Validation of a noninvasive aMMP-8 point-of-care diagnostic methodology in COVID-19 patients with periodontal disease

Objectives: The aim of this study was to validate an active matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-8) point-of-care diagnostic tool in COVID-19 patients with periodontal disease. Subjects, Materials, and Methods: Seventy-two COVID-19-positive and 30 COVID-19-negative subjects were enrolled in the study. Demographic data were recorded, periodontal examination carried out, and chairside tests run for evaluating the expression of active MMP-8 (aMMP-8) in the site with maximum periodontal breakdown via gingival crevicular fluid sampling as well as via a mouth rinse-based kit for general disease activity. In COVID-19-positive patients, the kits were run again once the patients turned COVID-19 negative. Results: The overall (n = 102) sensitivity/specificity of the mouthrinse-based kits to detect periodontal disease was 79.41%136.76% and that of site-specific kits was 64.71%/55.88% while adjusting for age, gender, and smoking status increased the sensitivity and specificity (82.35%/76.47% and 73.53%/88.24, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for the adjusted model revealed very good area under the ROC curve 0.746-0.869 (p < .001) and 0.740-0.872 (p < .001) (the aMMP-8 mouth rinse and site-specific kits, respectively). No statistically significant difference was observed in the distribution of results of aMMP-8 mouth rinse test (p = .302) and aMMP-8 site-specific test (p = .189) once the subjects recovered from COVID-19. Conclusions: The findings of the present study support the aMMP-8 point-of-care testing (PoCT) kits as screening tools for periodontitis in COVID-19 patients. The overall screening accuracy can be further increased by utilizing adjunctively risk factors of periodontitis. The reported noninvasive, user-friendly, and objective PoCT diagnostic methodology may provide a way of stratifying risk groups, deciding upon referrals, and in the institution of diligent oral hygiene regimens.Peer reviewe

Effect of Al-SBA-15 Support on Catalytic Functionalities of Hydrotreating Catalysts. II. Effect of Variation of Molybdenum and Promoter Contents on Catalytic Functionalities

High surface area, ordered mesoporous SBA-15 and Al-SBA-15 were synthesized using published procedures and used as support for Mo and W catalysts promoted with Co and Ni. The molybdenum loading was varied on Al-SBA-15 from 2 to 12 wt %, and Co or Ni loading was varied on 8%Mo/Al-SBA-15 from 1 to 5 wt %. The support and catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Barett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) pore-size distribution, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), and oxygen chemisorption. The characterization results indicated that hexagonal mesoporous structure is retained on Mo, CoMo, and NiMo catalysts. The TPR studies indicated that there are significant differences in Mo reducibilities and reducible species that are present on SBA-15 and Al-SBA-15 supported catalysts. The catalytic activities for thiophene, hydrodesulfurization (HDS), and cyclohexene hydrogenation (HYD) were carried out as a function of Mo and CoMo or NiMo loadings at 400 °C on sulfided catalysts. The results indicated that the molybdenum is dispersed well up to 8% Mo loading and 8 wt % loading is optimum for catalytic activities. Oxygen chemisorption correlated well with catalytic activity. The reducibilities of the catalysts and their relation to catalytic activities are discussed. A comparison of the physicochemical properties and catalytic activities of Mo and W catalysts supported on SBA-15 and Al-SBA-15 is made

Acidity and catalytic activities of sulfated zirconia inside SBA-15

SBA-15 containing various amount (10–50 wt.%) of highly dispersed ZrO2 is prepared using urea hydrolysis method. The sulfated zirconia (ZrO2) in SBA-15 catalysts were prepared using these materials. The materials were characterized by XRD, BET surface area, TEM, TGA, acidity measurements using in situ IR pyridine adsorption, sulfate content and catalytic activities were studied for cumene cracking and esterification of cyclohexanol. The Bro¨ nsted acidity, catalytic activity for cumene cracking and esterification and sulfate content were found to pass through a maxima where ZrO2 loading is 35 wt.%. The 35SZ-SBA catalysts exhibited 6.4 times higher activity for cumene cracking compared to the bulk SZ catalysts. The relationship between acidity, sulfate content and catalytic activity are discussed in the light of existing knowledge on sulfated zirconia