Evaluation of the clinical application of personalized 3D printing and CAD/CAM resin crowns to replace stainless steel crowns in paediatric dentistry.

BACKGROUND: Children with dental caries are treated with stainless steel metal crowns (SSC), but the aesthetics and precision still need to be improved. Currently, both 3D-printed resin crowns (PRC) and computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacture (CAD/CAM) resin crowns (CRC) meet the clinical requirements for crown applications in terms of strength, production time, cost, and aesthetics. AIM: This study replaced SSC with customized resin crowns by 3D printing and CAD/CAM. DESIGN: In this study, PRC, CRC, and SSC were used for incisor and molar restorations, and 60 crowns were made with 10 for each group. The fabrication efficiency, surface characteristics, marginal fit, and stability of the two different crowns were evaluated. RESULTS: PRC and CRC show superior color and surface characteristics, though production times are longer (5.3-12.4 times and 3.3-9.1 times, respectively) than for SSC (p < .05). They, however, can be completed within 80 min. Edge gaps for PRC and CRC are significantly lower (13.0-19.2 times and 13.0-13.7 times) than for SSC (p < .05). All materials exhibit good stability. CONCLUSION: The 3D-PRCs and CAD/CAM resin crowns may replace SSCs as a potential choice for clinical child caries.

An Innovative Customized Biomimetic Hydrogel for Drug Screening Application Potential: Biocompatibility and Cell Invasion Ability.

The ability of Pluronic F127 (PF127) conjugated with tetrapeptide Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp (GRGD) as a sequence of Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide to form the investigated potential hydrogel (hereafter referred to as 3DG bioformer (3BE)) to produce spheroid, biocompatibility, and cell invasion ability, was assessed in this study. The fibroblast cell line (NIH 3T3), osteoblast cell line (MG-63), and human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) were cultured in the 3BE hydrogel and commercial product (Matrigel) for comparison. The morphology of spheroid formation was evaluated via optical microscopy. The cell viability was observed through cell counting Kit-8 assay, and cell invasion was investigated via Boyden chamber assay. Analytical results indicated that 3BE exhibited lower spheroid formation than Matrigel. However, the 3BE appeared biocompatible to NIH 3T3, MG-63, and MCF-7 cells. Moreover, cell invasion ability and cell survival rate after invasion through the 3BE was displayed to be comparable to Matrigel. Thus, these findings demonstrate that the 3BE hydrogel has a great potential as an alternative to a three-dimensional cell culture for drug screening applications.

Gentiopicroside promotes the osteogenesis of bone mesenchymal stem cells by modulation of ß-catenin-BMP2 signalling pathway.

Osteoporosis is characterized by increased bone fragility, and the drugs used at present to treat osteoporosis can cause adverse reactions. Gentiopicroside (GEN), a class of natural compounds with numerous biological activities such as anti-resorptive properties and protective effects against bone loss. Therefore, the aim of this work was to explore the effect of GEN on bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) osteogenesis for a potential osteoporosis therapy. In vitro, BMSCs were exposed to GEN at different doses for 2 weeks, whereas in vivo, ovariectomized osteoporosis was established in mice and the therapeutic effect of GEN was evaluated for 3 months. Our results in vitro showed that GEN promoted the activity of alkaline phosphatase, increased the calcified nodules in BMSCs and up-regulated the osteogenic factors (Runx2, OSX, OCN, OPN and BMP2). In vivo, GEN promoted the expression of Runx2, OCN and BMP2, increased the level of osteogenic parameters, and accelerated the osteogenesis of BMSCs by activating the BMP pathway and Wnt/ß-catenin pathway, effect that was inhibited using the BMP inhibitor Noggin and Wnt/ß-catenin inhibitor DKK1. Silencing the ß-catenin gene and BMP2 gene blocked the osteogenic differentiation induced by GEN in BMSCs. This block was also observed when only ß-catenin was silenced, although the knockout of BMP2 did not affect ß-catenin expression induced by GEN. Therefore, GEN promotes BMSC osteogenesis by regulating ß-catenin-BMP signalling, providing a novel strategy in the treatment of osteoporosis.

