies have shown that the surface quality and amount of energy expended in the grinding operations can be reduced considerably due to the positive effect of these nanofluids.This work presents an experimental study on the tribological performance of SiO_(2)nanofluid during grinding of Si_(3)N_(4)ceramic.The effect different grinding modes and lubrication systems during the grinding operation was also analyzed.Different concentrations of the SiO_(2)nanofluid was manufactured using canola,corn and sunflower oils.The quantitative evaluation of the grinding process was done based on the amount of grinding forces,specific grinding energy,frictional coefficient,and surface integrity.It was found that the canola oil exhibits optimal lubrication performance compared to corn oil,sunflower oil,and traditional lubrication systems.Additionally,the introduction of ultrasonic vibrations with the SiO_(2)nanofluid in MQL system was found to reduce the specific grinding energy,normal grinding forces,tangential grinding forces,and surface roughness by 65%,57%,65%,and 18%respectively.Finally,regression analysis was used to obtain an optimum parameter combinations.The observations from this work will aid the smooth transition towards ecofriendly and sustainable machining of engineering ceramics.

Effects of Furniture Ergonomics on Student’s Satisfaction in a Library Facility

Building occupants are not immune to ill-health as a result of time they spend in a building.This paper seeks to examine the effects furniture ergonomics have on student’s satisfaction in the library of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.A pilot survey was initially conducted in the library through a one-to-one interaction with students to fetch their opinions on the general effects of the furniture.An observation through several walkthroughs was also conducted by the researchers to compare and validate responses obtained.Two hundred and sixty-five students that come from fifteen nationalities are surveyed.A structured questionnaire is used to collect data on the respondents’opinions on the size,shape,arrangement and comfort of the furniture.Eta cross tabulation,Spearman’s rho and Kendall’s Tau-b are used to establish relationships.Results show that amongst the effects studied,there are significant positive relationships between students’satisfaction of furniture ergonomics as against back-strain and lack of concentration.This implies that the more the furniture arrangements,size and shape are perceived unsatisfactory,the more their effects on back-strain and lack of concentration towards the students.This paper further recommends that library management should see to designing IEQ(Indoor Environmental Quality)guidelines that will mitigate the effects of furniture ergonomics thus improving student’s satisfaction.

Predictive modelling of volumetric and Marshall properties of asphalt mixtures modified with waste tire-derived char:A statistical neural network approach

The goals of this study are to assess the viability of waste tire-derived char(WTDC)as a sustainable,low-cost fine aggregate surrogate material for asphalt mixtures and to develop the statistically coupled neural network(SCNN)model for predicting volumetric and Marshall properties of asphalt mixtures modified with WTDC.The study is based on experimental data acquired from laboratory volumetric and Marshall properties testing on WTDCmodified asphalt mixtures(WTDC-MAM).The input variables comprised waste tire char content and asphalt binder content.The output variables comprised mixture unit weight,total voids,voids filled with asphalt,Marshall stability,and flow.Statistical coupled neural networks were utilized to predict the volumetric and Marshall properties of asphalt mixtures.For predictive modeling,the SCNN model is employed,incorporating a three-layer neural network and preprocessing techniques to enhance accuracy and reliability.The optimal network architecture,using the collected dataset,was a 2:6:5 structure,and the neural network was trained with 60%of the data,whereas the other 20%was used for cross-validation and testing respectively.The network employed a hyperbolic tangent(tanh)activation function and a feed-forward backpropagation.According to the results,the network model could accurately predict the volumetric and Marshall properties.The predicted accuracy of SCNN was found to be as high value>98%and low prediction errors for both volumetric and Marshall properties.This study demonstrates WTDC's potential as a low-cost,sustainable aggregate replacement.The SCNN-based predictive model proves its efficiency and versatility and promotes sustainable practices.

