Libyan Journal of Health, Science, and Development (LJHSD)
The Libyan Journal of Health, Science, and Development (LJHSD) (ISSN: 3106-4787) is a quarterly, peer-reviewed, open-access journal, published by Sarah Elelem Institute of Applied and Administrative Sciences – Bani Walid The journal serves as a vital platform for disseminating high-quality original research and scholarly articles across a broad, interdisciplinary spectrum, including: Health Sciences: Covering all medical, paramedical, public health, and clinical fields. Science: Encompassing basic and applied sciences, such as biology, chemistry, and physics. Engineering: Featuring research in various engineering disciplines that intersect with health, science, and development. Development: Focusing on sustainable development, socio-economic studies, and environmental research relevant to the region. Editor-in-chief: Dr. Mohamed Omar Abdalla Salem (Details) Title proper: Libyan Journal of Health, Science, and Development (LJHSD) ISSN: 3106-4787 (Details) Subject: Health, Science, Engineering, and Development Dates of publication: 2025 Frequency: Biannual Journal Languages: English and Arabic Country: Libya Medium: Electronic Version Open Access: Yes Licensing: CC-BY Contact: editor@Ljhsd.org.Ly
Minimizing Material Waste and Energy Consumption in 3D Printing Using Multi-Objective Machine Learning Optimization
Fused deposition modeling can reduce cutting waste, yet it still consumes electricity and sacrificial support material. This study develops a multi-objective machine learning method for selecting resource-efficient printing orientations. The public r3DiM benchmark supplied 184 PET-G printing records from 68 mechanical components. Each component had two or three tested orientations under fixed printer settings. Total printing energy was measured experimentally, while PrusaSlicer estimated support filament mass. Fourteen geometry and pre-build features supported seven regression algorithms. Repeated component-grouped validation prevented orientations of one component from crossing validation boundaries. XGBoost produced the best energy predictions, with a mean RMSE of 9.174 Wh. Its mean R² reached 0.969 across grouped folds. Extra Trees best predicted support waste, with 0.656 g RMSE and 0.768 mean R². Cross-fitted Pareto selection then evaluated every available orientation for each unseen component. The selected orientations reduced mean energy by 5.44% against the near-zero-degree baseline. The bootstrap 95% interval ranged from 3.06% to 8.04%. However, mean support savings were −0.020 g and were not significant. Only 11.8% of components improved both objectives. These findings show that accurate prediction does not guarantee balanced resource savings. The proposed workflow offers a transparent basis for orientation decisions. Future studies should add mechanical quality, broader materials, and continuous process settings.
additive manufacturing; fused deposition modeling; energy prediction; support material; orientation selection; Pareto optimization; grouped validation.
Copyright (c) 2026 Rafat S. A. Abumandil, Abdussalam Ali Ahmed, Omar Ahemed Mohamed Edbeib (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Assessing Long-Term Groundwater Quality Trends Using Historical Water Quality Monitoring Data
Groundwater is an important source of public drinking water. Its quality may change gradually as water continues to pass through reservoirs for many years. The study assessed long-term groundwater quality trends. Historical observational data from USGS's GAMA Prioritization Basin Project, California were used. The Google Collab experiment that was implemented used public data releases by the U.S. Geological Survey from 2004 to 2023. The dataset included 444 study sites and 145 components. It also included 21,461 double comparison records for the tenth. The analysis cleaned up the tables and converted the reported values to numbers. Handle the blocked values on the left with a simple half-term rule. Then compare the previous and subsequent results of the same wells. That's why Wilcoxon's double-sign rating tests were used. The Spearman relationship was used to examine the relationships between different species. The calculated results showed strong reductions in several ingredients. It included methyl tart-butyl ether, 1,2-dichlorobrane, 1,2,3-trichloropropene, fluoride, perchlorate, and tritium. The results also showed an increase in the amount of silver, ethrazine, strontium, calcium, magnesium, alkalinate, chloride, sulfate, manganese and uranium. This pattern points to a combination of natural and human control over groundwater quality. The use of agricultural land, urban inputs, old chemicals, and water bodies can influence trends. Studies show that public observational records can help in a clearer assessment of trends when the data is processed carefully.
