A randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness of a one-step conditioning agent in fissure sealant placement: 12 month results

AIM

To compare the retention of fissure sealants (FS) placed on occlusal surfaces following use of a self etching priming agent and traditional acid etch and to compare the caries incidence of occlusal surfaces sealed using the two techniques over 12 months.

STUDY DESIGN

A randomised controlled trial set in Community Dental Service and Dental Hospital clinics (UK).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Subjects (60) were recruited by 7 dental professionals who placed FS on mandibular permanent molar pairs. The technique used for enamel preparation prior to FS placement on the right and left side of the mandible was randomised. On one side of the mandible Xeno III (Dentsply, Germany) was used to prepare the occlusal enamel and on the other side phosphoric acid etch together with Prime and Bond (Dentsply, Germany) was used. Opaque Delton (Dentsply, USA) was used to seal all surfaces. Subjects were blinded to the techniques used. Subjects and operators recorded on individual questionnaires their impressions of the techniques used.

STATISTICS

Results were analysed using the SPSS statistics package.

RESULTS

Thirty eight (63%) subjects were seen for review by the principal researcher 12 months after FS placement. The retention was significantly better in the etch group (P=0.003). No statistically significant difference in caries incidence was found between the test and control groups at 12 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The best practice for placement of sealants remains enamel preparation with acid etch and use of an intermediate bonding layer.

[Effect of different orthodontic interproximal reduction methods on the enamel]

PURPOSE

To find a suitable interproximal enamel (IER) reduction method for clinical use by pH cycles in vitro.

METHODS

50 human premolars extracted for orthodontic reasons were collected for the experiment. After removal of the roots, the crowns were split vertically into two halves with wafer-thin wheel blade. Then the 100 samples were randomly divided into 5 groups, 20 samples for each group. The enamel in each group was reduced with different IER methods: group I, stripping strip; group II, stripping disk; group III, stripping strip with polishing system and 35% orthophosphoric acid; group IV, stripping disk with polishing system and 35% orthophosphoric acid; group V, no treatment control group. All the samples were treated with pH cycles in vitro for 30 days. The microhardness of enamel surface of all samples was detected by microhardness testing machine. The enamel surface morphology of microstructure was examined by scanning electron microscopy(SEM).The data was analyzed with SPSS13.0 software package.

RESULTS

1.ANOVA detected statistically significant differences between groups. The post SNK-q test showed that there was no significant difference between group I and group II, between group III and group IV(P>0.05); But there was significant difference between group I and group III, group I and group IV, group II and group III, group II and group IV(P<0.01). And there was significant difference between group I and group V, group II and group V, group III and group V, group IV and group V(P<0.05). 2.From naked eye and SEM, there was no distinct difference between the two chemical polishing groups, but better than the others.

CONCLUSIONS

1.There is no significant difference between strip and disk after IER. 2.Chemical polishing group is better than the others after IER. 3.The scratches of the enamel surface caused by IER are hardly repaired even after remineralization.

Enamel and dentin bond strength of new simplified adhesive materials with and without preliminary phosphoric acid-etching

PURPOSE

To assess the influence of preliminary phosphoric acid-etching on shear bond strength (SBS) to enamel and dentin of a self-adhering restorative composite and of a new self-etch adhesive used in combination with the proprietary flowable composite.

METHODS

100 human molars were selected. SBS was assessed on flat buccal enamel surfaces and mid-coronal dentin. Teeth from each group were divided into five subgroups (n=10): (1) FL: etch-and-rinse adhesive OptiBond FL/Premise flowable; (2) XTR: 2-step self-etch adhesive OptiBond XTR/Premise flowable; (3) eXTR: OptiBond XTR on etched substrates/Premise flowable; (4) VF: self-adhering flowable composite Vertise Flow; (5) eVF: Vertise Flow on etched substrates. Specimens were stressed in shear until failure. Failure modes were evaluated under a stereomicroscope. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Fisher's exact test (P< 0.05).

RESULTS

Dental substrate, material and between-factor interaction significantly influenced SBS (MPa). In FL group (16.83 +/- 2.93) significantly higher SBS to enamel than in the other groups (XTR 8.59 +/- 4.39; eXTR 7.04 +/- 3.63; VF 6.61 +/- 2,41; eVF 9.87 +/- 4.24) was measured. On dentin FL (8.15 +/- 3.88) performed similarly to XTR (10.60 +/- 5.0), eXTR (9.60 +/- 4.91) and eVF (5.48 +/- 4.94); VF recorded significantly lower SBS (2.94 +/- 2.79 MPa). Failure modes differed significantly among groups.

