Momona Ethiopian Journal of Science

Theoretical Investigation of the Coexistence between Superconductivity and Antiferromagnetism in Heavy Fermion CeCu2Si2 Superconductor

Gebregziabher Kahsay — 2024-09-14

The current research work has theoretically investigated the possible coexistence between superconductivity and antiferromagnetism in heavy fermion CeCu2Si2 superconductors. By developing a model Hamiltonian for the system under consideration, and by employing the double time-temperature dependent Green’s function formalism, mathematical computations have been conducted, and phase diagrams of superconducting gap parameter (Δ) versus temperature (T), superconducting transition temperature (T_C) and antiferromagnetism order temperature (T_N) versus antiferromagnetic order parameter (η) have been plotted separately by using MATLAB script. Finally, the possible coexistence between superconductivity and antiferromagnetism in heavy fermion CeCu2Si2 superconductor has been demonstrated by combining the two-phase diagrams. The model we employed in this research shows a common region where superconductivity and antiferromagnetism can coexist in superconducting CeCu₂Si₂. The results we obtained in this work are compatible with previous findings.

Candidate Runaway Stars in the Cluster NGC 2180

Efrem Ambaye Kahsay — 2024-09-14

The relative proper motions and tangential velocities of four stars from the cluster NGC 2180 are investigated using Gaia DR3 data. Our approach is to subtract the mean proper motion of the fields (the stars within a 1” radius around each target star) and the cluster from the motion of the target stars to calculate the relative proper motions with respect to their field and the cluster, respectively. From the relative proper motions of the target stars with respect to the field stars and the distance to the center of the cluster, we estimated the relative tangential velocities of our target stars. We use the astrometric excess noise information to filter the field stars from star-like objects, such as unresolved binaries. To eliminate foreground contaminations of the field stars used to figure out the relative proper motions of the target stars, we made a parallax cut, Color Magnitude Diagram (CMD) cut, and proper motion (PM) selection. The flight times of the target stars to the cluster NGC 2180 (kinematic ages) are calculated using angular separations from the cluster and their relative proper motions with respect to the cluster. All of the target stars have kinematic ages less than the age of the cluster. The stars, ID1 and ID3 have and with respect to their fields, which corresponds to the relative velocities respectively. These two stars could be runaways from the cluster because they have flight times from the cluster agreed with late ejection from the cluster and have larger proper. The remaining two stars, ID 2 and ID 4 have and with respect to the fields, which corresponds to the relative velocities and respectively, and could not be runaways as they have smaller proper motions, although their flight times to the cluster agreed with late ejection from the cluster.

Configuration Reversal Effect on Earth Resistivity Measurements in Parts of Birnin Kebbi, Northwestern Nigeria

Adamu Abubakar — 2024-09-14

An approach involving forward and reverse effects on earth resistivity measurements was carried out in some selected sites in the Birnin Kebbi area of Gwandu Formation Northwestern Nigeria. The primary objective of this research work was to investigate the relationship between the principle of reversibility of current, the potential difference in measuring earth’s resistivity, and determining the depth of penetration for various probes. Because of shallow, deep, and very deep penetration used to measure resistivity in both locations, a Schlumberger array with half of the maximum current electrode spacing (AB/2) of 70 m was used to measure a total of sixteen (16) depth-sounding data in a randomly distributed manner. An Excel chart of (x, y) scattered data was used to automatically interpret the apparent resistivity data after the field was examined and interpreted using IPI2win. To compare the apparent soil resistivity of two switches and how it’s impacted by the depth of the soil moisture contents, a series of measurements were made as part of this study. The collected results demonstrate how soil resistivity varies with depth and spacing, which guides the development of earthen protection plans for the worst-case scenarios. Based on the kind of soil and moisture content, it was found that resistivity varies. Reverse resistivity switch is higher than forward switch resistivity. According to the suggested design, there are 4 to 6 different forward switch circumstances that call for different numbers of earth electrodes.

Characterization of Marble and Granite Processing Waste and its Utilization in Brick Production: Case of Saba and Semayata Dimensional Stone Companies, Tigray, Ethiopia

Zelealem Haftu — 2024-09-14

In Ethiopia, the marble and granite dimension stone industries have been growing significantly in the last decade and have become a part of the flourishing construction industry. Accordingly, the amount of quarrying and processing has increased significantly. This has contributed to increased waste of time. Semayata and Saba Dimensional Stone plc are the leading dimension stone-based companies located in the Wukro and Adwa areas, respectively in the Tigray region are involved in producing tiles and slabs of marble and granite. Due to its processing techniques and its highly alkaline nature, marble, and granite wastes in the Adwa and Wukro areas have become causes for environmental problems. Consequently, the demand for the recycling of waste has come to the forefront due to both environmental and financial considerations. Keeping this in view, a study was conducted on the waste generated by the Saba and Semayata processing units. The study aims to characterize wastes; and discuss the possibilities of using marble and granite wastes as an alternative raw material in the production of bricks. Based on the chemical, physical, and mechanical properties, the waste can be used to produce bricks without modifying and adding other contents.