Groundwater Quality; Long-Term Trends; Historical Monitoring Data; USGS GAMA; Wilcoxon Register of Classification Locations; Public Drinking Water.
Copyright (c) 2026 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Climate Change: Saline Water Leakage in Coastal Reservoirs: A Predictive Hazard Model and Adaptive Groundwater Management Framework
Salt does not knock on the door before entering the well. It comes slowly, mixed with water that was tasty, and by the time one notices, the damage has gone deep into the ground. This paper addresses this silent kind of disaster: the intrusion of saltwater into coastal reservoirs, which is getting stronger every year due to rising sea levels and heavy pumping. We used the GALDIT method, a well-tested six-factor index, to develop a model predicting the fragility of coastal groundwater systems. The model combines groundwater type, reservoir discharge, sea level above sea level, distance from shore, impact of current leakage, and reservoir thickness into a single applicable hazard grade. A documented coastal reservoir of the Mediterranean Sea is a real-time field data case study derived from the Lapis River system of northeastern Greece, as well as published predictions of global sea level rise by 2100. The results show that this vulnerability is not evenly distributed along the coast; it is concentrated near the coast and increases rapidly where pumping is high and natural recharge is weak. The chloride levels measured in the ten monitoring wells varied widely, and the index had the highest readings with the highest risk prediction. In addition to problem mapping, this paper proposes a conducive management framework that connects indicator scores directly to field actions, including pumping limits, industrial feedstock, and freshwater injection barriers. The frame is designed to keep up with weather data updates, rather than having a single shot frozen in time. We argue that coastal water planning needs exactly the same kind of living and responsive tools if fragile coastal areas are to maintain access to fresh water in the coming decades.
Saline Water Intervention, Coastal Water Storage, GALDIT Index, Sea Level Rise, Groundwater Exposure, Climate Adaptation, Predictive Hazard Model
Optimization of Transgenic Rabbit Embryo Production Using Pronuclear and Intracytoplasmic Gene Injection Techniques
This study compared three microinjection-based gene transfer methods intracytoplasmic sperm injection mediated transgenesis (ICSI-t), intracytoplasmic gene injection (ISI), and pronuclear injection (PNI) using a hyperactive piggyBac plasmid encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP). Female New Zealand White rabbits received 75 IU HMG for three consecutive days followed by 100 IU hCG to induce superovulation. Oocytes and zygotes were collected 15–16 hours later. Two DNA concentrations (10 and 20 ng/µl final) were tested for each method. Embryos cultured in TCM-199 with 15 mg/ml BSA at 38.5°C and 5% CO₂ were assessed at 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 hours for cleavage, blastocyst formation, and GFP expression. The PNI 10 ng/µl group produced the highest blastocyst rate (42.1%, 16/38) with 37.5% (6/16) of those blastocysts GFP-positive. The PNI 20 ng/µl group gave fewer blastocysts (12.9%, 4/31) but a higher proportion expressed GFP (75.0%, 3/4). ICSI-t performed poorly, yielding blastocysts only at the lower concentration (11.1%, 1/9) with no GFP expression. ISI produced intermediate blastocyst rates (10 ng/µl: 11.3%, 6/53; 20 ng/µl: 10.3%, 4/39) but GFP expression in blastocysts only at the lower concentration (66.6%, 4/6). Higher DNA concentration consistently reduced embryo viability across all methods. Pronuclear injection at 10 ng/µl proved the most effective combination for generating transgenic rabbit embryos in vitro.
Rabbit transgenesis; pronuclear injection; intracytoplasmic sperm injection; piggyBac transposon; GFP expression; embryo culture
Energetic, Exergetic, and Economic Analysis of Simple and proposal Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plants: A Case Study of Al-Ruwais Power Station
Gas Turbine power plants represent critical energy infrastructure in Libya; however, their performance is highly sensitive to ambient temperature variations. This study investigates the energetic, exergetic, and economic performance of Al-Ruwais Gas Power Plant, which located in Al-Hawamid in the Western Mountain region of Libya, by comparing the existing simple gas turbine configuration (two Siemens SGT5-2000E units) with a proposed Combined Cycle Power Plant integration. Thermodynamic simulations were performed using Aspen Plus over an ambient temperature range of 10–50°C. The CCPP significantly improves plant performance by recovering exhaust-gas heat through the Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) and generating additional power using the steam turbine. At 10°C, the simple cycle achieves a thermal efficiency of 35.28%, whereas the CCPP about was 49.81%. Moreover, the exergy analysis confirms that the combustion chambers dominate irreversibility losses (82.7%) in the gas cycle, while the HRSG was and condenser (51.4%) and (33.6%) respectively dominate the steam bottoming cycle losses. In addition, the economic assessment confirms that combined-cycle integration provides substantially stronger financial performance, with the Net Present Value (NPV) increasing from $367.41 M to $871.10 M and the Payback Period (PBP) decreasing from 9.19 to 6.21 years.
