Deep neural networks can differentiate thyroid pathologies on infrared hyperspectral images.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The thyroid is a gland responsible for producing important body hormones. Several pathologies can affect this gland, such as thyroiditis, hypothyroidism, and thyroid cancer. The visual histological analysis of thyroid specimens is a valuable process that enables pathologists to detect diseases with high efficiency, providing the patient with a better prognosis. Existing computer vision systems developed to aid in the analysis of histological samples have limitations in distinguishing pathologies with similar characteristics or samples containing multiple diseases. To overcome this challenge, hyperspectral images are being studied to represent biological samples based on their molecular interaction with light. METHODS: In this study, we address the acquisition of infrared absorbance spectra from each voxel of histological specimens. This data is then used for the development of a multiclass fully-connected neural network model that discriminates spectral patterns, enabling the classification of voxels as healthy, cancerous, or goiter. RESULTS: Through experiments using the k-fold cross-validation protocol, we obtained an average accuracy of 93.66 %, a sensitivity of 93.47 %, and a specificity of 96.93 %. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using infrared hyperspectral imaging to characterize healthy tissue and thyroid pathologies using absorbance measurements. The proposed deep learning model has the potential to improve diagnostic efficiency and enhance patient outcomes.

Recognition of breast cancer subtypes using FTIR hyperspectral data.

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is a powerful, non-destructive, highly sensitive and a promising analytical technique to provide spectrochemical signatures of biological samples, where markers like carbohydrates, proteins, and phosphate groups of DNA can be recognized in biological micro-environment. However, method of measurements of large cells need an excessive time to achieve high quality images, making its clinical use difficult due to speed of data-acquisition and lack of optimized computational procedures. To address such challenges, Machine Learning (ML) based technologies can assist to assess an accurate prognostication of breast cancer (BC) subtypes with high performance. Here, we applied FTIR spectroscopy to identify breast cancer subtypes in order to differentiate between luminal (BT474) and non-luminal (SKBR3) molecular subtypes. For this reason, we tested multivariate classification technique to extract feature information employing three-dimension (3D)-discriminant analysis approach based on 3D-principle component analysis-linear discriminant analysis (3D-PCA-LDA) and 3D-principal component analysis-quadratic discriminant analysis (3D-PCA-QDA), showing an improvement in sensitivity (98%), specificity (94%) and accuracy (98%) parameters compared to conventional unfolded methods. Our results evidence that 3D-PCA-LDA and 3D-PCA-QDA are potential tools for discriminant analysis of hyperspectral dataset to obtain superior classification assessment.

Rapid identification of breast cancer subtypes using micro-FTIR and machine learning methods.

Breast cancer (BC) molecular subtypes diagnosis involves improving clinical uptake by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic imaging, which is a non-destructive and powerful technique, enabling label free extraction of biochemical information towards prognostic stratification and evaluation of cell functionality. However, methods of measurements of samples demand a long time to achieve high quality images, making its clinical use impractical because of the data acquisition speed, poor signal to noise ratio, and deficiency of optimized computational framework procedures. To address those challenges, machine learning (ML) tools can facilitate obtaining an accurate classification of BC subtypes with high actionability and accuracy. Here, we propose a ML-algorithm-based method to distinguish computationally BC cell lines. The method is developed by coupling the K-neighbors classifier (KNN) with neighborhood components analysis (NCA), and hence, the NCA-KNN method enables to identify BC subtypes without increasing model size as well as adding additional computational parameters. By incorporating FTIR imaging data, we show that classification accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity improve, respectively, 97.5%, 96.3%, and 98.2%, even at very low co-added scans and short acquisition times. Moreover, a clear distinctive accuracy (up to 9 %) difference of our proposed method (NCA-KNN) was obtained in comparison with the second best supervised support vector machine model. Our results suggest a key diagnostic NCA-KNN method for BC subtypes classification that may translate to advancement of its consolidation in subtype-associated therapeutics.

Latin America Optics and Photonics 2022: introduction to the feature issue.

The 2022 Latin America Optics and Photonics Conference (LAOP 2022), the major international conference sponsored by Optica in Latin America, returned to Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, after its first edition in 2010. Held every two years since (except for 2020), LAOP has the explicit objective to promote Latin American excellence in optics and photonics research and support the regional community. In the 6th edition in 2022, it featured a comprehensive technical program with recognized experts in fields critical to Latin America, highly multidisciplinary, with themes from biophotonics to 2D materials. The 191 attendees of LAOP 2022 listened to five plenary speakers, 28 keynotes, 24 invited talks, and 128 presentations, including oral and posters.

