The Role of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Knee

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common chronic, inflammatory, and degenerative diseases affecting the synovial joints, the hip, and the knee. OA is commonly managed clinically by treating pain with anti-inflammatory medicines using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) or analgesics. In severe OA patients, invasive knee replacement surgery is the last option. Treatment of OA using mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) has been widely explored due to their anti-inflammatory properties and chondrogenic differentiation potential. In this chapter, we comprehensively discuss in detail the in vitro OA potency development, OA preclinical studies, and clinical trials conducted using MSCs

Probing compact objects with gravitational waves: Bounding dark charges on black holes and exploring gravitomagnetic tides on neutron stars

In 2017, the first gravitational wave signal from a binary neutron star merger, GW170817, was detected by both Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo. From this merger, a gamma ray burst was detected by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and the INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL) spacecraft which initiated a new era of multi-messenger astronomy. Neutron star matter Neutron stars are the most densest objects in our universe which are formed in su- pernova explosions. This makes neutron stars ideal astrophysical laboratories for testing theories of dense matter physics. A typical neutron star has a mass of the order of 1.4 solar masses and a radius of 12 km. The matter inside a neutron star is characterised by the relation between pressure and density, known as the neutron star equation of state. Equation of states of neutron stars are modelled by various theories in nuclear physics and quantum chromodynamics. A neutron star in a binary system is deformed due to tidal forces of its companion, either a neutron star or a black hole. This effect is similar to what happens here on Earth when the moon’s gravity raises the ocean tides. Internal oscillations of the neutron star arise when the companion’s tidal force varies at a frequency close to the star’s characteristic frequency. This is like a bridge oscillating when a band marches at a pace matching its frequency. The amount of tidal deformation and the characteristic frequency depend on the equation of state of the neutron star matter. Any tidal response of the star leaves a distinct imprint on the gravitational waves emitted by the binary. Thus, gravitational waves will reveal unique information about the exotic interior of the neutron stars. There are two types of tidal effects: gravitoelectic and gravitomagnetic. Gravitoelectic are leading order tidal effects while gravitomagnetic are next to leading order tidal effects. In this thesis, we modelled the gravitomagnetic tides for a binary neutron stars and their effect on the gravitational waves signal. We used this model to understand the effect of gravitomagnetic tides on measuring the equation of state of neutron stars using third-generation gravitational wave observatories such as Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer. Dark Charges Most of the matter in the Universe is made of dark matter which cannot be directly observed. It is called ”dark” because it does not interact with light or other forms of electromagnetic radiation. Its presence can be inferred from its gravitational effects on visible matter, such as galaxies and clusters of galaxies. Over the years, many candidates of dark matter have been proposed, one of them being dark charges. These are reminiscent of electrons, but their charge-to-mass ratio is smaller. They can accumulate on binary black holes through various astrophysical processes. In this thesis, we explored the possibility of detecting dark charges using gravitational waves from binary black holes

CHEMICAL EXAMINATION AND IN VITRO ANTIFUGAL CHRACTERIZATION OF ESSENTIAL OIL FROM AERIAL PARTS OF SWERTIA PETIOLATA D. DON

