Cleaning capacity of octenidine as root canal irrigant: A scanning electron microscopy study

The aim of this study was to assess the cleaning capacity of the octenidine hydrochloride (OCT) used as root canal irrigant by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. Sixty human unirradicular extracted teeth were randomly distributed in 6 groups (n = 10) according to irrigant solutions which were used during root canal preparation: G1, 0.1% OCT; G2, 2% chlorhexidine (CHX); G3, 2.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl); G4, OCT + 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA); G5, 2.5% NaOCl + 17% EDTA and G6, distilled water. All specimens were instrumented with ProTaper system up to F4. Teeth were sectioned and prepared for SEM. The smear layer was evaluated using a 5‐score system and the data were analyzed by Kruskal–Wallis and Dunn (α = 0.05). In all root canal thirds there was no significant difference between OCT, CHX, NaOCl, and water groups (p > .05), and these groups showed higher smear layer values than NaOCl + EDTA and OCT + EDTA groups (p < .05). There was no significant difference between NaOCl + EDTA and OCT + EDTA groups (p > .05). It was concluded that OCT used as a single root canal irrigant presented poor cleaning capacity and could be used in association with a final irrigation with EDTA to obtain smear layer removal.     

Indicating Surface of Natural Reflectance

Abstract

To study the behaviour of anisotropic media in reflection when illuminated by natural light, an ‘indicating surface of natural reflectance’ is defined. The use of such a surface is proposed, and its statistical parameters are given. The expressions that relate these parameters to the refractive indices of the incident medium and to the principal indices of the medium under observation have been deduced for the case of uniaxial media. Those corresponding to uniaxial transparent substances are presented here.     

Effects of ozonized water and heat treatment on the papaya fruit epidermis

This study examined the effects of O₃ and hot water treatments on the epidermis of Golden papaya fruit. Heat treatments were applied in a hot water brushing (HWB) system. Papayas were brushed under a pressurized hot water rinse stage at 45, 55 and 65 °C for 60 s. In the HWB treatment, 4 ppm ozone was applied to the papayas for 1 or 2 min. The results show that ozone applications did not affect the fruit's cuticular surface, while heat treatments allowed natural fissures on the fruit epidermis to recover. Several crystalloid forms were identified on the epidermis of the papayas after the heat treatments. The predominant crystalloid forms on papayas are tubular and there is a positive response to temperature; the higher the temperature, the larger and more frequent the tubular crystalloids.     

Genetic Background and Diet Impact Beef Fatty Acid Composition and Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase mRNA Expression

The intramuscular fat composition of ruminant meats influences the quality of the final product, which explains the increasing interest in assessing the fatty acid profile of meat from different production systems. In this study, it was hypothesized that there are breed- and diet-induced variations on lipid metabolism in the muscle, which may be, at least partially, modulated by the stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) gene expression levels. Forty purebred young bulls from two phylogenetically distant autochthonous cattle breeds, Alentejana and Barrosã (n = 20 for each breed), were assigned to two different diets (low vs. high silage) and slaughtered at 18 months of age. Meat fatty acid composition, including the detailed conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomeric profile, was determined along with the SCD mRNA levels. Meat from Barrosã bulls fed the low silage diet was richer in monounsaturated fatty acids, CLA and trans fatty acids, when compared to that from Alentejana bulls. The meat content in polyunsaturated fatty acids was similar across experimental groups. Moderate positive correlations between the SCD mRNA levels and the products of this enzyme activity were found, although they were not reflected on the calculated desaturase indices. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of taking into account the genetic background while devising feeding strategies to manipulate beef fatty acid composition.     

Equivalent-optical-waveguide model for the analysis of optical waveguides by means of an asymptotic effective-index method

We present a theoretical method that makes it possible to analyze three-dimensional (3-D) integrated optical waveguides with arbitrary refractive-index profiles. With this method it is easy to obtain effective indexes, propagation constants, and coupling-switching properties of planar and channel optical waveguides. This theoretical approach involves one's modeling the original optical waveguide by means of an equivalent optical waveguide whose effective index is evaluated by the application of a technique that we call the asymptotic effective-index method. The numerical values show good convergence and accuracy for effective indexes, propagation constants, and coupling-switching characteristics. Theoretical and experimental results are given.     