Effect of acid etching time on demineralization of primary and permanent coronal dentin

PURPOSE

To determine the effect of acid etching time on dentin calcium solubilization and to compare the solubilization rate of primary and permanent dentin when etched for the same period of time.

METHODS

Flat coronal dentin surfaces were produced on primary (n=8) and permanent (n=8) sound teeth. Three 2 mm-diameter areas were delimited on each surface and assigned to 5, 10 or 15 seconds of acid etching. Five microliters of 35% H3PO4 were applied on each area during the preset times, and 4 microL were retrieved for analysis. The amount of calcium was determined colorimetrically using Arsenazo III reagent and expressed as microg Ca/mm2 of dentin. Data were subjected to two-way ANOVA, Tukey's test and linear regression (alpha=5%).

RESULTS

For both primary and permanent dentin, a statistically significant correlation was observed between acid etching time and calcium concentration (primary dentin R2 = 0.79; permanent dentin R2 = 0.73). Mean (sd) values of dissolved primary dentin after 5, 10 and 15 seconds were 1.00 (0.25), 1.74 (0.11) and 2.30 (0.42), whereas for permanent dentin the values were 0.47 (0.13), 0.89 (0.36) and 1.38 (0.20) microg Ca/mm2, respectively. Greater calcium solubilization (P<0.05) was detected for primary dentin than for permanent dentin after all acid etching times.

Using the self-etch adhesives in anterior restoration

With the arrival of self-etch adhesives systems, there has been a rise in interest among clinicians, making it imperative for health professionals to have knowledge of the properties, characteristics, the association as well as the dental structures of these materials, in order to select them and use them correctly. The self-etch adhesive systems show good values of bond strength, microleakage and performance, and have therefore become an option in direct adhesive restorations. In the regard, this case study aims to describe the technique involving the use of selfetch adhesives system for direct restoration of anterior teeth.

[Sensitivity and specificity of nested PCR pyrosequencing in hepatitis B virus drug resistance gene testing]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of nested PCR combined with pyrosequencing in the detection of HBV drug-resistance gene.

METHODS

RtM204I (ATT) mutant and rtM204 (ATG) nonmutant plasmids mixed at different ratios were detected for mutations using nested-PCR combined with pyrosequencing, and the results were compared with those by conventional PCR pyrosequencing to analyze the linearity and consistency of the two methods. Clinical specimens with different viral loads were examined for drug-resistant mutations using nested PCR pyrosequencing and nested PCR combined with dideoxy sequencing (Sanger) for comparison of the detection sensitivity and specificity.

RESULTS

The fitting curves demonstrated good linearity of both conventional PCR pyrosequencing and nested PCR pyrosequencing (R(2)>0.99, P<0.05). Nested PCR showed a better consistency with the predicted value than conventional PCR, and was superior to conventional PCR for detection of samples containing 90% mutant plasmid. In the detection of clinical specimens, Sanger sequencing had a significantly lower sensitivity than nested PCR pyrosequencing (92% vs 100%, P<0.01). The detection sensitivity of Sanger sequencing varied with the viral loads, especially in samples with low viral copies (HBV DNA ≤3log10 copies/ml), where the sensitivity was 78%, significantly lower than that of pyrosequencing (100%, P<0.01). Neither of the two methods yielded positive results for the negative control samples, suggesting their good specificity.

CONCLUSION

Compared with nested PCR and Sanger sequencing method, nested PCR pyrosequencing has a higher sensitivity especially in clinical specimens with low viral copies, which can be important for early detection of HBV mutant strains and hence more effective clinical management.

Effects of different acids and etching times on the bond strength of glass fiber-reinforced composite root canal posts to composite core material

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of different acids and etching times on the bond strength of glass fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) posts to composite core material.

METHOD AND MATERIALS

Twenty-six FRC posts (FRC Postec Plus) were randomly divided into 13 groups (each n = 2). One group received no surface treatment (control). The posts in the other groups were acid etched with 35% phosphoric acid and 5% and 9.6% hydrofluoric acid gel for four different etching times (30, 60, 120, and 180 seconds). A cylindric polytetrafluoroethylene mold was placed around the treated posts and filled with dual-cure composite core material (MultiCore Flow). All samples were light cured for 60 seconds. After 24 hours of water storage, the specimens were sectioned perpendicularly to the bonded interface under water cooling to obtain 2-mm post-and-core specimens. Eight specimens were made from each group. Push-out tests were performed at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min using a universal testing machine. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by the Tukey honestly significant difference test (alpha = .05).

