Bloodstream infections in neonates with central venous catheters in three tertiary neonatal intensive care units in Pune, India.

BACKGROUND: Neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are at risk for healthcare-associated infections, including central line-associated bloodstream infections. We aimed to characterize the epidemiology of bloodstream infections among neonates with central venous catheters admitted to three Indian NICUs. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study in three tertiary NICUs, from May 1, 2017 until July 31, 2019. All neonates admitted to the NICU were enrolled and followed until discharge, transfer, or death. Cases were defined as positive blood cultures in neonates with a central venous catheter in place for greater than 2 days or within 2 days of catheter removal. RESULTS: During the study period, 140 bloodstream infections were identified in 131 neonates with a central venous catheter. The bloodstream infection rate was 11.9 per 1000 central line-days. Gram-negative organisms predominated, with 38.6% of cases caused by Klebsiella spp. and 14.9% by Acinetobacter spp. Antimicrobial resistance was prevalent among Gram-negative isolates, with 86.9% resistant to third- or fourth-generation cephalosporins, 63.1% to aminoglycosides, 61.9% to fluoroquinolones, and 42.0% to carbapenems. Mortality and length of stay were greater in neonates with bloodstream infection than in neonates without bloodstream infection (unadjusted analysis, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We report a high bloodstream infection rate among neonates with central venous catheters admitted to three tertiary care NICUs in India. Action to improve infection prevention and control practices in the NICU is needed to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with BSI in this high-risk population.

LONG-TERM USE OF GLUCOCORTICOID MODULATED PARATHYROID HORMONE LEVELS IN OSTEOPOROSIS PATIENTS.

Glucocorticoids are drugs that are often used in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Their anti-inflammatory action is often utilized to treat a variety of diseases. A range of undesirable outcomes might occur with long-term glucocorticoid use, particularly long-term high-dose applications. This study designs as a case-control study, which was conducted in the Joint Enology Clinic/Al-Hilla Teaching Hospital, Al-Imam Al-Sadiq Hospital, and Merjan Teaching Hospital in Hilla City, Babylon Governorate of Iraq. This study was carried out between December 2022 to March 2023. In this study, the total number of subjects was 100; the patient group consisted of 50 with osteoporosis (19 males and 31 females). Patients and control group's ages were (41-50 years). They were selected as matched in terms of gender and age. The results referred to the increased levels, of parathyroid hormone in osteoporosis patients with highly significant differences (P≤0.0001) when compared with the control group, while there was a significant decrease in calcium in the patient group (P≤0.0001) when compared with the control group. In conclusion, the parathyroid hormone has a beneficial association to indicate bone mineralization status. Parathyroid hormone could be used as a prognostic marker in individuals with long-term use of glucocorticoid to predict the development of bone mineral disease.

Eco-friendly MA3Bi2I9perovskite thin films based ammonia sensor.

Organic-inorganic perovskite halides (OIPH) have emerged as a wonder material with growing interest in sensors detecting various toxic gases. However, lead toxicity represents a potential obstacle, and therefore finding lead-free cost-effective compatible materials for gas sensing applications is essential. In this work, methylammonium bismuth iodide i.e. (CH3NH3)3Bi2I9(MABI) perovskite thin films-based ammonia (NH3) sensor was synthesized using an antisolvent-assisted one-step spin coating method. The MABI sensor shows a linear relationship between the responsivity and concentration of NH3with excellent reversibility, high gas responsivity, and humidity stability. The MABI thin-film sensor exhibits a maximum gas response of 24%, a short response/recovery time i.e. 0.14 s /8.15 s and good reversibility at 6 ppm of NH3. It was observed that MABI thin films based sensors have excellent ambient stability over a couple of months. This work reveals that it is feasible to design high-performance gas sensors based on environmentally-friendly Bi-based OIPH materials.

Appraisal of groundwater from lithological diversity of the western coastal part, Maharashtra, India: An integrated hydrogeochemical, geospatial and statistical approaches.