Phytoremediation Strategies for Heavy Metal Contamination: A Review on Sustainable Approach for Environmental Restoration

Current globalization trends and important breakthroughs globally need a complete study of heavy metal contamination, its causes, its impacts on human and environmental health, and different remediation strategies. Heavy metal pollution is mostly produced by urbanization and industry, which threatens ecosystems and human health. Herein, we discuss a sustainable environmental restoration strategy employing phytoremediation for heavy metal pollution, the carcinogenic, mutagenic, and cytotoxic effects of heavy metals such as cadmium, copper, mercury, selenium, zinc, arsenic, chromium, lead, nickel, and silver, which may be fatal. Phytoremediation, which was prioritized, uses plants to remove, accumulate, and depollute pollutants. This eco-friendly method may safely collect, accumulate, and detoxify toxins using plants, making it popular. This study covers phytostabilization, phytodegradation, rhizodegradation, phytoextraction, phytovolatilization, and rhizofiltration. A phytoremediation process’s efficiency in varied environmental circumstances depends on these components’ complex interplay. This paper also introduces developing phytoremediation approaches including microbe-assisted, chemical-assisted, and organic or bio-char use. These advancements attempt to overcome conventional phytoremediation’s limitations, such as limited suitable plant species, location problems, and sluggish remediation. Current research includes machine learning techniques and computer modeling, biostimulation, genetic engineering, bioaugmentation, and hybrid remediation. These front-line solutions show that phytoremediation research is developing towards transdisciplinary efficiency enhancement. We acknowledge phytoremediation’s promise but also its drawbacks, such as site-specific variables, biomass buildup, and sluggish remediation, as well as ongoing research to address them. In conclusion, heavy metal pollution threatens the ecology and public health and must be reduced. Phytoremediation treats heavy metal pollution in different ways. Over time, phytoremediation systems have developed unique ways that improve efficiency. Despite difficulties like site-specificity, sluggish remediation, and biomass buildup potential, phytoremediation is still a vital tool for environmental sustainability.

Comparative Analysis of Ki-67 Protein as a Proliferative Expression Index in Cutaneous Basal and Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Federal Medical Centre Umuahia, Nigeria

Background: Evaluating the tumor proliferative index helps predict clinical behavior and provides prognostic insights for cutaneous basal cell carcinoma (cBCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Objective: This study aimed to identify differences in the proliferative indices among variants of cBCC and cSCC diagnosed at a tertiary healthcare center. Method: Skin biopsies histologically diagnosed as cBCC and cSCC between 2012 and 2018 at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria, were analyzed. Archival formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks were retrieved along with clinical data, and were prepared on charged microscope slides and the immunohistochemical staining was carried out. The primary antibody used in this study was clone BioCare CRM325C (RM) and adenotonsillar tissue blocks/slides served as positive controls. Ki-67 immunohistochemistry was performed on fresh 4µm sections of the tumor specimens. Results: The application of Ki-67 immunoperoxidase on both BCC and SCC cohort, yielded an intense observable brownish nuclear stain in areas of dense proliferating tumour cells on both cutaneous tumours. The average Ki-67 index for all cSCC cases was 24.7%, with a range of 2.3% - 80%, while the mean for cBCC was 15.8%, ranging from 1.2% - 45.6%. Variants with high proliferative indices were observed in 11.9% of cBCC cases and 29.1% of cSCC cases. Among the low proliferative index category, cSCC accounted for 5.4%, while cBCC represented 14.3%. For mild proliferative indices, cSCC cases made up 7.3% and cBCC, 11.9%. The majority of cases showed moderate proliferative indices, with 61.9% for cBCC and 58.2% for cSCC. Overall, there was a significant difference in proliferative indices between cSCC, cBCC, and their variants. Conclusion: The study found a significantly higher rate of cell proliferation, measured by Ki-67 immunostaining, in cSCC and its variants compared to cBCC. However, certain variants of cBCC also exhibited high Ki-67 expression, indicating they can be as aggressive as some cSCC variants.

