Autonomic regulation therapy to enhance myocardial function in heart failure patients: the ANTHEM-HFpEF study.

BackgroundApproximately half of the patients presenting with new-onset heart failure (HF) have HF with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFpEF) and HF with mid-range left ventricular ejection fraction (HFmrEF). These patients have neurohormonal activation like that of HF with reduced ejection fraction; however, beta-blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors have not been shown to improve their outcomes, and current treatment for these patients is symptom based and empiric. Sympathoinhibition using parasympathetic stimulation has been shown to improve central and peripheral aspects of the cardiac nervous system, reflex control, induce myocyte cardioprotection, and can lead to regression of left ventricular hypertrophy. Beneficial effects of autonomic regulation therapy (ART) using vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) have also been observed in several animal models of HFpEF, suggesting a potential role for ART in patients with this disease.MethodsThe Autonomic Neural Regulation Therapy to Enhance Myocardial Function in Patients with Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction (ANTHEM-HFpEF) study is designed to evaluate the feasibility, tolerability, and safety of ART using right cervical VNS in patients with chronic, stable HFpEF and HFmrEF. Patients with symptomatic HF and HFpEF or HFmrEF fulfilling the enrolment criteria will receive chronic ART with a subcutaneous VNS system attached to the right cervical vagus nerve. Safety parameters will be continuously monitored, and cardiac function and HF symptoms will be assessed every 3 months during a post-titration follow-up period of at least 12 months.ConclusionsThe ANTHEM-HFpEF study is likely to provide valuable information intended to expand our understanding of the potential role of ART in patients with chronic symptomatic HFpEF and HFmrEF

Utilization of iron values of red mud for metallurgical applications

A brief overview on the utilization of iron values of red mud is presented along with the results of some recent investigations conducted at National Metallurgical Laboratory. Red mud from Nalco, characterized by high iron content, is used in the studies. Two different strategies are explored : (a) extraction of iron and other metal values from red mud using a pat-ented process, named as Elgai process, available for the removal of alumina from iron ores; and (b) use of red mud as an additive in the iron ore sintering. The second approach has particularly yielded interesting results. Sinter with acceptable physical properties and reducibility could be produced with red mud addition from 50 to 125 kg/tonne of sinter. Red mud addition leads to the dilution of the iron content of sinter. It is suggested that this problem can be circumvented with addition of blue dust, a waste material, along with red mud

Processing of spent tanning and chrome plating solutions for chromium recovery

Use of chromium in metal plating and leather tanning industries generates a lot of effluent containing Cr(III) and Cr(VI). Besides severe water pollution, substantial amount of chromium is lost due to the prevalent practice of removal-disposal technique followed world over. Processes based on recovery and reuse methodology are currently projected as ex¬cellent means of meeting the environmental regulations while producing chromium salts/solutions for recycling. This paper details the composi¬tion, conditions and quantity of spent liquors/effluents generated in elec¬troplating and leather tanning industries and their treatment by removal¬disposal as well as recovery-reuse methods. The approach based on pre¬cipitation, ion exchange and liquid-liquid extraction particularly for chro¬mium recovery is highlighted. The results of solvent extraction with D2EHPA and CYANEX 272 for chromium recovery from spent tanning baths are also summarised

Solvent extraction in copper metallurgy recovery of acid and metals from copper bleed stream

Solvent extraction in copper metallurgy has been the first major application for producing nonferrous metals beyond the production of rare earths/nuclear metals. With the advent of solvent extrac-tion (SX), several lean grade, complex, rnultimetal and pocket deposits including byproducts could be processed to produce copper economically. Though, the SX technology is proven internationally, it has yet to find an industrial application in the Indian context. This paper outlines the possibility of using solvent extraction in copper metallurgy particularly in the Indian scenario. Specific example of the processing of copper bleed stream has also been mentioned. Some of the details and the flowsheet coven here shows how the sulphuric acid can be recov-ered from the copper bleed stream for recycling in the system. Besides, the recovery of copper and nickel in convenient form like metal sulphates and electrolytic grade metal cathodes can be taken u

Role of impurities in solvent extraction-electrowinning of copper and nickel for the processing of sea nodules

During the leaching of roasted nodules from Indian Ocean the soluble amine species of iron, manganese and zinc along with valuable metals such as Cu, Ni and Co enter the ammoniacal solution. Even after the purification step, the metal impurities in small amounts remained in the leach solution. In metal separation using LIX 64N, iron and manganese found their way in the nickel and copper electrolytes. Depending on the feed pH of the nickel spent electrolyte, the selective nickel stripping could be achieved with minimum contamination of copper. A flow sheet based on co-extraction-selective stripping has been developed to process the ammoniacal leach liquor of Indian Ocean nodules. While running the continuous SX-EW circuit, the build-up of metallics (Fe and Mn) and organic impurities in the nickel electrolyte was observed which affected the deposition. The cut-off impurity level in electrolyte for nickel winning was determined as : 0.175 Kg/m(3) Mn, 0.010 Kg/m(3) Fe and 20 ppm organic reagent. A purification scheme for nickel bleed stream was developed to recycle the electrolyte back to SE-EW circuit. Copper being a more noble metal than nickel can usually tolerate higher level of impurities. Organic levels of less than 100 ppm in the copper electrolyte produced good sheet deposit. The results showed the possibility of producing electrolytic grade copper and nickel metals of 99.94% and 99.8% purity