Monitoring glucose levels in urine using FTIR spectroscopy combined with univariate and multivariate statistical methods.

The development of novel platforms for non-invasive continuous glucose monitoring applied in the screening and monitoring of diabetes is crucial to improve diabetes surveillance systems. Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy of urine can be an alternative as a sustainable, label-free, fast, non-invasive, and highly sensitive analysis to detect changes in urine promoted by diabetes and insulin treatment. In this study, we used ATR-FTIR to evaluate the urinary components of non-diabetic (ND), diabetic (D), and diabetic insulin-treated (D + I) rats. As expected, insulin treatment was capable to revert changes in glycemia, 24-h urine collection volume, urine creatinine, urea, and glucose excretion promoted by diabetes. Several differences in the urine spectra of ND, D, and D + I were observed, with urea, creatinine, and glucose analytes being related to these changes. Principal components analysis (PCA) scores plots allowed for the discrimination of ND and D + I from D with an accuracy of âˆ¼ 99 %. The PCA loadings associated with PC1 confirmed the importance of urea and glucose vibrational modes for this discrimination. Univariate analysis of second derivative spectra showed a high correlation (r: 0.865, p < 0.0001) between the height of 1074 cm-1 vibrational mode with urinary glucose concentration. In order to estimate the amount of glucose present in the infrared spectra from urine, multivariate curve resolution-alternating least square (MCR-ALS) was applied and a higher predicted concentration of glucose in the urine was observed with a correlation of 78.9 % compared to urinary glucose concentration assessed using enzyme assays. In summary, ATR-FTIR combined with univariate and multivariate chemometric analyses provides an innovative, non-invasive, and sustainable approach to diabetes surveillance.

Does Photobiomodulation Affects CK10 and CK14 in Oral Mucositis Radioinduced Repair?

The mechanisms of action of photobiomodulation (PBM) in oral mucositis (OM) are not completely elucidated. To enlighten the role of PBM in the evolution of epithelial maturity in OM ulcers, the present study evaluated the effect of PBM with red (λ) wavelength of 660 nanometers (nm) and infrared of 780 nm in radio-induced OM wounds on the tongue of rats, eight and twenty days after irradiation with single dose of 20 Gy. The percentage area corresponding to positive staining for cytokeratin 10 (CK10) and 14 (CK14) proteins was evaluated in the epithelial area of the lesions, using an immunohistochemical technique (IHC), 8 and 20 days after the induction of lesions, and compared with an untreated control group. CK10 was significantly more expressed in the group treated with 660 nm PBM. CK14 did not show quantitative differences between the groups evaluated. However, whereas in the groups treated with PBM, CK14 was already restricted to the basal layer of the epithelium, as expected in healthy epithelia, in control group it was also expressed in upper layers of the epithelium. In this work, PBM was able to improve epithelial maturity of the repaired OM wound, especially in the 660 nm group.

Thermal damage and excision time of micro and super pulsed diode lasers: A comparative ex vivo analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The primary aim of this ex vivo study was to evaluate thermal damage and cutting efficiency of micro and super pulsed diode lasers. The secondary aim was to suggest a guideline to perform simple surgical excisions adequate for histopathological evaluation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ten groups of 10 specimens of pig tongues were excised using a blade (G1), a micro pulsed (G2-G9), and a super pulsed diode (G10) lasers. Different output power, pulse duration, pulse interval, and duty cycle were tested. Quantitative measures of thermal damage and excision times were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed at a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: The control group (G1) presented no thermal damage. Within the laser groups (G2-G10), no statistically significant differences in depth of thermal damage (µm) were noted. G3 showed significantly less area of thermal damage (mm2 ) when compared with G7 and G9 (p < .05). The median excision time of the control group and super pulsed diode laser group were significantly lower (p < .001) than the micro pulsed diode laser groups. CONCLUSIONS: The cutting efficiency of the super pulsed diode laser is comparable to traditional blade, and with appropriate parameters, these lasers can produce predictable surgical outcomes with less collateral damage.

Optimizing and Quantifying Gold Nanospheres Based on LSPR Label-Free Biosensor for Dengue Diagnosis.

