Integrated analysis of the oral and intestinal microbiome and metabolome of elderly people with more than 26 original teeth: a pilot study.

Elderly subjects with more than 20 natural teeth have a higher healthy life expectancy than those with few or no teeth. The oral microbiome and its metabolome are associated with oral health, and they are also associated with systemic health via the oral-gut axis. Here, we analyzed the oral and gut microbiome and metabolome profiles of elderly subjects with more than 26 natural teeth. Salivary samples collected as mouth-rinsed water and fecal samples were obtained from 22 healthy individuals, 10 elderly individuals with more than 26 natural teeth and 24 subjects with periodontal disease. The oral microbiome and metabolome profiles of elderly individuals resembled those of subjects with periodontal disease, with the metabolome showing a more substantial differential abundance of components. Despite the distinct oral metabolome profiles, there was no differential abundance of components in the gut microbiome and metabolomes, except for enrichment of short-chain fatty acids in elderly subjects. Finally, to investigate the relationship between the oral and gut microbiome and metabolome, we analyzed bacterial coexistence in the oral cavity and gut and analyzed the correlation of metabolite levels between the oral cavity and gut. However, there were few associations between oral and gut for bacteria and metabolites in either elderly or healthy subjects. Overall, these results indicate distinct oral microbiome and metabolome profiles, as well as the lack of an oral-gut axis in elderly subjects with a high number of natural teeth.

Dysbiosis of oral microbiome persists after dental treatment-induced remission of periodontal disease and dental caries.

IMPORTANCE: We characterized the oral conditions, salivary microbiome, and metabolome after dental treatment by investigating the state after treatment completion and transition to self-care. Dental treatment improved oral health conditions, resulting in oral disease remission; however, the imbalanced state of the salivary microbiome continued even after remission. Although the results of this study are preliminary, owing to the small number of participants in each group when compared to larger cohort studies, they indicate that the risk of disease may remain higher than that of healthy participants, thereby demonstrating the importance of removing dental plaque containing disease-related bacteria using appropriate care even after treatment completion. We also identified bacterial species with relative abundances that differed from those of healthy participants even after remission of symptoms, which may indicate that the maturation of certain bacterial species must be controlled to improve the oral microbiome and reduce the risk of disease recurrence.

Computational broadband imaging with laser-driven sequential light source arrays on a water film.

Imaging and computational processing fusion technologies have expanded the wavelength range that can be visualized. However, it is still challenging to realize a system that can image a wide range of wavelengths, including non-visible regions, in a single system. Here, we propose a broadband imaging system based on femtosecond-laser-driven sequential light source arrays. The light source arrays allow us to form ultra-broadband illumination light depending on the excitation target and irradiated pulse energy. We demonstrated X-ray and visible imaging under atmospheric pressure by using a water film as an excitation target. Furthermore, by applying a compressive sensing algorithm, the imaging time was reduced while maintaining the number of pixels in the reconstructed image.

Automatic generation of a holographically shaped beam in an actual optical system for use in material laser processing.

In-system optimization involves designing a computer-generated hologram (CGH) in an actual optical system. An important advantage of this approach is automatic generation of a target shaped beam with compensation for imperfections in the actual optical system that would degrade the reconstruction performance. We developed a novel in-system optimization method for beam shaping based on our previous research where it had been applied only to generate parallel focused beams. The key point in the application to beam shaping is to accurately express the conditions and coordinates of the actual optical system in the CGH calculation.

Colour volumetric display based on holographic-laser-excited graphics using drawing space separation.

A volumetric display generates a graphics that can be viewed from 360[Formula: see text] by representing the 3D information of an object as voxels in physical space. However, the natural properties of physical objects, such as 3D information and colors, and the seamless relationships between graphics and humans make it difficult to implement such displays. Here, we introduce a novel system that combines the spatial generation of femtosecond-laser-excited emission points using computer-generated holograms and beam scanning with the drawing space separation method. We demonstrate the drawing of volumetric graphics that can be color-expressed in voxel units in the air. This system enables the drawing of volumetric graphics in the air, accurate color representations, and robust graphics that are not destroyed by contact with users or objects. It also lays the foundation for the implementation of future volumetric displays.

