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In this study, Iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₂O₃ NPs) were synthesized using iron chloride hexahydrate (FeCl3·6H2O) and ammonia solution through a straightforward co-precipitation method. The nanoparticles were annealed at temperatures of 100 °C, 300 °C, 500 °C, 700 °C, and 900 °C, with one sample left unannealed. Comprehensive analyses were performed using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Zeta potential, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and UV–Vis Spectrophotometry. The XRD patterns confirmed the presence of both Maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) and Hematite (α-Fe2O3) phases, with a phase transition observed between 100 °C and 300 °C, and the most pronounced transition occurring at 500 °C. At this optimal temperature, the crystallite size was 19.14 nm, the average particle size was 37.36 nm, and the band gap energy was measured at 1.76 eV. SEM images revealed that nanoparticles formed clusters as the annealing temperature increased. The zeta potential measurements showed a range from 6.12 mV at 100 °C to −1.9 mV at 900 °C, indicating changes in particle stability. DLS analysis indicated a size increase from 86.81 nm at 300 °C to 1577 nm at 900 °C, reflecting aggregation trends. The reduction in band gap energy with higher temperatures is attributed to enhanced crystallinity and increased particle size. The magnetic properties of Fe₂O₃ NPs were evaluated using a Physical Property Measurement System (PPMS), revealing an increase in magnetic response with rising annealing temperatures. The transition from superparamagnetic γ-Fe₂O₃ to weakly ferromagnetic α-Fe₂O₃ was confirmed through changes in the hysteresis loop area and shape. These findings suggest that 500 °C is the optimal annealing temperature for producing Fe₂O₃ NPs with desirable properties for applications in targeted drug delivery, MRI contrast enhancement, and environmental remediation. This research advances the engineering of Fe₂O₃ NPs, paving the way for their use in various technological applications.

This paper proposes a fast cooling technology called flash evaporation or flashing to overcome cooling problems. Flashing is a pressure-driven phase change phenomenon widely studied because of its complex physics and numerous applications. An experimental system is fabricated to study the efficiency of the proposed process by considering water as a working fluid. A transparent acrylic column is used as the flash chamber, enabled with a high-speed camera to visualize and capture this fast and complex process. Experiments have been carried out with various initial temperatures from 65 °C to 80 °C, initial vacuum tank pressure ranging from 11.32 kPa to 41.32 kPa, and initial water heights of 80 mm and 140 mm. The flashing phenomenon is divided into two stages based on its effectiveness. From the present study, it becomes apparent that the drop in the temperature increases with the initial temperature and decreases with increasing vacuum tank pressure. The cooling rate is improved by 49.1% by increasing the initial pool temperature by 23%. The present study demonstrates an effective application of the flashing process in areas requiring high cooling rates and rapid vapour generation, such as refrigeration and drying.

Inhibitors specifically targeting the 1‐phosphatidylinositol 3‐phosphate 5‐kinase (PIKFYVE) disrupt lysosome homeostasis, thereby selectively terminating autophagy‐dependent human cancer cells in vivo as well as in vitro without harming the viability of nonmalignant cells. To elucidate the mechanism by which PIKFYVE inhibition induces cell death, autophagy‐dependent melanoma cells were compared with normal foreskin fibroblasts. RNA sequence profiling suggested that PIKFYVE inhibitors upregulated an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response involving interleukin‐24 (IL24; also known as MDA7) selectively in melanoma cells. Subsequent biochemical and genetic analyses confirmed these results and extended them to tumor xenografts in which tumor formation and expansion were inhibited. IL24 expression was upregulated by the DDIT3/CHOP/CEBPz transcription factor, a component of the PERK‐dependent ER‐stress response. Ectopic expression of IL24‐induced cell death in melanoma cells, but not in foreskin fibroblasts, whereas ablation of the IL24 gene in melanoma cells prevented death. IL24 upregulation was triggered specifically by PIKFYVE inhibition. Thus, unlike thapsigargin and tunicamycin, which induce ER‐stress indiscriminately, PIKFYVE inhibitors selectively terminated PIKFYVE‐sensitive melanoma by inducing IL24‐dependent ER‐stress. Moreover, induction of cell death by a PIKFYVE inhibitor together with ectopic expression of IL24 protein was cumulative, thereby confirming the therapeutic potential of PIKFYVE inhibitors in the treatment of melanoma.