The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) due to light-particle interaction and its dependence on the surrounding medium have been widely manipulated for sensing applications. The sensing efficiency is governed by the refractive index-based sensitivity (ηRIS) and the full width half maximum (FWHM) of the LSPR spectra. Thereby, a sensor with high precision must possess both requisites: an effective ηRIS and a narrow FWHM of plasmon spectrum. Moreover, complex nanostructures are used for molecular sensing applications due to their good ηRIS values but without considering the wide-band nature of the LSPR spectrum, which decreases the detection limit of the plasmonic sensor. In this article, a novel, facile and label-free solution-based LSPR immunosensor was elaborated based upon LSPR features such as extinction spectrum and localized field enhancement. We used a 3D full-wave field analysis to evaluate the optical properties and to optimize the appropriate size of spherical-shaped gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). We found a change in Au NPs' radius from 5 nm to 50 nm, and an increase in spectral resonance peak depicted as a red-shift from 520 nm to 552 nm. Using this fact, important parameters that can be attributed to the LSPR sensor performance, namely the molecular sensitivity, FWHM, ηRIS, and figure of merit (FoM), were evaluated. Moreover, computational simulations were used to assess the optimized size (radius = 30 nm) of Au NPs with high FoM (2.3) and sharp FWHM (44 nm). On the evaluation of the platform as a label-free molecular sensor, Campbell's model was performed, indicating an effective peak shift in the adsorption of the dielectric layer around the Au NP surface. For practical realization, we present an LSPR sensor platform for the identification of dengue NS1 antigens. The results present the system's ability to identify dengue NS1 antigen concentrations with the limit of quantification measured to be 0.07 µg/mL (1.50 nM), evidence that the optimization approach used for the solution-based LSPR sensor provides a new paradigm for engineering immunosensor platforms.

Triple-negative breast cancer treatment in xenograft models by bifunctional nanoprobes combined to photodynamic therapy.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) overexpresses the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR), a characteristic of different types of tumors, linked to worse disease prognosis and risk of recurrence. Conventional treatments are also aggressive and can be morbid.. Therefore, t improvement and development of new methods are notorious. Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is an effective method for treating different types of cancer by using light radiation to activate a photosensitizing agent (drug) in molecular oxygen presence, promoting cell death., Improving drug uptake in target cells could contribute to PDT efficiency. Accordingly, we developed a bifunctional nanoprobe (BN), used in PDT as a a treatment method in vivo against breast cancer. The BN uses gold nanoparticles with active targeting through the Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) protein and Chlorine e6 (Ce6) carriers. We evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of in vivo xenograft in 4 groups: Saline, BN, Ce6+PDT, and BN+PDT. As a result, we observed that the BN+PDT group exhibited an excellent effect with greater selectivity to tumor tissue and tissue damage when compared to the Saline, BN, and Ce6+PDT groups. The results indicate a potential impact on breast cancer treatment in vivo.. In conclusion, our data propose that the BN developed heightened PDT efficacy through cellular DNA repair effects and tumor microenvironment.

Assessment of bone dose response using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy: A potential method for biodosimetry.

The health care application of ionizing radiation has expanded worldwide during the last several decades. While the health impacts of ionizing radiation improved patient care, inaccurate handling of radiation technology is more prone to potential health risks. Therefore, the present study characterizes the bone dose response using bovine femurs from a slaughterhouse. The gamma irradiation was designed into low-doses (0.002, 0.004 and 0.007 kGy) and high-doses (1, 10, 15, 25, 35, 50 and 60 kGy), all samples received independent doses. The combination of FTIR spectroscopy and PLS-DA allows the detection of differences in the control group and the ionizing dose, as well as distinguishing between high and low radiation doses. In this way, our findings contribute to future studies of the dose response to track ionizing radiation effects on biological systems.

Exploiting Nanomaterials for Optical Coherence Tomography and Photoacoustic Imaging in Nanodentistry.

