Andile Khathi

Fish scales are a calcium-rich biogenic waste source for hydroxyapatite (HAp), but the influence of processing route on material characteristics and calcium-release behaviour remains insufficiently understood. This study compared fish-scale-derived HAp produced by calcination and wet-chemical processing. Pretreated fish scales were processed by calcination at 1200 °C (cnHAp) or acid-assisted ultrasonic extraction followed by alkaline precipitation (wnHAp). The materials were characterised using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Calcium concentrations were measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry at 0, 24 and 72 h and analysed using two-way mixed-design repeated-measures analysis of variance. Both materials exhibited characteristic HAp functional groups and diffraction features but differed in crystallographic ordering and morphology. cnHAp showed greater crystallographic ordering and a smaller mean particle size (42.41 ± 12.45 nm) than wnHAp (181.09 ± 48.58 nm), with Ca/P atomic ratios of 1.87 and 1.57, respectively. Calcium concentration differed significantly by processing group, time and their interaction (all p < 0.001), with cnHAp consistently showing higher concentrations. Processing route substantially influenced the physicochemical characteristics and temporal calcium-release behaviour of fish-scale-derived HAp.

Introduction: Prediabetes represents an early stage of metabolic dysfunction characterised by insulin resistance and mild hyperglycaemia, yet its impact on female reproductive hormones remains poorly understood. Early hormonal disturbances may contribute to menstrual irregularities, impaired fertility, and progression to long-term reproductive dysfunction. This study investigated changes in reproductive hormone concentrations in females with prediabetes in their reproductive age in Durban, South Africa, with comparisons to non-diabetic and type 2 diabetic (T2DM) women. Methodology: A total of 135 females in their reproductive age were recruited and stratified into non-diabetic (n = 45), prediabetic (n = 45), and T2DM (n = 45) groups based on ADA diagnostic criteria. Blood samples were collected between days 2 and 5 of the menstrual cycle, and plasma levels of fasting glucose, HbA1c, insulin, estradiol, testosterone, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured using ELISA assays. Data were analysed using one way ANOVA with a p < 0.05 considered as statistically significant. Results: Fasting glucose, HbA1c, and insulin increased progressively from the non-diabetic to the T2DM group (p < 0.0001), confirming worsening glycaemic control. Estradiol levels showed a significant decline across groups, with prediabetic women exhibiting significantly lower levels than controls but higher than T2DM (p < 0.0001). Testosterone significantly increased in prediabetes compared to non-diabetic women but significantly decreased in T2DM (p < 0.0001). Progesterone showed no significant differences between non-diabetic and prediabetic groups but declined slightly in T2DM. LH and FSH levels significantly increased from the non-diabetic, prediabetic to T2DM (p < 0.0001), suggesting early disruption of ovarian–pituitary feedback. Conclusion: The findings suggest that reproductive endocrine changes begin during the prediabetic stage, highlighting the importance of early metabolic screening to preserve reproductive health. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify casual pathways and determine whether targeted metabolic interventions can restore hormonal balances and improve reproductive outcomes.

Fish scales are a calcium-rich biogenic waste source for hydroxyapatite (HAp), but the influence of processing route on material characteristics and calcium-release behaviour remains insufficiently understood. This study compared fish-scale-derived HAp produced by calcination and wet-chemical processing. Pretreated fish scales were processed by calcination at 1200°C (cnHAp) or acid-assisted ultrasonic extraction followed by alkaline precipitation (wnHAp). The materials were characterised using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Calcium concentrations were measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry at 0, 24 and 72 h and analysed using two-way mixed-design repeated-measures analysis of variance. Both materials exhibited characteristic HAp functional groups and diffraction features but differed in crystallographic ordering and morphology. cnHAp showed greater crystallographic ordering and a smaller mean particle size (42.41 ± 2.00 nm) than wnHAp (181.09 ± 3.64 nm), with Ca/P atomic ratios of 1.87 and 1.57, respectively. Calcium concentration differed significantly by processing group, time and their interaction (all p < .001), with cnHAp consistently showing higher concentrations. Processing route substantially influenced the physicochemical characteristics and temporal calcium-release behaviour of fish-scale-derived HAp.

