This research documents the initial finding of Chloris pycnothrix Trin., frequently referred to as spiderweb chloris, in Libya, particularly from the Ariggiba region close to Sabha city. This grass, originating from tropical and subtropical regions, is versatile and may become invasive. It was recognized via morphological examination during field surveys in 2023–2024, with samples stored in a herbarium. The species flourishes in alluvial plains as well as in disturbed habitats like road shoulders. It can be mistaken for Chloris virgata, although they differ in some important morphological aspects. It was previously believed that only one species of Chloris existed in Libya. This study provides a revision and an identification key for them in the context of Libyan flora. The tolerant nature of C. pycnothrix to drought, combined with its ability to colonize poorly maintained land, makes its potential introduction—most likely through anthropogenic means—alarming ecologically and emphasizes the need for management strategies to contain its spread and monitor its impact. 

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the microhardness of monolithic zirconia and multilayered zirconia to investigate the influence of material composition and structural design on their mechanical properties. Cylindrical specimens were designed using AutoCAD software and fabricated from monolithic zirconia (Group A) and multilayered zirconia (Group B blocks via CAD/CAM milling systems. The specimens were sectioned into discs with a diameter of 10 mm and a thickness of 1.5 mm. Microhardness testing was performed on these discs using a standardized protocol. Statistical analysis was conducted using a student’s t-test (P < 0.05) with a sample size of 10 specimens per group to ensure 80% power and 95% confidence. Results revealed significant differences in microhardness between monolithic and multilayered zirconia. Monolithic zirconia exhibited superior hardness, attributable to its single-layered structure, which enhances its mechanical strength and wear resistance. In contrast, multilayered zirconia, while exhibiting lower microhardness, demonstrated esthetic advantages due to its gradient layering and maintained sufficient durability for clinical use. The findings underscore the impact of zirconia composition and structural design on mechanical properties, providing clinicians with valuable insights for material selection. While monolithic zirconia is ideal for high-load posterior restorations, multilayered zirconia offers an esthetic solution with adequate mechanical performance, making it suitable for anterior applications. 

The diverse array of restorative materials utilized in computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology necessitates a comprehensive understanding of their aesthetic properties and color stability. This study aimed to evaluate the color stability of two different types of zirconia after immersion in Chlorhexidine and ANTIPLACA mouthwashes. We prepared 30 zirconia specimens (n = 15) as follows: Group 1 consisted of monolithic zirconia and group 2 consisted of KATANA™ YML Zirconia. Groups 1 and 2 were divided into three subgroups (n = 5). Each subgroup was immersed in one of the following three solutions: distilled water (control), CHX, or ANTIPLACA 0%Alcohol. We recorded the samples’ color values at baseline and after immersion according to the CIELab system by using a color spectrophotometer operated by an experienced operator. All data were collected and analyzed using Graph Pad Instat (Graph Pad, Inc.) software for windows. Irrespective of group totally it was found that immersion solutions significantly affected on mean values as revealed by two-way ANOVA test (p=<0.0001< 0.05) where (0% Alcohol > CHX ≥ DW). Mouthwashes staining had a marked effect on the color of the tested zirconia materials. The color change was material and staining solution-dependent, with Monolithic Zirconia showing the greatest color stability.

Oral health and dental care are essential components of overall health, encompassing the absence of conditions such as oral and facial pain, cancers of the mouth and throat, infections, ulcers, gum dis ease, tooth decay, and tooth loss. These conditions can significantly impair an individual’s ability to bite, chew, smile, and speak. Cigarette smoking poses a major public health concern due to its con tribution to the proliferation of pathogenic microbes, as well as its role in oral cancer, gingivitis, tooth discoloration, halitosis, and other adverse health outcome. This study aims to assess the preva lence of dental care practices, smoking habits, and dental caries among students of the College of Engineering at El-Mergib University, located in Al-Khums. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to a total of 250 students. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel, version 2010. The questionnaire was designed to evaluate participants' self-perception of dental care, oral health, oral hygiene practices, dental caries, bleeding gums, and smoking habits. The findings indicated a slightly higher prevalence of dental caries and smoking among participants who reported good oral hygiene practices, such as regular tooth cleaning and dental visits. The study advocates for the development of preventive health and oral hygiene programs to improve overall oral health. 

This study highlights the simulation of a hypothetical fracture in the largest beam tube connected to the core of the Tajoura Nuclear Research Centre's (TNRC) reactor with low enrichment uranium, which produces a maximum thermal power equal to 9.7MW. This study was conducted for the purpose of evaluating the safety of the reactor core when the fracture occurs. The reactor core is cooled in normal operation by downward pumping of coolant (light water) and forced convection, while the reactor core is cooled by natural convection when the cooling pumps stop and after the emergency tank is filled to extract the decay heat. As a result of the temperature difference between the water in the reactor core and the reactor pool, and as a result of the density difference, a reverse flow of coolant occurs in the upward direction. When a break occurs in one of the beam tubes, the Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) is started. Consequently, the water level will decrease, and when it reaches 7.4 meters, the cooling pumps will coast down, and thus the SCRAM takes place at the reactor. Because the beam tubes are located in the middle of the reactor core, the water level in the reactor pool will continue to decrease until the denudation of the core takes place when the reactor core is denudated and exposed to air. In this case, the reactor is cooled by two means of heat transfer: natural convection and radiation. Radiation takes place at high temperature differences, in this case, most of heat transfer occurs by natural convection. The MATLAB program was used in this study to perform hydraulic calculations over time in the hottest cell in the reactor core. The results showed that the surface temperatures of the clad exceed the maximum temperature allowed for the surface of the clad (102°C). The temperatures obtained in the surface clad (Aluminum) were compared with the melting temperature, which is 660°C, and it was found that at time 260 sec the clad surface temperature exceeds the melting point. Therefore, it was noticed that when the reactor core is exposed to the air, there is no ability to remove the decay heat by natural convection nor radiation. Thus, temperatures will rise, which will lead to fuel deterioration. To avoid this, it is better to operate the reactor at lower powers thus the decay heat becomes less. In addition, closing the shutters of the beam tubes when the breakage occurs to reduce the amount of leakage and loss of the coolant.