Occurrence of <i>Escherichia coli</i>O157 in Retailed-Beef and Related Meat Products in Zaria, Nigeria

This study evaluated retailed-beef and related meat products for E. coli O157 in Zaria, Nigeria. Sample types included raw meat, “suya” (roasted meat), “balangu” (barbequed meat), “kilishi” (spiced sun dried meat) and “dambu” (shredded fried meat). A total of 182 samples were analyzed for E. coli O157. Isolates were characterized using conventional biochemical methods and Microbact 12E test kit. Susceptibilities of the isolates to 18 commonly used antimicrobial agents were determined by the disk diffusion method. The carriage of stx1 and stx2 genes was determined by PCR. Microbact confirmed 4 E. coli isolates. All isolates exhibited multiple drug resistance to the antimicrobial agents tested. An overall prevalence of 2.2% was obtained for E. coli O157. All 4 isolates of E. coli O157 were isolated from raw meat;two of which harboured the stx1 gene.

Clinical Evaluation and Surgical Management of Some Important Reproductive Problems of Intensively Raised Chickens in Zaria, Nigeria

Almost all healthy female chickens are expected to optimally produce eggs regularly. To maximize profits, nonproductive birds are often culled in commercial layer farms without due considerations to causes. Genetic and therapeutic manipulations to increase egg production per cycle often predispose birds to obstetric problems. Information on the detection and management techniques of reproductive abnormalities of the domestic chicken appear scarce. This study reports on clinical evaluation and surgical management of three major reproductive abnormalities of the commercial layer chickens. Egg yolk peritonitis, oviduct impaction and egg bound conditions were diagnosed and surgically managed following standard surgical procedures. Palpation and abdominocenthesis using flexible rubber catheter, abdomino-pelvic ultrasound scan and ventra-dorsal X-ray techniques were used to establish diagnosis. In all reported conditions herein, surgery was employed to correct them. The study showed values of diagnostic imaging and surgery to correcting obstetric conditions of domestic chickens.

Informal Sector Solid Waste Collection and Recycling in Zaria, Nigeria

Management of solid wastes has become a critical issue for almost all the major cities in Nigeria. Although the responsibility for solid waste management remains primarily with the local government councils, several other stakeholders are playing significant roles in the system. In Zaria, the scavengers, waste pickers and collectors eke out a living by collecting waste and selling recyclable materials out of the urban solid wastes. The paper utilized data collected using questionnaire survey, in-depth discussion guides and open-ended interviews to examine the socio-economic characteristics, the functions, aspects of involvement of children, the working conditions and problems of waste collectors and pickers in Zaria. The paper found that the sector is the only means of solid waste collection in several sections of the town and is a source of livelihood for the poor. The activities help in realizing the aim of modern waste management, that is to move up the solid waste management hierarchy by reducing reliance on disposal and increasing recycling. In spite of these important functions, informal waste collection and recycling are associated with problems of unsanitary conditions and health risks to the communities and the waste collectors. Recommendations have been made to integrate the informal sector into the formal waste management by incorporating the employment needs of the urban poor and enhancing the efficiency of government in addressing the main problems.

Agrochemical Concentration Level in Zaria Dam Reservoir and Ground Waters in the Environs

This study examines the effect of agrochemical used for faming in the Galma Dam area on the quality of water in the reservoir and well water around the reservoir. Nine sampling points upstream of the Galma Dam were randomly se- lected for the study. Also, six hand dug wells in use by adjacent communities were identified for ground water samples. The study covered the period July to September 2011. All measurements were in accordance with the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. The parameters measured and their mean concentrations from the reser- voir are in the order of: Chlorides (0.600 - 0.900 mg/l);Nitrates (0.009 - 0.019 mg/l);Bicarbonates;0.444 - 1.900 mg/l);Total Phosphates (0.173 - 3.077 mg/l);Sulphates (0.617 - 3.587 mg/l);and pH (6.4 - 7.5). For the well water samples, the results ranged from 1.58 - 3.10 mg/l;0.14 - 0.03 mg/l;0.60 - 2.73 mg/l;0.08 - 1.89 mg/l;0.33 - 2.66 mg/l and 6.05 - 7.0 respectively in the order previously listed. The results were statistically analyzed using ANOVA at 95% confidence level. Chlorides showed no significant variation between sampling points but significant variation with dates of sam- pling for surface and well waters. Nitrates variations with both sampling points and dates of sampling were insignificant. Bicarbonates variations with sampling points and dates of sampling were highly significant. Total Phosphates and Sul- phates variations with sampling points and dates of sampling were insignificant and significant respectively. pH values variations with sampling points and dates of sampling were insignificant and highly significant respectively. Generally, the mean concentrations are within the WHO maximum limits of the parameters in drinking water and recommenda- tions were made regarding the use of agrochemicals for farming in the area.

