Stakeholders′ Perceptions of Environmental and Public Health Risks Associated with Hydrocarbon Activities in and around the Vasilikos Energy Center, Cyprus

The Vasilikos Energy Center (VEC) is a large hydrocarbon industrial hub actively operating in Cyprus. There is strong public interest by the communities surrounding VEC to engage with all stakeholders towards the sustainable development of hydrocarbon in the region. The methodological framework of the exposome concept would allow for the holistic identification of all relevant environmental exposures by engaging the most relevant stakeholders in industrially contaminated sites. The main objectives of this study were to: (i) evaluate the stakeholders’ perceptions of the environmental and public health risks and recommended actions associated with the VEC hydrocarbon activities, and (ii) assess the stakeholders’ understanding and interest towards exposome-based technologies for use in oil and gas applications. Methods: Six major groups of stakeholders were identified: local authorities, small-medium industries (SMIs) (including multi-national companies), small-medium enterprises (SMEs), academia/professional associations, government, and the general public residing in the communities surrounding the VEC. During 2019–2021, a suite of stakeholder engagement initiatives was deployed, including semi-structured interviews (n = 32), a community survey for the general public (n = 309), technical meetings, and workshops (n = 4). Results from the semi-structured interviews, technical meetings and workshops were analyzed through thematic analysis and results from the community survey were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Almost all stakeholders expressed the need for the implementation of a systematic health monitoring system for the VEC broader area and its surrounding residential communities, including frequent measurements of air pollutant emissions. Moreover, stricter policies by the government about licensing and monitoring of hydrocarbon activities and proper communication to the public and the mass media emerged as important needs. The exposome concept was not practiced by the SMEs, but SMIs showed willingness to use it in the future as part of their research and development activities. Conclusions: The sustainable development of hydrocarbon exploitation and processing prospects for Cyprus involves the VEC. Continuous and active collaboration and mutual feedback among all stakeholders involved with the VEC is essential, as this may allow future environmental and occupational health initiatives to be formalized.

The epistolary heritage of Leo Tolstoy at the turn of the XIX–XX centuries: the motive of reading in the estate

Based on the analysis of the letters of Leo Tolstoy 1890–1910 the article analyzes the motive for reading, which is directly related to the estate life. The epistolary heritage of the writer has not yet been fully investigated, and in the study of the estate theme in the work of the late Tolstoy, it plays an important role. Typical for the late XIX — early XX centuries the process of impoverishment of noble estates at this time almost did not touch Yasnaya Polyana. While Tolstoy was alive, his estate remained a kind of energy center. Tolstoy's statements about the works he read in letters make it possible to estimate the volume of his reading, the literature he preferred. The author of the article selected illustrative examples from Tolstoy’s letters with a polar assessment of the works of various writers. The author analyzes the direct messages of the writer about reading as a pastime, hobby, realized mainly in letters to close people: stories about home reading, about the impressions of books. Special attention is paid to reading as the basis for the moral formation of a person and his spiritual growth, as well as the choice of books, the study of which was of decisive importance for the further course of Tolstoy's thought and the direction of his artistic and journalistic work. The article comprehends the role of Tolstoy as a key figure in the literary process at the turn of the century, evaluates its manifestations in the writer’s epistolary heritage.

Mitochondria as a Cellular Hub in Infection and Inflammation

Mitochondria are the energy center of the cell. They are found in the cell cytoplasm as dynamic networks where they adapt energy production based on the cell’s needs. They are also at the center of the proinflammatory response and have essential roles in the response against pathogenic infections. Mitochondria are a major site for production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS; or free radicals), which are essential to fight infection. However, excessive and uncontrolled production can become deleterious to the cell, leading to mitochondrial and tissue damage. Pathogens exploit the role of mitochondria during infection by affecting the oxidative phosphorylation mechanism (OXPHOS), mitochondrial network and disrupting the communication between the nucleus and the mitochondria. The role of mitochondria in these biological processes makes these organelle good targets for the development of therapeutic strategies. In this review, we presented a summary of the endosymbiotic origin of mitochondria and their involvement in the pathogen response, as well as the potential promising mitochondrial targets for the fight against infectious diseases and chronic inflammatory diseases.

In Situ Visualization of the pKM101-Encoded Type IV Secretion System Reveals a Highly Symmetric ATPase Energy Center

Bacterial type IV secretion systems (T4SSs) play central roles in antibiotic resistance spread and virulence. By cryo-electron tomography (CryoET), we solved the structure of the plasmid pKM101-encoded T4SS in the native context of the bacterial cell envelope.

