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Abstract Background Tourniquets are common adjuncts in the operating theatre but can be associated with post-operative pain. This study was designed to compare what effect pre-tourniquet Esmarch bandage exsanguination has on pain, compared to pre-tourniquet exsanguination by elevation alone. Methods 52 volunteers (104 lower limbs) were included in this study with each volunteer acting as their own matched control. The primary outcome was patient reported pain, measured in both legs simultaneously using area under curve. Secondary outcomes were pain score during inflation and deflation, cumulative pain score, duration of recovery and blood pressure during testing. Results Pain after Esmarch was superior to elevation as measured by area under pain curve (68.9 SD 26.1 vs 77.2 SD 27.3, p = 0.0010), independent of leg dominance. Cumulative pain scores demonstrated the same superiority after inflation (50.7 SD 17.1 vs 52.9 SD 17.0, p = 0.026) but not after deflation (p = 0.59). Blood pressure was not significantly different. Time to full recovery of the lower limb was the same for both groups—7.6 min (SD 2.1 min, p = 0.80). Conclusion Previous studies describe a positive effect on pain when Esmarch bandage was used prior to tourniquet inflation for upper limb. Our findings suggest the same benefit from Esmarch when it was used on lower limbs—particularly during inflation of tourniquet. In addition to pain profiles, surgeon preference and patient factors need to be considered when deciding between elevation and Esmarch bandage.

The polymeric solution concentration is one of the most critical factors in forming of fibers in electrospinning technology. In this study, various polymeric concentrations of thermoplastic polystyrene are used. At the same time, keeping the other electrospinning process operating parameters (such as flow rate, voltage, capillary to collector distance), solution parameters (such as solution conductivity and molecular weight), and environmental conditions (such as temperature and humidity) constant. Field emission scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate the morphological changes that took place on the surface of the fibres and determine the typical fibre diameter. It was found that as the concentration of polystyrene increased from 15% to 30%, the average pore size increased from (0.5µm and 0.44µm) to (2.7µm and 2.6µm). The FT-IR demonstrated the main chemical bonds in polystyrene membranes and the change in peak intensity caused by increasing the polymeric concentration. According to contact angle measurements, which examine the change in hydrophobic properties, the hydrophobicity of membranes decreases as the water contact angle falls from 135 to 116 with increasing the polymeric concentration from 15% to 30%.

O serviço de controladoria e os sistemas de controle interno são ferramentas básicas para a eficácia da gestão empresarial e tendem a contribuir para a continuidade da empresa, geração de recursos, emprego e renda e, consequentemente, para o desenvolvimento social. O objetivo desta pesquisa é identificar as principais atividades, sistemas de controle interno e artefatos de controladoria empregados por gestores no controle operacional e financeiro de indústrias. Embasam teoricamente este estudo, entre outros, os autores Borinelli (2006), Padoveze (2016), Crepaldi (2017), Martins (2018). O método empregado foi estudo de caso composto, de natureza empírica, do tipo descritivo-exploratório e as unidades de análise, três empreendimentos industriais com atividades produtivas distintas. Serviu de instrumento de coleta de dados entrevista semiestruturada. Os dados receberam tratamento qualitativo. Os resultados da pesquisa revelam que, mesmo não estando consolidada em uma estrutura administrativa específica, a controladoria ajuda na identificação de oportunidades de melhoria, na redução dos custos e maximização dos resultados financeiros.

The use of steel beams with variable sections along their length is getting more attention in recent years. These variable sections can vary gradually along the beam or change abruptly as a drop or a step. The current study investigates the lateral torsional buckling (LTB) of stepped steel beams with flanged I section subjected to uniformly distributed pressure on the top flange. The studied parameters are the step height, the step length, and the boundary conditions of the beam. The finite element method is used to carry out a linear buckling analysis of the beams’ models. The results show significant degradation in beams LTB strength due to the jump of the beam's section. Reducing the simply supported beam depth by 25 % reduces LTB strength by about 40–50 %, while reducing the fixed beam depth by 25 % reduces LTB strength by about 30–40 %. Further reduction in depth showed no significant additional reduction in simply supported beams strength, while the fixed beams showed another 30–40 % reduction in strength with another 25 % reduction in beam total depth. The step made the compressive stress transfer between the two flange parts through the web.