The Socio-Demographics of HIV-Infected Persons with Psychological Morbidity in Zaria, Nigeria

Introduction: It is estimated that more than 330 million persons are living with HIV-infection globally and in Nigeria about 3.4 million persons are living with the infection, with an annual death rate of 180,000. Psychological morbidity often accompanies chronic illnesses and may be associated with substance abuse, poor health seeking behaviour and adherence to treatment program;it may worsen existing health problems and the overall quality of life. Until the burden is effectively identified, intervention cannot be planned. Until there is cure, the goal is to manage and cope effectively with HIV-infection. Little if any studies have been done in this area in the North West geopolitical zone of Nigeria, the study would help to identify high risk groups and prevent the progression and spread of the infection. Objectives: To identify HIV-infected persons with psychological morbidity, accessing HIV-clinic at Shika Hospital, Zaria, Kaduna State;and analyze their socio-demographic profile. Methodology: A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out to assess and analyze the socio-demographic characteristics of HIV-infected persons attending Shika hospital Zaria Nigeria, who screened positive for psychological morbidity. A total of 109 HIV-infected persons receiving HAART at Shika clinic, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria, were administered questionnaires;the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) measuring psychological morbidity and socio-demographic data. The participants ranged in age between 18 and 75 years. Results: Data were analyzed using SPSS software 15. Both descriptive and inferential Statistics were performed on the data. Results indicate a total prevalence rate of psychological morbidity of 78 percent among participants. Of this, about 16.2 percent were severely distressed, 25.1 percent moderately distressed and 36.7 percent were mildly distressed. The females were more likely to be distressed than men (65 percent vs. 35 percent of those with psychological morbidity, OR = 3.5 CI 95 percent). It was (57 percent) for patients whose HIV-infection was of relatively shorter duration (less than 4years) than (43 percent) those of longer duration (5 years and above;OR = 1.7, CI 95 percent = 1.1 - 3.5). The age group (18 - 40 years) was more likely to screen positive for psychological morbidity (58.3 percent vs. 41.7 percent, OR = 2.4, CI 95 percent), than the age group (41 - 75 years). On the other hand, Christians were more likely than Muslims (55 percent vs. 45 percent, OR = 1.5, CI 95 percent = 1.1 - 3) to be distressed. For married patients with partners it was 20 percent and for singles 30 percent;for the widowed (12 percent) and divorced (38 percent). At the level of tribal/ethnic groups, it was 13 percent for Ibos, 22 percent for Yorubas, 27 percent for Hausas and 38 percent for all the other minority tribes put together. Conclusion and recommendations: The study has been able to identify the presence of psychological morbidity among HIV-infected persons as high and analyze the socio-demographic factors associated with it as significant. Periodic screening of HIV-infected persons for psychological morbidity and psychosocial intervention was recommended.

Occurrence of <i>Vibrio cholerae</i>in Some Households Engaged in Livestock Farming in Some Parts of Zaria, Nigeria

The study was designed to determine the presence of Vibrio cholerae from the environment in close proximity with livestock in Zaria,Kadunastate. Three hundred and thirty six environmental samples comprising soil, water, manure and vegetables were collected from some selected households inZariacoveringZariacity, Sabo and Samaru from April to October 2006 and analyzed for the presence of Vibrio cholerae, one of the etiologic agent of gastroenteritis. Twelve Vibrios exhibiting characteristics of Vibrio cholerae were identified using biochemical techniques. Serological identification confirmed 5 (41.7%) of these isolates as Vibrio, 1 (20%) as Vibrio serogroup O1, Ogawa biotype. A 0.59% prevalence was obtained for this pathogen in the study. The 0.59% isolation rate though low is significant considering it’s source being animal, since livestock keeping is a common feature in the study location, with animals living in close proximity to man this work is imperative. Animals are a point source of contamination of enteric pathogens, therefore extensive management system and proper treatment of animal manure is recommended before its use as fertilizer.

