Control Strategies for Energy Efficiency at PNU’s Metro System

It is broadly acknowledged that there is an urgent need to reduce carbon-based mobility systems and increase renewable energy alternatives. The automotive industry is one of the greatest consumers of energy in the world. It is fronted with many challenges that aim at reducing carbon emissions. Renewable energy costs are getting cheaper and more cost effective. However, well devised design and control strategies are also needed in order to optimize any systems that are adopted in this field. Previous research shows that the energy consumption for non-traction purposes may be of the same scale as the energy used to move rolling stock, and in some cases even larger. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is very interested in the implementation of policies that aim at reducing energy consumption and encouraging renewable energy programs. Under its Vision 2030 development program, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is looking to produce 30% of its energy from renewables and other sources, with solar energy playing an important role. The work presented in this paper is aimed at an investigation of design and control strategies to reduce energy consumption and to propose a cleaner source of energy to power Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University’s Automated People Mover (PNU-APM). Two areas of applications have been investigated for adopting these types of technology. Firstly, a p-v solar energy option that could be adopted for implementation in potential applications since the metro system is already in full operation using electricity. Secondly, design and control strategies including exploiting solar energy for a metro operation are discussed and investigated. A number of strategies to reduce heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) load, which happens to be the biggest energy consumer, have been discussed. Results show great potential in energy savings with adopting p-v solar sources as well as implementation of few suggested control strategies. Some deliberations of some of the drawbacks of solar energy are also offered

Coexistence of Essential Thrombocythemia and Pituitary Adenoma: A Case Report of a Saudi Female Patient

Essential thrombocythemia (ET) is a malignant hematological disease that has the ability to progress to acute leukemia or transform into other myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). The coexistence of ET and other MPNs with pituitary adenoma (PA) is rare. There are no reports of cases of secretory PA of prolactin hormone in combination with ET. This case was reported in a young woman from Saudi Arabia who had the secretory PA present in combination with ET. The 20-year-old patient was treated for a micro-PA with hyperprolactinemia. The patient was referred to the hematological service for thrombocytosis. There was no history of thrombosis, cardiovascular risk factors, or constitutional symptoms. Laboratory tests showed that platelet levels consistently lagged from 700 × 103/µL to 1000 × 103/µL for 1 year. Hemoglobin 13 g/dL, white blood cells (WBCs) 6 × 103/µL, and normal WBC differential. The peripheral blood smear was inconclusive. A peripheral blood sample was sent for the cytogenetic study of myeloproliferative diseases, which came to be positive for c.1849G>T p.(V617F) mutation in the EXON 14 Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) gene. The patient was diagnosed with a MPN, ET with positive exon 14 JAK2, at low-risk category. Evidence suggests that MPNs in combination with endocrinological diseases are rare. However, there is a high incidence of MPN and unrelated tumors such as PA. Further research is recommended to thoroughly investigate endocrine tumors and look beyond secondary thrombocytosis that leads to thrombocythemia as in ET

Alternative polyadenylation variants of the RNA binding protein, HuR: abundance, role of AU-rich elements and auto-Regulation

The RNA-binding protein, HuR, is involved in the stabilization of AU-rich element-containing mRNAs with products that are involved in cell-cycle progression, cell differentiation and inflammation. We show that there are multiple polyadenylation variants of HuR mRNA that differ in their abundance, using both bioinformatics and experimental approaches. A polyadenylation variant with distal poly(A) signal is a rare transcript that harbors functional AU-rich elements (ARE) in the 3′UTR. A minimal 60-nt region, but not a mutant form, fused to reporter-3′UTR constructs was able to downregulate the reporter activity. The most predominant and alternatively polyadenylated mature transcript does not contain the ARE. HuR itself binds HuR mRNA, and upregulated the activity of reporter from constructs fused with ARE-isoform and the HuR ARE. Wild-type tristetraprolin (TTP), but not the zinc finger mutant TTP, competes for HuR binding and upregulation of HuR mRNA. The study shows that the HuR gene codes for several polyadenylation variants differentially regulated by AU-rich elements, and demonstrates an auto-regulatory role of HuR

The Histological Spectrum of Early Mycosis Fungoides: A Study of 58 Saudi Arab patients

Objectives: The histopathological diagnosis of Mycosis Fungoides (MF) is challenging in its early stages and can easily be confused with inflammatory dermatoses. This study aims to; (i) assessthe frequency and significance of different histopathological parameters in early MF, seen in Saudi patients, and (ii) to studythe utility of these parameters in differentiating between early MF and inflammatory dermatoses.Methods: This is a five years study of 66 skin biopsies generated from 58 patients with clinically suspicious MF lesions or early patch stage MF. These cases were retrieved from the archives ofthe Department of Pathology, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh from the year 2002 to 2006. Histological criteria were assessed and graded semi-quantitatively on a four-point scale by adermatopathologist and two pathologists independently.Results: The histological parameters suggesting the diagnosis in early stages MF include epidermotropism, dermal fibrosis, Pautrier’s micro abscesses, Basal alignment of neoplastic lymphocytes, hyperconvoluted dermal and epidermal lymphocytes and grandiosity sign (size of lymphocytes becoming larger as they migrate towards granular layer of epidermis). These parameters on univariate analysis achieved statistical significance (p<0.05) in differentiating MF from non-MF cases. In addition, hyperconvoluted dermal and epidermal lymphocytes proved to be highly reliable with high specificity and sensitivity.Conclusion: The histopathological diagnosis of early MF lesions and their discrimination from inflammatory simulators can be achieved by carefully observing the hyperconvoluted dermal and epidermal lymphocytes along with the constellation of the other parameters

