Natural Sciences

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ACCEPTANCE AND SATISFACTION WITH ELECTRONIC HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEM BY HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS IN PALESTINIAN HOSPITALS
(An-Najah National University, 2024-08-22) Sabri Dweikat, Ahmad
Background: This study investigated the factors influencing employees’ acceptance and satisfaction of Electronic Health Information Systems (EHIS) in An-Najah National University Hospital and Rafidia Surgical Hospital. Methods: The study included healthcare workers, including physicians, nurses, medical secretaries, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, and radiologists. The study investigated fifteen hypotheses related to relative advantage, system quality, top management support, information technology (IT) department support, and competitive pressure. Results: A total of (n = 220) The research study, found no significant gender differences in EHIS acceptance (55% males, 45% females). Educational backgrounds varied, with 71% holding bachelor's degrees, 22% master degrees, and 7% diplomas. Participants with younger ages and less experience exhibited different perspectives on EHIS. Postgraduate participants showed greater awareness of relative advantage. The study also revealed that external factors such as relative advantage, system quality, top management support, and competitive pressure significantly affected perceived usefulness (PU) and ease of use (PEOU). Conclusion: The study looked at factors affected the acceptance of EHIS by Palestinian hospital staff and found that perceived usefulness (PU) was highly impacted by system quality, relative advantage, competitive pressure, top management support, and IT department support, while organizational support, compatibility, and system complexity had little effect on perceived ease of use (PEOU).
AFLATOXIN B1 LEVELS IN CORN IN CORN (ZEA MAIZE) AND SOYBEAN (GLYCCINEMAX L.MERR.)-BASED FEED IN NORTHERN PALESTINE
(An-Najah National University, 2023-12-20) Hamdan, Elahm
Aflatoxin is a by-product of the metabolism of aspergillus fungi has severe health risks as indicated by many researchers. This study is aiming to examine the existence of aflatoxin B1 in two crops; corn and soybean which is the major raw material in poultry feeding concentrates. Both ingredients are imported and inter the manufacturing process in local factories. In this study 42 samples of corn and soybean were collected from siloes of concentrates processing factories for animal feeding located in Jenin, Nablus, and Tulkarm districts. The samples were collected in October, 2021. The samples were kept in cool dark containers and then sent to the lab analysis to test the concentration of Aflatoxin B1 according to the procedure of RIDASCREEN® Aflatoxin B1 30/15. The results indicated that aflatoxin B1 was detected in 80%, 100%, and 100% of the corn samples from Jenin, Nablus and Tulkarm consequently. While in soybean the existence of aflatoxin B1 was found in 60%, 85.7%, and 100% of the samples in Jenin, Nablus, and Tulkarm consequently. In corn samples; the overall average AFB1 concentration was 0.69 µg/kg, the average concentration is 0.64 µg/kg in Jenin, 0.604 µg/kg in Nablus, and 0.80 µg/kg in Tulkarm. These results are ithin the accepted levels according to the standards. Significant differences in the aflatoxin concentration of both crops were found between the three districts. In soybean sample; the overall average AFB1 concentration was 0.66 µg/kg. The average concentration is 0.78 µg/kg in Jenin, 0.61 µg/kg in Nablus, and 0.65 µg/kg in Tulkarm, which is within the accepted levels as indicated by the European and US FDA guidelines, which is 20 ppb ( 20 µg/kg).
ALGAE FOR NUTRIENTS REMOVAL FROM WASTEWATER: THE APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT FOR ENHANCED ALGAL GROWTH
(An-Najah National University, 2024-10-10) Alhamaydeh, Ahlam
Treating municipal wastewater using algae to remove nutrients is considered one of the most successful, environmentally friendly, and inexpensive natural methods, as algae grow naturally in wastewater if the appropriate conditions are available for its growth, such as nutrients, temperature, duration, and intensity of exposure to light, as well as the presence of bacteria that form a symbiotic relationship with algae to help it grow. This research studied the effect of artificial light on the growth of algae and its activity in removing nutrients from municipal wastewater. Three beakers of municipal wastewater in which the algae grew, with a volume of 5 liters as a pilot scale of patch reactors, were used and placed in the same conditions which were Temperatures and mixing for 15 days, with varying durations of exposure to artificial light. In the first sample, the algae was exposed to light 24 hours a day and was called the light sample. The second beaker was exposed to light for 19 hours, the fifth was exposed to natural daylight and was called half light sample, and the third sample remained in the day and night cycle, where it was called the natural sample. After 15 days of comparing the three samples, although the results were close in the two light and half-light samples, the algae in the light sample were the most efficient in removing nutrients from wastewater, as their efficiency in removing COD was 95% and phosphorus was 96%. 99.8% ammonium, TSS concentration 737.4 mg/L, and chlorophyll A pigment concentration of 129.4 μg/L. In the half-light sample, the effectiveness of algae in removing COD was 93%, phosphorus was 94%, ammonium was 99.8%, TSS concentration was 237.4 mg/L, and chlorophyll A concentration was 57.2 μg/L. Finally, in the natural sample, the efficiency in removing COD was 93%, phosphorus was 6%, ammonium was 56%, TSS concentration was 174 mg/L, and chlorophyll A concentration was 8 μg/L. These results show the effectiveness of algae as a natural method for removing nutrients from wastewater and the positive effect of light on improving algae growth and its efficiency in the treatment process.
