Mineralization of Progenitor Cells with Different Implant Topographies

AbstractThe major challenge for dental implants is achieving an optimal osteoregeneration. Different levels of roughness processed through sand-blasting/ acid-etching (SLA) then further treated with silane and peptide were measured. Peptide bonded with silane on the SLA and machine ground titanium (Ti) surface were used as a culture substitute. The sample properties on the osteogenic abilities were compared by testing the interaction with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs, D1). When comparing to the SLA only group, the silane treated Ti surface with peptide bonded had smaller wetting angle and the cell proliferative ability did differ with statistical significance (p<0.05). A rougher surface binding with peptide provided higher hydrophilic ability and had the potential ability to enhance the proliferation and mineralization of the progenitor cell D1. Accordingly, a novel implant surface treatment method having tissues integrated was obtained through the supplement of peptide on the surfaces through SLA treatment of titanium

Preseismic anomalies in soil-gas radon associated with 2016 M 6.6 Meinong earthquake, Southern Taiwan

Taiwan is tectonically situated in a terrain resulting from the oblique collision between the Philippine Sea plate and the continental margin of the Asiatic plate, with a continuous stress causing the density of strong-moderate earthquakes and regional active faults. The continuous time series of soil radon for earthquake studies have been recorded and some significant variations associated with strong earthquakes have been observed. Earthquake prediction is not still operative but these correlations should be added to the literature about seismo-geochemical transients associated to strong earthquakes. Rain-pore pressure related variations, crustal weakness at the studied faults system is consistent with the simultaneous radon anomalies observed. During the observations, a significant increase of soil radon concentrations was observed at Chunglun-T1 (CL-T1), Hsinhua (HH), Pingtung (PT), and Chihshan (CS) stations approximately two weeks before the Meinong earthquake (ML = 6.6, 6 February 2016) in Southern Taiwan. The precursory changes in a multi-stations array may reflect the preparation stage of a large earthquake. Precursory signals are observed simultaneously and it can apply certain algorithms the approximate location and magnitude of the impending earthquake

Women with endometriosis have higher comorbidities: Analysis of domestic data in Taiwan

AbstractEndometriosis, defined by the presence of viable extrauterine endometrial glands and stroma, can grow or bleed cyclically, and possesses characteristics including a destructive, invasive, and metastatic nature. Since endometriosis may result in pelvic inflammation, adhesion, chronic pain, and infertility, and can progress to biologically malignant tumors, it is a long-term major health issue in women of reproductive age. In this review, we analyze the Taiwan domestic research addressing associations between endometriosis and other diseases. Concerning malignant tumors, we identified four studies on the links between endometriosis and ovarian cancer, one on breast cancer, two on endometrial cancer, one on colorectal cancer, and one on other malignancies, as well as one on associations between endometriosis and irritable bowel syndrome, one on links with migraine headache, three on links with pelvic inflammatory diseases, four on links with infertility, four on links with obesity, four on links with chronic liver disease, four on links with rheumatoid arthritis, four on links with chronic renal disease, five on links with diabetes mellitus, and five on links with cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, etc.). The data available to date support that women with endometriosis might be at risk of some chronic illnesses and certain malignancies, although we consider the evidence for some comorbidities to be of low quality, for example, the association between colon cancer and adenomyosis/endometriosis. We still believe that the risk of comorbidity might be higher in women with endometriosis than that we supposed before. More research is needed to determine whether women with endometriosis are really at risk of these comorbidities

Manufacturing Technique and Stab-Resistance Evaluation of Three-Dimensional Nylon 6/LPET Compound Nonwoven Fabrics

[[abstract]]This study aims to examine the influence of the temperatures of heat treatment on the puncture-resistance of Nylon6/LPET compound nonwoven fabrics. Polyamide 6 (Nylon 6) fibers and low-melting-point polyester (LPET) fibers are combined and undergo a heat treatment to make three-dimensional (3-D) Nylon 6/LPET compound nonwoven fabrics through a nonwoven process. The nonwoven fabrics are tested for their dynamic puncture resistance, constant rate puncture resistance, and impact strength. The experiment results show that when thermally treated at a high temperature, the compound nonwoven fabrics are rendered with a lower dynamic puncture resistance and a lower constant rate puncture resistance, but a greater impact strength

