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COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, affects multiple body systems, including the oral cavity, where it may disrupt the oral microbiome in ways that contribute to disease pathology. Understanding the long-term interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and the oral microbiome is crucial, as it may reveal microbial markers valuable for diagnosing or monitoring persistent health issues in COVID-19 survivors. Metagenomic sequencing revealed significant microbial shifts in the oral microbiome of COVID-19 patients, showing reduced microbial diversity and increased prevalence of opportunistic pathogens compared to healthy individuals. Alpha diversity measures indicated lower microbial diversity and evenness, while beta diversity analyses demonstrated distinct microbial community compositions. Core microbiome analysis identified unique taxa in COVID-19 patients that may contribute to disease pathology, while differential abundance analysis highlighted specific taxa shifts, including an increase in potential pathogens. Our findings advance the understanding of microbial changes in the oral microbiome associated with COVID-19 and suggest potential targets for microbiome-based interventions. While these results indicate associations with possible health impacts, further research is needed to determine causative links and long-term implications for COVID-19 survivors. This foundational research highlights the potential for microbiome science to inform diagnostic tools, such as microbial markers for disease progression, and therapeutic approaches, including targeted probiotics, which could ultimately support better patient outcomes and public health strategies.

Background Heart failure (HF) leads to venous congestion (VC), leading to organ dysfunction. Traditional VC assessments include pulmonary artery catheterization and IVC ultrasound. Newer tools like venous excess ultrasound (VExUS) and femoral venous doppler (FVD) quantify VC severity. We aimed to compare FVD with VExUS score to predict organ dysfunction and its progression in acute HF patients. Methods We conducted a 6-month prospective study in a 36-bed Cardiac ICU, enrolling 111 adults with acute decompensated HF. We evaluated FVD and VExUS to predict organ dysfunction and its progression. Key parameters were recorded on ICU admission and Day 3. We followed up patients at 90-days using the MAKE-90 criteria. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of FVD and VExUS were calculated and compared using McNemar’s test. Results VC was higher in the organ dysfunction group, with higher VExUS scores (55% vs. 31%, p  = 0.018) and FVD-defined congestion (85% vs. 57%, p  = 0.002). This group also revealed worse LUS, lower TAPSE:PASP ratios, more severe AKI, higher creatinine, and increased use of non-invasive ventilation (all p  < 0.01). Mortality (39% vs. 24%) and MAKE-90 events (56% vs. 39%) were higher but not statistically significant. FVD had higher sensitivity but lower specificity than VExUS in detecting AKI, and lung congestion. VExUS had higher specificity for RV coupling and organ dysfunction; FVD correlated more with organ dysfunction. Conclusion FVD and VExUS provide complementary insights into venous congestion, reinforcing the need for an integrated approach rather than reliance on a single modality. A multimodal strategy combining these tools with clinical and biochemical markers may offer a more precise framework for guiding management in acute heart failure. Trial registration This trial was registered with Clinical Trial Registry-India ( https://www.ctri.nic.in/ ), Trial No—CTRI/2023/10/058186 on 3/10/2023.

Objective: Gestational Diabetes mellitus (GDM) is diagnosed in the second or third trimester of pregnancy that was not clearly present prior to gestation. It is associated with increased maternal and foetal morbidity including increased risks of preeclampsia, large for gestational age newborns, and cesarean birth. Predicting the risk of GDM early in the first trimester will help in appropriate nutritional and life style changes in the mother. Various prediction models using maternal age, family history of DM, BMI, and material glucose and triglycerides have been studied. Using the first trimester Antenatal Ultrasound (AUS) to get data on liver fat, subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) and visceral fat thickness (VFT), we attempt to build a predictive model for the subsequent risk of GDM. Methods: After Institutional Ethics committee approval, we conducted a prospective cohort study of all pregnant women who came for Antenatal visit in their first trimester at our institute between Jan 2019 to Oct 2020. A detailed history, anthropometric measurements including BMI, neck circumference, waist: hip ratio were noted. Blood was sent for random blood sugar (RBS) and/or HbA1c. Patients with pre-existing Diabetes, IVF pregnancies and those with liver disease or currently on hepatotoxic drugs were excluded. At 11-13 weeks SFT, VFT and liver fat was estimated using AUS. 75 gm OGTT was done after 24 weeks of gestation and IADPSG criteria were utilized for diagnosis of GDM. The data was divided into two groups based on the development of GDM in the second trimester and analyzed. Risk factors for GDM were tested using univariate analysis. Area under the ROC was constructed to study the accuracy of different variables for predicting GDM. Regression analysis using forward conditional method was used to develop risk prediction model. Goodness of fit of the model was assessed by Homer Lemeshow test. All statistical tests were done using SPSS software v21. Results: A total of 265 singleton pregnancies were included in our study. The prevalence of GDM was found to be 22% (n = 59). Family history of DM (OR 2.3), history of PCOS (OR 3.5) and presence of Fatty Liver (OR 12.5) was associated with development of GDM (p value <0.01). The area under the curve (in parenthesis) for predicting GDM for BMI > 24.5 kg/m2 (0.82), WHR > 0.88 (0.67), Neck circumference > 32.5 cm (0.74), RBS > 110 (0.85), SFT > 2.5 (0.81), VFT > 4.75 (0.93), Fatty liver (0.6). A model including RBS, VFT and Liver fat gave the best prediction of GDM with an accuracy of 94%. Conclusion: First trimester AUS is an economical and effective tool in combination with a random glucose to predict GDM.

