Structure and composition of early biofilms formed on dental implants are complex, diverse, subject-specific and dynamic.

Biofilm-associated peri-implant infections pose a major problem in modern medicine. The understanding of biofilm development is hampered by biofilm complexity and the lack of robust clinical models. This study comprehensively characterized the dynamics of early biofilm formation in the transmucosal passage of implant abutments in 12 patients.

A generic cell-based biosensor converts bacterial infection signals into chemoattractants for immune cells.

Bacterial infection is a major challenge to human health. Although various potent antibiotics have emerged in recent decades, current challenges arise from the increasing number of multi-drug-resistant species. Infections associated with implants represent a particular challenge because they are usually diagnosed at an advanced stage and are difficult to treat with antibiotics owing to the formation of protective biofilms.

Reinforcing β-tricalcium phosphate scaffolds for potential applications in bone tissue engineering: impact of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

Beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffolds manufactured through the foam replication method are widely employed in bone tissue regeneration. The mechanical strength of these scaffolds is a significant challenge, partly due to the rheological properties of the original suspension. Various strategies have been explored to enhance the mechanical properties.

Reduction in Xenogeneic Epitopes on Porcine Endothelial Cells by Periodate Oxidation.

Background: Patterns of humoral immune responses represent a major hurdle in terms of pig-to-human xenotransplantation approaches. The best-known xenogeneic glycan antigens present in pigs are the αGal (Galili antigen) and the non-human sialic acid Neu5Gc. As there are further differences between porcine and human cellular surface glycosylation, a much broader range of glycan epitopes with xeno-reactive relevance can be anticipated.

Induction of cell death by sodium hexachloroplatinate (IV) in the HEI-OC1 cell line, primary rat spiral ganglion cells and rat organ of Corti explants.

Although cochlear implants have become a well-established method for patients with sensory neural hearing loss, clinical results indicate that in some cases, corrosion of electrode contacts leads to high impedance that interferes with successful stimulation of the auditory nerve. As it is unclear whether corrosion products induce cell damage, we focused on cell culture models of the organ of Corti cell line (HEI-OC1), rat spiral ganglion cells (SGC) and rat organ of Corti explant (OCex) cultivated from neonatal rat cochleae to characterize the cytotoxicity of sodium hexachloroplatinate (IV) (Na2(PtCl6)). The oxidative activity in HEI-OC1 cells decreased with increasing Na2(PtCl6) concentrations between 8 and 16 ng/μl, and live cell staining with Calcein acetoxymethyl/Ethidium homodimer III revealed an increasing number of cells with disrupted membranes.

Treatment of osteoarthritis by implantation of Mg- and WE43-cylinders - A preclinical study on bone and cartilage changes and their influence on pain sensation in rabbits.

With its main features of cartilage degeneration, subchondral bone sclerosis and osteophyte formation, osteoarthritis represents a multifactorial disease with no effective treatment options. As biomechanical shift in the trabecular network may be a driver for further cartilage degeneration, bone enhancement could possibly delay OA progression. Magnesium is known to be osteoconductive and already showed positive effects in OA models.

Use of membrane transport models to design cryopreservation procedures for oocytes.

Oocyte cryopreservation is increasingly being used in reproductive technologies for conservation and breeding purposes. Further development of oocyte cryopreservation techniques requires interdisciplinary insights in the underlying principles of cryopreservation. This review aims to serve this purpose by: (1) highlighting that preservation strategies can be rationally designed, (2) presenting mechanistic insights in volume and osmotic stress responses associated with CPA loading strategies and cooling, and (3) giving a comprehensive listing of oocyte specific biophysical membrane characteristics and commonly used permeation model equations.

Osteoblast cell behavior on polyetheretherketone dental implant surfaces treated with different grit size aluminum oxide particles: An in vitro analysis.

Statement Of Problem: The hydrophobic and bioinert nature of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) implants needs to be addressed for successful osseointegration.

Purpose: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the osteoblast cell behavior on PEEK implant surfaces treated with airborne-particle abrasion using different grit size aluminum oxide (AlO) particles.

Material And Methods: Disk-shaped specimens (n=96) were prepared from medical grade PEEK rods and were distributed into 4 groups (n=24) of untreated PEEK (PEEK 0), airborne-particle abrasion using 50-μm AlO particles (PEEK 50), airborne-particle abrasion using 110-μm AlO particles (PEEK 110), and airborne-particle abrasion using 150-μm AlO particles (PEEK 150).

Cooling dynamics of droplets exposed to solid surface freezing and vitrification.

Solid surface freezing or vitrification (SSF/SSV) can be done by depositing droplets of a sample, e.g., cells in a preservation solution, onto a pre-cooled metal surface.

Colorimetric detection of oral bacteria using functionalized gold nanoparticles as a plasmonic biosensor array.

Early detection of specific oral bacterial species would enable timely treatment and prevention of certain oral diseases. In this work, we investigated the sensitivity and specificity of functionalized gold nanoparticles for plasmonic sensing of oral bacteria. This approach is based on the aggregation of positively charged gold nanoparticles on the negatively charged bacteria surface and the corresponding localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) shift.

Biofilm volume and acidification within initial biofilms formed in situ on buccally and palatally exposed bracket material.

Purpose: Acidification by bacterial biofilms at the bracket/tooth interface is one of the most common problems in fixed orthodontic treatments, which can lead to white spot lesions (WSL) and caries. As lingual brackets were shown to exhibit reduced WSL formation clinically, the aim of this in situ study was to compare initial intraoral biofilm formation and acidification on bracket-like specimens placed buccally and palatally in the upper jaw as a possible cause for this observation.