There is already a societal awareness of the growing impact of nanoscience and nanotechnology, with nanomaterials (with at least one dimension less than 100 nm) now incorporated in items as diverse as mobile phones, clothes or dentifrices. In the healthcare area, nanoparticles of biocompatible materials have already been used for cancer treatment or bioimaging enhancement. Nanotechnology in dentistry, or nanodentistry, has already found some developments in dental nanomaterials for caries management, restorative dentistry and orthodontic adhesives. In this review, we present state-of-the-art scientific development in nanodentistry with an emphasis on two imaging techniques exploiting nanomaterials: optical coherence tomography (OCT) and photoacoustic imaging (PAI). Examples will be given using OCT with nanomaterials to enhance the acquired imaging, acting as optical clearing agents for OCT. A novel application of gold nanoparticles and nanorods for imaging enhancement of incipient occlusal caries using OCT will be described. Additionally, we will highlight how the OCT technique can be properly managed to provide imaging with spatial resolution down to 10's-100's nm resolution. For PAI, we will describe how new nanoparticles, namely TiN, prepared by femtosecond laser ablation, can be used in nanodentistry and will show photoacoustic microscopy and tomography images for such exogenous agents.

Erbium laser in the debonding of ceramics: a literature review / Laser de érbio na remoção de cerâmicas: uma revisão de literatura

Background: The debonding of crowns and ceramic veneers with laser is already a reality in the clinic. It presents benefits in comparison to traditional removal with the use of a rotating instrument; however, there is still no consolidated protocol and many professionals use it without the necessary scientific basis. Objective: The aim of this work was to perform a literature review on the debonding of indirect ceramic restorations using the Er:YAG and Er,Cr:YSGG lasers to provide clinical professionals and the scientific community a careful analysis, and also to guiding the use of irradiation at laser for such procedures. Methods: Bibliographic searches were performed in the following databases: Pubmed, Web of Science and Google Scholar. According to the inclusion criteria adopted, twenty-seven clinical and in vitro studies were selected in the period from 2007 to 2021. In the present work, the composition of the crowns and facets, as well as the types of cement and the laser irradiation protocols adopted in the selected studies is detailed. Conclusions: It was concluded that the use of erbium lasers for debonding of indirect ceramic restorations proved to be more selective and conservative when compared to removal with a rotary diamond instrument. Furthermore, it was shown to be in more efficient in debonding different types of ceramics. However, there are great variations in the "debonding" protocols, which emphasizes the need for further studies that seek to standardize the irradiation protocols considering the different clinical situations (AU)

Antecedentes: A remoção de coroas e facetas cerâmicas com laser já é uma realidade clínica e apresenta benefícios em relação à remoção tradicional com uso de instrumento rotatório diamantado; entretanto, ainda não existe um protocolo consolidado e muitos profissionais o utilizam sem o embasamento científico necessário. Objetivos: O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar uma revisão da literatura sobre a remoção de restaurações cerâmicas indiretas utilizando os lasers Er:YAG e Er,Cr:YSGG para fornecer uma análise cuidadosa aos profissionais clínicos e à comunidade científica, além de orientar o uso da irradiação a laser para tal aplicação. Métodos: As buscas bibliográficas foram realizadas, nas seguintes bases de dados: Pubmed, Web of Science e Google Scholar. De acordo com os critérios de inclusão adotados, foram selecionados vinte e sete estudos clínicos e in vitro no período de 2007 a 2021. No presente trabalho, a composição das coroas e facetas, bem como os tipos de cimento e os protocolos de irradiação laser adotados nos estudos selecionados foram detalhados. Conclusão: Concluiu-se que o uso dos lasers de érbio para remoção de restaurações cerâmicas indiretas mostrou-se mais seletivo e conservador quando comparado à remoção com instrumento rotatório diamantado, além de ser eficiente na remoção de diferentes tipos de cerâmicas. No entanto, existem grandes variações nos protocolos de "debonding", o que enfatiza a necessidade de novos estudos que busquem uma padronização dos protocolos de irradiação considerando as diferentes situações clínicas.(AU)

Surface profile of different heat-treated nickel-titanium files before and after root canal preparation

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate surface wear, presence of microcracks and surface irregularities of WaveOne (WO) and WaveOne Gold (WOG) instruments before and after multiple uses. Eight Primary instruments of the WO and WOG systems were evaluated, each one was used to prepare six mesial canals of extracted human mandibular molars. The surface of the instruments was evaluated before use (T0), after instrumentation of three (T1) and six (T2) root canals. Surface wear was analyzed using a three-dimensional optical profiler and the presence of microcracks and surface irregularities were evaluated using a tabletop scanning electron microscopy. The Friedman test was used to assess surface wear and Kruskal-Wallis test to evaluate the presence of microcracks and surface irregularities, with a 5% significance level. There was a significant increase in wear in both groups at T2, compared to T0 (p=0.0003). The surface wear after instrumentation of six canals (T2-T0) was statistically greater in the WOG group, than in the WO group (p=0.02), where the presence of microcracks was significantly greater and increased after multiple uses (p<0.05). The presence of surface irregularities in the cutting blade before and after use was statistically greater in the WOG group than WO group (p<0.05). Wear of the cutting blade, microcracks and surface irregularities were observed on the surface topography of all the instruments after multiple uses. These surface changes may affect the cutting efficiency of WOG files and increase the risk of fracture of WO files.