A Study of the Behavioural Factors Associated with Low Uptake of Intra-Uterine Contraceptive Device in Zaria, Northern Nigeria: A Qualitative Survey

Aim: To document reasons for the low uptake of Copper 380A contraceptive in Zaria, Northern Nigeria. Study Design: Qualitative analysis from In-depth interviews (IDI) and Focus group discussions (FGD). Setting: Zaria, Northern Nigeria. Methods: Five high volume public facilities within Zaria metropolis were selected for the study (the teaching hospital, two district hospitals serving the metropolis and two primary care centers). The most experienced provider in each of these facilities was engaged in an IDI to explore reasons for the low uptake of IUD from their perspective. Similarly, a session of FGD was conducted in each of the facility involving at least eight family planning clients who were para 4 or more and not using the IUD. Results: There were a total of 397 new clients that were served various methods of contraceptive across the five facilities three months prior to the study. Intrauterine device only accounted for 11.8% of these clients while Injectable was responsible for 62% of clients. 72% of the IUD insertions took place in the teaching hospital. There were no IUD insertions in the two primary care centers within the last three months prior to study. Conclusion: Misconceptions, lack of information concerning IUD particularly at the primary care levels, lack of male involvement and providers’ incompetence were the main barriers to accessing IUD services in Zaria, Nigeria. In the course of this investigation, local Ethics were observed.

Calibration of the High Purity Germanium Gamma-Ray Spectrometer in CERT, ABU Zaria, Nigeria

Gamma-ray spectrometry is a very powerful tool for radioactivity measurements. The gamma-ray spectrometer laboratory in Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria is accredited to perform measurements of radioactive content of samples collected from the environment, food chain or industrial products with the aid of a high resolution HPGe detector. For accurate gamma-ray spectrometry, certain measurements were considered;the efficiency of the detector was performed experimentally against energies within the range of 59.50 keV (241Am) to 2204.50 keV (226Ra) for the respective geometries of 1 - 6 cm. The sustained solid angle relations with respect to the inverse square of sample geometries from 1 - 6 cm were evaluated. Another main point of this work was focused on the efficiency at geometry of 5 cm with respect to the three selected energies: 661.60 keV (137Cs), 1173.2 keV (60Co) and 1332 keV (60Co) for the main axis, ten degree off main axis, forty five degree off main axis and ninety degree off the detector main axis. In order to verify optimum geometries in our laboratory for both short lived and long lived radionuclides analyses, the evaluation of efficiencies for the respective energies: 1173.2 keV (60Co), 1332.5 keV (60Co), 1764 keV (226Ra) and 2294 keV (226Ra) were plotted against geometries of 1 to 6 cm from the detector end cap along the main axis.

FgGyp8 as a putative FgRab1 GAP is required for growth and pathogenesis by regulating FgSnc1-mediated secretory vesicles fusion in Fusarium graminearum

Fusarium graminearum is an important plant pathogenic fungus that causes disease and yield reduction in many cereal crops, such as wheat and barley. Gyp8 stimulates GTP hydrolysis on Ypt1 in yeast. However, the functions of Gyp8 in plant pathogenic fungi are still unknown. In this study, we investigated the roles of Fg Gyp8 in F. graminearum by genetic and pathological analyses. Through gene knockout and phenotypic analyses, we found that Fg Gyp8 is required for vegetative growth in F. graminearum. The conidiation, conidial size and number of septa per conidium of ΔFggyp8 mutant are significantly reduced when compared to the wild type PH-1. Furthermore, Fg Gyp8 is crucial for pathogenicity on wheat coleoptiles and wheat heads. Fg Gyp8 contains a conserved TBC domain. Domain deletion analysis showed that the TBC domain, C-and N-terminal regions of Fg Gyp8 are all important for its biological functions in F. graminearum. Moreover, we showed that Fg Gyp8 catalyzes the hydrolysis of the GTP on Fg Rab1 to GDP in vitro, indicating that Fg Gyp8 is a GTPase-activating protein(GAP) for Fg Rab1. In addition, we demonstrated that Fg Gyp8 is required for Fg Snc1-mediated fusion of secretory vesicles with the plasma membrane in F. graminearum. Finally, we showed that Fg Gyp8 has functional redundancy with another Fg Rab1 GAP, Fg Gyp1, in F. graminearum. Taken together, we conclude that Fg Gyp8 is required for vegetative growth, conidiogenesis, pathogenicity and acts as a GAP for Fg Rab1 in F. graminearum.

