Impact of semen microbiota on the composition of seminal plasma.

Several studies have found associations between specific bacterial genera and semen parameters. Bacteria are known to influence the composition of their niche and, consequently, could affect the composition of the seminal plasma. This study integrated microbiota profiling and metabolomics to explore the influence of seminal bacteria on semen metabolite composition in infertile couples, revealing associations between specific bacterial genera and metabolite profiles. Amino acids and acylcarnitines were the predominant metabolite groups identified in seminal plasma. Different microbiota profiles did not result in globally diverse metabolite compositions in seminal plasma. Nevertheless, levels of specific metabolites increased in the presence of a dysbiotic microbiota. Urocanate was significantly increased in abnormal semen samples (adjusted P-value < 0.001) and enriched in samples dominated by Prevotella spp. (P-value < 0.05), which was previously linked to a negative impact on semen. Therefore, varying microbiota profiles can influence the abundance of certain metabolites, potentially having an immunomodulatory effect, as seen with urocanate.IMPORTANCEMale infertility is often considered idiopathic since the specific cause of infertility often remains unidentified. Recently, variations in the seminal microbiota composition have been associated with normal and abnormal semen parameters and may, therefore, influence male infertility. Bacteria are known to alter the metabolite composition of their ecological niches, and thus, seminal bacteria might affect the composition of the seminal fluid, crucial in the fertilization process. Our research indicates that distinct seminal microbiota profiles are not associated with widespread changes in the metabolite composition of the seminal fluid. Instead, the presence of particular metabolites with immunomodulatory functions, such as urocanate, could shed light on the interplay between seminal microbiota and variations in semen parameters.

Applicability of the Existence of Golden Standard and Golden Percentage in the Population of Jaipur, Rajasthan, India: A Comparative Study.

AIM: An evaluation for the existence of the golden percentage and golden standard in Jaipur population: a comparative study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sample includes a total of 300 dentulous casts of participants including 150 males and 150 females. The cast belongs to the students, patients, and their attendants of Jaipur origin by birth who visited the Jaipur Dental College and Hospital. The width and height of maxillary teeth were measured by using a digital caliper. A grid was used to measure apparent widths of teeth. Student's t test was used to analyze the data using SPSS for Windows software (version 21) at the level of significance p < 0.05. RESULTS: The mean and standard deviation (SD) for the golden percentage of right and left central incisors, right and left lateral incisors, and for right and left canines was found to be statistically significant from the ideal golden percentage (p < 0.05). The difference between mean and SD of the golden standard for right and left central incisors from the standard (80%) was statistically significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The golden percentage and golden standard did not exist in Jaipur population. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The result of this study shows deviation from the ideal golden percentage and golden standard for Jaipur population which can be used clinically as a guideline for esthetic results.

A Retrospective Analysis of Pulp Stones in Patients following Orthodontic Treatment.

AIM: The present study aimed to find prevalence of pulp stones in known South Indian orthodontic patients and to find correlation between pulp stones and patients who underwent orthodontic treatment as well as to reveal any differences due to gender, tooth type, and dental arches. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present retrospective study was carried out among 200 patients who underwent nonextraction orthodontic treatment. Maxillary and mandibular first and second premolar and molar teeth were selected for the purpose of the study using panoramic radiographs. A total of 3200 teeth of 200 patients were studied for the presence of pulp stones. Statistical analysis of the obtained data was carried out using Statistical Package for Social the Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. Chi-square test was applied to find the significant value and p < 0.05 was considered as a significant value. RESULTS: In all, 11.5% of cases reported pulp stones before the commencement of the orthodontic treatment and 15.5% cases after completion of orthodontic treatment. Overall, 4% increase in cases were found which was statistically significant (p < 0.05); 5.1% of total number of teeth were evaluated in both arches before orthodontic treatment and 6.3% of teeth after orthodontic treatment revealed the presence of pulp stones. Maxillary first molar was found to be teeth with maximum number of pulp stones before and after orthodontic treatment. CONCLUSION: The present study reported the prevalence of pulp stones to be increased by 4% in the pre- and posttreat-ment radiographs, which was statistically significant. The study found the presence of pulp stones more in maxillary first molar and it was found to be teeth with maximum number of pulp stones before and after orthodontic treatment. However, further researches with larger samples are advisable. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Dentists performing endodontic treatment among patients who have undergone orthodontic treatment should be aware about the increased chances of presence of pulp stones and thus to avoid hindrances encountered during extirpating the pulp, they should thoroughly study the radiographs beforehand.

Assessment of the Effect of Orthodontic Treatment on the Periodontal Health of Endodontically Restored Tooth.