Applying machine learning to assess the morphology of sculpted teeth.

Background/purpose: Producing tooth crowns through dental technology is a basic function of dentistry. The morphology of tooth crowns is the most important parameter for evaluating its acceptability. The procedures were divided into four steps: tooth collection, scanning skills, use of mathematical methods and software, and machine learning calculation. Materials and methods: Dental plaster rods were prepared. The effective data collected were to classify 121 teeth (15th tooth position), 342 teeth (16th tooth position), 69 teeth (21st tooth position), and 89 teeth (43rd tooth position), for a total of 621 teeth. The procedures are divided into four steps: tooth collection, scanning skills, use of mathematical methods and software, and machine learning calculation. Results: The area under the curve (AUC) value was 0, 0.5, and 0.72 in this study. The precision rate and recall rate of micro-averaging/macro-averaging were 0.75/0.73 and 0.75/0.72. If we took a newly carved tooth picture into the program, the current effectiveness of machine learning was about 70%-75% to evaluate the quality of tooth morphology. Through the calculation and analysis of the two different concepts of micro-average/macro-average and AUC, similar values could be obtained. Conclusion: This study established a set of procedures that can judge the quality of hand-carved plaster sticks and teeth, and the accuracy rate is about 70%-75%. It is expected that this process can be used to assist dental technicians in judging the pros and cons of hand-carved plaster sticks and teeth, so as to help dental technicians to learn the tooth morphology more effectively.

PCL/Graphene Scaffolds for the Osteogenesis Process.

This study aims to characterize the osteoconductivity, optimal bioresorbable, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and mechanical properties of Poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL)/graphene (G) scaffolds at concentrations of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3 wt%, which are used to support bone regeneration through solvent casting and particulate leaching. The water contact angle measurement revealed a transition from a hydrophobic to a hydrophilic surface after incorporating various G concentrations. The scaffolds with 0.5 wt% G had smaller pores compared to those produced using 3 wt% G. Furthermore, numerous pores were connected, particularly those with larger diameters in the 2 and 3 wt% G samples. The proportion of water absorption varied between 50% and 350% for 4 months, with large percentages of scaffolds containing high G concentrations. Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, which were used to confirm the presence of nanofiller by increasing the ratios of ID/IG, I2D/IG, and band 2θ = 26.48°. The mechanical properties were improved by the addition of G, with a Young's modulus of 3 wt% G, four times that of PCL. Measuring cell biocompatibility, adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation with osteoblast-like (MG-63) cells revealed that PCL/G scaffolds with higher concentrations were more biocompatible than PCL as well as those with lower concentrations.

New Insight of Scaffold Based on Hydroxyapatite (HAp)/Bacteria's Nanocellulose (BN) for Dental Tissue Engineering.

OBJECTIVE: Bacterial nanocellulose (BN), derived from Acetobacter xylinum ATCC 237672, is a polymer that offers several desirable characteristics for scaffolds applications. To further enhance the characteristic of the BN scaffold, hydroxyapatite (HAp) from Anadara granosa and Achatina fulica can be incorporated. Therefore, the aim of the study was to characterize the physical properties of a three-dimensional (3D) scaffold made of HAp and BN. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The scaffold was developed using the cellulose immersion technique, where BN was soaked in HAp suspension for different duration (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 hours). The physical properties that were evaluated included porosity, pore density, swelling ratio, and water retention. RESULTS: The HAp/BN 3D scaffold, which is considered a hydrogel material, exhibited favorable physical properties that can support cell survival. The total porosity of the scaffolds was 100%. There was no significant difference porosity among the groups (p > 0.05). The swelling ratio increased on day 1 and then sharply decreased on day 2. There was a significant difference between the groups on both day 1 and day 2 (p < 0.05). The scaffolds immersed in the HAp for more than 15 hours exhibited higher water retention compared to the other groups, and there was a significant difference between the groups on day 2 and day 4 (p < 0.05). The scaffold immersed for more than 15 hours exhibited a higher pore density compared to those immersed for less than 15 hours, and there was no a significant difference between the groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the HAp/BN 3D scaffold, especially when immersed in HAp for 15 hours, possesses promising physical properties that make it suitable for various applications in dental tissue engineering.