This study is about conducting an economic comparison for establishing small and modular or large reactors in Libya, as analysts and decision makers often want to obtain estimates of the expected cost. There is a national project to establish the first nuclear station in Libya. The aim of this project is to study 19 infrastructure issues according to the International Atomic Energy Agency's Milestone Approach for any newcomer country that embarks on acquiring a nuclear station. One of these important elements of the study is the economic feasibility study of the project. For this, the IAEA INPRO NES simulator tool was used to make this comparison. During this study, the cost of a reactor unit with a capacity equal to 1085 megawatts was compared with approximately 4 equivalent units of the same capacity with small and modular reactors with a capacity of up to 300 megawatts -119921- per unit. These values were chosen to economically compare between a large reactor and four small units for the same total capacity of 1085 megawatts. From the results obtained, it was found that the estimated cost of 4 small and modular reactor units is $67.69 mill per kilowatt-hour, while the estimated cost of the LWR unit is $55.37 mill per kilowatt-hour, which means that establishing 4 SMRs units with a capacity of 300 megawatts per unit is more expensive than establishing a unit of a large 1085 MW reactor. A sensitivity analysis is applied for different discount rates, overnight construction costs, construction time to assess the levelized unit energy cost where the impact of the discount rate is obvious. There is a kind of trade-off between cost and the strength of the electrical network in Libya, as the electrical network is currently weak. It is possible to move forward with small and modular reactors or improve the electrical network to establish a nuclear station with large reactors.

This study aimed to test the psychometric properties of the revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality Questionnaire (RST-PQ) using factor analyses, as well as relationships with well-established factors of personality – including the mediating role of personality traits between Fight-Flight- Freeze system (FFFS), Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS), and Behavioral Approach System (BAS) subscales. The study recruited 1,813 Libyan participants across three subsamples, ranging in age from 18 to 66, through convenience and snowball sampling methods via online platforms. In three different subsamples, findings revealed a robust RST-PQ six-factor structure, distinguishing FFFS and BIS, alongside four distinct BAS subscales. Discriminant validity was assessed, indicting Moderate/strong correlations between BIS and Negative Emotionality, and BAS subscales and Extraversion. Moreover, associations with psychological symptoms highlighted BIS’s correlation with anxiety, depression, and stress, and correlations between BAS subscales and personality traits supported their construct validity. Fit indices for the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were χ² = 30,944, df = 1,378, χ²/df = 22.01, CFI = 0.93, TLI = 0.92, and RMSEA = 0.04, indicating an acceptable model fit. Gender differences showed females scoring higher in FFFS, BIS, Reward Reactivity, Impulsivity, and Panic responses. Furthermore, structural equation model revealed that personality traits mediated associations between FFFS and BIS, with BAS subscales showing differential predictive patterns. Additionally, separate scales of Defensive Fight and Panic were validated. This research provides the first validation of the RST-PQ in Arabic and highlights the mediating role of personality traits between FFFS, BIS and BAS subscales. Future studies should focus on cultural comparisons and further investigate the predictive validity of RST-PQ scales across different domains (e.g., clinical and occupational).

Research has developed the Big-Five Aspect Scale (BFAS), supporting a five-domain model that includes 10 related aspects. In Arabic societies, there is currently a lack of validation evidence for a scale with these 10 aspects. Thus, this study develops and examines the psychometric properties of the short version of the BFAS (BFAS-SV) within Libyan Arab adults. The sample (N = 1136; 74.6% women, Mage = 25.30, SDage = 8.44) completed the original BFAS and the Arabic version of the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP) to assess the BFAS-SV’s convergent validity. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was applied. The findings provide strong support for the presence of 10 distinct aspects within the Big Five personality domains. Additionally, a robust positive and negative correlation was found among the 10 BFAS-SV aspects, as well as between the BFAS-SV domains of Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Introversion, and Openness/Intellect and their corresponding dimensions in the IPIP, further confirming its concurrent and discriminant validity. Furthermore, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the five domains and their respective 10 aspects ranged from 0.61 to 0.85, indicating good internal consistency. Significant gender differences were observed in the Neuroticism domain, particularly in its two aspects (Volatility and Withdrawal), as well as in the Openness/Intellect domain and the Politeness aspect, with women scoring higher in all cases.

In conclusion, this study establishes the reliability, validity, and applicability of the Arabic BFAS among the Libyan Arab population. The insights gained into the personality traits and behaviors of Libyan Arab individuals provide valuable implications for personal development and professional success.