The application of used glazed waste in concrete production can improve the performance of the structure of the building. Flexural and shear behavior and action of reinforced HollowGlass Concrete Beams (HGCB) and Solid Glass Concrete Beams (SGCB) made with glass waste under a two-point load are studied in this paper. In this work, 6 reinforced concrete solid and hollow beams were tested under a four-point bending test to evaluate and calculate the flexural behavior of SGCB and HGCB. For that purpose, Beams were prepared with 1000 mm length, 230 mm height, and 120 mm. All beams were divided into groups and named according to the space stirrups steel bar. The experimental work investigates five main variables which are: first: the comparison between SGCB and HGCB with the concrete beams made with glass waste (Glass Concrete Beam GCB), second: comparison between Solid Concrete Beams for Normal Concrete Beams (NCB), and GCB, three: comparison between Hollow Concrete Beams for NCB and GCB, four: the comparison between HGCB and HCB, last: the comparison between SGCB and SCB. The test results indicated that GCB was offered higher strength than NCB, but the load–slip behavior of all specimens is similar for both types of concretes, and the bond strength is not influenced by steel specimens. Furthermore, the results of this study indicated that the contribution of GCB to the load is indicated to be considerable. The results indicate that the hollow opening affected the ultimate load capacity and deflection of HGCB.

Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar a importância da realização de eventos itinerantes de popularização do conhecimento matemático. Nossa questão de investigação foi pensar se a realização de eventos itinerantes de popularização, em espaços não formais de educação, desperta nos sujeitos participantes o interesse pela matemática. O contexto de nossa investigação foi a experiência vivenciada por professores e acadêmicos do Centro de Educação e Investigação em Ciências e Matemática (CEICIM) que participaram do projeto “Com Matemática se faz independência”. O objetivo do projeto foi popularizar o conhecimento matemático, promovendo a inclusão científico-tecnológica e social dos participantes por meio de atividades interativas. Os eventos do projeto foram realizados em espaços não formais de ensino, como praças públicas, por meio do oferecimento de módulos que envolviam experimentos interativos e uma exposição de matemáticos famosos. Utilizamos a metodologia qualitativa, e como fonte de coleta de dados, os vídeos e a observação. Constatamos que a apresentação da Matemática sob diferentes perspectivas, com o uso de atividades lúdicas e o estímulo ao desenvolvimento de habilidades, tornou possível, com a realização de eventos em espaços não formais de educação e eventos itinerantes, despertar nos sujeitos participantes o interesse pela matemática.

Using bioactive and biocompatible coatings to biofunctionalized metallic implant surfaces for enhanced bone regeneration while resisting bacterial infection has attracted materials scientists' interest. Bio-metallic Ti-25Zr disc sample was prepared using powder metallurgy and then coated using an electrospinning method to form a nanocomposite fiber as a coating layer over the surface of the metal alloy substrate. Three nano-compounds (Nano-hydroxyapatite, Nano-Titanium dioxide, Nano-strontium titanite) were added individually to the Polycaprolactone/Chitosan blend to prepare the electrospinning solutions. The results show a significant improvement in biocompatibility for the coated samples after seven days of (MC3T3-E1) cell culture. Cell viability percentages were significantly higher for the coated samples compared to uncoated ones, with values of PCL/Chitosan/nHA (HA1) has 239.45±17.95%, PCL/Chitosan/nSrTiO3 (SR1) has170.09±8.12%, and PCL/Chitosan/nTiO2 (TI1) has 117.19±19.42%, while bare Ti-25Zr has 80.52±1.97%. Cell proliferation also shows a remarkable increase with time for coated samples, and the enhancement reaches 197.76% for (HA1), 111.38% (SR1), and 45.81 % (TI1) in comparison with (bare Ti-25Zr). For the antibacterial test, no inhibition zone for the control sample (bare Ti-25Zr) was observed, while the coated samples showed a suitable and comparable inhibition zone. The coating procedure is simple and inexpensive, and composite nano-fiber has high biocompatibility and promise in orthodontic and orthopedic bone regeneration.