Novel Application of 3D Scaffolds of Poly(E-Caprolactone)/Graphene as Osteoinductive Properties in Bone Defect.

OBJECTIVE: Scaffolds provided a surface on which cells could attach, proliferate, and differentiate. Nowadays, bone tissue engineering offers hope for treating bone cancer. Poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL)/graphene have capability as an osteogenic and regenerative therapy. It could be used to produce bone tissue engineering scaffolds. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of PCL/graphene to enhance the osteoinductive mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The PCL/graphene scaffold was developed utilizing a particulate-leaching process and cultured with osteoblast-like cells MG63 at 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 wt% of graphene. We evaluated the porosity, pore size, migratory cells, and cell attachment of the scaffold. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Data was expressed as the mean ± standard error of the mean and statistical analyses were performed using one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc at a level of p-value < 0.05. RESULTS: Porosity of scaffold with various percentage of graphene was nonsignificant (p > 0.05). There were differences in the acceleration of cell migration following wound closure between groups at 24 hours (p < 0.01) and 48 hours (p < 0.00). Adding the graphene on the scaffolds enhanced migration of osteoblast cells culture and possibility to attach. Graphene on 2.5 wt% exhibited good characteristics over other concentrations. CONCLUSION: This finding suggests that PCL/graphene composites may have potential applications in bone tissue engineering.

In silico repurposing of midostaurin as a therapeutic candidate for head and neck cancer via targeting SPARC/MMP9/CD44 Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs) oncogenic signature.

Head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) affects more than half a million individuals and ranks the ninth leading cause of death globally each year. Many patients develop treatment resistance leading to poor clinical outcomes. The poor treatment responses are in part due to the heterogeneity of HNSCC tumor and tumor microenvironment (TME). The interaction of tumor cells with their TME has been studied vigorously in recent years because of their pivotal roles in tumorigenesis and determining the treatment response. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the most abundant tumor-infiltrating cells, which have been shown to associate with the aggressive behavior of HNSCC. Hence, targeting and disrupting the tumor-CAFs interactions represents a rational therapeutic approach. To develop targeted therapeutic drugs against CAFs, the identification of CAF-associated gene signature is essential. Here, we analyzed multiple sequencing databases including microarrays and single-cell RNA-sequencing databases and identified SPARC/MMP9/CD44 as HNSCC targetable gene signatures encompassing cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). We found SPARC/MMP9CD44 signature was highly expressed in HNSC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. Increased SPARC/MMP9/CD44 signature levels strongly correlated with tumor-infiltrating CAFs, suggesting the functional importance of this signature for HNSCC-CAFs interaction and progression. Subsequently, we utilized a genomics approach and identified midostaurin as the top-ranking drug candidate for targeting SPARC/MMP9/CD44 signature. For validation, we performed molecular docking of midostaurin in complex with SPARC/MMP9/CD44 and demonstrated midostaurin's high binding affinities compared to their respective standard inhibitors. In summary, our study provided a rapid genomics approach for identifying targetable gene signature and drug candidate for HNSCC.

The Influence of Dental Virtualization, Restoration Types, and Placement Angles on the Trueness and Contact Space in 3D-Printed Crowns: A Comprehensive Exploration.

