Objetivo: Identificar as principais alterações bucais em pacientes submetidos ao tratamento para neoplasias malignas na região de cabeça e pescoço em um centro de oncologia do agreste pernambucano. Materiais e Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo observacional, transversal, retrospectivo, realizado no Centro de Oncologia de Caruaru, por meio da análise de 50 prontuários de pacientes atendidos no setor de Odontologia em tratamento de câncer na região de cabeça e pescoço. Não houve exclusão segundo o sexo dos pacientes, e o número amostral foi determinado por conveniência. Foram excluídos os prontuários que tiveram ausência de informações sobre o tratamento, bem como os prontuários daqueles pacientes que abandonaram o tratamento com a equipe odontológica. Resultados: Dos pacientes, 74% eram do sexo masculino, 80% eram tabagistas e 72% etilistas. Todos os pacientes receberam orientações sobre cuidados bucais, todavia 50% deles receberam essas orientações apenas durante o tratamento antineoplásico. A principal alteração bucal encontrada foi a mucosite (70%), seguida pela xerostomia (54%), disgeusia (50%) e disfagia (48%). Cárie de radiação e osteorradionecrose acometeram apenas 2% dos pacientes. Conclusão: Todos os pacientes receberam orientações sobre cuidados bucais por um dentista, porém a maioria recebeu essas informações durante o tratamento antineoplásico. Várias alterações bucais associadas ao tratamento antineoplásico foram observadas, sendo a mucosite oral a manifestação mais frequente.

ABSTRACT To explore the impact of temperature difference (TD) on the disintegration of redbed softrock, three types of redbed rock, collected from Nanxiong Basin, were analyzed under three different treatments: TD, wetting and drying (WD), and TDWD-temperature difference and WD. To better understand the influence of different ranges of TD on disintegration during WD cycles, pH (hydrogen ion concentration) values, electrical conductivity (EC) values, and concentration of cations in leachate released during treatment were measured. The results show that no significant change can be observed under single TD treatment but that TD can increase the disintegration rate by accelerating the water–rock interaction. The effect of TD is more significant for rock with weak resistance to disintegration.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this research was to detect the presence of depressive symptoms among the student population at a Faculty of Medicine, as well to determine the correlation between the socio-demographic characteristics and students' lifestyle and depressive symptoms. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Of 800 students enrolled and asked to participate, 412 responded to the survey. The study included students from all 6 years of studies. The degree of depressive symptoms was measured by a 21-item revised form of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). We built bivariate logistic regression models to study whether age, gender, housing accommodation, year of medical training, and school success status (Grade Point Average - GPA) were associated with depressive symptoms. The results are reported as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS The study revealed that almost one third of students reported BDI >16 (30.1%). The present study did not find any association between BDI scores and study year or age difference, but we found that there was an association between housing accommodation and depressive symptoms. Students who lived with their parents had lower BDI scores than those who lived in a dormitory. The results of this study showed there is a negative correlation between physical activity and depressive symptoms in students, as well as that there is a positive correlation between depressive symptoms and substance abuse. CONCLUSION Overall, our study confirms that the factors associated with an increase in medical students' depressive symptoms are housing accommodation, a lack of physical activity and substance abuse. Regarding failing a year of study at the medical school, as well as gender and age differences, we did not find any significant difference between students with higher compared to those with lower depressive symptoms.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the influence of gender on the mental index (MI) and the mandibular cortical index (MCI). METHODS In this study, there were 120 subjects (43 male and 77 female subjects), who had undergone a dental panoramic radiograph examination for the needs of diagnosis and future treatment planning. MI and MCI were determined by orthopantomograph. RESULTS There was a statistically significant difference in MI dependent on gender. Male patients demonstrated significantly higher values for MI than female patients (right: t=4.127; P=0.0001, left: t=3.110; P=0.002). No statistically significant difference was observed for MCI dependent on gender (right: χ²=2.36 P=0.308, left: χ²=3.85 P=0.146). CONCLUSION MI is affected by gender, but MCI is not.