Objective: The aim of this research work was to evaluate the important phytochemical and their antifungal activity against crops pathogens from essential of Swertia petiolata. Methods: The phytochemical composition and antifungal activity of essential oil from aerial parts of Swertia petiolata D. Don obtained from hydro-distillation and analyzed by GC/GC-MS analysis in relation with their Kavot indices and mass spectra and their antifungal activity by disk diffusion method. Results: The oil is rich in monoterpenoids and oxygenated sesquiterpenoids. A total of 39 chemical constituents were identified representing 87.50% and major chemical constituents were identified as n-tetradecanal (15.16%), isopropylcyclohexene (13.58%), trimethylsilylpalmitate (12.50%), longipianol (7.76%), n-eocosane (7.46%), z-patchenal (4.40%), guaiadienal (4.07%), and heptadecanal (3.86%) whereas oxygenated monoterpenoids were minor constituents. The antifungal activity was studied by disk diffusion method with 57.63±0.10% and 44.34±0.13% mycelial growth inhibition. The oil was active against Bipolaris maydis and Rhizoctonia solani at concentration of 2.5μg/μL while, Fusarium oxysporum and Alternaria alternata were least active for this oil. The minimum inhibitory concentration and IC50 showed a range from 1.2 μg/μL to 1.8 μg/μL as compared with standard fungicides (Amphotericin and Clotrimazole) with IC50 values ranging from 0.5 μg/μL to 0.9 μg/μL and 0.5 μg/μL to 1.5 μg/μL. Conclusions: The essential oil dominated by n-tetradecanal (15.16%), isopropylcyclohexene (13.58%), trimethylsilylpalmitate (12.50%), longipianol (7.76%), n-eocosane (7.46%), z-patchenal (4.40%), and guaiadienal (4.07%) as the major components from aerial parts which showed a marked antifungal activity against Bipolaris maydis and Rhizoctonia solani

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF UV SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC METHOD FOR QUANTITATIVE ESTIMATION OF LAFUTIDINE IN BULK AND PHARMACEUTICAL DOSAGE FORM

Objective: The objectives of the present research was to develop a simple, precise, economical, accurate, reproducible and sensitive method for the quantitative estimation of lafutidine in bulk and its pharmaceutical dosage forms by Ultra Violet (UV) absorption spectrophotometry.Methods: The method uses 0.1 N HCl, pH 1.20 as a solvent of choice for the quantitative estimation of lafutidine in bulk and its tablets dosage form by UV absorption spectrophotometry at a wavelength of 290 nm. The method was validated for parameters like linearity, range, precision, Limit of Detection (LOD), Limit of Quantification (LOQ), accuracy, recovery and stability of the analyte.Results: Lafutidine exhibited absorbance maxima at 290 nm in 0.1 N HCl, pH 1.20 solvent. The developed method was validated as per the ICH validation guidelines. Beer's law was obeyed in range of 0-30 µg/ml with r2= 0.9997. The LOD and LOQ values of lafutidine were found to be 0.545 µg/ml and 1.654 µg/ml respectively. The mean % recovery for the developed method was found to be in the range of 99.25 to 99.45 % respectively for the marketed dosage forms. The developed method was also found to be robust.Conclusion: The developed method was found suitable for the routine quantitative analysis of lafutidinein bulk and pharmaceutical dosage form. It was also concluded that developed UV spectrophotometry method was accurate, precise, linear, reproducible, robust and sensitive

An assessment of antihypertensive drug prescription patterns and adherence to joint national committee-8 hypertension treatment guidelines among hypertensive patients attending a tertiary care teaching hospital

Background: The new guidelines issued by the joint national committee on prevention, detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood pressure (JNC-8) emphasize that aggressive blood pressure (BP) control is essential to reducing morbidity and mortality. Patient non-adherence is a serious obstacle to the effective treatment of many acute and chronic disorders. Successful treatment and outcome of a chronic disease such as hypertension depend on many factors, including resources (e.g., funds, space, and people), avoidance of serious adverse events, patient adherence with treatment plans, and the availability of effective therapies. The aim of this study is to assess the antihypertensive drug prescription patterns and adherence to joint national committee (JNC-8) hypertension (HT) treatment recommendations among hypertensive patients attending a tertiary care teaching hospital.Methods: An observational and cross-sectional prospective prescription audit study was carried over a period of 1 year in ambulatory patients attending medicine OPD. A total of 500 prescriptions prescribed to diagnose HT were analyzed. Drug prescription patterns, and their adherence to JNC-8 report was assessed.Results: Out of 500 patients, 299 (59.8%) were male and 201 (40.2%) were female. Mean age of male and female patients were found to be 57.68±15.32 and 61.29±12.65 years respectively. As per present study, most of the physicians prescribed single drug (monotherapy, 34.6%) to control BP followed by two-drug combination (18.4%), three-drug combination (11.8%) and four-drug combination (3%). Two drugs regimen was prescribed in 18.4% of the hypertensive patients. Angiotensin receptor blocker + diuretic combination (4.4%) was mostly used in two drug combination therapy followed by Angiotensin receptor blockers + Diuretics (3.6%) and Calcium channel blocker + ACEIs combination (2.6%). No combination of ACEIs + ARBs was prescribed in any prescription. The overall rate of adherence was 16.5 % (Pre-hypertension); 87.90% (Stage 1 hypertension); and 68.20% (Stage 2 hypertension).Conclusions: In conclusion, present study demonstrated that physicians are not completely adhering to standard guidelines while treating hypertension with comorbid conditions.