RESULTS

The lowest bond strength was observed in the control group (12.51 megapascal [MPa]). No statistical significant difference was observed among group H5-120 (20.31 MPa), group H9-120 (20.55 MPa), or group P-180 (20.57 MPa) (P > .05). These groups demonstrated the highest bond strength values (P < .05).

CONCLUSION

For the FRC posts, all acid-etching procedures tested showed significantly increased bond strength when compared with the control group. Acid-etching with 5% hydrofluoric acid and 9.6% hydrofluoric acid for 2 minutes and with 35% phosphoric acid for 3 minutes (groups H5-120, H9-120, and P-180, respectively) demonstrated the highest bond strength values between the FRC post and composite core material. Although the bond strength was increased by prolonged acid etching, the microstructure of the FRC posts might have been damaged.

Screening of factors influencing Cu(II) extraction by soybean oil-based organic solvents using fractional factorial design

This study aimed to identify the significant factors that give large effects on the efficiency of Cu(II) extraction from aqueous solutions by soybean oil-based organic solvents using fractional factorial design. Six factors (mixing time (t), di-2-ethylhexylphosphoric acid concentration ([D2EHPA]), organic to aqueous phase ratio (O:A), sodium sulfate concentration ([Na(2)SO(4)]), equilibrium pH (pH(eq)) and tributylphosphate concentration ([TBP])) affecting the percentage extraction (%E) of Cu(II) were investigated. A 2(6-1) fractional factorial design was applied and the results were analyzed statistically. The results show that only [D2EHPA], pH(eq) and their second-order interaction ([D2EHPA] × pH(eq)) influenced the %E significantly. Regression models for %E were developed and the adequacy of the reduced model was examined. The results of this study indicate that fractional factorial design is a useful tool for screening a large number of variables and reducing the number of experiments.

[De-/re-mineralization in deciduous teeth assessed by color value analysis of digital photographs: an in vivo study]

PURPOSE

The aim of this in vivo study was to detect the different ability of deciduous teeth in absorbing stain after de- or re-mineralization by color value analysis of digital photographs.

METHODS

Fifty-eight children aging from 3.5 to 4.5 years old were recruited in this study. After clinical examination, the labial surface of an incisor was stained with 2% aqueous methylene blue and digitally photographed. Then an area of the deciduous tooth was etched with 37% phosphoric acid gel for 1 min. Immediately after etching, this de-mineralized area was stained and digitally photographed with the same procedures as above. Twenty-four hours and one week later, the re-mineralized area was stained and photographed again respectively. Color values (R,G,B) of the digital photos were analyzed using image analysis software photoshop CS4. The changes of the color values was evaluated. All data were analyzed using one way ANOVA by SPSS 19.0 software package.

RESULTS

Just after etching and 24 hours later, the values of R,G,B were significantly different from the baseline (P<0.05). One week later, only B value was significantly different form the baseline. The difference of the color values between the time point just after etching and 24 hours later was not significant(P<0.05). While the difference of R,G,B between the time points just after etching and 1 week later was significant(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that deciduous de- or re-mineralization may be assessed by color value analysis of digital photographs.

Effect of the milling solution on lead stabilization in municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash during the milling processes

The wet milling process had been found to effectively stabilize lead in fly ash. This study adopts this method and looks at the effect of different milling solutions to improve the efficiency of lead stabilization. Different milling solutions (water, phosphoric acid and ethanol) and different milling times (1, 24, 48 and 96 h) were selected as parameters. Since lead oxide can be identified by XRD in this experiment's samples, 5% lead oxide was added to the extracted mixed fly ash to make instrumental analysis easier. The experimental results indicate that the effect of stabilization of lead after milling could exceed 96%. During milling with water, considerable lead leached into the water in the initial stage (1 h) of the process, but a stable level was reached as the milling time increased. After milling with ethanol and 0.2 M phosphoric acids, the efficiency could exceed 93% after 1 h of milling time. The results of the sequential extraction procedure (SEP) results show that the residual fraction could be increased from 8.93% to 56.16% when a 0.2 M phosphoric acid solution was used. Clearly the choice of an appropriate milling solution can enhance lead stabilization in the fly ash.

Influence of acid etching on hydrogen peroxide diffusion through human dentin

PURPOSE

To evaluate the influence of dentin etching with phosphoric acid on hydrogen peroxide diffusion through human dentin in internal bleaching.