OBJECTIVE We present a case of relapsing tumefactive demyelination in a young female patient, that posed a real diagnostic challenge, with a heterogeneous clinical picture, atypical for multiple sclerosis (MS) presentation, and neuroradiological manifestations with a high suspicion of neoplastic diseases. CASE REPORT An 18-year old female patient presented to our Neurosurgical Out-patients' Clinic with symptoms atypical for multiple sclerosis, unremarkable neurological deficit, one tumefactive lesion on MRI, followed by relapse and another two lesions within a period of six months. We decided to perform biopsy of the tumefactive lesion with compressive effect. Serological and clinical data were negative for MS, and the patient did not respond well to corticosteroid therapy. Fresh frozen tumor tissue aroused a strong suspicion of gemistocytic astrocytoma, so total resection was done, but the definitive pathohistological examination confirmed tumefactive demyelination. CONCLUSION For clinicians, it is important to consider demyelinating disease in the differential diagnosis of a tumorlike lesion of the central nervous system, in order to avoid invasive and potentially harmful diagnostic procedures, especially in younger patients.

The subject of this paper is to analyse utilization of cryptocurrencies in international business. The objectives of the research are to provide the scientific and professional public, researchers and practitioners with an overview of current research on blockchain technology in the economy and to determine the impact of the wider use of cryptocurrencies in international business and their impact on the future of financial markets. The research was carried out by using the method of description, literature analysis and research conducted. The selected examples present the possibility for earning, buying and storing cryptocurrencies, paying with crypto-money and investing in them. The research will offer an answer to the research question “What are the advantages and disadvantages of using cryptocurrencies in international payments and what are the security measures of using cryptocurrencies in the future?” In the answer, this paper will present the direction in which the use of crypts will develop in the future. The contribution of the paper is reflected in the presentation of the scope and restrictions on the use of cryptocurrencies in international business, banking and financial markets. Results have shown that blockchain technology has a bright perspective, even though it would not be known today if bitcoin had not gained in popularity. The conclusions suggest that, as long as the transaction costs are lower than the costs of payment transactions, the rational behaviour of legal and natural persons requires encouraging the use of cryptocurrencies in order to reduce the costs of transactions and to overcome the existence of an intermediary.

Предмет рада јесте анализа употребе криптовалута у међународном пословању. Циљеви истраживања су да се научној и стручној јавности, истраживачима и практичарима, пружи преглед тренутних истраживања блокчејн технологије у економији, те да утврди утицај шире употребе криптовалута у међународном пословању и њихов утицај на будућност финансијских тржишта. Истраживање је спроведено методом описивања, анализе литературе и спроведених истраживања. На одабраним примјерима приказане су могућности за стицање, куповање и чување криптовалута, плаћање криптовалутама и улагање у њих. Истраживање ће понудити одговор на истраживачко питање: „Које су предности и недостаци употребе криптовалута умеђународном плаћању, те каква је сигурност употребе криптовалу-та у будућности?” Одговор ће показати у којем смјеру ће се развијатикориштење криптовалута. Допринос рада огледа се кроз представља-ње домета и ограничења кориштења криптовалута у међународномпословању, банкарству и на финансијским тржиштима. Резултатиистраживања показују да блокчејн технологија, иако не би дошла доизражаја да биткоин није стекао популарност, има свијетлу перспек-тиву. Закључци упућују на то да, докле год су трошкови трансакцијанижи од трошкова платног промета, рационално понашање правнихи физичких лица налаже да између себе треба да подстичу кориште-ње криптовалута с циљем да приликом плаћања смање трошковетранслација и превазиђу постојање посредника.

OBJECTIVE We present a case of relapsing tumefactive demyelination in a young female patient, that posed a real diagnostic challenge, with a heterogeneous clinical picture, atypical for multiple sclerosis (MS) presentation, and neuroradiological manifestations with a high suspicion of neoplastic diseases. CASE REPORT An 18-year old female patient presented to our Neurosurgical Out-patients' Clinic with symptoms atypical for multiple sclerosis, unremarkable neurological deficit, one tumefactive lesion on MRI, followed by relapse and another two lesions within a period of six months. We decided to perform biopsy of the tumefactive lesion with compressive effect. Serological and clinical data were negative for MS, and the patient did not respond well to corticosteroid therapy. Fresh frozen tumor tissue aroused a strong suspicion of gemistocytic astrocytoma, so total resection was done, but the definitive pathohistological examination confirmed tumefactive demyelination. CONCLUSION For clinicians, it is important to consider demyelinating disease in the differential diagnosis of a tumorlike lesion of the central nervous system, in order to avoid invasive and potentially harmful diagnostic procedures, especially in younger patients.

