BIM & BEM for a Net Zero Energy house model Case Study: A Housing Unit in Riyadh, SA

Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) are becoming more and more important with the global sustainability movements and energy crisis which increase the need to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption. The development of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Building Energy Modelling (BEM) techniques and applications increase its capabilities to support designers in their trials to cope with such movements during the design process and proved its benefits in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry and used in multiple purposes efficiently. However, the status of the documented trials to achieve a NZE is in its modest situation. This represents a research gap and the intensive for this study that aim to invest the capabilities of BIM and BEM applications to reach a NZE house model in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study adopted a descriptive and experimental approach to apply the NZE concepts on a house model using Revit, Green Building Studio and Insight applications. The reached model could reduce the normal yearly energy combined consumption by about 40% and proved that the building could produce more energy than it consumes

BIM & BEM for a Net Zero Energy house model Case Study: A Housing Unit in Riyadh, SA

Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) are becoming more and more important with the global sustainability movements and energy crisis which increase the need to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption. The development of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Building Energy Modelling (BEM) techniques and applications increase its capabilities to support designers in their trials to cope with such movements during the design process and proved its benefits in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry and used in multiple purposes efficiently. However, the status of the documented trials to achieve a NZE is in its modest situation. This represents a research gap and the intensive for this study that aim to invest the capabilities of BIM and BEM applications to reach a NZE house model in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study adopted a descriptive and experimental approach to apply the NZE concepts on a house model using Revit, Green Building Studio and Insight applications. The reached model could reduce the normal yearly energy combined consumption by about 40% and proved that the building could produce more energy than it consumes

The Role of Sodium Hydrogen Exchanger 1 in Dysregulation of Proton Dynamics and Reprogramming of Cancer Metabolism as a Sequela

Cancer cells have an unusual regulation of hydrogen ion dynamics that are driven by poor vascularity perfusion, regional hypoxia, and increased glycolysis. All these forces synergize/orchestrate together to create extracellular acidity and intracellular alkalinity. Precisely, they lead to extracellular pH (pHe) values as low as 6.2 and intracellular pH values as high as 8. This unique pH gradient (∆pHi to ∆pHe) across the cell membrane increases as the tumor progresses, and is markedly displaced from the electrochemical equilibrium of protons. These unusual pH dynamics influence cancer cell biology, including proliferation, metastasis, and metabolic adaptation. Warburg metabolism with increased glycolysis, even in the presence of Oxygen with the subsequent reduction in Krebs’ cycle, is a common feature of most cancers. This metabolic reprogramming confers evolutionary advantages to cancer cells by enhancing their resistance to hypoxia, to chemotherapy or radiotherapy, allowing rapid production of biological building blocks that support cellular proliferation, and shielding against damaging mitochondrial free radicals. In this article, we highlight the interconnected roles of dysregulated pH dynamics in cancer initiation, progression, adaptation, and in determining the programming and re-programming of tumor cell metabolism

The Interplay of Dysregulated pH and Electrolyte Imbalance in Cancer.

Cancer cells and tissues have an aberrant regulation of hydrogen ion dynamics driven by a combination of poor vascular perfusion, regional hypoxia, and increased the flux of carbons through fermentative glycolysis. This leads to extracellular acidosis and intracellular alkalinization. Dysregulated pH dynamics influence cancer cell biology, from cell transformation and tumorigenesis to proliferation, local growth, invasion, and metastasis. Moreover, this dysregulated intracellular pH (pHi) drives a metabolic shift to increased aerobic glycolysis and reduced mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, referred to as the Warburg effect, or Warburg metabolism, which is a selective feature of cancer. This metabolic reprogramming confers a thermodynamic advantage on cancer cells and tissues by protecting them against oxidative stress, enhancing their resistance to hypoxia, and allowing a rapid conversion of nutrients into biomass to enable cell proliferation. Indeed, most cancers have increased glucose uptake and lactic acid production. Furthermore, cancer cells have very dysregulated electrolyte balances, and in the interaction of the pH dynamics with electrolyte, dynamics is less well known. In this review, we highlight the interconnected roles of dysregulated pH dynamics and electrolytes imbalance in cancer initiation, progression, adaptation, and in determining the programming and reprogramming of tumor cell metabolism

Photoprotective Effects of Hydroalcohol Tagetes Erectus Extract Against UV-Induced Oxidative Damage in Mice

Purpose: To investigate the effects of topical application of Tagetes Erectus hydroalcohol extract as a dermal antioxidant agent and evaluate its capacity to prevent ultraviolet (UV)–induced oxidative damage. Methods: The plant flower was extracted with aqueous ethanol (60 %). Female Lacca mice were divided into five groups of 24 animals each. Group I was un-irradiated control (neither UV exposure nor any treatment received). Group II was irradiated control and received 5 min UV exposure twice a day. Groups III, 1V and V received both UV exposure and treatment of different concentrations of the extract, 4 h. prior to UV exposure. The degree of protection was quantified using biochemical tests (lipid peroxidation and glutathione level) and histopathological assessment. Results: The results showed that 2% topical extract treatment reduced the effect of UV light-induced photoaging on mice skin by decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) level by up to 50 % and increasing glutathione (GSH) level 3-fold (p<0.01) compared to UV-irradiated control group. Histopathological evaluation also indicated a photo-protective effect on the extract-treated mice skin as no signs of histological changes were seen after UV exposure. Conclusion: Topical application of T. erectus has a potential for preventing oxidative damage by UV irradiation

