Deformed graphene FET biosensor on textured glass coupled with dielectrophoretic trapping for ultrasensitive detection of GFAP.

Numerous efforts have been undertaken to mitigate the Debye screening effect of FET biosensors for achieving higher sensitivity. There are few reports that show sub-femtomolar detection of biomolecules by FET mechanisms but they either suffer from significant background noise or lack robust control. In this aspect, deformed/crumpled graphene has been recently deployed by other researchers for various biomolecule detection like DNA, COVID-19 spike proteins and immunity markers like IL-6 at sub-femtomolar levels. However, the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) approach for graphene fabrication suffers from various surface contamination while the transfer process induces structural defects. In this paper, an alternative fabrication methodology has been proposed where glass substrate has been initially texturized by wet chemical etching through the sacrificial layer of synthesized silver nanoparticles, obtained by annealing of thin silver films leading to solid state dewetting. Graphene has been subsequently deposited by thermal reduction technique from graphene oxide solution. The resulting deformed graphene structure exhibits higher sensor response towards glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) detection with respect to flat graphene owing to the combined effect of reduced Debye screening and higher surface area for receptor immobilization. Additionally, another interesting aspect of the reported work lies in the biomolecule capture by dielectrophoretic (DEP) transport on the crests of the convex surfaces of graphene in a coplanar gated topology structure which has resulted in 10 aM and 28 aM detection limits of GFAP in buffer and undiluted plasma respectively, within 15 min of application of analyte. The detection limit in buffer is almost four decades lower than that documented for GFAP using biosensors which is is expected to pave way for advancing graphene FET based sensors towards ultrasensitive point-of-care diagnosis of GFAP, a biomarker for traumatic brain injury.

Cryopreservation and assessment of genetic fidelity Acorus calamus Linn., an endangered medicinal plant.

BACKGROUND: Acorus calamus Linn. is a medicinally valuable monocot plant belonging to the family Acoraceae. Over-exploitation and unscientific approach towards harvesting to fulfill an ever-increasing demand have placed it in the endangered list of species. OBJECTIVE: To develop vitrification-based cryopreservation protocols for A. calamus shoot tips, using conventional vitrification and V cryo-plate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Shoot tips (2 mm in size) were cryopreserved with the above techniques by optimizing various parameters such as preculture duration, sucrose concentration in the preculture medium, and PVS2 dehydration time. Regenerated plantlets obtained post-cryopreservation were evaluated by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) to test their genetic fidelity. RESULTS: The highest regrowth of 88.3% after PVS2 exposure of 60 min was achieved with V cryo-plate as compared to 75% after 90 min of PVS2 exposure using conventional vitrification. After cryopreservation, shoot tips developed into complete plantlets in 28 days on regrowth medium (0.5 mg/L BAP, 0.3 mg/L GA3, and 0.3 mg/L ascorbic acid). RAPD analysis revealed 100% monomorphism in all cryo-storage derived regenerants and in vitro donor (120-days-old) plants. CONCLUSION: Shoot tips of A. calamus that were cryopreserved had 88.3% regrowth using V cryo-plate technique and the regerants retained genetic fidelity. https://doi.org/10.54680/fr24210110412.

Cryopreservation of zygotic embryos of Podophyllum hexandrum Royle, an endangered medicinal plant, by vitrification and v cryo-plate techniques.

BACKGROUND: Podophyllum hexandrum is a highly endangered valuable medicinal plant of the Himalayas belonging to family Berberidaceae. This plant needs conservation efforts due to the over-exploitation and unscrupulous harvesting from the wild because of its ever-increasing demand. OBJECTIVE: To establish a long-term cryopreservation method for Podophyllum hexandrum using two techniques: Vitrification and V Cryo-plate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Zygotic embryos were cryopreserved using vitrification and V cryo-plate by optimization of parameters including preculture time, loading time and PVS2 dehydration time. Recovery of zygotic embryos was performed on different regrowth media for plantlet formation. RESULTS: With V cryo-plate, 90% regrowth was obtained as compared to 73.3% with vitrification. V Cryo-plate conditions were pre-culture of zygotic embryos in 0.3 M sucrose for 4 days, treatment in loading solution with 0.8 M sucrose for 20 min, dehydration in PVS2 for 50 min, LN exposure, unloading in 1.2 M sucrose for 20 min and transfer of zygotic embryos to regrowth medium for recovery. During recovery, the maximum number of shoots (4.2) and highest shoot length (5.1 cm) were observed on regrowth medium with 1.5 mg per liter BAP and 0.1 mg per liter IAA (R7). CONCLUSION: Zygotic embryos of Podophyllum hexandrum were cryopreserved with 90% regrowth using a V cryoplate technique and plantlets were produced directly after cryopreservation. Doi: 10.54680/fr23410110712.