Intorduction: Patients usually undergo orthodontic treatment for achieving ideal interocclusal relationship between the dental tissue and bony tissue along with improving the speech, mastication, and facial esthetic appearance. Literature quotes paucity in the studies evaluating the effect of orthodontic treatment on the periodontal health of endodontically treated teeth. Hence, we planned the present study to assess the effect of orthodontic treatment on the periodontal health of endodonti-cally restored tooth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study included assessment of 80 patients who underwent orthodontic treatment. All the patients were divided broadly into two study groups: groups I and II. Group I included patients with the absence of endodontically treated teeth, while group II included patients which maxillary central incisors were resorted endodontically. Examination of the periodontal health of the patients was done using the community periodontal index of treatment need (CPITN) around the selected teeth. All the values were recorded during the preorthodontic time, postorthodontic time, and after the first 6 months of starting of the orthodontic treatment. All the results were recorded separately and analyzed. RESULTS: In the groups I and II, 28 and 25 patients respectively, had score of 1, while 10 patients in group I and 12 patients in group II had score of 2. Nonsignificant results were obtained while comparing the CPITN score in between the two study groups when measured at the pre-, intra-, and postortho time. CONCLUSION: In patients undergoing orthodontic treatment, having endodontically resorted teeth, no difference exists in relation to the periodontal health. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Orthodontic treatment can be safely carried in patients with endodontically restored teeth.

Alteration in Taste Perception among Young Children during the use of Removable Orthodontic Appliance Therapy.

BACKGROUND: The sense of smell is very influential in the taste of foods. If the smell pleases us, we anticipate the taste of the food with a great deal of relish. If our sense of smell is impaired, so is our taste. The effect of appliance on taste perceptions has always had a controversial subject. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was designed to analyze the change in taste perception in children using removable orthodontic appliances. All the selected volunteers were given different taste stimuli and were asked to score as per their perception. The verbal score was calculated based on the correct and incorrect taste stimuli given to them. Visual analog scale was used to assess intensity and hedonic (palatability) estimation of the volunteers. RESULTS: The volunteers from both study and control groups scored different values for taste stimuli. The majority of stimuli were estimated correctly by both groups. There was no statistically significant difference between the study and control groups. CONCLUSION: In different testing sessions, the scoring of the volunteers was nearly constant, indicating that an appliance does not play a major role in the alteration of taste stimuli. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The appliance brings about transient change in taste perception, we should educate the patient before delivering the appliance about the transient change in taste perception and encourage full-time wear of the appliance, including during meals, without fear of affecting taste sensations.

Transport of three herbicides in ground water at Twin Lake test site, Chalk River, Ontario, Canada.

A field tracer test performed under natural flow conditions at the Twin Lake test site, Chalk River Laboratories of the Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. in Chalk River, Ontario, Canada, using tritium and three herbicides (Chlortoluron, Terbuthylazine, and Pendimethalin) was interpreted using the dispersion equation with a combined reaction model. The reaction model couples an instantaneous equilibrium reaction governed by a linear adsorption isotherm with a reversible or irreversible kinetic reaction of the first order, and decay. An improved interpretation method consists of a simultaneous fitting of theoretical concentration and mass-recovery curves to the experimental data, which leads to a more reliable determining of reaction models and improves the accuracy of fitting. Tritium served as the reference tracer to determine the flow velocity, dispersivity, and the recovery of the herbicides. Chlortoluron was slightly delayed by equilibrium exchange with strongly reduced concentration due to an irreversible kinetic reaction and/or decay. Terbuthilazine was slightly delayed by equilibrium exchange, with strongly reduced concentration due to a reversible kinetic reaction with some influence of decay. A strong equilibrium reaction and a strong reversible kinetic reaction without degradation governed the transport of Pendimethalin, reducing considerably its concentration. The results obtained show that simulations based only on Kd and decay constant, especially if these parameters are found in the laboratory, may considerably differ from those performed with reaction parameters determined in properly performed field tests. The dominant reaction types, and the values of parameters found in the study, supply useful information on the transport of the investigated herbicides in sandy aquifers under natural flow conditions.

Genetic immunization is augmented by murine polyomavirus VP1 pseudocapsids.

To improve immune responses induced by DNA immunization, murine polyomavirus major capsid protein (VP1) pseudocapsids were complexed with a DNA plasmid encoding the p37 (p24 and p17) nucleocapsid proteins of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). A 10-fold increase in antibody titer was noted in mice given DNA plasmid together with VP1 pseudocapsids in comparison to animals that received DNA plasmid alone. Cell mediated responses to HIV-1 p24 occurred, but were not significantly augmented by delivering the DNA as a VP1 complex. We have consequently for the first time shown a carrier/adjuvant effect of polyomavirus pseudocapsids that strongly increased the humoral immune response in DNA immunization.

HIV subtypes and recombination strains--strategies for induction of immune responses in man.

Clinical and experimental studies of HIV-1 subcomponents were made in order to increase their immunogenicity. HIV subtype envelopes A, B and C have been compared and a detailed analysis made by peptides of the coreceptor-ligand interactions. We identified a direct interaction between HIV-1 envelope and a cellular receptor at the amino acid level. Both the viral subtype and its tropism appeared to influence inhibition of infection. Genetic immunization induced new cytotoxic responses while proteins appeared to efficiently boost previous responses. One HIV-1 subtype B antigen was strongly immunogenic in a human immunotherapeutic trial and permitted better survival at 2 years of the study in patients with poor prognosis.

