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On New Simultaneous Generalizations of Well-Known Fixed Point Theorems
No full textThe primary goal of this work is to establish some new fixed point theorems and new simultaneous generalizations of Berinde-Berinde’s fixed point theorem, Mizoguchi-Takahashi’s fixed point theorem, Nadler’s fixed point theorem, Banach contraction principle, Kannan’s fixed point theorem and Chatterjea’s fixed point theorem
Development of an Auxetic-Based Elbow Wrap with the Aid of Resin 3D Printing
No full textIn this work, an elastic elbow wrap is developed to press a cotton ball against the skin after a blood draw during an annual medical checkup, helping to stop bleeding. The wrap is made entirely from elastic material and incorporates an auxetic structure with hollow, re-entrant patterns that produce a negative Poisson’s ratio. Consequently, when stretched, the wrap becomes wider rather than thinner, which helps prevent buckling and maintains a smooth surface. Combined with its elasticity, this design ensures the cotton ball remains in firm contact with the skin. In this work, the internal geometry of the auxetic structure is first designed based on geometric constraints. To link the two ends of the wrap around an elbow, a self-locking mechanism is then developed that relies on both friction and the material’s elasticity. Finally, the prototype is fabricated using resin 3D printing. Testing results demonstrate that the wrap effectively resolves the issues of loose contact and over-tightening, which are frequently observed when conventional bandages or adhesive tapes are employed to secure a cotton ball following venipuncture
Significant Errors Identified in the IPCC Reports
No full textSome countries are concerned about increasing levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) causing dangerous warming of the Earth, as promoted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This is a mistake by the IPCC because the warming by CO2 is too small to measure. This study identifies six serious errors by applying critical thinking and the scientific method. For example, doubling the level of CO2, i.e., the Equilibrium Climate Sensitivity (ECS), does not measurably affect the Earth’s temperature because the warming effect of carbon dioxide (CO2) is too small to measure. Thus, the plot of the warming effect of CO2 against the level, whether or not it is a straight line or logarithmic, is irrelevant. The Sun’s energy is the primary control of Earth’s temperature. However, there is some energy input from the ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation). Thus, the Earth\u27s temperature drops when the Sun’s energy output falls, as it is currently doing. The IPCC overestimates the warming impact of methane and nitrous oxide, both of which have a negligible warming effect. The Earth’s energy balance is incorrect because it is based on averages, and the amount of energy to evaporate water must equal the amount sent to space. It is recommended that people and their governments know about these errors and take appropriate action
Effect of Temperature on the Chemical Quality of β-Carotene Extracted from Azollafiliculoides of Anzali Wetland
No full textPurpose: This study assesses the quality of β-Carotene from a natural source, Azolla, in comparison with synthetic β-Carotene, and looks at seasonal variation in composition.
Methods: Azolla collected from summer and winter was extracted using organic solvents. The synthetic β-Carotene used as a control was obtained from a pharmacy. All treatments were stored for one year at 5 oC. The samples were analyzed to measure purity and concentration, and then used for colorimetric and vitamin A analysis.
Main findings: Our results showed significant differences (p< 0.05) between experimental and control treatments. The winter Azolla samples contained larger amounts of the β-Carotene (p <0.05) than the β-Carotene samples from summer Azolla which contain β-Carotene but in lesser amounts than winter samples. Tetrahydrofuran provided the best β-Carotene solubility, and methanol and acetonitrile the lowest. Cyclohexanone provided the most degradation. After one year of storage, the experimental treatments did, however, retain a reasonable acceptable chemical quality.
Conclusion: Considering the health benefits of natural β-Carotene over synthetic β-Carotene, this study indicated β-Carotene extracted from Azolla could be a viable alternative to synthetic β-Carotene in the food industry. 