Abstract Purpose Adductor canal block has emerged as a favourable element of multimodal analgesia regimens for total knee arthroplasty, due to the exclusive sensory blockade it provides. However, it is controversial as to whether a single shot or continuous technique adductor canal block is superior. This meta-analysis examined the effect of both these techniques on pain management associated with total knee arthroplasty. Methods All randomised controlled trials published on Cochrane Library, PubMed, and EMBASE, Scopus, and PsychINFO were systematically searched. The PEDro scale was used to assess the quality of studies. A total of 8 articles, 2 of which were split by subgroup analyses to create 10 studies, with 828 adults were selected for inclusion in the analysis. The mean difference and effect size with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were analysed for the pooled results. Results Statistically significant pooled effects of analgesia technique in favour of catheter use were found in the reduction of pain scores and VAS scores, and total rescue analgesia dosage. No significant changes were observed in the hospital stay time. Subgroup analysis revealed that patients with BMI 30 or more reported higher pain scores than those with BMI below 30. Conclusion Based upon studies that are currently available, our meta-analysis appears to demonstrate that continuous administration of analgesia through an adductor canal catheter provides greater pain reduction in total knee arthroplasty than single shot analgesia. Despite these current findings, future studies with larger sample sizes and greater control of study parameters are required to confirm the current findings.

A artista Josely Carvalho, hoje conhecida por suas obras relacionadas ao olfato, iniciou sua trajetória com práticas artísticas no espaço urbano. Este artigo apresenta a atuação e as propostas urbanas desenvolvidas pela artista durante o 6˚ Encontro de Arte Moderna de Curitiba (em 1974), além de uma breve trajetória durante seu período de formação e um contexto artístico e urbanístico de Curitiba das décadas de 1960 e 1970. Para isso, colocou-se como objetivo geral analisar o 6˚ Encontro de Arte Moderna (em 1974), especialmente os eventos e happenings urbanos. Em relação à metodologia, foram realizadas duas entrevistas, com Josely Carvalho e com o crítico de arte Fernando Bini, consulta a fontes primárias do acervo do MAC-PR e dos jornais Estado do Paraná e Diário do Paraná, e, por fim, análise dos estudos bibliográficos que se debruçaram sobre o tema.

IntroductionNeuroinflammation is a common feature of many psychiatric disorders as well as a common underlying mechanism of neurodegenerative diseases. Sex has been shown to strongly influence the development as well as the clinical expression of these pathologies. However, there is still a neglect regarding the consideration of sex effects in rodent experiments, and a substantial underrepresentation of females in studies. This work set out to expand our knowledge of neuroinflammatory mechanisms in female mice, at both a behavioral and molecular level.MethodsThis study used GFAP-IL6 mice, a model of chronic neuroinflammation, in which interleukin-6 (IL6) is overexpressed in the central nervous system under the control of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter. We evaluated aged (11-15-month-old) wild type-like (WT) and GFAP-IL6 female mice in behavioral tests assessing anxiety (elevated plus-maze, EPM, Light/dark box), and spatial learning and memory (Y-maze, YM and Barnes Maze, BM) and associative learning (fear conditioning, FC). We also examined gene expression of markers linked to neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration and neurotransmission via RT-qPCR in brain regions involved in motor control, anxiety, learning and memory.ResultsFemale GFAP-IL6 mice exhibited reduced anxiety-like behavior in the EPM, and hypolocomotion in the light-dark test and EPM. Short-term memory impairment was evident in the YM but associative learning in FC was intact in GFAP-IL6 mice, suggesting domain-specific cognitive deficits in female GFAP-IL6 mice. In the BM, all mice showed intact learning and memory, but GFAP-IL6 mice exhibited higher latencies to enter the escape hole than WT mice. We analyzed the search strategy and found differences in the way GFAP-IL6 mice searched for the escape hole compared to WTs. RT-qPCR showed increased mRNA levels for molecules involved in pro-inflammatory pathways in the cerebellum, motor cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala in GFAP-IL6 mice. Of the regions examined, the cerebellum and the hippocampus showed upregulation of neuroinflammatory makers as well as dysregulation of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission gene expression in GFAP-IL6 mice compared to WTs.ConclusionIn conclusion, we showed that chronic neuroinflammation via IL6 overexpression in aged female mice led to a less anxious-like phenotype, hypolocomotion and impaired intermediate-term spatial learning and memory in the YM.