METHODS

46 human premolars were extracted for orthodontic reasons from adolescents. The teeth were endodontically treated and a flat defect was created at the enamel-cementum junction. The teeth were divided into two groups: the access cavity was etched for 30 seconds with 35% H3PO4 in the first group and left intact in the second group. The teeth were filled with 20 microL of 35% hydrogen peroxide gel. The receiving medium on the other side was renewed at Day 1, Day 2 and Day 7 to quantify the diffusing hydrogen peroxide. An analysis of variance was performed to compare the diffusion between the two groups.

RESULTS

This work demonstrated a higher hydrogen peroxide diffusion when the access cavity was etched (P < 0.01).

Impact of struvite crystallization on nitrogen losses during composting of pig manure and cornstalk

An absorbent mixture of magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)(2)) and phosphoric acid (H(3)PO(4)) was added to compost mixtures of pig manure with cornstalk in different molar ratios (T1, 1:1; T2, 1:2; T3, 1:3) in order to examine its effect on controlling ammonia losses during composting. Based on the principle of struvite precipitation, and with an unamended trial as control (CK), an in-vessel composting experiment was conducted in fermenters (60L with forced aeration) in which the absorbent mixture was added with proportions of 3.8%, 7.3% and 8.9% of dry weight for T1, T2 and T3, respectively. The results showed that the total nitrogen loss was reduced from 35% to 12%, 5% and 1% of initial N mass, respectively. In the final compost, the total nitrogen content in T1, T2 and T3 was improved by 10, 14, 12gkg(-1), and NH(4)(+)-N in T1, T2 and T3 was improved by 8, 9, and 10gkg(-1), respectively, compared with the unamended trial. The results of the germination index test showed that the maturity of treatment T2 was best among the four treatments in the final compost, followed by T1, CK and T3. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the formation of magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate (MgNH(4)PO(4).6H(2)O:MAP) in the T1, T2 and T3 compost. Based on these results, the adsorbent mixture of Mg(OH)(2)+H(3)PO(4) could control nitrogen loss effectively during composting via struvite crystallization. However, an excess of phosphoric acid (1:3) had a negative influence on composting properties. The pH value decreased which led to reduced microorganism activity, and which finally resulted in reduced biodegradation of the organic matter.

[The effect of different etching time on enamel lesions of deciduous teeth]

PURPOSE

To study the effect of etching time on the demineralization of deciduous teeth enamel using confocal laser scanning microscope.

METHODS

Twenty-eight primary incisors were used in this experiment. Each incisor was created 4 rectangular windows in the labial surface. The 4 windows of each tooth were randomly divided into 4 treatment groups with different etching time of 30s(A), 60s(B), 90s(C) and 120s(D). All the treatment groups were applied with 32% phosphoric acid gel. After staining by 0.1 mmol/L rhodamine B, the examination of the demineralization regions were performed by a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). The data was analyzed by test of normality and S-N-K analysis with SPSS 11.0 software package.

RESULTS

As the etching time increased, the CLSM band was thickening,but the scales-liked structure was becoming unsharp.All the three parameters, area of the fluorescent lesion(FLA), average lesion fluorescence(AF) and total lesion fluorescence(TF) were increasing. The FLA value of A,B,C,D were (5.5 + or - 1.6) x 10(2) microm(2), (7.4 + or - 2.7) x 10(2) microm(2), (9.2 + or - 3.0) x 10(2)microm(2), (9.6 + or - 2.9) x 10(2) microm(2); The TF value of A,B,C,D were (3.5 + or - 1.3) x 10(4), (5.7 + or - 2.9) x 10(4), (8.3 + or - 3.6) x 10(4), (9.7 + or - 3.4) x 10(4); The AF value of A,B,C,D were 128.4 + or - 35.3,166.6 + or - 21.1, 200.8 + or - 19.4 and 219.1 + or - 12.8,respectively. The pairwise comparison of AF showed significant difference between the four groups, while there was no significant difference between group C(90s) and group D(120s) in both FLA and TF.

CONCLUSIONS

The degree of demineralization increases with the etching time. Etching time has a large effect on the profile of demineralization.Supported by Research Fund of Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(Grant No.074119644 and 08DZ2271100) and Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project (Grant No.S30206).

An approach for arsenic in a contaminated soil: speciation, fractionation, extraction and effluent decontamination

The fractionation and speciation of As in a contaminated soil were investigated, and a remediation strategy was tested. Regarding speciation, we found that As(V) prevails over As(III) whereas more than 40% of total arsenic is in organic form. The fractionation of As was investigated with two sequential extraction methods: a low mobility was found. Then we tested the possibility of using phosphoric acid to extract As from the soil and cleaning the washing effluents by sorption onto montmorillonite. The efficiency of the extraction and of the adsorption onto the clay were also investigated for Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn, whose total concentrations and fractionation in the soil are reported here. The extraction percentages for As and metals ranged from 30 to 65%; the residual proportions in the soil are presumably in very unreactive forms. Montmorillonite showed a good uptake capacity towards the investigated pollutants.