The present study attempts to decipher the seasonal variations in hydro-geochemistry of groundwater in the Terekhol River Basin, western coastal region, Maharashtra, India. A total of 65 groundwater samples of post-monsoon (POMS) and pre-monsoon (PRMS) seasons were collected and analyzed for major ion composition using standard analytical procedures of APHA. Piper and Gibbs plots is used to elucidate the controlling factors which altering the groundwater composition. Scatter plots of ions indicate that major ions from lithologies exposed in the study area and anthropogenic activities are altering the groundwater chemistry. Statistical analysis includes correlation, factor analysis and cluster analysis used to interpret the hydrochemical data. As compared to the WHO drinking standards, all the groundwater samples are fit for drinking. Irrigation water suitability was ascertained based on SAR, %Na and KR indices. Overall, the groundwater chemistry in study area is reflects changes in natural processes rather than anthropogenic inputs.

Novel approach to synthesize NiCo2S4 composite for high-performance supercapacitor application with different molar ratio of Ni and Co.

Here, we developed a new approach to synthesize NiCo2S4 thin films for supercapacitor application using the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method on Ni mesh with different molar ratios of Ni and Co precursors. The five different NiCo2S4 electrodes affect the electrochemical performance of the supercapacitor. The NiCo2S4 thin films demonstrate superior supercapacitance performance with a significantly higher specific capacitance of 1427 F g-1 at a scan rate of 20 mV s-1. These results indicate that ternary NiCo2S4 thin films are more effective electrodes compared to binary metal oxides and metal sulfides.

Using chemical bath deposition to create nanosheet-like CuO electrodes for supercapacitor applications.

We report the effect of ionic liquids on chemically synthesized hierarchical-like copper oxide (CuO) thin films for supercapacitor applications. Concisely, the CuO thin films were deposited via chemical bath deposition (CBD) using 2-dimethylimidazolium chloride [HPDMIM(C1)], 1-(2',3'-dihydroxypropyl)-3-methylimidazolium chloride [DHPMIM(C1)], and N-(3-methyl-2-oxopropyl)pyridine chloride [MOCPP(C1)] ionic liquid solvents. The effects of the ionic liquid solvents on the morphological evolution of the as-prepared films were analyzed, and electrochemical properties were investigated. The highest specific capacitance was achieved for the electrode with a nanosheet-like structure produced by functionalization with the HPDMIM(C1) ionic liquid. The maximum specific capacitance achieved for the HPDMIM(C1):CuO hybrid electrode was 464 F g-1 at 5 mV s-1 in a 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte. Thus, our findings, in addition to the stability of the HPDMIM(C1):CuO, indicate that it is a candidate for energy-storage applications.

Synthesis and luminescence study of Eu3+ -doped SrYAl3 O7 phosphor.

Rare-earth ions play an important role in eco-friendly solid-state lighting for the lighting industry. In the present study we were interested in Eu3+ ion-doped inorganic phosphors for near ultraviolet (UV) excited light-emitting diode (LED) applications. Eu3+ ion-activated SrYAl3 O7 phosphors were prepared using a solution combustion route at 550°C. Photoluminescence characterization of SrYAl3 O7 :Eu3+ phosphors showed a 612 nm emission peak in the red region of the spectrum due to the 5 D0 →7 F2 transition of Eu3+ ions under excitation at 395 nm in the near-UV region and at the 466 nm blue excitation wavelength. These red and blue emissions are supported for white light generation for LED lighting. Structure, bonding between each element of the sample and morphology of the sample were analysed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which showed that the samples were crystallized in a well known structure. The phosphor was irradiated with a 60 Co-γ (gamma) source at a dose rate of 7.2 kGy/h. Thermoluminescence (TL) studies of these Eu3+ -doped SrYAl3 O7 phosphors were performed using a Nucleonix TL 1009I TL reader. Trapping parameters of this phosphor such as activation energy (E), order of kinetics (b) and frequency factor (s) were calculated using Chen's peak shape method, the initial rise method and Ilich's method.

Anthropometric measures as biomarkers of neurodevelopmental outcomes of newborns with moderate to severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy.