Abstract At the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), we are developing a high-precision apparatus with the aim of searching for the muon electric dipole moment (EDM) with unprecedented sensitivity. The underpinning principle of this experiment is the frozen-spin technique, a method that suppresses the spin precession due to the anomalous magnetic moment, thereby enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio for EDM signals. This increased sensitivity enables measurements that would be difficult to achieve with conventional $$g - 2$$ g - 2 muon storage rings. Given the availability of the $${125}\,{\textrm{MeV}/\textit{c}}$$ 125 MeV / c muon beam at PSI, the anticipated statistical sensitivity for the EDM after a year of data collection is $${6\times 10^{-23}}\,{e\!\cdot \!\textrm{cm}}.$$ 6 × 10 - 23 e · cm . To achieve this goal, it is imperative to do a detailed analysis of any potential spurious effects that could mimic EDM signals. In this study, we present a quantitative methodology to evaluate the systematic effects that might arise in the context of the frozen-spin technique utilised within a compact storage ring. Our approach involves the analytical derivation of equations governing the motion of the muon spin in the electromagnetic (EM) fields intrinsic to the experimental setup, validated through numerical simulations. We also illustrate a method to calculate the cumulative geometric (Berry’s) phase. This work complements ongoing experimental efforts to detect a muon EDM at PSI and contributes to a broader understanding of spin-precession systematic effects.

This research endeavors to enhance the performance of nitrate salts by incorporating expanded graphite (EG) to develop efficient and sustainable energy storage solutions tailored for medium-temperature range applications. The targeted domains for application encompass industrial processes, solar cooking, and solar power generation. In order to achieve this, a composite phase change material (PCM) is developed by saturating a compressed expanded graphite (CEG) matrix with molten PCM, and CEG is created by compressing EG to achieve the desired porosity. The primary goal is to leverage expanded graphite's high thermal conductivity to improve the composite PCM's overall heat transfer capabilities. The research involves characterizing the thermal properties of nitrate salts and the composite PCM, including measurements of melting and solidification temperatures, latent heat capacity, and thermal conductivity. These measurements are carried out using established experimental techniques to ensure accuracy and reliability. Notably, the study evaluates the thermo-physical properties of PCM-CEG composites across various temperature ranges of nitrate salts. The findings reveal a significant enhancement in thermal conductivity when expanded graphite is introduced into the composite. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is used to assess the effective latent heat capacity and melting temperature of the PCM-CEG composite. It is observed that the effective latent heat capacity closely corresponds to the mass fraction of PCM in the composite, and the incorporation of graphite does not significantly impact the melting temperature of the PCM.

Diabetes-related ulcers and slow-healing wounds pose a significant health risk to individuals due to their uncertain causes. Mortality rates for diabetes foot ulcers (DFUs) range from 10% after 16 months to 24% after five years. The use of bioactive phytochemicals can play a key role in healing wounds in a predictable time. Recent literature has demonstrated that various natural substances, including flavonoids, saponins, phenolic compounds, and polysaccharides, play key roles at different stages of the wound-healing process through diverse mechanisms. These studies have categorized the compounds according to their characteristics, bioactivities, and modes of action. In this study, we evaluated the role of natural compounds derived from plant sources that have been shown to play a crucial role in immunomodulation. Macrophages are closely involved in immunomodulation within the wound microenvironment and are key players in efferocytosis, inflammation resolution, and tissue regeneration, all of which contribute to successful wound healing. Phytochemicals and their derivatives have shown capabilities in immune regulation, including macrophage migration, nitric oxide synthase inhibition, lymphocyte and T-cell stimulation, cytokine activation, natural killer cell enhancement, and the regulation of NF-κβ, TNF-α, and apoptosis. In this review, we have studied the role of phytochemicals in immunomodulation for the resolution of diabetic wound inflammation.

While the causes of human-animal conflict are numerous, many are intertwined with food production systems and the wildlife trade. The emergence and spread of Covid-19 exemplify this. Indeed, the wildlife population in South Asian countries has seen an increase in the risk of both human and nonhuman death in recent months, and as the economy slows, the search for food and extra income will intensify, negatively impacting wildlife. This paper aims to address some of the ethical issues concerning our treatment of nonhuman creatures and the environment in relation to the global food system and wildlife trade following the Covid-19 crisis.

Compound-testing in a murine model for COVID-19 show that the prophylactic or therapeutic application of Apilimod and other PIKfyve inhibitors, the former being considered for human Phase II trials, worsens disease outcome with higher lung viral load and mortality.

