Ded1 is an essential DEAD-box helicase in yeast that broadly stimulates translation initiation and is critical for messenger RNAs (mRNAs) with structured 5 ' untranslated regions (UTRs). We have evaluated the proposal that Ded1 stimulates translation primarily by preventing initiation at upstream open-reading-frames (uORFs) associated with stable secondary structures. By Ribo-seq analysis under experimental conditions designed to suppress artifactual 5 ' UTR translation, we found that reduced translation of the main open-reading-frames (mORFs) in native mRNAs is generally not accompanied by increased 5 ' UTR translation in ded1 mutant cells, and that the presence of translated uORFs in yeast mRNAs generally does not confer heightened dependence on Ded1 for efficient translation of mORFs. Results from a high-throughput reporter assay examining native 5 ' UTRs reinforce the importance of Ded1 in initiation from structured 5 ' UTRs and show that impairing Ded1 has minimal effects on translational repression by uORFs. Our results demonstrate that, in cells growing vegetatively in rich medium, translational stimulation by suppression of inhibitory uORFs is restricted to a minority of Ded1 targets, and that unwinding of 5 ' UTR secondary structures per se is the principal mechanism for Ded1 stimulation of translation initiation.

ABSTRACT Tuberculosis (TB) is a deadly disease that claims the lives of over a million people each year worldwide. The Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine has long been used to protect against TB, but it produces variable effects across different populations and fails to protect against adult pulmonary TB. Therefore, there is an urgent need for alternative vaccines that can offer better protection. We have developed a strategy for the rational deletion of virulence-related genes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) to create hyperattenuation that also enhances immunogenicity. Previously, we generated both single (∆fbpA) and double knockout (DKO) (∆fbpA-∆sapM) mutants of Mtb and assessed their immunogenicity and efficacy using mice. Herein, we have created triple knockout (TKO) and quadruple knockout (QKO) strains to enhance the immunogenicity and safety of the DKO strain by deleting the zmp1 and dosR genes. The resulting TKO strains, TKO-Z (∆fbpA-∆sapM-∆zmp1) and TKO-D (∆fbpA-∆sapM-∆dosR), and the QKO strain (∆fbpA-∆sapM-∆zmp1-∆dosR), were evaluated for their immunogenicity and safety in mice. Whereas TKO-Z and QKO strains exhibited superior immunogenicity compared to the DKO strain, their protective efficacy in mice was comparable. However, survival studies involving SCID mice indicated that the QKO strain was highly attenuated. Therefore, rational deletion of genes in Mtb seems to be an innovative approach for developing safer and more efficacious vaccines against TB.

Respiratory infections are among the leading causes of illness and death. The lack or limited effectiveness of vaccines for many respiratory pathogens underscores the urgent need for alternative, broadly protective strategies. While adaptive immunity is commonly used in vaccine development, the therapeutic potential of activating and enhancing innate immunity remains underutilized. Innate immune-focused interventions could offer rapid, pathogen-independent protection, bridging the gap until pathogen-specific responses develop. Therefore, exploring new broad-spectrum innate immune-targeting immunomodulatory agents can be an effective way to prevent and treat respiratory infections. Heat-killed Caulobacter crescentus (HKCC) is a potential innate immune modulator. We tested its preventive and therapeutic effects against key respiratory bacterial (Mycobacterium avium, Mav) and viral (SARS-CoV-2 and influenza) infections in animal models. Notably, intranasal or oral treatment with HKCC significantly lowered bacterial loads in mice infected with Mav, while activating mucosal innate immune responses and enhancing downstream cellular and antibody responses. Additionally, decreased viral loads and improved pathogenesis were seen in mice and hamsters infected with influenza and SARS-CoV-2, respectively. HKCC showed promising ability to induce strong, localized, and systemic immunity, making it a compelling candidate for developing as a human preventive or adjunct therapy for multiple respiratory diseases.