Compatibility about the concept of energy hub: a strict and visual review

Purpose Despite the concept of energy hub becoming widely signed and used in recent literature for addressing energy geopolitics, policies and relationships, it is still being confused interchangeably with other concepts. Hence, the present paper aims to shed light on the concepts of an energy hub, energy corridor, energy transit and energy center to clarify the main differences among these concepts through conducting a systematic review for the previous studies using the VOSviewer software targeting the identification of the main research gaps and clearing any confusion related to these concepts. Design/methodology/approach This paper conducted a systematic review based on a qualitative synthesis for the available publications from Web of Science and Scopus databases. It also followed strict search and filtration criteria based on the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. In this review, a total of 47 papers, which met the inclusion criteria were selected and identified in the synthesis, and a bibliometric visualization approach were implemented by using VOSviewer software. Findings The bibliometric analysis presented the growth of the research topic recently. Besides, text mining and keyword analysis revealed the key themes that address energy hubs issues such as security, geopolitics, relationships, policies and transit of energy. The main research gaps identified in this review will provide a reference point that will encourage and open new avenues for other interested researchers for future studies. Furthermore, this review contributes to our understanding of the literature related to energy hub area through bibliometric analysis and visualization of publications data. Originality/value According to the authors’ knowledge, this review may be the first bibliometric analysis and systematic review of the energy hub domain.

Study of danazol active agent effect on Mcf10a breast cells redox phosphorylation

Fibrocystic mastopathy is one of the most complex breast pathologies, occurring in about 60% of women. The causes and molecular mechanisms of cyst formation in fibrocystic mastopathy are not fully understood, and effective treatment methods are not widely implemented. However, there is evidence of the fibrocystic mastopathy malignization risk. We studied the molecular effect of the active agent danazol on the respiratory complex in mitochondria, which occur in various concentrations and are considered the cell energy center. A method of permeation with special agents was developed to improve the cell membrane permeability in the intracellular proteins and nucleic acids analysis. The scientists aimed to study the Mcf10a cell line mitochondrial respiratory complex using the permeabilization method. Purpose: To study the effect of different danazol concentrations on Mcf10a breast cells redox phosphorylation in women with fibrocystic mastopathy. Results: Monitoring the redox phosphorylation process using complex respiratory substrates affecting the Msf10A breast cells respiratory chain showed the danazol 30 μM effect on the respiratory complex I. Conclusions: According to oxygraphic records, 10 minutes’ exposure to danazol 30 μM after permeabilization with digitonin increased the Msf10A cells’ oxidative phosphorylation compared with the control. The respiratory rate decreased by 45% ten minutes after treatment with digitonin.

Thermal hydraulic analysis of a PWR loaded with annular fuel rods

In 2006, the final report of the MIT Center for Advanced Nuclear Energy Center the project entitled High Performance Fuel Design for Next Generation PWR’s presented the proposal of an internal and external cooled ring fuel with the objective of increasing the power density of a PWR reactor without compromising the safety margins of the installation. The thermal hydraulic conditions were calculated with the aid of the VIPRE subchannel code, which is a widely used tool in the analysis of nuclear reactor cores. STHIRP-1 is a subchannel code that has been developed at the Departamento de Engenharia Nuclear /UFMG. In order to evaluate the capacity of the STHIRP-1 program, mainly in relation to the thermal model, the new fuel concept was analyzed. The results were compared with those performed with the VIPRE code presented in the reference document.

Study of danazol active agent effect on Mcf10a breast cells redox phosphorylation

Relevance: Fibrocystic mastopathy is one of the most complex breast pathologies, occurring in about 60% of women. The causes and molecular mechanisms of cyst formation in fibrocystic mastopathy are not fully understood, and effective treatment methods are not widely implemented. However, there is evidence of the fibrocystic mastopathy malignization risk. We studied the molecular effect of the active agent danazol on the respiratory complex in mitochondria, which occur in various concentrations and are considered the cell energy center. A method of permeation with special substances was developed to improve the cell membrane permeability in the intracellular proteins and nucleic acids analysis. The scientists aimed to study the Mcf10a cell line mitochondrial respiratory complex using the permeabilization method. Purpose: To study the effect of different danazol concentrations on Mcf10a breast cells redox phosphorylation in women with fibrocystic mastopathy. Results: Monitoring the redox phosphorylation process using the respiratory complex substrates affecting the Msf10A breast cells respiratory chain showed the danazol 30 μM effect on the respiratory complex I. Conclusions: According to oxygraphic records, 10 minutes’ exposure to danazol 30 μM after permeabilization with digitonin increased the Msf10A cells’ oxidative phosphorylation compared with the control. The respiratory rate decreased by 45% ten minutes after treatment with digitonin.