ANALYSIS AND IMPROVEMENT OF NEDCO ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION NETWORK OF JENIN GOVERNORATE AND CLARIFYING THE IMPACT OF SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC PENETRATION
(2022) Haitham Alawneh
This thesis starts by getting information from North Electrical Distribution Company (NEDCO) about all parameters and contents of the electrical network of Jenin, such as transmission lines, underground cables, transformers, loads, and PV systems in detail with all lengths, diameters, capacities, average annual consumption and PV systems power. ETAB simulator program was used to build this network, and the analysis started at a low voltage side at every load. Thesis focus on the power quality and voltage quality through the analysis. The objective of this thesis is to improve the power and voltage quality of the whole network in different ways, such as improving power factor to be more than 95% with respect to IEEE standards, improving low voltages at some loads and reducing drop voltages to be within 5% as IEEE standards, and reducing power losses using techniques such as: adding new PV systems, adding new capacitor banks, increasing the tap changers. Depending on the readings of the voltage bus and power factor (i.e., real and reactive power) of each load bus. Also, this thesis discusses another subject: the PV penetration level. It describes in detail the problem led by high penetration in the network and loads. It also discusses the solution to each problem. High PV penetration in the network causes many problems such as power losses, voltage rise, voltage fluctuations, voltage unbalance and reverse power flow that impacts the power quality; also, it causes a negative on power factor, voltage sag, harmonics, and frequency. The thesis suggests many solutions for these problems, such as: using an on load tap changer, reactive power control, energy storage system, PV generation curtailment, and smart inverter, and passive filters to reduce the harmonics effect. These solutions are described in detail in chapter 4. However, these solutions aim to balance real power and reactive power production to improve the power factor, avoid reverse power flow, store the power and use it at a suitable time and reduce harmonics effect to be within 5% for THD and less than 3% for IHD as IEEE standards. Keywords: Effect of high PV Penetration; Improve power quality; Improve voltage quality; Improvement of NEDCO; Harmonics Effect.
ASSESSING CLIMATE CHANGE VULNERABILITIES OF THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN PALESTINE -RISK MANAGEMENT APPROCH
(2024-02-18) Jafar Talib Ismail
Abstract Climate change threatens solid waste management in vast ways in Palestine by augmenting environmental risks as well as matters of public health. Thus, this thesis covering the interactions of climate vulnerabilities (temperature, rainfall, extreme weather, sea level and winds( within the regional wastes management practices and aimed at developing strategies towards climate resilience. The goal is to help people cope better with climate change on waste management by providing policymakers with sound advice. The thesis aims to build a holistic approach that guarantees waste disposal practices conform to global norms and contribute to a greener environment by considering climate change vulnerability and waste management. The research included quantitative assessment for historical data (rainfall, evaporation, temperature) and analysis it using R studio software (R programming for integrated development environment to analysis historical data and visualization), then applied to perform ARCGIS 10.8 mapping of the data levels to analyze areas with high climatic changes. This thesis also used qualitative assessments such as interviews with policy makers to determine which vulnerabilities are the most severe and which strategies work best for climate change vulnerabilities. According to experts in ministry of local government said the national strategy play a significant role in the mitigation of climate change and ensuring sustainable demands coordinated efforts in the development of waste management sector in Palestine. The key results showed that some regions like Gaza and south of Palestine has certain challenges and more vulnerable with regard to climate change. According to results the extreme weather such as storms, floods and draughts are high, rainfall and temperature are moderate, winds and rising sea level are low. The main strategies to be included are (Recycling programs, waste to energy, public awareness, sustainable procurement practices, circular economy, extend producer responsibility, climate resilience infrastructure). In addition to installing methane pipes in Zahrat Al-Finjan, expanding recycling programs for paper, cartons and plastic, reinforcing trash container such as strong frame to prevent movement during high winds and covering it to make transportation more efficient. Keywords: Climate Change, Mapping, Vulnerability, Waste Management, Palestine, Strategies.