Material Removal Mechanism and Force Modeling in Ultrasonic Vibration-Assisted Micro-Grinding Biological Bone

Micro-grinding with a spherical grinding head has been deemed an indispensable method in high-risk surgeries, such as neurosurgery and spine surgery, where bone grinding has long been plagued by the technical bottleneck of mechanical stress-induced crack damage. In response to this challenge, the ultrasound-assisted biological bone micro-grinding novel process with a spherical grinding head has been proposed by researchers. Force modeling is a prerequisite for process parameter determination in orthopedic surgery, and the difculty in establishing and accurately predicting bone micro-grinding force prediction models is due to the geometric distribution of abrasive grains and the dynamic changes in geometry and kinematics during the cutting process. In addressing these critical needs and technical problems, the shape and protrusion heights of the wear particle of the spherical grinding head were frst studied, and the gradual rule of the contact arc length under the action of high-speed rotating ultrasonic vibration was proposed. Second, the mathematical model of the maximum thickness of undeformed chips under ultrasonic vibration of the spherical grinding head was established. Results showed that ultrasonic vibration can reduce the maximum thickness of undeformed chips and increase the range of ductile and bone meal removals, revealing the mechanism of reducing grinding force. Further, the dynamic grinding behavior of diferent layers of abrasive particles under diferent instantaneous interaction states was studied. Finally, a prediction model of micro-grinding force was established in accordance with the relationship between grinding force and cutting depth, revealing the mechanism of micro-grinding force transfer under ultrasonic vibration. The theoretical model’s average deviations are 10.37% in x-axis direction, 6.85% in y-axis direction, and 7.81% in z-axis direction compared with the experimental results. This study provides theoretical guidance and technical support for clinical bone micro-grinding.

Interleukin-33 exerts pleiotropic immunoregulatory effects in response to Plasmodium berghei ANKA(PbA)infection in mice

Objective:To determine the involvement and the modulatory effects of IL-33 during Plasmodium berghei ANKA(PbA)infection.Methods:PbA infection in male ICR mice was utilized as a model of malaria.Systemically circulating IL-33 levels were determined in blood plasma by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).After 24 hours post-inoculation of PbA,recombinant IL-33 and ST2,and antibodies against IL-33 and IgG treatments were administered daily for 3 days.Tissue expression and localization of IL-33 were assessed in organs generally affected by malaria via immunohistochemistry.Moreover,histopathological examination was performed to assess the effects of the treatments.Results:The levels of systemic IL-33 were elevated at the critical phase of PbA infection.Likewise,immunohistochemical analysis revealed a significant upregulation of IL-33 expression at the critical phase in the brain,lungs,and spleen of PbA-infected mice as compared to healthy controls.Treatment with IL-33 protected against experimental cerebral malaria development and reduced pathological features in the brain and lungs of the PbA-infected mice.Conclusions:A potential critical role and involvement of IL-33 in PbA infection may hint at the resolution of immunopathological sequelae associated with malaria.

A Comparative study on generalized Manev potential and Newtonian potential in perturbed restricted four-body problem

The motion of a test particle within the context of the restricted four-body problem(R4BP)driven by a new kind of potential,called the generalized Manev potential,with perturbations in the Coriolis and centrifugal forces is considered in this study.The system possesses eight libration points which were distributed on its plane of motion in different manner from those of the usual Newtonian potential.Unlike the case of the perturbed R4BP under Newtonian potential,where two of these librations are stable,all of them are unstable in linear sense under Manev potential.We found that a gradual perturbation in the centrifugal force causes the trajectories of motion to drift inward but the Coriolis force was proven to have no effect on the location of the libration points of the system.Using first order Lyapunov characteristic exponents,the dynamical behavior of the system is found irregular.We experimented with a high velocity stellar system(82 G.Eridani)to establish the applicability of the model in astrophysics.

