Physicochemical properties and antimicrobial activity of calcium hydroxide pastes in association with other compounds

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the pH, Ca2+ release, solubility, and antimicrobial activity of calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) pastes in association with different substances. Methods: Sixty acrylic teeth (n=10) were filled with pastes that associated Ca(OH)2 with the following substances: benzalkonium chloride 5% (G1) and 50% (G2) both in propylene glycol, arnica glycolic extract (G3), green tea glycolic extract (G4), Calen/PMCC™ (G5), and Calen™ (G6). In the group G1 to G4 were used 1g of Ca(OH)2 powder with 0,8g of vehicle. pH and Ca2+ release was measured after 7, 15, and 30 days. For solubility, micro-CT was used immediately and at the periods of 7, 15, and 30 days. For the antimicrobial analysis, a biofilm of E. faecalis was induced in vitro on bovine dentin discs. Live/dead viability dye and confocal scanning microscopy were used. Results: The highest pH values occurred on the first 7 days, and the G6, G1, G3, and G5 presented the highest pH values at this period (P <0.05). Ca2+ release was higher in all groups at 7 days, with the highest values observed in G1, G5, and G6. The volume of all pastes showed no significant difference in the intragroup analysis at 7 and 15 days (P <0.05). G1 and G2 showed the highest antimicrobial action (P <0.05). For the biovolume, there was difference between the G6 and the other groups (P >0.05) with G1 presenting the lowest values. Conclusion: Benzalkonium chloride 5% increases the antimicrobial action of the Ca(OH2), without impairs physicochemical properties

Retos y oportunidades en el estudio de vesículas extracelulares: contexto institucional a nivel mundial y situación actual en Colombia / Challenges and opportunities in the study of extracellular vesicles: Global institutional context and national state of the art

Resumen En la última década se ha incrementado el número de estudios y publicaciones sobre las vesículas extracelulares y los exosomas. En Colombia, ha habido interés y avances en su estudio, lo que se evidencia en el aumento de publicaciones y proyectos de investigación. Sin embargo, este es un campo de investigación aún en desarrollo, con desafíos analíticos y limitaciones técnicas, por lo cual, en el planteamiento de los proyectos de investigación y desarrollo, es necesario considerar cuál es el estado del campo científico a nivel mundial en cuanto a la nomenclatura y la clasificación de las vesículas extracelulares, las técnicas, recursos, requisitos y especificaciones de calidad y las instituciones que regulan el campo. La respuesta a esta pregunta permitirá desarrollar estudios que cumplan con los estándares internacionales, y las exigencias y recomendaciones institucionales. Sin embargo, la información científica disponible se encuentra dispersa y no todos los aspectos son tratados a cabalidad. En este actualización se condensa la información disponible y se presentan los términos oficiales para denominar las vesículas extracelulares y la nomenclatura aceptada actualmente, así como la evolución del campo, la homogenización de los parámetros experimentales, el establecimiento de autoridades científicas, instituciones y recursos, y las recomendaciones que se han generado a nivel mundial para el desarrollo de investigaciones en vesículas extracelulares, incluidos su aislamiento, caracterización y estudio funcional. Por último, se analiza el contexto nacional de una forma crítica, teniendo en cuenta las fortalezas institucionales, los errores usualmente cometidos, y las técnicas y tecnologías analíticas disponibles.

Abstract In the last decade, the number of studies and publications on extracellular vesicles (EV) and exosomes has boomed. Colombia has displayed interest and progress in their study as shown in the increase of research project publications and products. However, this research field is still developing and has its own analytical challenges and technical limitations. For planning research projects and developing EV studies it is necessary to consider what is the state of the scientific field worldwide concerning EV nomenclature and classification, available techniques, resources, requirements and quality specifications, and the institutions that regulate the field. Answering this question will elicit EV studies that comply with international standards and respond to institutional demands and recommendations. However, the scientific information available is scattered and not all the aspects are considered in full. In this update, the available information is condensed and the official terms and currently defined nomenclature is presented, as well as the evolution of the field, the homogenization of the experimental parameters, the establishment of scientific authorities, institutions, and resources, and the recommendations generated worldwide for their development and research including their isolation, characterization, and functional studies. Finally, I analyzed the national context in a critical way, considering institutional strengths, common mistakes, and available analytical techniques and technologies.

Physicochemical characterization of porcine bone-derived grafting material and comparison with bovine xenografts for dental applications

PURPOSE: The physicochemical properties of a xenograft are very important because they strongly influence the bone regeneration capabilities of the graft material. Even though porcine xenografts have many advantages, only a few porcine xenografts are commercially available, and most of their physicochemical characteristics have yet to be reported. Thus, in this work we aimed to investigate the physicochemical characteristics of a porcine bone grafting material and compare them with those of 2 commercially available bovine xenografts to assess the potential of xenogenic porcine bone graft materials for dental applications. METHODS: We used various characterization techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy, the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller adsorption method, atomic force microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and others, to compare the physicochemical properties of xenografts of different origins. RESULTS: The porcine bone grafting material had relatively high porosity (78.4%) and a large average specific surface area (SSA; 69.9 m²/g), with high surface roughness (10-point average roughness, 4.47 µm) and sub-100-nm hydroxyapatite crystals on the surface. Moreover, this material presented a significant fraction of sub-100-nm pores, with negligible amounts of residual organic substances. Apart from some minor differences, the overall characteristics of the porcine bone grafting material were very similar to those of one of the bovine bone grafting material. However, many of these morphostructural properties were significantly different from the other bovine bone grafting material, which exhibited relatively smooth surface morphology with a porosity of 62.0% and an average SSA of 0.5 m²/g. CONCLUSIONS: Considering that both bovine bone grafting materials have been successfully used in oral surgery applications in the last few decades, this work shows that the porcine-derived grafting material possesses most of the key physiochemical characteristics required for its application as a highly efficient xenograft material for bone replacement.