Use of Gray Water in Cooling Air Conditioning Condenser

Arid and semi-arid countries experience challenges especially in the use of air conditioning units which tend to consume more electricity in the summer due to the effect of the heat on the compressor. The solution to this problem is the use of spray cooling with the spray targeting the compressor to cool it through evaporation as a result of the absorption of the latent heat of vaporization. However, a problem still exists in these countries mainly because they lack adequate water and have to resort to the use of gray water. This paper, therefore, investigates the use of gray water as a spray coolant and its effects on nozzles of various sizes.Gray water contains minerals and chemicals which are bound to accumulate at the tip of the nozzle in a process called scaling. Scaling results in the narrowing of the nozzle affecting the spread diameter, nozzle diameter and the cone angle of the resultant spray. The experiment highlighted in this paper will use tap water and gray water both of which are tested using two nozzles. The diameter of the nozzles is measured with the utilization of a microscope while the cone angle of the resultant spray is measured with the use of images taken from a high-resolution camera.It is observed that both tap water and gray water produce a certain amount of scaling at the tip of the nozzles. The scaling affects the cone angles and the spread diameters. While tap water has a small reduction in the cone angle, the gray water results in a larger reduction. The tap water also results in an increase in the effective spread diameter while the gray water results in its decrease. However, because water is scarce in the arid countries, gray water is the most suitable with the solution to the problem being the constant replacement of the nozzles after a particular period

A systemic approach for construction contract claims settlement in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) construction sector is an important part of the country’s Vision 2030 programme that is focused upon increasing non-oil economic growth. The structure of the KSA construction sector is different to many countries because of the reliance upon foreign workers and international companies to deliver projects. Culture also plays an important role, together with the use of Sharia law for dispute settlement. The KSA government is a key client of the sector commissioning projects to develop and improve housing, infrastructure, and social projects. Construction claims are endemic on KSA public sector projects. Cases of disputes, conflicts, and claims are on the rise over the past two decades which impact the time, cost, and quality of the work. In the worst-case scenario, they may even result in project abandonment. Making claims and resolving disputes takes a long time, costs money and resources, and can affect the professional relationship of the parties involved. The costs of disputes and contractual claims is rising and becoming more difficult. The claims settlement procedure is a complex process of interdependent and interrelated activities, which takes time and can delay the project. This research considers the efficiency of claim settlement procedures in KSA construction projects with the aim of developing a code of best practice. To develop the code, data and information was collected through mixed methods, including qualitative and quantitative methods. Interviews were conducted with 15 professionals involved in KSA construction projects. A survey questionnaire was designed and distributed to the professionals to collect quantitative data to frame measures for the code of best practice. The primary causes of claims have been identified. The most important feature is the lack of design development at the tender stage, with projects being started on site with incomplete and inaccurate information, which ultimately leads to claims. Contingency allowances are included in tenders for risks that are poorly specified. The two most critical areas in the pre-construction phase are the design process and the contract awarding procedure. There are five contributions. Firstly, the research explored the underlying causes of disputes and claims through qualitative and quantitative data raised from interviews and survey questionnaires from 15 respondents

SARS-CoV-2 and Coronavirus Ancestors under a Molecular Scope

The Pandemic of COVID-19 has been thoroughly followed and discussed on many levels due to the high level of attention that it has brought by its effect on the world. While this disease might seem like to arise out of the blue, we will shed light on COVID-19 disease which is caused by the virus SARS-CoV2 and belong to family of coronaviruses. We will discuss current knowledge about SARS-CoV2 emergence, diagnosis, its mode of action, and genomic information, For an antiviral treatment to be used, it should be preceded by a foundation of information about the virus genome and its family as discussed in this review

Mechanisms of colorectal cancer cell growth and metastasis inhibition by CARP-1 functional mimetic-4

Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) constitutes one of the most aggressive malignancies worldwide and in Malaysia. Due to high recurrence rate and toxic side effects associated with radiation and chemotherapies, new agents are urgently needed. CARP-1 is a peri-nuclear phospho-protein which plays a dynamic role in regulating cell growth and apoptosis. CARP-1 functional mimetics (CFMs) are a class of compounds that stimulate CARP-1. CFM-4, a lead compound, was shown to suppress growth and metastasis of various cancers, other than CRC. We hypothesized that CFM-4 inhibits proliferation and metastasis in CRC. Material and methods: CFM-4 anti-cancer effects of on CRC cells were investigated using MTT assay, Annexin V/Propidium iodide (PI) apoptosis assay, cell cycle analysis, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting. Antimetastatic activities were assessed by migration, colony formation and invasion assays. Results: CFM-4 inhibited CRC cell proliferation and was much more potent than the classical anti-CRC 5-fluorouracil. These effects were shown to be mediated at least in part by stimulating apoptosis, as indicated in our Annexin V/PI assay results. Cell cycle analysis showed that CFM-4 induced G2/M phase arrest. Molecularly, qRT-PCR results revealed that CFM-4 promoted intrinsic apoptosis by upregulating expression of caspase-8 and -9, p53, PUMA and Noxa, and stimulated extrinsic apoptosis by enhancing expression of death receptors. CFM-4 upregulated NF-B signaling inhibitor A20-binding inhibitor protein and the PI3K negative regulator PTEN. Western blot analysis results revealed that CFM-4 enhanced expression of CARP-1, caspase-8 and executioner caspase-3. Metastatic properties of the CRC cells were reduced by CFM-4 through blocking their capabilities to form colonies, migrate and invade through the matrix-coated membranes. Conclusion: The potent antitumor and anti-metastatic properties of CFM-4 against CRC are due to collective pro-apoptotic, anti-proliferative and anti-metastatic activities. Together our data warrants further investigations of CFM-4 as potential anti-tumor agent for CRC malignancy and metastasis

Synthesis, molecular docking, and dynamic simulation targeting main protease (Mpro) of new, Thiazole clubbed pyridine scaffolds as potential COVID-19 inhibitors

Many biological activities of pyridine and thiazole derivatives have been reported, including antiviral activity and, more recently, as COVID-19 inhibitors. Thus, in this paper, we designed, synthesized, and characterized a novel series of N-aminothiazole-hydrazineethyl-pyridines, beginning with a N′-(1-(pyridine-3-yl)ethylidene)hydrazinecarbothiohydrazide derivative and various hydrazonoyl chlorides and phenacyl bromides. Their Schiff bases were prepared from the condensation of N-aminothiazole derivatives with 4-methoxybenzaldehyde. FTIR, MS, NMR, and elemental studies were used to identify new products. The binding energy for non-bonding interactions between the ligand (studied compounds) and receptor was determined using molecular docking against the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (PDB code: 6LU7). Finally, the best docked pose with highest binding energy (8a = −8.6 kcal/mol) was selected for further molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies to verify the outcomes and comprehend the thermodynamic properties of the binding. Through additional in vitro and in vivo research on the newly synthesized chemicals, it is envisaged that the achieved results will represent a significant advancement in the fight against COVID-19