On Fractional Differential Inclusion for an EpidemicModel via L-Fuzzy Fixed Point Results

The real world is filled with uncertainty,vagueness,and imprecision.The concepts we meet in everyday life are vague rather than precise.In real-world situations,if a model requires that conclusions drawn from it have some bearings on reality,then two major problems immediately arise,viz.real situations are not usually crisp and deterministic;complete descriptions of real systems often require more comprehensive data than human beings could recognize simultaneously,process and understand.Conventional mathematical tools which require all inferences to be exact,are not always efficient to handle imprecisions in a wide variety of practical situations.Following the latter development,a lot of attention has been paid to examining novel L-fuzzy analogues of conventional functional equations and their various applications.In this paper,new coincidence point results for single-valued mappings and an L-fuzzy set-valued map in metric spaces are proposed.Regarding novelty and generality,the obtained invariant point notions are compared with some well-known related concepts via non-trivial examples.It is observed that our principal results subsume and refine some important ones in the corresponding domains.As an application,one of our results is utilized to discussmore general existence conditions for realizing the solutions of a non-integer order inclusion model for COVID-19.

Molecular diagnosis and direct quantification of cereal cyst nematode(Heterodera filipjevi) from field soil using TaqMan real-time PCR

Heterodera filipjevi continues to be a major threat to wheat production worldwide.Rapid detection and quantification of cyst nematodes are essential for more effective control against this nematode disease.In the present study,a TaqManminor groove binder(TaqMan-MGB)probe-based fluorescence quantitative real-time PCR(qPCR)was successfully developed and used for quantifying H.filipjevi from DNA extracts of soil.The primers and probe designed from the obtained RAPD-SCAR marker fragments of H.filipjevi showed high specificity to H.filipjevi using DNA from isolatesconfirmed species of 23 Heterodera spp.,1 Globodera spp.and 3 Pratylenchus spp.The qPCR assay is highly sensitive and provides improved H.filipjevi detection sensitivity of as low as 4^(-3) single second-stage juvenile(J2)DNAs,10^(-3) female DNAs,and 0.01μgμL^(-1) genomic DNAs.A standard curve relating to the threshold cycle and log values of nematode numbers was generated and validated from artificially infested soils and was used to quantify H.filipjevi in naturally infested field soils.There was a high correlation between the H.filipjevi numbers estimated from 32 naturally infested field soils by both conventional methods and the numbers quantified using the qPCR assay.qPCR potentially provides a useful platform for the efficient detection and quantification of H.filipjevi directly from field soils and to quantify this species directly from DNA extracts of field soils.

Minimization of Electric Power Losses on 132 kV and 220 kV Uganda Electricity Transmission Lines

The classical minimization of power losses in transmission lines is dominated by artificial intelligence techniques, which do not guarantee global optimum amidst local minima. Revolutionary and evolutionary techniques are encumbered with sophisticated transformations, which weaken the techniques. Power loss minimization is crucial to the efficient design and operation of power transmission lines. Minimization of losses is one way to meet steady grid supply, especially at peak demand. Thus, this paper has presented a gradient technique to obtain optimal variables and values from the power loss model, which efficiently minimizes power losses by modifying the traditional power loss model that combines Ohm and Corona losses. Optimality tests showed that the unmodified model does not support the minimization of power losses on transmission lines as the Hessian matrix portrayed the maximization of power losses. However, the modified model is consistent with the gradient method of optimization, which yielded optimum variables and values from the power loss model developed in this study. The unmodified (modified) models for Bujagali-Kawanda 220 kV and Masaka West-Mbarara North 132 kV transmission lines in Uganda showed maximum power losses of 0.406 (0.391) and 0.452 (0.446) kW/km/phase respectively. These results indicate that the modified model is superior to the unmodified model in minimizing power losses in the transmission lines and should be implemented for the efficient design and operation of power transmission lines within and outside Uganda for the same transmission voltages.