The groundwater aquifers in Azintan, northwestern Libya suffer from an acute shortage of water. The groundwater was evaluated to determine its suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes from major two aquifers in north and south of Azintan area. This study carried out to assess the groundwater quality and to identify major affecting variables. Twelve samples from the two aquifers were collected. The two aquifers were collected and analyzed for total dissolved solid (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), pH, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Cl^-, SO4^2-, CO3^2- and HCO3^-. The results show that, the groundwater in many places is dominated by higher concentrations of Cl^-, SO4^2- and HCO3^-. Two water types were recognized in this region are Cl-SO4- Na-Ca and Cl-SO4-Na. Gibbs and Piper method, as well as the hardness, soluble sodium percentage and the permeability index all have been used to assess the diagram quality of the groundwater of aquifers. Further, the multiple correlations and Cluster Analysis of groundwater quality parameters were carried out for further classification and interpretation of the groundwater quality. Finally, water qualities in the study area are compared with Libyan standards and WHO guidelines of drinking water and irrigation  purposes.

Technology has become an essential part of education today, and learning environment has changed from that of many years ago; students need to use technology as an alternative effective learning tool for learning English language as a foreign language (EFL). Most of current studies in the educational use of social media seem to pay more attention to the students' use of Facebook in learning. This research explores 14 university learners use of Facebook group and it mainly focuses on lecturers' role in Facebook group. This qualitative study involved observation and some interview questions. Current findings highlight that there are potential benefits to using Facebook for learning with reference that these students still need a guideline and support from their lecturers to learn English via Facebook. This paper suggests that considerable students' content knowledge of educational technology as Facebook is required to improve their learning. This study hopes to add and expand current body of knowledge about learning English in relation to Facebook used in English foreign language context. 

This study considers the diagenetic processes and the depositional settings of Lower Jurassic gypsum of the Bi'r Elghanem Formation in the northwestern of Libya. The paleo-environment study has revealed a variety of depositional environment ranging from lagoonal to fluvial deposit and evaporitic basins, which become intensely saline as a result of evaporation due to (semi-) arid environments. Samples were analyzed using elemental analysis, statistical evaluation such as Multiple Correlations, Principal Component Analysis, and mineralogical evidence to determine their mode of environmental deposition, mineralogical and geochemical composition. The geochemical results indicate that gypsum has evidence of mineral substitutions and displacement, suggesting a homologous mechanism for lithofacies and subsequent textural change. The development of gypsum minerals in a variety of lithologies and textures is aided by eustatic fluctuations in lake water level due to regional tectonism and climate.

Abstract:

Nepeta cyrenaica Quézel & Zaffran (Lamiaceae), an endemic species of Libyan flora, is here characterized for the first time for its phytochemical composition and biological activities. Phenolic composition, antioxidant and enzyme inhibiting effects of extracts, prepared from five-week-old in vitro propagated N. cyrenaica shoots, were evaluated. Extraction was performed using dichloromethane, methanol, 96% ethanol or hot distilled water. LC-MS analysis showed that the methanol extract contained the highest amount of phenolic components, especially ferulic and rosmarinic acids (1300.73 mg/kg and 528.88 mg/kg, respectively), and epigallocatechin gallate (719.05 mg/kg). The strongest antioxidant activity was recorded for aqueous extract in DPPH assay (66.91%) and dichloromethane extract in β-carotene bleaching assay (81.06%), both tested at the concentration of 2 mg/mL. Concerning α-glucosidase inhibition, dichloromethane extract was shown to possess a higher inhibition capacity than acarbose at the concentration of 2 mg/mL (95.33% vs. 88.29%). The aqueous extract exhibited higher acetylcholinesterase inhibition than the other tested extracts, which was lower compared to the positive control, galantamine. Although methanol extract contained the highest amount of polyphenolics, dichloromethane and aqueous extracts were shown to be more suitable for the extraction of bioactive components. In conclusion, endemic N. cyrenaica could be efficiently propagated through in vitro propagation protocols as a polyphenolic-rich plant with valuable medicinal potential.

Keywords: biological activities; extracts; in vitro propagation; Nepeta cyrenaica

Exact string-matching algorithms have become very supreme in many bioinformatics tools. Despite the abundance and diversity of such algorithms, exposing them to real-time experimental analysis has been critical. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of ten exact-string matching algorithms on large-scale genomic sequences from a runtime perspective. To define the most efficient algorithms are qualified to handle the short alphabet used for nucleic acid coding. The methodology promoted for this study was the factorial experiment with Randomized Complete Block Design (FRCBD). Under influence of four independent parameters, four levels of pattern lengths, four levels of pattern indices, two levels of programming languages, and ten levels of algorithmic architecture. The yield of the tested algorithms was calculated in nanoseconds. One-way ANOVA and Two-way ANOVA tests with post-hoc Games-Howell test were used separately for statistical analysis. In this study two widely accepted programming languages, C# and JAVA were used to speculate the possible effect of programing language on algorithm performance.

