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Mar 2024 DOI 10.14302/issn.2642-3146.jec-24-4935
Promoting responsible energy usage in student hostels and residential buildings plays a crucial role in ensuring sustainable development. By implementing cost-efficient strategies for managing and conserving energy, both students and homeowners can not only reap economic and social benefits but also mitigate the adverse environmental effects associated with energy consumption. Unfortunately, student hostels and residential buildings in developing countries like Ghana are falling behind in the adoption of energy efficiency and management practices, thereby missing out on valuable implementation opportunities. This study investigates the potential for energy efficiency and conservation measures in student hostels, specifically the GETFUND hostel of the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Ghana. The hostel's monthly energy consumption is approximately 64,929.458kWh, which translates to $5,667.20. The objectives of the study include analysing the current electricity consumption pattern, identifying energy misuse, and recommending measures to save energy, as well as calculating the financial benefits of implementing energy management practices. The methodology employed is an energy audit approach. The results of this study can contribute to overall energy conservation efforts in Ghana and may be applied to other university residence halls in sub-Saharan African countries with similar climatic and energy-use characteristics. In a broader sense, the primary objective of this study is to enhance the energy efficiency of the GETFUND hostel and minimize energy wastage, resulting in substantial financial savings.
Oct 2023 DOI 10.14302/issn.2642-3146.jec-23-4568
Commercial buildings consume a significant amount of energy, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. The adoption of energy-efficient technologies and practices can help reduce energy consumption and lower operating costs while improving occupant comfort and productivity. This research paper aims to explore the challenges, opportunities, and solutions related to energy efficiency in commercial buildings. The paper discusses the current state of energy efficiency in commercial buildings, identifies the key challenges, and highlights the opportunities for improving energy efficiency. The paper also presents the latest energy-efficient technologies and practices, including building automation systems, energy-efficient lighting, HVAC systems, and renewable energy sources. Finally, the paper concludes with recommendations for policymakers, building owners, and managers on how to promote energy efficiency in commercial buildings.
Jul 2017 DOI 10.14302/issn.2639-1716.jn-17-1495
Diets high in unsaturated fatty acids, especially those containing high levels of linoleic acid, e.g., corn oil, enhance mammary gland tumorigenesis in experimental animals. In contrast, diets high in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA), e.g. menhaden oil, appear to have a suppressive effect on this tumorigenic process. Many mechanisms have been proposed to explain the tumor inhibitory action exerted by menhaden oil and other fish oils, e.g., differences in prostaglandin metabolism, energy efficiency, alterations of the immune system, changes in lipid peroxidation, etc. Fundamental to a mechanistic understanding of this phenomenon, however, is an understanding as to whether or not the tumor inhibitory activities of dietary fish oil is mediated via an inhibition of tumor cell proliferation or mediated via an enhancement of tumor cell loss. Whether the amount of dietary fat or the type of fat effects mammary tumorigenic processes, via an effect on tumor cell proliferation or tumor cell loss, has not been clearly established. In the studies described in this communication, three methods were utilized to study tumor cell proliferation, i.e., H3-thymidine autoradiographic analysis, 5-bromo 2'-deoxyuridine (Brdu) flow cytometric analysis, and proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) flow cytometric analysis. Two methods were used to study tumor cell loss, i.e., a determination of the I125Urd tumor emission rate and a determination of a cell loss factor from the formulas of Steel and Begg. The tumor examined was the human breast carcinoma cell line MDA- MB231 maintained in athymic nude mouse. No significant difference in cell proliferation between carcinomas of mice fed a high corn oil diet (20% w/w) and a diet high in fish oil (19% menhaden oil, 1% corn oil). In contrast, a significant (p<0.05) increase in the rate of I125Urd emission rate and cell loss factor from the carcinomas in the fish oil fed mice compared to the corn oil fed mice was observed. In summary, the decreased tumor volume in the human breast carcinomas maintained in athymic nude mice fed a fish oil diet as compared to those fed a corn oil diet, appears to be due, at least in part, to an increased rate of carcinoma cell loss rather than a decreased rate of carcinoma cell proliferation.