Volumetric bubble display with a gold-nanoparticle-containing glycerin screen.

A key issue in the development of volumetric bubble displays whose voxels are femtosecond laser-excited bubbles is to enlarge the size of displayed graphics. In our previous research in which used glycerin as a screen, this size was less than several millimeters. To increase the size, it is important to reduce the excitation energy, because increasing the display size leads results in a larger focus volume due to the use of laser scanning optics with a low numerical aperture and requires more laser energy to excite the material. The use of gold nanoparticles in glycerin has been proposed as one way of reducing the excitation energy, because such materials are commercially available with controlled shapes, and consequently a controlled absorption spectrum. It was found that glycerin containing gold nanoparticles (GNPs), including gold nanospheres (GNSs) and gold nanorods (GNRs), reduced the pulse energy required for bubble generation compared with the use of pure glycerin. Larger GNSs resulted in a smaller threshold energy and, in particular, GNRs resulted in a threshold energy one-quarter that of pure glycerin. It was also found that the density had almost no effect on the threshold energy, but did affect the bubble generation probability. Finally, it was demonstrated that the bubble graphics with a size on the order of centimeters were rendered in GNR-containing glycerin.

The clinical efficacy of deproteinized bovine bone mineral with 10% collagen in conjunction with localized piezosurgical decortication enhanced orthodontics: A prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Evidence exists on the clinical efficacy and safety of periodontally accelerated osteogenic orthodontics (PAOO) with "Piezocision"-a minimally invasive, flapless alternative to corticotomy for alveolar bone augmentation. Allograft has been extensively studied for alveolar bone augmentation in Piezocision; however, the use of deproteinized bovine bone mineral with 10% collagen (DBBM-C) in Piezocision for PAOO has not been investigated. METHODS: This study is a prospective, observational, cohort study of 19 patients of Angle Class I malocclusion with a total of 692 teeth assessed for maintenance of health of the periodontal attachment apparatus. Patient-centered pain, sensitivity, and satisfaction outcomes, digital photographs and radiographs, and changes in probing depth, clinical attachment level, width of keratinized tissue, percussion sensitivity, pulp vitality tests, radiographic pathology, and root-crown-ratio were all recorded. RESULTS: Overall treatment was significantly faster (5 to 7 days between clear aligner tray changes), periodontal parameters remained stable, and alveolar bone loss was not observed. Visual analog score for healing, sensitivity/duration, bleeding/duration, swelling/duration, appearance, and inflammation, demonstrated no significant differences between DBBM-C and control (no bone graft) groups. Patient-centered outcomes revealed high levels of satisfaction with Piezocision. Piezocision-treated teeth with DBBM-C tended to exhibit less root resorption, although it was not statistically significant (P = 0.074). CONCLUSIONS: Within the limits of the study, our results show that the use of DBBM-C with piezosurgically enhanced orthodontics is effective and safe. This study was not designed to demonstrate equivalence with other materials that might be used in Piezocision. To understand whether there is an advantage to using DBBM-C, additional studies may be required.

Three-dimensionally structured voxels for volumetric display.

A three-dimensional (3D) volumetric display has been the goal of the display research field for many years. However, volumetric displays capable of rendering multicolor and updatable graphics that users can view with the naked eye are still a challenge. Here, we show a new volumetric display using three-dimensionally structured fluorescent voxels. The fluorescent voxels were generated by two-photon excitation with a femtosecond laser. To realize colorization, volumetric graphics were spatially rendered on a fluorescent screen in which structured voxels having different luminescent colors were arranged in each layer. The color of the fluorescent voxels was changed by a holographic color switching method using computer-generated holograms displayed on a liquid-crystal spatial light modulator. Because this display employed RGB fluorescent voxels that are accessed optically, it has a number of advantages, such as being observable with the naked eye, and being capable of multicolor rendering and refreshable graphics. This technology will open up a wide range of applications in 3D displays, augmented reality, and computer graphics.

