Digitization of objects of cultural heritage of Varna, produced in the studio Architectural Spies in the period 2013-2019

This publication focuses on creating a database of 3D models for an augmented reality mobile application allowing the visualization of the past condition of cultural heritage buildings in the real environment of the city of Varna, some of them no longer present in cityscape

Exxonmobil equity research - adapting to a transitioning energy market

This master thesis evaluates ExxonMobil Corporation in a changing energy sector context and provides an in-depth analysis of the corporation's past performance, business, and strategy. The paper provides a company overview, a description of the business model, and current news and developments that will impact the company's future. Furthermore, it includes an industry overview, a competitive analysis, and a list of risks we took into account for our valuation model. By analyzing the company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and conducting a peer comparison, we estimate the company's future success and performance. The goal of the master thesis is to calculate the fair value for ExxonMobil during an extraordinarily volatile economic environment while simultaneously the energy sector is shifting toward sustainable energy generation

Thermal photogrammetry in use for cultural heritage in the city of Varna, Bulgaria

The case study demonstrates the two methods of thermal photogrammetry, developed by Architectural Spies EOOD for producing 3D models via volumetrizing two-dimensional thermal vision scans. Both methods were tested at the cultural heritage building at 25 Dragoman St in Varna. The first method is manual, which uses the thermal component of the scans as input data and places them onto the 3D model of the building, which could be either BIM or photogrammetrically created. In this case study BIM was used. The second method is automated, using the photo and thermal components of the FLIR scans simultaneously

Immersive presentation technologies: XR (AR, VR, MR) of cultural heritage in the city of Varna, Bulgaria

The presented 3 case studies for XR (extended reality) solutions were developed by Architectural Spies EOOD in 2021 for visualization of the condition before and after the renovation of the cultural heritage building at 28 Dragoman St, Varna, Bulgaria. The solutions include mobile AR (augmented reality) for Android smartphone, VR (virtual reality) for VR boxes with Android smartphone, and MR (mixed reality) holograms with Microsoft HoloLens 2. They are preparations for XR demonstrations in the frames of the H2020 project BIM-SPEED, scheduled for the autumn of 2022 in Varna

Probiotics: Evidence of Oral Health Implications

Peer reviewe

Два случаја на несиндромска конгенитална унилатерална хипоплазија во една фамилија

Micromastia or breast hypoplasia is described as underdevelopment of a woman's mammary tissue. We present the case of a 15-year-old girl with unilateral micromastia, with familial predisposition. Ultrasound, hormonal, dysmorphic, cardiologic, genetic examinations and testing were performed. No mutation in the whole- exome sequencing was found, nor novel mutation. Some of these cases have been reported to be related to breаst cancer so further follow-up is mandatory. Therapy consists of surgical reconstruction of the affected breast. This is a rare condition and it requires a multidisciplinary approach.Микромастија или хипоплазија на дојки е опишана како недоразвиеност на ткивото на дојката кај жените. Опишавме случај на 15-годишно девојче со унилатерална микромастија со фамилијарна предиспозиција. Беа направени ехосонографски, хормонални, дисморфични, кардиолошки и генетски испитувања и тестови. Не беше пронајдена мутација на целокупниот секвенциониран ексом, ниту пак нова мутација. Некои од овие случаи се прикажани како да се поврзани со канцер на дојката и затоа се потребни понатамошни задолжителни следења. Терапијата се состои од хируршка реконструкција на афектираната дојка. Ова претставува ретка состојба, но бара мултидисциплинарен пристап

A Mie scattering investigation of the zones of soot formation in precessing jet flames

Thesis (M.Sc.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Chemical Engineering, 200

Comparative study of ancient shops in the agora of Philippopolis and the imperial Roman thermae of Odessos

This publication, based on partial surveys on two large scale ancient archaeological objects on the Balkan peninsula, aims to clarify the similarities and the differences of the shops in these large-scale ancient public buildings. Specifically, the shops approached by us were at the southern facade in the forum of Philippopolis and at the northern facade of the Imperial Roman Thermae of Odessos. From the available artefacts (for example, the stone thresholds) conclusions have been drawn about the unpreserved wooden elements. The Roman culture in the lands of contemporary Bulgaria inherited the Hellenic and the local Thracian culture. The two large-scale archaeological sites are the forum of Philippopolis (the contemporary city of Plovdiv), and the Imperial Roman Thermae in Odessos (the contemporary city of Varna). In spite of the wider cultural frame during development of the agora of the Hellenistic Philippopolis into a forum in the Roman period, the function of the public space was not changed, incl. the commercial function and the building structure of the shops, as well as the elements on their entrances, and partially the thresholds. The difference in the shape of the thresholds at both archaeological sites is not caused by the difference of their architectural schemes. The entrances of the shops in the forum are accessible from the inner space of the portico around the antique square called "area". On the contrary, the shops in the Imperial Roman Thermae of Odessos are located on the periphery of the building and are accessible from the streets surrounding the building outside. The main difference is caused by the structures of both buildings. The shops of the agora of Philippopolis lie on the ground, and during the following renovations the new elements are placed over the old ones. The thresholds of the shops of the Roman Thermae are placed over openings for ensuring a ventilation of the large structural gallery, supporting the heavy northern wall of the biggest hall of the thermae. Although focused on a limited topic, this publication gives concrete examples of how the function and construction of large ancient buildings affected their smallest architectural details