This study explored the recovery of oil from lemon peel biomass and then tested it in a spark ignition as a substitute for gasoline. The study adopted the micro-arc oxidation coating technique, intending to improve the engine performance of the lemon peel oil-gasoline blends. The oil was recovered from discarded lemon peel biomass using steam distillation and then tested in the engine as a fuel by blending it with gasoline at volume ratios of 10, 20, and 30%. An endoscopic visualization approach was employed in this research work to assess the combustion initiation and flame characteristics of gasoline and lemon peel oil blends under different test conditions. Compared to gasoline and blends comprising 20 and 30% lemon peel oil, the 10% lemon peel oil mix produced higher thermal efficiency and lower emissions. The optical analysis demonstrated that premixed combustion with the 10% blend was found to be the highest, resulting in improved combustion and subsequently increased cylinder pressure. To improve the engine performance of the lemon peel oil blends with higher substitution (20 and 30%), the piston was coated with a ceramic coating. A novel technique, namely the micro-arc oxidation technique, was utilized for the coating. The coated piston engine fueled with a 20% lemon peel oil blend showed a 3% and 4.69% increase in thermal efficiency compared to the uncoated piston fueled with a 20% blend and sole gasoline, respectively. The hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions of the engine with a coated piston fueled by the 20% lemon peel oil blend were reduced by 12.7% and 12%, respectively, as compared to gasoline operation in the engine with an uncoated piston.

Alcohol-based fuels have shown high compatibility with spark-ignition (SI) engines, which require improvements in fuel efficiency and emissions reduction to meet modern environmental standards. While extensive research has been conducted on ethanol and other lower-order alcohols, there has been comparatively limited investigation into higher-order alcohols like butanol and pentanol as fuel alternatives. Previous studies on pentanol-gasoline blends in SI engines have demonstrated improved engine performance and reduced emissions. Building on this, the present study focuses on analyzing the flame characteristics—specifically speed and distribution—of pentanol-gasoline blends within the engine. In this study, pentanol was blended with gasoline by the volume of 10%, 20%, and 30%, namely 1-PNL10, 1-PNL20, and 1-PNL30, and tested in a twin-cylinder gasoline engine with an MPFI system at various load conditions. The study has focused on investigating the flame propagation of gasoline-pentanol blends by examining the in-cylinder flame image. The in-cylinder combustion evolution was visualized and captured by using an AVL Visio scope camera. Flame characteristics such as spatial flame distribution and flame speed were evaluated from the captured flame images for pentanol–gasoline blends and compared with sole gasoline. The flame study indicates that the addition of pentanol favored to increase in the flame speed, which in turn improved the combustion rate. The flame intensity and distribution area increased with the addition of pentanol in gasoline, demonstrating improved in-cylinder combustion with increased peak in-cylinder pressure and heat release rate. The insights on the flame characteristics of pentanol–gasoline blends were used to rationalize the discussion on engine performance and emissions. The performance of the engine was enhanced while increasing the proportion of Pentanol in the gasoline. The 30% Pentanol gasoline blend showed 5.71% higher BTE than gasoline at full load condition. Emissions like CO and HC also decreased at the same time, and NO emission increased. From the test results, it can be concluded that Pentanol can be blended with gasoline up to 30% without any engine modifications.

Drug targeting is a progressive area of research with folate receptor alpha (FRα) receiving significant attention as a biological marker in cancer drug delivery. The binding affinity of folic acid (FA) to the FRα active site provides a basis for recognition of FRα. In this study, FA was conjugated to beta-cyclodextrin (βCD) and subjected to in silico analysis (molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation (100 ns)) to investigate the affinity and stability for the conjugated system compared to unconjugated and apo systems (ligand free). Docking studies revealed that the conjugated FA bound into the active site of FRα with a docking score (free binding energy < −15 kcal/mol), with a similar binding pose to that of unconjugated FA. Subsequent analyses from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, root mean square deviation (RMSD), root mean square fluctuation (RMSF), and radius of gyration (Rg) demonstrated that FA and FA–βCDs created more dynamically stable systems with FRα than the apo-FRα system. All systems reached equilibrium with stable RMSD values ranging from 1.9–2.4 Å and the average residual fluctuation values of the FRα backbone atoms for all residues (except for terminal residues ARG8, THR9, THR214, and LEU215) were less than 2.1 Å with a consistent Rg value of around 16.8 Å throughout the MD simulation time (0–100 ns). The conjugation with βCD improved the stability and decreased the mobility of all the residues (except residues 149–151) compared to FA–FRα and apo-FRα systems. Further analysis of H-bonds, binding free energy (MM-PBSA), and per residue decomposition energy revealed that besides APS81, residues HIS20, TRP102, HIS135, TRP138, TRP140, and TRP171 were shown to have more favourable energy contributions in the holo systems than in the apo-FRα system, and these residues might have a direct role in increasing the stability of holo systems.

