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Air entrainment in self-compacting concrete (SCC) is governed by coupled interactions between chemical admixtures, empirical workability behaviour, aggregate-skeleton geometry and early air-bubble stability. In highly flowable mixtures, the hardened air-void system cannot be assessed reliably from total air content alone because bubble escape, redistribution and coalescence in the fresh state may change the final pore structure. This study evaluates the link between early fresh-air retention and hardened air-void characteristics in 25 SCC mixtures arranged according to a five-level Graeco-Latin square design. The analysed factors were air-entraining admixture (AEA) dosage (0.00–0.20% by mass of cement), binder type, water-to-binder ratio (0.29–0.41) and the volumetric paste-to-aggregate filling parameter φ (1.1–1.5). The aggregate skeleton was kept constant to separate paste-composition and volumetric-filling effects from aggregate grading. Fresh concrete was characterised by slump-flow diameter, T50 flow time, density and air content after 5 and 15 min; these quantities were treated as empirical workability and early-retention indicators, not as direct rheological parameters. Hardened concrete was examined after 28 days according to EN 480-11 using total hardened air content A, spacing factor L, micropore content A300 and specific surface α. The slump-flow diameter ranged from 50 to 79 cm, fresh air content after 5 min from 1.6% to 8.6%, air loss between 5 and 15 min from 0.41 to 1.12 percentage points, hardened air content from 1.20% to 8.59%, and spacing factor from 0.13 to 0.44 mm. Strong correlations were obtained between fresh and hardened air contents (A5 vs. A: r = 0.920, R2 = 0.846, p < 0.001, 95% CI for r: 0.824–0.964; A15 vs. A: r = 0.922, R2 = 0.849, p < 0.001, 95% CI for r: 0.828–0.965), while hardened air content was strongly and inversely related to spacing factor (A vs. L: r = −0.907, R2 = 0.822, p < 0.001, 95% CI for r: −0.958 to −0.797). The recalculated ANOVA showed that statistical significance was response-dependent: w/b was significant for early air loss ΔA (F = 4.190, p = 0.040, partial η2 = 0.677) and micropore content A300 (F = 4.058, p = 0.044, partial η2 = 0.670), whereas binder type showed near-threshold tendencies for fresh and hardened air contents. No single factor was statistically significant for all air-void descriptors. The SDI-based approach is therefore presented as a bounded explanatory framework, not as an externally validated prediction model. Direct durability claims, including freeze–thaw resistance, require separate experimental verification.

Background and Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease affecting synovial joints including the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This study aimed to assess the prevalence and characteristics of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) in RA patients and correlate these findings with disease activity markers. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 40 RA patients meeting the 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria and 40 healthy subjects (HSs). Research diagnostic criteria for TMD were used to assess TMD. RA severity was evaluated using ESR, CRP, rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-CCP antibodies, Disease Activity Score (DAS) 28, and disease duration. Results: TMD prevalence was significantly higher in RA patients (75%) than in HS. Orofacial pain was a predominant TMD reported in 82.5% of RA patients. In RA patients there was a difference in myofascial pain, TMJ pain, and TMJ sounds in comparison to HS. All masticatory muscles were painful on palpation in RA patients and the pain intensity was higher in RA than in HS. The most painful muscles were the medial pterygoid muscles, the anterior belly of digastric muscle, and the tendon of the temporal muscle. Slight crepitations were the most frequent. Maximal active mouth opening was reduced and negatively correlated with CRP levels. The most frequent jaw function limitations were chewing and yawning difficulties and tinnitus. There were no correlations between TMD and DAS, RF, and disease duration. Conclusions: Active inflammation in RA is a crucial factor reducing mouth opening. TMD screening independent of disease duration should be integrated into RA management protocols, particularly for patients with elevated inflammatory markers, to eliminate other pathological factors contributing to faster TMJ functional changes, TMJ involvement, and the severity of TMD during RA course.

This multicenter, real-world, retrospective cohort study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of tofacitinib (TOFA) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Two hundred nine patients with active RA treated with TOFA, unresponsive to at least 2 conventional synthetic disease-modifying drugs, were recruited. Clinical characteristics were extracted from an electronic registry and supplemented with manual chart review and data linkage with ambulatory care. Drug retention and reasons for discontinuation were evaluated. Median (interquartile range) follow-up in the whole sample was 16.9 (5.93-31.7) months. Mean (standard deviation) age was 51.44 (±11.84) years, with female predominance ( = 168, 80.4%). Only 30 patients (14.4%) had no pre-existing traditional cardiovascular (CV) risk factor at TOFA initiation. Tofacitinib retention rates were high, with median survival estimated at 89.3% at 6 months, 82.4% at 12 months, and 60.4% at 24 months. Ineffectiveness was the primary cause of discontinuation ( = 50). The rate of adverse events (AEs) was relatively low, with lipid abnormalities, blood count alterations, and infectious events among the most common. No major adverse CV event was reported. The incidence rate of AEs necessitating treatment switch was 60.34 (95% CI: 37-92) per 1,000 person-years of follow-up. Presence of multiple (> 3) CV risk factors was associated with lower odds of TOFA retention and treatment effectiveness. Tofacitinib demonstrated high retention rates and a favorable safety profile in RA patients, including those with traditional CV risk factors. Tofacitinib may be a valuable treatment option for RA patients when combined with individualized CV risk management. Further studies are warranted to explore the long-term effects of TOFA and its CV impact in larger populations.