The DEAD-box ATPase Dhh1 (DDX6 in humans) is a general activator of 5'-3' mRNA decay that acts between the deadenylation and decapping steps of the pathway, although the exact mechanism of its action remains unclear. Dhh1 has been shown to interact with the MIF4G domain of the central scaffold protein of the Ccr4-Not deadenylase complex, Not1, as well as the decapping activator Edc3. Although structures have been published of Dhh1 in complex with Not1MIF4G or an Edc3 peptide, the impact of these interactions on the catalytic cycle of Dhh1 are unknown. Here, we show Edc3 enhances ATP and RNA binding by Dhh1, whereas Not1MIF4G promotes the catalytic step of ATP hydrolysis. Additionally, the modulation of Dhh1 activity by Edc3 requires a more extensive set of interaction motifs and interfaces than was previously recognized. While the effect of either Not1MIF4G or Edc3 on the ATPase activity of Dhh1 is modest, together both proteins increase Dhh1 activity over 200-fold. The fact that Dhh1 biochemical activity is cooperatively tuned by deadenylation and decapping factors suggests that Dhh1 may coordinate deadenylation and decapping in the 5'-3' mRNA decay pathway through changes in its ATP-coupled RNA binding affinity during its catalytic cycle.

Background: Hepatitis B and C viral infections remain a significant global health challenge, despite the implementation of an effective direct-acting antiviral (DAAs) and nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs). Current HBV therapy is not curative as stopping therapy usually leads to active disease in most patients requiring long-term treatment. Although current HCV-DAAs are highly effective they fall short due to arising drug-resistance and have limited ability to avert re-infections. Furthermore, current HCV DAA treatments lead to the reactivation of occult HBV infection, compromising the effectiveness of current antiviral therapies, and increasing the risk of severe liver complications like cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, current treatments do not restore the immune dysfunction, a characteristic of chronic HBV infection. Given the global burden of disease, there is an urgent need for more effective therapy that can shorten the duration of treatment and achieve high rates of HBsAg reduction. Combining an antiviral to reduce viral antigen burden and an immunomodulator to boost the immune response could provide an effective treatment for HBV/HCV infections. Methods: In this study, we explored the potential of a novel bacterial therapeutic agent, heat-killed Caulobacter crescentus (HKCC), as an alternative and/or adjunct host-based therapy for HCV and HBV infections. Here, we have investigated the antiviral effects of the HKCC-stimulated human PBMCs using in vitro HCV and HBV infection models to assess viral replication, viral relapse responses, protein expression, and cytotoxicity. Results: Our findings reveal that HKCC induced a multi-functional cytokine response (IFN, TNF, IL-2, IL-10, IL-6, IL-17A, and IL-22) in PBMCs obtained from multiple healthy donors. Supernatants collected from these HKCC-stimulated human PBMCs, alone and in combination with antivirals, strikingly inhibited HCV replication and viral relapse responses without inducing any cytotoxic effects on HCV-1a replicon cells. In addition, these PBMC supernatants, with or without antivirals, led to the suppression of HBV DNA replication and inhibited HBsAg and HBeAg production in HepG 2.2.15 cells. Conclusions: In conclusion, HKCC is a promising candidate for eliminating HBV and HCV infections, and warrants further investigation to potentially contribute to the development of a novel host-based immunotherapy.

Background: In cancer patients receiving chemotherapy or immunosuppressive treatments, lung infections significantly affect illness and death rates. Early diagnosis is crucial for targeted therapy. This study evaluated the diagnostic yield and microbiology of bronchoscopic procedures – bronchial wash (BW), protected specimen brush (PSB), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) in patients with malignancy and suspected lung infections. Methods: One hundred and twenty-five patients with solid or hematological malignancies and radiological evidence of pulmonary infection were enrolled. Patients underwent flexible video bronchoscopy with BAL and/or BW, PSB, or TBNA sampling. Specimens were processed for bacterial, fungal, and mycobacterial culture, cytological analysis, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Results: Of 125 patients, 104 (83.2%) had positive microbiological results. Bacterial infections were found in 65 (52%) cases, mainly Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. Fungal isolates were identified in 10 (8%) cases, primarily Aspergillus spp. and Candida albicans. Mycobacterial infections were confirmed in 29 (23.2%) patients. Cytological analysis showed neutrophilic predominance in bacterial infections, lymphocytic predominance in mycobacterial infections, and mixed patterns in fungal infections. Significant associations (P = 0.00026) existed between malignancy subtypes and infection patterns. Forty percent of bacterial pneumonia cases were linked to lung cancer, while tuberculosis/nontuberculous mycobacteria infections were associated with hematologic malignancies (15/29). Other cancers accounted for 58% of bacterial pneumonia and 71% of unconfirmed infections. Conclusion: Bronchoscopy with BAL/BW effectively diagnosed lung infections in immunocompromised patients with cancer. Integrating cytological assessments with microbiological findings enhances diagnostic accuracy, aiding appropriate empirical treatment selection. Regular antibiogram surveillance is vital for optimizing antimicrobial stewardship.