Comparative characterizations of plant and mineral dye as potential photosensitizer in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell

Akinsola Samson Ibukun — 2024-09-14

The advent of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) has expansively seen more studies as an alternative to silicon-based and thin-film solar cells due to their simple structure and relatively low production cost. In dye-sensitized solar cells, the dye is one of the major components for high power conversion efficiencies. The extracted dyes were characterized by powder x-ray diffraction, x-ray fluorescence, Scanning electron microscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, and Gas Chromatography-Mass spectrometry analysis. The structure of the mineral dye contains constituents that enhance better absorption of solar radiation for use in a Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC). The calcium and iron content of the mineral dye studied as revealed by the mineralogical analysis done using the powder x-ray diffraction (XRD) and the x-ray fluorescence (XRF) suggest this. These metals serve as bounding complexes to other organic components in the dye, like in the case of Ruthenium complexes dye for efficient absorption of solar radiation, especially in the visible light region. The functional groups present in the dye also confirm what favors good absorption of solar radiation for DSSC application. The Organic chemical compositions present in the mineral dye which were obtained by the Gas Chromatography-Mass spectrometry analysis also confirm the functional groups of carbonyl, Amine, and hydroxyl revealed by FTIR, which were responsible for solar radiation absorption. There are strong absorption narrow bands in the visible region with peaks at around 424 nm (2.903 a.u) and 486 nm (2.973 a.u). Optical band gaps of 1.66 eV and 2.27 eV for the mineral dye and plant dye respectively, were obtained. The properties of the dyes studied give potential substitutes to the relatively expensive ruthenium-based dyes for use in DSSC fabrication.

Vibrational Frequencies of Tetrachloroethylene using Lie Algebraic Framework

Sreenivas Teppala — 2024-09-14

This study employs a sophisticated computational approach to predict tetrachloroethylene's higher overtone vibrational frequencies (C₂Cl₄) up to the fourth overtone. We utilize a Lie algebraic framework within the context of the vibrational Hamiltonian. The method involves replacing tetrachloroethylene's carbon-chlorine (C-Cl) bonds with unitary Lie algebras. The resulting Hamiltonian is written in terms of Casimir and Majorana's invariant operators and parameters. The derived Hamiltonian operator effectively characterizes the stretching vibrations inherent to the molecular structure. This approach enhances our understanding of the vibrational dynamics of tetrachloroethylene at higher overtones, offering valuable insights for applications in diverse scientific and technological fields.

Optimizing Wireless Sensor Networks by Identifying Key Nodes Using Centrality Measures

Suneela Kallakunta — 2024-09-14

This study underscores the critical role of graph theory in optimizing the functionality of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Our research aims to enhance network efficiency by utilizing a variety of centrality metrics, including degree, betweenness, closeness, eigenvector, Katz, PageRank, subgraph, harmonic, and percolation centrality, to identify pivotal nodes. Employing an extended Barabási-Albert model graph of a 50-node network, our methodology focuses on pinpointing nodes crucial for optimal data processing, monitoring, and analysis in WSNs. This comprehensive approach deepens our understanding of sensor networks and significantly boosts operational efficiency by leveraging strategic node functionalities. The findings from our study are poised to revolutionize network management strategies, promoting the development of more robust and efficient WSN operations.

Tidal influence on Fish Faunal Distribution and Species Diversity in Kakum Estuary, Ghana

Joseph Aggrey-Fynn — 2024-09-14

Estuarine and coastal areas are complex and dynamic aquatic environments. In such an area, where river water mixes with seawater, a large number of physical and chemical processes take place, which may influence water quality thereby affecting the distribution and diversity of the biota. The study was conducted in the transition period of dry and wet conditions from February to May 2018. The influence of low and high tides on the hydrographic parameters such as salinity, dissolved oxygen, and water temperature in the three sampling stations was analyzed in relation to fish faunal distribution and species diversity of the estuary. The common fish species in the estuary were juveniles of Sarotherodon melanotheron and Mugil cephalus, Liza falcipinnis and the crab Callinectes amnicola. These species were encountered during both low and high tides in all sampling stations, which indicates their adaptation to a broader range of hydrographic conditions. The majority of species encountered were juveniles. Although most of the fish species were marine in origin, some including Tilapia zillii, Hemichromis fasciatus and Apolochelichthys spilauchen were freshwater in origin whilst, S. melanotheron is a resident fish species in the estuary. Length-frequency distribution and length-weight relationships of S. melanotheron, T. zillii, L. falcipinnis, Mugil cephalus, and Eucinosthomus melanopterus which were the five most dominant fish species during the period of study in Kakum estuary were analyzed. The modal sizes of the dominant fish species were mainly juveniles in the length-frequency distribution. The length-weight relationships of S. melanotheron, L. falcipinnis and M. cephalus showed allometric growth, whereas that of T. zillii and E. melanopterus showed isometric growth. The study, therefore, identified that Kakum estuary is a transitional zone for both marine and freshwater fish species using the estuarine ecosystem as nursery grounds. The presence of marine and freshwater-origin species, and resident species in the estuary further suggest that estuaries are highly dynamic, and slight changes in their environment can cause a great deal of harm to its fish biota.

