Selection of Ideal Reference Genes for Gene Expression Analysis in COVID-19 and Mucormycosis.

Selection of reference genes during real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) is critical to determine accurate and reliable mRNA expression. Nonetheless, not a single study has investigated the expression stability of candidate reference genes to determine their suitability as internal controls in SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM). Using qRT-PCR, we determined expression stability of the nine most commonly used housekeeping genes, namely, TATA-box binding protein (), cyclophilin (), β-2-microglobulin (), 18S rRNA (18S), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) coactivator 1 alpha (α), glucuronidase beta (), hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase 1 (), , and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase () in patients with COVID-19 of various severities (asymptomatic, mild, moderate, and severe) and those with CAM.

Amoxicillin modulates gut microbiota to improve short-term high-fat diet induced pathophysiology in mice.

Background: A high-fat diet (HFD) induced perturbation of gut microbiota is a major contributory factor to promote the pathophysiology of HFD-associated metabolic syndrome. The HFD could also increase the susceptibility to the microbial infections warranting the use of antibiotics which are independently capable of impacting both gut microbiota and metabolic syndrome. Further, the usage of antibiotics in individuals consuming HFD can impact mitochondrial function that can be associated with an elevated risk of chronic conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).