Building information modeling (BIM) of cultural heritage. Case study: 28 Dragoman St, Varna, Bulgaria

The publication presents the efforts of the team of the R&D SME Architectural Spies EOOD of creating models of the cultural heritage (CH) building at 28 Dragoman St and 11 Bdin St, Varna, Bulgaria. The team vectorized the old paper plans from 1912, did aerial and terrestrial photos and movies, completed the data acquisition from 2D images to a 3D model, testing 3 types of software for photogrammetry, and finalized the building information model (BIM). The BIM is a base for creating the building energy model (BEM) and applications for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) of the same building. The work is included as a virtual demonstration site in the H2020 project BIM-SPEED (Harmonized Building Information Speedway for Energy-Efficient Renovation)

Probiotic activity of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus in the oral cavity

Yogurt consumption has been related to longevity of some populations living on the Balkans. Yogurt starter L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Str. thermophilus have been recognized as probiotics with verified beneficial health effects. The oral cavity emerges as a arget for probiotic applications. Probiotics have demonstrated promising results in controlling dental diseases and oral yeast infections. However, L. bulgaricus despite its broad availability in dairy products has not been evaluated for probiotic activity in the mouth. These series of studies investigated in vitro properties of L. bulgaricus to outline its potential as an oral probiotic. Prerequisite probiotic properties in the mouth are resistance to oral defense mechanisms, adherence to saliva-coated surfaces, and inhibition of oral pathogens. L. bulgaricus strains showed a strain-dependent inhibition of oral streptococci and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, whereas none of the dairy starter strains could affect growth of Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum. Adhesion is a factor contributing to colonization of the species at the target site. Radiolabeled L. bulgaricus strains and L. rhamnosus GG were tested for their ability to adhere to saliva-coated surfaces. The effects of lysozyme on adhesion and adhesion of Streptococcus sanguinis after lactobacilli pretreatment were also assessed. Adhesion of L. bulgaricus remained lower in comparison to L. rhamnosus GG. One L. bulgaricus strain showed binding frequency comparable to S. sanguinis. Lysozyme pretreatment significantly increased Lactobacillus adhesion. Low gelatinolytic activity was observed for all strains and no conversion of proMMP-9 to its active form was induced by L. bulgaricus. Safety assessment ruled out deleterious effects of L. bulgaricus on extracellular matrix structures. Cytokine response of oral epithelial cells was assessed by measuring IL-8 and TNF-α in cell culture supernatants. The effect of P. gingivalis on cytokine secretion after lactobacilli pretreatment was also assessed. A strain- and time-dependent induction of IL-8 was observed with live bacteria inducing the highest levels of cytokine secretion. Levels of TNF-α were low and only one of ten L. bulgaricus strains stimulated TNF-α secretion similar to positive control. The addition of P. gingivalis produced immediate reduction of cytokine levels within the first hours of incubation irrespective of lactobacilli strains co-cultured with epithelial cells. According to these studies strains among the L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus species may have beneficial probiotic properties in the mouth. Their potential in prevention and management of common oral infectious diseases needs to be further studied.Jogurttibakteereista apua suu- ja hammassairauksiin? Jo 1900-luvun alussa esitettiin teoria jonka mukaan jogurtti edesauttaa terveyttä. Sittemmin jogurtin valmistuksessa käytettäviä bakteereita, erityisesti laktobasilleja on tutkittu paljon varsinkin suolistosai-rauksien suhteen. Probioottisista eli terveysvaikutteisista bakteereista saattaa olla apua myös suusai-rauksien kurissapitämisessä. Tässä väitöskirjatutkimuksessa tutkittiin bulgarialaisten meijerikantojen, Lactobacillus bulgaricus-bakteerien turvallisuutta ja kudosvaikutuksia. Laktobasillien tarttumisominai-suuksia tutkittiin laboratoriossa käyttäen hydroksiapatiittia simuloimaan hammaskudosta. Tulokset osoittivat, että tietyt meijeribakteerikannat tarttuivat selvästi toisia paremmin ja soveltuvat siten jatko-tarkasteluun. Syljen puolustusentsyymi lysotsyymi edesauttoi bakteerien tarttumista. Havainnoilla on käytännön merkitystä, sillä probioottinen teho edellyttää bakteerien kykyä tarttua kohdekudokseen. Kudosturvallisuus on tärkeää kaikessa bakteeriterapiassa. Tutkimussarjan toisessa osassa keskityttiin Lactobacillus bulgaricus-kantojen vaikutuksiin tulehdusreaktioiden ja kudosmodulaation kannalta. Tu-lokset osoittivat, että verrattaessa meijeribakteerikantojen vaikutusta tunnettujen patogeenibakteerien vaikutukseen, eivät tutkitut laktobasillit aktivoineet kudosmatriisin metalloproteinaaseja. Havainto ko-rostaa laktobasillien harmittomuutta joten ne vaikuttavat turvallisilta