Study of semen parameters in male partners among infertile couples

Background: The Semen analysis provides valuable information about the etiology and fertility potential of an infertile male. The study was conducted to determine the abnormalities in semen parameters of male partners of infertile couples and to find out contribution of male factors.Methods: The descriptive study with cross sectional design was conducted in the department of Pathology at MIMSR medical college, Latur, Maharashtra, India, between January 2013 to December 2014. A total of 220 cases were analyzed during this period. Semen analysis was performed according to the methods and the standards defined by World Health Organisation (WHO) 5th edition 2010.Results: Out of 220 male partners of infertile couples 96 (43.6%) men had abnormal semen parameters. The male factor was responsible in 43.6% of cases. Asthenozoospermia constitutes maximum of 19.9%, followed by Oligozoospermia in 18.6%, Azoospermia in 10.9%, Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia in 7.3% and Oligoasthenozoospermia in 6.8% cases. Leucocytospermia was detected in 15.5% cases.Conclusions: Abnormal semen quality remains a significant contribution to overall infertility. Asthenozoospermia is the most common semen abnormality seen

Space Complexity of Perfect Matching in Bounded Genus Bipartite Graphs

We investigate the space complexity of certain perfect matching problems over bipartite graphs embedded on surfaces of constant genus (orientable or non-orientable). We show that the problems of deciding whether such graphs have (1) a perfect matching or not and (2) a unique perfect matching or not, are in the logspace complexity class \SPL. Since \SPL\ is contained in the logspace counting classes \oplus\L (in fact in \modk\ for all $k\geq 2$), \CeqL, and \PL, our upper bound places the above-mentioned matching problems in these counting classes as well. We also show that the search version, computing a perfect matching, for this class of graphs is in \FL^{\SPL}. Our results extend the same upper bounds for these problems over bipartite planar graphs known earlier. As our main technical result, we design a logspace computable and polynomially bounded weight function which isolates a minimum weight perfect matching in bipartite graphs embedded on surfaces of constant genus. We use results from algebraic topology for proving the correctness of the weight function.Comment: 23 pages, 13 figure

Associated HI absorption in the z=3.4 radio galaxy B2 0902+343 observed with the GMRT

We have made observations of the associated HI absorption of a high redshift radio galaxy 0902+34 at z=3.395 with the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope in the $323\pm1$ MHz band. We find a narrow absorption line with a flux density of 11.5 mJy at a redshift of 3.397 consistent with that observed by Uson et al. (1991), Briggs et al. (1993) and de Bruyn (1996).A weak broad absorption feature reported by de Bruyn (1996) has not been detected in our observations. We also place an upper limit of 4 mJy (2 $\sigma$) on emission line strength at the position where Uson et al. (1991) claimed to have found a narrow emission line.Comment: To appear in Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysic

Inhomogeneous vortex-state-driven enhancement of superconductivity in nanoengineered ferromagnet-superconductor heterostructures

Thin film heterostructures provide a powerful means to study the antagonism between superconductivity (SC) and ferromagnetism (FM). One interesting issue in FM-SC hybrids which defies the notion of antagonistic orders is the observation of magnetic field induced superconductivity (FIS). Here we show that in systems where the FM domains/islands produce spatial inhomogeneities of the SC order parameter, the FIS can derive significant contribution from different mobilities of the magnetic flux identified by two distinct critical states in the inhomogeneous superconductor. Our experiments on nanoengineered bilayers of ferromagnetic CoPt and superconducting NbN where CoPt/NbN islands are separated by a granular NbN, lend support to this alternative explanation of FIS in certain class of FM-SC hybrids.Comment: 5 figure

Fatigue of notched fiber composite laminates. Part 1: Analytical model

A description is given of a semi-empirical, deterministic analysis for prediction and correlation of fatigue crack growth, residual strength, and fatigue lifetime for fiber composite laminates containing notches (holes). The failure model used for the analysis is based upon composite heterogeneous behavior and experimentally observed failure modes under both static and fatigue loading. The analysis is consistent with the wearout philosophy. Axial cracking and transverse cracking failure modes are treated together in the analysis. Cracking off-axis is handled by making a modification to the axial cracking analysis. The analysis predicts notched laminate failure from unidirectional material fatique properties using constant strain laminate analysis techniques. For multidirectional laminates, it is necessary to know lamina fatique behavior under axial normal stress, transverse normal stress and axial shear stress. Examples of the analysis method are given

A fluctuation theory for Markov chains

A fluctuation theory for Markov chains on an ordered countable state space is developed, using ladder processes. These are shown to be Markov renewal processes. Results are given for the joint distribution of the extremum (maximum or minimum) and the first time the extremum is achieved. Also a new classification of the states of a Markov chain is suggested. Two examples are given

Graphene: a game changer in prosthodontics and implant dentistry

Graphene family nonmaterial, with supercilious mechanical, chemical, and biological properties, have grabbed attention on the path of researches seeking newer materials for future biomedical applications. Although potential applications of graphene had been highly reviewed in other fields of medicine, especially for their antibacterial properties and tissue regenerative capacities, in vivo and in vitro studies related to prosthodontics are very limited. Therefore, based on current knowledge and latest progress, this article aimed to present the recent achievements and provide a literature review on potential uses and applications of graphene that could be converted into clinical reality in prosthodontics