Marine sedimentation rate and bottom-water O2 concentration control organic carbon remineralization and sequestration across continental margins, but whether and how they shape microbiome architecture (the ultimate effector of all biogeochemical phenomena) across shelf and slope sediments is still unclear. Here we reveal distinct microbiome structures and functions, amidst comparable pore fluid chemistries, along 300 cm sediment horizons underlying the seasonal (shallow coastal; water depth: 31 m) and perennial (deep sea; water depths: 530 and 580 m) oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) of the Arabian Sea, situated across the western Indian margin. The sedimentary geomicrobiology was elucidated by analyzing metagenomes, metatranscriptomes, enrichment cultures, and depositional rates measured via radiocarbon and lead excess dating; the findings were then evaluated in light of the other geochemical data available for the cores. Along the perennial-OMZ sediment cores, microbial communities were dominated by Gammaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria, but in the seasonal-OMZ core communities were dominated by Euryarchaeota and Firmicutes. As a perennial-OMZ signature, a cryptic methane production–consumption cycle was found to operate near the sediment surface, within the sulfate reduction zone; overall diversity, as well as the relative abundances of anaerobes requiring simple fatty acids (methanogens, anaerobic methane oxidizers, sulfate reducers, and acetogens), peaked in the topmost sediment layer and then declined via synchronized fluctuations until the sulfate–methane transition zone was reached. The microbiome profile was completely reversed in the seasonal-OMZ sediment horizon. In the perennial-OMZ sediments, deposited organic carbon was higher in concentration and rich in marine components that degrade readily to simple fatty acids; simultaneously, lower sedimentation rate afforded higher O2 exposure time for organic matter degradation despite perennial hypoxia in the bottom water. The resultant abundance of reduced carbon substrates eventually sustained multiple inter-competing microbial processes in the upper sediment layers. The entire geomicrobial scenario was opposite in the sediments of the seasonal OMZ. These findings create a microbiological baseline for understanding carbon–sulfur cycling in distinct depositional settings and water column oxygenation regimes across the continental margins.

Lightning activity constitute the major destructive component of thunderstorms over India. Hence, an understanding of the long-term variability in lightning occurrence and intensity and their interrelation with various causative factors is required. Long-term (1998–2014) Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite-based lightning observations depict the most frequent lightning occurrences along the Himalayan foothills, the Indo-Gangetic plains and coastal regions, while the intensity of these lightning strikes is found to be strongest along the coastal regions and in the Bay of Bengal. In addition, both of the abovementioned lightning properties show a very strong intensification (∼ 1 %–2.5 % annually) across all Indian regions during the 1998–2014 period with the maximum trends along the coasts. Accordingly, a detailed statistical dominance analysis is performed which reveals total column water vapor (TCWV) to be the dominant factor behind the intensification in lightning events, while instability, measured by the convective available potential energy (CAPE), and aerosol optical depth (AOD) jointly control the lightning frequency trends. An increase in surface temperatures has led to enhanced instability and, hence, stronger moisture transport to the upper-troposphere and lower-stratosphere regions, especially along the coasts. This transported moisture helps deplete the ozone concentration, leading to reduced temperatures and elevated equilibrium levels, which finally results in stronger and more frequent lightning events, as also evidenced by the trend analysis. Consequently, the relationships between lightning and its causative factors have been expressed in the form of multilinear regression equations, which are then employed in multiple global circulation models (GCMs) to understand the long-term impact of urbanization on lightning over the period from 1950 to 2100. The analysis reveals a uniform increase in lightning occurrence and intensity using both urbanization scenarios; however, accelerated growth is observed in the RCP8.5 projections after the year 2050, as also observed from the surface warming trends. As a result, lightning frequency and intensity values across the Indian region are expected to increase ∼ 10 %–25 % and 15 %–50 %, respectively, by the end of the century with the highest risk along the coasts; hence, this requires immediate attention from policymakers.

The Salton Sea is a drying salt lake in an arid region with high aerosol particulate-matter concentrations. This region is plagued by a high incidence of asthma, attributed in part to the aerosols surrounding the Sea. But the connection between the Sea and asthma may be more than simple calculations of dust concentrations. While dusts might contain toxic substances that impact the lungs of residents, the complex dynamics related to the environmental degradation of the Salton Sea may be generating additional toxins relevant to public health, such as microcystins produced by algal blooms. This collection of pollutants may be driving inflammatory responses in the lungs of residents through multiple mechanisms. As such, examination of the full range of potential environmental triggers of lung inflammation promises to yield a better understanding of key mechanisms driving the high incidence of asthma in local residents. Our discussion provides a perspective aiming to re-frame the issue in the context of the historical theory of “miasma” and the linkages between environmental change and health impacts.