One of the unique combinations in the mammalian genome, that revolutionized concepts in the fields of genetics and molecular

pathology is what is termed the CpG islands. However, the accurate and rapid determination of CpG islands for DNA sequences remains

experimentally and computationally challenging. The main goal of this project is to design an offline, cross-platform CpG islands detection

tool. The Algorithm implemented in this study was the traditional sliding window algorithm by using the C++ programming language.

Three datasets were used for evaluating the performance of the application. The ANK1 gene, SPTB gene, and RET gene sequence files

were obtained from NCBI. In this study, the highest CGIs were reported in ANK1 (ankyrin 1) Gene which scored 13 successive islands

whereas the lowest score was reported in RET (ret proto-oncogene) Gene which shows only 6 islands. Generally, the program fulfills the

boundary limits as expected. We strongly recommend for further work, the implementation of other algorithms in addition to the sliding

window algorithm such as the Hidden Markov Model (HMM).

Abstract

Abstract

Introduction:

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious res-

piratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. The disease was first broke out in

Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and subsequently spread to all countries

and was considered by WHO as a worldwide pandemic. This study is aimed

to determine the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 and the presence of UK va-

riants in Zintan city of Libya taking some risk factors into account. Me-

thods: In a cross-sectional retrospective study, a total of 15486 nasopha-

ryngeal swabs were collected from COVID-19 suspected patients, travelers

and people need disease-free certificates for hospital admission, etc. The

samples were collected during the period from August 2020 to June 2021

and tested using real-time RT -PCR (rRT-PCR) kits for SARS-CoV-2 and

UK variants. Age groups, sex, and monthly weather were considered as risk

factors. Results: The positivity rate of COVID-19 in Zintan city was esti-

mated to be (3891; 25.12%) for the period from August 2020 to June 2021.

Females showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher positivity rate (2100; 54%) as

compared to males (1791; 46%). Out of the 3891 positive cases, 52 were de-

ceased. The Case Fatality Rate (CFR) was 1.33 recorded significantly in cas-

es aged ≥ 65 years which was higher in males (56.66%) than females (43.33%).

The peak of the first wave of infection was recorded in October 2020 (590;

15.15%) whereas the peak of the second wave of infection was recorded in

April 2021 (727; 18.71%). The positivity rate was decreased as the tempera-

ture increased. UK variant is detected firstly in May 2021 with the percen-

tage of 6.2% of tested samples. Conclusions: Health Authorities are en-

crease phase of infection to stop transmission of the virus in the next wave.

Early detection of new variants and studying their genetic characteristics

play a valuable role in prevention and control.

Keywords

SARS

-

CoV

-

2, UK Variant, Epidemiology, Zintan,

Libya, rRT

-

PCR.

Lithostratigraphically, the Sidi As sid Formation (Upper Cretaceous) in the El Zintan section (JabalNafusah, NW Libya) consists of three units: upper marl, middle marl with intercalations of dolostone, and lower dolostone. Based on crystal size and shape, three types of dolomite have been classified. Fine crystalline dolomite (D1) consists of nonplanar dolomites, fine to medium crystalline dolomite (D2), and very coarse, consisting of mostly planar dolomites (D-3). The Cathodoluminescence technique also showed that most of these dolomites have bright yellow to red and dull orange luminescence and zoning. Based on X-ray diffraction (XRD), all dolomites are relatively well ordered and non to nearly stoichiometric dolomite. The stable isotopic studies and element analysis show that the major elements such as sodium (D1: 412.166 ppm; D2: 175 ppm; D3: 420 ppm), strontium (D1: 107 ppm; D2: 85 ppm; D3: 81.2 ppm), manganese (D1: 271 ppm; D2: 91 ppm; V3: 242 ppm), and iron (D1: 4856.66 ppm; D2: 373 ppm; D3: 3287 ppm) and the values of the stable isotope of oxygen (D1:-2.202‰; D2:-2.131; D3:-4.359‰) and carbon (D1: 2.080; D2: 2.076‰; D3: 1.581‰). The values of major elements and depletion of the carbon and oxygen isotopes can be related to the effects of temperature diagenetic, and mesosaline reflux of dolomitizing fluids during the early diagenesis. These dolomites originated in a tidal environment in this Formation. The major sources of magnesium for the dolomites are seawater and hypersaline fluids.