Coexistence of Essential Thrombocythemia and Pituitary Adenoma: A Case Report of a Saudi Female Patient

Essential thrombocythemia (ET) is a malignant hematological disease that has the ability to progress to acute leukemia or transform into other myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). The coexistence of ET and other MPNs with pituitary adenoma (PA) is rare. There are no reports of cases of secretory PA of prolactin hormone in combination with ET. This case was reported in a young woman from Saudi Arabia who had the secretory PA present in combination with ET. The 20-year-old patient was treated for a micro-PA with hyperprolactinemia. The patient was referred to the hematological service for thrombocytosis. There was no history of thrombosis, cardiovascular risk factors, or constitutional symptoms. Laboratory tests showed that platelet levels consistently lagged from 700 × 103/µL to 1000 × 103/µL for 1 year. Hemoglobin 13 g/dL, white blood cells (WBCs) 6 × 103/µL, and normal WBC differential. The peripheral blood smear was inconclusive. A peripheral blood sample was sent for the cytogenetic study of myeloproliferative diseases, which came to be positive for c.1849G>T p.(V617F) mutation in the EXON 14 Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) gene. The patient was diagnosed with a MPN, ET with positive exon 14 JAK2, at low-risk category. Evidence suggests that MPNs in combination with endocrinological diseases are rare. However, there is a high incidence of MPN and unrelated tumors such as PA. Further research is recommended to thoroughly investigate endocrine tumors and look beyond secondary thrombocytosis that leads to thrombocythemia as in ET

Synthesis, Cytotoxicity, and Photophysical Investigations of 2-Amino-4,6-diphenylnicotinonitriles: An Experimental and Theoretical Study

In this study, we present a comprehensive investigation of 2-amino-4,6-diphenylnicotinonitriles (APNs, 1–6), including their synthesis, cytotoxicity against breast cancer cell lines, and photophysical properties. Compound 3 demonstrates exceptional cytotoxicity, surpassing the potency of Doxorubicin. The fluorescence spectra of the synthesized 1–6 in different solvents reveal solvent-dependent shifts in the emission maximum values, highlighting the influence of the solvent environment on their fluorescence properties. A quantum chemical TD-DFT analysis provides insights into the electronic structure and fluorescence behavior of 1–6, elucidating HOMO-LUMO energy gaps, electronegativity values, and dipole moments, contributing to a deeper understanding of their electronic properties and potential reactivity. These findings provide valuable knowledge for the development of APNs (1–6) as fluorescent sensors and potential anticancer agents

Bilateral paravertebral block in advanced schistosomal liver disease: A prospective study

<i>Background: </i> Surgery in patients with schistosomal liver disease is usually associated with high risks of morbidity and mortality. Bilateral paravertebral block (BPVB) has been advocated as a useful technique for ventral abdominal hernias&#x2032; repairs. <i> Aim of the study: </i> To compare the efficacy of BPVB with general anesthesia (GA) for anterior abdominal wall hernias in advanced schistosomal liver disease patients. <i> Patients and Methods: </i> Sixty patients were randomly allocated into two groups to receive either GA or BPVB. Variables were hospital stay, hemodynamic stability, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONY), postoperative pain measured on a visual analogue scale (VAS) with assessment of the hepatic cell integrity using glutathione S transferase alpha (GSTA) and other liver enzymes. <i> Results: </i> The main significant finding was an apparently significant shorter length of hospital stay following BPVB as compared with GA in patients (P &lt; <i> 0.005). Conclusions: </i> BPVB was superior to GA following abdominal ventral hernia repair in schistosomal liver fibrosis patient

Comprehensive spectroscopic (FT-IR, FT-Raman, 1H and 13C NMR) identification and computational studies on 1-acetyl-1H-indole-2,3-dione

Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and FT-Raman spectra of 1-acetyl-1H-indole-2,3-dione (N-acetylisatin) were recorded in the solid phase and analyzed. The molecular geometry, vibrational frequencies, infrared intensities, Raman activities and atomic charges were calculated using density functional theory (DFT/B3LYP) calculations with a standard 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The fundamental vibrational modes of N-acetylisatin were analyzed and fully assigned with the aid of the recorded FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra. The simulated FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra showed good agreement with the experimental spectra. The stability of the molecule, arising from hyper-conjugative interactions and charge delocalization, was analyzed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The dipole moment (µ), polarization (α) and hyperpolarization (β) values of N-acetylisatin were also computed. The potential energy distribution (PED) was computed for the assignment of unambiguous vibrational fundamental modes. The HOMO and LUMO energy gap illustrated the chemical activity of N-acetylisatin. The energy and oscillator strength were calculated by DFT. Gauge–including atomic orbital NMR (1H and 13C) chemical shift calculations were performed and compared with the experimental values. Thermodynamic properties (heat capacity, entropy and enthalpy) of the compound at different temperatures were also calculated