The study validated an integrated framework of the academic analogue of the Psychological Momentum theory (PMT) in the context of Sophomore Slump phenomenon, based on the preliminary work of [9]. The sample of the study was 303 Second Year Computer Science, Mechanical, and Electronics Engineering Students under the STEM discipline at the Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India. The tools used for the study were the Academic Procrastination scale - short form by [33], the Engineering Self-Efficacy scale by [22], the Academic Inertia Scale by [9], and the Inspiration scale by [30]. Exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis were conducted using SPSS Statistics software Ver 23.0 on 103 subjects of the data, and the remaining 200 sample size data was used for confirmatory factor analysis study to adapt the foreign tools in the Indian context, along with the validation of the integrative framework of the academic analogue of PMT on sophomore engineering students using structural equation modeling (SEM) through SPSS AMOS software Ver. 23.0. The overall hypothesized integrative framework of PMT in academic context for second-year engineering undergraduates under the sophomore slump phenomenon, displayed acceptable goodness of fit indices. Educational and psychometric implications of the study towards the promotion of sustainable development goal 4 of quality education under STEM discipline in India, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed investigation on the potentially drought-prone regions over India is presented in this study based on the balance between precipitation and potential evapotranspiration (PET) during the southwest Asian mid-monsoon season. We introduce a parameter named dry day frequency (DDF) which is found suitable to present the drought index (DI) in mid-monsoon season, hence strongly associated with the possibility of drought occurrences. The present study investigates the probable aspects which influence the DDF over these regions, revealing that the abundance of anthropogenic aerosols especially over urbanized locations has a prevailing role in the growth of DDF during the last few decades. The prominent increasing trend in DDF over Lucknow (26.84∘ N, 80.94∘ E), a densely populated urban location situated in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, strongly reflects the dominant association of anthropogenic aerosols with the increasing dry phase occurrences. Increase in DDF (∼90 %) during the last 60 years is observed over this urban area compared to a broader region in its surroundings. In addition, periodic impacts of large-scale phenomena like ENSO (El Niño–Southern Oscillation) or SSN (sunspot number) become weaker when the study location is downscaled towards an urbanized region. Finally, when long-term projections of DDF are drawn using the high urbanization scenario of RCP 8.5, a huge rise in dry days is seen during mid-July to mid-September (reaching up to 50 dry days by the year 2100 over Lucknow), which will be a crucial concern for policymakers in future.

The Eulerian point of view is the traditional theoretical and numerical tool to describe fluid mechanics. Some modern computational fluid dynamics codes allow for the efficient simulation of particles, in turn facilitating a Lagrangian description of the flow. The existence and persistence of Lagrangian coherent structures in fluid flow has been a topic of considerable study. Here we focus on the ability of Lagrangian methods to characterize mixing in geophysical flows. We study the instability of a strongly non-linear double-jet flow, initially in geostrophic balance, which forms quasi-coherent vortices when subjected to ageostrophic perturbations. Particle clustering techniques are applied to study the behavior of the particles in the vicinity of coherent vortices. Changes in inter-particle distance play a key role in establishing the patterns in particle trajectories. This paper exploits graph theory in finding particle clusters and regions of dense interactions (also known as subclusters). The methods discussed and results presented in this paper can be used to identify mixing in a flow and extract information about particle behavior in coherent structures from a Lagrangian point of view.

Long-term trends of the parameters related to convection and instability obtained from 27 radiosonde stations across six subdivisions over the Indian region during the period 1980–2016 are presented. A total of 16 parcel and instability parameters along with moisture content, wind shear, and thunderstorm and rainfall frequencies have been utilized for this purpose. Robust fit regression analysis is employed on the regional average time series to calculate the long-term trends on both a seasonal and a yearly basis. The level of free convection (LFC) and the equilibrium level (EL) height are found to ascend significantly in all Indian subdivisions. Consequently, the coastal regions (particularly the western coast) experience increases in severe thunderstorms (TSS) and severe rainfall (SRF) frequency in the pre-monsoon period, while the inland regions (especially Central India) experience an increase in ordinary thunderstorms (TSO) and weak rainfall (WRF) frequency during the monsoon and post-monsoon periods. The 16–20-year periodicity is found to dominate the long-term trends significantly compared to other periodicities and the increase in TSS, and convective available potential energy (CAPE) is found to be more severe after the year 1999. The enhancement in moisture transport and associated cooling at 100 hPa along with the dispersion of boundary layer pollutants are found to be the main causes for the increase in CAPE, which leads to more convective severity in the coastal regions. However, in inland regions, moisture-laden winds are absent and the presence of strong capping effect of pollutants on instability in the lower troposphere has resulted in more convective inhibition energy (CINE). Hence, TSO and occurrences of WRF have increased particularly in these regions.