ASSESSING THE ADOPTION OF IOS (INTERORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEMS) ON SUPPLY CHAIN PERFORMANCES IN AUTO SPARE PARTS INDUSTRY: THE MEDIATION ROLE B2B (BUSINESS TO BUSINESS) INTEGRATION
(An-Najah National University, 2024-10-02) Abdelnaser Salous, Nour
In today's rapidly evolving automotive industry, companies require effective Inter-organizational Systems (IOS) and strong Business-to-Business (B2B) integration to improve Supply Chain Performance (SCP). Despite the growing importance of IOS adoption and B2B integration in Supply Chain Management (SCM), limited research exists that investigates the effects of these variables within the automotive spare part businesses in Palestine. This study seeks to address this research gap by focusing on the nature of the relationship between IOS adoption, B2B integration, and SCP. The methodology used in this study was based on a quantitative approach, which involved distributing a questionnaire to 70 auto spare parts companies in Palestine. PLS-SEM was employed to test the developed conceptual model. The analysis shows that IOS adoption as well as B2B integration have positive significant effects on SCP. Additionally, it was found that B2B plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between IOS adoption and SCP. The findings enhance the theoretical development by offering empirical data on the link between IOS adoption, B2B integration, and SCP within automotive spare parts. This study also supports the adoption and implementation of information and technology systems to enhance organizational SCP.
ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF CLINICAL ALARM MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON PATIENT ’S SAFETY AS PERCEIVED BY NURSES: THE MODERATING ROLE OF JCI-ACCREDITATION
(An Najah National University, 2024-09-25) Abdelhadi, Fadi
This study investigates the impact of Clinical Alarm Management Practices and Knowledge (CAMPK) on Patient Safety as Perceived by Nurses (PSPN) and the moderating role of Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation within Palestinian hospitals. To this end, the Health Technology Foundation (HTF) 2016 Clinical Alarms Survey, was used to collect data from 102 nurses across various departments in Palestinian hospitals. Collected data were analyzed using the partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) via Smart PLS software. The findings of the analysis revealed that effective CAMPK positively enhance the PSPN with value of ( p = 0.004) . Furthermore, the study shows the importance of reducing nuisance alarms and the use of smart alarm systems as major and important elements of CAMPK that positively impact PSPN. JCI accreditation was found to have a minimum statistically significant effect on nurses’ perception of patient safety and a minimum moderating effect on the relation between CAMPK and PSPN. The analysis shows that the interaction effect between JCI and CAMPK on PSPN was not statistically significant p = 0.486 which is > 0.05 . In order to enhance patient safety perceptions this study suggests that accreditation alone is insufficient and a comprehensive approach integrating CAMPK and tailored accreditation processes is necessary. The findings show the complexity of patient safety improvements and the need for ongoing evaluation and adjustment of clinical practices and accreditation standards. The study's conclusion provides data highlighting the importance of effective Clinical Alarm Management Practices and Knowledge (CAMPK) in enhancing nurses' perceptions of patient safety (PSPN). Also this study provides the tools, for healthcare policymakers and administrators in Palestinian healthcare sector as well as clinical staff, necessary for developing patient safety programs in the altered clinical settings, allowing one to comprehend the link between CAMPK, PSPN, and JCI accreditation. As Palestinian hospitals have just recently begun to participate in international joint commission accreditation, accrediting processes require regular reviews and modifications. Administrators need to take a more active role in quality improvement initiatives in order to close any gaps that exist and ensure that clinical practice and accreditation criteria are in line with patient safety objectives. Keywords: Clinical Alarm Management Practices and Knowledge (CAMPK), Patient Safety, Smart PLS, Palestinian healthcare sector, nuisance alarms, Health Technology Foundation (HTF).
ASSESSING THE POTENTIAL OF ADOPTING CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND ITS EFFECT ON THE SUSTAINABLE PERFORMANCE IN THE PALESTINIAN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
(An-Najah National University, 2024-06-09) Zean Al-dean, Shaimaa
In recent years, the global community has acknowledged the critical importance of sustainable development approaches in addressing acute environmental concerns while also ensuring long-term social and economic success. In this environment, the circular economy (CE) has emerged as a viable paradigm for encouraging sustainability in a variety of industries, including construction. In Palestine, the construction industry is crucial to economic growth. This thesis aims to assess the potential of adopting the principles of CE in the Palestinian construction industry and to investigate its effects on sustainable development. It also aims at studying how the application of CE in the Palestinian construction industry can help in using resources, and exploring the potential social and environmental impacts of applying the principles of CE in Palestinian construction industry. To this end, a research model was developed where data was collected using questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Data were collected from a random sample of 80 participants including engineers, contractors and suppliers. The respondents scored CE in a medium level 2.480 . Aspects observed in current practice reveal only occasional fulfilment of goals set regarding recycled content, although some obstacles are related to the limited availability of recycled materials, the lack of official rules concerning their use, insufficient financial incentives, and the lack of appropriate training. But the opportunity to extend CE is the possibility to decrease its negative impact, governmental programs, and financial stimuli, all of which stimulate activity. The partial least squares- structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using Smart PLS software was used to analyze the data collected by the questionnaire and test the model hypotheses. The results obtained showed that the level of implementation of adopting principles of CE is of medium level. Keywords : Circular economy (CE), Construction industry (CI) , Sustainable development (SD) , Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).