Use of D2ehpa as an Extractant for the Recovery Of Cu, Ni, Co & Zn From Ammoniacal Leach Liquor of Sea Nodules

Extraction studies for copper, nickel , cobalti and zinc from ammoniacal- ammonium carbonate solution of Indian ocean nodules were undertaken using Di -2-ethyl-hexyl-phosphoric acid(D2EHPA). The leach solution was processed for the metal extraction-separation applying the coextraction concept . Besides studying the effect of ammonia concentration , and O/A ratio in different contacts, kinetics of extraction and simulation of continuous extraction were investigated. The simulation experiments carried out on bench scale resulted in the extraction of over 90% cobalt and zinc , and 80- 82% copper and nickel from the ocean nodules in a continuous operation with the leach liquor using 0.75M D2EHPA with 20% isodecanol in kerosene

Seperation & Recovery of Copper & Nickel from Copper Bleed Stream by Solvent Extraction Route

Bleed stream from electro r(fining step of copper slnelter was processed to recover the metals as high value products such as copper and nickel powders or salts. The process consists of partial decopperisation of the bleed stream followed by crystallisation of a ,nixed salt of copper and nickel sulphate, leaching of the mixed salt, removal of iron, solvent extraction separation of copper and nickel and winning the solution to produce metal powders. With the partially decopperised bleed stream, the composite crystal was obtained by crystallisation which contained 8.4 -12.5 % Cu and 13.7-14.38 % Ni with 1-2pptn Fe as impurity. This mixed salt was leached with water and was treated for iron precipitation. The purified solution was subjected to solvent extraction using LIX 84 and CYANI X 272, A 20% LIX 84 in kerosene extracted 99.88% copper acrd 0,059% nickel (if ct p1I of 2.5 and 5% C}'ANEX 272 in kerosene extracted 98,06% copper and 0.511, nickel at a p!I of 4.85. 1,L1' 84 was usec! for metal separation in the ,fixer-seiller unit. The pure solutions of copper and nickel sulphates obtained from stripping circuit were electrolysed to produce pure copper (99.9%) and nickel (99.8) powders; alternatively pure sulphate salts could also be crystallised

Processing of Tungsten Alloy Scrap for the Recovery of Tungsten Metal

Penetrators usedfordefence purposes are prepared by po wder metallurgical technique. The material contains 90% tungsten along with other minor constituents such as iron, nickel, cobalt, chromium, aluminium etc. During the manufacturing process, three forms of scraps are generated whichare, powder, turnings and defective solid. Since the major constituents of the scrap is the costly tungsten metal, attempts were made to recover the metal by four different methods which are described in this paper. Electro-leaching of turnings in a diaphragm cell using chloride electrolyte bath was tried to remove minor elements. The purity of tungsten achieved in thisprocess was 99.9%. In the soda roasting - leaching process of powderliurning scraps, sodium tungstate of 99.85% purity was obtained with 90% yield. Attempt was also made to remove the impurities by acid leaching. 99.8% pure tungsten with 99% yield was achieved by acid leaching. Fine gravity separation and high intensity magnetic separation techniques were also adopted to enhance the tungsten value from the powder scrap, which produced the concentrate containing 96.2% tungsten

A temperature-based synthesis and characterization study of aluminum-incorporated diamond-like carbon thin films

The present work deals with the study of various properties of aluminum (Al)-incorporated diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin films synthesized using the atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) technique by varying the deposition temperature (Td) and keeping the N2 flow rate constant. Surface morphology analysis, resistance to corrosion, nanohardness (H), and Young’s modulus (E) of the coatings were carried out using atomic force microscopy (AFM), corrosion test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and nanoindentation test, respectively. SEM results showed a smoother surface morphology of the coatings grown at different process temperatures. With an increase in process temperature, the coating roughness (Ra) lies in the range of 20–36 µm. The corrosion resistance of the coating was found to be reduced with a consecutive increase in the deposition temperature from 800℃ to 880℃. However, above 880℃, the resistance increases further, and it may be due to the presence of more Al weight percentage in the coating. The nanoindentation result revealed that H and E of the coating increase with an increase in the CVD process temperature. The elastic–plastic property indicated by H/E and H3/E2, which are also indicators of the wear properties of the coating, were studied using the nanoindentation technique. The residual stresses (σ) calculated using Stoney’s equation revealed a reduction in residual stress with an increase in the process temperature

Experiences of frontline workers in Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh during the Covid-19 pandemic

In the advent of COVID-19, frontline workers (FLWs) such as Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) and Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) found themselves at the forefront of combating the pandemic. In addition to regular healthcare and nutrition delivery, their revised responsibilities included screening for COVID-19, contact tracing, communication of preventative measures, adapting nutrition-related programmes, and doorstep delivery of maternal and child health services. In this report, the Accountability Initiative (AI) at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) highlights the oft-overlooked stories of government functionaries at the frontline of COVID-19 response since the advent of the initial lockdown. The overall objectives covered in this report are: 1. Understanding the evolving role of FLW workers during the pandemic and the impact of COVID work on their regular duties. 2. Gaining insight into the processes and best practices for training, implementation and supportive supervision