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o desgaste de superfície, a presença de microtrincas e irregularidades superficiais dos instrumentos WaveOne (WO) e WaveOne Gold (WOG) antes e após múltiplos usos. Oito instrumentos Primary dos sistemas WO e WOG foram avaliados, cada um utilizado no preparo de seis canais mesiais de molares inferiores humanos extraídos. A superfície dos instrumentos foi avaliada antes do uso (T0), após a instrumentação de três (T1) e seis (T2) canais radiculares. O desgaste de superfície foi analisado utilizando um perfilômetro ótico tridimensional e a presença de microtrincas e irregularidades superficiais foram avaliadas usando um microscópio eletrônico de varredura de bancada. O teste de Friedman foi usado para avaliar o desgaste de superfície e o teste de Kruskal-Wallis para avaliar a presença de microtrincas e irregularidades superficiais, com nível de significância de 5%. Houve um aumento significativo no desgaste em ambos os grupos em T2, comparado a T0 (p=0.0003). O desgaste de superfície após a instrumentação de seis canais (T2-T0) foi estatisticamente maior no grupo WOG que no grupo WO (p=0.02), onde a presença de microtrincas foi estatisticamente maior e aumentou após os múltiplos usos (p<0.05). A presença de irregularidades na superfície da lamina de corte antes e após o uso aumento significativamente no grupo WOG comparado ao grupo WO (p<0.05). Desgaste da lâmina de corte, microtrincas e irregularidades superficiais foram observadas na topografia de superfície de todos os instrumentos após os múltiplos usos. Essas alterações na superfície podem afetar a eficiência de corte dos instrumentos WOG e amentar o risco de fratura dos instrumentos WO.

Assessment of the preventive effects of Nd:YAG laser associated with fluoride on enamel caries using optical coherence tomography and FTIR spectroscopy.

OBJECTIVE: This in vitro study characterized and monitored, by Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), the effects of the association of acidulated phosphate fluoride gel (APF-gel) and Nd:YAG (neodymiun:yttrium-aluminum-garnet) laser, as sequencial treatments, in the prevention of incipient enamel caries lesions. METHODS: 120 human enamel samples were randomized into 3 groups (n = 40): APF-gel (1.23% F-, 4 min.); Laser+APF (Nd:YAG laser irradiation-0.6W, 84.9J/cm2, 10Hz, followed by APF-gel); and APF+Laser (APF-gel followed by laser irradiation). The samples were subjected to a 15-day pH-cycling, evaluated by OCT (quantification of optical attenuation coefficient-OAC) and FTIR (analysis of carbonate and phosphate content) before treatments, after treatments, and on the 5th, 10th and 15th days of pH-cycling. The statistical analysis was performed (α = 5%). RESULTS: The Optical Attenuation Coefficient (OAC) assessed by OCT increases with the progression of demineralization, and the Laser+APF presented the highest values of OAC in 10th and 15th days of pH-cycling. Nd:YAG decreased the carbonate content after treatment regardless of the application order of the APF-gel, while APF-gel did not interfere in the composition of enamel. The carbonate content was also changed in the first 5 days of the pH-cycling in all groups. CONCLUSION: Nd:YAG laser irradiation before or after the application of APF-gel did not influence the appearance of incipient caries lesions, showing no synergistic effect. Regardless of the application order of the APF-gel, laser irradiation reduces the carbonate content of the enamel, which also changes during the demineralization process. However, irradiation before the application of APF-gel increased the speed of progression of the lesions, which positively impacts public health as it can prevent caries disease, even in high risk individuals. OCT and FTIR are suitable for assessing this effect.

Bioactive glass/poloxamer 407 hydrogel composite as a drug delivery system: The interplay between glass dissolution and drug release kinetics.

