Push-out bond strength of CAD/CAM-ceramic luted to dentin with self-adhesive resin cements

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the initial and the artificially aged push-out bond strength between ceramic and dentin produced by one of five resin cements. METHODS: Two-hundred direct ceramic restorations (IPS Empress CAD) were luted to standardized Class I cavities in extracted human molars using one of four self-adhesive cements (SpeedCEM, RelyX Unicem Aplicap, SmartCem2 and iCEM) or a reference etch-and-rinse resin cement (Syntac/Variolink II) (n=40/cement). Push-out bond strength (PBS) was measured (1) after 24h water storage (non-aged group; n=20/cement) or (2) after artificial ageing with 5000 thermal cycles followed by 6 months humid storage (aged group; n=20/cement). Nonparametrical ANOVA and pairwise Wilcoxon rank-sum tests with Bonferroni-Holm adjustment were applied for statistical analysis. The significance level was set at alpha=0.05. In addition, failure mode and fracture pattern were analyzed by stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS: Whereas no statistically significant effect of storage condition was found (p=0.441), there was a significant effect of resin cement (p<0.0001): RelyX Unicem showed significantly higher PBS than the other cements. Syntac/Variolink II showed significantly higher PBS than SmartCEM2 (p<0.001). No significant differences were found between SpeedCEM, SmartCem2, and iCEM. The predominant failure mode was adhesive failure of cements at the dentin interface except for RelyX Unicem which in most cases showed cohesive failure in ceramic. SIGNIFICANCE: The resin cements showed marked differences in push-out bond strength when used for luting ceramic restorations to dentin. Variolink II with the etch-and-rinse adhesive Syntac did not perform better than three of the four self-adhesive resin cements tested.

Annulation of Tetrathiafulvalene to the Bay Region of Perylenediimide: Fast Electron-Transfer Processes in Polar and Nonpolar Solvents

A tetrathiafulvalene donor has been annulated to the bay region of perylenediimide through a 1H-benzo-[d]pyrrolo[1,2-a]imidazol-1-one spacer affording an extended pi-conjugated molecular dyad (TTF-PDI). To gain insight into its ground- and excited-state electronic properties, the reference compound Ph-PDI has been prepared via a direct Schiff-base condensation of N,N'-bis(1-octylnonyl) benzoperylene-1',2':3,4:9,10-hexacarboxylic-1',2'-anhydride-3,4:9,10-bis (imide) with benzene-1,2-diamine. Both the experimental and the computational (DFT) results indicate that TTF-PDI exhibits significant intramolecular electronic interactions giving rise to an efficient photoinduced charge-separation process. Free-energy calculations verify that the process from TTF to the singlet-excited state of PDI is exothermic in both polar and nonpolar solvents. Fast adiabatic electron-transfer processes of a compactly fused, pi-conjugated TTF-PDI dyad in benzonitrile, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, anisole and toluene were observed by femtosecond transient absorption spectral measurements. The lifetimes of radical-ion pairs slightly increase with decreasing the solvent polarities, suggesting that the charge-recombination occurs in the Marcus inverted region. By utilizing the nanosecond transient absorption technique, the intermolecular electron-transfer process in a mixture of has been observed via the triplet excited PDI for the first time.

In vitro fracture strength and thermal shock resistance of metal-ceramic crowns with cast and machined AuTi frameworks

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: AuTi alloys with 1.6% to 1.7% (wt%) Ti provide sufficient bond strength to veneering ceramics, but the strength of entire metal-ceramic restorations fabricated from these alloys is not known. However, this information is important to assess the clinical performance of such materials. PURPOSE: This in vitro study evaluated the fracture strength and thermal shock resistance of metal-ceramic crowns with AuTi frameworks produced by milling or casting. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Frameworks of the alloy Au-1.7Ti-0.1Ir (wt%) (Esteticor Vision) were produced by milling or casting (test groups). A high-gold alloy (Esteticor Special) was used as the control. The frameworks were veneered with ceramic (VMK 95). Specimens (n=7) were loaded until fracture. Loads at failure (N) were recorded and the mean values statistically evaluated using 1-way analysis of variance and a post hoc Dunnett test (alpha=.05). To assess the crazing resistance of the veneering ceramic, 6 additional crowns of each group were subjected to a thermal shock test. Fractured surfaces were documented by scanning electron microscopy. Coefficients of thermal expansion of the materials used were measured (n=2) to assess the thermal compatibility between alloys and ceramic. RESULTS: The mean fracture strength of the crowns with machined AuTi frameworks (1294 +/- 236 N) was significantly lower (P=.012) than that of the cast AuTi frameworks (1680 +/- 150 N), but statistically not different than the high-gold alloy (1449 +/- 159 N). Bonding failure to the AuTi alloy predominantly occurred at the alloy-oxide interface. For the high-gold alloy, more ceramic residues were observed. In the thermal shock test, crowns with milled AuTi frameworks showed significantly higher thermal shock resistance compared to the other groups. The coefficients of thermal expansion (Esteticor Vision cast: 14.5 microm/m.K; Esteticor Vision milled: 14.3 microm/m.K; Esteticor Special cast: 13.7 microm/m.K) did not correlate with the results of the thermal shock test. CONCLUSION: The in vitro fracture strength of crowns with milled AuTi frameworks is lower than that obtained with cast AuTi frameworks, but comparable to those crowns produced with a high-gold alloy.