Methods: Intraoral biofilm was collected from splints equipped with buccally and palatally exposed test specimens, which were worn by 12 volunteers for a total of 48 h.

Impact of immediate interim restoration on peri-implant tissues around immediately placed single dental implants in the esthetic region: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Statement Of Problem: Immediate implant placement with an immediate interim restoration is a well-established protocol. Nevertheless, a consensus regarding the impact of immediate interim restoration on peri-implant tissues around single dental implants is lacking.

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to address the research question: "Does the placement of an immediate interim restoration influence the mid-facial mucosal (MFM) marginal and interdental papilla (IDP) levels around single dental implants placed in the anterior esthetic region by using an immediate implant placement protocol?"

Material And Methods: A comprehensive literature search was made in the Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Science Direct electronic databases for articles published in English evaluating the impact of immediate interim restoration on peri-implant tissues around single dental implants in the anterior esthetic region.

Fabrication and biomechanical characterization of a spider silk reinforced fibrin-based vascular prosthesis.

With fibrin-based vascular prostheses, vascular tissue engineering offers a promising approach for the fabrication of biologically active regenerative vascular grafts. As a potentially autologous biomaterial, fibrin exhibits excellent hemo- and biocompatibility. However, the major problem in the use of fibrin constructs in vascular tissue engineering, which has so far prevented their widespread clinical application, is the insufficient biomechanical stability of unprocessed fibrin matrices.

Antioxidant flavonoid-loaded nano-bioactive glass bone paste: apatite formation and flow behavior.

Non-cement pastes in the form of injectable materials have gained considerable attention in non-invasive regenerative medicine. Different osteoconductive bioceramics have been used as the solid phase of these bone pastes. Mesoporous bioactive glass can be used as an alternative bioceramic for paste preparation because of its osteogenic qualities.

Preserving frozen stallion sperm on dry ice using polymers that modulate ice crystalization kinetics.

Cryopreserved semen is routinely shipped in liquid nitrogen. Dry ice could serve as an alternative coolant, however, frozen storage above liquid nitrogen temperatures (LN2, -196 °C) may negatively affect shelf-life and cryosurvival. In this study, we determined critical temperatures for storage of cryopreserved stallion sperm.

Critical evaluation of YouTube videos regarding the all-on-4 dental implant treatment concept: A content-quality analysis.

Statement Of Problem: Rehabilitation of complete edentulous arches by using the all-on-4 dental implant treatment concept is a well-established procedure. Considering the popularity of YouTube as a source for health-related information, a thorough investigation of the content-quality and reliability of videos regarding the all-on-4 concept is lacking.

Purpose: The purpose of this cross-sectional analysis was to critically appraise the content-quality and reliability of YouTube videos regarding the all-on-4 dental implant treatment concept as a source of information for patients, students, and dentists.

Low-frequency magnetic response of gold nanoparticles.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) exposed to low frequency magnetic fields have shown promise in enhancing biological processes, such as cellular reprogramming. Despite the experimental evidence, a comprehensive understanding of the underlying physical principles and the corresponding theory remains elusive. The most common hypothesis is that functionalized nanoparticles transiently amplify magnetic fields, leading to improved cellular reprogramming efficiency.

X-ray generation by fs-laser processing of biological material.

The use of ultrashort pulse lasers in medical treatments is increasing and is already an essential tool, particularly in the treatment of eyes, bones and skin. One of the main advantages of laser treatment is that it is fast and minimally invasive. Due to the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with matter, X-rays can be generated during the laser ablation process.

A Glutaraldehyde-Free Crosslinking Method for the Treatment of Collagen-Based Biomaterials for Clinical Application.

Biological bioprostheses such as grafts, patches, and heart valves are often derived from biological tissue like the pericardium. These bioprostheses can be of xenogenic, allogeneic, or autologous origin. Irrespective of their origin, all types are pre-treated via crosslinking to render the tissue non-antigenic and mechanically strong or to minimize degradation.

Cryopreserved red blood cells maintain allosteric control of oxygen binding when utilizing trehalose as a cryoprotectant.

One of the most common life-saving medical procedures is a red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. Unfortunately, RBCs for transfusion have a limited shelf life after donation due to detrimental storage effects on their morphological and biochemical properties. Inspired by nature, a biomimetics approach was developed to preserve RBCs for long-term storage using compounds found in animals with a natural propensity to survive in a frozen or desiccated state for decades.

A micro-LED array based platform for spatio-temporal optogenetic control of various cardiac models.

Optogenetics relies on dynamic spatial and temporal control of light to address emerging fundamental and therapeutic questions in cardiac research. In this work, a compact micro-LED array, consisting of 16 × 16 pixels, is incorporated in a widefield fluorescence microscope for controlled light stimulation. We describe the optical design of the system that allows the micro-LED array to fully cover the field of view regardless of the imaging objective used.

Effect of titanium implants along with silver ions and tetracycline on type I interferon-beta expression during implant-related infections in co-culture and mouse model.

Type I interferon-beta (IFN-β) is a crucial component of innate and adaptive immune systems inside the host. The formation of bacterial biofilms on medical implants can lead to inflammatory diseases and implant failure. Biofilms elicit IFN-β production inside the host that, in turn, restrict bacterial growth.

Development, comparative structural analysis, and first in vivo evaluation of acellular implanted highly compacted fibrin tubes for arterial bypass grafting.

The generation of small-caliber vascular grafts remains a significant challenge within the field of tissue engineering. In pursuit of this objective, fibrin has emerged as a promising scaffold material. However, its lack of biomechanical strength has limited its utility in the construction of tissue engineered vascular grafts.