Cancer trends and burden among Armed Forces personnel, veterans and their families: Cancer registry data analysis from tertiary care hospital.

Background: Cancer incidence is rising across the globe. The incidence and patterns of various cancers among Armed Forces Personnel and Veterans is not known. We did the analysis of registry data maintained at our hospital. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of all patients registered at our hospital cancer registry between 01st January 2017 and 31st December 2019. Patients were registered with unique identification number. Baseline demographics and cancer subtype data were retrieved. Patients with histopathologically proven diagnosis and age ≥18 years were studied. Armed Forces Personnel (AFP) were defined as those who are in active service, and Veterans as those who had retired from service at the time of registration. Patients with Acute and Chronic Leukemias were excluded. Results: New cases registered were 2023, 2856 and 3057 in year 2017, 2018, 2019 respectively. AFP, Veterans and dependents among them were 9.6%, 17.8%, and 72.6% respectively. Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan represented 55% of all cases with male to female ratio 1.14:1 and median age was 59 years. The median age among AFP was 39 years. Among AFP as well as veterans, Head and Neck cancer was the most common malignancy. Cancer incidence was significantly higher in adults >40 years as compared to <40 years. Conclusion: Seven percent rise per year of new cases in this cohort is alarming. Tobacco-related cancers were the most common. There is an unmet need to establish a prospective centralized Cancer Registry to better understand the risk factors, outcomes of treatment and strengthen the policy matters.

ACR White Paper on Magnetoencephalography and Magnetic Source Imaging: A Report from the ACR Commission on Neuroradiology.

Magnetoencephalography, the extracranial detection of tiny magnetic fields emanating from intracranial electrical activity of neurons, and its source modeling relation, magnetic source imaging, represent a powerful functional neuroimaging technique, able to detect and localize both spontaneous and evoked activity of the brain in health and disease. Recent years have seen an increased utilization of this technique for both clinical practice and research, in the United States and worldwide. This report summarizes current thinking, presents recommendations for clinical implementation, and offers an outlook for emerging new clinical indications.

Role of animal models in biomedical research: a review.

The animal model deals with the species other than the human, as it can imitate the disease progression, its' diagnosis as well as a treatment similar to human. Discovery of a drug and/or component, equipment, their toxicological studies, dose, side effects are in vivo studied for future use in humans considering its' ethical issues. Here lies the importance of the animal model for its enormous use in biomedical research. Animal models have many facets that mimic various disease conditions in humans like systemic autoimmune diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular diseases, Atherosclerosis, diabetes, etc., and many more. Besides, the model has tremendous importance in drug development, development of medical devices, tissue engineering, wound healing, and bone and cartilage regeneration studies, as a model in vascular surgeries as well as the model for vertebral disc regeneration surgery. Though, all the models have some advantages as well as challenges, but, present review has emphasized the importance of various small and large animal models in pharmaceutical drug development, transgenic animal models, models for medical device developments, studies for various human diseases, bone and cartilage regeneration model, diabetic and burn wound model as well as surgical models like vascular surgeries and surgeries for intervertebral disc degeneration considering all the ethical issues of that specific animal model. Despite, the process of using the animal model has facilitated researchers to carry out the researches that would have been impossible to accomplish in human considering the ethical prohibitions.

An innovative route for valorising iron and aluminium oxide rich industrial wastes: Recovery of multiple metals.

Several industrial wastes including biomass, fly ashes, red mud, mill scales, water treatment residues, have significant concentrations of metal oxides: Fe2O3, Al2O3, TiO2, SiO2 etc. Several efforts have been made towards recovering metals within these wastes. Rather than recovering one metal at a time, we report a novel approach for simultaneously extracting multiple metals from mixed oxides in a single process step. Using three distinct furnaces/heating regimes, the carbothermic reduction of Fe2O3/Al2O3/SiO2 system was investigated at 1450-1700 °C for up to 2 h over a wide composition range. Complete reduction was achieved for both Fe2O3 and SiO2 in all cases leading to the formation of Fe and Fe-Si alloys. The reduction of alumina at moderate temperatures was the key challenge. No alumina reduction was observed during reductions at 1450 °C. A partial reduction of alumina and the formation of Fe-Al alloys was detected in the Al2O3/Fe2O3/C system at 1550 °C. The formation of Fe-Si-Al alloys was also observed in the Fe2O3/SiO2/Al2O3/C system at 1550 °C. Complete reduction of alumina was observed at 1600-1700 °C, even for up to 50 wt% alumina in the system. Optimal operating conditions and reference standards were established for the simultaneous recovery of multiple metals from waste oxides. While conserving natural resources, this novel route will lower the burden on waste storage facilities with significant contributions to the economic and environmental sustainability of industrial waste management.

