Rita Garcia

Doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity: from bioenergetic failure and cell death to cardiomyopathy.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an anticancer anthracycline that presents a dose‐dependent and cumulative cardiotoxicity as one of the most serious side effects. Several hypotheses have been advanced to explain DOX cardiac side effects, which culminate in the development of life‐threatening cardiomyopathy. One of the most studied mechanisms involves the activation of DOX molecule into a more reactive semiquinone by mitochondrial Complex I, resulting in increased oxidative stress. The present review describes and critically discusses what is known about some of the potential mechanisms of DOX‐induced cardiotoxicity including mitochondrial oxidative damage and loss of cardiomyocytes. We also discuss alterations of mitochondrial metabolism and the unique characteristics of DOX delayed toxicity, which can also interfere on how the cardiac muscle handles a “second‐hit stress.” We also present pharmaceutical and nonpharmaceutical approaches that may decrease DOX cardiac alterations in animal models and humans and discuss the limitations of each strategy.

Effects on Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Introducing Electric Vehicles into an Electricity System with Large Storage Capacity

Summary Under some circumstances, electric vehicles (EVs) can reduce overall environmental impacts by displacing internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) and by enabling more intermittent renewable energy sources (RES) by charging with surplus power in periods of low demand. However, the net effects on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of adding EVs into a national or regional electricity system are complex and, for a system with significant RES, are affected by the presence of storage capacity, such as pumped hydro storage (PHS). This article takes the Portuguese electricity system as a specific example, characterized by relatively high capacities of wind generation and PHS. The interactions between EVs and PHS are explored, using life cycle assessment to compare changes in GHG emissions for different scenarios with a fleet replacement model to describe the introduction of EVs. Where there is sufficient storage capacity to ensure that RES capacity is exploited without curtailment, as in Portugal, any additional demand, such as introduction of EVs, must be met by the next marginal technology. Whether this represents an average increase or decrease in GHG emissions depends on the carbon intensity of the marginal generating technology and on the fuel efficiency of the ICEVs displaced by the EVs, so that detailed analysis is needed for any specific energy system, allowing for future technological improvements. A simple way to represent these trade-offs is proposed as a basis for supporting strategic policies on introduction of EVs.

Comparative assessment of environmental life-cycle-based tools: An application to particleboard

INDUSTRY is being pressurized to improve the environmental performance of products and to communicate the environmental information along the supply chain. In order to fulfill those objectives, various environmental life-cycle-based tools can be used, (e.g. ISO-LCA, Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), and “Carbon Footprint”). However, the difference between the tools available is not obvious, nor is it clear if the environmental information obtained from them leads to the same or conflicting results.

TRAP1 regulates autophagy in lung cancer cells

Expression of TRAP1, a member of the HSP90 chaperone family, has been implicated in tumour protective effects, based on its differential mitochondrial localization and function.