Shunt failure requiring reintervention remains a common complication of hydrocephalus treatment. Here, we report a novel cause of mechanical shunt obstruction in an adult patient: position-dependent intermittent occlusion via an infusion port catheter. A 51-year-old woman with a grade II oligodendroglioma presented in a delayed fashion following surgery with a pseudomeningocele. She underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement due to communicating hydrocephalus, resolving her pseudomeningocele. Shortly thereafter, she underwent placement of a subclavian infusion port at an outside institution. Her pseudomeningocele returned. Imaging demonstrated close proximity of her port catheter to the shunt catheter overlying the clavicle. Her shunt was tapped demonstrating a patent ventricular catheter with normal pressure. She underwent shunt exploration after her pseudomeningocele did not respond to valve adjustment. Intraoperative manometry demonstrated head position-dependent distal catheter obstruction. Repeat manometry following distal catheter revision demonstrated normal runoff independent of position. Her pseudomeningocele was resolved on follow-up. To our knowledge, this is the only reported case of intermittent, position-dependent distal catheter obstruction. Shunted patients with concern for malfunction following subclavian infusion port placement should be evaluated for possible dynamic obstruction of their distal catheter when the two catheters are in close proximity along the clavicle.

Defined as helpful live bacteria that can provide medical advantages to the host when administered in tolerable amounts, oral probiotics might be worth considering as a possible preventive or therapeutic modality to mitigate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptom severity. This hypothesis stems from an emerging understanding of the gut–lung axis wherein probiotic microbial species in the digestive tract can influence systemic immunity, lung immunity, and possibly viral pathogenesis and secondary infection co-morbidities. We review the principles underlying the gut–lung axis, examples of probiotic-associated antiviral activities, and current clinical trials in COVID-19 based on oral probiotics.

A long-term field experiment was commenced in 2006 with rice as a test crop under long-term integrated nutrient management (INM) practices at Instructional-cum-Research (ICR) farm of the Assam Agricultural University, Assam to study the distribution of aluminium (Al) fractions and their relationship with NPK content in different parts of rice plant under acidic Inceptisol. Results indicated that exchangeable Al and strongly organically bound and interlayer Al fractions effectively decreased whileweakly organically bound Al, amorphous Al and free Al fractions increased under integrated use of enriched compost @ 2 t/ha with 25% recommended doses of NP + 100% K over rest of the treatments. In rice, the integrated use of enriched compost @ 2 t/ha with 25% recommended doses of NP + 100% K showed significant increment in N and P content in grain, husk and straw over rest of the treatments. The K content in grain (0.36%), husk (0.37%) and straw (2.03%) was also found to be highest under application of 25% recommended doses of NP + enriched compost @ 2 t/ha + 100% K as compared to other treatments. There was a highly significant negative correlation was found between exchangeable Al and strongly organically bound and interlayer Al with N, P and K content of rice. Thus, integrated use of enriched compost with reduced dose of recommended nitrogen and phosphorus of rice reduced the toxic Al fractions in an acid soil which led to enhanced N, P and K content in rice grain, husk and straw.

Water, a finite natural resource, is vital for the generation, sustenance and flourishing of all life forms. Rampant use and misuse of water make it a depleting natural resource. Consequently, conflicts and stresses have emerged involving the availability, accessibility, and quality of water. The shortage of water has also contributed to the spread of waterborne diseases. The crisis of availability and accessibility of quality water and the emergence and prevalence of these waterborne diseases have pushed some groups and individuals to suffer more than others. This disparate impact has contributed to inequities—especially health inequities—by failing to prevent the avoidable impacts of water shortage and waterborne disease on the health of individuals and groups. Considering this fact, the central argument of this paper is that water-related inequities are actually inequities caused at the level of health capabilities of groups and individuals. To address such inequities, this paper suggests that there is a need for a new foundation of water ethics because the existing frameworks fail to capture and address water-related inequities that are caused at the level of health capabilities. With a focus on India, this paper then argues that the new water ethics can be founded on Jennifer Prah Ruger’s social justice theory of the ‘Health Capability Paradigm (HCP)’. This paper then identifies and recommends some desirable changes to be made in the implementation of Indian water policy.

