Thermally treated aluminium waste-filings, a low cost and efficient adsorbent for phosphorus removal from water

A facile strategy toward modification of aluminium filings (AF), a waste material from aluminium manufacturing industry, into a highly efficient adsorbent was examined. AF was simply treated with thermal modification to form a cheap adsorbent for Phosphorus (P) removal from aqueous solutions. The results showed that increasing the calcination temperature from 500 to 900 ˚C improved the P removal. P adsorption occurred quite fast and 70% of P removal observed in 15 minutes. Adsorption efficiency was increased by increasing pH, decreasing P initial concentration as well. The presence of coexisting anions, except HCO3-, showed a negligible effect on P adsorption by AF. Thermodynamic studies revealed that P adsorption onto AF was endothermic in nature. Kinetic modelling demonstrated that the adsorption rate was controlled by the chemisorption. The process also fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm model, indicating that the process proceeds via monolayer coverage with 49.97 mg g-1 maximum monolayer capacity. Overall, in addition to beneficial environmental and economic aspects, the results demonstrated excellent adsorption characteristics which make thermally treated AF a promising adsorbent material for phosphorus removal from polluted streams.Thanks to research council of Gonabad University of Medical Science for its financial support.Peer Reviewe

Toward improving breast cancer imaging : radiological assessment of propagation-based phase-contrast CT technology

Rationale and Objectives: This study employs clinical/radiological evaluation in establishing the optimum imaging conditions for breast cancer imaging using the X-ray propagation-based phase-contrast tomography. Materials and Methods: Two series of experiments were conducted and in total 161 synchrotron-based computed tomography (CT)reconstructions of one breast mastectomy specimen were produced at different imaging conditions. Imaging factors include sample-to-detector distance, X-ray energy, CT reconstruction method, phase retrieval algorithm applied to the CT projection images and maximum intensity projection. Observers including breast radiologists and medical imaging experts compared the quality of the reconstructed images with reference images approximating the conventional (absorption)CT. Various radiological image quality attributes in a visual grading analysis design were used for the radiological assessments. Results: The results show that the application of the longest achievable sample-to-detector distance (9.31 m), the lowest employed X-ray energy (32 keV), the full phase retrieval, and the maximum intensity projection can significantly improve the radiological quality of the image. Several combinations of imaging variables resulted in images with very high-quality scores. Conclusion: The results of the present study will support future experimental and clinical attempts to further optimize this innovative approach to breast cancer imaging

Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT): recommendations from the Italian College of Breast Radiologists (ICBR) by the Italian Society of Medical Radiology (SIRM) and the Italian Group for Mammography Screening (GISMa)

This position paper, issued by ICBR/SIRM and GISMa, summarizes the evidence on DBT and provides recommendations for its use. In the screening setting, DBT in adjunct to digital mammography (DM) increased detection rate by 0.5\u20132.7\u2030 and decreased false positives by 0.8\u20133.6% compared to DM alone in observational and double-testing experimental studies. The reduction in recall rate could be less prominent in those screening programs which already have low recall rates with DM. The increase in radiation exposure associated with DM/DBT protocols has been solved by the introduction of synthetic mammograms (sDM) reconstructed from DBT datasets. Thus, whenever possible, sDM/DBT should be preferred to DM/DBT. However, before introducing DBT as a routine screening tool for average-risk women, we should wait for the results of randomized controlled trials and for a statistically significant and clinically relevant reduction in the interval cancer rate, hopefully associated with a reduction in the advanced cancer rate. Otherwise, a potential for overdiagnosis and overtreatment cannot be excluded. Studies exploring this issue are ongoing. Screening of women at intermediate risk should follow the same recommendations, with particular protocols for women with previous BC history. In high-risk women, if mammography is performed as an adjunct to MRI or in the case of MRI contraindications, sDM/DBT protocols are suggested. Evidence exists in favor of DBT usage in women with clinical symptoms/signs and asymptomatic women with screen-detected findings recalled for work-up. The possibility to perform needle biopsy or localization under DBT guidance should be offered when DBT-only findings need characterization or surger