Natural rubber latex membranes incorporated with three different types of propolis: Physical-chemistry and antimicrobial behaviours.

Natural Rubber Latex (NRL) is a biocompatible material with demonstrated capacity to induce vascularisation and tissue regeneration. Propolis is a complex resinous product prepared by Apis mellifera with the aim of protecting beehives against infectious microorganisms. It is flora-dependent and its antimicrobial activity can vary according to its geographical origin.

Defective Multilayer Carbon Nanotubes Increase Alkaline Phosphatase Activity and Bone-Like Nodules in Osteoblast Cultures.

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) is one of the most studied biomaterials, and issues about its cytotoxicity remain. The objective of our study was to investigate the in vitro influence of defective CNT on culture growth and on the formation of mineralized matrix nodules by primary osteoblastic cells grown in plastic or titanium (Ti) surfaces. Cellular viability, alkaline phosphatase activity and formation of mineral nodules were evaluated, besides the CNT characterization tests.

The effect of photosensitizer drugs and light stimulation on osteoblast growth.

Objective: A promising new treatment in dentistry involves the photodynamic process, which utilizes a combination of two therapeutic agents, namely a photosensitizer drug and a low dose of visible light. We investigated the in vitro effect of low intensity laser irradiation (visible light irradiation at 670 nm) using doses ranging between 0.5 and 3 J/cm(2), combined with nanoemulsion (NE) of the photosensitizer drug aluminum phthalocyanine chloride (AlClPc), ranging from 0.