Carcinogenic activity of a chlorinated polyether polyurethan.

On the basis of the results of an earlier study, a particular polyurethan sample (Y-238) was selected for further evaluation of its carcinogenic potential. This sample was subjected to physical and chemical tests for elucidation of its chemical structure, molecular weight, and molecular weight distribution. Additional biological tests were conducted on male NBR rats by implanting various quantities of the sample i.p., while others received an intrabronchus implant. Tumors, assessed histologically as malignant, were observed following both routes of implantation. The most common neoplasms of the pulmonary site was epidermoid carcinoma, while fibrosarcoma was the most common neoplasm in the peritoneal cavity. Data from the i.p. implantation suggested a dose-related incidence of cancers.

Carcinogenesis from polyurethans.

Seventeen polyurethans, containing various substituent groups, and a polyethylene were implanted i.p. in groups of male black Bethesda rats and were evaluated for carcinogenesis over a 2-year period. Thirteen of the polyurethans and the polyethylene were similarly studied in females. Tumor development in these animals was expressed in terms of the incidence in the at-risk population, and the tumorigenic latent period was approximated for each sample. Twenty months after implantation, the relative tumorigenicity (area under the corrected cumulative tumor mortality versus time curve) in the males ranged from 0 (for the unimplanted controls) to 6.18 (for Y-238); for female rats this range was 0.29 (for unimplanted controls) to 5.72 (for Y-238). Estimated latent periods in the males ranged from 5 months (for Y-304) to 16 months (for Y-303), and 22.5 months for the unimplanted controls; for the females, the range was from 9 months (for Y-290) to 13.5 months (for Y-217), and 14 months for the unimplanted controls. The relative tumorigenicity of each sample was also compared to its in vitro activation energy for thermal decomposition. These data are discussed in terms of solid-state versus chemical carcinogenesis.

Influence of amalgam, alloy, and Hg on the in vitro growth of Streptococcus mutans: III. Effect of specimen age and composition.

We will now summarize the conclusions from parts I, II and III of this study. A test procedure has been developed that provides a simple, quick, and nondestructive means of monitoring the in vitro growth of S mutans in the presence of amalgams and alloys. The spectrophotometric readings are related in a simple way to growth expressed as dry weight of bacteria and metabolic products. Results are expressed as growth relative to controls which represent bacteria growing under identical conditions but not in contact with metals. The %RA60 value that represents growth after 60 hours relative to controls is used as a measure of growth in the presence of alloys or amalgams. Spherical, fine cut, and dispersion alloys were studied as well as amalgams prepared from these alloys. The dispersion alloy inhibits growth less than the spherical alloy which in turn inhibits growth less than the fine cut alloy. The results for amalgams prepared from the alloys are reversed. At an aging time of two hours, dispersion alloy amalgams inhibit growth more than spherical alloy amalgams and fine cut alloy amalgams. Aging time of amalgams greatly influences the growth inhibition. Immediately after trituration growth is inhibited, but this inhibition is lost with aging. Different types of amalgams seem to lose growth inhibition at different rates. Hg composition in the range of 48 to 52% seems to have little effect on growth inhibition. It remains for clinical studies, which are concerned with the incidence of secondary caries associated with amalgams, to demonstrate that the age and nature of the amalgam are significant.

Influence of amalgam, alloy, and mercury on the in vitro growth of Streptococcus mutans: I. Biological test system.

A procedure is presented for the in vitro growth of Streptococcus mutans in a dextrose-beef extract medium. Growth was estimated spectrophotometrically. The amount of amalgam, alloy, or mercury that was added to the sealed test tube influenced the rate and extent of growth.

Observations on the elastic behavior of a synthetic orthodontic elastomer.

The study focused on changes in elasticity that accompany water storage of a synthetic orthodontic elastomer. We plotted loading and unloading curves to permit the direct measurement of instantaneous elastic recovery (IER) and permanent set (PS) and the calculation of delayed recovery (DR). We obtained baseline data by testing dry as received material. Comparable tests were performed on material that had been stored in water at 37 degrees C for one, seven, 14, 42, and 70 days. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used for analysis of organic substances leached from the elastomer by water. A two-way ANOVA revealed that extension distance and water storage duration affected load requirement, IER, PS, and DR. The presence of leachable organic substances in 14-, 42-, and 70-day storage water was evidence of time-dependent matrix decomposition. Findings from tests of elastic performance and analysis of specimen storage water indicate that exposure of the elastomer to water leads first to weakening of noncovalent forces and subsequently to degradation.

Castability of low gold content alloys.

A test pattern composed of 14 gauge sprue wax and various gauges of nylon lines was constructed, and used to differentiate the castability of several alloys. The castability of seven commercial low gold content alloys for porcelain fused to metal restorations was compared. Five commercial low gold content yellow alloys for full cast restorations were compared to each other and to a Type III certified control.