Enhanced adsorptive and photocatalytic achievements in removal of methylene blue by incorporating tungstophosphoric acid-TiO2 into MCM-41

The use of titania-dispersed materials in photocatalytic processes has been proposed as an alternative to the conventional bare TiO(2), in order to modify the surface area and activity of the catalyst. A homogeneously dispersed Keggin unit into TiO(2) was synthesized using tungstophosphoric acid (TPA) and titanium tetraisopropoxide. This compound was then loaded into MCM-41 by dispersing it in a suspension containing the mesoporous phase. Two other titanium-containing MCM-41 catalysts, Ti-MCM-41 and TiO(2)/MCM-41 were also prepared using isomorphous substitution synthesis method and impregnation method, respectively, for the sake of comparison. The prepared photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen physisorption (BET) and chemical analysis. The catalysts were used to study degradation of methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solution. XRD result shows a pure anatase crystalline phase for TPA-containing TiO(2) indicating that there is good molecular distribution of tungstophosphoric acid into TiO(2) structure. Supported TPA-TiO(2) into MCM-41 shows both TPA-TiO(2) and MCM-41 characteristic X-ray reflections in the high-angle and low-angle parts of the XRD patterns, respectively. The experimental results show that adsorption is a major constituent in the elimination of MB from the dye solutions by the TPA-containing materials. Exploitation of both adsorption and photocatalytic processes speeds up the removal of the dye using the TPA-TiO(2)-loaded MCM-41 photocatalyst. The elimination of MB is completed within 15 min for a 30 mg l(-1) MB solution containing a catalyst dose of 100mg/100ml. The efficiencies of the other photocatalysts such as commercial TiO(2), Ti-MCM-41, TiO(2)/MCM-41 and TPA-TiO(2) for adsorption and degradation of MB were also studied and compared with that of the prepared catalyst.

Atomic force microscopy observation of the enamel roughness and depth profile after phosphoric acid etching

The aim was to compare the enamel surface roughness (ESR) and absolute depth profile (ADP) (mean peak-to-valley height) by atomic force microscopy (AFM) before and after using four different phosphoric acids. A total of 160 enamel samples from 40 upper premolars were prepared. The inclusion criterion was that the teeth have healthy enamel. Exclusion criteria included any of the following conditions: facial restorations, caries lesions, enamel hypoplasia and dental fluorosis. Evaluations of the ESR and ADP were carried out by AFM. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare continuous variables and the Wilcoxon test was used to analyze the differences between before and after etching. There were statistically significant differences (P <or= 0.05) among mean surface roughness and absolute depth before and after using four different phosphoric acids in healthy enamel; Etch-37 and Scotchbond Etching Gel showed higher profiles after etching (P <or= 0.05). There were statistically significant differences (P <or= 0.05) among roughness and ADP before and after using four different phosphoric acids in healthy enamel. However, consistently Etch-37 and Scotchbond Etching Gel showed the highest increase regarding the ESR and ADP after etching healthy enamel. AFM was a useful tool to study site-specific structural topography changes in enamel after phosphoric acid etching.

Adsorption studies of methylene blue and phenol onto vetiver roots activated carbon prepared by chemical activation

Vetiver roots have been utilized for the preparation of activated carbon (AC) by chemical activation with different impregnation ratios of phosphoric acid, X(P) (gH(3)PO(4)/g precursor): 0.5:1; 1:1 and 1.5:1. Textural characterization, determined by nitrogen adsorption at 77K shows that mixed microporous and mesoporous structures activated carbons (ACs) with high surface area (>1000 m(2)/g) and high pore volume (up to 1.19 cm(3)/g) can be obtained. The surface chemical properties of these ACs were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Boehm titration. Their textural and chemical characteristics were compared to those of an AC sample obtained by steam activation of vetiver roots. Classical molecules used for characterizing liquid phase adsorption, phenol and methylene blue (MB), were used. Adsorption kinetics of MB and phenol have been studied using commonly used kinetic models, i.e., the pseudo-first-order model, the pseudo-second-order model, the intraparticle diffusion model and as well the fractal, BWS (Brouers, Weron and Sotolongo) kinetic equation. The correlation coefficients (R(2)) and the normalized standard deviation Deltaq (%) were determined showing globally, that the recently derived fractal kinetic equation could best describe the adsorption kinetics for the adsorbates tested here, indicating a complex adsorption mechanism. The experimental adsorption isotherms of these molecules on the activated carbon were as well analysed using four isotherms: the classical Freundlich, Langmuir, Redlich-Peterson equations, but as well the newly published deformed Weibull Brouers-Sotolongo isotherm. The results obtained from the application of the equations show that the best fits were achieved with the Brouers-Sotolongo equation and with the Redlich-Peterson equation. Influence of surface functional groups towards MB adsorption is as well studied using various ACs prepared from vetiver roots and sugar cane bagasse. Opposite effects governing MB and phenol adsorption mechanism on ACs are demonstrated. The various effects involved in adsorption mechanisms of each molecule are demonstrated.

