Thin-film nickel titanium demonstrates reduced bacterial adherence in vitro compared with commercially available endograft materials

Introduction: During sliding mechanics, frictional resistance is an important counterforce to orthodontic tooth movement; whichmust be controlled to allow application of light continuous forces.Objective: To investigate static and kinetic frictional resistance between three orthodontic brackets: ceramic, self-ligating, andstainless steel, and three 0.019×0.025” archwires: stainless steel, nickel-titanium, titanium-molybdenum.Materials & Method: The in vitro study compared the effects of stainless steel, nickel-titanium, and beta-titanium archwires onfrictional forces of three orthodontic bracket systems: ceramic, self-ligating, and stainless steel brackets. All brackets had 0.022”slots, and the wires were 0.019×0.025”. Friction was evaluated in a simulated half-arch fixed appliance on a testing machine. Thestatic and kinetic friction data were analyzed with 1-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc Duncan multiple rangetest.Result: Self-ligating (Damon) brackets generated significantly lower static and kinetic frictional forces than stainless steel (Gemini)and ceramic brackets (Clarity). Among the archwire materials, Beta-titanium showed the maximum amount of frictional forceand stainless steel archwires had the lowest frictional force.Conclusion: The static and kinetic frictional force for stainless steel bracket was lowest in every combination of wire.

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Monitoring Contractile Cardiomyocytes via Impedance Using Multipurpose Thin Film Ruthenium Oxide Electrodes

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21041433 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 1433

Author(s):

Esther Tanumihardja ◽

Douwe S. de Bruijn ◽

Rolf H. Slaats ◽

Wouter Olthuis ◽

Albert van den Berg

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Electrical Impedance ◽

Ruthenium Oxide ◽

Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy ◽

Visual Data ◽

Oxide Electrodes ◽

Pt Electrodes ◽

Mode Of Operation ◽

Frequency Components

A ruthenium oxide (RuOx) electrode was used to monitor contractile events of human pluripotent stem cells-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) through electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Using RuOx electrodes presents an advantage over standard thin film Pt electrodes because the RuOx electrodes can also be used as electrochemical sensor for pH, O2, and nitric oxide, providing multisensory functionality with the same electrode. First, the EIS signal was validated in an optically transparent well-plate setup using Pt wire electrodes. This way, visual data could be recorded simultaneously. Frequency analyses of both EIS and the visual data revealed almost identical frequency components. This suggests both the EIS and visual data captured the similar events of the beating of (an area of) hPSC-CMs. Similar EIS measurement was then performed using the RuOx electrode, which yielded comparable signal and periodicity. This mode of operation adds to the versatility of the RuOx electrode’s use in in vitro studies.

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Nanoformulation and Evaluation of Oral Berberine-Loaded Liposomes

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26092591 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (9) ◽

pp. 2591

Author(s):

Thuan Thi Duong ◽

Antti Isomäki ◽

Urve Paaver ◽

Ivo Laidmäe ◽

Arvo Tõnisoo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Drug Release ◽

Size Distribution ◽

Water Soluble ◽

Release Behavior ◽

Uniform Size ◽

Ethanol Injection ◽

Drug Release Behavior ◽

Poorly Water Soluble

Berberine (BBR) is a poorly water-soluble quaternary isoquinoline alkaloid of plant origin with potential uses in the drug therapy of hypercholesterolemia. To tackle the limitations associated with the oral therapeutic use of BBR (such as a first-pass metabolism and poor absorption), BBR-loaded liposomes were fabricated by ethanol-injection and thin-film hydration methods. The size and size distribution, polydispersity index (PDI), solid-state properties, entrapment efficiency (EE) and in vitro drug release of liposomes were investigated. The BBR-loaded liposomes prepared by ethanol-injection and thin-film hydration methods presented an average liposome size ranging from 50 nm to 244 nm and from 111 nm to 449 nm, respectively. The PDI values for the liposomes were less than 0.3, suggesting a narrow size distribution. The EE of liposomes ranged from 56% to 92%. Poorly water-soluble BBR was found to accumulate in the bi-layered phospholipid membrane of the liposomes prepared by the thin-film hydration method. The BBR-loaded liposomes generated by both nanofabrication methods presented extended drug release behavior in vitro. In conclusion, both ethanol-injection and thin-film hydration nanofabrication methods are feasible for generating BBR-loaded oral liposomes with a uniform size, high EE and modified drug release behavior in vitro.