The objective of this research is to investigate the influence of a moving shock wave on a dense particle curtain using a coupled supersonic Eulerian–Lagrangian solver. The numerical investigation seeks to gain a deeper understanding of the interactions between particles and gas flow through a four-way coupling approach that incorporates interparticle collisions. Upon interaction, the particle curtain undergoes rapid expansion, generating transmitted and reflected shocks. This work focuses on how different particle arrangements affect the fluid flow dynamics and vice versa. By systematically varying the shock Mach number, we elucidate the effects of these interactions across a range of shock strengths, providing a comprehensive picture of the phenomenon. Our findings reveal the crucial role of particle properties and interparticle forces in shaping the dynamics of shock–granular interactions, paving the way for a deeper understanding of multiphase shock flows in various applications.

Background Tuberculosis (TB) persists as a significant challenge in global scenario, with developing country like India bearing the relatively more burden. “Intestinal TB (ITB), a form of Extrapulmonary TB (ETB),” is responsible for 12.8 % of extrapulmonary cases and poses diagnostic difficulties due to nonspecific symptoms and similarities to other gastrointestinal diseases like Crohn's disease. Conventional methods, like histopathology and culture, have constrained sensitivity and turnaround time. “The GeneXpert-MTB/RIF assay,” a molecular test with rapid results, shows promise in TB diagnosis, but its efficacy for ITB remains understudied. This study sought to evaluate how well the GeneXpert-MTB/RIF assay performs diagnostically in patients with ileocolonic ulcerations suspected of ITB, comparing its sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values with “conventional techniques like MGIT culture and Line Probe Assay (LPA).” Methods A hospital-based cross-sectional investigation spanning 18 months was undertaken at a tertiary care setting center, involving “100 patients aged ≥18 years with ileocolonic ulcerations on colonoscopy and clinical suspicion of ITB”. Intestinal biopsies were analyzed using GeneXpert-MTB/RIF, MGIT culture, and LPA. Statistical analyses included sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and demographic/clinical correlations. Results The GeneXpert-MTB/RIF assay demonstrated 100 % sensitivity and specificity compared to MGIT culture, with perfect agreement in detecting MTB. All MTB-positive patients had prior TB contact or anti-TB treatment history (p < 0.0001). Diarrhea was significantly more prevalent in MTB-positive cases (69.23 % vs. 27.59 %, p = 0.0084). Rifampicin resistance detection showed 100 % sensitivity but 90.91 % specificity, with one false-positive case (PPV: 66.67 %). Drug resistance patterns revealed 15.38 % rifampicin resistance and 7.69 % resistance to isoniazid and levofloxacin. Conclusion The GeneXpert-MTB/RIF analysis is a highly accurate and quick diagnostic tool for ITB, particularly when using fresh biopsy specimens. However, rifampicin resistance results should be confirmed with LPA due to potential false positives. Prior TB exposure and diarrhea are key indicators for ITB suspicion. Public health efforts should prioritize high-risk populations, and future research should validate these findings in larger cohorts.