Background Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a metabolically active visceral fat depot surrounding the myocardium and evidence suggests its potential role in the development of cardiovascular complications in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to: (1) quantify EAT measurements (thickness and volume) in patients with T1DM, and (2) compare EAT measurements between T1DM patients and healthy controls. Methods A comprehensive literature review was conducted using a systematic search strategy to identify studies that measured EAT thickness or volume in T1DM patients in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CINAHL. Studies were included if they: (1) involved patients with T1DM, (2) reported EAT measurements using imaging techniques, and (3) were published in English. Case reports and reviews were excluded. Two independent reviewers performed study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment. Study quality was evaluated using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS). Statistical heterogeneity was assessed using I 2 statistics. Meta-analysis was performed using a random effect model. Results A total of nine studies involving 285 and 233 participants measuring thickness and volume with T1DM were included. The pooled mean EAT thickness was 5.81 mm (95%CI: 4.30, 7.32 mm), and the pooled mean EAT volume was 56.84cm 3 (95%CI: 34.05, 79.63cm 3 ). Significant heterogeneity was observed between the volume and thickness of EAT among people with T1DM (I 2  = 99% for volume and 95% for thickness). Subgroup analysis revealed a mean difference of 2.12 mm (95%CI: 0.82, 3.43 mm) in EAT thickness between T1DM and control groups. Conclusions Our findings indicate increased EAT measurements in T1DM patients compared to healthy individuals, suggesting EAT’s potential involvement in T1DM-related cardiovascular issues.

In the present study, experiments were conducted to compare the effect of oxide layer formation on the piston crown coated using Micro-Arc Oxidation (MAO) with uncoated piston on the combustion and emission characteristics of the port injected Spark Ignition engine fueled by gasoline. The micro-arc oxidation (MAO) coating technique is the modern process to form a ceramic oxide layer on the reactive metal substrate (base metal) by electrochemical and electro-thermal oxidation in an alkaline electrolytic solution. Using MAO technique, an oxide layer of thickness 72 μm was formed on the piston crown. This oxide layer acts as a thermal barrier to reduce the in-cylinder heat rejection and increase the durability of the piston by withstanding high temperature and pressure produced during combustion. Combustion flames have been captured using the AVL combustion analyzer to analyze the development and propagation of flames within the engine cylinder. From the flame images, it was observed that propagation of flame was faster in MAO coated piston compared to uncoated piston. This is because of higher local temperature inside the combustion chamber that was resulted due to low thermal conductivity of MAO layer. It was also found that carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions were reduced as a result of efficient fuel combustion, while NOx emissions increased because of increased combustion temperatures for MAO coated pistons. Keywords: Electro-thermal oxidation, Flame propagation, Micro-arc oxidation, Piston crown, Thermal barrie

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide (O2-) generated by NAD(P)H oxidases have emerged as important molecules in blood pressure regulation. This study investigated the effect of apocynin and catalase on blood pressure and renal hemodynamic and excretory function in an L-NAME induced hypertension model. Forty Male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats (n=8 per group) were treated with either: vehicle (WKY-C); L-NAME (WKY-L, 15 mg/kg/day in drinking fluid); WKY-L given apocynin to block NAD(P)H oxidase (WKY-LApo, 73 mg/kg/day in drinking water.); WKY-L given catalase to enhance ROS scavenging (WKY-LCat, 10000 U/kg/day i.p.); and WKY-L receiving apocynin plus catalase (WKY-LApoCat) daily for 14 days. L-NAME elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP), 116±1 to 181±4 mm Hg, reduced creatinine clearance, 1.69±0.26 to 0.97±0.05 ml/min/kg and fractional sodium excretion, 0.84±0.09 to 0.55±0.09% at day 14. Concomitantly, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) increased six fold, while plasma total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), plasma nitric oxide (NO) and plasma total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) were decreased by 60-70 % and Nox 4 mRNA expression was increased 2-fold. Treatment with apocynin and catalase attenuated the increase in SBP and improved renal function, enhanced antioxidative stress capacity and reduced the magnitude of Nox 4 mRNAs expression in the L-NAME treated rats. This study demonstrated that apocynin and catalase offset the development of L-NAME induced hypertension, renal dysfunction and reduced oxidative stress status, possibly contributed by a reduction in Nox 4 expression during NOS inhibition. These findings would suggest that antioxidant compounds such as apocynin and catalase have potential in treating cardiovascular diseases.