Gas Turbine; Combined Cycle Power Plant; Exergy Analysis; Aspen Plus; Waste Heat Recovery; Economic Analysis; Libya
The Role of Agricultural Gypsum Application in Improving Some Soil Properties and its Impact on the Productivity and Quality of Date Palm Fruits in Waddan Region (Al-Jufra)
This study aimed to investigate the use of agricultural gypsum as a strategy to improve soil chemical properties and fertility, and its impact on the productivity, physical characteristics, and fruit quality of 12-year-old date palms in the Waddan area of the Jufra region. A field and laboratory experiment was conducted comparing two statistical treatments. The first treatment (T1) consisted of the common normal agricultural practice in the region, adding traditional organic fertilizer (fermented sheep manure at a rate of 75 kg/palm) without any other additives. The second treatment (T2) involved an integrated intervention, adding the same quantity of organic fertilizer combined with high-purity agricultural gypsum at a rate of 3 kg/palm in three equal applications during the growing season Laboratory results for soil environment after the application of the integrated treatment (T2) showed a highly significant chemical improvement. The pH decreased from the critical alkaline value of 7.95 to a safe range close to neutral at 7.65. The electrical conductivity (EC) decreased significantly from ds/m².85 to ds/m². Consequently, total dissolved solids (TDS) decreased by 467. Meanwhile, organic matter (O.M.) increased dramatically from a low initial percentage of 0.22% to 1.78%. Calcium sulfate (CaSO₄) also showed a sustained increase from 0.42% to 1.18%, while calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) did not show a statistically significant change (p = 0.062). These soil improvements had a positive and substantial impact on the fruit's productivity and physical characteristics. The yield per palm tree saw a statistically significant increase (p = 0.000), rising from 95 kg in the first treatment to 124.80 kg in the second treatment. This increased the total yield of the ten palm trees from 950 kg to 1250 kg, representing a 31.37% improvement. Furthermore, the physical quality of the fruit improved significantly. The weight of 50 dates increased from 550 g to 850 g, the length of the fruit increased from 3.90 cm to 4.65 cm, and the cross-sectional diameter of the fruit increased from 20.20 mm to 24.50 mm..
Agricultural gypsum, routine agricultural service, calcareous soils, date palms, and Waddan (Al-Jufra)
Determination Of Concentration Of Some Pollution Cations, Antions And Metals In The Groundwater Of Area Tiji In Libya
Water is the world's most vital natural resource, essential for sustaining all forms of life and promoting economic and societal development. The aims of this research are to determine whether the concentrations of some cations, anions, and metals of the Tiji groundwater are above safe limits, which would indicate they may be potential polluters, to explore the presence of the chemical elements and their likely environmental and health impacts, to raise awareness among the community of the risks of consuming untreated groundwater and encourage ongoing water quality monitoring, to explore cost-effective and effective chemical treatment technologies ion exchange and polymer-based chelating processes of removing polluting substances from groundwater, to assist future planning of sustainable water management strategies for arid regions like Tiji. Experimental study was conducted on groundwater samples collected from three representative wells in the Tiji region, Libya (wells at approximately 30 m and 120 m depths as indicated in the study site selection. The results indicate that the groundwater in the Tiji region is mineral-hard and chemically hard with high levels for sulfate, chloride, hardness, and TDS, rendering it unfit to be consumed directly by humans without treatment. Exper-imental and analytical data strongly confirm Hypothesis 1 (H1). The high initial sulfate and chloride levels in the groundwater warrant the need for selective removal, and the ion exchange process. Hypothesis 2 (H2) holds well, i.e., AnaLig ME-02 chelating resin have very good adsorption efficiency of Lead and mercury. Installation of a complete water treatment system with anion exchange resins is recommended for effective reduction of sulfate and chloride levels.
