Intermittent fasting two days versus one day per week, matched for total energy intake and expenditure, increases weight loss in overweight/obese men and women.

BACKGROUND: Intermittent fasting (IF), consisting of either a one-day (IF1) or two consecutive days (IF2) per week, is commonly used for optimal body weight loss. Our laboratory has previously shown an IF1 diet combined with 6d/week of protein pacing (P; 4-5 meals/day evenly spaced, ~ 30% protein/day) significantly enhances weight loss, body composition, and cardiometabolic health in obese men and women. Whether an IF1-P or IF2-P, matched for weekly energy intake (EI) and expenditure (EE), is superior for weight loss, body composition, and cardiometabolic health is unknown. METHODS: This randomized control study directly compared an IF1-P (n = 10) versus an IF2-P (n = 10) diet on weight loss and body composition, cardiovascular (blood pressure and lipids), hormone, and hunger responses in 20 overweight men and women during a 4-week weight loss period. Participants received weekly dietary counseling and monitoring of compliance from a registered dietitian. All outcome variables were assessed pre (week 0) and post (week 5). RESULTS: Both groups significantly reduced body weight, waist circumference, percent body fat, fat mass, hunger, blood pressure, lipids, glucose, and increased percent fat-free mass (p < 0.05). However, IF2-P resulted in significantly greater reductions in body weight (-29%) and waist circumference (-38%) compared to IF1-P (p < 0.05), and showed a strong tendency for greater reductions in fat mass, glucose, and hunger levels (p < 0.10) despite similar weekly total EI (IF1-P, 9058 ± 692 vs. IF2-P, 8389 ± 438 kcals/week; p = 0.90), EE (~ 300 kcals/day; p = 0.79), and hormone responses (p > 0.10). CONCLUSIONS: These findings support short-term IF1-P and IF2-P to optimize weight loss and improve body composition, cardiometabolic health, and hunger management, with IF2-P providing enhanced benefits in overweight women and men. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered March 03, 2020 at www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov as NCT04327141 .

Risk of fungemia due to Rhodotorula and antifungal susceptibility testing of Rhodotorula isolates.

Rhodotorula infections occur among patients with immunosuppression and/or central venous catheters. Using standardized methods (NCCLS M27-A), we determined the antifungal susceptibilities of 10 Rhodotorula bloodstream infection isolates. Patient information was collected for clinical correlation. The MICs of amphotericin B and posaconazole were the lowest, and the MICs of triazoles and echinocandins were higher than those of other antifungal agents.

Calcineurin is essential for Candida albicans survival in serum and virulence.

Calcineurin is a calcium-activated protein phosphatase that is the target of the immunosuppressants cyclosporin A and FK506. In T cells, calcineurin controls nuclear import of the NF-AT transcription factor and gene activation. In plants and fungi, calcineurin functions in stress responses (e.g., temperature, cations, and pH) and is necessary for the virulence of the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. Here we show that calcineurin is also required for the virulence of another major fungus that is pathogenic to humans, Candida albicans. C. albicans calcineurin mutants had significantly reduced virulence in a murine model of systemic infection. In contrast to its role in C. neoformans, calcineurin was not required for C. albicans survival at 37 degrees C. Moreover, C. albicans calcineurin mutant strains exhibited no defects in known Candida virulence traits associated with host invasion, including filamentous growth, germ tube formation, and adherence to and injury of mammalian cells. C. albicans calcineurin mutant strains failed to colonize and grow in the kidneys of infected animals and were unable to survive when exposed to serum in vitro. Our studies illustrate that calcineurin has evolved to control aspects of the virulence of two divergent fungal pathogens via distinct mechanisms that can be targeted to achieve broad-spectrum antifungal action.