The present study explores the guidance of a robotic arm along a predefined path by implementing an optimal fuzzy fractional order PID controller-based control strategy. This method serves as a means to address the nonlinearity and unpredictability of the robotic manipulator, contingent upon the fuzzy logic controller's specifications and the employment of a clonal selection algorithm. The dynamic equation of the manipulator was considered as an initial point, followed by designing a fuzzy controller for this purpose. To validate the effectiveness of this approach, it was compared to other techniques, such as Fuzzy, Fuzzy-PID, and fuzzy-FOPID controllers, with PID and FOPID controller parameters optimized using clonal selection algorithms. Simulation results reveal that the fuzzy-FOPID variant outperformed other methods under varying load conditions and model uncertainties, using SIMULINK/MATLAB 2014a.

Background: Because of the occurrence of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness in patients with breast cancer (BC), the present study investigated the effectiveness of group logotherapy (LT) on life expectancy and death anxiety in women with BC. Methods: The method of this research was quasi-experimental study with a pre-test, post-test, and control group design. The statistical population of the current research consisted of all women with BC who were referred to Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, in 2020 for treatment after mastectomy. Out of 157 patients with BC, 40 were selected using the purposive sampling method. Two groups of LT and control were formed with 20 participants. The participants answered the Templer Death Anxiety Scale (DAS) and the Miller Life Expectancy Questionnaire employed via Miller Hope Scale in two pre-test and post-test stages. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. For data analysis, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used. Results: The results of the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed that there was a significant difference between post-test of groups in life expectancy (F = 11.24, P ≤ 0.001) and death anxiety (F = 30.78, P ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: LT effectively decreased death anxiety and raised life expectancy in women with BC. Therefore, LT as a psychological intervention can improve the quality of life of people with chronic diseases such as BC.

Background: Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the most common cancers among men. The current study aimed to compare the effectiveness of group reality therapy and neurofeedback in the treatment of anxiety and depression in patients with PC. Methods: The method of the present study was a quasi-experimental research with pretest, posttest, and follow-up design. Out of 184 patients with PC, 60 were selected using the simple random sampling method. Three groups of reality therapy, neurofeedback, and control were formed with 20 members. The participants answered the state anxiety, trait anxiety (Spielberger, 1970), and depression (Beck, 1960) questionnaires in three pretest, posttest, and follow-up stages. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Results: There was a significant difference in the mean scores of trait anxiety, state anxiety, and depression (P ≤ 0.05). In the posttest phase, the control group had higher mean scores of depression than the two groups of reality therapy and neurofeedback (P ≤ 0.05), and the effects of reality therapy were better. The mean scores of anxiety and depression among patients with PC due to treatments were from 2.39 to 4.18, which showed an improvement. Conclusion: The two therapies used in this study, reality therapy and neurofeedback, reduced depression and anxiety in men with PC. However, the reality therapy method had better results than the neurofeedback method. Therefore, it is recommended that the method of reality therapy be used more.