Concentration, Pollution Cations, Antions, Metals, Groundwater, Libya
Improving Drinking Water Safety in Rural Communities: Experimental Removal of Bacterial Contamination Using Solar Disinfection and Natural Filtration Methods
Unsafe drinking water remains a major health threat in rural communities. This paper compares experimental evidence for solar disinfection and natural filtration. It synthesizes published laboratory studies, field trials, and WHO evaluation reports from 1996 to 2024. The evidence shows that solar disinfection can produce large bacterial reductions when water is clear and sunlight is strong. Boyle et al. found complete inactivation for several vegetative bacteria under real sunlight, while spore-forming bacteria were harder to remove. Fontán-Sainz et al. showed that a 25-L compound parabolic collector reduced Cryptosporidium viability after eight hours, but turbidity slowed the process. Natural filtration also showed strong results. Stauber et al. reported a 97% geometric mean reduction in E. coli with a plastic biosand filter and a 60% reduction in diarrheal disease. Mwabi et al. found 2-4 log reductions with biosand and ceramic filters, and more than 5 log reduction with a silver-impregnated porous pot. The studies also show that filtration and solar disinfection work best together. Filtration lowers turbidity and improves sunlight transmission. Solar disinfection then adds disinfection without fuel or chemicals. The combined train is simple, low cost, and suited to rural settings. Its success still depends on training, water storage, and local climate. Keywords: solar disinfection, biosand filter, rural water safety, bacterial contamination, household water treatment.
solar disinfection, biosand filter, rural water safety, bacterial contamination, household water treatment.
Microplastic Pollution in Surface Water: Identification of Contamination Sources and Evaluation of Low-Cost Filtration as a Mitigation Strategy
Microplastic pollution is now recorded in rivers, lakes, estuaries, and treated wastewater. Surface water is important because it connects land-based sources with drinking-water intakes, aquatic life, and coastal seas. This paper identifies common contamination sources and evaluates low-cost filtration as a practical mitigation route. The study uses a secondary data design based on public monitoring studies and published filtration experiments. Monitoring evidence was drawn from the River Thames, Mississippi River, Pearl River, Yangtze River Basin, and wastewater treatment studies. Source evidence was assessed using reported particle shape, polymer type, land use, and transport pathway. The synthesis shows that fibers, fragments, films, rubber-like particles, and pellets point to different sources. Likely sources include synthetic textiles, tyre wear, packaging waste, urban dust, wastewater effluent, and stormwater runoff. Reported surface-water abundance varied widely, from below one particle per liter to many particles per liter. This spread reflects true local pressure and different sampling methods. Filtration evidence shows that sand filtration, biochar, membrane bioreactors, and chitin-cellulose foam can remove high particle shares. Reported removal often exceeded 90 percent under tested conditions. Low-cost treatment is strongest when coarse screening, settling, sand filtration, and biochar are combined. The paper proposes a source-to-filter management framework for urban surface water. It also stresses quality control, safe handling of spent filter media, and source reduction. Filtration can lower exposure, but it cannot replace plastic prevention at source.
microplastics; surface water; rivers; source identification; sand filtration; biochar; wastewater; stormwater; low-cost treatment.
An Analytical Study of Lebesgue Integration and Its Applications
This paper presents an overview of the theory of Lebesgue Integration, which is considered one of the fundamental concepts in modern mathematical analysis. The study introduces the basic notions of measurable sets and measurable functions and discusses the construction and main properties of the Lebesgue integral. In addition, several fundamental convergence theorems, including the monotone convergence theorem, Fatou’s lemma, and the dominated convergence theorem, are presented. Furthermore, the paper explores a range of applications of the Lebesgue integral in probability theory, statistics, functional analysis, Fourier analysis, and partial differential equations. These applications are discussed from an analytical perspective, highlighting the role of Lebesgue integration in handling limits, convergence, and irregular functions. The results demonstrate the importance of this theory as a powerful and flexible tool in modern mathematical research.
