A review of adsorption techniques for removal of phosphates from wastewater.

Phosphate is considered the main cause of eutrophication and has received considerable attention recently. Several methods have been used for removal of phosphates in water and these include biological treatment, membrane filtration processes, chemical precipitation, and adsorption. Adsorption technology is highly effective in the removal of phosphate from wastewater even at low phosphate concentrations. Nanomaterials/nanoparticles, carbon-based materials (activated carbon and biochar), and their composites have been widely employed for the adsorptive removal and recovery of phosphate from wastewater due to their exceptional properties such as high surface area and high phosphate adsorption properties. This article is a review of the recently reported literature in the field of nanotechnology and activated carbon for the adsorption of phosphate from wastewater. Highlights of the adsorption mechanisms, adsorption behaviour, experimental parameters, effects of co-existing ions, and adsorbent modifications are also discussed.

C1Q Nephropathy: A Multifaceted Disease With Infrequent Diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: C1q nephropathy (C1qN) is a rare glomerulopathy, with a very low prevalence world wide varying from 0.2 to 2.5%. Even though more than three decades have passed since this entity was first explained, still, it remains a dilemma for many due to the rarity of this lesion. This study was carried out principally to determine the clinical presentation, morphologic features and distribution of C1qN in our region based on renal biopsies studied by light microscopy (LM), and immunofluorescence (IF) so that this entity is better understood both by nephrologists and pathologists as no such study has ever been conducted in Pakistan to our knowledge. METHODS: It was a cross-sectional study carried out from 1st January 2012 to 30th December 2016 in Histopathology department, Shifa International Hospital. All cases diagnosed as C1q nephropathy were retrieved from the hospital's computerized database. Their clinical profiles, morphology and immunohistochemical profiles were studied.. RESULTS: Over this period a total of 31 cases were diagnosed with C1qN. Mean age of the patients was 32.09±18.66 years. The most common clinical presentation was nephrotic syndrome seen in 22 (71%) patients. The most frequent morphological pattern seen was minimal change disease (MCD) in 13 (41.9%) cases. All cases showed dominant 22 (71%) or codominant 9 (42.9%) mesangial±membranous C1q deposition. No correlation was found (p-value >0.05) between morphological pattern and clinical presentation of the disease or immunofluorescence findings. CONCLUSIONS: C1qN is a rare entity which is primarily diagnosed on the basis of immunofluorescence findings with a dominant or codominant fluorescent intensity for C1q. It is recommended that C1qN is sought for preferably with immunofluorescence staining of biopsies for immune reactants, especially for C1q. Studies from this part of the world are strongly recommended to predict clinical outcome and treatment options.

Encapsulated papillary carcinoma (EPC) of breast: A clinical, pathological and immunohistochemical analysis of eight cases.

Encapsulated papillary carcinoma (EPC) is a rare low grade carcinoma of the breast with excellent prognosis. This case series focuses on its histopathological and clinical characteristics in our material. Cases of papillary lesions of breast from 1st January 2012 to 30th December 2014 were retrieved from the hospital database. A total of 8 cases were categorized as EPC. Mean age of patients was 66 years. Breast lump with tumour size ranged from 1.5 to 5.0cm, and was the presentation in 75% of cases. Histopathology showed a well circumscribed lesion within a dilated duct comprising of fibro vascular cores lined by neoplastic cells, surrounded by thick fibrous capsule. Immunohistochemistry, for antibody panel p63, ASMA and CK 5/6 were negative for myoepithelial cells. Invasive carcinoma was seen in 3 (37.5%) with associated DCIS in 4 (50%) cases. Meticulous gross, attention to morphology and correct interpretation of immunohistochemistry are imperative for accurate diagnosis.

Accuracy of intra-operative frozen section in the diagnosis of female genital tract neoplasms.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of intra-operative frozen section in the diagnosis of various pelvic neoplasms, including ovarian tumours. METHODS: The retrospective study was conducted at Shifa International Hospital and comprised records of all patients with lesions of female genital tract who underwent frozen section between January 2010 and December 2012. Comparison was made with the final diagnosis after histopathology was performed on examining permanent paraffin sections. RESULTS: The mean age of the 54 patients was 43.70+/-14.8 years (range: 19-75 years). The frozen section was accurate in 51(92.6%) cases. It had a moderately high sensitivity of 75%, high specificity of 97.6%, high positive predictive value of 90% and high negative predictive value of 93.2%. Lack of agreement was found in cases of ovarian tumours of the mucinous and borderline variety. CONCLUSIONS: Frozen section showed a considerable level of accuracy when dealing with suspected pelvic neoplasms.