BACKGROUND: Perinatal asphyxia is a prominent cause of neonatal mortality in the developing world. Growth in head circumference is associated with improved neurodevelopment. Previous studies found a positive correlation between additional dietary supplementation and growth in head circumference among newborns with perinatal brain injury. This study aims to evaluate the association between anthropometric parameters and developmental outcomes in newborns with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). METHODS: Newborns at ≥36 weeks gestation with moderate to severe HIE were included in the study and growth parameters were monitored. Newborns with life-threatening anomalies were excluded. None of the study participants received therapeutic hypothermia (TH). Developmental Assessment Scale for Indian Infants (DASII) was used to evaluate neurodevelopmental outcomes at 1 year of age. RESULTS: Of 76 study participants, 46 were followed for 12 months, 28 died, and 2 were lost to follow-up. HIE stage III, Apgar score <5 at 5 minutes of age, pH ≤ 7.1 on first blood gas and base deficit > - 16 was associated with death or disability at 1 year of age. All anthropometric parameters were significantly lower in presence of death or disability. pH ≤ 7.1 at birth (odds ratio: 11.835, 95% CI 2.273-61.629, p = 0.003) and weight gain at one year (odds ratio 1.001, 95% CI 1.000-1.002, p = 0.03) were significantly associated with death and disability. CONCLUSION: pH > 7.1 at birth, and weight gain were associated with better neurodevelopmental outcomes at 1 year of age. Thus, in addition to TH, nutritional interventions may potentially improve outcomes among newborns with HIE.

Polycrystalline to preferred-(100) single crystal texture phase transformation of yttrium iron garnet nanoparticles.

Nanocrystalline Ce-substituted yttrium iron garnet (YIG) powders of different compositions, Y3-x Ce x Fe5O12 (0 ≤ x ≤ 2.0), were synthesized by a combination of sol-gel auto-combustion and solid-state synthesis techniques. The as-obtained powder samples were sintered at 1150 °C for 10 h. The garnet structure formation is confirmed by the X-ray diffraction pattern, which shows that the calculated lattice parameter increased for x = 1.0 and shows a decreasing trend for x ≥ 1.0 with the addition of cerium ions. The lattice parameter increased from 12.38 Å to 12.41 Å for x ≤ 1.0 whereas it decreased from 12.412 Å to 12.405 Å with the cerium composition for x > 1.0. The average particle size determined by high resolution transmission electron microscopy is in the range of 50 to 90 nm and found to increase with the substitution of cerium ions in YIG. The room temperature magnetic parameters such as saturation magnetization, coercivity and remanence magnetization are greatly affected by the substitution of cerium ions. The values of saturation magnetization decrease from 25.5 to 15 emu g-1 whereas coercivity increases from 1 to 28 Oe with the substitution of cerium ions. The pure YIG sample shows polycrystalline nature that changed towards a single-crystal structure leading to a preferred-(100) orientation with the Ce substitution. The change from a ring to a spotty pattern observed in SAED confirmed the crystalline phase transformation and is well supported by HRTEM and magnetic measurements. The behavior of magnetic and electrical properties is well supported by the poly- and single-crystalline nature of YIG and Ce-YIG, respectively. The crystal structure transformation in YIG brought about by Ce substitution could unveil enormous opportunities in the preparation of single-crystal materials from their polycrystalline counterparts.

Effect of electron beam irradiation on chemically synthesized nanoflake-like CdS electrodes for photoelectrochemical applications.

In this paper, we chemically synthesized interconnected nanoflake-like CdS thin films for photoelectrochemical solar cell applications and subsequently irradiated them with electron beam irradiation at various doses of irradiation. The as-synthesized and irradiated samples were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and electrochemical measurements. XRD and XPS results confirmed the formation of CdS with a hexagonal crystal structure. FE-SEM and HR-TEM studies confirmed the photoelectrochemical performance, which was dependent on the surface morphology. The calculated values for efficiency demonstrated an outstanding photoelectrochemical performance with a fill factor of 0.38 and efficiency of 3.06% at 30 kGy. The high photoelectrochemical performance may be due to the interconnected nanoflake-like nanostructure and higher active surface area of the CdS samples. These results show that the electron beam irradiation is capable as an electrode for photoelectrochemical solar cells.