Background: Although the Coxiella burnetii infection has been investigated in dogs, its role in human transmission remains to be fully established, particularly in close and daily human–dog contact settings, such as in Police K-9 Units. Methods: Accordingly, this study aimed to assess anti-C. burnetii antibodies in clinically healthy police officers by an in-house indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and working dogs by a commercial IFA Kit, from the State Special Operations Battalion, Paraná, Southern Brazil. Results: Overall, 1/18 (5.5%) police officers and 9/30 (30.0%; CI 95% 16.66–47.88) dogs tested seropositive to anti-C. burnetii IgG antibodies. Conclusions: To date, this is the highest prevalence of Q fever seropositivity among military dogs worldwide. Despite the low sampling rate, a statistically significant association was found between seropositivity and female dogs (p = 0.0492). Further studies with larger sample sizes should be conducted to establish the prevalence of Q Fever in other Brazilian K-9 Units. In summary, this study is the first to conduct a concomitant serosurvey of police officers and working dogs, and its findings should be considered a warning for cross-exposure and transmission of Coxiella burnetii among Police K-9 Units in Brazil and worldwide.

Small surgical defects of the lower lip can be reconstructed through direct closure. Full-thickness defects with more than 30% involvement require complex reconstructions with high morbidity. We report the case of a patient diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in the lower lip whose resection resulted in a surgical defect of 45% of the lower lip. The reconstruction combined two well-established techniques: unilateral myomucosal advancement flap and M-plasty. This association acted synergistically, enabling the closure of the surgical defect with easy execution, low morbidity, and excellent aesthetic and functional results.

AimThis study aimed to evaluate if physical activity is associated with systemic and cellular immunometabolic responses, in young adults after mild-to-moderate COVID-19 infection.MethodsMild- to- moderate post-COVID-19 patients (70.50 ± 43.10 days of diagnosis; age: 29.4 (21.9– 34.9) years; BMI: 25.5 ± 4.3 kg m2 n = 20) and healthy age-matched controls (age: 29.3 (21.2 – 32.6) years; BMI: 25.4 ± 4.7 kg m2; n = 20) were evaluated. Physical activity levels (PAL), body composition, dietary habits, muscular and pulmonary function, mental health, sleep quality, metabolic parameters, immune phenotypic characterization, stimulated whole blood and PBMC culture (cytokine production), mRNA, and mitochondrial respiration in PBMCs were evaluated. ResultsThe post-COVID-19 group exhibited lower levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (p = 0.038); therefore, all study comparisons were performed with adjustment for MVPA. Post-COVID-19 impacted the pulmonary function (FEV1, FEV1%pred, FVC, and FVC %pred) compared with the control (p adjusted by MVPA (p adj)

Biofunctionalization of an implant using functional ceramics with exceptional electrical characterization, such as BaTiO3 and SrTiO3, has gained considerable attention in creating a composite coating with bio-polymer to activate metal implant surfaces for bone tissue engineering applications and, at the same time, resist bacterial infection. A Ti–Zr alloy sample was created by powder technology, and then a coating was applied using the electrospinning technique. Individually, nanopowders of ceramic compounds such as nBaTiO3 and nSrTiO3 were added to a blend of polycaprolactone and chitosan to create composite solutions that could be converted into a nanofibrous coating layer using the electrospinning technique. The samples were analyzed for their morphology, chemical composition, surface roughness, dielectric constant, and wettability. The techniques employed were SEM, EDS, FTIR, an LCR meter, and a contact angle goniometer. The samples' cytocompatibility was assessed by examining the cell viability, ALP activity, proliferation, and attachment of MC3T3-E1 osteoblast cells on both coated and uncoated sample surfaces.The bacterial resistance assays were conducted against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans. The findings demonstrate a notable enhancement in the biocompatibility of the coated specimens following a week of cellular cultivation. The composite coating containing piezoelectric BaTiO3 has a dielectric constant Ɛr (16) close to dry human bone at 100HZ frequency. Cell proliferation increases dramatically with time in coated samples, and the improvement approaches 125.16% for (BA1) and 111.38% for (SR1) as compared to uncoated Ti–25Zr sample. Cell viability percentage for the coated samples is compared with bare Ti–25Zr, which has an 80.52 ± 1.97% crucial increase, while (BA1) has 181.63 ± 17.87 and (SR1) 170.09 ± 18.12%. No zone of inhibition was detected in the bacterial resistance test for the uncoated sample, while the samples with composite coating show an adequate and comparable inhibitory zone. The composite nano-fiber has a strong biocompatibility, and the coating process is simple and economical, holding potential for use in orthodontic and orthopedic bone regeneration applications.