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Nanoimprinted multifunctional nanoprobes for a homogeneous immunoassay in a top-down fabrication approach

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-85524-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Hubert Brueckl ◽

Astrit Shoshi ◽

Stefan Schrittwieser ◽

Barbara Schmid ◽

Pia Schneeweiss ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Nanoimprint Lithography ◽

Thin Film Deposition ◽

Film Deposition ◽

In Vitro Diagnostics ◽

Top Down ◽

Highly Sensitive ◽

Optical And Magnetic Properties ◽

Lift Off

AbstractMultifunctional nanoparticles are discussed as versatile probes for homogeneous immunoassays for in-vitro diagnostics. Top-down fabrication allows to combine and tailor magnetic and plasmonic anisotropic properties. The combination of nanoimprint lithography, thin film deposition, and lift-off processing provides a top-down fabrication platform, which is both flexible and reliable. Here, we discuss the material compositions and geometrical designs of monodisperse multicomponent nanoparticles and their consequences on optical and magnetic properties. The rotational hydrodynamics of nanoparticles is measured and considered under the influence of magnetic shape anisotropy in the framework of the Stoner-Wohlfarth theory. The plasmon-optical properties are explained by discrete-dipole finite-element simulations. Rotational dynamical measurements of imprinted nanoprobes for two test proteins demonstrate the applicability as highly sensitive biomolecular nanoprobes.

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In vivo and in vitro application of thin film interferometry to assess contact lens wettability

Contact Lens and Anterior Eye ◽

10.1016/j.clae.2018.04.107 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 41 ◽

pp. S9

Author(s):

Raied Fagehi ◽

Ian Pearce ◽

Katherine Oliver ◽

Alan Tomlinson

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Contact Lens

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Orthodontic Aligner Incorporating Eucommia ulmoides Exerts Low Continuous Force: In Vitro Study

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma13184085 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (18) ◽

pp. 4085

Author(s):

Sayuri Inoue ◽

Satoshi Yamaguchi ◽

Hiroshi Uyama ◽

Takashi Yamashiro ◽

Satoshi Imazato

Keyword(s):

Water Immersion ◽

In Vitro Study ◽

Nickel Titanium ◽

Orthodontic Appliances ◽

Orthodontic Appliance ◽

Measuring Device ◽

Orthodontic Force ◽

Custom Made ◽

Titanium Wire

The aim of this study was to investigate the orthodontic force exerted by thermoplastic orthodontic appliances incorporating Eucommiaulmoides in terms of usefulness as the aligner-type orthodontic device. Erkodur, Essix C+®, Eucommia elastomer, and edgewise brackets were used (n = 3, each; thickness = 1.0 mm, each). The orthodontic force on the upper right incisor was measured every 24 h for two weeks using a custom-made measuring device. The force of the Eucommia elastomer (4.25 ± 0.274 N) and multi bracket system (5.32 ± 0.338 N) did not change from the beginning to the end (p > 0.01). The orthodontic force exerted by the Eucommia elastomer was lower than that of the multi-bracket orthodontic appliance from the beginning to the end. The force of Erkodur significantly decreased from the beginning to 24 h (6.47 ± 1.40 N) and 48 h (3.30 ± 0.536 N) (p < 0.01). The force of Essix C+® significantly decreased from the beginning (13.2 ± 0.845 N) to 24 h (8.77 ± 0.231 N) (p < 0.01). The thermoplastic orthodontic appliance made of Eucommia elastomer continuously exerted a constant orthodontic force for two weeks under water immersion conditions. The orthodontic force of Eucommia elastomer was found to be similar to the orthodontic force exerted by the multi-bracket orthodontic appliance with 0.019 × 0.025 in nickel–titanium wire. These results suggest that the Eucommia elastomer has possibly become one of the more useful materials to form thermoplastic orthodontic appliance exerting low continues orthodontic force.

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