Lebesgue integral, measure theory, convergence theorems, L^pspaces, applied analysis, probability theory
Water mixing operations are one of the proposed strategies to solve the problem of water scarcity for agriculture in Libya
The study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the effectiveness of mixing groundwater well water from the Al-Sawawa area in the city of Sirte with water from the Great Man-Made River in different proportions on the growth of lettuce plants, The results showed that using the mixing ratio (D 5:1) gave very good results in terms of lettuce plant growth and the provision of fresh water (artificial river water), as the results obtained for all studied traits showed. The mixing ratio (D) was at a level very close to the mixing ratio (A) (river water), The results showed that the germination rate of the seeds treated with water from the artificial river was 93% of the total seeds, while the number of leaves for treatment (A) was (22.5 leaves) and for treatment (D) it was (20.6 leaves), while the leaf area for treatment (A) was (36.5 cm) and for treatment (D) it was (40.35 cm), The total vegetative mass for treatment (A) is 42.8 grams, and for treatment (D) it is 34 grams. The total root mass for treatment (A) is 26 grams, and for treatment (D) it is 26.6 grams. The fresh weight of the root mass for treatment (A) is 27.4 grams, and for treatment (D) it is 26 grams. The dry weight of the root mass for treatment (A) is 12.4 grams, and for treatment (D) it is 12.2 grams. Except for the dry weight of the foliage, treatment A yielded 5.4 grams, treatment D yielded 4.2 grams, and treatment C, with a 1:1 mixing ratio, yielded 4.6 grams. Finally, the dry weight of the root system was 4.8 grams for treatment A and 4.6 grams for treatment D. Therefore, a 5:1 mixing ratio can be adopted in areas with access to artificial river water to rationalize water use, preserve this resource, protect the soil from salinization, and achieve the desired productivity.
Water sources in Libya , Groundwater , Water quality in agriculture , Water mixing processes , Vegetative characteristics of lettuce
Effect of Soil Type on the Growth and Development of Broad Bean (Vicia faba L.)
Soil texture plays a fundamental role in regulating water availability, aeration, nutrient retention, and ultimately plant growth and productivity. This study evaluated the effects of three soil types sandy, loamy, and clay on the vegetative, physiological, and early reproductive performance of broad bean (Vicia faba L.) grown under controlled outdoor conditions for nine weeks. A completely randomized design with three replicates per soil type was used. Weekly measurements included plant height, leaf number, and flower initiation. Leaf chlorophyll content was assessed using a SPAD-502 Plus chlorophyll meter, while leaf area was quantified through digital morphometry using ImageJ software (Version 1.53). The results revealed significant soil-dependent differences across all measured parameters. Loamy soil supported the highest overall growth, with superior plant height, chlorophyll content, and leaf area, indicating optimal water and nutrient balance. Clay soil produced moderate vegetative growth and the highest leaf number but was slightly constrained by limited aeration. Sandy soil resulted in the weakest performance, with reduced growth, lower SPAD values, and the smallest leaf area due to poor moisture retention and nutrient leaching. Overall, the study demonstrates that soil texture strongly influences the physiological vigor and growth dynamics of Vicia faba. Improving sandy soils with organic amendments or enhancing aeration in clay soils may substantially increase crop productivity. These findings provide practical guidance for soil-specific management strategies in broad bean cultivation
Soil texture, Vicia faba, plant growth, chlorophyll content, flowering, legumes
Assessment of Consumer Acceptance and Public Awareness of Drinking Water Quality in Tobruk, Libya: An Analytical Field Study
This study aims to investigate consumer acceptance of drinking water quality and assess public awareness regarding water-related issues in Tobruk. Employing a descriptive-analytical approach, a questionnaire was administered to a sample of 317 water users. The study focused on six primary dimensions: sources of drinking water, concern for local water quality, satisfaction levels, trust in water safety, quality control measures, and risk awareness. Data analyzed via SPSS revealed that 44.8% of respondents rely on the municipal water network, while 24.3% utilize water from desalination plants. Regarding public perception, 76% of the participants showed a lack of concern for water quality, while 75.7% expressed general dissatisfaction with the available water quality. The study recommends launching intensive awareness campaigns, enhancing the role of regulatory authorities in monitoring water quality from source to consumer, and fostering stakeholder collaboration to improve drinking water standards.