ASSESSMENT OF WIND ENERGY POTENTIAL IN PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
(An-Najah National University, 2024-06-24) Qasem Solaiman, Motasem
The Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) face significant challenges due to a high dependency on imported conventional energy sources, including petroleum and approximately 90% of its electrical energy needs from Israeli companies. This dependency results in elevated energy costs and susceptibility to price fluctuations. Amidst these challenges, The energy dilemma has a vital solution in renewable energy. with wind energy representing an underutilized yet promising resource within the OPT. Despite its global significance, wind energy's potential remains largely untapped in the OPT due to a limited number of studies, professional capacity constraints, and geopolitical barriers, alongside the high costs associated with wind energy technologies. These factors have led to a palpable sense of frustration and the perception of wind energy projects as impractical within the region. This study uses exacting scientific procedures to thoroughly examine and evaluate the possibility of wind energy in the OPT. Employing the Weibull distribution method, The goal of the study is to present a thorough summary of the state of wind resource evaluations as of right now., explore existing wind energy conversion technologies suitable for the OPT, and present detailed wind characteristics for specific regions under study. Additionally, it aims to identify the most viable locations for wind turbine installations and determine the most appropriate turbine types for these areas. Through this approach, the research endeavors to offer substantive insights and recommendations to overcome the challenges facing wind energy implementation in the OPT.
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN BLOOD MAGNESIUM LEVEL AND COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AMONG COMMUNITY DWELLING OLDER ADULTS IN TULKARM: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
(An-Najah National University, 2024-05-09) Layan Alkum
Background: The investigation into the potential association between blood Magnesium level and cognitive impairment among community dwelling older adult in Tulkarm stems from a growing interest in understanding modifiable factors influencing cognitive health in aging populations, magnesium deficiency is associated with poor cognition or dementia. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of Magnesium deficiency, to determine the association between magnesium levels in the blood and to determine the factor that associated with magnesium deficiency among community dwelling older adult in Tukaram. Methodology: A cross-sectional design study was conducted among 200 participants aged 60 years or older. The participants were selected by convenient sampling from Tulkarm Governance. The collected data included: sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, life style, nutritional status, cognitive status and functional status. Mini Nutrition Assessment (MNA) tool was used to screen for malnutrition while Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) was used to determine the adherence to Mediterranean diet. Magnesium deficiency was defined according to Magnesium levels less than (1.9 mg/dl). Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) test. Functional status was determined using activity of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activity of daily living (IADL). SPSS21 software was used to analyze the data, and Chi Square test was used to determine the association between magnesium level and other variables. Results: The finding revealed that 63.5% were female, with a mean age of 64.6±3.3 years old. Most of the participants (72.5%) were married, 67.5% did not receive formal education, and 40.5% were not working. The most prevalent chronic diseases were: hypertension (32.5%), diabetes (29.0%), and heart disease (15.0%). In terms of lifestyle, 19.0% smoked and 77.5% good sleep quality. A low magnesium level was discovered in 30.5% of the population. The mean cognitive and functional status were; (24.5±3.66), ADL (5.4±1.19), IADL (6.2±3.2) respectively. The results revealed that, there was a significant association between magnesium levels and smoking status (P=0.006), IADL (P=0.048), and cognitive function (P=0.011). There were no significant relationships detected with sociodemographic, sleep quality, Physical Activity, body mass index, malnutrition or adherence to Mediterranean diet. Conclusions: The prevalence of magnesium deficiency was 30.5%, it was significantly associated with smoking status, IADL and cognitive performance. These findings shed light on the association between magnesium deficiency and numerous elements of participants' lives, as well as possible links to lifestyle and health concerns, Recommendation: The study findings suggest prioritizing the dietary consumption of older persons and raising awareness about the need of selecting nutrient-rich foods that are high in minerals and vitamins, particularly magnesium. Additional investigation is advised to ascertain the efficacy of Magnesium supplementation on the cognitive and functional condition of elderly individuals. It is advisable to conduct a longitudinal research to examine the causal factors that affected magnesium intake which may impact the cognitive and functional status of older adults in the Palestinian community. Keywords: aging population, magnesium deficiency, cognitive function, functional status
AUTOMATED OPTIC DISC SEGMENTATION FOR FUNDUS IMAGES BASED ON ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS: U-NET
(An-Najah National University, 2024-08-27) Alhendi, Nour
Optic disc (OD), located at the back of the eye, is a significant part of the retina. It represents the entry point for the optic nerve and blood vessels. Accurate OD segmentation provides critical information about the anatomy and health state of the retina, aiding in diagnosing and managing various eye conditions such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy (DR), and optic nerve abnormalities. With automatic OD segmentation, computer-based systems can efficiently analyze large numbers of retinal images, enabling early detection and monitoring of eye diseases. This automation not only enhances the speed and accuracy of diagnosis but also facilitates cost-effective and accessible healthcare, especially in areas with limited ophthalmic expertise. In this study, an automatic method for OD segmentation in retinal images using a convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture, known as U-Net, was introduced. First, a region of interest (ROI) was extracted from the fundus images using the bounding box technique. For faster calculations, the cropped images were resized to 128 × 128 pixels. Then, these images were enhanced using the contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE) to eliminate the noise and improve their qualities. After that, a U- Net model was constructed and trained to obtain segmented images. The proposed model was trained and evaluated using the public dataset ORIGA, and the predicted results were compared with the ground truth (GT) images. This method competed with other studies and achieved average accuracy of 98.42%, average precision of 97.46%, and average sensitivity of 95.33%. As the execution time is short, this enables the proposed method to be an online implemented method.
