Alterations promoted by acid straightening and/or bleaching in hair microstructures

Human hair is a biopolymer constituted mainly of keratin intermediate filaments, lipids, pigments and water. Cosmetic treatments usually interact with the hair at the molecular level, inducing changes in its components and modifying the physicochemical and mechanical properties of the fibers. Here, the effect of acid straightening on the morphology and ultrastructure of Caucasian hair was investigated by a group of complementary experimental methods: wide-, small- and ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering; high-resolution 3D X-ray microscopy; quasi-elastic neutron scattering and inelastic neutron scattering; thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry; and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). X-ray diffraction patterns showed that acid straightening associated with a flat iron (∼180°C) changed the cortex of the fiber, shown by denaturation of the intermediate filaments (measured by DSC). The increase in the spacing of the lipid layers and the observation of the dehydration behavior of the fiber provided indications that water may be confined between these layers, while neutron spectroscopy showed alterations in the vibration mode of the CH2 groups of the lipids and an increase of the proton (H+) mobility in the hair structure. The latter may be associated with the extremely low pH of the formulation (pH ≃ 1). Additionally, this investigation showed that bleached hair (one-time bleached) is more damaged by the action of acid straightening than virgin hair, which was shown by a threefold increase in the percentage of total porosity of the tresses. The obtained results demonstrate that the investigation approach proposed here can provide very important thermodynamic and structural information on induced changes of hair structure, and certainly can be applied for the evaluation of the action mode and efficiency of cosmetic treatments.

The effect of universal adhesives on dentine collagen

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the integrity of dentine type I collagen after self-etching (SE) treatments with strong and mild universal adhesives.

METHODS

Coronal dentine specimens (n=10/product) were imaged by optical microscopy and analyzed by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy before and after treatment with 32% phosphoric acid gel (PA-negative control), 17% neutral EDTA (ED-positive control) conditioners and Adhese Universal (AD), Clearfil Universal Bond Quick (CQ), G-Premio Bond (GP), Prelude One (PR) and Scotchbond Universal (SB) adhesives. From the spectroscopic analysis the following parameters were determined: a) Extent of dentine demineralization (DM%) and b) percentage area of the Amide I curve-fitted components of β-turns, 3₁₀-helix/β-turns, α-helix, random coils, β-sheets and collagen maturation (R) index. Statistical analysis was performed by one-way ANOVA (DM%), paired t-test/Wilcoxon test (Amide I components) and Spearman correlation coefficient (DM% vs Amide I components) at an a=0.05 level.

RESULTS

PA, ED and GP removed the smear-layer and opened tubule orifices, whereas all other treatments removed only the intratubular smear-layer fraction. The ranking of the statistically significant differences in DM% was PA>GP>ED>AD, SB, CQ, PR, with AD being significantly different from PR. Regarding the Amide I components, PA demonstrated a significant reduction in β-turns, α-helices and an increase in β-sheets, GP a reduction in β-turns, AD an increase in β-turns and random coils, and CQ an increase in β-turns. PR, SB and ED showed insignificant differences in all the Amide I components. Significant correlations were found between DM%-random coils and DM%-R.

SIGNIFICANCE

The universal adhesives used in the SE mode induced none to minimal changes in dentine collagen structure, without evidence of the destabilization pattern observed after conventional phosphoric acid treatments.

A Pilot Study on High Wavenumber Raman Analysis of Human Dental Tissues

Water plays a critical role in dental tissues including enamel and dentin. The characterization of water structure analysis was primarily conducted by nuclear magnetic resonance. Raman spectroscopy is a powerful analytic technology with capability for structure analysis in materials. However, acquiring high wavenumber Raman signals from dental tissues was challenging due to either the fluorescence interference under laser illumination or reduced sensitivity of CCD detectors. In this study, we demonstrate a pilot research on high wavenumber Raman analysis in dental tissues using a customized Raman spectrometer based on an InGaAs detector. A signal located at 3570 cm^-1 is found dominating the O-H region Raman spectra of enamel but is barely detectable from dentin. The profiles of the high wavenumber region Raman spectra changes with the locations in enamel, as well as the polarization of the excitation laser beam. The results suggest that the size or crystallinity differences of hydroxyapatite crystals are the main cause of the spectral variation from dentin to enamel, and could be partially responsible for the variation among different locations in enamel.

Atomic level observation and structural analysis of phosphoric-acid ester interaction at dentin

The functional monomer 10-methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (10-MDP), used in many dental adhesives, self-assembles in nano-layers at adhesive-tooth interfaces. Recently, several states of the POH groups of 10-MDP_Ca salts were suggested, while their actual status has not been elucidated yet. We mechanistically investigated 10-MDP_Ca-salt nano-layering at adhesive-dentin interfaces, correlatively using scanning transmission electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (STEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). STEM-EDS confirmed the presence of Ca and P in each nano-layer. Both XRD and NMR revealed that the two terminal POH groups of 10-MDP reacted with Ca. This twofold POH interaction of 10-MDP with Ca was stable in water and is therefore expected to contribute to durable nano-layering of 10-MDP_Ca salts in the hybrid and adhesive layer. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The functional monomer 10-methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (10-MDP), commonly used in dental adhesives with favorable long-term clinical outcome, has been documented to self-assemble into nano-layers at adhesive-tooth interfaces. Characterizing ultra-morphologically (STEM) and chemically (STEM-EDS, XRD, NMR) the mechanisms of interaction of 10-MDP with bulk dentin in a similar manner as what occurs clinically, it was found that the water stable 10-MDP_Ca salts consist of CaRPO₄, meaning that the two OH groups of the phosphate group of 10-MDP ionically reacted with Ca. This stable structure is expected to contribute to durable nano-layering of 10-MDP_Ca salts in the hybrid and adhesive layer and hence to clinical longevity of the adhesively bonded tooth restoration.