Knowledge and attitude toward oral health behavior of overseas students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted overseas students, including their oral health. Due to movement restrictions, limited living allowances, dental treatment costs, and health insurance fees, overseas students might be more concerned about their oral health. The objective of the present study was to determine the association of knowledge and attitude toward oral healthcare behavior of overseas university students staying in Thailand between January 2020 to July 2022 and explore the experiences of their oral health problems.

Multifunctional cellulosic nanofiber film with enhanced antimicrobial and anticancer properties by incorporation of ethanolic extract of Garcinia mangostana peel.

Natural polymeric nanofibers-based materials for medical application is an intensive research area due to the unique features of natural polymeric nanofibers. Bacterial nanocellulose (BC) films containing various concentrations of mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) peel extract were prepared and evaluated as a multifunctional nanofiber film. The extract was absorbed into BC hydrogel and air dried to entrap the extract into nanofiber network.

Curcumin-Loaded Bacterial Cellulose/Alginate/Gelatin as A Multifunctional Biopolymer Composite Film.

Multifunctional biopolymer composites comprising mechanically-disintegrated bacterial cellulose, alginate, gelatin and curcumin plasticized with glycerol were successfully fabricated through a simple, facile, cost-effective mechanical blending and casting method. SEM images indicate a well-distributed structure of the composites. The water contact angles existed in the range of 50-70°.

Cyclic tensile force-upregulated IL6 increases MMP3 expression by human periodontal ligament cells.

Objective: Cyclic tensile force (CTF) modulates physiological responses of periodontal ligament (PDL) cells. PDL cells are mechanosensitive and are able to maintain tissue homeostasis; a process mediated by the expression of particular cytokines including interleukin 6 (IL6). It is unknown whether CTF-induced IL6 regulates the expression of MMPs, enzymes needed for tissue remodeling.

Fabrication and characterization of novel bacterial cellulose/alginate/gelatin biocomposite film.

Hydrogels from bacterial, algal, and animal cells-bacterial cellulose (BC), alginate, and gelatin, respectively-were combined to fabricate a biocomposite film (BCAGG) via an eco-friendly casting technique. In addition, glycerol was added as a plasticizer to improve the elasticity and water absorption capacity of the film. In this study, BC pellicles were simply deconstructed into fibrils suspension and then reconstructed into films with a supplement of alginate, gelatin and glycerol.

Grape Seed Extract Reduces Active Gelatinases Using an Etch-and-Rinse Mode Universal Adhesive.

Purpose: To examine the effect of grape seed extract (GSE) pretreatment on the reduction of active gelatinases when using universal adhesives in etch-and-rinse mode.

Materials And Methods: Fifty extracted non-carious human teeth were used in this study. Dentin powder was prepared for analysis of active MMP-2 by ELISA.

Cyclic tensile force stimulates BMP9 synthesis and in vitro mineralization by human periodontal ligament cells.

Periodontal ligament (PDL) cells are mechanosensitive and have the potential to differentiate into osteoblast-like cells under the influence of cyclic tensile force (CTF). CTF modulates the expression of regulatory proteins including bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), which are essential for the homeostasis of the periodontium. Among the BMPs, BMP9 is one of the most potent osteogenic BMPs.

Structural modification and characterization of bacterial cellulose-alginate composite scaffolds for tissue engineering.

A novel bacterial cellulose-alginate composite scaffold (N-BCA) was fabricated by freeze drying and subsequent crosslinking with Ca(2+). The N-BCA then underwent a second freeze drying step to remove water without altering the physical structure. A stable structure of N-BCA with open and highly interconnected pores in the range of 90-160 μm was constructed.

TNF-α stimulates MMP-3 production via PGE2 signalling through the NF-kB and p38 MAPK pathway in a murine cementoblast cell line.

Background: Cementoblasts are considered to play an important role in the homeostasis of periodontal tissues under both physiologic and pathologic conditions. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is the key family of enzymes participating in extracellular matrix remodelling. In the present study, the effects and regulatory mechanisms of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α on the expression of MMPs and their inhibitors (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases; TIMPs) were investigated.

Biocompatibility and growth of human keratinocytes and fibroblasts on biosynthesized cellulose-chitosan film.

Bacterial cellulose (BC)-chitosan (BCC) films made via bio-co-polymerization by Acetobacter xylinum were developed and characterized for physical and biological properties. With the incorporation of chitosan MW 3 x 10(4) and 8 x 10(4) into bacterial cellulose, the modified films (BCC-MW 30,000 and BCC-MW 80,000, respectively) became denser, with a smaller average pore size of 13.1-15.

Loading of curcumin in polyelectrolyte multilayers.

Polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) thin films prepared using the layer-by-layer technique are proposed as a matrix for the immobilization of 1,7-bis-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-2,5-dione (curcumin), a lipophilic model drug. The PEM assembly was based on the layer-by-layer deposition of cationic poly(diallyldimethyl-ammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) and anionic poly(4-styrene sulfonate, sodium salt) (PSS) onto a quartz slide. Curcumin was loaded by dipping the PEM film into a dilute solution of curcumin dispersed in an 80/20% v/v water/ethanol solution.

Fibronectin supports TNF-alpha-induced osteopontin expression through beta1 integrin and ERK in HN-22 cells.

The extracellular matrix (ECM), in collaboration with intracellular signal, plays a critical role in the modulation of cellular behavior and function. Herein, we investigated the influence of fibronectin (FN) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on OPN expression in HN-22, a human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell line. The data showed that TNF-alpha significantly increased OPN expression only in the FN-coated condition.

TGF-beta1 induced MMP-9 expression in HNSCC cell lines via Smad/MLCK pathway.

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) plays roles in cancer progression by degrading the extracellular matrix and basement membrane. Many growth factors including Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) could induce MMP-9 expression. We demonstrated that TGF-beta1 induced MMP-9 mRNA and protein in human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines.

Iron increases MMP-9 expression through activation of AP-1 via ERK/Akt pathway in human head and neck squamous carcinoma cells.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a highly invasive cancer that is capable of distant metastasis and is a cause of great morbidity and mortality worldwide. Over-expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is implicated in the invasion and metastasis of HNSCC. There is increasing evidence of an association between iron overload and cancer progression.

The influence of molecular weight of chitosan on the physical and biological properties of collagen/chitosan scaffolds.

Biopolymer blends between collagen and chitosan have the potential to produce cell scaffolds with biocompatible properties. However, the relationship between the molecular weight of chitosan and its effect on physical and biological properties of collagen/chitosan scaffolds has not been elucidated yet. Porous scaffolds were fabricated by freeze-drying the solution of collagen and chitosan, followed by cross-linking by dehydrothermal treatment.

In vitro biocompatibility of electrospun poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) fiber mats.

In the present contribution, the potential for use of the ultrafine electrospun fiber mats of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) as scaffolding materials for skin and nerve regeneration was evaluated in vitro using mouse fibroblasts (L929) and Schwann cells (RT4-D6P2T) as reference cell lines. Comparison was made with PHB and PHBV films that were prepared by solution-casting technique. Indirect cytotoxicity assessment of the as-spun PHB and PHBV fiber mats with mouse fibroblasts (L929) and Schwann cells (RT4-D6P2T) indicated that the materials were acceptable to both types of cells.

Growth of human keratinocytes and fibroblasts on bacterial cellulose film.

Thin films of bacterial cellulose (BC) from a nata de coco culture system were developed, characterized, and investigated for the growth of human keratinocytes and fibroblasts. The average pore diameter and total surface area of the dried BC films estimated by BET were 224 A and 12.62 m(2)/g, respectively.

Novel bone scaffolds of electrospun polycaprolactone fibers filled with nanoparticles.

Novel bone scaffolding materials were successfully fabricated by electrospinning from polycaprolactone (PCL) solutions containing nanoparticles of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) or hydroxyapatite (HA). The potential use of the electrospun fibrous scaffolds for bone regeneration was evaluated in vitro with human osteoblasts (SaOS2) in terms of attachment, proliferation, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of the cells that were cultured directly on the scaffolds. The results were compared with those on corresponding solution-cast film scaffolds and tissue-culture polystyrene plate (TCPS).

Preparation and characterization of novel bone scaffolds based on electrospun polycaprolactone fibers filled with nanoparticles.

Novel bone-scaffolding materials were successfully fabricated by electrospinning from polycaprolactone (PCL) solutions containing nanoparticles of calcium carbonate (CaCO(3)) or hydroxyapatite (HA). The diameters of the as-spun fibers were found to increase with the addition and increasing amounts of the nanoparticles. The observed increase in the diameters of the as-spun fibers with the addition and increasing amounts of the nanoparticulate fillers was responsible for the observed increase in the tensile strength of the obtained fiber mats.

Preparation and characterization of microwave-treated carboxymethyl chitin and carboxymethyl chitosan films for potential use in wound care application.

CM-chitin and CM-chitosan films were successfully crosslinked by microwave treatment. Crosslinking of the microwave-treated CM-chitin films involved mainly the carboxylate and the secondary alcohol groups, while crosslinking of microwave-treated CM-chitosan films involved the carboxylate and the amino groups. In addition, the crystallinity of CM-chitin increased with increasing microwave treatment time, whereas an increase in the crystallinity of the microwave-treated CM-chitosan films was not observed.