Coordinated regulation of hepatic and adipose tissue transcriptomes by the oral administration of an amino acid mixture simulating the larval saliva of Vespa species.

BACKGROUND: VAAM is an amino acid mixture that simulates the composition of Vespa larval saliva. VAAM enhanced physical endurance of mice and have been used by athletes as a supplementary drink before exercise. However, there is no information on the effect of VAAM on the physiology of freely moving animals. The purpose of this study was to obtain information about the VAAM-dependent regulation of liver and adipose tissue transcriptomes. RESULTS: Mice were orally fed a VAAM solution, an amino acid mixture mimicking casein hydrolysate (CAAM) or water under ad libitum feeding conditions for 5 days. Comparisons of the hepatic transcriptome between VAAM-, CAAM-, and water-treated groups revealed a VAAM-specific regulation of the metabolic pathway, i.e., the down-regulation of glycolysis and fatty acid oxidation and the up-regulation of polyunsaturated fatty acid synthesis and glucogenic amino acid utilization. Similar transcriptomic analyses of white and brown adipose tissues (WAT and BAT, respectively) indicated the up-regulation of phospholipid synthesis in WAT and the negative regulation of cellular processes in BAT. Because the coordinated regulation of tissue transcriptomes implied the presence of upstream signaling common to these tissues, we conducted an Ingenuity Pathways Analysis. This analysis showed that estrogenic and glucagon signals were activated in the liver and WAT and that beta-adrenergic signaling was activated in all three tissues. CONCLUSIONS: We found that VAAM ingestion had an effect on multiple tissue transcriptomes of freely moving mice. Utilization of glycogenic amino acids may have been activated in the liver. Fatty acid conversion into phospholipid, not to triacylglycerol, may have been stimulated in adipocytes contrasting that a little effect was observed in BAT. Analysis of upstream factors revealed that multiple hormonal signals were activated in the liver, WAT, and BAT. Our data provide some clues to understanding the role of VAAM in metabolic regulation.

Volumetric display with holographic parallel optical access and multilayer fluorescent screen.

We propose a volumetric display based on holographic parallel optical access and two-photon excitation using a computer-generated hologram displayed on a liquid crystal spatial light modulator and a multilayer fluorescent screen. The holographic parallel optical access increased the number of voxels of the volumetric image per unit time. This approach increased the total input energy to the volumetric display, that is, the total fluorescence power, because the maximum energy incident at a point in the multilayer fluorescent screen is limited by the damage threshold. The multilayer fluorescent screen was newly developed to display colored voxels. The thin layer construction of the multilayer fluorescent screen minimized the axial length of the voxels. A volumetric display with only blue-green voxels and a volumetric display with both blue-green and red voxels were demonstrated.

Oral L-citrulline administration improves memory deficits following transient brain ischemia through cerebrovascular protection.

L-citrulline (L-Cit) is known to increase nitric oxide (NO) production via the increase of L-arginine (L-Arg) concentration in the blood and improve endothelial dysfunction in cardiovascular diseases. However, little is known about the effects of L-Cit on cerebrovascular dysfunction. Here we showed that oral L-Cit administration prevents cerebrovascular injury following cerebral ischemia using a 20-min bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) mouse model. After BCCAO ischemia, mice were treated with L-Cit (50, 75, or 100 mg/kg p.o.) for 10 days once a day. L-Cit administration not only prevented neuronal cell death but also prevented capillary loss in the hippocampal region following brain ischemia. The cerebrovascular protective effect of L-Cit was associated with the restoration of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression in the hippocampus. In addition, we devised a novel protocol to analyze NOx(-) (NO(2-) and NO(3-)) productions following L-Arg infusion using in vivo microdialysis and revealed that decreased L-Arg-induced NOx(-) levels were improved in the hippocampus of BCCAO mice following repeated L-Cit administration. Finally, memory deficits following brain ischemia were improved by oral administration of L-Cit. In summary, L-Cit is a potential therapeutic agent that protects cerebrovascular injury and in turn prevents neuronal cell death. Thereby, oral L-Cit administration improves cognitive deficits following brain ischemia.