Objective: To describe magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of the brain in patients younger than 65 years who were studied by transcranial Doppler (TCD) with microbubble contrast, with a history of cryptogenic cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and suspected patent foramen ovale (PFO).

Materials and methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included patients of both sexes, younger than 65 years of age.

Results: Our sample (n = 47.47% male and 53% female, mean age is 42 years) presented high-intensity transient signals (HITS) positive in 61.7% and HITS-negative in 38.3%. In HITS-positive patients, lesions at the level of the subcortical U-brains, single or multiple with bilaterally symmetrical distribution, predominated. In patients with moderate HITS, lesions in the vascular territory of the posterior circulation predominated.

Conclusion: In patients younger than 65 years with cryptogenic stroke and subcortical, single or multiple U-shaped lesions with bilateral and symmetrical distribution, a PFO should be considered as a possible cause of these lesions.

A metakaolin-based geopolymer was fabricated with 5 ratios of two different nanomaterials. On the one hand, silicon carbide nanowhiskers and, on the other hand, titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Both were placed in water and received ultrasonic energy to be dispersed. The effects on mechanical properties and reaction kinetics were analyzed. Compared to the reference matrix, the results showed a tendency to increase the flexural strength. Probably due to the geometry of the SiC nanowhiskers and the pore refinement by the nano-TiO₂ particles. The calorimetry curves showed that incorporating TiO₂ nanoparticles resulted in a 92% reduction in total heat, while SiC nanowhiskers produced a 25% reduction in total heat.

In many cases, the expected efficiency advantages of public-private partnership (PPP) projects as a specific form of infrastructure provision did not materialize ex post. From a Public Choice perspective, one simple explanation for many of the problems surrounded by the governance of PPPs is that the public decision-makers being involved in the process of initiating and implementing PPP projects (namely, politicians and public bureaucrats) in many situations make low- cost decisions in the sense of Kirchgässner (1948–2017). That is, their decisions may have a high impact on the wealth of the jurisdiction in which the PPP is located (most notably, on the welfare of citizen-taxpayers in this jurisdiction) but, at the same time, these decisions often only have a low impact on the private welfare of the individual decision-makers in politics and bureaucracy. The latter, for example, in many settings often have a low economic incentive to monitor/control what the private-sector partners are doing (or not doing) within a PPP arrangement. The purpose of this paper is to draw greater attention to the problems created by low-cost decisions for the governance of PPPs. Moreover, the paper discusses potential remedies arising from the viewpoint of Public Choice and Constitutional Political Economy.

The influence of mining activity on the environment on the environment belongs to the most negative industrial influences. Mine subsidence on the surface can be a result of many deep underground mining activities. The present study offers the theory to the specific case of the deformation vectors solution in a case of disruption of the data homogeneity of the geodetic network structure in the monitoring station during periodical measurements in mine subsidence. The theory was developed for the mine subsidence at the abandoned magnesite mine of Košice-Bankov near the city of Košice in East Slovakia. The outputs from the deformation survey were implemented into geographical information system (GIS) applications to a process of gradual reclamation of whole mining landscape in the magnesite mine vicinity. After completion of the mining operations and liquidation of the mine company, it was necessary to determine the exact edges of the mine subsidence of Košice-Bankov with the zones of residual ground motion in order to implement a comprehensive reclamation of the devastated mining landscape. Requirement of knowledge about stability of the former mine subsidence was necessary for starting the reclamation work. Outputs from the present specific solutions of the deformation vectors confirmed the multi-year stability of the mine subsidence in the area of interest. Some numerical and graphical results from the deformation vectors survey in the abandoned magnesite mine of Košice-Bankov are presented. The obtained results were transformed into GIS for the needs of the municipality of Košice City to the implementation of the reclamation activities in the mining territory of Košice-Bankov.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the combined effect of bovine manure, Pseudomonas putida and Trichoderma aureoviride on the development of lettuce (Lactuca sativa). The promotion of plant growth by microorganisms may be a viable and sustainable alternative for lettuce crop management. The experimental design was entirely randomized with five treatments: T0 (witness without fertilization, P. putida and T. aureoviride), TE (cattle manure), TEB (cattle manure + P. putida), TEF (cattle manure + T. aureoviride), TEFB (cattle manure + P. putida + T. aureoviride) and ten repetitions each. The following variables were analyzed: germination velocity index (GVI), first count (FC), germination percentage (GP), leaf area index and productivity. The TEFB treatment proved to be a viable alternative for the production of lettuce, especially for small producers, since all the vegetable production in the region comes from family farming.