@article {46006, title = {Mapping fusogenicity of ciprofloxacin-loaded liposomes with bacterial cells}, journal = {AAPS Pharmscitech}, volume = {20}, year = {2019}, month = {JUL}, pages = {180}, type = {Article}, abstract = {

The process of liposome fusion with cellular membrane plays key role in delivering encapsulated drug molecule into the cell. This process becomes very important for molecules having low permeability as they fail to reach the site of action located inside the cell. Ciprofloxacin (CIP), a broad-spectrum BCS class IV antibiotic, has poor permeability. In the present work, CIP-loaded liposomes were prepared using solvent evaporation method and optimized by 3(2) factorial design approach. The optimized batch of CIP-loaded liposomes was characterized for size, entrapment efficiency, zeta potential, FTIR, and microbial susceptibility study on Staphylococcus aureus (gram-positive bacteria) and Escherichia coli (gram-negative bacteria). Confocal microscopy was used to study the fusogenicity process of CIP-loaded liposomes with bacterial cells. Additionally, the kinetics of fusogenicity process was studied using SAXS for the first time. Surprisingly, the rate of fusion of CIP-loaded liposomes with cell wall of S. aureus was twice when compared to the cell wall of E. coli. It is believed that the current work can act as a roadmap in selection of proper excipients while developing formulations which would expedite the fusogenicity and may execute pharmacological activity of poorly penetrable drug molecules at lower dose.

}, keywords = {ciprofloxacin, confocal microscopy, fusion, liposomes, SAXS}, issn = {1530-9932}, doi = {10.1208/s12249-019-1381-4}, author = {Patil, Runali and Torris, Arun and Bhat, Suresh and Patil, Sharvil} } @article {47575, title = {Mechanical and microstructural studies in a polysaccharide-acrylate double network hydrogel}, journal = {Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials}, volume = {124}, year = {2021}, month = {DEC}, pages = {104839}, type = {Article}, abstract = {Polymeric hydrogels continue to find a wide range of applications. However, a major drawback of hydrogels is the lack of mechanical strength. In this regard, {\textquoteleft}{\textquoteleft}Double Network Hydrogels{\textquoteright}{\textquoteright} (DN) have shown great promise recently. The toughness in DN hydrogels originates from the synergistic effect of two polymeric networks. In this work, we have synthesized a DN hydrogel consisting of a tightly cross linked carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) as the first network and loosely cross linked poly(hydroxyethylacrylate) (PHEA) as a second network (CMC-PHEADN). The required flexibility in the second network (PHEA) was induced by the presence of a small amount of stearyl methacrylate (SM) as a co-monomer in hydroxyl ethyl acrylate (HEA). The compressive strength of the CMC-PEHA-DN hydrogel was found to be 280 times more than that of CMC-SN hydrogel, and the presence of SM in DN hydrogels showed better recovery after deformation. Cell viability studies showed the biocompatibility of DN hydrogels. The micro-structural analysis of DN xerogels by 3D X-ray Microtomography indicated the presence of oriented pores in size range of 30-40 mu m. To the best of our knowledge, Microtomography was used for the first time to study the DN gels. These hydrogels can be used to develop implants that can withstand prolonged stress and expand the life span of implants.}, keywords = {Carboxymethyl cellulose, Double network hydrogels, Poly(hydroxyethyl acrylate), Poly(hydroxyethyl-co-stearyl methacrylate)}, issn = {1751-6161}, doi = {10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104839}, author = {Torris, Arun and Nair, Sanoop and Mol, K. P. Raji and Sengupta, Poulomi and Badiger, Manohar} } @article {47337, title = {Micro-computed tomographic analysis of the marginal adaptation of a calcium silicate-based cement to radicular dentin after removal of three different intracanal medicaments - an in vitro study}, journal = {Journal of Conservative Dentistry}, volume = {23}, year = {2021}, month = {FEB}, pages = {598-603}, type = {Article}, abstract = {

Context:\ This study focuses on the marginal adaptation of a calcium silicate-based cement to the root dentin after retrieval of different intracanal medicaments.