The current digital dentistry workflow has streamlined dental restoration production, but the effectiveness of digital virtual design and 3D printing for restorations still needs evaluation. This study explores the impact of model-free digital design and 3D-printing placement angles on restorations, including single crowns and long bridges produced with and without casts. The restorations are 3D printed using resin at placement angles of 0°, 60°, and 90°. Each group of samples was replicated ten times, resulting in a total of 120 restorations. The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) value was used to evaluate the surface integrity of the restoration. In addition, the contact space, edge gap, and occlusal space of restorations produced by different processes were recorded. The results indicate that there was no significant difference in the RMSE value of the crown group (p > 0.05). Changing the bridge restoration angle from 0° to 90° resulted in RMSE values increasing by 2.02 times (without casts) and 2.39 times (with casts). Furthermore, the marginal gaps in the crown group were all less than 60 µm, indicating good adaptation. In contrast, the bridge group showed a significant increase in marginal gaps at higher placement angles (p > 0.05). Based on the findings, virtual fabrication without casts does not compromise the accuracy of dental restorations. When the position of the long bridge exceeds 60 degrees, the error will increase. Therefore, designs without casts and parallel placement result in higher accuracy for dental restorations.

An Innovative Biofunctional Composite Hydrogel with Enhanced Printability, Rheological Properties, and Structural Integrity for Cell Scaffold Applications.

The present study was conducted to manipulate various biomaterials to find potential hydrogel formulations through three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting fabrication for tissue repair, reconstruction, or regeneration. The hydrogels were prepared using sodium alginate and gelatin combined with different concentrations of Pluronic F127 (6% (3 g), 8% (4 g), and 10% (5 g)) and were marked as AGF-6%, AGF-8%, and AGF-10%, respectively. The properties of the hydrogels were investigated using a contact angle goniometer, rheometer, and 3D bioprinter. In addition, the osteoblast-like cell line (MG-63) was used to evaluate the cell viability including hydrogels before and after 3D bioprinting. It was found that the ratio of contact angle was lowest at AGF-6%, and the rheological results were higher for all samples of AGF-6%, AGF-8%, and AGF-10% compared with the control sample. The printability indicated that the AGF-6% hydrogel possessed great potential in creating a cell scaffold with shape integrity. Moreover, the live/dead assay also presented the highest numbers of live cells before printing compared with after printing. However, the number of live cells on day 7 was higher than on day 1 before and after printing (** p < 0.01). Therefore, the combination of AGF-6% could be developed as a biofunctional hydrogel formulation for potential tissue regeneration applications.

Analysis of Melt Front Behavior of a Light Guiding Plate during the Filling Phase of Micro-Injection Molding.

When the size of a liquid crystal display (LCD) increases, the light guiding plate (LGP) as the main part of the LCD must adopt a wedge-shaped plate to reduce its weight (the thickness of the LGP decreases because of this) and guide the light to the LCD screen. Micro-injection molding (MIM) is commonly used to manufacture LGPs. During the filling phase of MIM, the entire entering polymer melt front of the LGP should reach the end of the mold cavity at the same time. In this way, there will be no shrinkage or warpage of the LGP in its subsequent application, but it is difficult for the wedge-shaped LGP to meet these requirements. Therefore, the authors hoped to investigate MIM process parameters to change this situation. Otherwise, the LGP is easily deformed during the manufacturing process. Flow characteristics of LGPs were investigated during the filling phase of MIM in this study. Experimental and 3D numerical simulations were used to analyze the hysteresis, i.e., the advance of the polymer melt front of the LGP in MIM. Study results showed that a low injection speed caused a hysteresis effect of the plastic melt front, the solution was to increase the injection speed to improve the situation and an injection speed of 10 cm/s could achieve uniformity of the melt front in MIM. The research results showed that the filling situation of the LGP of MIM in the experiment was very close to that of the 3D numerical simulation.

Analysis of the Warpage Phenomenon of Micro-Sized Parts with Precision Injection Molding by Experiment, Numerical Simulation, and Grey Theory.