Inhibition of growth and virulence of Vibrio cholerae by carvacrol, an essential oil component of Origanum spp.

AIMS: In the age where bacterial resistance to conventional antibiotics is increasing at an alarming rate, the use of the traditional plant, herb extracts or other bioactive constituents is gradually becoming popular as an anti-virulence agent to treat pathogenic diseases. Carvacrol, a major essential oil fraction of Oregano, possesses a wide range of bioactivities. Therefore, we aimed to study the effect of sub-inhibitory concentrations of carvacrol on major virulence traits of Vibrio cholerae. METHODS AND RESULTS: We have used in vitro as well as ex vivo models to access the anti-pathogenic role of carvacrol. We found that the sub-inhibitory concentration of carvacrol significantly repressed bacterial mucin penetrating ability. Carvacrol also reduced the adherence and fluid accumulation in the rabbit ileal loop model. Reduction in virulence is associated with the downregulated expression of tcpA, ctxB, hlyA and toxT. Furthermore, carvacrol inhibits flagellar synthesis by downregulating the expression of flrC and most of the class III genes. CONCLUSIONS: Carvacrol exhibited anti-virulence activity against V. cholerae, which involved many events including the inhibition of mucin penetration, adhesion, reduced expression of virulence-associated genes culminating in reduced fluid accumulation. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: These findings indicate that carvacrol possesses inhibitory activity against V. cholerae pathogenesis and might be considered as a potential bio-active therapeutic alternative to combat cholera.

Cryopreservation of a threatened medicinal plant, Valeriana jatamansi Jones, using vitrification and assessment of biosynthetic stability of regenerants.

BACKGROUND: Valeriana jatamansi Jones is a medicinal plant of the Himalayan region with high trade value. Since overexploitation of this wild species led it to be listed as threatened, a comprehensive conservation strategy is needed. Cryopreservation would be a useful complementary method to conventional conservation methods. OBJECTIVE: To develop a cryopreservation protocol for V. jatamansi with maintenance of biosynthetic stability of regenerants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In vitro shoot tips were cryopreserved using vitrification with either PVS2 or PVS3 and the efficacy of the two cryoprotectant mixtures compared. Regenerated plantlets were evaluated by HPLC analysis for contents of four valepotriates viz. valtrate, acevaltrate, didrovaltrate and IVHD valtrate. RESULTS: The highest shoot recovery (91.6%) after transfer to liquid nitrogen was obtained when shoot tips were treated with PVS2 at 0°C for 110 min, which was significantly higher than the highest recovery (73.3%) obtained using PVS3 for any duration tested. Evaluation of biosynthetic stability showed no variation in valepotriate contents between in vitro maintained and cryopreserved derived plantlets. CONCLUSION: This protocol will be useful for the long-term conservation of this species as high frequency recovery and biosynthetic stability after cryopreservation were obtained.

The evolution of white matter microstructural changes after mild traumatic brain injury: A longitudinal DTI and NODDI study.

Neuroimaging biomarkers that can detect white matter (WM) pathology after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and predict long-term outcome are needed to improve care and develop therapies. We used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) to investigate WM microstructure cross-sectionally and longitudinally after mTBI and correlate these with neuropsychological performance. Cross-sectionally, early decreases of fractional anisotropy and increases of mean diffusivity corresponded to WM regions with elevated free water fraction on NODDI. This elevated free water was more extensive in the patient subgroup reporting more early postconcussive symptoms. The longer-term longitudinal WM changes consisted of declining neurite density on NODDI, suggesting axonal degeneration from diffuse axonal injury for which NODDI is more sensitive than DTI. Therefore, NODDI is a more sensitive and specific biomarker than DTI for WM microstructural changes due to mTBI that merits further study for mTBI diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring.

Factors influencing the release of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) during thermal processing of electronic waste.

