The role of VEGF in psoriasis: an update

Psoriasis is a common, chronic immune-mediated multifactorial skin disease. In its pathogenesis altered differentiationand hyperproliferation of keratinocytes, dysregulation of immunological cell functions, together withabnormal angiogenesis are involved. Angiogenesis is defined as the formation of new blood vessels from thepre-existing vascular bed. This complex and multistep process is regulated by different factors among whichvascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is considered to be the most important. The aim of this paper isa review of the current literature considering the role of vascular endothelial growth factor in psoriasis. Manystudies have focused on the role of VEGF in psoriasis and revealed its increased serum and tissue levels whichcorrelated with disease severity. Recent data indicate that VEGF is not only responsible for angiogenesis, butalso regulates keratinocyte differentiation. Moreover, it has been suggested that vascular endothelial growthfactor could be a link between psoriasis and its comorbidities. So far, there are single clinical cases that reportedclearance of psoriasis after anti-VEGF therapy. Therefore, the VEGF pathway might be a potential new therapeuticalternative leading to improvement of psoriasis. However, further clinical studies are needed to evaluatethe efficacy and safety of this therapy in psoriasis

The assessment of solar photovoltaic in Poland: the photovoltaics potential, perspectives and development

The following article explains the current condition of the photovoltaics sector both in Poland and worldwide. Recently, a rapid development of solar energy has been observed in Poland and is estimated that the country now has about 700,000 photovoltaics prosumers. In October 2021, the total photovoltaics power in Poland amounted to nearly 5.7 GW. The calculated technical potential of photovoltaics in Poland is 153.484 PJ (42.634 TWh). This would cover 26.04% of Poland’s electricity needs. The main aim of the article is to assess the level of development of the photovoltaic market in Poland, the genesis of its creation, description of the current situation and determination of the development opportunities. As part of the aim, programs supporting the development of solar energy in Poland have been described and the SWOT analysis has also been performed. The strengths of photovoltaics include high social acceptance and low costs of photovoltaics system operation, while opportunities include rapidly increasing technological efficiency and decreasing cost of solar systems. On the other hand, weaknesses include the high costs of photovoltaics systems and the disparities in the amount of solar energy reaching the market during the year, whereas climate change and the coronavirus pandemic are threats. In 2020, PV became an investment hit in the energy sector and an economic driver in Poland. In the difficult time of two lockdowns caused by the global pandemic, domestic PV made a significant contribution to the maintenance of investment processes in the amount of PLN 9.5 billion and provided Poland with 35 thousand jobs. In 2020, 1.5% of the country’s electricity came from PV sources. In 2021, it will be 3.5%, and by 2025, solar energy will provide approx. 10% of Poland’s electricity. It is worth examining the development of photovoltaics from a broad and long-term perspective. The spectacular development of photovoltaics in Poland is due to hitting the right time window and reducing technology costs, but most of all, it is based on the cooperation of stakeholders and trust in the regulatory environment

The assessment of renewable energy in Poland on the background of the world renewable energy sector

The issues of the article are associated with the development of the renewable energy source (RES) sector in the world and in Poland. The subject is undoubtedly connected with the problem of the energy transformation taking place in most countries nowadays. Energy transformation processes are mainly associated with an increase in the share of energy production from RES and increased awareness of energy use by end consumers. This means that the systematic development of the RES sector is a necessary condition for linking the effective course of energy transition processes with simultaneous socio-economic development. The main objective of this study is to present the status of the RES sector in Poland against the background of worldwide development tendencies. The implementation of the objective made it possible to indicate key trends in the production and use of energy from individual RES and to assess to what extent Poland follows global trends. Poland is one of the European countries where hard coal and lignite constitute the main source of energy. On the other hand Poland, as a Member State of the EU, is obliged to implement the energy strategy within the framework of the European Green Deal, where all Member States are to become climate neutral

Renewable Energy in the Pomerania Voivodeship - Institutional, Economic, Environmental and Physical Aspects in Light of EU Energy Transformation

In the era of globalization and rapid economic growth, affecting most world economies, increased production and consumption are leading to higher levels of energy production and consumption. The growing demand for energy means that energy resources from conventional sources are not sufficient; moreover, its production generates high costs and contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases and waste. In view of the above, many countries have opted to implement an energy transformation. The energy transition allows the transition from an energy system based on conventional fuels to an energy system based mainly on renewable energy (RE) and low-emission sources. In the EU, the development of a “green economy” has become a strategic goal in the fight against climate change. The development of RE offers the possibility to improve the energy security of a given country and the entire EU. New, innovative technologies of RE also increase the attractiveness and competitiveness of the economies of the Member States. In line with the EU strategy, the activities carried out aim to achieve a situation in which, in 2050, the activities of economies will not endanger the environment. The main purpose of this article was the assessment of the RE sector in the Pomerania region in the context of energy transformation. To achieve this goal, PEST analysis regarding the functioning of the RE sector in the selected Polish region was used and the potential of the RE sector was determined using GIS tools on the basis of physical conditions. The article presents the research hypothesis that the RE sector within the Pomerania Voivodeship possesses appropriate energy potential, which will allow this Voivodeship to become an energy self-sufficient region based on the use of these energy sources (according to EU strategy). The implementation of the goal set in the article allowed for the verification of the research hypothesis, where the determined energy potential from the RE sector would cover the Voivodeship’s needs due to the use of electricity and heat. The conducted research shows that the RE sector in these regions has high energy potential to meet the criteria outlined in EU legal documents and to implement them successfully within the intended period

