Corrosion behaviour and biocompatibility of a new dental noble AuPdAgTi alloy

The aims of the study were to investigate the electrochemical response of a new dental Au‐20Pd‐10Ag‐5Ti alloy in artificial Carter‐Brugirard saliva and to assess its biocompatibility using gingival fibroblast culture. Electrochemical techniques of potentiodynamic and linear polarization were used. Also, the open circuit potentials and the corresponding open circuit potential gradients were monitored for 5000 exposure hours. The gingival fibroblast response to Au‐20Pd‐10Ag‐5Ti alloy was estimated by LDH‐cytotoxicity, MTT cell proliferation assays, the assessment of substrate‐dependent changes in extracellular fibronectin network, cell morphology and actin cytoskeleton organization. The cyclic potentiodynamic curves of Au‐20Pd‐10Ag‐5Ti alloy exhibited a passive behaviour with transpassive dissolution of silver, without pitting corrosion. Open circuit potentials were finally stable at noble values. Open circuit potential gradients have low values that could not generate galvanic or local corrosion. The new Au‐20Pd‐10Ag‐5Ti alloy did not promote cell damage and alterations in cell adhesion and morphological features, exhibiting a good biocompatibility.     

The influence of collagen support and ionic species on the morphology of collagen/hydroxyapatite composite materials

The purpose of this investigation is to study the influence of collagenous supports and ionic species on the precipitation of hydroxyapatite (HA) from aqueous solutions. To this end, we obtained hydroxyapatite by co-precipitation from a solution of calcium hydroxide and sodium dihydrogenophosphate. The formation of HA was studied by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results of this study indicate that the morphology of hydroxyapatite is highly influenced by the support material and the ionic species present. The obtained materials were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).     

Jung and the Kabbalah.

Jung's use of Kabbalistic symbols and ideas as well as his personal Kabbalistic vision are critically examined. It is argued that as great as Jung's acknowledged affinity is to the Kabbalah, his unacknowledged relationship was even greater. Jung has been accused of being a contemporary Gnostic; however, the interpretations Jung placed on Gnosticism and the texts Jung referred to on alchemy were profoundly Kabbalistic, so much so that one would be more justified in calling the Jung of the Mysterium Coniunctionis and other late works a Kabbalist in contemporary guise. Although Jung, at least during the 1930s, appears to have had powerful motives that limited his receptivity to Jewish ideas, his highly ambivalent and at times reproachable attitude toward Judaism should not prevent one from appreciating the affinities between Jungian psychology and Jewish mystical thought. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Activation of Hydroxyapatite to Improve Fluoride Incorporation and Modulate Bacterial Biofilm

Despite the technological progress of the last decade, dental caries is still the most frequent oral health threat in children and adults alike. Such a condition has multiple triggers and is caused mainly by enamel degradation under the acidic attack of microbial cells, which compose the biofilm of the dental plaque. The biofilm of the dental plaque is a multispecific microbial consortium that periodically develops on mammalian teeth. It can be partially removed through mechanical forces by individual brushing or in specialized oral care facilities. Inhibition of microbial attachment and biofilm formation, as well as methods to strengthen dental enamel to microbial attack, represent the key factors in caries prevention. The purpose of this study was to elaborate a cold plasma-based method in order to modulate microbial attachment and biofilm formation and to improve the retention of fluoride (F⁻) in an enamel-like hydroxyapatite (HAP) model sample. Our results showed improved F retention in the HAP model, which correlated with an increased antimicrobial and antibiofilm effect. The obtained cold plasma with a dual effect exhibited through biofilm modulation and enamel strengthening through fluoridation is intended for dental application, such as preventing and treating dental caries and enamel deterioration.     

The relation between electrochemical tests and in vitro evaluation of titanium alloy biocompatibility

In this paper, the electrochemical behaviour of the titanium and Ti‐6Al‐7Nb alloy in artificial saliva (Tani&Zucchi and Carter–Brugirard), ion release tests and in vitro biocompatibility of human osteoblasts (HOB) were studied. Titanium and its implant Ti‐6Al‐7Nb alloy present self‐passivation and very stable passive films in Tani&Zucchi artificial saliva of pH = 2.5; 5; 6.7; 9; the total quantity of ions released in the artificial saliva and corrosion rates are very low, proving a very good corrosion resistance and very low toxicity. In undoped and doped Carter–Brugirard saliva, the open circuit potentials have highly electropositive values, denoting passive state and good stability; the open circuit potential gradients, simulating the non‐uniformity of the saliva composition, show very low values, no danger for the implant integrity. The in vitro cytotoxicity of Ti‐6Al‐7Nb alloy was evaluated on the basis of cell morphology and cell viability. The results obtained revealed a high biocompatibility between HOB and Ti‐6Al‐7Nb alloy.     

Collagen/hydroxyapatite composite materials with desired ceramic properties

Our purpose was to obtain and characterize some collagen/hydroxyapatite (COLL/HA) hybrid composite materials with desired ceramic properties. The ceramic properties of these materials were achieved by combining two drying methods: controlled air drying at 30°C followed by freeze-drying. Through the function of the air drying times, the materials morphology varies from porous materials (when the materials are freeze-dried) up to dense materials (when the materials are air-dried), while the combined drying allows us to obtain an intermediary morphology. The composite materials intended to be used as bone grafts and in a drug delivery system were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, and also by determining the ceramic properties by using the Arthur method. The ceramic properties of these COLL/HA composite materials vary in large range, for instance the density of the materials varies from 0.06 up to 1.5?g/cm(3) while the porosity varies from 96.5% down to 27.5%.