The study investigates the effect of polycaprolactone (PCL) concentration on the metformin hydrochloride (MH) release ratio of electrospun nanofiber scaffolds. Blend and emulsion electrospinning are used to produce the scaffolds. The performance of nanofibrous scaffolds was evaluated by morphology (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy, FESEM), chemical (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, FTIR), thermal (Differential Scanning Calorimetry, DSC), wettability, porosity, mechanical tests, and in vitro drug release. The average fiber diameter ranged from (189.29-2893.93 nm) according to the FESEM results, and it increased with PCL concentration. The average fiber diameter of the electrospun scaffold, prepared by the blend method (259.64±6.1 nm), is lower than that of the electrospun scaffold produced by the emulsion method (487.45±22.53 nm). Melting points of all drug-loaded scaffolds were identical to those of pure PCL polymer. Compared with blend electrospun nanofibers, emulsion electrospun nanofibers showed a marked increase in hydrophilicity. The tensile strength indicated an improvement in the mechanical properties with a decrease in the average fiber diameter. Moreover, the results show that the release of Metformin hydrochloride decreases with the concentration of polycaprolactone. Total MH release from (5% w/v) PCL-MH fibrous scaffolds for three-week was 71.11 % and 93.91 % from the emulsion and blend methods, respectively. The drug release ratio is lower in emulsion electrospinning than in blend because the drug is encapsulated by polymer and surfactant, which improves control and long-term drug delivery system DDS.

This publication discusses bovine leukemia virus and its prevalence, economic implications, transmission, clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and control. Written by Kaitlyn K. Renegar, Ameer A. Megahed, Ahmadreza Mirzaei, and João H. Jabur Bittar, and published by the Veterinary Medicine—Large Animal Clinical Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension, May 2023.

Although Toxoplasma gondii exposure has been reported in indigenous populations worldwide, a One Health approach has not been applied to date. This study concurrently assessed T. gondii exposure in indigenous populations, and their dogs, environment, and indigenous or non-indigenous healthcare professionals (HPs). Human and dog serum samples from 9 indigenous communities in Brazil were assessed by indirect immunofluorescence antibody test for anti-T. gondii antibodies. Soil samples (30 per community) were processed with PCR to amplify T. gondii DNA. Associated risk factors and seroprevalence were analyzed using logistic regression models. Human seropositivity and type of water source were assessed by generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) with binomial error distribution, and game meat consumption with chi-squared test. Overall, 225/463 (49%) indigenous persons were seropositive for anti-T. gondii antibodies. Of all the HPs, 67/168 (40%) were positive, and included 54/147 (37%) positive non-indigenous HPs. Indigenous persons more likely to be seropositive compared with non-indigenous HPs (OR: 1.63; 95% CI: 1.11–2.39). A total of 97/253 (38%) dogs were seropositive and highly associated with seropositive owners (p

The optoelectronic properties of dye zinc and titanium-based metal-organic framework (MOF) compounds with regard to their application as photo-anode material characterized in solar cells were investigated. Analyses of the optoelectronic properties were performed on the MOF single crystal unit cell with adsorbed dye to determine the electronic and optical properties of the relevant materials. The electronic and optical properties were predicted by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results show that the absorption of light occurs for the examined MoF compounds from the near UV to the (visible) blue spectral range, at optical band gap sizes from 2.8 eV up to 3.88 eV. Dye sensitization of MOF with eosin Y or crown ether gave additive UV-Vis spectra. An improvement in band gap or an improved electron injection could be archived as well. Moreover, the light absorption does not solely depend on the linkers used, but also from the metal atoms in the secondary building unit. The fluorescence of MOFs depends on the linker and especially on the linker coordination and their rotation relative to each other. The utilizations of MOFs and their derivatives as electrodes, photoactive materials, charge carriers and additives in different solar cells are highlighted.