Braided Bone Scaffolds Made by Braiding Polyvinyl Alcohol and Cross-Linked by Glutaraldehyde: Manufacturing Process and Structure Evaluation

[[abstract]]When the bone tissues suffer from an impaired area that is greater than their self-healing size limit, the impairment may not heal or heal incompletely. With the purpose of developing artificial bone scaffolds for the recovery of bone tissues, this study twists 3-ply polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers into plied yarns, which are then braided into PVA bone scaffolds using a braiding technique. Afterward, the braids are cross-linked with glutaraldehyde in order to improve their structure and their water stability. The experiment results show that a cross-linking by glutaraldehyde does not significantly influence the surface morphology of the braids. However, a cross-linking by high concentration glutaraldehyde provides the braids with a swelling phenomenon, which in turn causes a dense internal feature of the braids, and namely a lower porosity. This study successfully prepares braided PVA bone scaffolds with water stability, through a glutaraldehyde cross-linking

Manufacturing Technique and Property Evaluations of PET/Gelatin Composite Tubular Braids

[[abstract]]This study examine the influence of gelatain with different concentrations on the physical property of the PET/Gelatin composite tubular braids. PET fibers are braided into tubular braids on a braider, and then immersed in gelatin solution with various concentrations to form PET/Gelatin composite tubular braids. The tensile strength and water contact angle of the braids are then tested to determine the their physical properties. The experiment results show that an increasing concentration of gelatin does not result in a significant varation in tensile strength, but a decreased displacement only

Preliminary Study of Polypropylene/Sawdust Green Composite

[[abstract]]In this study, sawdust and polypropylene (PP) are melt-blended and injection-molded to form the wood-plastic composite (WPC).The WPC is then tested in terms of mechanical properties and compared with control groups of pure PP plate and PP/glass fiber (PP/GF) composite. In the tensile test, the WPC displays a tensile strength of 25-27 MPa, regardless of whether the sawdust content is 5, 10, or 15 wt%. Pure PP composite has a tensile strength of 30 MPa; PP/GF composite with 15 wt% glass fibers has a tensile strength of 57 MPa. In the bending test, the WPC displays a flexural strength of 44-45 MPa as the sawdust content does not influence the bending strength. PP/glass fiber composite yields a bending strength of 85 MPa when the content of glass fiber is 15 wt%. WPC is 5% lighter than PP/glass fiber composite

Manufacturing Technique and Property Evaluation of Impact-Resistant Polypropylene/ Glass Fiber Composites

[[abstract]]Using the injection molding method, impact-resistant polypropylene (PP) and glass fibers (GF) with weight ratios of 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, 25 wt% and 30 wt% were blended twice, completing high-impact PP/ GF composites. Next, the tensile strength test, flexural stress test and IZOD impact strength test measured the composites. According to the results, with an increase in glass fibers, the composites exhibited a greater tensile strength, which further reached to climax when the GF weight ratio was 25 wt%. However, tensile strength appeared inversely proportionate to the blending frequency. In addition, regardless of blending frequencies, the optimum flexural stress occurred when the GF weight ratio was 25 wt%; nevertheless, it started declining when the ratio was 30 wt%. Finally, indicated by IZOD impact test, the greater the GF weight ratio, the lower the impact strength the composites exited

Study on Efficacy of Various Solvents and Extractions on Repelling Forcipomyia Taiwana

[[abstract]]The bites of Forcipomyia taiwana (F. taiwana) cause swelling and pruritus in sensitive skins, and are often prevented by synthetic repellents. The commercially available repellents are composes of N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide, long-term use of which may results in negative influence on skins as well as nervous and immune systems. This study first examines how different organic solvents influence on the repellent effect on F. taiwana, after which solvents are used for the extraction of Cinnamomum osmophloeum Kaneh, Cymbopogon excavates, Mentha, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Eucalyptus globulus. The plant extracts are tested for their repellent effect on F. taiwana with a Y-tube test. The experiment results show that of all solvents, only water attracts F. taiwana, furthermore, with water as the solvent, except for Eucalyptus globulus, all the other plant extracts, are repellent to F. taiwana