Doping a semiconductor to create an unconventional metal

Landau Fermi liquid theory, with its pivotal assertion that electrons in metals can be simply understood as independent particles with effective masses replacing the free electron mass, has been astonishingly successful. This is true despite the Coulomb interactions an electron experiences from the host crystal lattice, its defects, and the other ~1022/cm3 electrons. An important extension to the theory accounts for the behaviour of doped semiconductors1,2. Because little in the vast literature on materials contradicts Fermi liquid theory and its extensions, exceptions have attracted great attention, and they include the high temperature superconductors3, silicon-based field effect transistors which host two-dimensional metals4, and certain rare earth compounds at the threshold of magnetism5-8. The origin of the non-Fermi liquid behaviour in all of these systems remains controversial. Here we report that an entirely different and exceedingly simple class of materials - doped small gap semiconductors near a metal-insulator transition - can also display a non-Fermi liquid state. Remarkably, a modest magnetic field functions as a switch which restores the ordinary disordered Fermi liquid. Our data suggest that we have finally found a physical realization of the only mathematically rigourous route to a non-Fermi liquid, namely the 'undercompensated Kondo effect', where there are too few mobile electrons to compensate for the spins of unpaired electrons localized on impurity atoms9-12.Comment: 17 pages 4 figures supplemental information included with 2 figure

High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) screening and detection in healthy patient saliva samples: a pilot study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The human papillomaviruses (HPV) are a large family of non-enveloped DNA viruses, mainly associated with cervical cancers. Recent epidemiologic evidence has suggested that HPV may be an independent risk factor for oropharyngeal cancers. Evidence now suggests HPV may modulate the malignancy process in some tobacco- and alcohol-induced oropharynx tumors, but might also be the primary oncogenic factor for inducing carcinogenesis among some non-smokers. More evidence, however, is needed regarding oral HPV prevalence among healthy adults to estimate risk. The goal of this study was to perform an HPV screening of normal healthy adults to assess oral HPV prevalence.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Healthy adult patients at a US dental school were selected to participate in this pilot study. DNA was isolated from saliva samples and screened for high-risk HPV strains HPV16 and HPV18 and further processed using qPCR for quantification and to confirm analytical sensitivity and specificity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Chi-square analysis revealed the patient sample was representative of the general clinic population with respect to gender, race and age (<it>p </it>< 0.05). Four patient samples were found to harbor HPV16 DNA, representing 2.6% of the total (n = 151). Three of the four HPV16-positive samples were from patients under 65 years of age and all four were female and Hispanic (non-White). No samples tested positive for HPV18.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The successful recruitment and screening of healthy adult patients revealed HPV16, but not HPV18, was present in a small subset. These results provide new information about oral HPV status, which may help to contextualize results from other studies that demonstrate oral cancer rates have risen in the US among both females and minorities and in some geographic areas that are not solely explained by rates of tobacco and alcohol use. The results of this study may be of significant value to further our understanding of oral health and disease risk, as well as to help design future studies exploring the role of other factors that influence oral HPV exposure, as well as the short- and long-term consequences of oral HPV infection.</p

Influence of Cavity Disinfectant and Adhesive Systems on the Bonding Procedure in Demineralized Dentin - A One-year In Vitro Evaluation

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of a 2% chlorhexidine solution (CHX) on the bond strength and nanoleakage of two self-etching adhesive systems on demineralized dentin over a 12-month period. Materials and Methods: The middle dentin from sound third molars was exposed and demineralized in vitro. Twelve groups were formed using different adhesive systems (Clearfil Protect Bond [PB], Clearfil SE Bond [SE]) dentin treatment (with or without CHX application), and water-storage times (24 h, 6 and 12 months). Composite resin cylinders were bonded to the prepared dentin, and these specimens underwent microshear bond strength (mu SBS) testing and nanoleakage evaluation. mu SBS data were submitted to a three-way ANOVA and Tukey's test. The failure mode and nanoleakage were analyzed descriptively by score. Results: There was a statistically significant interaction only between the adhesive system and CHX, and adhesive system and water-storage times. SE showed the lowest mu SBS just at 24 h water-storage time regardless of CHX. A significant decrease in mu SBS values after 6 months of water storage occurred in all of the groups and was maintained until 12 months. Adhesive failure increased with storage time. All groups showed nanoleakage at the resin/dentin interfaces and an increased silver deposition was noticed after 6 and 12 months of water storage. The highest percentages of nanoleakage were found in CHX groups. Conclusion: CHX did not interfere with mu SBS values for either self-etching adhesive system, but water storage did. Bond strength decreased for both adhesive systems after 6 and 12 months, regardless of CHX application. Nano leakage increased with water-storage time and with CHX application.14657558

