In vitro study on non-thermal argon plasma in improving the bonding efficacy between dentin and self-etch adhesive systems.

Self-etch adhesive systems have the advantages of simple operating steps and low technique sensitivity. However, some deficiencies of self-etch adhesive result that the immediate bonding strength between self-etch adhesive and dentine is not so high. Non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTAPP) can be used for surface modification. Previous studies of our research group have proven that NTAPP can improve bonding durability between dentine and etch-and-rinse adhesive. However, it is still unknown whether NTAPP can improve bonding strength between dentine and self-etch adhesive. The study observed the contact angle on dentine surface, the adhesive permeability and MTBS. The study proved that NTAPP can improve dentine surface wettability, clear up smear layer, and enhanced the self-etch adhesive permeability in dentine bonding interface. In conclusion, NTAPP could improve the bonding strength between dentine and self-etch adhesive systems. The most optimum treating time was 15 s.

Non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma induces epigenetic modifications that activate the expression of various cytokines and growth factors in human mesoderm-derived stem cells.

Non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTAPP) has been reported to induce wound healing, activation of immune cells, and proliferation of mesoderm-derived adult stem cells in human. However, the mechanism by which NTAPP activates these physiological effects is poorly understood. Here, we examined whole genome expression profiles of adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs), the proliferation of which is induced by NTAPP. NTAPP upregulated the expression of genes for cytokine and growth factor, but downregulated genes in apoptotic pathways. When ASCs were treated with NTAPP in the presence of a nitric oxide (NO) scavenger, the expression of various cytokines and growth factors decreased, suggesting that NO is primarily responsible for the enhanced cytokine and growth factor expression induced by NTAPP. Increased histone deacetyl transferase 1 (HDAC1) and decreased acetylated histone 3 were detected in NTAPP-treated ASCs. Similarly, ASCs pre-treated with HDAC, DNA methylation, or histone methylation inhibitors had reduced expression of cytokines and growth factors after NTAPP treatment. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that NTAPP induces epigenetic modifications that activate the expression of cytokines and growth factors, explaining how NTAPP acts as an efficient tool in regenerative medicine to stimulate stem cell proliferation, to activate immune cells, and to recover wounds.

Non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma is an excellent tool to activate proliferation in various mesoderm-derived human adult stem cells.

Adult stem cells are capable of self-renewal and differentiation into specific cell types in tissues and have high potential for stem cell therapy. Mesenchymal and hematopoietic stem cells are easily attainable from the human body and have become applicable tools for adult stem cell therapy. However, there are still technical barriers for the application of mesenchymal and hematopoietic stem cells for therapy, such as the small number of cell populations, high risk of contamination, and loss of their stemness properties in vitro. In our previous study, we showed that non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTAPP) promoted the proliferation of adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) by 1.6-fold on average, while maintaining their stemness. Here, we examined the feasibility of NTAPP as a tool to activate the proliferation of mesenchymal and hematopoietic stem cells in vitro without affecting their stem cell characteristics. NTAPP increased the proliferation of bone marrow-derived stem cells (BM-MSCs) and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) by 1.8- and 2-fold, respectively, when compared to that of untreated cells. As observed in ASCs, NTAPP exposure also activated the expression of stem cell-specific surface markers, CD44 and CD105, by 5-fold in BM-MSCs, when compared to that in unexposed control cells in a low glucose medium with a low concentration of basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF). In addition, NTAPP exposure highly augmented the mRNA expression of well-known pluripotent genes for stemness, such as Oct4, Sox2, and Nanog in ASCs and BM-MSCs when compared to that in unexposed control cells. When cell cycle progression was examined, the G1-S shift was accelerated, and expression of PCNA was increased in NTAPP-exposed ASCs when compared to that in untreated control cells, suggesting that NTAPP activated G1-S transition. Taken together, these results demonstrated that NTAPP activated the proliferation of various mesodermal-derived human adult stem cells by accelerating the G1-S transition while maintaining their pluripotency and stemness, strongly suggesting that NTAPP can be an efficient tool for expanding the population of various adult stem cells in vitro for medical applications.