BIOBASED IMIDAZOLE DERIVATIVES WITH VERSATILE BIOACTIVITIES
(2024-03-07) Saber Mahmoud Abu-Jabal
Abstract Imidazole is known to be a highly momentous biomolecule since it is demonstrated to possess exceptional biological properties, like antimicrobial, antifungal, inhibition of nitric oxide synthase, and cytotoxic activities. Vanillin was used as the starting material in this study, it is a natural phenolic substance, and it makes up the majority of the vanilla orchid's bean and pod. It is used as a flavoring agent and as a preservative in the pharmaceutical industry and cosmetics. This work aims to synthesize a novel natural vanillin-based imidazolone derivatives and zwitterionic vanillin-based imidazolone derivatives with alkyl sulfonate moiety starting from the natural product vanillin. Thirty new derivatives were synthesized. Various spectroscopic methods analyzed all prepared derivatives. The anticancer properties of all derivatives were evaluated against two liver cancer cell lines (Hep-3B, LX2) and cervical cancer (HeLa). Moreover, the molecular docking between some of the prepared compounds and DNA was performed. The study discovered that a few of these substances have high impact on preventing the growth of two types of cancer cells liver cancer (Hep-3B) and cervical cancer (HeLa), and compounds with the numbers (3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 17, 24, 26) shown extraordinary efficiency against these cancer cells with low viability against the normal cells. A molecular docking study showed excellent interaction of some of these derivatives with the DNA through forming strong H-bonding. Prepared compounds with the alkyl sulfonate moieties showed improvement in the anticancer efficiency. In conclusion, a new novel set of imidazoles and synthesis of imidazolone with alkyl sulfonate moiety were successfully prepared. The anticancer activities were very promising, which makes the synthesized compounds possible future drugs for the treatment of various cancers. Keywords: Hippuric acid; oxazolone; imidazolones; anticancer; Benzimidazole; Schiff.
BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF PLANT EXTRACTS FROM MIDDLE EAST AREA ON FOOD BORNE PATHOGENS
(2018-07-24) Nouraldin Shtaya
ABSTRACT there's many research investigate of high activity of plants extract and microbes and during the past few decades there has been a notable increase in the demand natural preservatives. The aim of our study to evaluate six methanolic extracts of medicinal plants from Palestine against 18 bacterial indicator strains (gram positive & gram negative). Six methanolic extracts were prepared from different parts of plants used in traditional medicine in Palestine. We prepared the crude extract by using methanol and distilled water, and used rotary evaporator, Testing by using two method paper disc diffusion and agar well diffusion. In our study has shown the antibacterial activity for all methanolic extract of plants we tested Origanum syriacum L. Var. syriacum, Rhus coriaria L., Rumex acetosa L, Salvia hierosolymitana Boiss, Teucrium capitatum L, Cyclamen persicum mill at different amount range (5µL-50 µL ). In addition the results we got it, can be first step for various future research.
COMPARISON OF NUMERICAL METHODS FOR SOLVING SYSTEMS OF ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
(An-Najah National University, 2024-10-31) Boshnaq, Abdul Fattah
In this work, we shed the light on the numerical handling of systems of ordinary differential equations. These systems have wide range of applications in mathematical physics, chemistry, biology, stereology, heat conducing and engineering models. After introducing some important aspects of systems of differential equations including the solvability of homogeneous and non-homogeneous systems, we focus on the numerical techniques for solving systems of differential equations. Namely; one step and multistep methods. The one step methods include Euler and Runge-Kutta methods. The multistep methods involve Adams-Bashforth method, Adams-Moulton method and the Predictor-Corrector method. The mathematical framework of these numerical methods together with their convergence properties and their error bound associated with these methods will be presented. The proposed numerical methods will be illustrated by solving some numerical examples. Numerical results show clearly that the multistep methods are more efficient and give faster convergence than other methods.