Morphological enhancement to CuO nanostructures by electron beam irradiation for biocompatibility and electrochemical performance.

This paper reports the effect of electron beam irradiation on CuO thin films synthesized by the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method on copper foil for supercapacitor and biocompatibility application. Pristine and irradiated samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and electrochemical study. Pristine and irradiated CuO films were pure monoclinic phase, with uniform nanostructures over the whole copper foil. After irradiation, CuO samples had formed innovative nanostructures. Biocompatibility of pristine and irradiated CuO samples suggest that CuO sample is non-toxic and ecofriendly. The specific capacitance of pristine and irradiated CuO strongly depends on surface morphology, and CuO electrodes after irradiation showed superior performance than pristine CuO. The highest specific capacitance of the 20kGy irradiated CuO nanoflowers exceeded 511Fg-1 at 10mVs-1 in 1M KOH electrolyte. Irradiated CuO samples also showed lower ESR, and were superior to other report electrical energy storage materials.

Chemical synthesis of hierarchical NiCo2S4 nanosheets like nanostructure on flexible foil for a high performance supercapacitor.

In this study, hierarchical interconnected nickel cobalt sulfide (NiCo2S4) nanosheets were effectively deposited on a flexible stainless steel foil by the chemical bath deposition method (CBD) for high-performance supercapacitor applications. The resulting NiCo2S4 sample was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and electrochemical measurements. XRD and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results confirmed the formation of the ternary NiCo2S4 sample with a pure cubic phase. FE-SEM and HR-TEM revealed that the entire foil surface was fully covered with the interconnected nanosheets like surface morphology. The NiCo2S4 nanosheets demonstrated impressive electrochemical characteristics with a specific capacitance of 1155 F g-1 at 10 mV s-1 and superior cycling stability (95% capacity after 2000 cycles). These electrochemical characteristics could be attributed to the higher active area and higher conductivity of the sample. The results demonstrated that the interconnected NiCo2S4 nanosheets are promising as electrodes for supercapacitor and energy storage applications.

The PARP family: insights into functional aspects of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 in cell growth and survival.

PARP family members can be found spread across all domains and continue to be essential molecules from lower to higher eukaryotes. Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1), newly termed ADP-ribosyltransferase D-type 1 (ARTD1), is a ubiquitously expressed ADP-ribosyltransferase (ART) enzyme involved in key cellular processes such as DNA repair and cell death. This review assesses current developments in PARP-1 biology and activation signals for PARP-1, other than conventional DNA damage activation. Moreover, many essential functions of PARP-1 still remain elusive. PARP-1 is found to be involved in a myriad of cellular events via conservation of genomic integrity, chromatin dynamics and transcriptional regulation. This article briefly focuses on its other equally important overlooked functions during growth, metabolic regulation, spermatogenesis, embryogenesis, epigenetics and differentiation. Understanding the role of PARP-1, its multidimensional regulatory mechanisms in the cell and its dysregulation resulting in diseased states, will help in harnessing its true therapeutic potential.

Effect of La3+ Impurity on Magnetic and Electrical Properties of Co-Cu-Cr-Fe Nanoparticles.

In this work a series of Co0.7Cu0.3Cr0.5La(x)Fe1.5-(x)O4 were synthesized via sol-gel auto-combustion technique through the incorporation of La3+ into the raw powders. The structural magnetic and resistivity properties of the synthesized Co-Cu-Cr-La ferrites were investigated. X-ray diffraction data indicated that, after La3+ doping, samples consisted of the main spinel phase in combination with a small amount of a foreign LaFeO3 phase. The addition of La3+ resulted in the reduction of particle size and an increase of porosity of the synthesized samples. The infrared spectra were recorded on the range from 300-800 cm(-1). The two primary bands corresponding to tetrahedral v1 at 595-605 cm(-1) and octahedral v2 at 389-413 cm(-1) were observed. The octahedral site radii increased rapidly with La3+ substitution while the tetrahedral site radii slowly increased. Deviation from the ideal oxygen positional parameter is found to decrease with La3+ substitution. The saturation magnetization of the samples decreased with the amount of La3+ ions doped and the coercivity shows an opposite trend. La3+ substitution affects the hopping between Fe2+ <-> Fe3+, resulted in increase in resistivity.