Aim:\ This study compared the marginal adaptation of a calcium silicate-based cement to radicular dentin in the apical third of the root canal following the use of three different intracanal medicaments.

Materials and methods:\ Forty single-rooted premolar teeth (n\ = 40) were decoronated 13 mm above the root apices; then, 3 mm of the root tips were resected to standardize the root length. Orthograde cleaning and shaping were done using the rotary files and apical enlargement using peeso reamers. Depending on the intracanal medicament used, the samples were equally divided into four groups: Group 1 - control, Group 2 - Metapex, Group 3 - triple antibiotic paste (TAP), and Group 4 - calcium hydroxide with Propolis. Subsequently, the medicament was removed and a 3 mm apical barrier of BiodentineTM\ was placed and later scanned using an ex vivo micro-computed tomography scanner.

}, doi = {10.4103/JCD.JCD_561_20}, author = {Jain, Ruchika Nirmal and Abraham, Sathish and Karad, Rohini Ramesh and Najan, Harshal Balasaheb and Vaswani, Sneha Dhruvkumar and Torris, Arun} } @article {48803, title = {Mitigating dendrite formation on a Zn electrode in aqueous zinc chloride by the competitive surface chemistry of an imidazole additive}, journal = {ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces}, volume = {15}, year = {2023}, month = {MAY}, pages = {23093-23103}, type = {Article}, abstract = {

Electrochemical energy storage systems are critical in several ways for a smooth transition from nonrenewable to renewable energy sources. Zn-based batteries are one of the promising alternatives to the existing state-of-the-art Li-ion battery technology, since Li-ion batteries pose significant drawbacks in terms of safety and cost-effectiveness. Zn (with a reduction potential of -0.76 V vs SHE) has a significantly higher theoretical volumetric capacity (5851 mAh/cm3) than Li (2061 mAh/cm3), and it is certainly far less expensive, safer, and more earth-abundant. The formation of dendrites, hydrogen evolution, and the formation of a ZnO passivation layer on the Zn anode are the primary challenges in the development and deployment of rechargeable zinc batteries. In this work, we examine the role of imidazole as an electrolyte additive in 2 M ZnCl2 to prevent dendrite formation during zinc electrodeposition via experimental (kinetics and imaging) and theoretical density functional theory (DFT) studies. To characterize the efficacy and to identify the appropriate concentration of imidazole, linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and chronoamperometry (CA) are performed with in situ monitoring of the electrodeposited zinc. The addition of 0.025 wt \% imidazole to 2 M ZnCl2 increases the cycle life of Zn-symmetric cells cycled at 1 mA/cm2 for 60 min of plating and stripping dramatically from 90 to 240 h. A higher value of the nucleation overpotential is noted in the presence of imidazole, which suggests that imidazole is adsorbed at a competitively faster rate on the surface of zinc, thereby suppressing the zinc electrodeposition kinetics and the formation. X-ray tomography reveals that a short circuit caused by dendrite formation is the main plausible failure mechanism of Zn symmetric cells. It is observed that the electrodeposition of zinc is more homogeneous in the presence of imidazole, and its presence in the electrolyte also inhibits the production of a passivating coating (ZnO) on the Zn surface, thereby preventing corrosion. DFT calculations conform well with the stated experimental observations.

}, keywords = {dendrite, Density functional theory, exchange current density, Imidazole, X-ray computed tomography, zinc metal electrodeposition}, issn = {1944-8244}, doi = {10.1021/acsami.3c01310}, author = {Rana, Ashutosh and Thakare, Anup and Kumar, Nikhil and Mukherjee, Buddhadev and Torris, Arun and Das, Bidisa and Ogale, Satishchandra and Banerjee, Abhik} }