Since patients suffer pain in the post-surgery of bone repair interventions, bioactive glass/hydrogel drug delivery systems containing local anesthetics, such as ropivacaine, could improve patient life quality by combining bone regeneration with anesthetics. However, poloxamer-based hydrogel properties are sensitive to ions, temperature, and water contents and could be structurally influenced by the ionic dissolution products from bioactive glasses of different compositions. Therefore, this study evaluated the interplay between bioactive glass dissolution kinetics and poloxamer 407 properties, establishing a correlation between changes in the hydrogel and drug release kinetics. Three glass compositions were produced, yielding Ca-rich, Na-rich, and an intermediate glass composition. The influence of Ca/Na ratios on the glass structure and dissolution was investigated. Further, the glasses and ropivacaine were incorporated in the poloxamer hydrogel, and the self-assembly ability of poloxamer, the degradation rate, and the drug release kinetics of the composites were evaluated. The results suggested that glass connectivity affected the early-stage of glass dissolution, while sodium mobility influenced the long-term. The dissolution products from the glasses interact with the supramolecular structure of the poloxamer, causing structural changes responsible for hydrogel degradation. Consequently, by changing the Ca/Na ratio in the glasses, it is possible to modulate glass dissolution that, in turn, influences the ropivacaine release. Thus, we propose that the Ca/Na ratio in quaternary bioactive glasses can be used to modulate drug-delivery properties from systems based on bioactive glasses and poloxamer 407.

Association of Nd:YAG laser and calcium-phosphate desensitizing pastes on dentin permeability and tubule occlusion.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of Nd:YAG laser associated with calcium-phosphate desensitizing pastes on dentin permeability and tubule occlusion after erosive/abrasive challenges. METHODOLOGY: Dentin specimens were exposed to 17% ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) solution for 5 min and randomly allocated into five groups: G1, control (no treatment); G2, Nd:YAG laser (1 W, 10 Hz, 100 mJ, 85 J/cm2); G3, Laser + TeethmateTM Desensitizer; G4, Laser + Desensibilize Nano P; and G5, Laser+Nupro®. Specimens underwent a 5-day erosion-abrasion cycling. Hydraulic conductance was measured post-EDTA, post-treatment, and post-cycling. Post-treatment and post-cycling permeability (%Lp) was calculated based on post-EDTA measurements, considered 100%. Open dentin tubules (ODT) were calculated at the abovementioned experimental moments using scanning electron microscopy and ImageJ software (n=10). Data were analyzed using two-way repeated measures ANOVA and Tukey's test (α=0.05). RESULTS: G1 presented the highest %Lp post-treatment of all groups (p<0.05), without significantly differences among them. At post-cycling, %Lp significantly decreased in G1, showed no significant differences from post-treatment in G3 and G4, and increased in G2 and G5, without significant differences from G1 (p>0.05). We found no significant differences in ODT among groups (p>0.05) post-EDTA. At post-treatment, treated groups did not differ from each other, but presented lower ODT than G1 (p<0.001). As for post-cycling, we verified no differences among groups (p>0.05), although ODT was significantly lower for all groups when compared to post-EDTA values (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: All treatments effectively reduced dentin permeability and promoted tubule occlusion after application. COMBINING ND: YAG laser with calcium-phosphate pastes did not improve the laser effect. After erosive-abrasive challenges, treatments presented no differences when compared to the control.

Morphological, optical, and elemental analysis of dental enamel after debonding laminate veneer with Er,Cr:YSGG laser: A pilot study.

Laminate veneer removal is becoming a routine procedure at the dental clinic and the use of laser can facilitate its removal. This work aimed to evaluate the morphological, elemental, and optical changes in the remaining enamel after veneer removal using Er,Cr:YSGG laser. Forty-four enamel slabs were prepared and randomly distributed into nine experimental groups, for bonding using lithium disilicate laminates with three different luting agents (Variolink Veneer, RelyX U200, and RelyX Veneer). Then each agent was debonded using Er,Cr:YSGG laser (2.78 µm) using two different protocols:3.5 W, 48.14 J/cm2 , 20 Hz non-contact and 3.0 W, 48.14 J/cm2 , 20 Hz non-contact. The morphological, optical, and elemental analysis of enamel was performed before cementation and after laser debonding, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The level of statistical significance adopted was 5%. The EDS analysis of enamel after debonding revealed a significant increase in silane and carbon, as well as a decrease in calcium and phosphate contents. Analysis showed the presence of residual cement in most experimental groups but the morphological analysis showed alteration of the enamel's prisms only in the groups that used RelyX Veneer and Variolink Veneer cements. There was no evidence of deleterious morphological changes resulting from irradiation. However, an increase in the optical attenuation coefficient by the OCT was observed due to the presence of the remaining cement. It can be concluded that the Er,Cr:YSGG laser, in the mean powers used, is efficient for veneer removal without causing deleterious effects for the enamel.