In this study, we determined the effects of design and processing parameters of precision injection molding (PIM) to minimize warpage phenomena of micro-sized parts using various plastics (polyoxymethylene (POM), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), and ABS+ polycarbonate (PC)). We applied a numerical simulation (Moldflow) to determine the runner's balance in multi-cavities of the micro-sized part and simulate the warpage phenomenon of micro-parts with PIM. We used simulation data to fabricate a steel mold by computer numerical control (CNC) machining. In this, we study manufactured a micro-sized part and measured its warpage value using various PIM process parameters (melt temperature, mold temperature, injection pressure, and filling time). In order to obtain optimal results (i.e., minimum warpage), we employed the Taguchi method and grey theory to discern the influence of each process parameter on PIM. Finally, we determined that the most significant PIM process parameter influencing the warpage phenomenon of micro-sized parts was the mold temperature, regardless of whether in terms of the experimental results, numerical simulations, or grey theory. The PA material had the most suitable properties for application for micro-sized parts, regardless of whether in terms of experimental results, numerical simulations, or grey theory for PIM. This study also illustrates that micro-sized parts can be fabricated by PIM without the use of micro-injection molding, and we determined that the mold temperature required for molding does not need to be higher than the glass-transition temperature of the material.

Optimal Processing Parameters of Transmission Parts of a Flapping-Wing Micro-Aerial Vehicle Using Precision Injection Molding.

In this study, we designed and fabricated transmission parts for a flapping-wing micro-aerial vehicle (FW-MAV), which was fabricated by precision injection molding, and analyzed its warpage phenomena. First, a numerical simulation (Moldflow) was used to analyze the runner balance and temperature, pressure, and stress distributions of the base, gears, and linkage of the transmission structures in an FW-MAV. These data were then applied to fabricate a steel mold for an FW-MAV. Various process parameters (i.e., injection temperature, mold temperature, injection pressure, and packing time) for manufacturing transmission parts for the FW-MAV by precision injection molding were compared. The Taguchi method was employed to determine causes of warpage in the transmission parts. The experimental results revealed that the causes of warpage in the transmission parts were, in order of importance, the mold temperature, injection pressure, packing time, and injection temperature. After the transmission parts were assembled on the FW-MAV, experiments revealed that the MAV could achieve a flight time of 180 s. Mass production of the FW-MAV by precision injection molding could potentially produce substantial savings in time, manpower, and cost.

Topical Medicine Potency of Musa paradisiaca var. sapientum (L.) kuntze as Oral Gel for Wound Healing: An In Vitro, In Vivo Study.

OBJECTIVE: Topical application of ambonese banana (Musa paradisiaca var. sapientum (L.) kuntze) stem sap gel (GEGPA) on the socket wound area showed an increase in the expression of platelet-derived growth factor-BB, while decrease in the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and 9. The aim of this study is to achieve standard formulation of GEGPA through stability, viscosity, distribution area, and drugs release for oral gel wound healing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is an in vitro and in vivo study with the randomized posttest only control group design. The gel was formulated according to the composition of each group by adding hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), Lexgard, propylene glycol, and cold water to obtain 100 g of gel. Observations were made through the following tests: stability, viscosity, distribution area, drug release, and histopathological analysis of tooth extraction wound healing. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Data were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance (α = 0.05) with GraphPad Prism-8 statistical software. RESULTS: The study showed that the GEGPA formulation was stable against changes in consistency, color, smell, homogeneity, and pH value. There is a significant difference between groups with respect to viscosity (p = 0.0001), adhesion (p = 0.004), dispersion (p = 0.000), and fibroblast cell numbers on days 3 and 5 (p = 0.007 and p = 0.001). There is no interaction between the active ingredients and the gel base of all formulations. Formulation 3 had better properties in terms of viscosity, broad distribution, and drug release compared with other groups. Application of GEGPA to tooth extraction wounds showed a significant proliferation of fibroblast cells on days 3 and 5. CONCLUSIONS: The formulation of M. paradisiaca var. sapientum (L.) kuntze extract with HPMC and propylene glycol obtained a gel preparation, GEGPA, that was organoleptically stable and met the topical gel standard for wounds in the oral cavity.