Real-life data that support effectiveness of secukinumab (SEC), an interleukin 17A inhibitor, in Poland are few. We aimed to evaluate SEC effectiveness based on drug retention and safety measures reported in electronic medical records (EMRs) of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) from two tertiary-care centers in the region of Lesser Poland. A total one-hundred eighty seven (127 PsA and 60 AS) first (n = 112), second (n = 59) and third-line SEC users were enrolled. The mean (SD) age of the sample was 45.7 (12.9), and 48% were male. All patients were classified with active and severe disease prior to initiation. Administrative delays for SEC users last a median 2 weeks. Median delay from symptom onset to diagnosis was 4 years (IQR 8), and differed by predominant disease subtype. The inefficacy rate was 10.7% and 18.6% for first and second-line users with median (IQR) drug maintenance estimated at 1.22 years (1.46) and 1.51 (1.38), respectively. First-year drug loss defined as drug switch due to inefficacy or adverse event was rare, with median estimates of 0.91 (95% CI; 0.85, 0.97) and 0.86 (95% CI; 0.77, 0.95) for first and second-line, respectively.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was a cross-cultural adaptation of the Spine Functional Index to produce a Polish version (SFI-PL). Further, the psychometric properties were evaluated with standardized criteria patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) in a symptomatic Polish spine population.MethodsLinguistic adaptation complied with the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) guidelines to produce the SFI-PL. Subjects with spine conditions, all areas and multi-area, were recruited from a Polish Specialist Hospital (n = 225, age = 45.7 ± 16.0 years, range 18–87, female = 60%, symptoms duration = 13.93 ± 27.56 weeks, range 5–84). Baseline internal consistency, reliability and validity were examined and included the SFI-PL, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Neck Disability Index (NDI), EuroQol 5 Dimensions, 5-level version (EQ-5D-5L) and an 11-point pain Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) with retest at 3–7 days (= 5 days). Practicality for readability was considered within the face and content validity and completion and scoring time calculated.ResultsStatistical analysis showed excellent internal consistency (α = 0.90) and high test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.98). The error score was determined with the SEM = 3.14 (MDC 90% CI = 7.33%). The construct validity analysis demonstrated strong correlations between the SFI-PL, the NDI (r = 0.73) and the ODI (r = 0.82); moderate with the EQ index value (0.70) and EQ-VAS (r = 0.56). Time to complete (229 s) and score (27 s) were determined.ConclusionsThe SFI-PL is a psychometrically sound PROM for Polish-speaking patients with spine conditions. The results support previous findings from the original—English and six other language versions for internal consistency, reliability, measurement error and validity.Graphic abstractThese slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.

A novel plastic scintillator is developed for the application in the digital positron emission tomography (PET). The novelty of the concept lies in application of the 2-(4-styrylphenyl)benzoxazole as a wavelength shifter. The substance has not been used as scintillator dopant before. A dopant shifts the scintillation spectrum towards longer wavelengths making it more suitable for applications in scintillators of long strips geometry and light detection with digital silicon photomultipliers. These features open perspectives for the construction of the cost-effective and MRI-compatible PET scanner with the large field of view. In this article we present the synthesis method and characterize performance of the elaborated scintillator by determining its light emission spectrum, light emission efficiency, rising and decay time of the scintillation pulses and resulting timing resolution when applied in the positron emission tomography. The optimal concentration of the novel wavelength shifter was established by maximizing the light output and it was found to be 0.05 ‰ for cuboidal scintillator with dimensions of 14 mm x 14 mm x 20 mm.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive malignant brain tumour. The average survival time for a patient diagnosed with GBM, using standard treatment methods, is several months. Authors of the article pose a direct question: Is it possible to treat GBM solely with radioactive iodine (¹³¹I) therapy without employing the sodium iodide symporter (NIS) gene? After all, NIS has been detected not only in the thyroid but also in various tumours. The main author of this article (A.C.), with the assistance of her colleagues (physicians and pharmacologists), underwent ¹³¹I therapy after prior iodine inhibition, resulting in approximately 30% reduction in tumour size as revealed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Classical therapy for GBM encompasses neurosurgery, conventional radiotherapy, and chemotherapy (e.g. temozolomide). Currently, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (imatinib, sunitinib, and sorafenib) are being used. Additionally, novel drugs such as crizotinib, entrectinib, or larotrectinib are being applied. Recently, personalised multimodal immunotherapy (IMI) based on anti-tumour vaccines derived from oncolytic viruses has been developed, concomitant with the advancement of cellular and molecular immunology. Thus, ¹³¹I therapy has been successfully employed for the first time in the case of GBM recurrence.