Bond strength of orthodontic light-cured resin-modified glass ionomer cement.

The purpose of this study was to compare the bond strengths and debonded interfaces achieved with light-cured resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) and conventional light-cured composite resin. In addition, the effects of acid etching and water contamination were examined. One hundred human premolars were randomly divided into five equal groups. The mini Dyna-lock upper premolar bracket was selected for testing. The first four groups were treated with light-cured RMGIC with or without 15 per cent phosphoric acid-etching treatment and with or without water contamination preceding bracket bonding. The control samples were treated with the conventional light-cured Transbond composite resin under acid etching and without water contamination. Subsequently, the brackets were debonded by tensile force using an Instron machine. The modified adhesive remnant index (ARI) scores were assigned to the bracket base of the debonded interfaces using a scanning electron microscope. The bond strength and modified ARI scores were determined and analysed statistically by one-way analysis of variance and chi-square test. Under all four conditions, the bond strength of the light-cure RMGIC was equal to or higher than that of the conventional composite resin. The highest bond strength was achieved when using RMGIC with acid etching but without water contamination. The modified ARI scores were 2 for Fuji Ortho LC and 3 for Transbond. No enamel detachment was found in any group. Fifteen per cent phosphoric acid etching without moistening the enamel of Fuji Ortho LC provided the more favourable bond strength. Enamel surfaces, with or without water contamination and with or without acid etching, had the same or a greater bond strength than Transbond.

Arecoline and the 30-100 kDa fraction of areca nut extract differentially regulate mTOR and respectively induce apoptosis and autophagy: a pilot study.

Areca nut (AN) is recognized as a human carcinogen; however, few studies of the cytotoxic effects of AN ingredients on cells have been reported. In Taiwan, AN, lime and inflorescence of Piper betle are the common components of betel quid (BQ). We recently noticed that extract of AN (ANE), but not those of lime and inflorescence of Piper betle, induces rounding cell morphology and nuclear shrinkage in different types of carcinoma cells. In this study, the rounding cell activity was first traced to the partially purified >or=10 kDa fraction (ANE >or= 10 K) and subsequently to the 30-100 kDa fraction (ANE 30-100 K). ANE and ANE >or=10 K stimulated nuclear shrinkage (P < 0.001 in both cases) and the clearance of the cytoplasm. ANE, ANE >or= 10 K, and ANE 30-100 K induced the cleavage of LC3-I (P < 0.05, 0.01, and 0.05, respectively) and the emergence of autophagic vacuoles (AVs) and acidic vesicles. On the other hand, arecoline (Are, the major alkaloid of AN) triggered caspase-3 activation, peri-nuclear chromatin condensation, and micronucleation. Meanwhile, ANE 30-100 K, but not Are, inhibited the phosphorylation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-Ser(2448). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that different AN ingredients exerting differential impact on mTOR-Ser(2448) phosphorylation are capable of triggering apoptosis and autophagy.

Bond strength of various bracket base designs.

To determine the influence of various bracket base designs on bond strength and debond interface, 6 types of metal interlock brackets of different sizes and with different base designs were evaluated. The bracket base types and mesh sizes tested were as follows: retention groove base (Dynalock, Unitek, Monrovia, Calif), circular concave base (Accuarch appliance Formula-R, Tomy, Tokyo, Japan), double mesh with 5.1 x 10(-2) mm2 mesh size (Ultratrimm, Dentaurum, Ispringen, Germany), double mesh, 3.1 x 10(-2) mm2 (Minidiagonali Roth, Leone, Florence, Italy), double mesh, 3.1 x 10(-2) mm2 (Tip-edge Rx-I, TP Orthodontics, LaPorte Ind), and double mesh, 2.9 x 10(-2) mm2 (Mini Diamond, Ormco, Glendora, Calif). The Unitek bracket is cast in 1 piece; the other brackets are welded together. Brackets were bonded to human teeth and then debonded on a testing machine. The debond interface was recorded and analyzed with scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry, and the distribution of interfaces was determined. The ranking of bond strength of individual bases (kg/base) from highest to lowest was Tomy, Dentaurum, Unitek, Leone, TP Orthodontics, and Ormco. The ranking of bonding strength per area squared MPa from highest to lowest was Tomy, Dentaurum, Leone, Unitek, TP Orthodontics, and Ormco. Debond in interfaces occurred between the bracket and resin, within the resin, or between the resin and enamel. The most debonded interfaces were between the bracket and resin and between the resin and enamel. The Tomy bracket, with its circular concave base, produced greater bond strength than did the mesh-based brackets; among the mesh-based brackets, Dentaurum, with the larger mesh size, produced greater bond strength than the brackets with smaller mesh sizes. The Unitek bracket, with its 1-piece cast base with retention grooves, ranked in the midrange of bond strength.