Publications by authors named "K S Ashrafi"
Malaria remains the fifth deadliest parasitic infection worldwide, despite significant advancements in technology. A major challenge in combating this disease lies in the growing resistance of malaria parasites to antimalarial drugs and insect vectors to insecticides. The emerging inefficacy of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) further exacerbates the issue.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe simultaneous effect of heat stress and air pollutants such as ozone can cause many health issues in cities. The situation exacerbates in the context of climate change and temperature rise. Furthermore, ground-level ozone, worsened by climate change, needs investigation for effective management.
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- Malaria continues to be a significant global health challenge in low-resource areas, and artemisinin—a crucial treatment derived from Artemisia annua—faces production limitations due to low natural yields.
- This study used advanced transgenic technology to co-overexpress six enzymes involved in the artemisinin biosynthetic pathway, leading to a 200% increase in artemisinin levels in T1 transgenic plants and a potential 232% increase in T2 generations.
- The research also confirmed successful transformation stability, optimized transgene expression for healthy plant growth, and identified important metabolic changes, suggesting a scalable solution for improving artemisinin production, which could lower treatment costs for malaria.
Stevioside (5-10%) and rebaudioside-A (2-4%) are well-characterized diterpene glycosides found in leaves of Stevia rebaudiana known to have natural sweetening properties with zero glycaemic index. Stevioside has after-taste bitterness, whereas rebaudioside-A is sweet in taste. The ratio of rebaudioside-A to stevioside needs to be changed in order to increase the effectiveness and palatability of this natural sweetener.
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- The study focused on the distribution of enteric parasitic infections and their risk factors in rural Guilan province, Iran, comparing it to past trends.
- Conducted from February to December 2020, the research involved analyzing 917 stool samples, revealing a 17% overall infection rate with various intestinal parasites.
- Results showed a decline in the prevalence of infections like hookworm compared to previous decades, while trichostrongylosis remains prevalent, particularly linked to livestock contact and certain lifestyle factors.