Background Modern health care advances in immunosuppressive therapy, particularly related to bone marrow transplantation, and increasing utilization of implantable devices have contributed to the rise of invasive Candida infections in recent decades. Objectives: An automated method based on the broth microdilution MIC technique was used to evaluate the susceptibility of fluconazole and voriconazole with that of the Gradient diffusion technique using brain heart infusion (BHI) agar. Additionally, to identify a low-cost, quick, accurate, and simple way to test for antifungal sensitivity. Materials and Methods Over a year, an observational study was conducted from November 2023 to October 2024. The study was carried out at the Department of Microbiology at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), Patna, Bihar, India. The study included 120 participants in total. Results Out of 120 isolates of Candida species, a total of 40 isolates were found to be of Candida tropicalis. Most of the isolates were confirmed in blood samples 24 (60%), followed by deep aspirated pus 06 (15%), pleural fluid 05 (12.5%), CSF 03 (7.5%), and peritoneal fluid 02 (5%). Candida tropicalis isolates were sensitive to fluconazole in 37 (92.5%) of the species as well as to voriconazole in 39 (97.5%) of the species through Vitek 2 tests. Conclusion A standardized automated test for antifungal susceptibility, the AST-YS08Vitek 2 card system (bioMérieux), was shown to be dependable and produced findings that were comparable to the E test; as a result, it may be used in place of the E test. Recommendations Nevertheless, additional research is required to assess the VITEK 2 method's capacity to detect resistant isolates. Retesting of any resistant isolates generating inconsistent findings will be necessary to resolve this problem.

This study presents a conjugate flow-thermal analysis of a hypersonic reentry vehicle in rarefied flow conditions, along with a stability analysis for the coupled ablation problem, highlighting additional time-step stability criteria. A novel coupling of an in-house Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) solver with material thermal response (MTR) solver is used. The DSMC solver is extended to simulate the physical injection of transpiring pyrolysis gas into the gas-surface interface, modeled as surface jets. The MTR code solves heat conduction in a two-dimensional/axisymmetric geometry, accounting for complex thermochemical processes, including endothermic pyrolysis, transpiration cooling and surface recession due to thermal ablation. The DSMC and MTR solvers are loosely coupled at selected time intervals (anchor points) along the reentry trajectory, exchanging boundary conditions at the fluid-solid interface. A code-to-code comparison with the well-established open-source DSMC solver, SPARTA, shows good agreement with the in-house mass-injecting DSMC framework. The results highlight the importance of the coupled DSMC-MTR framework for accurately modeling the interaction between flow and thermal domains, which is crucial in rarefied flows and for curved geometries, areas where empirical models, such as blowing effect correlation, show large deviations. Unlike the traditional empirical correlation, the DSMC framework captures the physical transpiring boundary, significantly improving flow simulations. The study also reveals that while the iterative coupling method provides accurate results, it becomes prohibitively expensive at lower altitudes, while the non-iterative method becomes unstable below 90 km. This limitation underscores the need for more sophisticated models at the gas-surface interface, particularly for transpiring boundaries, to better capture the complex interactions in hypersonic flows.

Background Infections caused by Pseudomonas spp. are becoming more common in immunocompromised patients, particularly in hospital settings. The most well-known member of this family is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a serious pathogen. To develop antibiograms, this study examined the distribution and susceptibility patterns of Pseudomonas species isolated from various specimens as part of a surveillance program. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and analyze the antibiogram of Pseudomonas species at a tertiary care hospital in South Bihar. Methods A hospital-based, retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in South Bihar from February 2024 to January 2025. A total of 68 isolates of Pseudomonas species were isolated from 1862 various clinical specimens. For the isolation of the organisms, Blood Agar and MacConkey Agar plates were used. The oxidase test, catalase test, and gram staining were used to characterize phenotypes. The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), M100, 2024 recommendations were followed during the antibiotic susceptibility testing of anti-pseudomonal medications. Results Among the 68 isolates of Pseudomonas species that were isolated, the study found that pus was the most common specimen (46.8%), followed by urine specimens (18.75%). All the isolates were found sensitive to Colistin (100%), whereas Imipenem (76.6%) and Piperacillin-tazobactam (69.5%) were found sensitive in the majority of the isolates, followed by Amikacin (61.3%). Less than half of the isolates were found sensitive to Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin, and Gentamycin. Aztreonam had the lowest sensitivity (15%). Conclusions The study reveals a rising trend of multidrug resistance among Pseudomonas species, with limited susceptibility to commonly used antibiotics. Recommendation Regular antimicrobial surveillance and strict antibiotic stewardship programs are recommended to effectively manage and control multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas infections.