EFFICIENT SCALE INVARIENT FEATURE BASED METHOD FOR CROWD LOCALIZATION

Visual surveillance has been a very active research topic in the last few decade due to growing importance for security in the public areas. With the increasing number of CCTV networks in public areas, the enhancement in the computing power of modern computers and increase the possibility to entrust an automatic system with the security and the monitoring of events involving large crowds is within reach. Crowd detection and localization in the surveillance video is the first step in automatic crowd monitoring system. The performance of the whole system depends on this step. Detecting the crowd is a challenging task because the crowds come in different shape, size and color, against cluttered background and varying illumination conditions. As the size of the crowd increases managing the crowd becomes more complex

Problems faced by tourists/ travellers while travelling in India

Tourism is mainly associated with movement of people from one place to another, but just like other industries, the tourism and hospitality sector helps in inter alia, the critically needed generation of foreign exchange, employment opportunity provision and, infrastructural development. A country like India with its huge diversified culture, varied customs, traditions and a large number of tourist destinations in different regions, depends predominantly upon the tourism industry for overall development. The government of the country understands the importance of tourists, so in order to boost the tourist arrivals numbers, it has taken various steps to support industry which are not in the scope of this article. Still, there are various problems which are faced by tourists/ travellers while travelling through the different destinations in the country. Through this paper the researchers want to examine the various problems faced by the tourist/ travellers to India. The methodology employed was to collect responses from a convenience sample of respondents based on a structured questionnaire. This helped in identifying the basic needs of the tourist related to their comfort and safety while they were travelling through India. The participating respondents freely provided their different responses, which were further technically analysed in an attempt to find the various problems faced by them which could be generalised to other travellers. For future prospective research, this paper provides an opportunity for the later researchers to examine the various regionally found problems faced by travellers traversing the entire country

Constraining the FRB mechanism from scintillation in the host galaxy

We propose an observational test to distinguish between the two primary classes of Fast Radio Burst (FRB) radiation models. For an extended FRB source, the strength of spectral amplitude modulation caused by scintillation, which we refer to as the scintillation index, across the measured frequency band is much smaller than the 100% variations expected for a point source. FRB sources easily satisfy the point-source size requirement for scintillation from the Milky Way ISM plasma but may be large enough for certain classes of proposed FRB mechanisms to quench scintillation from plasma in the host galaxy. An FRB source of size smaller than the diffractive scale for scattering in the ISM of the host galaxy, which is about 10$^9$ cm at 1 GHz, would be considered point-like for the purpose of scintillation. The lateral size of the source for a magnetospheric origin of FRBs is expected to be $\lesssim 10^7$ cm, while it is $\gtrsim 10^9$ cm for far-away models, i.e., models in which the emission is generated far from the central engine. Therefore, scintillation in the host galaxy is well-suited for distinguishing between these two types of FRB models. Scatter-broadening of an FRB pulse by plasma in the host galaxy by $\delta t_s$ causes stochastic flux variation with frequency on a scale of $\sim (2\pi\delta t_s)^{-1}$. Determining the scintillation index for an FRB with scatter broadening identified to be from the host galaxy would provide a strong constraint on the FRB radiation mechanism. Since the scintillation bandwidth scales with frequency as $\sim \nu^{4.4}$, it may be observationally easier to determine the flux variation amplitude at a few GHz.Comment: Paper will be submitted to journal soon. Comments are welcome and encourage