The release of potentially toxic elements as airborne fine particulates is a significant environmental risk associated with recycling e-waste. Some of these may redeposit near emission sites or be transported over long distances causing wide-spread pollution. With an aim to identify key factors affecting particulate emissions, we report novel investigations on the adsorptive capture of particulate matter (PM) released during low temperature pyrolysis (600 °C; 15 min) of waste printed circuit boards (PCBs). A significant proportion of the released particulates (5.3 to 37%) were captured by adsorbents located downstream and in close proximity to the emitting source. Data was collected for four different PCBs and three adsorbents: alumina, silica-gel and activated carbon. With sizes ranging from nanoparticles to over 10 µm, adsorbed particulates were present as fines, spheres, oblongs, clusters and larger particles with no specific shape. Of the 24 elements identified initially in waste PCBs, only 14 were detected in released particulates: major PTEs- Zn, Sn, Pb and Cu (up to 400 ppm); minor PTEs- Ni, Mn, Cd, Cr and Ba (up to 10 ppm); trace PTEs- Co, In, Bi, Be and Sb (up to 1 ppm). Key factors influencing the release of PTEs during thermal processing were identified as basic elemental characteristics, densities, melting points, vapor pressures, initial concentrations, local bonding and mechanical strength. These results show that the presence of low melting point/high vapour pressure elements (Zn, Pb, Sn) should be minimised for a significant reduction in PTE emissions during e-waste processing.

Emergent magnetic order and correlated disorder in formate metal-organic frameworks.

Magnetic materials with strong local interactions but lacking long-range order have long been a curiosity of physicists. Probing their magnetic interactions is crucial for understanding the unique properties they can exhibit. Metal-organic frameworks have recently gathered more attention as they can produce more exotic structures, allowing for controlled design of magnetic properties not found in conventional metal-oxide materials. Historically, magnetic diffuse scattering in such materials has been overlooked but has attracted greater attention recently, with advances in techniques. In this study, we investigate the magnetic structure of metal-organic formate frameworks, using heat capacity, magnetic susceptibility and neutron diffraction. In Tb(DCO2)3, we observe emergent magnetic order at temperatures below 1.2 K, consisting of two k-vectors. Ho(DCO2)3 shows diffuse scattering above 1.6 K, consistent with ferromagnetic chains packed in a frustrated antiferromagnetic triangular lattice, also observed in Tb(DCO2)3 above 1.2 K. The other lanthanides show no short- or long-range order down to 1.6 K. The results suggest an Ising-like one-dimensional magnetic order associated with frustration is responsible for the magnetocaloric properties, of some members in this family, improving at higher temperatures. This article is part of the theme issue 'Mineralomimesis: natural and synthetic frameworks in science and technology'.

Three-dimensional study of vestibular anatomy as it relates to the stapes footplate and its clinical implications: an augmented reality development.

BACKGROUND: The anatomy of the membranous labyrinth within the vestibule has direct implications for surgical intervention. The anatomy of the otoliths has been studied, but there is limited information regarding their supporting connective tissue structures such as the membrana limitans in humans. METHODS: One guinea pig and 17 cadaveric human temporal bones were scanned using micro computed tomography, after staining with 2 per cent osmium tetroxide and preservation with Karnovsky's solution, with a resolution from 1 µm to 55 µm. The data were analysed using VGStudio Max software, rendered in three-dimensions and published in augmented reality. RESULTS: In 50 per cent of ears, the membrana limitans attached directly to the postero-superior part of the stapes footplate. If attachments were present in one ear, they were present bilaterally in 100 per cent of cases. CONCLUSION: Micro computed tomography imaging allowed three-dimensional assessment of the inner ear. Such assessments are important as they influence the surgical intervention and the evolution of future innovations.

Identification of a novel cluster of PCV2 isolates from Meghalaya, India indicates possible recombination along with changes in capsid protein.

Documentation of the emergence of Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) infection and economic losses incurred due to high mortality has been reported worldwide. The prevalence and genetic diversity of the virus has been reported in Northeast India including the possible chances of Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) vaccine failure in pig population in this region resulting in major disease outbreak. Irrespective of the genetic variability, the emergence of a novel cluster (based on the ORF2 phylogeny) was reported last year. The present study describes a state-wide (Meghalaya, India) molecular epidemiological investigation of PCV2 strains in pig population by amplification, sequencing and undertaking phylogenetic analyses. The results indicate the identification of a novel cluster of PCV2 originating from the inter-genotypic recombination between PCV2c and PCV2d. Multiple sequence alignment of amino acids indicates possible substitution in the A, B and C domains of the capsid protein. Molecular structural modelling of the capsid protein of PCV2 indicated possible motif variations in the secondary structure including presence of a tunnel, encountered at the interface region on each chain facilitating in transportation of molecules and acting as an active site for attachment and penetration. The baseline data strengthens the existing control programme of PCV2 and is possibly helpful in the planning of active surveillance strategy in this region.