Effect of Body Size and Condition Factor on Proximate Composition of Clarias batrachus Under Different Concentration of Ammonia

Zara Naeem — 2024-09-14

This study is focused on examining the proximate body composition (water, fats, proteins, and ash) of Clarias batrachus, exposed to different concentrations of ammonia. Fish were kept in different groups with ammonia concentrations of 0 mg/L (T-0), 0.25mg/L (T-I), 0.5mg/L (T-II), 0.75mg/L (T-III), and 1mg/L (T-IV) for 3 months. At the end of the trial, a total of 50 samples of C. batrachus (10 from each treatment group) were taken to analyze the body composition. Mean (±SE) values of water, ash, fat, and protein contents in % wet body weight of C. batrachus were found 77.07±0.80% to 82.23±0.55%, 2.98±0.03%to 3.34±0.17%, 3.90±0.19% to 4.58±0.30% and 10.53±0.40 to 15.36±0.56 in the different studied treatment groups. Water and protein contents were significantly (P<0.05) affected by the exposure of ammonia to C. batrachus. Significantly highest level of protein content was found in the fish group which was not treated with ammonia exposure (T-0). Whereas ash and fat contents showed no significant (P>0.05) difference between the ammonia-treated groups and the control group. Regression analysis showed a clear effect of fish size on water and protein contents in C. batrachus reared in different treatment groups. While ash was found correlated only in T-0 (p<0.001; r=0.939), and fat in T-0 (p<0.001; r=0.929) and T-III (p<0.05; r=0.636). However, the condition factor remained constant with the proximate composition of C. batrachus. This study would be helpful in the measurement of the body composition of fishes with the size of fishes affected by different concentrations of ammonia to analyze the nutritional value of C. batrachus.

Efficiency Evaluation of DNA Isolation Techniques in Fins of Channa marulius Using PCR Amplification and NanoDrop

Naveed Ahmad Khan — 2024-09-14

Highly pure and good-quality extracted DNA is vital for PCR amplification, gene sequencing, and species identification. Seven genomic DNA isolation techniques were used to isolate the DNA from the fins of Channa marulius. The concentration and purity of isolated DNA were assessed with PCR amplification of the mitochondrial COI gene and NanoDrop. The phenol-chloroform method was found significantly (P<0.05) higher in concentration (1001 ng.ul^-1) as compared to all other six evaluated DNA isolation methods. In terms of purity of isolated DNA GeneJET, the Genomic DNA Purification Kit was found significantly (P<0.05) higher among all analyzed methods. Both the Phenol chloroform method and GeneJET Genomic DNA Purification Kit were successfully used in PCR amplification. Concluding that the Phenol chloroform method and GeneJET Genomic DNA Purification Kit may be successfully used in PCR amplification. The phenol-chloroform method and GeneJET Genomic DNA Purification Kit proved the best in the extraction of DNA in high concentration with maximum yield and purity from fins of C. marulius and can be helpful to isolate DNA from fish species because a small quantity of fin tissues is required for DNA isolation without harm to fish. Moreover, data reported from this study about DNA isolation techniques may be used for molecular approaches like PCR amplification and gene sequencing of fishes.

An in silico Drug Repurposing Study to Inhibit the Spike Protein of SARS-CoV2

Soha Abdollahpour — 2024-09-14

SARS-CoV2 has caused the recent mortal pandemic known as COVID-19. The drug repurposing approach can be employed to find the potential drugs capable of binding SARS-CoV2 structural and nonstructural proteins. The present study aimed to repurpose some common FAD-approved antiviral and non-antiviral drugs computationally for SARS-CoV2 treatment. In the in silico study, 89 FDA-approved drugs and Remdesivir, as the control, were analyzed by molecular docking to inhibit the SARS-CoV2 spike (S) protein as the key player in virus-cell binding. First, the Uniport website was used to find receptor and ganglioside binding domains (RBD and GBD, respectively) of the S protein as the target. The structure of the target was downloaded from RCSB, and 'the ligands' structures were downloaded from PubChem. All structures were refined using SPDV and PyRx software. AutoDock Vina was employed for the docking process. The result showed that 8 drugs, including Ledipasvir, Montelukast, Domperidone, Aprepitant, Folic acid, Losartan, Ticagrelor, and Rivaroxaban, can bind S protein and then inhibit the protein function. In addition, Ledipasvir, Montelukast, and Domperidone can bind GBD of the S protein with higher binding energy (-8.2, -8, -7.9 kcal/mol, respectively). On the other hand, higher RBD binding energy was calculated for Ticagrelor (-6.9 kcal/mol), Folic acid, Montelukast, and Domperidone (-6.5 kcal/mol). Generally, the ligands could inhibit GBD more than RBD. According to the binding energy to S protein and low side effects of the studied medications, Ledipasvir and Losartan can be introduced as the most effective candidates for repurposed drugs. Also, Gly496 and Asn137 are the most engaged amino acids in the ligand-receptor interaction from RBD and GBD, respectively.