Following the “horse meat scandal” in 2013, European Union countries have conducted official control of EU market and unraveled food fraud which implicated a number of processed food products and food businesses. Five years after the breakout of the scandal, no official information on market surveillance in Bosnia and Herzegovina is available. Therefore, 73 randomly selected meat products from retail were collected and analyzed for the presence of horse DNA. Horse DNA was detected in 21 products (28.77%). Particularly disturbing for B&H consumers is high proportion of sujuk samples positive for horse DNA (46.15%) with lower incidence among the products of small manufactures. Also disturbing is the finding that 71.43% of the products that contain horse DNA were produced in B&H. According to our data there is a requirement for stricter surveillance of both import and internal market.

As in many developing countries, Libya is still managing the solid waste improperly. This fact has led to increase the amount of solid wastes accumulated in the country. With low fuel costs, the companies make low consideration to the transportation cost. The research in municipal solid waste in Libya is rare, and focused on waste classification area. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the municipal solid waste management system in Misurata city, Libya, and to suggest a model which minimizes the total cost of waste management by adding a collection stations. The paper evalutes two models: in the first model only collection vehicles are used, and the waste transfered directly to the dumping site. In the second model collection sites are tested, and the best one is selected according to the total cost. ADD algorithm used in the second model. The second model showed that there is a reduction in the total distance travelled by the trucks up to 45%.

Biodiesel fuel is the realistic fuel for the future due to its environmental, economic and energetic benefits. However, the degradation and instability during biodiesel storage and application present the major disadvantages and hence a modern scientific challenge. The aim of this study was to choose optimal parameters for biodiesel synthesis from fresh and waste sunflower cooking oil and to investigate the possibilities of increasing its resistance towards oxidative degradation. Various physico-chemical characteristics essential for the quality estimation of the resulting biodiesel products were compared before testing the effectiveness of natural and synthetic antioxidants. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), carvacrol and α-tocopherol were added to the biodiesel in different concentrations in order to determine their efficiency during the Schaal oven test. Results proved that both, fresh and waste oil can be valuable sources for the synthesis of biodiesel that meets European and American quality standards. Among the antioxidants, BHT was the most efficient one in both types of biodiesel and its usage would be recommended at the concentration of 1000 ppm. The findings present a cost-effective and environmentally friendly source for biodiesel production with improved properties - considerably enhanced resistance to oxidative degradation, where synthetic antioxidants are given the priority. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17807/orbital.v10i7.1174

Antifungal, antimicrobial, insecticidal and antioxidant activities of Origanum vulgare L. provide the basis for suggesting that oregano plant extracts may be useful for prevention and treatment of many infection. The main goal of this study was to determine antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of methanolic and aqueous extracts from the leaves and flowers of Origanum vulgare. Antimicrobial testing of plant extracts was done using well diffusion method. Activity of extracts were tested against Gram positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ATCC 33591, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 and five Gram-negative bacteria: Salmonella abony ATCC 6017, Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis ATCC 31194, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli ATCC 35218 and fungi Candida albicans ATCC 1023. Antibiotics ampicillin, streptomycin and antimycotic nystatin were used as positive controle. The antioxidant activity was determined by using the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) method. The highest values for inhibition zone for methanolic and aqueous extracts were recorded for Gram positive Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA. Methanolic extracts exhibited antibacterial activity against tested Gram negative bacteria in variable degree while the growth of these bacteria was not inhibited by aqueous extracts. Tested fungi Candida albicans was not susceptible to investigated oregano extracts. All the extracts showed moderate to potent antioxidant activity, among which the methanolic flower extract demonstrated the strongest antioxidant activity with the IC50 value of 0.205 mg/mL. Therefore it can be concluded that flower and leaf oregano extracts have great antibacterial and antioxidant potential.