Sabyasachi Das

People with obesity poses a threat for various non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Combining time-restricted feeding (TRF) with calorie restriction has been demonstrated to improve insulin sensitivity, decrease BMI and improved lipid profile. The novel objective of this study is to examine the effects of TRF with low carbohydrate and high protein and fat (LCHPF) diet on control and management of body weight, blood sugar and good cholesterol. This retrospective cohort study was performed at Clinixero in Kuala Lumpur between February 2021 and August 2023. In an open-label trial, all participants were assigned to one of two intervention groups with varying intervention durations (3 months or 6 months). Three month intervention group consists of Phase 1 TRF of 1.5 months (7 weeks) of a 16:8 h fasting-to-feeding ratio followed by another 1.5 months (7 weeks) of a 23:1 h ratio, whereas in six month intervention group phase 1 TRF comprises 3 months (13 weeks) of a 16:8 h fasting-to-feeding ratio followed by another 3 months (13 weeks) of a 23:1 h ratio. Individual BMI was measured along with fasting blood glucose, HbA1c and lipid profile before and after intervention. After a 3-month TRF with LCHPF diet, the mean BMI decreased, although this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.0572). However, after 6 months BMI was decreased significantly (p < 0.0001). Individual fasting blood sugar (FBS) did not significantly decrease (p = 0.068) after 3 months of intervention. However, it was significantly reduced (p = 0.026) after 6 months of intervention. TRF with LCHPF diet significantly decreased HbA1c after a 3-month (p = 0.019) and 6-month intervention (p < 0.0001). Triglycerides showed a reduction after 3 months of intervention, but it reduced significantly after 6 months (p < 0.001). While the mean cholesterol, HDL and LDL showed a marked increase after 6 months (p < 0.001) of intervention. TRF with LCHPF diet demonstrated significant improvement in BMI, FBS, HbA1c, triglycerides and HDL. Combining TRF and LCHPF could lead to better individual diabetic management.

Artesunate-sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (ASSP) is the frontline artemisinin ombination therapy (ACT) in India. Random, irrational, sub-therapeutic artemisinin doses and self-medication with ACT along with predominance of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resistance parasite invoked a strong possibility of emerging artemisinin-resistant malaria parasites. This study involved 226 patients with uncomplicated P. falciparum infection who had successfully completed the 42 days follow up after artesunate-sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine combination therapy from April, 2014 to January, 2016. We assessed the ASSP treatment efficacy by evaluating parasite clearance half-life, pfkelch13 and other (pfdhfr, pfdhps, pfmdr1, pfcrt) gene mutations and survival of parasites as detected by an ex-vivo ring-stage survival assay (RSA). Slow-clearing infections with longer parasite clearance half-lives (>5hrs) were observed in 12% isolates. Cure rate after ASSP treatment was declining to about 84.1%. ASSP failure was recorded in 15.9% (ETF,7.9%; LTF,7.9%) of isolates. 24 patients (10.6%) had parasite clearance half-lives greater than 5hrs with pfkelch13 polymorphism after 441 codon; in 15 of those patients (6.6%), parasites had not cleared by 72 hrs after initiation of therapy. Median ex-vivo ring-stage survival rate of these isolates was very high (14.6%; 95%CI, 12.9 to 15.2) from that of cured patients (1.1%; 95%CI, 0.9 to 1.7). Of these 15 patients, 13 patients had pfkelch13 G625R polymorphism while 2 patients contained R539T polymorphism. As per the WHO guideline, these 15 isolates were true artemisinin-resistant isolates. Identification of artemisinin-resistant isolates in India together with new mutations and increasing combination therapy failures blow alarms for urgent malaria control.

Artemisinins are an important class of antimalarial medication.¹ Because artemisinin resistance among malaria parasites may lead to severe consequences, we assessed the possible emergence of artemisinin resistance in West Bengal, India, by evaluating parasite clearance half-life, kelch13 mutations, and survival of parasites (as measured with an ex vivo ring-stage survival assay performed 0 to 3 hours after invasion of red cells by ring-stage parasites [RSA_0-3h]) in isolates obtained from April 2013 through March 2014.