Surface profile of different heat-treated nickel-titanium files before and after root canal preparation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate surface wear, presence of microcracks and surface irregularities of WaveOne (WO) and WaveOne Gold (WOG) instruments before and after multiple uses. Eight Primary instruments of the WO and WOG systems were evaluated, each one was used to prepare six mesial canals of extracted human mandibular molars. The surface of the instruments was evaluated before use (T0), after instrumentation of three (T1) and six (T2) root canals. Surface wear was analyzed using a three-dimensional optical profiler and the presence of microcracks and surface irregularities were evaluated using a tabletop scanning electron microscopy. The Friedman test was used to assess surface wear and Kruskal-Wallis test to evaluate the presence of microcracks and surface irregularities, with a 5% significance level. There was a significant increase in wear in both groups at T2, compared to T0 (p=0.0003). The surface wear after instrumentation of six canals (T2-T0) was statistically greater in the WOG group, than in the WO group (p=0.02), where the presence of microcracks was significantly greater and increased after multiple uses (p<0.05). The presence of surface irregularities in the cutting blade before and after use was statistically greater in the WOG group than WO group (p<0.05). Wear of the cutting blade, microcracks and surface irregularities were observed on the surface topography of all the instruments after multiple uses. These surface changes may affect the cutting efficiency of WOG files and increase the risk of fracture of WO files.

Evaluating biochemical differences in thyroglobulin from normal and goiter tissues by infrared spectral imaging.

Thyroglobulin is a glycoiodoprotein that is produced by thyroid follicular cells; it is stored in follicles in structures known as colloids. The main function of this protein is to stock the hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) until the body requires them. This study aims to demonstrate that infrared spectral imaging with appropriate multivariate analysis can reveal biochemical changes in this glycoprotein. The results achieved herein point out biochemical differences in the colloid samples obtained from normal and goiter patients including glycosylation and changes in the secondary conformational structure. We have presented the first spectral histopathology-based method to detect biochemical differences in thyroid colloids, such as TG iodination, glycosylation, and changes in the secondary structure in normal and goiter patients. The observed changes in the colloids were mainly due to the alterations in amide I and amide II (secondary conformation of proteins) and there is a correlation with different glycosylation between normal and goiter tissues.

The lingual enamel morphology and bracket shear bond strength influenced by Nd:YAG laser and aluminum oxide sandblasting preconditioning.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the influence of Nd:YAG laser and aluminum oxide sandblasting on the shear bond strength (SBS) of lingual brackets and to optically analyze the behavior of the enamel morphology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-five bovines' incisors teeth were divided into 5 groups (n = 7), according to the surface preconditioning: G1, control group; G2, Nd:YAG laser; G3, laser + aluminum oxide sandblasting (Al2O3); G4, Al2O3; and G5, Al2O3 + laser. All groups had lingual brackets bonded and shear debonded after 72 h. SBS values were analyzed, and the enamel morphology was evaluated by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), before and after preconditioning surface. The optical attenuation coefficient (α) analysis was obtained from OCT images. Data analysis used the ANOVA test, followed by post hoc Tukey, Kruskal Wallis, and post hoc Dunn tests (significance of 5%). RESULTS: The SBS values presented similarly among groups, but the value of α showed statistical difference (p-value = 0.0124) between G3 and G5 with the others. Optical analyses indicated a melting on the enamel that suffered laser irradiation for G2 and G5 and crystal surface disorganization for G4. Sandblasting partially removes the melting of the laser effect (G3). CONCLUSION: The sandblasting is a dispensable step for bonding lingual brackets, and the melting of the enamel after laser irradiation does not compromise the bracket adhesive resistance. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The Nd:YAG laser became an interesting tool to prevent caries and decrease prevalence of white spot lesions in orthodontic treatments, without systemic effects in patients with genetic high risks of caries.