Humoral Immunogenicity and Reactogenicity of the Standard ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Vaccination in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: The ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine has been widely administered against SARS-CoV-2 infection; however, data regarding its immunogenicity, reactogenicity, and potential differences in responses among Asian populations remain scarce. METHODS: 270 participants without prior COVID-19 were enrolled to receive ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination with a prime-boost interval of 8-9 weeks. Their specific SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, neutralizing antibody titers (NT50), platelet counts, and D-dimer levels were analyzed before and after vaccination. RESULTS: The seroconversion rates of anti-RBD and anti-spike IgG at day 28 after a boost vaccination (BD28) were 100% and 95.19%, respectively. Anti-RBD and anti-spike IgG levels were highly correlated (r = 0.7891), which were 172.9 ± 170.4 and 179.3 ± 76.88 BAU/mL at BD28, respectively. The geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) of NT50 for all participants increased to 132.9 IU/mL (95% CI 120.0-147.1) at BD28 and were highly correlated with anti-RBD and anti-spike IgG levels (r = 0.8248 and 0.7474, respectively). Body weight index was statistically significantly associated with anti-RBD IgG levels (p = 0.035), while female recipients had higher anti-spike IgG levels (p = 0.038). The GMCs of NT50 declined with age (p = 0.0163) and were significantly different across age groups (159.7 IU/mL for 20-29 years, 99.4 IU/mL for ≥50 years, p = 0.0026). Injection-site pain, fever, and fatigue were the major reactogenicity, which were more pronounced after prime vaccination and in younger participants (<50 years). Platelet counts decreased and D-dimer levels increased after vaccination but were not clinically relevant. No serious adverse events or deaths were observed. CONCLUSION: The vaccine is well-tolerated and elicited robust humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2 after standard prime-boost vaccination in Taiwanese recipients.

Optimization Shape-Memory Situations of a Stimulus Responsive Composite Material.

In these times of Industrial 4.0 and Health 4.0, people currently want to enhance the ability of science and technology, to focus on patient aspects. However, with intelligent, green energy and biomedicine these days, traditional three-dimensional (3D) printing technology has been unable to meet our needs, so 4D printing has now arisen. In this research, a shape-memory composite material with 3D printing technology was used for 4D printing technology. The authors used fused deposition modeling (FDM) to print a polylactic acid (PLA) strip onto the surface of paper to create a shape-memory composite material, and a stimulus (heat) was used to deform and recover the shape of this material. The deformation angle and recovery angle of the material were studied with various processing parameters (heating temperature, heating time, pitch, and printing speed). This research discusses optimal processing related to shape-memory situations of stimulus-responsive composite materials. The optimal deformation angle (maximum) of the stimulus-responsive composite material was found with a thermal stimulus for an optimal heating temperature of 190 °C, a heating time of 20 s, a pitch of 1.5 mm, and a printing speed of 80 mm/s. The optimal recovery angle (minimum) of this material was found with a thermal stimulus for an optimal heating temperature of 170 °C, a heating time of 90 s, a pitch of 2.0 mm, and a printing speed of 80 mm/s. The most important factor affecting both the deformation and recovery angle of the stimulus-responsive composite material was the heating temperature.

Optimized Micro-Pattern Design and Fabrication of a Light Guide Plate Using Micro-Injection Molding.

This study examined the uniformity of illuminance field distributions of light guide plates (LGPs). First, the authors designed microstructural patterns on the surface of an LGP. Then, a mold of the LGP with the optimal microstructural design was fabricated by a photolithography method. Micro-injection molding (µIM) was used to manufacture the molded LGPs. µIM technology can simultaneously manufacture large-sized wedge-shaped LGPs and micro-scale microstructures. Finally, illuminance values of the field distributions of the LGPs with various microstructures were obtained through optical field measurements. This study compared the illuminance field distributions of LGPs with various designs and structures, which included LGPs without and those with microstructure on the primary design and the optimal design. The average illuminance of the LGP with microstructures and the optimal design was roughly 196.1 cd/m2. Its average illuminance was 1.3 times that of the LGP without microstructures. This study also discusses illuminance field distributions of LGPs with microstructures that were influenced by various µIM process parameters. The mold temperature was found to be the most important processing parameter affecting the illuminance field distribution of molded LGPs fabricated by µIM. The molded LGP with microstructures and the optimal design had better uniformity than that with microstructures and the primary design and that without microstructures. The uniformity of the LGP with microstructures and the optimal design was roughly 86.4%. Its uniformity was nearly 1.65 times that of the LGP without microstructures. The optimized design and fabrication of LGPs with microstructure exhibited good uniformity of illuminance field distributions.