Combined Anti-Bacterial Actions of Lincomycin and Freshly Prepared Silver Nanoparticles: Overcoming the Resistance to Antibiotics and Enhancement of the Bioactivity

Bacterial drug resistance to antibiotics is growing globally at unprecedented levels, and strategies to overcome treatment deficiencies are continuously developing. In our approach, we utilized metal nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), known for their wide spread and significant anti-bacterial actions, and the high-dose regimen of lincosamide antibiotic, lincomycin, to demonstrate the efficacy of the combined delivery concept in combating the bacterial resistance. The anti-bacterial actions of the AgNPs and the lincomycin as single entities and as part of the combined mixture of the AgNPs–lincomycin showed improved anti-bacterial biological activity in the Bacillus cereus and Proteus mirabilis microorganisms in comparison to the AgNPs and lincomycin alone. The comparison of the anti-biofilm formation tendency, minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) suggested additive effects of the AgNPs and lincomycin combination co-delivery. The AgNPs’ MIC at 100 μg/mL and MBC at 100 μg/mL for both Bacillus cereus and Proteus mirabilis, respectively, together with the AgNPs–lincomycin mixture MIC at 100 + 12.5 μg/mL for Bacillus cereus and 50 + 12.5 μg/mL for Proteus mirabilis, confirmed the efficacy of the mixture. The growth curve test showed that the AgNPs required 90 min to kill both bacterial isolates. The freshly prepared and well-characterized AgNPs, important for the antioxidant activity levels of the AgNPs material, showed radical scavenging potential that increased with the increasing concentrations. The DPPH’s best activity concentration, 100 μg/mL, which is also the best concentration exhibiting the highest anti-bacterial zone inhibition, was chosen for evaluating the combined effects of the antibiotic, lincomycin, and the AgNPs. Plausible genotoxic effects and the roles of AgNPs were observed through decreased Bla gene expressions in the Bacillus cereus and BlaCTX-M-15 gene expressions in the Proteus mirabilis

The Role of Sodium Hydrogen Exchanger 1 in Dysregulation of Proton Dynamics and Reprogramming of Cancer Metabolism as a Sequela.

Cancer cells have an unusual regulation of hydrogen ion dynamics that are driven by poor vascularity perfusion, regional hypoxia, and increased glycolysis. All these forces synergize/orchestrate together to create extracellular acidity and intracellular alkalinity. Precisely, they lead to extracellular pH (pHe) values as low as 6.2 and intracellular pH values as high as 8. This unique pH gradient (∆pHi to ∆pHe) across the cell membrane increases as the tumor progresses, and is markedly displaced from the electrochemical equilibrium of protons. These unusual pH dynamics influence cancer cell biology, including proliferation, metastasis, and metabolic adaptation. Warburg metabolism with increased glycolysis, even in the presence of Oxygen with the subsequent reduction in Krebs’ cycle, is a common feature of most cancers. This metabolic reprogramming confers evolutionary advantages to cancer cells by enhancing their resistance to hypoxia, to chemotherapy or radiotherapy, allowing rapid production of biological building blocks that support cellular proliferation, and shielding against damaging mitochondrial free radicals. In this article, we highlight the interconnected roles of dysregulated pH dynamics in cancer initiation, progression, adaptation, and in determining the programming and re-programming of tumor cell metabolism

Novel insight into the structural requirements of P70S6K inhibition using group-based quantitative structure activity relationship (GQSAR) (GQSAR)

Dysregulation of P70 ribosomal S6 kinase (P70S6K) has been observed in many cancers; therefore, the design of new molecules targeting p70S6K of paramount importance in cancer therapy. The current study employed a group-based quantitative structure-activity relationship (GQSAR) to develop global QSAR models capable of predicting the bioactivity of P70S6K inhibitors. A wide variety of chemical structures and biological activities (half maximal inhibitory concentration) of P70S6K inhibitors were collected from the binding database website. Compounds were classified into various chemical groups and then fragmented into R1, R2, and R3 fragments based on certain pharmacophoric features required for ligand-target biointeractions. Different two-dimensional fragment-based descriptors were calculated for each fragment. The dataset was then divided into a training set (n=40) and a test set (n=10) using a sphere exclusion algorithm. Multiple linear regressions coupled with simulated annealing or stepwise regression resulted in model A (r2=0.92) and model B (r2=0.87), respectively. Leave-one-out validation showed that models A and B have internal predictive abilities of 72% and 61%, respectively. External validation indicated that both models are robust, with squared cross-correlation coefficients of the training set (pred-r2) of 0.87 and 0.89, respectively. The developed GQSAR models indicate that fragment R3 plays a key role in activity variation (65%) with sound contribution of five-membered rings (5 chain count), aromatic carbons (SaaaCE-index), and aromatic nitrogens (SaaNcount). In contrast, fragments R1 and R2 together contribute 35% of activity variation, suggesting that sulfur atoms (Sulfur count) and hydrophobic threemembered rings (chi3 chain) at R1 are preferable for inhibitory activity