Time-restricted feeding has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological intervention for the management of metabolic disorders, particularly type 2 diabetes mellitus and its associated complications. Time-restricted feeding involves restricting food intake to a specific daily eating window while fasting for the remaining hours within 24 h. Furthermore, time-restricted feeding can be combined with specific dietary modifications to enhance its therapeutic benefits. Type 2 diabetes mellitus has been strongly linked to gut dysbiosis, adipose tissue dysfunction, chronic low-grade inflammation, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, and an increased risk of acute pancreatitis. Given the rising global prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, early intervention strategies are becoming increasingly important. Prediabetes, as an intermediate stage preceding type 2 diabetes mellitus, provides a critical opportunity to understand the mechanisms underlying disease progression and to develop effective preventive strategies. However, the effects of time-restricted feeding on gut dysbiosis, adipose tissue dysfunction, dysregulated inflammatory responses, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and the risk of acute pancreatitis at prediabetic state remain incompletely understood. Therefore, this review summarizes the current evidence regarding the therapeutic potential of time-restricted feeding in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its related complications, while highlighting areas that require further investigation.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by insufficient insulin production and diminished insulin receptor sensitivity. Prediabetes, which often precedes T2DM, involves elevated blood glucose levels that do not yet meet T2DM diagnostic criteria. Research has shown that complications linked to T2DM often begin during this prediabetic phase. In this study, we examined changes in intestinal barrier integrity during prediabetes by measuring biomarkers associated with intestinal permeability. With ethical approval, samples were collected from King Edward Hospital and Albert Luthuli Central Hospital in Durban and categorized into type 2 diabetes (T2D), prediabetes (PD), and non-prediabetes (NPD) groups. Blood levels of neutrophils and HbA1c were measured and analyzed, followed by serum zonulin and plasma levels of markers, including IFABP, sCD14, TNF-α, IL-6, glucose, insulin, and pancreatic lipase, which were measured and analyzed. The results showed significantly higher levels of these markers in the PD group compared to the NPD group, with further elevations in the T2D group. These findings align with existing research suggesting an association between increased intestinal permeability and the development of prediabetes. Altogether, these results indicate that prediabetes is a transitional phase marked by metabolic and intestinal permeability changes, though less severe than in T2DM. This underscores the need for additional research to cover a wider range of metabolic health, oxidative stress, inflammation, and vascular function markers, as such comprehensive assessments could provide deeper insight into underlying physiological processes.

Background: The onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is often preceded by prediabetes, a reversible state of insulin resistance and impaired glucose regulation driven by the chronic consumption of a high-calorie diet and sedentary lifestyle. Prediabetes is characterised by impaired glucose tolerance and elevated glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). Although metformin improves insulin sensitivity, adherence limitations to lifestyle interventions highlight the need for alternative drugs that can be effective even without dietary intervention. In our laboratory, we synthesised a novel ruthenium complex that exhibits elevated biological activity. Accordingly, this study investigated the metabolic effects of a novel ruthenium (II)–uracil Schiff base complex in HFHC diet-induced prediabetic rats, with and without dietary intervention. Methods: Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats (150–180 g) were divided into two groups, the standard diet (n = 12) and HFHC diet groups (n = 36), for prediabetic induction. Prediabetic animals were randomly assigned to respective treatment groups. The ruthenium complex was administered to prediabetic rats once a day, every third day, for 12 weeks, while monitoring changes in blood glucose, caloric intake, and body weight. Results: Diet-induced prediabetes resulted in increased fasting blood glucose and elevated HbA1c. The administration of the ruthenium (II)–uracil Schiff base complex reduced fasting blood glucose, improved insulin levels and ghrelin, enhanced GLUT4 expression, and significantly increased skeletal muscle glycogen, especially when combined with dietary intervention. Conclusions: The findings showed that the ruthenium complex exerts a pronounced effect on ameliorating glucose homeostasis, enhancing skeletal muscle glucose uptake, and improving overall metabolic function.