Degradation of many yeast mRNAs involves decapping by the Dcp1:Dcp2 complex. Previous studies on decapping activators Edc3 and Scd6 suggested their limited roles in mRNA decay. RNA-seq analysis of mutants lacking one or both proteins revealed that Scd6 and Edc3 have largely redundant activities in targeting numerous mRNAs for degradation that are masked in the single mutants. These transcripts are frequently targeted by decapping activators Dhh1 and Pat1, and the collective evidence suggests that Scd6/Edc3 act interchangeably to recruit Dhh1 to Dcp2. Ribosome profiling shows that redundancy between Scd6 and Edc3 and their functional interactions with Dhh1 and Pat1 extend to translational repression of particular transcripts, including a cohort of poorly translated mRNAs displaying interdependent regulation by all four factors. Scd6/Edc3 also participate with Dhh1/Pat1 in post-transcriptional repression of proteins required for respiration and catabolism of alternative carbon sources, which are normally expressed only in limiting glucose. Simultaneously eliminating Scd6/Edc3 increases mitochondrial membrane potential and elevates metabolites of the tricarboxylic acid and glyoxylate cycles typically observed only during growth in low glucose. Thus, Scd6/Edc3 acts redundantly, in parallel with Dhh1 and in cooperation with Pat1, to adjust gene expression to nutrient availability by controlling mRNA decapping and decay.

Background Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, necessitating the identification of reliable biomarkers for early detection and risk assessment. Among these, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) have emerged as crucial inflammatory mediators linked to the pathogenesis and development of CVD. Pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 is essential in endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis, and plaque instability, while hs-CRP serves as a systemic marker of inflammation, correlating with vascular injury and adverse cardiac events.n. This study aims to assess the association of baseline IL-6, hs-CRP, and LDL-C levels with cardiovascular events over one year in patients undergoing intensive cardiovascular treatment. Methods This research consisted of 100 patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and 100 healthy controls. After obtaining consent, demographic data, medication history, and cardiovascular risk factors were recorded. Clinical parameters, including age, sex, height, body weight, and blood pressure, were also recorded. Patients with liver diseases, renal dysfunctions, thyroid disorders, HIV, and acute inflammatory conditions were excluded. Blood samples were obtained for biochemical examination after a 12-hour fast. IL-6 levels were quantified using an ELISA kit (Ray Biotech, Inc.), Serum hs-CRP was measured using photometric analysis (autoimmune), and lipid profiles were assessed using enzymatic and colorimetric techniques. Results Patients with CVD showed significantly raised levels of total cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, triglycerides, hs-CRP, and IL-6 (p<0.0001), while HDL levels were lower. Increased BMI, waist circumference, and blood pressure were also noted. These results reinforce the link between dyslipidemia, inflammation, and CVD, emphasizing their importance in disease progression and risk evaluation. Conclusion Elevated hs-CRP and IL-6 levels may help in the prediction of cardiovascular risks and further improve the stratification in suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) cases. Managing risk factors in high-risk patients and further research on IL-6’s causal role are essential.

The global dissemination of SARS-CoV-2 led to a worldwide pandemic in March 2020. Even after the official downgrading of the COVID-19 pandemic, infection with SARS-CoV-2 variants continues. The rapid development and deployment of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines helped to mitigate the pandemic to a great extent. However, the current vaccines are suboptimal; they elicit incomplete and short-lived protection and are ineffective against evolving virus variants. Updating the spike antigen according to the prevailing variant and repeated boosters is not the long-term solution. We have designed a lipopeptide-based, mucosal, pan-coronavirus vaccine candidate, derived from highly conserved and/or functional regions of the SARS-CoV-2 spike, nucleocapsid, and membrane proteins. Our studies demonstrate that the designed lipopeptides (LPMix) induced both cellular and humoral (mucosal and systemic) immune responses upon intranasal immunization in mice. Furthermore, the antibodies bound to the wild-type and mutated S proteins of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, including Alpha, Beta, Delta and Omicron, and also led to efficient neutralization in a surrogate viral neutralization assay. Our sequence alignment and 3-dimensional molecular modeling studies demonstrated that spike-derived epitopes, P1 and P2, are sequentially and/or structurally conserved among the SARS-CoV-2 variants. The addition of a novel mucosal adjuvant, heat-killed Caulobacter crescentus, to the lipopeptide vaccine significantly bolstered mucosal antibody responses. Finally, the lipopeptide-based intranasal vaccine demonstrated significant improvement in lung pathologies in a hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. These studies are fundamentally important and open new avenues in the investigation of an innovative, broadly protective intranasal vaccine platform for SARS-CoV-2 and its variants.