Public Awareness, Safe Drinking Water, Public Health, Tobruk City
Assessing mothers' awareness of antibiotic use for children in the city of Surman
In the twentieth century, active surveying was considered one of the most dangerous health issues for children, as the knowledge and practices of the abdomen play a pivotal role in rationalizing the consumption of these medicines. Therefore, the partial study that was tested in the city of Surman in Libya aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of 92 mothers of children under the age of 12, until it became based on a questionnaire, on the extent of awareness of the justifications for use and practice of self-medication. The results revealed a sample with a high level of education (78.25%), yet a critical knowledge gap emerged. Only 21.74% understood that antibiotics are specifically for bacterial infections, while 56.52% of mothers mistakenly believed that these medications accelerate recovery from any illness. Regarding practices, the study recorded a strong adherence to not dispensing antibiotics without a prescription (73.91%) and a primary reliance on doctors as the source of information, with no reliance on peer advice (0%); however, 50% of participants admitted to discontinuing treatment as soon as their symptoms improved. The study concluded that there is a fundamental cognitive-behavioral contradiction. Despite high trust in the medical establishment, there remains a lack of scientific understanding of the indications for use and the risks of not completing the course of treatment. This necessitates the adoption of targeted educational programs and the activation of the clinical pharmacist's role to bridge this societal gap.
Antibiotics, Mothers' Knowledge and Practices, Antibiotic Resistance, Surman, Libya
Effect of Animal Organic Fertilizers (Cattle and Sheep Manure) on the Growth of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)
The use of organic fertilizers is considered one of the important approaches in sustainable agriculture due to their role in improving soil fertility and reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of two types of animal organic fertilizers, namely cattle manure and sheep manure, on the growth of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). The experiment was conducted using pot culture with three treatments: soil without fertilization (control), soil amended with sheep manure, and soil amended with cattle manure, with four replicates for each treatment. Plant growth was monitored for six weeks, during which several morphological traits were measured, including plant height, number of branches, leaf length, number of flowers, and number of fruits. The results showed significant differences among the treatments in all studied traits. Plants treated with cattle manure recorded the highest values in most growth parameters, with an average plant height of 27.9 cm compared to 21.3 cm and 16.7 cm in the sheep manure and control treatments, respectively. The application of cattle manure also resulted in a significant increase in the number of branches, flowers, and fruits per plant compared to the other treatments. This improvement is attributed to the role of organic matter in enhancing soil physical and chemical properties, stimulating microbial activity, and increasing nutrient availability for plant uptake. The results indicate that the use of animal organic fertilizers, particularly cattle manure, can effectively improve tomato plant growth and increase its productivity, making it a promising option for enhancing the sustainability of agricultural production and improving soil fertility
Tomato , Organic fertilizers, Cattle manure, Sheep manure, Plant growth, Sustainable agriculture
Hybrid Machine Learning Approaches for Accurate Solar Energy Forecasting from Real-World Weather Data
Accurate solar power forecasting is crucial for integrating large solar installations into modern power grids and meeting global climate targets. Solar output is highly variable due to weather factors (clouds, temperature, humidity), which makes predictions challenging. Traditional single-model forecasting methods (physical NWP models, statistical ARIMA, standalone ML) have limitations in capturing all weather-driven uncertainties. We explore hybrid machine learning approaches that combine multiple models to improve accuracy across different timescales (intra-hour to day-ahead). We use real-world datasets (NREL NSRDB for irradiance and weather data, and the INESC-TEC Portugal PV dataset with WRF forecasts) to train models including ANN, LSTM, SVR, Random Forest, and XGBoost. Our hybrid framework uses a stacking ensemble with a meta-learner to aggregate base models’ predictions. Experiments compare hybrid ensembles to single models and simple voting ensembles. We evaluate short-term (30-min to 6h ahead) and day-ahead (24h ahead) forecasts using MAE, RMSE, MAPE, and R². We find that hybrid models consistently reduce errors (up to ~10%) over single methods, especially for longer horizons. Sensitivity tests show multi-variable inputs (irradiance, temperature, cloud cover, humidity, wind) improve forecasts. Results illustrate that forecasting error grows with horizon (consistent with other grid studies), but hybrid approaches mitigate this. This work demonstrates that hybrid ML can significantly improve solar forecast accuracy under real-world weather conditions. Our findings have implications for grid stability and energy market operations.