Microtensile bond strength of prehybridized dentin: storage time and surface treatment effects

PURPOSE

This study evaluated the effect of surface treatments of the prepolymerized adhesive layer in the immediate dentin sealing technique (IDS) on the microtensile bond strength of two-step etch-and-rinse adhesive systems.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The occlusal dentin surfaces of 60 human third molars were exposed and Adper Single Bond 2 (SB) or Prime & Bond NT (PB) adhesive systems were applied (control groups). Immediately afterwards, the temporary cement RelyXTemp NE was applied on the bonded dentin surface, and the teeth were stored in artificial saliva for 48 h or 4 months. After the storage time, the temporary cement layer was removed and the following surface treatments were applied: aluminum oxide (AO), 37% phosphoric acid (PA), or AO+PA. Next, a second adhesive layer was applied for each adhesive system, and a composite resin block restoration (Z250) was built. The specimens were cut and submitted to microtensile strength (microTBS) testing. The adhesive layer thickness (ALT) was evaluated in other specimens from all groups by SEM. The fracture pattern was evaluated in all sticks tested by SEM. microTBS and ALT values were analyzed with two-way ANOVA and Tukey's test (alpha = 0.05).

RESULTS

The highest microTBS, similar to the control, was obtained with aluminum oxide and phosphoric acid (AO+PA) for both adhesives systems. The use of aluminum oxide alone (AO) or associated with phosphoric acid (AO+PA) showed values close to those of the control groups in relation to the ALT. The failure pattern was the same for control groups and AO +PA groups.

CONCLUSION

Dentin prehybridization can improve the adhesive bond strength if the bonded surface is treated with airborne aluminum oxide particle abrasion associated with 37% phosphoric acid, followed by application of a second adhesive layer.

Characterization of phosphogypsum wastes associated with phosphoric acid and fertilizers production

The present work is directed to characterize the phosphogypsum (PG) wastes associated with phosphoric acid produced by the wet process in industrial facility for the production of fertilizers and chemicals in Egypt. The PG waste samples were characterized in terms of spectroscopic analysis (X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, IR spectra) and radiometric analysis (gamma- and alpha-measurements). The gamma-ray measurements showed that the average activity concentrations are 140+/-12.6, 459+/-36.7, 323+/-28.4, 8.3+/-0.76 and 64.3+/-4.1 Bq/kg for U-238, Ra-226, Pb-210, Th-232 and K-40, respectively. The alpha-particle measurements of uranium isotopes showed that the average activity concentrations of U-238, U-235 and U-234 were 153+/-9.8, 7+/-0.38, 152+/-10.4 Bq/kg, respectively. The average radiochemical recovery (%) of the destructive alpha-particle measurements is approximately 70% with a resolution (FWHM) of approximately 30 keV. Activity ratios of U-238/Ra-226 and U-238/Pb-210 were less than unity (i.e., <1) and equal to 0.31+/-0.02 and 0.47+/-0.16, respectively. The isotopic ratios of U-238/U-235 and U-238/U-234 (in PG and PR samples) were close to the normal values of approximately 21.7 and approximately 1, respectively and are not affected by the wet processing of phosphate rock (PR). The obtained results of PG waste samples were compared with phosphate rock (PR) samples. The radiation hazard indices are namely, radium activity index (Ra-Eq>370 Bq/kg), total absorbed gamma dose rate (D(gamma r)>5 nGy/h) and radon emanation fraction (Rn-EF>20%). Uncertainty of the sample counting was 95% confidence level of sigma. The results indicated the necessity to find suitable routes to decrease and/or redistribute the radionuclide of environmental interest (i.e., Ra-226) in PG wastes, consequently to reduce its radiation impacts in the surrounding environment.

