BMP signalling : A significant player and therapeutic target for osteoarthritis

Acknowledgements We are immensely grateful to Prof. YiPing Chen at Tulane University, USA, for the gift of mouse strains. We thank Prof. Frank Beier of Western University, Ontario, Canada for teaching APJ the method of ACL transection. We sincerely thank Shuchi Arora and Ankita Jena for their critical comments on the manuscript. We are highly grateful to Niveda Udaykumar and Saahiba Thaleshwari for their help in blind OARSI scoring. We thank Mr. Naresh Gupta for assistance with mouse experiments. Funding This work was supported by grants from the Department of Biotechnology, India (DBT) BT/PR17362/MED/30/1648/2017 and BT/IN/DENMARK/08/JD/2016 to A.B.; Versus Arthritis Grants 19667 and 21156 to CDB and AJR, Fellowships to APJ, BK, and SFI are supported by fellowships from the Ministry of Education, Govt. of India. Fellowship to AKS was supported by Science and Engineering Research Board, Govt. of India. APJ travelled to Western University Canada with Shastri Research Student Fellowship (SRSF, 2015-‘16). A.H.K.R. was supported by the Wellcome Trust through the Scottish Translational Medicine and Therapeutics Initiative (Grant No. WT 085664).Peer reviewedPostprin

Anti-bacterial activity of inorganic nanomaterials and their antimicrobial peptide conjugates against resistant and non-resistant pathogens

This review details the antimicrobial applications of inorganic nanomaterials of mostly metallic form, and the augmentation of activity by surface conjugation of peptide ligands. The review is subdivided into three main sections, of which the first describes the antimicrobial activity of inorganic nanomaterials against gram-positive, gram-negative and multidrug-resistant bacterial strains. The second section highlights the range of antimicrobial peptides and the drug resistance strategies employed by bacterial species to counter lethality. The final part discusses the role of antimicrobial peptide-decorated inorganic nanomaterials in the fight against bacterial strains that show resistance. General strategies for the preparation of antimicrobial peptides and their conjugation to nanomaterials are discussed, emphasizing the use of elemental and metallic oxide nanomaterials. Importantly, the permeation of antimicrobial peptides through the bacterial membrane is shown to aid the delivery of nanomaterials into bacterial cells. By judicious use of targeting ligands, the nanomaterial becomes able to differentiate between bacterial and mammalian cells and, thus, reduce side effects. Moreover, peptide conjugation to the surface of a nanomaterial will alter surface chemistry in ways that lead to reduction in toxicity and improvements in biocompatibility

Effect of addition of talc on the sintering characteristics of fly ash based ceramic tiles.

The sintering characteristics of fly ash–talc mixtures having 0–100% talc (w/w) in the presence of 10% (w/w) sodium hexa meta phosphate (SHMP) have been studied. In the fly ash rich mixtures, the presence of needle shaped mullite and rhombohedral aluminum phosphate phases is responsible for providing impact strength to sintered tile bodies. On gradual addition of talc, the decrease in the concentration of sillimanite and increase in the concentration of sodium magnesium phosphate crystals is responsible for the observed improvement in the impact strength of tiles. With increase in talc content, initially the % water absorption decreases to reach a minimum for a fly ash–talc mix containing 60% (w/w talc) where after it again starts increasing. The apparent density of the tile samples increases with increasing talc content in the raw mix due to densification as well as higher density of talc as compared to fly ash

Separation of lead ions from aqueous solutions by adsorption at talc surface

674-678Separation of lead ions from aqueous solutions containing 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 ppm lead was studied by adsorption at the surface of talc mineral of Indian origin. The effect of temperature (20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70oC) on adsorption phenomena was studied and the data was analyzed using Langmuir isotherm. The changes in enthalpy (H), free energy (G) and entropy (S) were evaluated. The negative values of G and H indicate the adsorption of lead ions on talc surface to be spontaneous and exothermic under the experimental conditions

Separation of lead ions from aqueous solutions by adsorption at talc surface.

Separation of lead ions from aqueous solutions containing 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 ppm lead was studied by adsorption at the surface of talc mineral of Indian origin. The effect of temperature (20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70oC) on adsorption phenomena was studied and the data was analyzed using Langmuir isotherm. The changes in enthalpy (H), free energy (G) and entropy (S) were evaluated. The negative values of G and H indicate the adsorption of lead ions on talc surface to be spontaneous and exothermic under the experimental conditions

Design of serious games based on cognitive bias modification and learned helplessness paradigms for treatment of depression.

Background: Depression is a debilitating mental health disorder with a huge treatment gap. Recent years have seen a surge of digital interventions to bridge this treatment gap. Most of these interventions are based on computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (cCBT). Despite the efficacy of cCBT-based interventions, their uptake is low, and dropout rates are high. Cognitive bias modification (CBM) paradigms provide a complementary approach for digital interventions for depression. However, interventions based on CBM paradigms have been reported to be repetitive and boring. Objectives: In this paper, we describe the conceptualization, design, and acceptability of serious games based on CBM paradigms and the learned helplessness paradigm. Methods: We searched the literature for CBM paradigms that have been shown to be effective in reducing depressive symptoms. For each of the CBM paradigms, we ideated on how to create a game so that the gameplay is engaging while the active therapeutic component remains unchanged. Results: We developed 5 serious games based on CBM paradigms and the learned helplessness paradigm. The games include various core elements of gamification, including goals, challenges, feedback, rewards, progress, and fun. Overall, the games received positive acceptability ratings from 15 users. Conclusions: These games may help in improving the effectiveness and engagement levels of computerized interventions for depression

Development and In Vitro Characterization of Galactosylated Low Molecular Weight Chitosan Nanoparticles Bearing Doxorubicin

The aim of the present research was to evaluate the potential of galactosylated low molecular weight chitosan (Gal-LMWC) nanoparticles bearing positively charged anticancer, doxorubicin (DOX) for hepatocyte targeting. The chitosan from crab shell was depolymerized, and the lactobionic acid was coupled with LMWC using carbodiimide chemistry. The depolymerized and galactosylated polymers were characterized. Two types of Gal-LMWC(s) with variable degree of substitution were employed to prepare the nanoparticles using ionotropic gelation with pentasodium tripolyphosphate anions. Factors affecting nanoparticles formation were discussed. The nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and photon correlation spectroscopy and found to be spherical in the size range 106–320 nm. Relatively higher percent DOX entrapment was obtained for Gal-LMWC(s) nanoparticles than for LMWC nanoparticles. A further increase in drug entrapment was found with nanoparticles prepared by Gal-LMWC with higher degree of substitution. A hypothesis which correlates the ionic concentration of DOX in nanoparticles preparation medium and percent DOX entrapment in cationic polymer has been proposed to explain the enhanced DOX entrapment. In-vitro drug release study demonstrated an initial burst release followed by a sustained release. The targeting potential of the prepared nanoparticles was assessed by in vitro cytotoxicity study using the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (HepG2) expressing the ASGP receptors on their surfaces. The enthusiastic results showed the feasibility of Gal-LMWC(s) to entrap the cationic DOX and targeting potential of developed Gal-LMWC(s) nanoparticles to HepG2 cell line