Assessment of the Current Potential of Hydropower for Water Damming in Poland in the Context of Energy Transformation

This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydropower in the East European Region: Challenges and OpportunitiesThe present paper indicates that hydropower, including small hydropower plants (SHPs), may play a very important role in Poland’s energy transformation in the near future. The development of SHPs may also increase water resources in the steppe Poland. Additionally, the aim of the present research is to conduct the PEST analysis of SHPs in Poland, taking into account the SHP potential. For the first time, maps showing the power and location of potential SHPs on the existing dams in Poland are presented. SHPs should be an important element of energy transition in Poland, especially on a local scale—it is stable energy production. Our analysis shows that there are 16,185 such dams in Poland, while the total capacity of potential hydropower plants in Poland would be 523.6 MW, and the total number of new jobs is estimated at 524. It was calculated that the annual avoided carbon dioxide emissions will amount to 4.4 million tons, which will reduce Poland’s emissions by 1.4%. The construction of SHPs can bring significant environmental and economic benefits. As far as the PEST analysis is concerned, the political environment of SHPs in Poland can be described as unfavorable (2.86 points). The economical nature of PEST analysis (3.86 points) should be considered as friendly for the development of SHPs. The social nature of PEST analysis can be considered as neutral (3.36 points). The technological nature of the PEST analysis can be considered as neutral (3.21 points)

How to Meet the Green Deal Objectives - Is It Possible to Obtain 100% RES at the Regional Level in the EU?

The subject matter discussed in the article concerns the problem of the energy transformation of the European Union (EU) countries. In the case of the EU, the energy transformation has specific characteristics due to formal legal and institutional provisions. This means that the member states are obliged to implement the adopted Community Energy Strategy, which was defined under the European Green Deal. According to the EU policy, all member states are to have climate-neutral and zero-gas-emission economies by 2050. The energy transformation is to be largely based on the diversification of the energy sources used, with a dominance of renewable energy sources (RES). The article presents a research problem, where the question was asked whether achieving climateneutral energy independence based solely on RES is possible at the regional level. It seems that the positive answer is an important argument in the discussion about the possibility of all member states achieving the goals set under the European Green Deal. Additionally, stating the possibility of energy independence from RES for a selected region is an important argument to promote just and bottom-up initiatives in order to carry out the energy transformation more effectively. The assessment of the energy potential from renewable sources at the regional level was carried out on the example of a selected NUTS 2 region, the Greater Poland Voivodeship in Poland. The main objective of the study is to analyze the possibility of obtaining independence from RES by the selected Greater Poland Voivodeship. The implementation of the objective consists of determining the energy potential from RES in the Voivodeship under study on the basis of the methods of a geographic information system (GIS). GIS methods were selected due to the fact that they allow for the spatial positioning of point, line, and surface structures in relation to the potential of RES, thus ensuring high accuracy of the obtained estimates. The analysis carried out in the study shows that the technical potential of RES in the Greater Poland Voivodeship is higher than the current electricity and heat usage. This means that by focusing solely on RES in the region, the Greater Poland Voivodeship can fully meet the energy demand thanks to its green resources. It should be emphasized that the Greater Poland Voivodeship is one of the coal-dependent regions in Poland that has already prepared a structured plan of just transformation. A locally and bottom-up prepared strategy assumes the conversion of the region from a “Coal Energy Region” into a “Green Energy Valley” in which economic development will be strictly connected to RES energy independence

Energia odnawialna w województwie zachodniopomorskim, 168 s.

W książce przedstawiono stan aktualny i perspektywy rozwoju energetyki odnawialnej w województwie zachodniopomorskim.Województwo może w 100% pokryć potrzeby energetyczne z energii odnawialnej i dodatkowo być eksporterem tej energii

Energia odnawialna w województwie pomorskim, 177 s.

Stan aktualny, perspektywy rozwoju i potencjał energii odnawialnej w województwie pomorskim. Analiza PEST energii odnawialnej

Design and implementation of a seismic Newtonian-noise cancellation system for the Virgo gravitational-wave detector

Terrestrial gravity perturbations caused by seismic fields produce the so-called Newtonian noise in gravitational-wave detectors, which is predicted to limit their sensitivity in the upcoming observing runs. In the past, this noise was seen as an infrastructural limitation, i.e., something that cannot be overcome without major investments to improve a detector's infrastructure. However, it is possible to have at least an indirect estimate of this noise by using the data from a large number of seismometers deployed around a detector's suspended test masses. The noise estimate can be subtracted from the gravitational-wave data; a process called Newtonian-noise cancellation (NNC). In this article, we present the design and implementation of the first NNC system at the Virgo detector as part of its AdV+ upgrade. It uses data from 110 vertical geophones deployed inside the Virgo buildings in optimized array configurations. We use a separate tiltmeter channel to test the pipeline in a proof-of-principle. The system has been running with good performance over months