Photocatalytic decomposition of acephate in irradiated TiO2 suspensions

In the present study, the photocatalytic degradation of acephate (O,S-dimethyl acetyl phosphoramidothioate ((CH(3)O)(CH(3)S)P(O)NHCOCH(3))) in aqueous TiO2 suspensions is extensively investigated, pertaining to the concentration of photocatalyst and substrate on degradation rate of acephate. It is found that the acephate can be degradated and mineralized. The high-degradation rate is obtained with 4 g/L concentration of TiO2. Moreover, Langmuir-Hinshelowood rate expression is employed for the degradation of acephate with adsorption constant and rate constant, i.e., 2.0 L/mmol and 0.6 mmol/(min L), respectively. The main target is to identify the products by a number of analytical techniques, such as HPLC, IC, ESR and GC-MS. Under acidic condition, the primary products are phosphorothioic acid, O,O',S-trimethyl ester (CH(3)O(CH(3)S)P(O)OCH(3)) and phosphoramidothioic acid, O,S-dimethyl ester (CH(3)O(CH(3)S)P(O)NH(2)), etc. It indicates that the decomposition of acephate begin from the destruction of C-N and P-N bonds. Subsequently, the P-S, P-O, P-C bonds may be oxidized gradually or simultaneously, and the final products such as CO(2), H(3)PO(4), were formed. About 100% sulfur atoms are transformed into SO(4)(2-) in 180 min, however; only 3% nitrogen atoms and 2% phosphorus atoms were transformed into NO(3)(-) and PO(4)(3-).

The effect of storage conditions, contamination modes and cleaning procedures on the resin bond strength to lithium disilicate ceramic

PURPOSE

The purpose of this in-vitro study was to evaluate the resin bond strength to pre-etched lithium disilicate ceramic using different cleaning methods after two contamination modes (saliva or saliva and silicone).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Plexiglas tubes filled with composite resin (MultiCore Flow) were bonded to etched and silanized ceramic disks made of lithium disilicate ceramic (IPS e.max Press) using a luting resin (Multilink Automix). Either etched or unetched ceramic surfaces were contaminated with saliva or with saliva followed by a disclosing silicone. Groups of 16 specimens each were bonded after pretreatment using 4 surface cleaning agents (37% phosphoric acid, 5% hydrofluoric acid, 96% isopropanol, air polishing device with sodium bicarbonate) in different combinations. Before measuring tensile bond strength, specimens were stored for 3 or 150 days with thermocycling.

RESULTS

After 150 days of storage, etching of saliva-contaminated surfaces with 5% hydrofluoric acid and/or 37% phosphoric acid provided statistically significantly higher bond strengths (37.9 to 49.5 MPa) than the other cleaning methods (1.7 to 15.5 MPa). After saliva and silicone contamination, etching with 5% hydrofluoric acid provided statistically significantly higher bond strengths (44.5 to 50.3 MPa) than all other cleaning methods (0.3 to 13.5 MPa).

CONCLUSION

Ceramic cleaning methods after try-in procedures have a significant influence on the resin bond strength and are dependent on the type of contamination. Re-etching lithium disilicate ceramic with 5% hydrofluoric acid is most effective in removing contamination with saliva and/or a silicone disclosing medium.

In vitro enamel sealing of self-etch adhesives

OBJECTIVE

The use of self-etch adhesives has increased in spite of reports of deficient enamel bonding. Some clinicians etch enamel separately to circumvent this shortfall. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the influence of acid-etching on the enamel sealing of 3 self-etch adhesives after thermal fatigue.

METHOD AND MATERIALS

Two box-type preparations were restored in each of 30 bovine incisors with 1 of 3 self-etch adhesives: Adper Prompt L-Pop (3M ESPE); Clearfil SE Bond (Kuraray America); or iBond (Heraeus Kulzer), with and without phosphoric acid enamel etching, followed by Filtek Z250 (3M ESPE). After half of the restorations were fatigued for 1,500 thermal cycles, marginal sealing was challenged with 50% ammoniacal silver nitrate. Silver penetration was ranked from 0 to 4 and interfaces analyzed under a field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) with a backscattered detector. Nonparametric statistical analyses were carried out at a 95% confidence level.

RESULTS

Clearfil SE Bond resulted in significantly less enamel leakage than the other 2 self-etch adhesives. Acid etching significantly reduced silver infiltration for all adhesives when specimens were thermocycled. When specimens were not thermocycled, acid etching only reduced silver infiltration for iBond. Under the FESEM, silver deposition was observed inside the adhesive layer for Adper Prompt L-Pop and iBond. For Clearfil SE Bond only 2 of 10 specimens displayed silver infiltration along the enamel-adhesive interface.