Evaluation of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Habits Among Bankers in the Ho Municipality, Volta Region, Ghana
No full textResearch findings show that insufficient fruit and vegetable intake increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, stroke, diabetes, and obesity. However, many individuals across various age groups and professions fail to meet the recommended daily intake of 4–5 servings. One such underrepresented group is bankers. This study assessed fruit and vegetable consumption practices among 157 bankers from 12 banks in Ho Municipality. Findings revealed that 48.4% of participants were overweight, with males recording the highest frequency, while 40.8% were obese and only 10.8% had a normal BMI. Most respondents consumed 1-2 servings daily, falling short of the recommended intake. Pawpaw was the most consumed fruit, followed by bananas and oranges, while soursop and apples were least consumed. Many participants were unaware of the link between fruit and vegetable intake and health outcomes like diabetes, weight gain, and cardiovascular diseases. Financial constraints and high costs were notable barriers to consumption. Though no significant association was found between fruit intake and waist-to-hip ratio (p = 0.212), the findings emphasise the increased cardiovascular risk, especially among male bankers. The study also acknowledges the need for targeted awareness campaigns to promote adequate fruit and vegetable intake among bankers to improve their health outcomes
Hypersonic Boundary Layer Flow Over a Flat Plate with Applied Magnetic Field and Vectored Surface Mass Transfer
No full textA boundary layer analysis is presented for hypersonic flow over isothermal and adiabatic flat plates. Consideration is given to variable properties of air. It has been shown that surface drag and heat transfer rates can be controlled by applying magnetic field and vectored surface mass transfer. The range of Mach numbers considered is 2.5 to 10. As the magnetic field strength increases, friction factor and heat transfer rate (for an isothermal surface) or surface temperature (for an adiabatic surface) increase. Friction factor and surface temperature (in the case of adiabatic surface) can be reduced by applying vectored surface mass transfer
Further Operations (Complement, Intersection, Union) for IndetermSoft Set, IndetermHyperSoft Set, and TreeSoft Set and their Applications
No full textIn this paper, efforts are intensified as much as possible to explicitly and clearly give the definitions as regards the operations involving the complement, intersection as well as the union for IndetermSoft Set, IndetermHyperSoft Set, and Tree
Soft Set respectively. All these we believe, to the best of our knowledge, have neither been pronounced nor treated in literatures, and to use them in real applications
Sensitivity Analysis of a Supersonic Airfoil’s Optimal Design Using Taylor Series
No full textIn this study, we conducted a sensitivity analysis to determine the optimal design of a supersonic airfoil. The design includes four independent variables: angle of attack, thickness of the upper surface, and the locations of the upper and lower surfaces\u27 maximum thicknesses. The output is the maximum lift-to-wave drag ratio. First, we used a first-order Taylor approximation to analyze the impact of each design variable on the output. The first three variables have similar effects, while the fourth has less influence. Next, we applied a second-order Taylor approximation to further explore how each variable affects the output and the response function near the optimal design point. The results show that small variations in the design variables lead to minor changes in airfoil performance. We also identified the variable ranges around this point that satisfy the constraints through numerical calculations. Finally, we compared our approach with factorial design, a common sensitivity analysis method, and found that Taylor approximations offer a more detailed theoretical explanation of the results
GC/MS Profiling and Antibacterial Activity of Steam-Distilled Solanecio mannii Essential Oil and Hydrosol Against Multidrug-Resistant Food Pathogens
Full text linkSolanecio mannii is a fast-growing woody shrub of up to 10 m in height of the Asteraceae family. This study aimed to identify the chemical constituents of steam-distilled oil and hydrosol of Solanecio mannii leaves and determine their activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Steam distillation extraction followed by GC/MS analysis was employed to characterize the chemical composition, while the antimicrobial effectiveness was assed using disc diffusion method at 10 µL sample volumes. GC/MS analysis revealed 52 compounds in the essential oil predominantly monoterpenes (48%) and sesquiterpenes (38.5%), and 28 compounds in the hydrosol, consisting mainly of fatty acid methyl esters (28.57%) and other heteroatomic compounds (67.86%). The essential oils demonstrated significant activity against both E. coli (12 mm) and S. aureus (10 mm) for the oil and 10 mm and 8 mm for the hydrosol respectively. The findings emphasize the potential of S. mannii essential oil and hydrosol as clean label agents for food industry applications, particularly in active packaging systems
Heterocyclic Hydroxychalcone Promotes Anxiolytic and Anticonvulsant Effects through Gabaergic Neuromodulation in Wild Adult Zebrafish
No full textBenzodiazepines are drugs used to treat anxiety disorders and epilepsy due to their hypnotic, anxiolytic and anticonvulsant functions. But due to existing adverse effects such as decreased psychomotor activity and impaired memory, new and safer drugs are sought. Therefore, this study seeks to evaluate the anxiolytic and anticonvulsant action of chalcone (E)-3-(furan-2-yl)-1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one against wildadult zebrafish, and the mechanisms of action involved in such effects.The acute toxicity of chalcone was analyzed during 96 hours, and the anxiolytic behavior of fish treated with chalcone was evaluated in light/dark tests and open field tests (n=6 animals/group). In the test to evaluate the anticonvulsant effect of the sample, Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) was used to induce seizures by immersion. Next, we investigated the mechanism of action with the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) antagonist and performed a molecular coupling study. The results showed that chalcone at doses of 4, 20, and 40 mg/kg was non-toxic and altered fish locomotion (****p<0.0001 vs. control). All analyzed doses exhibited possible anxiolytic effects (* p < 0.05, *** p < 0.001 vs. control) in the light/dark test. This effect was blocked by the antagonist flumazenil (FMZ) at a dose of 40 mg/kg (# p < 0.05 vs. Fmz+Chalcone). In addition to exhibiting anxiolytic effects, chalcone demonstrated anticonvulsant effects via GABA, as confirmed by a binding/activity study (### p < 0.01, #### p < 0.0001 vs. Fmz+Chalcone)