The search for alternatives that can replace conventional materials extracted from nature is crucial for environmental sustainability. This is especially the case for construction and geotechnical engineering, as this sector is a major consumer of the planet’s natural resources. This paper explores the use of ore sand (OS) tailings with fine aggregate characteristics, which are generated during exploration of iron ore and usually stored in stacks, in terms of their potential for replacing conventional aggregates (gravel, natural sand, and limestone sand) used in interlocking paving blocks for light-traffic pavement. A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA, cradle-to-gate) approach was applied for aggregates in interlocking blocks produced using OS compared to blocks produced with conventional aggregates. The OS was able to replace 24wt% of conventional aggregates (100% limestone sand and 13.3% natural sand), while maintaining compressive-strength performance similar to that of the conventional block (35 MPa). For all eleven environmental-impact categories evaluated in the LCA, the block with OS has improved environmental performance compared to the conventional block. Through the creation and use of a scoring indicator (SI), it was possible to determine that the transport distance of the OS is a limiting factor for the environmental efficiency of the alternative block. Nonetheless, the incorporation of OS mitigates the impacts of block production on eutrophication, acidification, fresh water, human toxicity, and abiotic depletion. The use of tailings reduces the demand for natural resources, decreasing the environmental impact of production and promoting sustainable construction practices.

Abstract Commercial vegetable and fruit juices with probiotics are new functional type of beverages; however, limitations including persistence and impact of probiotic bacteria on palatability and shelf life may prevent their industrial development. This study evaluated the effect of antioxidant compounds (ascorbic acid, astaxanthin, and ginseng) on viability and persistence of Bifidobacterium spp. in Jerusalem Artichoke (JA) juice; and determine the impact of these antioxidants on the sensory (color, texture, flavor, acidity) properties, free reducing sugar (inulin and fructose), and shelf life in the fortified JA juice. Overall, the JA juice fortified with ascorbic acid showed a significant impact on the rate of persistence of two targeted bifidobacterial strains from 1 to 28 days at 5°C. Both strains produced slight acidity in ascorbic acid fortified JA juice as compared to other tested samples. Similarly, the JA juice fortified with ascorbic acid showed a significantly high increase in the total number of bifidobacterial cells of both species, enhanced palatability, and shelf life as compared to astaxanthin and ginseng extract. The quadratic model indicated a strong association between ascorbic acid, ginseng extract, and astaxanthin with a bifidobacterial cell concentration in the fortified JA juices. The Box–Behnken design was considered a feasible analysis for describing fortified JA juice and the rate of viability and persistence of bifidobacteria during 28 days of storage at 5°C in all trials. In conclusion, JA juice fortified with ascorbic acid showed a significant impact on improving the cell viability and persistence of probiotic bacteria, enhanced palatability, and shelf life as compared to other compounds tested.

The present study is a case report of a possible case of metastasis of a squamous cell carcinoma from the uterus to the mandible. In this case, the patient had symptoms of volume increasing on the left side of the mandible some months after being diagnosed and treated for a squamous cell carcinoma in the uterus. The maxillofacial lesion reached the left mandibular angle region, which required surgical resection of the affected area and the installation of a 2.4-mm titanium plate system. Histopathological examination of the mandibular lesion pointed to squamous cell carcinoma. The patient died a few months after the procedure in the mandible due to complications of the primary tumor in the uterus. After an extensive literature review, no cases of metastatic squamous cell carcinoma from the uterus to the maxillofacial region were found, meaning this work may be the first case report in the literature.