Response of Dictyostelium discoideum to UV-C and involvement of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase.

OBJECTIVES: Radiation and chemical mutagens are direct DNA-damaging agents and ultraviolet (UV) radiation is frequently used in biological studies. Consequent to ozone depletion, UV-C could become a great challenge to living organisms on earth, in the near future. The present study has focused on the role of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) during UV-C-induced growth and developmental changes in Dictyostelium discoideum, a phylogenetically important unicellular eukaryote. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dictyostelium discoideum cells were exposed to different doses of UV-C and PARP activity, and effects of its inhibition were studied. Expression of developmentally regulated genes yakA, car1, aca, csA, regA, ctnA, ctnB, gp24, hspD and dsn were analysed using semiquantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: We report that the D. discoideum cells displayed PARP activation within 2 min of UV-C irradiation and there was increase in NO levels in a dose-dependent manner. UV-C-irradiated cells had impaired growth, delayed or blocked development and delayed germination compared to control cells. In our previous studies we have shown that inhibition of PARP recovered oxidative stress-induced changes in D. discoideum; however, intriguingly PARP inhibition did not correct all defects as effectively in UV-C-irradiated cells. This possibly was due to interplay with increased NO signalling. CONCLUSIONS: Our results signify that UV-C and oxidative stress affected growth and development in D. discoideum by different mechanisms; these studies could provide major clues to complex mechanisms of growth and development in higher organisms.

Biogenic synthesis of multi-applicative silver nanoparticles by using Ziziphus Jujuba leaf extract.

Herein, we are reporting for the first time one step biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) at room temperature by using Ziziphus Jujuba leaf extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The process of nanoparticles preparation is green, rapid, environmentally benign and cost effective. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized by means of UV-Vis., XRD, FT-IR, TEM, DLS and Zeta potential. The absorption band centered at λmax 434 nm in UV-Vis. reflects surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of AgNPs. XRD analysis revealed, that biosynthesized AgNPs are crystalline in nature with the face centered cubic structure. FT-IR analysis indicates that nanoparticles were capped with the leaf extract. TEM images shows the synthesized nanoparticles are having different shapes with 20-30 nm size. The data obtained from DLS that support the hydrodynamic size of 28 nm. Zeta potential of -26.4 mV indicates that the nanoparticles were highly stable in colloidal state. The effect of pH, quantity of leaf extract and concentrations of AgNO3 were also studied to attend control over the particle size and stability. The synthesized AgNPs shows highly efficient catalytic activity towards the reduction of anthropogenic pollutant 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) and Methylene Blue (MB) for environmental protection. Synthesized AgNPs also exhibited good antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli.

Antiviral drug profile of human influenza A & B viruses circulating in India: 2004-2011.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Recent influenza antiviral resistance studies in South East Asia, Europe and the United States reveal adamantane and neuraminidase inhibitor (NAIs) resistance. This study was undertaken to evaluate antiviral resistance in influenza viruses isolated from various parts of India, during 2004 to 2011. METHODS: Influenza viruses were analyzed genetically for known resistance markers by M2 and NA gene sequencing. Influenza A/H1N1 (n=206), A/H3N2 (n=371) viruses for amantadine resistance and A/H1N1 (n=206), A/H3N2 (n=272) and type B (n=326) for oseltamivir resistance were sequenced. Pandemic (H1N1) (n=493) isolates were tested for H274Y mutation by real time reverse transcription (rRT)-PCR. Randomly selected resistant and sensitive influenza A/H1N1 and A/H3N2 viruses were confirmed by phenotypic assay. RESULTS: Serine to asparagine (S3IN) mutation was detected in six isolates of 2007-2008. One dual-resistant A/H1N1 was detected for the first time in India with leucine to phenylalanine (L26F) mutation in M2 gene and H274Y mutation in NA gene. A/H3N2 viruses showed an increase in resistance to amantadine from 22.5 per cent in 2005 to 100 per cent in 2008 onwards with S3IN mutation. Fifty of the 61 (82%) A/H1N1 viruses tested in 2008-2009 were oseltamivir resistant with H274Y mutation, while all A/H3N2, pandemic A/H1N1 and type B isolates remained sensitive. Genetic results were also confirmed by phenotypic analysis of randomly selected 50 resistant A/H1N1 and 40 sensitive A/H3N2 isolates. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: Emergence of influenza viruses resistant to amantadine and oseltamivir in spite of negligible usage of antivirals emphasizes the need for continuous monitoring of antiviral resistance.