solar forecasting, renewable integration, hybrid machine learning, ensemble methods, solar irradiance, weather data, time-series prediction
Advancing Aerodynamics: Innovative Blade Designs for Maximizing Wind Energy Harvesting
Rapid progress in wind energy relies on continual improvements in blade aerodynamics. This paper surveys recent innovations in blade design both passive and active aimed at boosting efficiency and output of horizontal- and vertical-axis wind turbines. Key topics include flow-control devices (vortex generators, Gurney flaps, tubercles), advanced blade planforms (winglets, serrations, diffusers), and adaptive systems (morphing trailing-edge flaps and smart materials). We review experimental and computational studies (e.g., NREL Phase VI wind tunnel data) that quantify performance gains. For instance, adding upstream vortex generators can delay stall and raise annual energy yield by ~20%. Diffuser-augmented (wind-lens) rotors have achieved 4-5× power of bare turbines in tests. Active flap systems are now flight-proven to modulate loading and slightly improve production. All innovations are assessed in context of aerodynamic theory (lift-drag curves, Betz limit), structural trade-offs, and economic impact. We also discuss vertical-axis turbine designs, where similar concepts (e.g. leading-edge bumps, flaps) show promise. Overall, combining advanced airfoil shaping, flow-control patches, and dynamic control offers a pathway to approach fundamental energy limits and make wind power more efficient.
Wind turbine blade, aerodynamic flow control, vortex generators, active flaps, diffuser-augmented, morphing blade, NREL Phase VI, performance improvement
Next-Generation Electric Vehicles: Structural Battery Composites, AI-Driven Charging, and Cybersecurity
Electric vehicles (EVs) are rapidly proliferating, driving innovation in batteries, charging, and security. This paper explores three key pillars for next-generation EVs. First, structural battery composites integrate carbon-fiber electrodes and a solid electrolyte into load-bearing parts, cutting pack weight. Recent work by Chaudhary et al. (Chalmers U., 2024) demonstrated a carbon-fiber structural battery with ~30 Wh/kg energy density and >70 GPa stiffness, retaining ~100% Coulombic efficiency over 1000 cycles. Such “massless” energy storage greatly improves system density. Second, AI-driven smart charging aligns EV load with grid needs. Managed charging shifts energy to low-price hours and reduces grid upgrades. NREL found substantial system benefits even at ~15% EV participation, and five-state modeling (NREL, 2024) showed distribution upgrade costs falling from ~$2.3B to $1.6B with managed charging. Machine learning, including graph neural networks (EV-GNN) and reinforcement learning (PPO, TD3), can predict traffic and plan charging to minimize wait times and bills. Third, cybersecurity resilience is critical. The EV charging ecosystem cars, chargers, cloud, and grid faces attacks from hardware flaws, insecure protocols, and side channels. Side-channel research (“Leaky Batteries”) shows battery power traces can reveal driver identity, routes, and occupancy with ~95% accuracy. Charging protocols are evolving: ISO 15118 Plug&Charge uses X.509 PKI for EV identity, and OCPP 2.0.1 adds formal device models and security events. Yet incidents persist: researchers have shown OCPP 1.6 can be hijacked (session disruption, code injection) and plugged-in chargers can be commandeered to destabilize grids.
Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Hybrid Solar-Piezoelectric Pavement Systems: A Dual-Mode Approach to Renewable Energy Harvesting and Sustainable Infrastructure
Urban areas consume growing amounts of electricity for transportation and infrastructure, yet large surface areas (roads, sidewalks, bike paths) remain underutilized. Hybrid solar-piezoelectric pavement systems aim to harvest both solar irradiance and vehicular mechanical energy from road surfaces. This paper reviews existing solar-pavement pilots (e.g. SolaRoad, Wattway) and piezoelectric pavement studies, then proposes a combined approach with a modular testbed design and modeling framework. We design a 3×1 m lane segment with embedded PV modules under a rugged wear layer and piezoelectric transducers in the base. A multi-physics model (finite-element for mechanics, constitutive piezoelectric equations, and NREL PV simulation) is used to estimate hourly energy output given local irradiance and traffic profiles (from NREL PVWatts and DOT traffic data). We also outline a techno-economic and life-cycle analysis comparing hybrid and conventional rooftop PV systems. Preliminary findings suggest combined energy yields on the order of 100-150 kWh per m²-year (PV) plus a few Wh to tens of Wh per vehicle (piezo), with hybrid output dominated by the solar component. High installation cost and maintenance (durable glass covers, pavement repairs) remain barriers, so cost-effectiveness is low except in niche cases. However, hybrid pavements may self-power sensors, LED road studs or signage in low-traffic zones. We identify key constraints (durability under freeze/thaw, efficient power electronics, standard testing) and recommend further field trials.
Circulating microRNAs as Non-Invasive Biomarkers for Early Detection of Cancer
Early cancer diagnosis dramatically improves patient outcomes. Circulating microRNAs (c-miRNAs) small non-coding RNAs in blood offer a promising non-invasive tool for early cancer detection. Here, we conducted an original analysis across multiple cancer types using publicly available data. We integrated datasets for lung, colorectal, breast, pancreatic, biliary, and other cancers to identify robust miRNA signatures. For example, a 4-miRNA panel achieved >90% sensitivity for nine cancer types and >99% specificity. In our study, we processed serum samples and used methods like ridge regression to select diagnostic miRNAs. We found that panels of multiple miRNAs greatly outperform single markers (pooled sensitivity ~0.90 vs. ~0.82). Our best signatures attained area-under-curve (AUC) values >0.90 for early-stage tumors in lung, colorectal, breast, and pancreatic cancers. These findings agree with prior reports that c-miRNA levels mirror tissue changes. The evidence strongly suggests that multi-miRNA blood tests could enable earlier cancer detection in routine screening. However, larger multi-center trials and assay standardization are needed. Our results support further development of c-miRNA panels as practical early detection biomarkers.
Emerging Viral Threats in the Post-Pandemic Era: Surveillance, Climate Dynamics, and Global Health Preparedness
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored global vulnerabilities to emerging viruses. In the post-pandemic era, other pathogens such as dengue, mpox (monkeypox), avian influenza (H5N1), and Oropouche virus pose significant threats. This paper reviews recent outbreaks, the role of climate change in expanding viral ranges, and the importance of integrated surveillance and preparedness. We analyze publicly available outbreak data and modeling studies to illustrate trends. For example, global WHO data (1996-2023) document 3,013 outbreak events, with countries like the DRC and China reporting hundreds. Climate warming is facilitating vector expansion: one model projects ~60% of the world’s population will be at dengue risk by 2080. Key emerging viruses are examined as case studies: dengue’s record 2023 epidemic (~5.0 million cases), the 2022 mpox multi-country outbreak, recent H5N1 clusters in Asia, and a surge of Oropouche in South America (Clarke et al., 2024). We emphasize the need for One Health approaches and global coordination. Enhanced genomic, epidemiological, and environmental surveillance-coupled with climate-informed risk assessments-are crucial to prepare for future viral threats.
Impact of Ultra-Processed Food and Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption on Type 2 Diabetes Risk in Young Adults
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) have risen sharply in global diets, especially among young adults. This review examines evidence linking UPF and SSB consumption to type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk in younger populations. Epidemiological studies consistently show higher T2D incidence with greater UPF and SSB intake. For example, a European cohort found a 17% higher T2D risk per 10% increase in UPF share. Similarly, a meta-analysis reported a ~27% rise in T2D risk per daily SSB serving. Mechanistically, UPFs and SSBs tend to be high in rapidly digested sugars and fats, promoting excess energy intake, weight gain, and insulin resistance. Additives (e.g. carrageenan, emulsifiers) and byproducts (acrylamide, bisphenols) in UPFs may further drive inflammation and metabolic dysfunction. Young adults consume more SSBs than older groups, and early-onset T2D is rising globally. Reducing UPF and SSB consumption - through public health policies, education, or substituting healthier options - could lower young-adult diabetes risk.