The growing need of antimicrobial agent for novel therapies against multi-drug resistant bacteria has drawn researchers to green nanotechnology. Especially, eco-friendly biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) has shown its interesting impact against bacterial infection in laboratory research. In this study, a simple method was developed to form Ag NPs at room temperature, bio-reduction of silver ions from silver nitrate salt by leaf extract from Ocimum gratissimum. The Ag NPs appear to be capped with plant proteins, but are otherwise highly crystalline and pure. The Ag NPs have a zeta potential of −15mV, a hydrodynamic diameter of 31nm with polydispersity index of 0.65, and dry sizes of 18±3nm and 16±2nm, based on scanning and transmission electron microscopy respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the Ag NPs against a multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli was 4μg/mL and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was 8μg/mL, while the MIC and MBC against a resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus were slightly higher at 8μg/mL and 16μg/mL respectively. Further, the Ag NPs inhibited biofilm formation by both Escherichia coli and S. aureus at concentrations similar to the MIC for each strain. Treatment of E. coli and S. aureus with Ag NPs resulted in damage to the surface of the cells and the production of reactive oxygen species. Both mechanisms likely contribute to bacterial cell death. In summary, this new method appears promising for green biosynthesis of pure Ag NPs with potent antimicrobial activity

Currently toxicological research in Silver nanoparticle is a leading issue in medical science. The surface chemistry and physical dimensions of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) play an important role in toxicity. The aim of this present study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo toxicity of Ag-NPs as well as the alteration of toxicity profile due to surface functionalization (PEG and BSA) and the intracellular signaling pathways involved in nanoparticles mediated oxidative stress and apoptosis in vitro and in vivo system. Ag-NPs released excess Ag⁺ ions leads to activation of NADPH oxidase and helps in generating the reactive oxygen species (ROS). Silver nanoparticles elicit the production of excess amount of ROS results activation of TNF-α. Ag-NPs activates caspase-3 and 9 which are the signature of mitochondrial pathway. Ag-NPs are responsible to decrease the antioxidant enzymes and imbalance the oxidative status into the cells but functionalization with BSA and PEG helps to protect the adverse effect of Ag-NPs on the cells. This study suggested that Ag-NPs are toxic to normal cells which directly lead with human health. Surface functionalization may open the gateway for further use of Ag-NPs in different area such as antimicrobial and anticancer therapy, industrial use or in biomedical sciences.

Emergence of chloroquine resistant Plasmodium vivax is a serious obstacle towards malaria control in India. This study elucidates the temporal pattern of antifolate [sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine (SP)] resistance in P. vivax infection by means of genetic polymorphisms, especially analysing the single nucleotide polymorphisms of dihydrofolate reductase (pvdhfr) and dihydropteroate synthase (pvdhps) gene among the field isolates of urban Kolkata Municipal Corporation and rural Purulia region of West Bengal, India. Blood samples were collected from 99 microscopically diagnosed P. vivax patients (52 from Kolkata Municipal Corporation and 47 from Purulia). Parasitic DNA was extracted followed by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of different codons of pvdhfr gene (15, 33, 50, 57, 58, 61, 64, 117, and 173 codons) and pvdhps gene (373, 380, 382, 383, 384, 512, 553, 585, and 601 codons) were performed to identify the mutations. Prevalence of double mutant dhfr A15P33N50F57 R 58 T61V64 N 117 I173 allele (53.85 %) was observed in Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) whereas in Purulia, wild dhfr A15P33N50F57S58T61V64S117I173 allele was predominated (48.94 %). In pvdhps gene a significant number of isolates (17.31 %) in KMC contained the double mutant S373E380S382 G 383 P384K512 G 553 V585M601 allele. pvdhfr and pvdhps combination haplotype revealed the emergence of quadruple (13.46 %) and quintuple (3.84 %) mutant allele in KMC, which might result in poor clinical response against antifolate drugs. The study reveals that P. vivax parasites in rural Purulia may still be susceptible to SP but additional caution should be taken for treatment of vivax malaria in KMC to limit the blooming of quadruple and quintuple mutant allele in the remainder of the West Bengal, India.