Influence of NaOCI Irrigation and Water Storage on the Degradation and Microstructure of the Resin/Primary Dentin Interface

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Purpose: To evaluate the influence of NaOCI irrigation and water storage on the degradation and microstructure of the resin/dentin interface of primary teeth bonded with three different adhesive systems using the microtensile bond strength test (mu TBS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Materials and Methods: Ninety sound primary molars were used. Eighteen groups were formed according to different adhesive systems (Adper Single Bond 2, SB; Clearfil Protect Bond, CP; Adper Prompt L-Pop, APL) with or without 0.5% NaOCI irrigation and water-storage time (24 h, 45 days, 90 days). The middle dentin was exposed. In the NaOCI group, NaOCI irrigation was performed for 30 min, and all groups were restored with composite (Charisma). Sticks with a 1-mm(2) cross-sectional area were prepared for the pTBS test. The data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's test (p < 0.05). The failure modes, presence or absence of resin tags, and the resin/dentin interface were evaluated by SEM, and data were analyzed using Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel statistics (p < 0.05). Results: The pTBS of APL was significantly lower than the other groups regardless of treatment and storage time. A significant decrease of pTBS values after 90 days of water storage occurred only in the non-NaOCI irrigation groups. After 90 days of storage, resin tags partially disappeared in APL and CP, and in SB, 100% of the resin tags remained. Conclusion: The choice of adhesive system is one of the factors when bonding to primary dentin is considered. In this study, the etch-and-rinse and the two-bottle self-etching adhesive system produced the highest pTBS values irrespective of prior NaOCI irrigation even up to 90 days of water storage.133213220Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)FAPESP [05/58808-7

Mechanical and biological characterization of resin-modified glass-ionomer cement containing doxycycline hyclate

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Objectives: To characterize the mechanical and biological properties of a resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) containing doxycycline'hyclate. Methods: The antibacterial effect of RMGIC containing 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5% doxycycline hyclate was assessed using two experiments - agar diffusion test for 24 h and biofilm assay for 24 h and 7 days - against some cariogenic bacteria. Briefly, base layers of BHI agar and 300 mu L of each inoculum were prepared in Petri dishes with 6 wells that were completely filled with materials. After 24 h incubation, zones of bacterial growth inhibition were measured using a digital caliper. Biofilm assays were conducted using RMGIC specimens immersed in 24-well plates containing the inoculum in BHI broth. After 24 h and 7 days, each specimen were removed, vortexed and the suspension diluted and inoculated in BHI plates for subsequent bacterial counting. Cytotoxicity tests used 50 specimens made in sterilized metal molds, including Vitrebond as positive control. Extracts from every specimen were applied on the MDPC-23 odontoblast-like cells for 24 h. The MIT assay and SEM evaluation determined cell metabolism and morphology, respectively. 80 cylindrical specimens were made from the previously cited groups, and were submitted to testing with a universal testing machine (Instron 4411) using a crosshead speed of 1.0 mm/min for compressive strength and 0.5 mm/mm for diametral tensile strength, respectively. Data from antibacterial and cytotoxic effects, and mechanical properties were submitted to appropriated statistical tests. Results: All tested groups showed growth inhibition of all tested strains (p < 0.05) in 24 h for both microbiological tests, but only 4.5% doxycycline have antibacterial effect after 7 days. None of doxycycline concentrations caused toxic effect to the MDPC-23 cells or presenting alterations to mechanical properties. Conclusion: The incorporation of up to 4.5% doxycycline hyclate into RMGIC inhibits important oral microorganisms, without modifying biological and mechanical characteristics of the dental material, suggesting a new alternative for the treatment of dental caries. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.572131138Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)FAPESP [2008/00359-0, 2008/02606-5