Preparation of N doped TiO2 via microwave-assisted method and its photocatalytic activity for degradation of Malathion.

We report herein, nitrogen doped TiO2 nanostructure synthesized by simple microwave assisted method, where ammonia was used as hydrolyzing agent. The synthesized nanomaterials were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) which demonstrated that N-doped TiO2 is in anatase phase with average crystallite size of 10nm. Doping of N into the lattice of TiO2 was supported by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), CHNS analysis, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) showed shifting of absorption edge toward the visible region. Thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA) points out N-doped TiO2 nanoparticles are thermally stable. In order to achieve maximum degradation efficiency, the effect of catalyst loading, pH and light sources (UV and sunlight) were studied. A maximum 97% degradation efficiency was achieved under optimized conditions. A 80% reduction in the chemical oxygen demand (COD) was observed after 150min that indicated mineralization of Malathion. The cytotoxicological studies indicate that photocatalytically degraded products were less toxic as compared to Malathion.

Highly active lanthanum doped ZnO nanorods for photodegradation of metasystox.

La-doped ZnO nanorods with different La contents were synthesized by microwave assisted method and characterized by various sophisticated techniques such as XRD, UV-Vis., EDS, XPS, SEM and TEM. The XRD patterns of the La-doped ZnO indicate hexagonal crystal structure with an average crystallite size of 30nm. It was found that the crystallite size of La-doped ZnO is much smaller as compared to pure ZnO and decreases with increasing La content. The photocatalytic activity of 0.5mol% La-doped ZnO in the degradation of metasystox was studied. It was observed that degradation efficiency of metasystox over La-doped ZnO increases up to 0.5mol% doping then decreases for higher doping levels. Among the catalyst studied, the 0.5mol% La-doped ZnO was the most active, showing high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of metasystox. The maximum reduction of concentration of metasystox was observed under static condition at pH 8. Reduction in the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of metasystox was observed after 150min. The cytotoxicological studies of meristematic root tip cells of Allium cepa were studied. The results obtained indicate that photocatalytically degraded products of metasystox were less toxic as compared to metasystox.

Wastewater renovation using constructed soil filter (CSF): a novel approach.

Constructed soil filter (CSF) also known as Soil Biotechnology (SBT) is a process for water renovation which makes use of formulated media with culture of soil macro- and microorganisms. CSF combines sedimentation, infiltration and biodegradation processes to remove oxidizable organics and inorganics of wastewater in a single facility. Operating experience shows hydraulic loading in the range of 0.05-0.25 m(3)/m(2) h and organic loading up to 200-680 g/m(2) d. The results show increase in dissolved oxygen levels, COD removal (from 352 mg/l to 20 mg/l); BOD removal (from 211 mg/l to 7.0 mg/l); suspended solids removal (from 293 mg/l to 16 mg/l); turbidity reduction (from 145 NTU to 5.3 NTU); iron (from 5 mg/l to 0.3 mg/l); arsenic (from 500 microg/l to 10 microg/l); total coliform and fecal coliform removal (from 145 x 10(5) to 55 CFU/100 mL and 150 x 10(8) to 110 CFU/100 mL respectively), with desired pathogen levels as per WHO standards, i.e. < or =10(3) CFU/100 mL. CSF reveals advantages such as low HRT (0.5-2.0 h), low energy requirement (0.04 kWh/m(3)), no pre-treatment, high dissolved oxygen levels in the effluent, no biosludge production, no mechanical aeration and no odor, fish compatible water quality and evergreen ambience.