Plug nozzle of a single-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle moves through continuum to rarefied regime, as it approaches high altitudes. Despite multiple studies on plug nozzle flows in the rarefied regime, there is significantly less work that compares continuum and rarefied flows through plug nozzles. Even the works that conducted such comparative analysis did not consider the effect of varying nozzle pressure ratios (NPR). The present work compares flow field and thrust performance of a plug nozzle in continuum and rarefied regimes over a range of NPR. In the continuum domain, the exhaust jet displays typical characteristics such as shocks, expansion fans and flow separation. However, the influence of viscosity becomes more noticeable in the rarefied regime. Furthermore, some consequences of flow expanding outside the boundaries of the nozzle walls are noted. The nozzle thrust coefficients exhibit a comparable pattern in both the continuum and rarefied regimes, but noticeable disparities in magnitude are seen. The significant disparity in the thrust coefficients can be attributed to two factors: low mass flow rates and elevated frictional losses. In an effort to eliminate the impact of low mass flow rates, the computed specific impulse values provide insight into the effect of frictional losses on thrust performance of a plug nozzle operating in a rarefied domain.

In the current study, high-throughput sequencing (HTS) was used to identify viruses associated with the Kinnow mandarin (Citrus reticulata) plants exhibiting yellow vein clearing, mottling, and chlorosis symptoms at experimental farm of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. During November 2022, leaf samples of symptomatic and asymptomatic Kinnow mandarin trees were collected, subjected to HTS and one of the representative symptomatic samples was subjected to leaf-dip electron microscopy (EM). In the EM results, flexuous virus particles typical of mandarivirus were observed. Ribosomal RNA was depleted from total RNA of pooled samples and RNA sequencing was done using NovaSeq 6000. Host unaligned reads were de novo assembled into contigs, which were annotated through BLASTn using database of plant viruses/viroids reference genomes (NCBI). Results of assembled contigs revealed near-complete genomes of two mandariviruses, i.e., citrus yellow vein clearing virus (CYVCV) and citrus yellow mottle-associated virus (CiYMaV). The values of fragments per kilo base transcript length per million fragments mapped estimation indicated the dominance of CYVCV in HTS data and it was also confirmed through krona plot distribution of viruses in the pooled samples. A rapid and reliable duplex RT-PCR assay was also developed and standardized for the simultaneous detection of both CYVCV and CiYMaV in a pooled Kinnow mandarin sample. The developed duplex RT-PCR was then validated for the presence of these viruses in individual Kinnow mandarin samples. The specificity and sensitivity results confirmed that primers were highly specific to their targets and able to detect viruses up to 10–2 dilutions of RNA in standard and duplex RT-PCR. Therefore, the developed rapid duplex RT-PCR can be used for virus indexing and production of virus-free Kinnow mandarin plants for certification programs.

Passive flow control devices, such as vortex generators (VGs), have shown to be successful in controlling flows associated with shock-wave/boundary-layer interactions. In the present work, we investigate the effectiveness of micro-VGs in controlling the interactions of the boundary layer with a swept shock wave generated by a semi-infinite fin placed in a Mach 2 freestream generated in a wind tunnel with a rectangular cross section. The strength of the interaction is varied by changing the angle of attack of the fin in the range α = 3^∘ – 15^∘ . Arrays of micro-VGs are placed upstream of the interaction zone in two different configurations: (I) along a line perpendicular to the freestream and (II) along a line inclined to the freestream following the conical topology of the interaction zone. A parametric analysis is done for the rectangular, ramp, and Anderson-type micro-VGs for three different heights. Unsteady and time-averaged pressure measurements are done using arrays of ports spanned radially across the interaction zone. Surface flow patterns are obtained using the oil-flow visualisation technique. It is observed that VGs offer significantly better control effectiveness when placed inclined to the freestream along the interaction region. The rectangular VGs demonstrate a maximum shift (as much as 8^∘ ) in the upstream influence line azimuthally towards the fin resulting in a decrease in the size of the separation region. Footprints obtained from the oil-flow experiments give important signatures of the vortices that are shed from the VGs and are responsible for the flowfield distortion in the interaction zone.