Can sterilization methods influence surface properties of resin composites? A purpose for previewing bias in laboratory bacterial adhesion tests

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of sterilization methods on conventional and bulk-fill resin composites' (BFRCs) surface properties in an attempt to preview bias in laboratory bacterial adhesion tests. Two regular viscosity conventional resin composites [Filtek Z350 XT™ (Z350) and IPS Empress Direct™ (ED)] and two regular viscosity BFRCs [Filtek Bulk Fill™ (FILT) and Tetric N-Ceram Bulk Fill IVA™ (TBF)] were used. The materials were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), surface roughness (SR), and wettability (W) after sterilization with hydrogen peroxide gas plasma (HPGP) and steam sterilization (SS). Nonsterilized samples served as a control group (n = 5). Statistical analysis was performed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey post hoc test (p < 0.05). For SR, there were no statistically significant differences among the groups (p > .05). SS method decreased the contact angle for FILT and Z350 (p < .01). The SS promoted more exposition of filler particles, while the HPGP method did not alter the tested materials' morphology. Therefore, sterilization methods affected the resin composites tested selectively. HPGP seems to be the most recommended method to sterilize the tested resin composites before laboratory bacterial adhesion tests.     

Adsorption and desorption of arsenic on an oxisol and its constituents

The present work investigates the adsorption and mobility (desorption) of As(III) and As(V) on an oxisol, and its main mineral constituents, as part of a broader project aimed at selecting a soil liner to be used in tailings dams at a sulfidic gold ore plant. Emphasis was given to a quantitative comparison of As mobility-here assessed by the amount of As leached from the loaded samples-under different experimental conditions. From among the soil constituents, goethite was the most efficient adsorbent with regard to arsenic adsorption, 12.4 mg x g(-1) for As(V) and 7.5 mg x g(-1) for As(III), respectively. Gibbsite also presented a relevant adsorption capacity (4.6 mg x g(-1) for As(V) and 3.3 mg x g(-1) for As(III)); adsorption on kaolinite was negligible (<0.23 mg x g(-1) for As(V) and As(III)). Desorption of the arsenic was shown to vary largely with the arsenic oxidation state, the adsorbents and the leaching solutions. While only 1-2% max. of As(V) was released from the loaded samples, leaching the A(III) reached 32%, the highest values corresponding to the solutions containing sulfate ions. Oxisol and goethite were superior to gibbsite with respect to As immobilization. Adsorption and mobility were also discussed with the help of electrophoretic mobility and isoelectric points (IEP) determined prior and following arsenic adsorption on goethite and gibbsite. The results indicated that As(V) is mainly adsorbed as an inner sphere complex. As(III) may be adsorbed as an inner or an outer neutral complex.     

Efficacy of accelerated aging methods to degrade the adhesive interface of dentin cavities bonded with etch-and-rinse adhesive systems

This study evaluated the bond durability produced by etch-and-rinse (E&R) adhesive systems in response to traditional and accelerated aging methods. Tridimensional dentin cavities were prepared on 80 bovine incisors, which were bonded with a 3-step E&R (Adper Scotchbond Multipurpose Plus – MP) and a 2-step E&R (Adper Single Bond 2 (SB) adhesive systems, and restored with composite. The samples were stored in water for 24 h, and then subjected to each of the aging methods (n = 10): control group – only 24-h storage (not exposed to additional aging), 6- and 12-month water storage, and 10% NaOCl storage. The push-out bond strength test was performed in a universal testing machine. Failure modes were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Tukey tests (p < 0.05). Aging methods provided statistically similar bond strength for 3-step E&R adhesive system (p > 0.05). 10% NaOCl storage provides statistically similar bond strength values to 6- and 12-month water storage (p > 0.05), which were statistically lower than those provided by 24-h water storage (control group) (p < 0.05). Adhesive failures were more frequent. Aging methods provided different behaviors according to each adhesive system. The accelerated 10% NaOCl storage was effective to decrease bond strength only for 2-step E&R adhesive system.