Ferroelasticity, anelasticity and magnetoelastic relaxation in Co-doped iron pnictide: Ba(Fe0.957Co0.043)2As2.

The hypothesis that strain has a permeating influence on ferroelastic, magnetic and superconducting transitions in 122 iron pnictides has been tested by investigating variations of the elastic and anelastic properties of a single crystal of Ba(Fe0.957Co0.043)2As2 by resonant ultrasound spectroscopy as a function of temperature and externally applied magnetic field. Non-linear softening and stiffening of C 66 in the stability fields of both the tetragonal and orthorhombic structures has been found to conform quantitatively to the Landau expansion for a pseudoproper ferroelastic transition which is second order in character. The only exception is that the transition occurs at a temperature (T S ≈ 69 K) ~10 K above the temperature at which C 66 would extrapolate to zero ([Formula: see text] ≈ 59 K). An absence of anomalies associated with antiferromagnetic ordering below T N ≈ 60 K implies that coupling of the magnetic order parameter with shear strain is weak. It is concluded that linear-quadratic coupling between the structural/electronic and antiferromagnetic order parameters is suppressed due to the effects of local heterogeneous strain fields arising from the substitution of Fe by Co. An acoustic loss peak at ~50-55 K is attributed to the influence of mobile ferroelastic twin walls that become pinned by a thermally activated process involving polaronic defects. Softening of C 66 by up to ~6% below the normal-superconducting transition at T c ≈ 13 K demonstrates an effective coupling of the shear strain with the order parameter for the superconducting transition which arises indirectly as a consequence of unfavourable coupling of the superconducting order parameter with the ferroelastic order parameter. Ba(Fe0.957Co0.043)2As2 is representative of 122 pnictides as forming a class of multiferroic superconductors in which elastic strain relaxations underpin almost all aspects of coupling between the structural, magnetic and superconducting order parameters and of dynamic properties of the transformation microstructures they contain.

Strain relaxation behaviour of vortices in a multiferroic superconductor.

The elastic and anelastic properties of a single crystal of Co-doped pnictide Ba(Fe0.957Co0.043)2As2 have been determined by resonant ultrasound spectroscopy in the frequency range 10-500 kHz, both as a function of temperature through the normal-superconducting transition (T c ≈ 12.5 K) and as a function of applied magnetic field up to 12.5 T. Correlation with thermal expansion, electrical resistivity, heat capacity, DC and AC magnetic data from crystals taken from the same synthetic batch has revealed the permeating influence of strain on coupling between order parameters for the ferroelastic (Q E) and superconducting (Q SC) transitions and on the freezing/relaxation behaviour of vortices. Elastic softening through T c in zero field can be understood in terms of classical coupling of the order parameter with the shear strain e 6, λe 6 [Formula: see text], which means that there must be a common strain mechanism for coupling of the form λ [Formula: see text] Q E. At fields of ~5 T and above, this softening is masked by Debye-like stiffening and acoustic loss processes due to vortex freezing. The first loss peak may be associated with the establishment of superconductivity on ferroelastic twin walls ahead of the matrix and the second is due to the vortex liquid-vortex glass transition. Strain contrast between vortex cores and the superconducting matrix will contribute significantly to interactions of vortices both with each other and with the underlying crystal structure. These interactions imply that iron-pnictides represent a class of multiferroic superconductors in which strain-mediated coupling occurs between the multiferroic properties (ferroelasticity, antiferromagnetism) and superconductivity.

In Vitro and In Vivo Activity of a Novel Catheter Lock Solution against Bacterial and Fungal Biofilms.

