Meerambika Mishra

All New Faces of Diatoms: Potential Source of Nanomaterials and Beyond

Nature’s silicon marvel, the diatoms have lately astounded the scientific community with its intricate designs and lasting durability. Diatoms are a major group of phytoplanktons involved in the biogeochemical cycling of silica and are virtually inherent in every environment ranging from water to ice to soil. The usage of diatoms has proved prudently cost effective and its handling neither requires costly materials nor sophisticated instruments. Diatoms can easily be acquired from the environment, their culture requires ambient condition and does not involve any costly media or expensive instruments, besides, they can be transported in small quantities and proliferated to a desirable confluence from that scratch, thus are excellent cost effective industrial raw material. Naturally occurring diatom frustules are a source of nanomaterials. Their silica bio-shells have raised curiosity among nanotechnologists who hope that diatoms will facilitate tailoring minuscule structures which are beyond the capabilities of material scientists. Additionally, there is a colossal diversity in the dimensions of diatoms as the frustule shape differs from species to species; this provides a scope for the choice of a particular species of diatom to be tailored to an exacting requisite, thus paving the way to create desired three dimensional nanocomposites. The present article explores the use of diatoms in various arenas of science, may it be in nanotechnology, biotechnology, environmental science, biophysics or biochemistry and summarizes facets of diatom biology under one umbrella. Special emphasis has been given to biosilicification, biomineralization and use of diatoms as nanomaterials’, drug delivery vehicles, optical and immune-biosensors, filters, immunodiagnostics, aquaculture feeds, lab-on-a-chip, metabolites, and biofuels.

Prevalence of Dyslipidemia and Hypertension in Indian Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Metabolic Syndrome and its Clinical Significance

Objectives The present study was designed to estimate the prevalence of dyslipidemia and hypertension based on the National Cholesterol Educational Programme Adult Treatment Panel III definition of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The study also focuses on prevalence for MetS with respect to the duration of disease in Gwalior–Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh, India. Methods Type 2 diabetic patients (n = 700) were selected from a cross-sectional study that is regularly being conducted in the School of Studies in Biochemistry, Jiwaji University Gwalior, India. The period of our study was from January 2007 to October 2009. Dyslipidemia and hypertension were determined in type 2 diabetic patients with MetS as per National Cholesterol Educational Programme Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Results The mean age of the study population was 54 ± 9.3 years with 504 (72%) males and 196 (28%) females. The prevalence of MetS increased with increased duration of diabetes in females; however, almost constant prevalence was seen in the males. Notable increase in the dyslipidemia (64.1%) and hypertension (49%) in type 2 diabetic patients were seen. The steep increase in dyslipidemia and hypertension could be the reason for the growing prevalence of diabetes worldwide. The study also noted a close association between age and occurrence of MetS. Conclusion Individual variable of MetS appears to be highly rampant in diabetic population. Despite treatment, almost half of patients still met the criteria for MetS. Effective treatment of MetS components is required to reduce cardiovascular risk in diabetes mellitus hence accurate and early diagnosis to induce effective treatment of MetS in Indian population will be pivotal in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

Status of antioxidant and lipid peroxidation in type 2 diabetic human subjects diagnosed with and without metabolic syndrome by using NCEP-ATPIII, IDF and WHO criteria

BACKGROUND Antioxidants play a very crucial role in terms of disease incidence and its complications. Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are now more prevalent than any other disorder. In this regard this study focuses on type 2 diabetic subjects with MetS having highest incidence of cardiovascular disease. Hence the aim of the study was to reveal the level of antioxidants and lipid peroxidation in MetS and non-MetS groups of type 2 diabetic subjects characterized by three different criteria. METHODS Present study was based on 70 type 2 diabetic subjects and 20 healthy controls. The metabolic syndrome criteria were defined by National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)-Adult Treatment Panel III (ATPIII), International Diabetes Federation (IDF), and World Health Organization (WHO). The selected subjects were of similar age group. The participants were selected from a diabetic camp being run in the University Campus. The antioxidant enzymes estimated were reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) while Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) measured as a marker of lipid peroxidation. RESULTS The level of GSH, CAT, SOD decreases in non-MetS and MetS subjects as compared to normal. When comparison was made for GSH & SOD in the mentioned groups resulted a significant differences in non-MetS and MetS compared with normal subjects. TBARS levels was increased in non-MetS and MetS group of subjects. The results indicate reduction in antioxidant enzymes and elevation of lipid peroxidation in type 2 diabetic subjects with or without MetS defined by using any of the International criteria. CONCLUSIONS The study revealed that absolute reduction of antioxidant and involvement of lipid peroxidation in MetS group may lead to progressive intensification of cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetic subjects irrespective of using any criteria.

Multi-Drug Resistant Coliform: Water Sanitary Standards and Health Hazards

Water constitutes and sustains life; however, its pollution afflicts its necessity, further worsening its scarcity. Coliform is one of the largest groups of bacteria evident in fecally polluted water, a major public health concern. Coliform thrive as commensals in the gut of warm-blooded animals, and are indefinitely passed through their feces into the environment. They are also called as model organisms as their presence is indicative of the prevalence of other potential pathogens, thus coliform are and unanimously employed as adept indicators of fecal pollution. As only a limited accessible source of fresh water is available on the planet, its contamination severely affects its usability. Coliform densities vary geographically and seasonally which leads to the lack of universally uniform regulatory guidelines regarding water potability often leads to ineffective detection of these model organisms and the misinterpretation of water quality status. Remedial measures such as disinfection, reducing the nutrient concentration or re-population doesn’t hold context in huge lotic ecosystems such as freshwater rivers. There is also an escalating concern regarding the prevalence of multi-drug resistance in coliforms which renders antibiotic therapy incompetent. Antimicrobials are increasingly used in household, clinical, veterinary, animal husbandry and agricultural settings. Sub-optimal concentrations of these antimicrobials are unintentionally but regularly dispensed into the environment through seepages, sewages or runoffs from clinical or agricultural settings substantially adding to the ever-increasing pool of antibiotic resistance genes. When present below their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), these antimicrobials trigger the transfer of antibiotic-resistant genes that the coliform readily assimilate and further propagate to pathogens, the severity of which is evidenced by the high Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) index shown by the bacterial isolates procured from the environmental. This review attempts to assiduously anthologize the use of coliforms as water quality standards, their existent methods of detection and the issue of arising multi-drug resistance in them.