Perpendicular-incidence photometric ellipsometry of biaxial anisotropic thin films.

A new measurement technique for the characterization of uniaxial as well as biaxial anisotropic surfaces and thin films is introduced. This technique is based on perpendicular-incidence photometric ellipsometry, in which a spectral-photometric dynamic ellipsometer with a rotating polarizer is used. This method is sensitive, contactless, nondestructive, and efficient for the estimation of anisotropic behavior. Furthermore, the spectroscopic measurement directly provides the anisotropy dispersion down to the UV wavelength range. Results on structurally anisotropic HfO(2) coatings are presented.

Optical hygrometer using differential absorption of hydrogen Lyman-alpha radiation.

An optical hygrometer based on the differential absorption of the H Lyman-alpha line has been designed and built for use in atmospheric field studies. The absorption is determined along two separate paths containing sample and dry reference air, respectively, hence eliminating undesired absorption by O(2). At the same time the differential absorption eliminates problems related to intensity variations in the light source output. The dynamic range of the instrument can be tuned by diluting the sample with reference air. Frequent adjustment of the zero offset allows detection of water vapor concentrations of ~3.1 x 10(14) molecules. cm(-3) (0.01 g. m(-3)). With a water vapor concentration of 3.1 x 10(15) molecules.cm(-3) (0.1 g.m(-3)) the relative error is 10%. At those concentrations normally encountered in the troposphere the measuring accuracy is 3%. The response time of the present instrument is <1 s. The absorption cross section of water vapor has been determined to be (1.64 +/- 0.045) x 10(-17) cm(2) (p(tot) = 700 Torr, t = 20 degrees C) at the Lyman-alpha wavelength.

High throughput grating VUV filter for the measurement of weak spectral lines in the presence of monochromatic background.

The design and characteristics of an optical filter using a holographic grating in combination with a multiple entrance and exit slit arrangement are described. The instrument transmits VUV radiation at Ar(I) 106.6 nm and Kr(I) 123.6 nm while excluding the hydrogen Lyman-alpha at 121.6 nm. The transmission at 123.6 nm is approximately 10%, if averaged over the circular entrance aperture of 28-mm diameter without correcting for the blocking by the masks. The corresponding transmission at 121.6 nm is 0.0001 or less. The concept with selective blocking of one wavelength and transmission at another using a multiple slit arrangement is transferable to any line pair. The 123.6-nm grating efficiency has been assessed as 37%.

The pharmacokinetics of the bronchosecretolytic ozothin after intravenous injection.

Blood concentrations of the terpenes myrtenal, myrtenol, pionocarveol, verbenon and terbinhydrate in ozothin were investigated as a function of time after intravenous injection of 10 ml ozothin in 36 subjects. On each occasion 10 ml of the terpene mixture was injected into the inside right elbow. During the first 60 minutes after injection several 7 ml samples of citrate blood were withdrawn from the inside left elbow, immediately spun down and analysed by gas chromatography. Elimination of the terpenes from the blood during the first 10 minutes after injection appeared to follow a half-life time of three to four minutes with a second half-life time of 60 to 65 minutes. The concentration of these terpenes in expired air was determined in 27 subjects. Approximately 7% of the substances were eliminated via the lungs during the first 60 minutes. In a further series of experiments the concentration in subcutaneous fat during the first 24 hours after injection was studied. The whole terpenes concentrations range from 2.4 ng terpenes/g fat tissue to 0.8 ng terpenes/g fat at 24 hours.

Sorbent membrane dialysis in uremia.

The inclusion of activated charcoal within hemodialysis membranes offers potentially improved plasma clearance of creatinine and middle molecules. However, the carbon becomes saturated with continued use and beyond 1 h removal of solutes is by dialysis alone. Two independently conducted crossover studies, to assess the efficacy of sorbent membrane dialysis (SMD) in the treatment of uremia, found predialysis urea levels increased by approximately 15%, creatinine by 10-15%, and inorganic phosphate levels by 10-18% on SMD compared to conventional hemodialysis. One study also observed "middle molecule' (peak "b') levels elevated. No differences were observable in the clinical status of patients. The results suggest that the charcoal content of the SMD device is too small to effect any advantages over conventional dialysis.

[Quantitative tracer examination about the deposition of inhaled aerosols (author's transl)]. / Quantitative Traceruntersuchungen über den Verbleib inhalierter Aerosole

The topical distribution of inhaled aerosols produced by customary jet nebulizers has been measured scintigraphically. Corrections for absorption and stray effects with experimentally determined factors allowed to evaluate the quantities of deposited aerosol for the head, chest and abdominal regions. Highest aerosol intakes were found with slow inhalation through the mouth. The deposition decreased at higher respiration rates with a further diminution when inhalation takes place through the nose. The individuals had characteristic patterns of aerosol distribution resulting in more pronounced deposition differences than those caused by the mode of inhalation.