Fracture toughness of 3Y-TZP ceramic measured by the Chevron-Notch Beam method: A round-robin study.

Objective: This interlaboratory round robin test investigated the robustness of the Chevron-Notch Beam (CNB) test method and the effect of the processing and testing variations on the fracture toughness of a dental 3Y-TZP ceramic.

Methods: The round robin test was performed precisely following the procedures recommended in ISO 24370:2005 and applied on a commercial 3Y-TZP ceramic (product information). A total of 335 test specimens with dimensions 3×4 x 45 mm³ was equally distributed among 10 participating laboratories of varying experience in fracture toughness testing.

Macroscopic Superlow Friction of Steel and Diamond-Like Carbon Lubricated with a Formanisotropic 1,3-Diketone.

Energy dissipation due to friction and wear is reducing the energy efficiency and reliability of mechanical systems. Thus, great efforts are being made to minimize friction for technical applications. In our present work, we investigate the tribological behavior of stainless steel 100Cr6 with a-C:H and a-C:H:Si coating lubricated with a surface-active formanisotropic 1,3-diketone.

Molecular mechanisms of treg-mediated T cell suppression.

CD4(+)CD25(high)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) can suppress other immune cells and, thus, are critical mediators of peripheral self-tolerance. On the one hand, Tregs avert autoimmune disease and allergies. On the other hand, Tregs can prevent immune reactions against tumors and pathogens.

Foxp3-mediated suppression of CD95L expression confers resistance to activation-induced cell death in regulatory T cells.

CD4(+)CD25(++)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) control self-reactive cells to maintain peripheral tolerance. Treg homeostasis has to be controlled tightly to ensure balanced Treg-mediated suppression. One mechanism that regulates the CD4(+) T cell pool is activation-induced cell death (AICD).