Enhancing Titanium Disk Performance through In-Pack Cold Atmospheric Plasma Treatment

While titanium dental implants have already been clinically established, ongoing research is continuously being conducted to advance the fields of osseointegration and bacterial resistance, seeking further improvements in these areas. In this study, we introduce an innovative method for treating titanium surfaces within tightly sealed packaging. Specifically, titanium discs, enclosed in surgical-grade packaging, underwent treatment using cold atmospheric plasma (CAP). The surfaces were thoroughly characterized in terms of wettability, crystalline structure, and chemical composition. Hemocompatibility analyses were conducted using blood diluted in sodium citrate (1:9) exposed to titanium discs for 30 min inside a CO2 incubator at 37 °C. Subsequently, various blood parameters were evaluated, including prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and platelet adhesion. Microbiological analyses were also performed using Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853) for 4 h at 37 °C. The treatment with CAP Jet resulted in a reduction in contact angle without causing any changes in the crystalline structure. No statistically significant differences were observed in the blood parameters. The plasma-treated samples exhibited lower PT and APTT values compared to those of the control group. The surfaces treated with CAP Jet showed increased platelet activation, platelet density, and thrombus formation when compared with the untreated samples. Moreover, the treated surfaces demonstrated lower bacterial colony formation compared with other surfaces.

Gallic Acid-Laminarin Conjugate Is a Better Antioxidant than Sulfated or Carboxylated Laminarin

A 12.4 kDa laminarin (LM) composed of β(1→3)-glucan with β(1→6)-branches was extracted from brown seaweed Lobophora variegata and modified via carboxylation using dielectric barrier discharge (LMC), conjugation with gallic acid (LMG), and sulfation (LMS). Analyses of the chemical composition of LMC, LMG, and LMS yielded 11.7% carboxyl groups, 1.5% gallic acid, and 1.4% sulfate content, respectively. Antioxidant activities of native and modified laminarins were assessed using six different in vitro methods. Sulfation stopped the antioxidant activities of LM. On the other hand, carboxylation improved cooper chelation (1.2 times). LMG was found to be a more efficient antioxidant agent than LM in terms of copper chelation (1.3 times), reducing power (1.3 times), and total antioxidant capacity (80 times). Gallic acid conjugation was further confirmed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy analyses. LMG also did not induce cell death or affect the cell cycle of Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. On the contrary, LMG protected MDCK cells from H₂O₂-induced oxidative damage. Taken together, these results show that LMG has the potent antioxidant capacity, and, therefore, potential applications in pharmacological and functional food products.

Use of Cold Atmospheric Plasma To Preserve the Quality of White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

HIGHLIGHTS

Discharge of dielectric barriers significantly reduced microbial populations. Treatments resulted in improvement in physical characteristics during storage. Nonthermal plasma provided a 43% (4-day) increase in sample lifetime.

Enamel properties after tooth bleaching with hydrogen/carbamide peroxides in association with a CPP-ACP paste

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated the impact of bleaching teeth using blends of a CPP-ACP paste (MI Paste; MI) and carbamide/hydrogen peroxides in different proportions on surface properties of bleached enamel.

METHODS

Ninety bovine incisors were bleached with 7.5% hydrogen peroxide (HP), 16% carbamide peroxide (CP), MI and blends of HP or CP:MI at three proportions (1:1, 2:1, 1:2). Hardness and roughness were measured at baseline and after bleaching. Enamel morphology was evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA for repeated measurements and Tukey's test.

RESULTS

Most of the samples bleached with MI in combination with peroxides presented increased hardness and roughness which were associated to mineral deposition, as observed by SEM images. Blends with higher fractions of MI did not offer superior benefits.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of a CPP-ACP paste mixed to carbamide/hydrogen peroxides can decrease adverse side-effects from tooth bleaching on an enamel surface.