Spatiotemporal patterns of movement-related fields in stroke patients.

In this study, brain functions in stroke patients and normal subjects were analyzed by observing neuromagnetic fields during button pressing tasks. The measurements included force measurement, visual stimuli presentation and magnetoencephalography (MEG). A 122-channel whole-head MEG system (Neuromag 122) was used. A total of 18 subjects (11 post-stroke and 7 control subjects) participated in the study; adequate MEG data were obtained from 3 of the patients. Equivalent current dipoles for MRFs were estimated with the following parameters: goodness of fit (> 75%), confidence volume (< 6000 mm3), and the duration of dipole (> 10 msec). In addition to the single dipole analysis, Minimum Current Estimates were applied for source estimation since neural activities for stroke patients were observed at the motor cortex of the contralateral side as well as other areas of the brain. Contralateral motor cortex was activated for the normal subjects at 50 ms prior to the force onset, whereas ipsilateral motor cortex was activated for some stroke patients and patients' dipole moments differed not only in their locations but also in their latencies, ranging from -150 to 50 ms to the force onset. The results were in agreement with the findings by PET and fMRI studies; therefore, it was implied that the compensating motor functions were shifted to neighboring areas of the brain due to the recovering motor function after stroke.

Cytotoxicity of intracanal bleaching agents on periodontal ligament cells in vitro.

Intracoronal bleaching of nonvital teeth is a simple and conservative procedure for esthetic restoration of discolored teeth. However it is possible that damage to the periodontal ligament may occur if the bleaching agents contact this tissue. The purpose of this study was to examine the cytotoxicity of intracanal bleaching agents on human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells in vitro. Three bleaching agents, 30% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), 2.0 g/ml sodium perborate (SP) solution, and 2.0 g/ml SP in H2O2, were diluted from 10(-3) to 10(-7) with Eagle's minimal essential medium and incubated with PDL cells isolated and cultured from extracted teeth. Cytotoxicity was assessed quantitatively by determining the amount of lactic dehydrogenase activity released from the cells after exposure to the agents for 24 or 72 h. Dose-response curves were plotted, and TD50 values (dilution causing the release of 50% of control lactate dehydrogenase activity) and 95% confidence limits determined. The rank order of the TD50 values after exposure for 24 h was SP in H2O2 (most toxic) > H2O2 > SP solution (least toxic). After 72 h SP in H2O2 still produced the greatest cytotoxic effect. However the SP solution was more cytotoxic than H2O2 at this time point. It is concluded that the mixture of SP with H2O2 was the most toxic to the PDL cells in vitro.

Polymerization contraction stress of resin composite restorations in a model Class I cavity configuration using photoelastic analysis.

PURPOSE: An important factor that contributes to deterioration of resin composite restorations is contraction stress that occurs during polymerization. The purpose of this article is to familiarize the clinician with the characteristics of contraction stress by visualizing the stresses associated with this invisible and complex phenomenon. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Internal residual stresses generated during polymerization of resin composite restorations were determined using micro-photoelastic analysis. Butt-joint preparations simulating Class I restorations (2.0 mm x 5.0 mm, 2.0 mm in depth) were prepared in three types of substrates (bovine teeth, posterior composite resin, and transparent composite resin) and were used to examine contraction stress in and around the preparations. Three types of composite materials (a posterior composite, a self-cured transparent composite, and a light-cured transparent composite) were used as the restorative materials. The self-cured composite is an experimental material, and the others are commercial products. After treatment of the preparation walls with a bonding system, the preparations were bulk-filled with composite. Specimens for photoelastic analysis were prepared by cutting sections perpendicular to the long axis of the preparation. Fringe patterns for directions and magnitudes of stresses were obtained using transmitted and reflected polarized light with polarizing microscopes. Then, the photoelastic analysis was performed to examine stresses in and around the preparations. RESULTS: When cavity preparations in bovine teeth were filled with light-cured composite, a gap was formed between the dentinal wall and the composite restorative material, resulting in very low stress within the restoration. When cavity preparations in the posterior composite models were filled with either self-cured or light-cured composite, the stress distribution in the two composites was similar, but the magnitude of the stress was greater in the light-cured material. When preparations in the transparent composite models were filled with posterior composite and light-cured transparent composite material, significant stress was generated in the preparation models simulating tooth structure, owing to the contraction of both restorative materials. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Polymerization contraction stress is an undesirable and inevitable characteristic of adhesive restorations encountered in clinical dentistry that may compromise restoration success. Clinicians must understand the concept of polymerization contraction stress and realize that the quality of composite resin restorations depends on successful management of these stresses.

