An investigation into the current utilisation and prospective of renewable energy resources and technologies in Libya

With the increase in energy demand and the international drive to reduce carbon emission from fossil fuel, there has been a drive in many oil-rich countries to diversify their energy portfolio and resources. Libya is currently interested in utilising its renewable energy resources in order to reduce the financial and energy dependency on oil reserves. This paper investigates the current utilisation and the future of renewable energy in Libya. Interviews have been conducted with managers, consultants and decision makers from different government organisations including energy policy makers, energy generation companies and major energy consumers. The results indicate that Libya is rich in renewable energy resources but in urgent need of a more comprehensive energy strategy and detailed implementation including reasonable financial and educational investment in the renewable energy sector

Performance of dense graded asphalt incorporating cellulose fiber

In past years, cellulose fiber has been increasingly used on pavement asphalt and has become one of the causes that increases pavement strength and reduces environmental challenges, as it provides a key, sustainable alternative to other technical materials. Cellulose fiber is utilized to increase asphalt binding qualities and on-the-ground paving performance. One of the main challenges affecting dense grade asphalted surface and quality performance is the high cargo weights, which increase road usage, owing to different difficulties such as fatigue cracking and other deformations due to overload on roads. The primary objective and goal of this study is to explore the efficacy of adding cellulose fiber to asphalt utilizing a dry approach. In this study, five different percentages of cellulose fiber content were employed, which are as follows: (0%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, and 0.5% from the total weight of aggregate). In addition to this investigation, an asphalt grade of 60/70 penetration is chosen. In order to discover the optimal modifier, the predicted performance of the modified binder is compared to that of the unmodified binder. The study is carried out utilizing Marshall stability, resilient modular tests, dynamic creep, and abrasion tests to compare the findings obtained from changed and unmodified asphalt samples. The results achieved in this research have proclaimed cellulose fiber to be an effective material to be employed as an addition to the asphalt binder because it enhances performance by enhancing paving strength and rigidity for future development

Gold sensitized sprayed SnO2 nanostructured film for enhanced LPG sensing

We report LPG sensing of gold (Au)-sensitized SnO2 nanostructured film fabricated by an easy spray pyrolysis deposition method whose surface morphology is confirmed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images and structure by X-ray diffraction pattern. Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer analysis has carried out for finding elemental composition. The SnO2 film is uniform and consists of spherical particles of ∼10nm. The highest gas response observed at 780ppm LPG concentration for pristine SnO2 is 28%, at operating temperature 623K, which is greatly improved on Au sensitization up to 57% with 60s rapid response time at 598K operating temperature. The high gas response is due to electronic effect and catalytic spill-over effect of Au sensitization. The improved sensing mechanism has throughly been explored

Polymorphisms in Anopheles gambiae Immune Genes Associated with Natural Resistance to Plasmodium falciparum

Many genes involved in the immune response of Anopheles gambiae, the main malaria vector in Africa, have been identified, but whether naturally occurring polymorphisms in these genes underlie variation in resistance to the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, is currently unknown. Here we carried out a candidate gene association study to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with natural resistance to P. falciparum. A. gambiae M form mosquitoes from Cameroon were experimentally challenged with three local wild P. falciparum isolates. Statistical associations were assessed between 157 SNPs selected from a set of 67 A. gambiae immune-related genes and the level of infection. Isolate-specific associations were accounted for by including the effect of the isolate in the analysis. Five SNPs were significantly associated to the infection phenotype, located within or upstream of AgMDL1, CEC1, Sp PPO activate, Sp SNAKElike, and TOLL6. Low overall and local linkage disequilibrium indicated high specificity in the loci found. Association between infection phenotype and two SNPs was isolate-specific, providing the first evidence of vector genotype by parasite isolate interactions at the molecular level. Four SNPs were associated to either oocyst presence or load, indicating that the genetic basis of infection prevalence and intensity may differ. The validity of the approach was verified by confirming the functional role of Sp SNAKElike in gene silencing assays. These results strongly support the role of genetic variation within or near these five A. gambiae immune genes, in concert with other genes, in natural resistance to P. falciparum. They emphasize the need to distinguish between infection prevalence and intensity and to account for the genetic specificity of vector-parasite interactions in dissecting the genetic basis of Anopheles resistance to human malaria

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)1.

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field

Chromium and copper dual-doped zinc sulfide nanoparticles: Synthesis, structural, morphological and optical properties

Copper (Cu) and chromium (Cr) dual-doped zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles (NPs) were fabricated via a chemical co-precipitation technique at 24±°C without any capping agent used. The obtained metal sulfides were characterize using transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM),energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultra-violet/visible (UV–Vis), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results revealed a Cr, Cu in ZnS lattice, grain size less than 5 nm, and unequal, aggregated spherical particles. Moreover, XRD analyses indicated that the dual ions penetrated the zinc sulfide without changing its cubic structure, the average size was nearly in the range 2.035–1.959 nm. Optical analysis displayed blue-shift after doping. The band gap values(Eg) were in the range of 4.79–4.89 eV. Thermal analysis shows that the synthesized sample is more stable in range 434–1029 °C. Based on these featured, it could be concluded that the synthesized Cu and Cr dual-doped ZnS NPs are beneficial for opto-electronic devices, and photocatalytic applications

Enhancing unreinforced masonry wall resilience through nano-silica modified steel fiber reinforced mortar: A study on in-plane cyclic loading

Strengthening existing unreinforced masonry (URM) structures with plaster is a common technique used to improve the structural integrity and durability of buildings. However, using a thin layer of plaster alone may not provide sufficient reinforcement to adequately enhance the URM wall’s resistance to lateral or other types of loading. Therefore, incorporating additional materials, such as steel fibers and nano-silica, into the plaster mix has been explored in this study to further improve the URM wall’s resilience performance. The effect of nano-silica modified steel fibers reinforced (NS-SFR) mortar plastering on the axial and lateral load capacity of concrete masonry walls was experimentally investigated. The investigated URM walls were constructed with a dimension of 830 × 810 × 100 mm (length × width × thickness) using hollow concrete masonry blocks. These walls were categorized as a reference wall, plastered on one side only wall, and plastered on both sides wall. During the experimental testing, each sample was exposed to a combination of precompression and cyclic in-plane loading to assess its shear capacity. The tests also involved closely observing and identifying any cracks or types of failures that occurred. The results of the tests indicated that the walls that were strengthened with NS-SFR mortar exhibited a significant improvement in their compressive strength, shear strength capacity, and stiffness, in comparison to the walls that were not strengthened. Applying NS-SFR mortar as a plaster on the URM wall resulted in significant improvements in both compressive strength and shear capacity. Specifically, for the one-side plastered wall, the use of NS-SFR mortar increased compressive strength and shear capacity by 18.5 % and 40 %, respectively, while for the two sides plastered wall, the increase was even more significant, with improvements of 86.5 % and 132 % in compressive strength and shear capacity, respectively

Gold sensitized sprayed SnO2 nanostructured film for enhanced LPG sensing

We report LPG sensing of gold (Au)-sensitized SnO2 nanostructured film fabricated by an easy spray pyrolysis deposition method whose surface morphology is confirmed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images and structure by X-ray diffraction pattern. Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer analysis has carried out for finding elemental composition. The SnO2 film is uniform and consists of spherical particles of ∼10nm. The highest gas response observed at 780ppm LPG concentration for pristine SnO2 is 28%, at operating temperature 623K, which is greatly improved on Au sensitization up to 57% with 60s rapid response time at 598K operating temperature. The high gas response is due to electronic effect and catalytic spill-over effect of Au sensitization. The improved sensing mechanism has throughly been explored