COMPUTATIONAL METHODS FOR SOLVING VOLTERRA INTEGRO-DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
(2022-10-20) Masa Husam Saeed Desuqi
Background: Integro-Differential Equations (IDEs), one of the most important mathematical tools in both pure and applied mathematics, arise in many physical problems such as wind ripple in the desert, nano-hydrodynamics, population growth model, glass-forming process.. They have motivated a huge amount of research in recent years. Many researchers have developed numerical schemes for solving these IDEs. Aim: In this work, the researcher proposed three numerical schemes, namely, the Taylor collocation method, Legendre polynomials method and the Haar wavelets method, to approximate the solution of Volterra Integro-Differential Equations (VIDEs). Material and method: These three numerical methods have been applied in the form of algorithms, and Maple software has been developed/used to solve some numerical examples. Results: The numerical results showed that the convergence and accuracy of the aforementioned methods were in good agreement with the analytical solution. Comparison of numerical results, mentioned in tables and figures, showed clearly that the Haar wavelets method provides more accurate results and is, therefore, more effective than other methods. Keywords: Volterra integro-differential equations; Taylor collocation; Legendre polynomials; Haar wavelets. Introduction Importance of Integral Equations: the subject of IDEs have attracted the attention of many scientists and researchers over the past few years due to their wide range of applications like wind ripple, hydro-dynamics, glass-formation, model of population growth and various models in physics, engineering and medicine, namely the mathematical modelling of epidemics, particular when the models contains age-structure or describe spatial epidemics [5, 6]. Literature Review Many numerical schemes for solving VIDEs have been constructed and implemented by many researches. For example, Karamete et al. [19] used collocation method based on Taylor expansion to solve VIDEs. Khater et al. [20] implemented the Legendre polynomials method to approximate the solution of VIDEs subject to initial conditions. Ali [2] has applied the Haar wavelets approach to obtain an approximate solution to VIDEs. Draidi et al. [12] used the product Nystrom in parallel with the sinc-collocation scheme to solve integral equations with Carleman kernel. Hamaydi et al. [16] solved fuzzy integral equations using variational iteration and Taylor expansion techniques. Moreover, Fazeli et al. [14] suggested several numerical schemes to approximate the solution of VIDEs. Other numerical techniques for solving VIDEs are: variational iteration [30], Walsh expansion series [26], Chebyshev collocation [1], Nystr"o" ̈m method [22], differential transform [11], homotopy [25], power series [3] and finite difference [10]. Burton [7, 8] has investigated in the 1980s some stability results for the VIDEs. Zhang [31] has also presented some stability results for VIDEs. Tunc [28] and Staffans [27] proposed a new stability results based on Lyapunov functional for VIDEs. In this work, we suggest three numerical techniques to solve VIDEs, namely, Taylor collocation method, Legendre polynomials and Haar wavelets method. The VIDE under consideration has the form: Y^((n) ) (x)=r(x)+∫_a^x▒F(x,t)Y(t)dt where Y^((n) ) (x)=(d^n Y)/(dx^n ) ,n∈N subject to the initial conditions: Y^((s))=a_s , s=0,1,2,…,(n-1). The kernel F(x,t) and the function r(x) are given. The unknown function Y(x) is to be determined. A major objective is to compare between these numerical techniques in approximating the solution of the VIDE by solving some numerical examples. We organize this work as follows: chapter one deals with some general aspects of VIDEs together with their solvability. In chapter two, we address all the aforementioned methods, namely, Taylor collocation, Legendre polynomials and Haar wavelets methods. We conclude chapter three by solving some VIDEs with known exact solution by the aforementioned algorithms.
COMPUTER VISION AND MACHINE LEARNING APPROACHES FOR INTERPRETATION OF BREAST HISTOPATHOLOGY
(An-Najah National University, 2024-09-12) Odeh, Omar
Breast cancer, along with other cancer types, represents a major health issue worldwide, especially in regions with limited medical resources, such as Palestine where it’s harder to diagnose and treat cancer patients. The traditional diagnostic methods which rely mainly on the manual examination of histology slides in the lab by experts are both time consuming and require high skills, which often leads to delays in diagnosis and treatment. This research aims to leverage Whole Slide Imaging (WSI) and advanced image processing techniques, including machine learning and deep learning, to develop a tool to support breast cancer diagnosis in Palestine. A collection of histopathology images from breast cancer cases, provided by An-Najah Hospital in Nablus, Palestine, was used in this study. An automated classification model was developed, capable of identifying normal, benign, in situ, and invasive breast cancer tissues at magnifications of x20 and x40. It was empowered using advanced preprocessing techniques to normalize the colors and sizes of the training data. The classification model resulted in a remarkable performance of InceptionV3 and Gradient Boosting models with accuracies of up to 98.7% and 98% respectively in different settings. The same algorithm was applied to a BACH challenge dataset, resulting in a high accuracy of 96.7%, surpassing the results of other studies. The study also covers whole slide image (WSI) analysis, emphasizing the complex approach required for the proper detection of malignancy and tumor size estimation using a customized segmentation approach which resulted in an 84% Jaccard index score. Additionally, it discusses novel approaches in localization of tumor beds and grading of treatment responses, aiming to provide a methodological basis for improving patient care outcomes in challenging environments like Palestine. Keywords: Breast Cancer Diagnosis, Automated Image Analysis, Whole Slide Imaging (WSI), Deep Learning in Pathology, Healthcare in Palestine.