Influence of amalgam, alloy, and mercury on the in vitro growth of Streptococcus mutans: II. Comparison of amalgams and alloys.

The influence of three alloys and their amalgams on the in vitro growth of Streptococcus mutans has been estimated. Spherical, fine cut, and dispersion alloys were studied. Dispersion alloy amalgams seem to inhibit bacterial growth more than amalgams prepared from the other alloys in a similar fashion.

Correlation of kinetic parameters and thermal behavior of segmented polyurethane elastomers with biological responses.

Kinetic studies of thermal degradation of 16 segmented polyether polyurethane samples, containing various amounts of 3,4-diaminotoluene and dibutyltin diacetate as additives, were carried out by thermogravimetry. From a single dynamic thermogravimetric experiment, the temperatures of initiation of degradation, 10, 25, and 50% (w/w) of degradation, as well as the activation energies for degradation, were determined. The activation energies were computed from the thermogravimetric curves using Broido's graphical approximation method, which applies to first-order decomposition kinetics. The results of stepwise multiple linear regression analysis indicate that the biological responses to elastomar samples, such as tissue culture, hemolysis, intramuscular implant, intradermal irritation, systemic toxicity, and histopathological rating, and the cumulative biological response index are highly correlated with thermal stability and kinetic measurements of the materials.

Incidence of nickel-induced sister-chromatid exchange.

Nickel is a recognized carcinogen to which the general population is being increasingly exposed. A nickel-induced alteration in the incidence of sister-chromatid exchanges in cultured lymphocytes has been investigated. Human lymphocytes from a single donor were cultured in media containing various concentrations of nickelous chloride from 10(-6) to 10(-3) M and a control culture containing no added nickel. A significantly increased incidence of exchanges over background was induced at 1.19 x 10(-4) M as indicated by a Student's t-test. A concentration/response curve was generated up to 5 x 10(-4) M where the nickel concentration was lethal to the cells. The nickel response was analyzed by a chi-square test for any variation in location of activity across the karyotype and no differences were detected. The background incidence did vary from a uniform distribution across the karyotype with increasing incidences in chromosomes 1 and 2 and those of the B group, and decreased incidences in the E, F, and G groups.

Permeability characteristics of bovine and human dentin under different pretreatment conditions.

In order to use bovine dentin instead of human dentin for in vitro adhesion and cytotoxicity tests the permeability characteristics of human and bovine dentin should be similar. In the present study hydraulic conductance (Lp) and diffusional water flux (J5) of human and bovine dentin slices were compared. The permeability experiments were performed in a split chamber using tritiated water in physiological saline. Lp and Js of bovine dentin were 0.7- to 2.4-fold and 1.1- to 3.5-fold that of human dentin (not statistically significant). For human and bovine dentin Lp and Js increased with etching and showed an inverse linear relationship (r > or = 0.7) with dentin thickness. The variability of bovine data was low (perfusion = 30%, diffusion = 22%) and about half that of the human data. In conclusion bovine dentin near the cementoenamel junction seems to be a suitable alternative for coronal human dentin for in vitro tests with respect to transdentinal permeability characteristics.

"Single-step" orthodontic bonding systems: possible mutagenic potential.

Six commercially available orthodontic direct-bonding resin systems used to attach orthodontic brackets to tooth enamel were tested for bacterial mutagenicity by means of the Ames test. Components of two systems were found to yield positive spot test results with strains of Salmonella typhimurium. Positive spot test results were also obtained on the components applied to orthodontic brackets. Dose response curves for components of these systems were determined for aqueous and DMSO extracts using strain TA-100.

Mutagenicity evaluation of phthalic acid esters and metabolites in Salmonella typhimurium cultures.

The mutagenic potential of dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEPH), as well as metabolites of DEHP--i.e., mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), 2-ethylhexanol (2-EH), and phthalic acid (PA)--were tested in Salmonella typhimurium cultures using the Ames test procedure. The compounds were tested on strains TA98, TA100, TA1535, TA1537, TA1538, and TA2637 for base-pair substitution or frameshift-type mutations. Spot tests yielded negative responses for all compounds with the strains tested. Each compound was tested for a dose-effect relationship in the TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1538 systems. DEP and DBP exhibited a mildly positive response in both TA100 and TA1535 cultures, and DMP showed a similar response in TA1535. Normalization of the data for cytotoxicity of DMP suggests TA100 has a mildly positive effect. The higher doses of these compounds exhibited some cytotoxic effects. The mutagenic effects were apparently abolished by the addition of S9 fraction in TA100 and TA1535 cultures, while no effect, other than cytotoxicity, was observed in the TA98 and TA1538 systems. DEHP, MEHP, 2-EH, and PA exhibited no mutagenicity in any of the strains of Salmonella typhimurium tested, with or without S9 metabolic activation. MEHP and 2-EH, however, exhibited a moderate cytotoxic effect in most cultures.