Angiopoietins as promising biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets in brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and sub-arachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are major causes of long-term disability, mortality, and enormous economic costs to society. The full spectrum of neurological damage created by TBI or SAH is not usually manifested at the time of injury, but evolves gradually over the course of hours to days (or weeks) following these injuries. Angiopoietins, important regulators of vascular structure and function, are hallmark indicators of vascular injury and may therefore represent promising targets in the treatment of SAH and TBI. In animal models and human tissues, normal intracerebral and pial vessels show strong expression of Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), but only minimal expression or presentation of Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2). After several types of neurotrauma, the ratios of Ang-1 and Ang-2 expression in brain microvessel are disturbed and appear to contribute to the remarkable loss of blood–brain barrier (BBB) in these injuries. Angiopoietins levels, and perhaps more importantly, Angiopoietin ratios (1:2) may have novel and important diagnostic and prognostic uses in TBI and SAH brain injury. Ang-1/2 evaluation in plasma, serum and cerebrospinal fluid may provide new therapeutic modalities which can modify ‘secondary’ forms of brain injury after TBI and SAH.     

Poverty indicators and mental health functioning among adults living with HIV in Delhi,India

Poor mental health functioning among persons living with HIV (PLHIV) has gained considerable attention particularly in low-income countries that disproportionately carry the global HIV/AIDS burden. Fewer studies, however, have examined the relationship between poverty indicators and mental health among PHLIV in India. Based on this cross-sectional study of 196 HIV-seropositive adults who received medical services at Shalom AIDS Project in Delhi, India, structural equation modeling and mediation analysis were employed to estimate the associations between poverty indices (household asset index, food security, unemployment, water treatment, sanitation), HIV-health factors (illness in the past 3 months, co-morbid medical conditions), and psychological distress. In the final model, ownership of fewer household assets was associated with higher levels of food insecurity, which in turn was associated with higher psychological distress. Also, the household asset index, food insecurity, and unemployment had a larger effect on psychological distress than new opportunistic infections. These findings build on increasing evidence that support concerted efforts to design, evaluate, and refine HIV mental health interventions that are mainstreamed with livelihood programming in high poverty regions in India.     

Magnetic,structural and magnetocaloric properties of Ni-Si and Ni-Al thermoseeds for self-controlled hyperthermia

Self-controlled hyperthermia is a non-invasive technique used to kill or destroy cancer cells while preserving normal surrounding tissues. We have explored bulk magnetic Ni-Si and Ni-Al alloys as a potential thermoseeds. The structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of the samples were investigated, including saturation magnetisation, Curie temperature (T_C), and magnetic and thermal hysteresis, using room temperature X-ray diffraction and magnetometry. The annealing time, temperature and the effects of homogenising the thermoseeds were studied to determine the functional hyperthermia applications. The bulk Ni-Si and Ni-Al binary alloys have Curie temperatures in the desired range, 316?K–319?K (43?°C–46?°C), which is suitable for magnetic hyperthermia applications. We have found that T_C strictly follows a linear trend with doping concentration over a wide range of temperature. The magnetic ordering temperature and the magnetic properties can be controlled through substitution in these binary alloys.