Alloimmunization is a detrimental effect of transfusion therapy which makes availability of compatible blood difficult due to increased incidence of development of alloantibody and autoantibody, which can lead to mild-to- fatal adverse reactions. This case report illustrates the effective resolution of a case with multiple alloantibodies using advanced immuno-haematological workup with rare antisera. This report also re-emphasizes the need for universal antibody screening and identification for both donors and patients as part of pre-transfusion testing. The assessment of need for transfusion helped in deriving an effective plan of action for supportive care to the patient against the fear of hemolytic reaction. The provision of right and compatible (antigen negative) blood helped in management of patient during chemotherapy. This case emphasizes the indispensable need of devising and maintaining a Rare Blood Donor Register in developing nations. The Rare blood donor registry will help revolutionize the current transfusion practices, and will provide better means of managing critical care patients with single/ multiple antibodies.

Objective: The aim of this study was to access the clinico-psycho-social profile of patients brought under consultation-liaison (CL) psychiatry care in a large tertiary care referral hospital. Materials and Methods: This study included all patients who were referred for CL psychiatry from among the inpatients in the hospital and the emergency department (during off working hours of the hospital) over a period of 1 year. Data were obtained and analyzed in terms of where was the referral placed, by whom, the reason for placing the referral, the primary medical/surgical diagnosis of the patient, the presenting complaints, any past psychiatric history, the psychiatric diagnosis (as per the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition), the investigations advised and their reports, the treatment advised (psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological), the sociodemographic profile of the patients, and the follow-up details. Results: A total of 157 patients were referred to the CL unit over the study period. Out of these, 125 patients were referred among the inpatients and 32 from the emergency department of the hospital. Majority of the patients were in the age group of 25–50 years and were male. The majority of the referrals were made by general physician; most of the referrals were placed from emergency department. The most common reason for referral was for altered sensorium and behavioral abnormalities. The most common diagnosis was delirium followed by depressive episode and alcohol dependence syndrome. Conclusion: There was higher representation of delirium and alcohol-related cases in our study compared to older studies.

Background: Pre-transfusion compatibility testing is performed in order to prevent transfusion of incompatible donor red cells that might result in an immune mediated hemolytic transfusion reaction, thereby forming a critical element in the process of transfusion to enhance blood safety. Titers are generally determined with a semi-quantitative assay by serial double-fold dilution. Several different techniques have been employed for titration, of which the conventional tube test (CTT) and column gel card test –Column Agglutination Technique (CAT) are the most frequently used. Historically, CTT has been used as the standard technique for immunohaematological studies, such as direct antihuman globulin test for the diagnosis of autoimmune haemolytic anaemia and in screening for specific antibodies in transfusion medicine. Study Design and Methods: For this study, 51 plasma samples from donors were subjected to antibody titration using the two techniques CAT and CTT. For the purpose of standardization and reproducibility of results, all 51 samples were tested by two technicians and the results obtained were a total of 70 antibody titers. Dilutions were continued to a titer of 1:1024 with the aim of allowing for at least two negative tubes beyond the titer end-point. The statistical analysis of the data has been done in MS-Excel. Results: Out of the 70 titer samples, 57 samples showed identical titer values in the methods performed by both the technicians. 8 samples showed titer values higher in Technician 2 by one dilution as compared to Technician 1, whereas 5 samples showed titer values lower in Technician 2 when compared to Technician 1 (one dilution low in 4 samples and two dilutions low in 1 sample). Conlcusion: CAT titers demonstrated up to a twofold difference as compared to CTT titres, as demonstrated in the figures presented. This disparity is not unusual and can be attributed to the lack of standardization which can be reduced by Column Agglutination Technology. CAT uses specific volumes of red blood cells and the reagents are dispensed by pipettes. Also, the procedure is technically simpler due to the elimination of washing steps and results in well-defined end points. Column Agglutination Technique offers not only sensitivity, but also the best titer turnaround time, eliminating almost 45 minutes of incubation period alone. The results of testing by CAT are comparable to CTT but have the advantages of ease of performance, better standardization of cells, most importantly stable results and reproducibility. Implementation of antibody titers by the gel method would clinically benefit the management of ABO incompatible solid-organ transplant patients.