The hidden link: How oral and respiratory microbiomes affect multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Extensive research has explored the role of gut microbiota in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the impact of microbial communities in the oral cavity and respiratory tract on MS is an emerging area of investigation. PURPOSE: We aimed to review the current literature related to the nasal, oral, and lung microbiota in people with MS (PwMS). METHODS: We conducted a narrative review of clinical and preclinical original studies on PubMed that explored the relationship between the bacterial or viral composition of the nasal, lung, and oral microbiota and MS. Additionally, to find relevant studies not retrieved initially, we also searched for references in related review papers, as well as the references cited within the included studies. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Thirteen studies were meticulously reviewed in three sections; oral microbiota (n = 8), nasal microbiota (n = 3), and lung microbiota (n = 2), highlighting considerable alterations in the oral and respiratory microbiome of PwMS compared to healthy controls (HCs). Genera like Aggregatibacter and Streptococcus were less abundant in the oral microbiota of PwMS compared to HCs, while Staphylococcus, Leptotrichia, Fusobacterium, and Bacteroides showed increased abundance in PwMS. Additionally, the presence of specific bacteria, including Streptococcus sanguinis, within the oral microbiota was suggested to influence Epstein-Barr virus reactivation, a well-established risk factor for MS. Studies related to the nasal microbiome indicated elevated levels of specific Staphylococcus aureus toxins, as well as nasal glial cell infection with human herpes virus (HHV)-6 in PwMS. Emerging research on lung microbiome in animal models demonstrated that manipulating the lung microbiome towards lipopolysaccharide-producing bacteria might suppress MS symptoms. These findings open avenues for potential therapeutic strategies. However, further research is crucial to fully understand the complex interactions between the microbiome and MS. This will help identify the most effective timing, bacterial strains, and modulation techniques.

A comparative study of brine solutions as completion fluids for oil and gas fields.

Completion fluids play a vital role in well-related processes within the oil extraction industry. This article presents a comprehensive study of the properties and performance of various brine solutions as completion fluids for different well and reservoir conditions. Attributes examined include density, corrosion resistance, temperature stability, compatibility with formation fluids, clay swelling potential and influence on wettability. The research highlights the significance of selecting appropriate completion fluids to optimize well and reservoir operations. Zinc chloride emerges as an excellent option for high density applications, while sodium chloride and potassium formate solutions are ideal for extreme cold conditions. Potassium acetate outperforms calcium chloride and potassium chloride and has excellent pH stability. The compatibility of completion fluids with formation water has been observed to be excellent, with no sedimentation or emulsion formation. Potassium acetate also experiences minimal clay swelling, making it suitable for clay-rich formations. On the other hand, calcium chloride has a higher clay swelling than most of the brines tested, making it less suitable for sandstone formations with a higher clay content than these brines. The research evaluates the water-wetting abilities of completion fluids in carbonate and sandstone formations. Potassium chloride and zinc chloride have the most significant impact in carbonate formations, while potassium acetate and potassium formate excel in sandstone formations. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of completion fluids, facilitating informed decisions that maximize operational efficiency, protect reservoir integrity, and enhance hydrocarbon recovery. The appropriate selection of completion fluids should align with specific well and reservoir conditions, considering the priorities of the application.

GALILEO: Galactic Axion Laser Interferometer Leveraging Electro-Optics.

We propose a novel experimental method for probing light dark matter candidates. We show that an electro-optical material's refractive index is modified in the presence of a coherently oscillating dark matter background. A high-precision resonant Michelson interferometer can be used to read out this signal. The proposed detection scheme allows for the exploration of an uncharted parameter space of dark matter candidates over a wide range of masses-including masses exceeding a few tens of microelectronvolts, which is a challenging parameter space for microwave cavity haloscopes.

Isolated Bacteria from the Uteri of Camels with Different Reproductive Backgrounds: A Study on Sampling Methodology, Prevalence, and Clinical Significance.

The objectives of this study were to comparatively identify the common bacterial isolates from the uteri of camels coming from different reproductive backgrounds after standardizing the sampling method and to investigate the association of clinically measurable parameters with uterine colonization by these isolates. The uterine samples from 856 dromedary camels yielded a total of 17 different bacterial species with a higher proportion of sub-fertile camel uteri being colonized by bacteria (66.6%) as compared to nulliparous, recently calved, and those with unknown reproductive history combined (44.2%; p < 0.05). Camels with body condition scoring < 3 and those with a consistently echogenic appearance of the uterine lumen by sonography were more likely to be positive on uterine culture, while the presence of pus in uterine discharge was not associated with the odds of bacterial isolation (p > 0.05). While certain strains were more likely to be obtained from the uteri of the sub-fertile group (p < 0.05), embryo transfer to camels with a positive uterine culture in the absence of other gross reproductive pathologies did not necessarily affect the overall pregnancy rate compared to recipients with a negative uterine culture (p > 0.05). In conclusion, a relatively high bacterial load can be identified from the uteri of both sub-fertile and normal dromedary camels, with a higher frequency among the former. The uterine ultrasonography and evaluation of the body condition score can help in identifying the camels in which uterus is contaminated by bacteria.

Clinically suspected myocarditis in COVID-19 patients: Case series and review of the literature.

This Study describes eleven patients positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. In our cases, females and younger patients developed more severe disease. In contrast, improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction and N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide within the first week of treatment contributed to promising outcomes.

Milky Way Accelerometry via Millisecond Pulsar Timing.

The temporal stability of millisecond pulsars is remarkable, rivaling even some terrestrial atomic clocks at long timescales. Using this property, we show that millisecond pulsars distributed in the galactic neighborhood form an ensemble of accelerometers from which we can directly extract the local galactic acceleration. From pulsar spin period measurements, we demonstrate acceleration sensitivity with about 1σ precision using 117 pulsars. We also present a complementary analysis using orbital periods of 13 binary pulsar systems that eliminates the systematics associated with pulsar braking and results in a local acceleration of (1.7±0.5)×10^{-10} m/s^{2} in good agreement with expectations. This work is a first step toward dynamically measuring acceleration gradients that will eventually inform us about the dark matter density distribution in the Milky Way galaxy.

Upregulation of Galectin-9 and PD-L1 Immune Checkpoints Molecules in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Background: Deviation of host immune response by engagement of inhibitory receptors is one of the well-known mechanisms of tumor cells for immune evasion and survival. PD-1/PD-L1 and Tim-3/Gal-9 axes are two major pathways in this area which their contribution has been documented in a variety of malignancies. In this study, Gal-9 and PD-L1 expression was investigated in leukemic cells from patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained from 25 untreated CLL patients and 15 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. CLL patients were classified into different clinical stages based on the Rai staging system. Total RNA was extracted from all samples and applied for cDNA synthesis. Relative expression of Gal-9 and PD-L1 mRNA was determined by Real-Time PCR using ß-actin as a housekeeping gene. Results: Gal-9 and PD-L1 mRNA was significantly more expressed in CLL patients compared to healthy controls (p<0.0001 and p=0.005, respectively). CLL patients in advanced clinical stages showed higher expression of Gal-9 and PD-L1 in comparison to patients in early clinical stages (p<0.0001 and p=0.004, respectively). Conclusion: Our promising results regarding over-expression of Gal-9 and PD-L1 in CLL patients call future complementary studies to more evaluate and confirm these pathways for immunotherapy approaches of this malignancy. Upregulation of both Gal-9 and PD-L1 in CLL patients with advanced clinical stages introduces them as useful prognostic biomarkers for disease progression.