SOUTHERN JOURNAL OF SCIENCES

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.

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: Human echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus, the etiological agent of cystic echinococcosis (CE). Aim: This study aims to determine the epidemiological prevalence of Echinococcus granulosus in patients with hydatid cysts and evaluate serum TNF-α levels associated with echinococcosis, as well as the correlation between these levels and disease progression. Methods: Radiological examinations were performed to diagnose Echinococcus granulosus by identifying echinococcal cysts. The study included patients of all ages and both sexes from Al-Sader Medical City, Al-Hakeem General Hospital, Al-Haidarya General Hospital, and Al-Hayat Hospital. The study period was from October 2023 to the end of January 2024. Results: The mean TNF-α level in patients was 163.27 pg/ml, significantly higher than the mean level of 38.58 pg/ml in controls (p-value < 0.001). Conclusion: The prevalence of hydatid disease in Al-Najaf Al-Ashraf was found to be 33%. TNF-α levels are notably higher in patients with Echinococcus granulosus who are under 40 years of age compared to those over 40 years of age.