CONCLUSION

Etching with phosphoric acid improved the enamel marginal sealing of the 3 self-etch adhesives when specimens were subjected to thermal fatigue.

Effect of acid etching time on the degradation of resin-dentin bonds in primary teeth

PURPOSE

To investigate the influence of etching time on the degradation of resin-dentin bonds produced in primary teeth.

METHODS

40 primary molars were randomly divided into four groups according to the adhesive system, Single Bond (SB) and Clearfil SE Bond (CSEB), and acid etching time. SB was applied to dentin after phosphoric acid etching for 15 or 7 seconds, whereas CSEB was applied after the application of SE Primer for 20 or 10 seconds. Resin composite crowns were built-up followed by the production of specimens with a cross-sectional area of 0.49 mm2, which were further divided according to the storage condition, 24 hours, 6 and 12 months in water. Data were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey tests (alpha=0.05).

RESULTS

After 24 hours there was no significant difference between bond strengths produced by the adhesive systems, irrespective of the acid etching time. Water storage for 6 and 12 months significantly reduced bond strengths of SB, especially when the dentin was acid etched for 15 seconds. For CSEB, no significant alteration in bond strength was seen up to the storage period of 12 months for both etching times.

Selective separation of phosphate and fluoride from semiconductor wastewater

Hydrofluoric acid (HF) and phosphoric acid (H(3)PO(4)) are widely used in semiconductor industry for etching and rinsing purposes. Consequently, significant amount of wastewater containing phosphate and fluoride is generated. Selective separation of phosphate and fluoride from the semiconductor wastewater, containing 936 mg/L of fluoride, 118 mg/L of phosphate, 640 mg/L of sulfate, and 26.7 mg/L of ammonia, was studied. Chemical precipitation and flotation reactions were utilized in the two-stage treatment processes. The first-stage reaction involved the addition of magnesium chloride (MgCl(2)) to induce selective precipitation of magnesium phosphate. The optimal condition was pH 10 and molar ratio, [Mg(2 + )]/[(PO(4) (3-))], of 3:1, and 66.2% of phosphate was removed and recovered as bobierrite (Mg(3)(PO(4))(2).8H(2)O). No reaction was found between MgCl(2) and fluoride. Calcium chloride (CaCl(2)) was used in the second-stage reaction to induce precipitation of calcium fluoride and calcium phosphate. The optimum molar ratio, [Ca(2 + )]/[F(-)], was 0.7 at pH 10, and residual fluoride concentration of 10.7 mg/L and phosphate concentration of lower than 0.5 mg/L was obtained. Thermodynamic equilibrium was modeled with PHREEQC and compared with experimental results. Sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) was an effective collector for subsequent solid-liquid removal via dispersed air flotation (DiAF). The study demonstrated that phosphate can be selectively recovered from the wastewater. Potential benefits include recovery of phosphate for reuse, lower required dosage of calcium for fluoride removal, and less amount of CaF(2) sludge.

Effect of different pretreatment methods on dentin bond strength of a one-step self-etch adhesive

AIM

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the shear bond strength of a one-step self-etch adhesive to dentin pretreated with phosphoric acid, air abrasion, or laser.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Fifty-six extracted non-carious human mandibular molars were mounted and the occlusal surfaces ground with a mechanical grinder to obtain flat occlusal dentin surfaces. The teeth were randomly divided into four groups of 14 teeth according to the different dentin surface pretreatment methods: Group I--acid, Group II--laser, Group III--air abrasion, Group IV (control)--no surface treatment. After applying a one-step self-etch adhesive system, Futura Bond NR, cylinders of Z250 composite resin were bonded to the dentin surfaces by transparent gelatin capsules (2.5 mm diameter; 3 mm high) and then polymerized. All specimens were stored in distilled water at 37 masculineC for 24 hours. Shear bond testing was carried out using an Universal testing machine with a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/sec. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests at a significance level of 0.05.

RESULTS

The bond strength of air abrasion (Group III) and the control group (Group IV) were statistically higher than both the acid (Group I) and laser (Group II) pretreatments (p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were found in shear bond strength between surfaces treated with air abrasion and the control group (p > 0.05). Surfaces pretreated with laser (Group II) resulted in the lowest bond strength which was not statistically different from those pretreated with acid (Group I) (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Surfaces pretreated with acid and laser adversely affected the bond strength of a one-step self-etch adhesive, Futura Bond NR, while pretreatment with air abrasion had no effect on bond strength.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The pretreatment of dentin surfaces prior to self-etch adhesive seems to be unnecessary and defeats the original purpose of these systems.