Introduction: Both preeclampsia (PE) and prediabetes (PD) are known hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and a correlation has been shown between these two diseases. A recent study in our laboratory has shown that pregestational PD is a risk factor for developing PE during pregnancy, as pregestational PD increased antiangiogenic factors. However, pregestational PD antiangiogenic release has not been shown to be associated with liver dysfunction. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate pregestational PD as a risk factor for hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet (HELLP) syndrome. Materials and Methods: Animals were divided into a normal pregnant group (ND), a preeclamptic pregnant group (PE), and a prediabetic pregnant group (PD). On gestational day (GND) 19, animals were sacrificed, and blood and liver tissues were collected to measure antioxidant protection and lipid peroxidation parameters, liver TGs, liver enzymes, TNF-α, IL-6, and hematology parameters. Results: The results showed significant increases in liver TGs, liver enzymes, TNF-α, IL-6, and hematology parameters in the PE and PD pregnant groups compared to the ND group. Conclusions: These findings suggest that pregestational PD predisposes patients to metabolic and inflammatory changes associated with HELLP syndrome. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate a link between pregestational PD and HELLP syndrome-related complications in a preclinical model, highlighting the importance of monitoring metabolic health before pregnancy.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder that significantly increases the risk of stroke, with prediabetes serving as an intermediate stage marked by similar pathophysiological mechanisms such as inflammation and vascular dysfunction. This study investigated the relationship between prediabetes and stroke-related biomarkers in individuals aged 25–45 years in Durban, South Africa. After obtaining ethical approval, a retrospective analysis was performed on blood samples from 100 participants recruited from King Edward Hospital and Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital. Participants were classified as non-prediabetic (n = 30), prediabetic (n = 35), or type 2 diabetic (n = 35) according to ADA criteria. Plasma concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), fibrinogen, D-dimer, calcium binding protein (S100B), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). It is important to note that none of the participants had confirmed stroke events; these biomarkers were assessed as surrogate indicators of stroke risk. Statistical analyses included one-way ANOVA with Tukey–Kramer tests and Pearson’s correlations. Biomarker concentrations were significantly elevated in prediabetic individuals compared to non-prediabetic controls, with levels further increasing in T2DM. Strong positive correlations were observed between S100B and both HbA1c (r = 0.75, p < 0.0001) and fasting glucose (r = 0.75, p < 0.0001). These findings suggest that inflammatory, coagulation, and neurovascular biomarkers, particularly S100B, may indicate early stroke risk in prediabetes. Further investigation into these biomarkers could improve early detection strategies and stroke prevention efforts in at-risk populations.

Prediabetes is an intermediate stage between normoglycaemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), affecting over 425 million people globally and contributing to vascular damage and increased stroke risk. Despite the severity of both conditions, their association remains underexplored. This review examines the literature on stroke-related biomarkers in normoglycaemia, prediabetes and T2DM to identify potential links between prediabetes and stroke. This systematic review followed PRISMA-2020 guidelines. PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science and Science Direct were searched for studies (2003–2023) on stroke biomarkers in prediabetes. Eligible studies were original human research in English, with defined diagnostic criteria (ADA or WHO) for glycaemic status and reported biomarker associations or stroke risk. Studies with major comorbidities were excluded. Data were extracted and bias was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Meta-analysis was not performed due to limited studies per biomarker. Eight studies (n = 3003) were included. NSE was examined in three studies, all reporting significant elevations in hyperglycaemic individuals. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) was assessed in two studies; one showed a significant increase in diabetes, while the other found a non-significant upward trend. D-dimer and GFAP were each reported in separate single studies, both showing significant elevations in hyperglycaemic individuals with stroke or neurocognitive impairment. S100B was investigated in two studies, with divergent findings: one showed a positive association with glycaemic status, while the other reported lower levels in hyperglycaemia. Findings indicate biomarker alterations in T2DM, suggesting that early changes may occur in prediabetes. Our review suggests that individuals with prediabetes may show alterations in inflammatory (IL-6), coagulation (D-dimer), and neurovascular (S100B, GFAP, NSE) markers, though some findings are inconsistent, reflecting early pathophysiological changes that may increase stroke risk. Further well-designed studies are needed to clarify these associations and establish biomarker-based tools for earlier stroke risk detection and prevention in individuals with prediabetes.