Bioactivity and Bone Cell Formation with Poly-ε-Caprolactone/Bioceramic 3D Porous Scaffolds.

This study applied poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL), a biomedical ceramic powder as an additive (nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) or ß-tricalcium diphosphate (ß-TCP)), and sodium chloride (NaCl) and ammonium bicarbonate ((NH4)HCO3) as porogens; these stuffs were used as scaffold materials. An improved solvent-casting/particulate-leaching method was utilized to fabricate 3D porous scaffolds. In this study we examined the physical properties (elastic modulus, porosity, and contact angle) and degradation properties (weight loss and pH value) of the 3D porous scaffolds. Both nHA and ß-TCP improved the mechanical properties (elastic modulus) of the 3D porous scaffolds. The elastic modulus (0.15~1.865 GPa) of the various composite scaffolds matched that of human cancellous bone (0.1~4.5 GPa). Osteoblast-like (MG63) cells were cultured, a microculture tetrazolium test (MTT) was conducted and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of the 3D porous scaffolds was determined. Experimental results indicated that both nHA and ß-TCP powder improved the hydrophilic properties of the scaffolds. The degradation rate of the scaffolds was accelerated by adding nHA or ß-TCP. The MTT and ALP activity tests indicated that the scaffolds with a high ratio of nHA or ß-TCP had excellent properties of in vitro biocompatibility (cell attachment and proliferation).

Brightness field distributions of microlens arrays using micro molding.

This study describes the brightness field distributions of microlens arrays fabricated by micro injection molding (µIM) and micro injection-compression molding (µICM). The process for fabricating microlens arrays used room-temperature imprint lithography, photoresist reflow, electroforming, µIM, µICM, and optical properties measurement. Analytical results indicate that the brightness field distribution of the molded microlens arrays generated by µICM is better than those made using µIM. Our results further demonstrate that mold temperature is the most important processing parameter for brightness field distribution of molded microlens arrays made by µIM or µICM.

Thermal behavior and viscoelastic properties of gutta-percha used for back-filling the root canal.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: In clinical operations, qualitative differences in the texture and operational feeling of the regular type and soft type back-filled gutta-percha are readily discernible. This study aimed to investigate and compare the thermal behavior and physical properties of the two gutta-percha materials. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The chemical compositions of regular and soft type Gutta-Percha Obturator® pellets were examined via energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The thermal behaviors of the pellets during heating and cooling were evaluated using a differential scanning calorimeter. Finally, the viscoelastic properties of the two materials during cooling were assessed using a modular compact rheometer. RESULTS: The soft type gutta-percha contained a greater atomic percentage of zinc than the regular type material. In addition, the soft type gutta-percha exhibited exothermic peaks during cooling, whereas the regular type gutta-percha did not. The two materials exhibited different viscoelastic behaviors under cooling. In particular, the rate of change of the loss factor for the soft type gutta-percha was more than that of the regular type gutta-percha at temperature lower than 80°C. CONCLUSION: The soft type gutta-percha underwent significant crystallization during cooling, and therefore exhibited pronounced volume shrinkage. Furthermore, the soft type gutta-percha underwent a greater rate of change in viscoelasticity under cooling than the regular type gutta-percha, and exhibited poorer physical stability. Consequently, in the back-packing procedure, soft type gutta-percha must be compacted more often over time than regular type gutta-percha to ensure the same quality of root canal obturation.