SOUTHERN JOURNAL OF SCIENCES

The ore beneficiation process uses little technology, but mining companies have high economic performance. As an energy source, firewood plays a fundamental role due to its simple storage, low cost, great availability of forests, and lack of processing. Thus, the present work aims to analyze the consumption of firewood as fuel and possible improvements in the process for the production of lime in terms of harnessing raw materials and costs. Calcium oxide is obtained from the thermal decomposition of calcium and magnesium carbonates obtained from dolomitic deposits of limestone (CaCO₃ : CaMgCO₃). After CaO extraction, it is subjected to a calcination process, removing carbon dioxide (CO₂) in ovens that work at temperatures between 900 and 1200°C. The source of energy applied to the calcination furnaces in the analyzed area is wood. The wood has a calorific value between 2,250 and 2,700 Kcal/Kg, but the moisture content responsible for the thermal variation must be considered. The firewood burning process was carried out in a ravine type oven where the temperature at which operators are exposed to heat was evaluated. The results indicated that the cooking time dropped by 20% as the amount of wood is fed into the oven. This increase represents a significant gain in lime production, thus leading to a higher profit for the company.  

Background: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a heterogeneous hematological malignancy predominantly affecting individuals under 20 years of age. Traditional chemotherapy, such as clofarabine, has shown efficacy; however, novel immunotherapeutic strategies like tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah®) have significantly altered the treatment paradigm. Aim: This study aimed to perform a comparative analysis of tisagenlecleucel, a CAR-T cell therapy, and clofarabine, a second-generation purine nucleoside analog, evaluating their mechanisms of action, therapeutic benefits, limitations, and clinical applicability across diverse patient populations. Methods: A systematic comparative evaluation was conducted, encompassing pharmacological characteristics, mechanisms of action, treatment protocols, efficacy, safety profiles, and clinical indications of both agents. The analysis considered pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data and included patient demographic variables. Results: Tisagenlecleucel demonstrated high efficacy in refractory B-cell ALL, with durable responses and a blood half-life of 128 days, but with notable immune-related adverse effects such as cytokine release syndrome. Clofarabine, effective across a broader patient population, acts via multiple antitumor mechanisms but carries significant toxicity risks, including infection and sepsis. Discussion: The therapies present distinct clinical profiles: tisagenlecleucel offers targeted immunotherapy with high specificity but requires specialized infrastructure and management of immune toxicities. Clofarabine is more widely accessible and applicable, but is associated with conventional chemotherapy-related side effects. Treatment accessibility and cost differ markedly between the two. Conclusions: Therapy selection should be personalized based on patient-specific factors and institutional resources. Tisagenlecleucel is ideal for pediatric and young adult patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell ALL in CAR-T-capable centers, while clofarabine remains a viable option for broader ALL populations, particularly when genetic therapies are not feasible. Further research is needed to optimize therapeutic strategies and improve access to advanced treatments.

Background: Background: Vitamin D plays an essential role in bone health and overall physiological function, and its deficiency is common in children and adolescents with β-thalassemia major (βTM). Iron overload, as reflected by elevated ferritin, may further influence vitamin D status. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate serum vitamin D levels in βTM patients and determine their association with ferritin levels. Methods: A total of 40 βTM patients and 20 age-matched healthy controls (aged 4–25 years) were enrolled between October 2024 and February 2025. Serum vitamin D, calcium, ferritin, and hemoglobin were measured. Statistical analysis, including correlation and logistic regression, was performed using SPSS v.26 to identify predictors of vitamin D deficiency. Results: Vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent among βTM patients (70%) compared with controls. Patients showed significantly lower vitamin D levels (17.32±1.56) than controls (25.34±1.76). Vitamin D levels were positively correlated with age (r = 0.788), calcium (r = 0.772), and hemoglobin (r = 0.771), and negatively correlated with ferritin (r = −0.517). Logistic regression demonstrated that ferritin >1000 ng/mL strongly predicted vitamin D deficiency (OR = 17.875; 95% CI: 3.258–98.074; p = 0.001), while younger age ( < 10 years) also increased the odds of deficiency (OR = 5.200; p = 0.018). Discussion: D deficiency is a prevalent and intrinsic metabolic disturbance in β-thalassemia major, closely linked to chronic iron overload and elevated ferritin levels. This interplay disrupts hepatic vitamin D hydroxylation, induces inflammation, and contributes to endocrine and skeletal complications, highlighting ferritin as a key predictor of deficiency in these patients. Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in βTM and is strongly associated with elevated ferritin levels, suggesting that iron overload is a significant predictor. Integrating vitamin D assessment into routine monitoring may support better management of disease-related metabolic disturbances in patients with βTM.