Economical analysis of combined fuel cell generators and absorption chillers

AbstractThis paper presents a co-generation system based on combined heat and power for commercial units. For installation of a co-generation system, certain estimates for this site should be performed through making assessments of electrical loads, domestic water, and thermal demand. This includes domestic hot water, selection of the type of power generator, fuel cell, and the type of air conditioning system, and absorption chillers. As a matter of fact, the co-generation system has demonstrated good results for both major aspects, economic and environmental. From the environmental point of view, this can be considered as an ideal solution for problems concerned with the usage of Chlorofluoro carbons. On the other hand, from the economic point of view, the cost analysis has revealed that the proposed system saves 4% of total cost through using the co-generation system

Proactive Location-Based Scheduling of Delay-Constrained Traffic Over Fading Channels

In this paper, proactive resource allocation based on user location for point-to-point communication over fading channels is introduced, whereby the source must transmit a packet when the user requests it within a deadline of a single time slot. We introduce a prediction model in which the source predicts the request arrival $T_p$ slots ahead, where $T_p$ denotes the prediction window (PW) size. The source allocates energy to transmit some bits proactively for each time slot of the PW with the objective of reducing the transmission energy over the non-predictive case. The requests are predicted based on the user location utilizing the prior statistics about the user requests at each location. We also assume that the prediction is not perfect. We propose proactive scheduling policies to minimize the expected energy consumption required to transmit the requested packets under two different assumptions on the channel state information at the source. In the first scenario, offline scheduling, we assume the channel states are known a-priori at the source at the beginning of the PW. In the second scenario, online scheduling, it is assumed that the source has causal knowledge of the channel state. Numerical results are presented showing the gains achieved by using proactive scheduling policies compared with classical (reactive) networks. Simulation results also show that increasing the PW size leads to a significant reduction in the consumed transmission energy even with imperfect prediction.Comment: Conference: VTC2016-Fall, At Montreal-Canad

Computer based selection and performance analysis of marine diesel engine

AbstractThe major steps in two-stroke diesel technology have been surprisingly few over the past century, now we have another major step – electronically controlled marine diesel engines. This paper will discuss how the use of computer helps to select diesel engines, compare between different types, increase the performance of the conventional diesel engines and generate the different performance curves for such engines

Influence of low doses of gamma irradiation on cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): Poster

Phytosanitary irradiation for food commodities has been widely accepted in recent years. Gamma irradiation has been used as a phytosanitary treatment against microbial diseases, insect infestation and food spoilage. The goal of the current study was to determine the lowest possible dose of gamma irradiation that will induce longterm sterility of insects through generations. The effect of four gamma irradiation doses examined were; 20,40, 50 and 70 Gy. Irradiated males were crossed with normal females. For the cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus(F.), adult fecundity, hatchability, adult emergence, sterility% was investigated. 100% adult mortality was achieved by 70 Gy dose. Fecundity, hatchability, number of adults emerged, sterility% were significantly reduced when males exposed to 20, 40, and 50 Gy compared to the control. The effect of parental irradiated males exposed to 20 Gy on F2 generation was also studied. Fecundity, hatchability, number of adult emerged, sterility% were significantly reduced in F2 compared to F1 and control progeny. Interestingly, for F1 generation, the effect of gamma rays on adult emergence% exhibit a hermetic effect response although it was not significant. These results demonstrat that pulse irradiation relying on low-doses of gamma radiation induce inherited semi-sterility through generations and is a very promising phytosanitary food technology for postharvest treatments.Phytosanitary irradiation for food commodities has been widely accepted in recent years. Gamma irradiation has been used as a phytosanitary treatment against microbial diseases, insect infestation and food spoilage. The goal of the current study was to determine the lowest possible dose of gamma irradiation that will induce longterm sterility of insects through generations. The effect of four gamma irradiation doses examined were; 20,40, 50 and 70 Gy. Irradiated males were crossed with normal females. For the cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus(F.), adult fecundity, hatchability, adult emergence, sterility% was investigated. 100% adult mortality was achieved by 70 Gy dose. Fecundity, hatchability, number of adults emerged, sterility% were significantly reduced when males exposed to 20, 40, and 50 Gy compared to the control. The effect of parental irradiated males exposed to 20 Gy on F2 generation was also studied. Fecundity, hatchability, number of adult emerged, sterility% were significantly reduced in F2 compared to F1 and control progeny. Interestingly, for F1 generation, the effect of gamma rays on adult emergence% exhibit a hermetic effect response although it was not significant. These results demonstrat that pulse irradiation relying on low-doses of gamma radiation induce inherited semi-sterility through generations and is a very promising phytosanitary food technology for postharvest treatments

Esterified Anabolic Androgen-Induced Liver Injury in a Hepatitis C Virus-Positive Patient: A CaseReport

Background: Cases of drug induced liver injury still perplex gastroenterologists due to its wide range of presentations that mimic acute and chronic liver conditions. Moreover, matters get complicated when clinicians face the possibility of drug-induced injury in the presence of pre-existing chronic liver disease. Case: A 69 year-old male who was recently discovered to have a hepatitis C viral infection presented with acute manifestations (mixed cholangio-hepatocellular injury) not fully explained by the underlying chronic disease, we suspected an idiosyncratic reaction from an esterified anabolic androgen. His manifestations have appeared acutely after the drug intake and include acute onset of jaundice, abdominal pain, pruritus and choluria. He was improving on drug discontinuity and conservative measures during his brief hospital stay. Conclusion: The underlying chronic disease constitutes a dilemma in diagnosis of superimposed drug-induced liver injury, as the proof of causality is a daunting task. In such cases, it is tempting to link such new emerging manifestations to be a flare-up of the underlying chronic disease rather than to the drug. However, certain clues helped to point this clinical presentation towards a drug-induced liver injur