CuO FILMS PREPARED BY COMBINED ELECTROCHEMICAL AND CHEMICAL BATH DEPOSITIONS
(2022-06-16) Sondos Waleed "Mohammad Ali" Omareyyeh
Abstract Background: Thin film electrodes are emerging in solar energy technology to produce electricity from light. CuO is one example of common semiconductors that did not yield high photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance. This is a problem to solve. Objectives: The present study aims at producing CuO thin film electrodes with high PEC performance. CuO thin films will be deposited onto FTO/glass substrate by electro-chemical deposition (ECD), chemical bath deposition (CBD) and combined EC/CB deposition techniques. The resulting electrodes will be assessed in photoelectrochemical process, after being modified by annealing and by cooling rate control (fast and slow cooling). Methodology: Three techniques have been used to deposit CuO thin film on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) Glass substrate. These techniques are; chemical-bath deposition (CBD), electrochemical deposition (ECD) and combined electrochemical and chemical bath (ECD/CBD) deposition technique. The prepared films were characterized by various methods including; X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning-electron microscope (SEM), electronic absorption spectra and photoelectrochemical measurements. Effect of annealing temperature, cooling rate and deposition time have also been studied. The CuO films exhibit p-type conductivity as shown by photoelectrochemical characteristics (PEC) study. Results: The prepared films exhibit low photoelectrochemical behaviors. Higher PEC characteristics were gotten from CBD method, but they need annealing at temperatures higher than 150 ̊C in order to remove the resulting Cu(OH)2. Annealing at high temperatures affect CuO films negatively, since CuO has a very small band gap (1.3-2.1 eV). Combined ECD/CBD technique does not improve CuO thin film characteristics which against our predictions. The prepared films show good stability measurements. Conclusions: The prepared films exhibit low photoelectrochemical behaviors. CBD method is the best method to prepare CuO films with higher PEC characteristics, but needs annealing to remove resulting Cu(OH)2. Because the CuO has very small band gap, it is sensitive to annealing at high temperature. Higher temperatures affect the films negatively. On the other hand, ECD method gives CuO films with more uniform structures with no Cu(OH)2 product, but do not have improved PEC characteristics. Films deposited by combined ECD/CBD did not show improved PEC characteristics. Annealing ECD/CBD films negatively affects their SEM micrographs, due to sensitivity of the ECD layer to annealing. Suggestions: CuO thin films can be prepared with more modifications, e.g: coating with multiwalled carbon nano tubes (MWCNT) is recommended. More annealing temperatures should be studied to optimize film characteristics. Electrochemical deposition may be repeated several times to enhance film performance. Doping the prepared CuO films with other dopants is recommended. Depositing combined EC/CB CuO thin film on other type of substrates. For example, Indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate. Keywords: Thin films, chemical bath deposition (CBD), electrochemical deposition (ECD), combined EC/CB deposition, annealing.
DEGRADATION OF PHARMACEUTICAL CONTAMINANTS IN WATER USING NANO-PLATINUM BASED ELECTROCATALYST
(An-Najah National University, 2024-10-23) Nassar, Ibrahim
Recently, the presence of contaminants, such as pharmaceutical compounds in effluents and groundwater, has increased. Pharmaceutical compounds impose significant risk to water, which makes the search for radical solutions to treat water necessary. This research studied the degradation of the contaminant phenazopyridine (PhP), as low concentrations of it may affect water quality. Electrodes have been prepared, to completely mineralize this contaminant, by two deposition methods. The Pt-E/FTO electrodes were prepared using electro-deposition of platinum nanoparticles (from H2PtCl6 solutions) on FTO. The Pt-T/FTO electrode was prepared by spraying H2PtCl6 solution on FTO, followed by heating at 350 °C. Other electrodes were prepared by deposition of Pt onto multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) pre-deposited onto FTO electrodes. Both electrodeposition and spray deposition were examined to prepare Pt-E/MWCNTs/FTO and Pt-T/MWCNTs/FTO electrodes, respectively. EDS, XPS, XRD SEM and AFM analyzed all resulting electrodes. The electrodes were then examined in electrooxidation of PhP in a three electrode-cell, containing PhP aqueous solution (40 ppm, 70 mL). The experiments were made on PhP solutions under different conditions in several parameters. Among the various electrodes, it was found that Pt-E/MWCNTs/FTO electrode was the best electrode, in terms of electrodegradation efficiency and stability. In PhP solution (40 ppm) about 68.38% was removed within 120 min at 25 °C with no added electrolyte at initial pH ≈ (3.0) using +1.60 V (vs. SCE). This electrode was then singled out in more study to see the effects of various reaction parameters. Reaction kinetics showed that the oxidation-reaction was pseudo-first order with respect to PhP and the measured reaction order was 0.69. That is due to the presence of an adsorption factor that affects the reaction kinetics. When the reaction was carried out for 5 h, complete mineralization of PhP was observed, leaving no organic contaminants remaining in solution, as confirmed by total-organic carbon (TOC), resulting nitrate ion analysis, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and electronic absorption spectra. A plausible mechanism for the electrooxidation reaction, to explain the results, was proposed based on earlier literature. The developed Pt-E/MWCNTs/FTO electrode showed high reusability to electro-degrade PhP. The results showed the high potential of the electrode to treat pharmaceutical contaminants in water through the electrooxidation process. The results indicated the future potential of the electrode in commercial scale water purification processes.