Comparison of polymerization contraction stresses between self- and light-curing composites.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine the distributions and the magnitudes of the internal stresses in self- and a light-curing composite restorations resulting from polymerization shrinkage. METHODS: Butt-joint box-shaped cavities (5.0 x 2.0 mm2, 2.0 mm in depth) prepared in composite molds were filled with either a self- or light-curing transparent resin composite. The restorations were cross-sectioned perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the cavities and observed using polarizing microscopes. The principal stresses in the restorations, normal and shear stresses at the cavity wall were evaluated by photoelastic analysis. RESULTS: The distributions of the principal stresses and the stresses generated at the cavity wall in both the self- and the light-curing composite restorations were similar. The maximum stress generated at the cavity wall in the light-curing composite restorations was twice as large as that seen in the self-curing restorations. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicated that the difference in the magnitude of the internal stresses between self- and light-curing composites was not related to the distribution of the stresses. The velocity of polymerization appeared to be the most important factor contributing to the magnitude of the internal stresses generated in the composite restorations in this study.

Photoelastic analysis of polymerization contraction stresses in resin composite restorations.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine the distribution and the magnitude of the internal stresses in a resin composite restoration resulting from polymerization shrinkage by using photoelastic analysis. METHODS: Butt-joint box-shaped cavities (5.0 x 2.0 mm, 2.0 mm in depth) prepared in bovine teeth and in composite moulds were filled with the light-activated transparent composite. The restoration was cross-sectioned perpendicularly to the longitudinal side of the cavity and observed with polarized microscopes. The principal stresses of the restoration, normal and shear stresses at the cavity wall were evaluated by the graphical integration method. The integrity of the bond along the cavity wall was also examined by staining method. RESULTS: The internal stresses of the restorations in bovine teeth were not large enough to observe, apparently because the gaps along the dentinal wall acted as a stress relief. On the other hand, there were no gaps along the cavity walls at the restorations in the composite moulds. As flow of the resin composite was severely limited, the maximum normal tensile stress at the cavity wall, which occurred near the internal line angle of the cavity, was calculated to reach as high as 23 MPa. The stress level near the internal line angle was higher than that near the cavo-surface margin. CONCLUSION: The distribution of the internal stresses in a composite restoration in a box-shaped cavity is considered to be unfavorable for the deep dentin bond. A good understanding of these phenomena may improve the clinical effectiveness of resin composite restoration.

Incorporation of antibacterial monomer MDPB into dentin primer.

The polymerizable monomer methacryloyloxydodecylpyridinium bromide (MDPB) shows antibacterial activity when immobilized in a resin-based material. In this study, the antibacterial effect of a dentin primer incorporating MDPB was investigated. The influence of incorporation of MDPB on bond strength to dentin and on the curing performance of the adhesive system was also evaluated. Experimental primers were prepared by addition of MDPB into a proprietary primer at 1, 2, or 5%. Antibacterial effects of experimental primers were compared with those of control primer and two other proprietary primers by an agar disc-diffusion method and bactericidal activity test. Experimental primers produced greater inhibition zones against Streptococcus mutans, Actinomyces viscosus, and Lactobacillus casei than any of three proprietary primers, and inhibition increased as the concentration of MDPB was increased. Bactericidal activity of MDPB-containing primers against Streptococcus mutans was greater than those of the other three primers, with incorporation of MDPB at 5% showing complete killing of bacteria after 30 s contact. No decrease in tensile bond strength was observed for materials containing MDPB. On the contrary, the primer incorporating 1 and 2% MDPB showed higher bond strength than all the others, including the control (p < 0.05). When the degree of conversion of the complex of primer and adhesive resin was determined with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, there were no significant differences between any of the experimental primers and the control (p > 0.05). These results indicate that incorporation of the antibacterial monomer MDPB enhanced the antibacterial effect of a proprietary dentin primer before curing, and had no adverse influence on bond strength to dentin and curing of the adhesive system.

Additional heat-curing of light-cured composite resin for inlay restoration.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of heat application after light curing on some physical properties of composite resin for dental inlay. Specimens each were additionally dry heat-cured at various temperatures for 15 min after initial light curing, and other specimens were not heat-cured as a control. Fracture toughness, bending strength, bending elastic modulus, coefficient of thermal expansion, hygroscopic expansion, microhardness, water absorption and solubility were determined. Fracture toughness, bending strength and bending elastic modulus were significantly higher when heated at 80-120 degrees C than the control. The coefficient of thermal expansion, hygroscopic expansion, microhardness and solubility were significantly improved than those of the control when heated, while water absorption was not significantly altered by dry heat-curing. These results indicate that the physical properties of composite resin, except water absorption, were improved significantly when heated after initial cure.