ENHANCEMENT OF DISSOLUTION RATE OF HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE

Objective: The aim of this study was to enhance the dissolution rate of hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ).Methods: Binary solid dispersions (SDs) of HCTZ with increasing weight ratios of poloxamer 407, polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000) or gelucire 50/13 were prepared by solvent evaporation technique. The solid dispersions were deposited on the surface of aerosil 200 to produce a dry product with large surface area. The SDs were characterized with respect to drug dissolution. The mechanism of dissolution enhancement was researched using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).Results: The unprocessed drug showed erratic, slow dissolution which can be explained on the basis of its hydrophobic nature. Preparation of SDs with hydrophilic carriers resulted in a significant increase in the dissolution rate with most of the drug being liberated in the first 5 min. The dissolution pattern of the drug from the prepared SDs depends mainly on the type of polymer used, and the best dissolution pattern was observed in the SD prepared using 1:1 ratio of the drug to gelucire 50/13 in the presence of aerosil 200 as a carrier. FTIR studies revealed no interaction between the drug and polymers. DSC showed a change in the crystalline structure of the drug after SDs formation. This change can explain the recorded dissolution enhancement.Conclusion: The study presented a system capable of increasing the dissolution rate of HCTZ using polymers which can increase the intestinal permeability as well.Keywords: Hydrochlorothiazide, Poloxamer 407, PEG 6000, Gelucire 50/13, Solid dispersion, Dissolutio

Analytical Investigations of Disintegrated Granite Surface from the Un-finished Obelisk in Aswan

The deterioration of natural stone monuments is subject to different external reasons that take place through different weathering factors, in addition to other several factors concerning the stone itself “internal reasons” mainly pore structure and permeability index. All of these factors lead to the formation of altered surface layers, then damaging the original stone components. Here, red weathering, one of the most aggressive deterioration forms affecting one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world (Un-finished Obelisk in Aswan) was investigated and evaluated through different analytical techniques. Binuclear Microscop and SEM were used to evaluate the optical and morphological features of the highly deteriorated samples. Moreover EDX and XRD techniques were used for defining the chemical and mineralogical compositions of collected samples. Lastly, ArcGIS program was used as a tool for simulation description of red weathering symptom to evaluate their aggressive roles in the deterioration processes affecting the object. Our results proved that there are some changes in the granite regarding essential elements with high percentages of SiO2, Al2O3 and Fe2O3 especially in affected zones. In addition, increasing the weathering products, such as, microcrystalline matrix and salty products (tosudite, kaolinite, illite and gypsum) defined and calculated both in affected and none affected areas. Finally, calculation of the etching volume of sample and corroded percentages were conducted.La détérioration des monuments en pierre naturelle est soumise à différentes raisons externes qui passent par différents facteurs d’altération, en plus de plusieurs autres facteurs concernant la pierre elle-même “raisons internes” essentiellement la structure des pores et l’indice de perméabilité. Tous ces facteurs conduisent à la formation des couches de surface altérée, puis détruisent les composants de la pierre originale. Dans le présent document, « l’altération rouge », l’une des formes les plus agressives affectant l’un des plus célèbres sites archéologiques du monde entier: l’Obélisque non finis à Assouan (Haute-Egypte) a été étudiée par différentes techniques analytiques. La microscopie optique et le MEB ont été utilisés pour évaluer les caractéristiques optiques et morphologiques des échantillons fortement détériorés. En outre, l’analyse élémentaire par EDX et la diffraction des rayons X (XRD) ont été utilisées pour définir la composition chimique et minéralogique des échantillons prélevés. En outre, le programme ArcGIS a été utilisé comme un outil de simulation pour la description de l’altération rouge afin d’évaluer son rôle dans le processus de détérioration qui affecte notre objet. Nos résultats ont montré quelques changements dans le granit au niveau des éléments majeurs (Si, Al et Fe) notamment dans les zones touchées. Les produits ont augmenté intempéries telles que la matrice microcristalline et produits salés ; Tosudite, Kaolinite, Illite et de Gypse, en plus définir et calculer les zones touchées et non touchées (to be reformulated, hardly understandable). Enfin, le calcul du volume de gravure de l’échantillon et les pourcentages corrodés ont été menés

EGFR tyrosine kinase targeted compounds

In this study, we illustrate computer aided drug design of new benzothiazole and pyrimido[2,1-b]benzothiazole derivatives as epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (EGFR-TK) inhibitors. Compounds 1-5 were screened at NCI, USA, for antitumor activity against non-small cell lung cancer (NCI-H522), colon cancer (HCT-116, HCT-15 and HT29) and breast cancer (MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231/ATCC) cell lines in which EGFR is overexpressed in varying levels. Results indicated that these compounds are more potent antitumor agents compared to erlotinib against HT29 and MDA-MB-231/ATCC cell lines. Compound 3 showed GI50 value of 22.3 nM against NCI-H522 cell line, while erlotinib exhibited GI50 value of 1 μM against the same cell line. In addition, these compounds were studied for their EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitory activity. Virtual screening utilizing molecular modeling and QSAR techniques enabled the understanding of the pharmacophoric requirements for antitumor activity. Docking the designed compounds into the ATP binding site of EGFR-TK domain was done to predict the analogous binding mode of these compounds to the EGFR-TK inhibitors