Central-line-associated bloodstream infections are increasingly recognized to be associated with intraluminal microbial biofilms, and effective measures for the prevention and treatment of bloodstream infections remain lacking. This report evaluates a new commercially developed antimicrobial catheter lock solution (ACL), containing trimethoprim (5 mg/ml), ethanol (25%), and calcium EDTA (Ca-EDTA) (3%), for activity against bacterial and fungal biofilms, using in vitro and in vivo (rabbit) catheter biofilm models. Biofilms were formed by bacterial (seven different species, including vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus [VRE]) or fungal (Candida albicans) species on catheter materials. Biofilm formation was evaluated by quantitative culture (CFU) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Treatment with ACL inhibited the growth of adhesion-phase biofilms in vitro after 60 min (VRE) or 15 min (all others), while mature biofilms were completely inhibited after exposure for 2 or 4 h, compared to control. Similar results were observed for drug-resistant bacteria. Compared to the heparinized saline controls, ACL lock therapy significantly reduced the catheter bacterial (3.49 ± 0.75 versus 0.03 ± 0.06 log CFU/catheter; P = 0.016) and fungal (2.48 ± 1.60 versus 0.55 ± 1.19 log CFU/catheter segment; P = 0.013) burdens in the catheterized rabbit model. SEM also demonstrated eradication of bacterial and fungal biofilms in vivo on catheters exposed to ACL, while vigorous biofilms were observed on untreated control catheters. Our results demonstrated that ACL was efficacious against both adhesion-phase and mature biofilms formed by bacteria and fungi in vitro and in vivo.

Detection of classical swine fever virus E2 gene in cattle serum samples from cattle herds of Meghalaya.

The present study focused on the detection and genetic characterisation of 5' untranslated region (5'UTR) and E2 gene of classical swine fever virus (CSFV, family Flaviviridae, genus Pestivirus) from bovine population of the northeastern region of India. A total of 134 cattle serum samples were collected from organised cattle farms and were screened for CSFV antigen with a commercial antigen capture enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (Ag-ELISA) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A total of 10 samples were positive for CSFV antigen by ELISA, while all of them were positive in PCR for 5'UTR region. Full length E2 region of CSFV were successfully amplified from two positive samples and used for subsequent phylogenetic analysis and determination of protein 3D structure which showed similarity with reported CSFV isolate from Assam of sub-genogroup 2.1, with minor variations in protein structure.

Concentration of rare earth elements during high temperature pyrolysis of waste printed circuit boards.

An in-depth investigation was carried out on the recovery of rare earth elements (REEs) from a variety of waste printed circuit boards (PCBs). High temperature pyrolysis was carried out at 850 °C for 15 min using horizontal resistance and thermal plasma furnaces with different levels of turbulence. The concentration of REEs in key pyrolysis residues, namely, copper rich red metallic fraction, lead/tin rich white metallic fraction and slag rich carbonaceous residues, were determined using ICP analysis. Most of the REEs were found concentrated in the carbonaceous residue with negligible levels of REEs recovered in the two metallic fractions. Most of the recovered REEs showed a high affinity towards to refractory oxides silica and alumina, and little affinity towards metals Cu, Pb and Sn. The yield of REEs was significantly higher from the plasma furnace indicating the important role of turbulence in the dissociation & subsequent diffusion of REEs during pyrolysis. While La, Pr, Sm and Y required turbulent conditions for their recovery, Nd, Gd, Ce and Dy were relatively easy to dissociate and extract from the waste. Significant amounts of REEs could thus be recovered from waste PCBs as concentrated recyclates for further processing and extraction of individual rare earths. This study has shown that PCBs could prove to be a valuable urban mining resource of REEs. The recovery of REEs, in addition to precious and other metals, could play an important role towards enhancing the economic and environmental sustainability of e-waste recycling.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Stress Myocardial Perfusion Imaging in Diagnosing Stable Ischemic Heart Disease.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of Stress Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (MPI) in diagnosing Stable Ischemic Heart Disease (SIHD). METHODS: To analyze the sensitivity and specificity of Stress Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (MPI) in diagnosing Stable Ischemic Heart Disease (SIHD) by comparing with "gold standard" Coronary Angiogram. RESULTS: A total of 80 patients were studied (51 male, 29 female). 52 patients had significant stenosis in coronary angiography and 49 patients had reversible perfusion defect in myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). MPI had a sensitivity of 88.46% and a specificity of 89.29% in diagnosing stable ischemic heart disease. CONCLUSION: Coronary Angiography remains the near gold standard in diagnosing ischemic heart disease but is associated with serious complications like stroke, arrhythmias, acute renal failure, infection, etc. Though Myocardial perfusion imaging cannot replace coronary angiogram, it can be used as a reliable and sensitive non-invasive alternate investigation to diagnose stable ischemic heart disease in high risk individuals who are unwilling for angiogram.