DETECTION OF HOT SPOTS IN HETEROGENEOUS SOLAR PV PANELS USING DIFFERENT MACHINE LEARNING ALGORITHMS
(An-Najah National University, 2024-07-04) Odeh, Sabri
Localized overheating, also known as hot spotting, can occur in specific areas of a solar panel where excessive heat is generated within photovoltaic (PV) systems. This problem may occur as a result of uneven distribution of current, inconsistencies in shading, issues with soldering, or failures in the packaging, leading to a condition of reverse bias and localized heating. The presence of hot spots not only accelerates the degradation of PV systems but also increases the risk of permanent damage to the panels. Therefore, it is crucial to promptly identify and rectify any hot spot faults to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the PV system. This study investigates the utilization of six distinct machine learning classifiers (SVM, KNN, DT, ANN, XGBoost, CatBoost) for the identification and categorization six cases (healthy, one hotspot, two hotspot series, two hotspots parallel, three hotspot series and more, and three hotspots parallel and more) of early hotspots in PV modules. The data collection was done by real measuring instruments such as: current and voltage sensors, also environmental sensors for irradiance and temperature. Before the implementation of the machine learning tool, the data of each examined PV module was applied by preprocessing data methods such as: cleaning, deleting outliers, and transforming raw data into a format suitable for training and evaluating machine learning models. These data focusing on series and parallel of hotspots faults not just on a known fault. Among these classifiers, the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) emerges as the most suitable machine learning technique for early detection of PV hot-spots, exhibiting an impressive detection accuracy of 97% when appropriate data samples are employed. The proposed model can be implemented to increase the efficiency of monitoring and fault diagnosis of PV panels.
DETERMINATION OF R-FACTOR USING NONLINEAR ANALYSIS FOR R.C SPECIAL FRAMES CONSIDERING SPAN VARIABILITY
(2022-07-31) Yacob abu Hantash
Background: The Response Modification factor (R-factor) consider as the most important seismic design parameters, it is describing the amount of damping and inherent ductility in the structural system during an earthquake and it is used in general to reduce the actual seismic force to a design force, due to the inelasticity of the structure. Each of the global building codes gives a different procedure to describe the R-factor and give a different value, moreover, the R-factor is a nonlinear factor and it is very complicated thus, any change in the structural system leads to a different value of the R-factor. Objectives: This thesis gives a comprehensive procedure to calculate the R-factor and then highlights the relationship between the R-factor and the relative stiffness between beam and column. To date, there is no guideline as to how R-Factor would change due to variation of the relative stiffness between beam and column. This thesis comes as a step toward check the code values of the R-factor under the changing of relative stiffness between beam and column. Methodology: To achieve the above mention goal, a nonlinear static pushover procedure is used to obtain the inelastic behavior of the structure. SAP2000 program is used to generate the nonlinear capacity curves through incremental displacement control nonlinear analysis with concentrated plasticity in the plastic hinge within the structural element, XTRACT program is used to generate all the moment curvature curves for all structural members that are used to define the plastic hinges in SAP2000 program. Tow building layouts were used in the study, one is a uniform span length with a different number of floors and a different number of bays, and the other is a nonuniform span length with a different length ratio between spans. Results: The results show that the R-factor increase as the number of floors increases, also, as the number of bays increases the R-factor will increase and get close to a recommended code value, on the other hand, increasing the length of spans has a negligible effect on R-factor. The R-factor is minimum in the nonuniform cases, for example, the case with a nonuniform span length and three bays (6, 2, 6) meter length and with five floors has a value of R-factor 6.22 which is less than 8 (the IBC 2018 code R-factor for all SMRF). This means that using the IBC 2018 value of the R-factor would give lower induced seismic force for the design and may lead to a detailing level that does not warrant the realistic R-factor for the building being designed. Conclusions: The study gives a methodology to study the relationship between the R-factor and any variable that affected the structure’s response. As a future topic, it is recommended to repeat the work using a nonlinear dynamic procedure like time history analysis using actual earthquake records to compare the result with the actual earthquake loads in these building. Keywords: R-Factor, Pushover method, nonlinear procedure, Plastic hinge definition, ductility.

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