Islamic University of Gaza

Diagnosing malaria necessitates quick and precise recognition of the infection's stage, since the refractive index (RI) of red blood cells varies during the parasite's life cycle. This research introduces a terahertz (Thz) photonic crystal fiber (PCF) sensor intended to identify these refractive index changes that depend on the stage. The sensor, designed with the finite element method in COMSOL Multiphysics, functions in the 1.0-2.5 THz range and exhibits high modal confinement while minimizing confinement and material losses. At 2.5 THz, the structure attains a high relative sensitivity of 99.937% for the Normal stage in y-polarization, surpassing earlier reported THz PCF sensors. The design additionally demonstrates outstanding power confinement and an appropriate effective mode area. Moreover, the sensor works well with practical manufacturing methods like 3D printing and extrusion. Machine learning analysis further validated the sensor's capability by accurately classifying malaria stages based on the derived PCF optical features. These results suggest that the proposed PCF provides an exceptionally sensitive and practical platform for label-free identification of malaria stages.

Abstract Background Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been implicated in a range of gastrointestinal and extra-gastrointestinal conditions, including autoimmune thyroid disease. Objectives To evaluate H. pylori IgG, anti-TPO, anti-Tg, TSH, fT4, and fT3 levels in hypothyroid women at baseline and at two and four months after H. pylori eradication therapy, compare findings with healthy females, and examine associations between thyroid function parameters and autoantibody titers over time. Materials and methods This case–control study enrolled 100 women aged 20–52 years, divided into two groups. The case group included 50 women with established hypothyroidism and confirmed H. pylori infection unresponsive to high-dose levothyroxine, while 50 age-matched healthy women served as controls. Baseline measurements were obtained, with follow-up assessments conducted at two and four months after completion of H. pylori eradication therapy. Results Patients exhibited significantly lower hemoglobin, hematocrit, RBC, and WBC counts compared with controls, while red cell indices and platelet counts were comparable. Baseline H. pylori IgG, anti-TPO, and anti-Tg titers were significantly higher in patients and declined markedly at 2- and 4-months following AOC therapy. Patients also had elevated baseline TSH and reduced fT4 and fT3 levels, which improved progressively after eradication. Significant positive correlations were observed between TSH, thyroid autoantibodies, and H. pylori IgG, while fT4 and fT3 showed inverse correlations with thyroid autoantibodies at baseline and 2 months, indicating dynamic immunoendocrine interactions. Conclusions H. pylori infection in hypothyroid patients is associated with mild anemia, increased thyroid autoimmunity, and lower circulating levels of FT4 and FT3. Eradication therapy improved thyroid function and reduced autoantibody levels, supporting H. pylori eradication as a useful adjunctive strategy for optimizing thyroid hormone control.

This research aims to harness wind energy to generate power and green hydrogen as a fuel for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The wind‐generated power is divided into two parts: one alleviates Gaza's electrical need, and the other is used to produce hydrogen. The study assesses various wind turbine options, calculates electricity and hydrogen production potential, and quantifies CO 2 emission reductions compared to fossil fuel alternatives. The results shown that the lowest levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) are found to be $0.0696/kWh and $4.8/kg, respectively. The lowest levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) delivered, including transportation expenses, has a value of 5.15 $ kg −1 of H 2 . Furthermore, the results reveal that employing a Siemens SWT‐2.3‐93 turbine, which provides an annual energy output of 3910.288 MWh, may cut CO 2 emissions by up to 1071.81 tons if replacing power plants that use fuel oil and 735.134 tons if replacing those that use natural gas. Finally, a comparison of hydrogen fuel cell cars to gasoline and diesel vehicles reveal that 1 kg of hydrogen fuel cells generate 4.85 and 4.45 times more energy than 1 kg of gasoline and diesel, respectively. The findings may be valuable for decision‐makers in the surrounding countries with energy challenges.

Photonic crystal (PHC) sensors offer high sensitivity for chemical detection in industrial and biomedical settings. We theoretically design and optimize a 1D binary PHC, (Si/SiO2)N/defect/(Si/SiO2)N, for broadband detection of organic analytes introduced into the central defect. Using the transfer-matrix method, we compute transmission while varying refractive-index contrast, defect thickness, period number, and incident angle. Sensitivity increases with larger defect thickness, higher incident angle, and greater index contrast. Across analysis indices 1.33–1.66, the sensor attains 1500–1990 nm/RIU. Empirical fitting equations relate sensitivity to structural/optical parameters, enabling accurate prediction and rapid optimization without repeated simulations. These results support integration of this tunable, high-performance design into real-time broadband chemical sensing systems.

The Gaza Strip suffers from chronic electricity shortages, fossil fuel dependence, and severe air pollution. This study demonstrates the feasibility of coupling photovoltaic (PV) generation with proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis to produce green hydrogen production aimed at low-carbon transportation. Three grid-connected PV systems (10, 50, and 100 kW) were simulated using local solar irradiation data (5-6 kWh m-2 day-1) to evaluate electricity yield, hydrogen output, and CO2 mitigation. The proposed system can produce significant amounts of hydrogen annually, reaching 260.68 kg, 1315.60 kg, and 2631.2 kg for the 10 kW, 50 kW, and 100 kW systems, respectively. The results also indicate a substantial reduction in CO2 emissions due to the use of solar energy, with annual savings of 3129 kg, 15,788 kg, and 31,347 kg for the 10 kW, 50 kW, and 100 kW systems, respectively. The produced hydrogen powers fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), eliminating tailpipe CO2 emissions-contrasting with 16.1 and 13.9 kg CO2 per 100 km from diesel and gasoline vehicles, respectively. Results confirm that solar-driven hydrogen is technically viable and environmentally advantageous for Gaza, offering substantial emission reductions and energy security gains. Remaining challenges include high capital costs, infrastructure needs, and workforce readiness. Strategic investments, efficiency improvements, and targeted policy incentives are recommended to accelerate deployment and align with global decarbonization goals.