Donor-to-host transmission of Candida glabrata to both recipients of corneal transplants from the same donor

PURPOSE: To report 2 cases of exogenous Candida glabrata endophthalmitis after penetrating keratoplasty in recipients of corneas from the same donor transplanted on the same day. METHODS: Case reports with ophthalmologic, electron microscopic, and microbiological findings including fungal strain analysis. RESULTS: Two patients developed fungal keratitis and endophthalmitis caused by the same C. glabrata strain within 1 day after penetrating keratoplasty of corneas from the same donor on the same day. Donor-to-host transmission was postulated when eye bank sterility checks were repeatedly negative. CONCLUSIONS: A short death-to-harvesting time, routine donor rim cultures, and respecting of a time interval before transplantation may provide an additional safety feature in dealing with corneal tissue from high-risk donors.

University of Wisconsin versus St. Thomas' Hospital solution for human donor heart preservation

Prolongation of the safe period of ischemia of the heart is an efficient way to overcome donor organ shortage, as demonstrated in renal and hepatic transplantation. We present the results of a prospective, randomized study comparing preservation with University of Wisconsin solution (UWS) versus St. Thomas' Hospital solution (STS) in clinical heart transplantation. A total of 39 patients were enrolled in the study (n = 20 for UWS and n = 19 for STS). Hemodynamic, electron microscopic, and biochemical evaluation did not reveal any significant differences in postoperative myocardial performance. Only the number of intraoperative defibrillations (0.82 for UWS versus 1.7 for STS) and the rhythm stability after reperfusion (13/20 UWS hearts versus 6/19 STS hearts in sinus rhythm) were significantly different. Heart preservation with UWS and STS appears to be of comparable efficacy at mean ischemic times of less than 4 hours.

Photo-induced intramolecular charge transfer in an ambipolar field-effect transistor based on a pi-conjugated donor-acceptor dyad

A pi-conjugated tetrathiafulvalene-fused perylenediimide (TTF-PDI) molecular dyad is successfully used as a solution-processed active material for light sensitive ambipolar field-effect transistors with balanced hole and electron mobilities. The photo-response of the TTF-PDI dyad resembles its absorption profile. Wavelength-dependent photoconductivity measurements reveal an important photo-response at an energy corresponding to a PDI-localized electronic pi-pi* transition and also a more moderate effect due to an intramolecular charge transfer from the HOMO localized on the TTF unit to the LUMO localized on the PDI moiety. This work clearly elucidates the interplay between intra- and intermolecular electronic processes in organic devices.

In situ micropillar compression reveals superior strength and ductility but an absence of damage in lamellar bone

Ageing societies suffer from an increasing incidence of bone fractures. Bone strength depends on the amount of mineral measured by clinical densitometry, but also on the micromechanical properties of the hierarchical organization of bone. Here, we investigate the mechanical response under monotonic and cyclic compression of both single osteonal lamellae and macroscopic samples containing numerous osteons. Micropillar compression tests in a scanning electron microscope, microindentation and macroscopic compression tests were performed on dry ovine bone to identify the elastic modulus, yield stress, plastic deformation, damage accumulation and failure mechanisms. We found that isolated lamellae exhibit a plastic behaviour, with higher yield stress and ductility but no damage. In agreement with a proposed rheological model, these experiments illustrate a transition from a ductile mechanical behaviour of bone at the microscale to a quasi-brittle response driven by the growth of cracks along interfaces or in the vicinity of pores at the macroscale.

Experimental and Theoretical Electron Density Analysis of Copper Pyrazine Nitrate Quasi-Low-Dimensional Quantum Magnets

The accurate electron density distribution and magnetic properties of two metal-organic polymeric magnets, the quasi-one-dimensional (1D) Cu(pyz)(NO3)2 and the quasi-two-dimensional (2D) [Cu(pyz)2(NO3)]NO3·H2O, have been investigated by high-resolution single-crystal X-ray diffraction and density functional theory calculations on the whole periodic systems and on selected fragments. Topological analyses, based on quantum theory of atoms in molecules, enabled the characterization of possible magnetic exchange pathways and the establishment of relationships between the electron (charge and spin) densities and the exchange-coupling constants. In both compounds, the experimentally observed antiferromagnetic coupling can be quantitatively explained by the Cu-Cu superexchange pathway mediated by the pyrazine bridging ligands, via a σ-type interaction. From topological analyses of experimental charge-density data, we show for the first time that the pyrazine tilt angle does not play a role in determining the strength of the magnetic interaction. Taken in combination with molecular orbital analysis and spin density calculations, we find a synergistic relationship between spin delocalization and spin polarization mechanisms and that both determine the bulk magnetic behavior of these Cu(II)-pyz coordination polymers.