Effect of Plasma Treatment and Its Post Process Duration on Shear Bonding Strength and Antibacterial Effect of Dental Zirconia.

We have investigated the effect of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTAPP) treatment and the post process time on the bonding strength and surface sterilization of dental zirconia. Presintered zirconia specimens were manufactured as discs, and then subjected to a 30-min argon treatment (Ar, 99.999%; 10 L/min) using an NTAPP device. Five post-treatment durations were evaluated: control (no treatment), P0 (immediate), P1 (24 h), P2 (48 h), and P3 (72 h). The surface characteristics, shear bonding strength (SBS) with two resin cements, and Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation of these plasma-treated dental zirconia were tested. Plasma did not change the roughness, and caused surface element changes and surface energy increase. Due to this increase in surface energy, SBS increased significantly (p < 0.05) within 48 h when RelyXTM U200 was used. However, the increase of surface oxygen significantly decreased (p < 0.05) the SBS of Panavia F 2.0 when using plasma immediately (P0). S. mutans adhesion decreased significantly (p < 0.05) for the P0, P1, and P2 groups compared to the control. The P0 group exhibited lower biofilm thickness than the other experimental groups due to the increased hydrophilicity (p < 0.05). Our study suggests that there is a suitable time window for the post NTAPP treatment regarding bonding strength and antimicrobial growth persist.

The effect of plasma on shear bond strength between resin cement and colored zirconia.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTAPP) treatment on shear bond strength (SBS) between resin cement and colored zirconia made with metal chlorides. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 60 zirconia specimens were divided into 3 groups using coloring liquid. Each group was divided again into 2 sub-groups using plasma treatment; the experimental group was treated with plasma, and the control group was untreated. The sub-groups were: N (non-colored), C (0.1 wt% aqueous chromium chloride solution), M (0.1 wt% aqueous molybdenum chloride solution), NP (non-colored with plasma), CP (0.1 wt% aqueous chromium chloride solution with plasma), and MP (0.1 wt% aqueous molybdenum chloride solution with plasma). Composite resin cylinders were bonded to zirconia specimens with MDP-based resin cement, and SBS was measured using a universal testing machine. All data was analyzed statistically using a 2-way ANOVA test and a Tukey test. RESULTS: SBS significantly increased when specimens were treated with NTAPP regardless of coloring (P<.001). Colored zirconia containing molybdenum showed the highest value of SBS, regardless of NTAPP. The molybdenum group showed the highest SBS, whereas the chromium group showed the lowest. CONCLUSION: NTAPP may increase the SBS of colored zirconia and resin cement. The NTAPP effect on SBS is not influenced by the presence of zirconia coloring.

The effect of plasma on shear bond strength between resin cement and colored zirconia

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTAPP) treatment on shear bond strength (SBS) between resin cement and colored zirconia made with metal chlorides. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 60 zirconia specimens were divided into 3 groups using coloring liquid. Each group was divided again into 2 sub-groups using plasma treatment; the experimental group was treated with plasma, and the control group was untreated. The sub-groups were: N (non-colored), C (0.1 wt% aqueous chromium chloride solution), M (0.1 wt% aqueous molybdenum chloride solution), NP (non-colored with plasma), CP (0.1 wt% aqueous chromium chloride solution with plasma), and MP (0.1 wt% aqueous molybdenum chloride solution with plasma). Composite resin cylinders were bonded to zirconia specimens with MDP-based resin cement, and SBS was measured using a universal testing machine. All data was analyzed statistically using a 2-way ANOVA test and a Tukey test. RESULTS: SBS significantly increased when specimens were treated with NTAPP regardless of coloring (P<.001). Colored zirconia containing molybdenum showed the highest value of SBS, regardless of NTAPP. The molybdenum group showed the highest SBS, whereas the chromium group showed the lowest. CONCLUSION: NTAPP may increase the SBS of colored zirconia and resin cement. The NTAPP effect on SBS is not influenced by the presence of zirconia coloring.