An-Najah National University (Arabic: جامعة النجاح الوطنية) is a Palestinian non-governmental public university governed by a board of trustees. It is located in Nablus, in the northern West Bank. The university has 22,000 students and 300 professors in 19 faculties. It is the largest university in the State of Palestine.
A novel reduction approach is introduced to design the controller and simplify the complexity of large-scale continuous dynamic systems. This technique involves a generalized adaptation of the standard pole clustering method, which is used to derive the reduced denominator coefficients for the simplified model. The numerator polynomial coefficients are then determined using the Cauer second form. The generalized pole clustering (GPC) algorithm ensures that the key characteristics, such as stability and dominant poles, are preserved in the reduced system. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed method and gauge the closeness of the reduced model to the original system, various performance error indices are calculated. The technique has been applied to several benchmark systems, consistently yielding minimal error indices. After obtaining the reduced-order model, its transfer function is used to design the PID and lead/lag compensators via a moment matching algorithm. When the controller designed from the reduced model is applied to the original dynamical system, the closed-loop plant gives approximately the same response as required. Additionally, unit step responses and time domain specifications of the closed-loop plants are evaluated to demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed algorithm.
The current work aims to produce a multifunctional polymeric nanocomposite of SiC-SWCNTs-PVP-PVA as a potential candidate for futuristic applications in optoelectronics and radiation shielding. SiC-SWCNTs-PVP-PVA polymeric nanocomposites (PNCs) were made using the solution-casting technique. Morphological and microstructural characterizations were performed using optical and scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The UV–visible spectrophotometry technique was utilized to examine the optical features. The optical analysis reveals a vital enhancement in the optical properties of the SWCNTs-PVP-PVA medium due to SiC nanocrystals (NCs) loading. In particular, it exposes that SiC loading modifies the transmittance, optical bandgap, refractive index, dielectric constants, and optical conductivity of the SWCNTs-PVP-PVA medium. The transmittance of the SWCNTs-PVP-PVA medium declines from 80 to 18
The objective of the current work is to develop the functional aspects of rGO-PVA-PVP blend using magnesium trisilicate-iron oxide (2MgO.3SiO2-Fe2O3 denoted by MSO-FO) nanocomposites (NCs) for low-energy radiation shielding and optical filtering applications. MSO-FO NCs filled rGO-PVA-PVP PNCs were prepared by a casting technique. Chemical interactions, microstructural, morphological, and elemental investigations were performed using FTIR, SEM, optical microscopy, and EDX techniques. The FTIR investigations reveal the integration between the MSO-FO NCs and the functional groups of the host rGO-PVA-PVP blend. The UV-visible measurements were used to investigate the impact of MSO-FO embedding on the optical properties of the host blend. The direct/indirect Eg of the rGO-PVA-PVP blend shrinks to 4.13 eV and 3.89 eV upon MSO-FO embedding compared to 5.08 eV and 4.91 eV, indicating the formation of energy level states between the HOMO and LUMO of the host medium. The radiation shielding performance for all samples was investigated. At low photon energy (0.015 MeV), the linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) of the rGO-PVA-PVP blend rises to 4.59765 cm−1 (filled PNC) compared to 1.364 cm−1. The influence of the MSO-FO content on the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) of the rGO-PVA-PVP blend is classified into three categories. Enhancement of the MAC property of the rGO-PVA-PVP blend through MSO-FO NCs embedding suggests its shielding application in low photon energies. At 0.015 MeV, the half-value layer (HVL) of the host blend decreases to 0.15076 cm due to MSO-FO NCs embedding compared to 0.50817 cm. The tenth-value layer (TVL) drops to 0.50082 cm compared to 1.68811 cm for the plain host. The mean free path (MFP) declines to 0.218 cm upon MSO-FO embedding compared to 0.733 cm (plain host). The MSO-FO filled rGO-PVA-PVP PNCs achieve 99
Armed conflict increasingly targets civilian populations and infrastructures, producing not only immediate destruction but also enduring social, psychological, and ethical consequences. Gaza represents a critical case of sustained violence, where civilians live under conditions of repeated bombardment, displacement, and structural deprivation. While research has documented the psychological impact of war, less attention has been paid to how survivors understand the ethical dimensions of witnessing during ongoing violence. This study examines how individuals in Gaza interpret the responsibilities, tensions, and dilemmas associated with speaking about their experiences. Grounded in a phenomenological and critical framework, the study draws on qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with 30 civilians. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings show that witnessing is not a neutral act of narration but an ethically complex and emotionally demanding practice. Six interrelated themes were identified, including moral responsibility toward the dead, fear of misinterpretation, and exhaustion from repeated narration. Testimony emerges as shaped by responsibility, circulation risks, and cumulative burden. The study highlights witnessing as a relational and ethically contested practice embedded in ongoing violence.
In this work, we investigated the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Thymus vulgaris in a framework combining experimental and computational approaches. UV-Vis spectroscopic analysis of the nanomaterials confirmed that they were coated with a thymol-rich phytocorona. Sub-micromolar IC50 values were recorded for A549 (5.9 ± 2.0 µg mL⁻¹), MCF-7 (12.5 ± 1.6 µg mL⁻¹), and DLD-1 (14.0 ± 2.1 µg mL⁻¹) cancer cell lines. Normal HEK-293 and HDF cells were unaffected at concentrations below 60 µg mL⁻¹, yielding tumor-selectivity indices between 4 and 11, substantially higher than those of cisplatin (≤ 2). Phase-contrast microscopy revealed hallmark apoptotic features, including cell rounding and chromatin condensation, within 24 h of treatment. Biochemically, measurements of reactive oxygen species (ROS) correlated ZnO nanoparticle degradation with oxidative stress. In addition, molecular docking of thymol on human lymphoma cells 2 (Bcl-2) (PDB 6O0K) indicated a selective binding within the BH3 groove (ΔG ≈ -6 kcal mol⁻¹), implicating disruption of Bcl-2/Bax complex formation and the potential release of pro-apoptotic factors. Drug and toxicity predictions indicated that thymol exhibits high gastrointestinal absorption, blood-brain barrier permeability, and a favorable LD50 (640 mg kg⁻¹, GHS category 4), contrary to the BH3 mimetic venetoclax, which possesses poor bioavailability despite being clinically approved. Collectively, these results underscore a dual anti-cancer strategy, wherein the ZnO core amplifies ROS generation while the plant-derived thymol halo interferes with anti-apoptotic signaling. Synergistically, the mechanism culminates in selective cancer cell death. Consequently, thymus-mimetic ZnO nanoparticles represent a promising low-cost platform for developing highly effective nanotherapeutics against cancer, confirming the validity of BH3 targeting as a complementary approach to ROS toxicity.
