Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Fumio Watari.
We report preliminary data on the first use of multi-walled carbon nanotubes as adsorbents for the pre-concentration/elimination of dibenzo-p-dioxin, dibenzofuran and biphenyl from contaminated water.
OBJECTIVES: X-ray scanning analytical microscopy (XSAM) makes it possible to analyze small specimens in air without pretreatment. The purpose of this study was to utilize XSAM for the rapid analysis of metallic dental restorations by microsampling. METHODS: Six different dental alloys were scratched with brand-new silicone points to obtain metal on the silicone point for compositional analysis. The fluorescent spectra of XSAM were measured to determine the metal attached to the specimen. RESULTS: The major components of the six dental metals, except for palladium, were clearly detected. The identification of palladium was difficult since the fluorescent X-ray of palladium is quite close to that of rhodium, which is the source metal of the incident X-rays. However, with a slight modification of XSAM, palladium was also identified. The total time required for sampling and analysis with XSAM was less than 10 min. The amount of the attached metal was estimated to be less than 30 microg. This amount of sampling does not damage metal restorations. SIGNIFICANCE: XSAM analysis using the microsampling technique is useful for the rapid analysis of metallic restorations.
The distortion of laser welded titanium plates was assessed for different operating conditions of the laser welding device, and with different welding parameters (in terms of weld point and prewelding). In this study, Nd : YAG laser welding device was used to join the titanium plates. The results showed that distortion increased stepwise after each welding point along the welding zone (one-side welding), but decreased consecutively as the welding proceeded on the second side of the weld (two-side welding). In the case of one-side welding, the dependence of distortion on current and spot diameter presented maxima--due to changes in the welding pool characteristics. For two-side weld the same parameters exercised little influence on its distortion recovery, due to the effect of solidified weld pools from the first side. Current and spot diameter determined the weld pool, which in turn regulated distortion based on shrinkage. Four-point prewelding significantly decreased the final distortion for both one- and two-side welds. Alternating two-side welding of prewelded assembly showed lower distortion than a classic two-side weld.
The effect of the sphered particles on the contraction ratio of porcelain inlay processed by the cold isostatic pressure (CIP) method was investigated. The conventional lathe-cut porcelain powder was crushed to finer particles and the secondary particles with spherical shape by adding binders of acrylic resin, wax, and polyvinyl alcohol, respectively. Porcelain powder was molded as a disc-shaped green body in a refractory model and compressed at 200 MPa by CIP. From this green compact, the sintered porcelain was obtained by only one step of firing. The porcelain discs were then used for the measurements of contraction ratio, scanning microscopic observation, biaxial flexure strength, Vickers hardness, and density. Firing contraction was decreased to about 1% in the sphered particle groups, compared with 7% of the lathe-cut porcelain powder. Although biaxial flexure strength was about 85 MPa, which is lower than the 120 MPa of the control group, and the density was significantly decreased by about 10% from the 2.4 g/cm3 of the control substance, Vickers hardness, which ranged from 531 to 537, showed no significant differences among all of the groups. The CIP method could save labor in the process of making porcelain inlays, and sphered powders could contribute significantly to a decrease in the contraction ratio in the sintering process.
We developed a new calcium phosphate cement containing succinic acid and carboxymethyl-chitin in the liquid component. In this study, the biocompatibility and osteoconductivity of this new cement were investigated. After mixing, cement in putty form was implanted immediately between the periosteum and parietal bone and in the subcutaneous tissues of rats. In control cement, distilled water was used instead of the liquid component. In addition to histological evaluations, analyses with X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared were performed for the subcutaneously implanted cements. Histological examination showed slight inflammation around the new cement on the bone and in the subcutaneous tissue at 1 week after surgery. At 2 weeks, the cement was partially bound to the parietal bone. The extent of the surface of the new cement directly in contact with the bone increased with time, and most of the undersurface of the new cement bound to the host parietal bone by 8 weeks. Analysis by X-ray diffraction showed that the new cement in the subcutaneous tissue was transformed into hydroxyapatite by 8 weeks. These results indicate that this new calcium phosphate cement is useful as a bone substitute material.
OBJECTIVES: Yttria partially stabilized zirconia (YPSZ) ceramic is suitable for dental and medical use because of its high fracture toughness and chemical durability. The purpose of this study was to estimate the cytotoxicity and bonding property of zirconia ceramic compared to other dental ceramics. METHODS: Eight commercial dental ceramics including Denzir (YPSZ) are used in this cytotoxicity test. The human gingival fibroblast (GF) cells were cultured using extraction solutions of ceramics. The cytotoxicity was estimated by two different methods. The bonding strength of Denzir was compared to Empress2 using zinc phosphate, glass ionomer, and adhesive resin cements. A brass plate was prepared with drilled tapered holes and ceramic specimens were prepared to fit the holes and bonded. The bonding strength was estimated by the punching test. RESULTS: No significant (p>0.05) cytotoxicity was observed in all ceramic extractions. The two evaluation methods showed no significant differences. Denzir and Empress2 showed similar bonding strength with zinc phosphate or glass ionomer cement bonding. For both Empress2 and Denzir the glass ionomer cement showed significantly (p<0.001) higher bonding strength compared to the zinc phosphate cement. Empress2 showed significantly higher bonding strength with adhesive resin cement. However, the Denzir showed lower bonding strength with adhesive resin cement. SIGNIFICANCE: No ceramic extractions showed any evidence of cytotoxicity. Therefore, the low in vitro cytotoxicity of ceramic extractions including Denzir was confirmed. Denzir showed a similar bonding strength to Empress2 with zinc phosphate or glass ionomer cement bonding with this testing method and lower bonding strength with adhesive resin cement than with Empress2.
OBJECTIVES: It is important to characterize the surface of dental amalgam in order to understand the process of mercury release from amalgam restorations in the oral cavity. The mercury evaporation occurs not only from the newly made restoration but also from the set material. METHODS: The surfaces of four different types of amalgams, which had been well set, were analyzed with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the relationship between surface compositions and mercury release was studied. Fresh amalgam surfaces as well as aged surfaces, which were stored for 30 days in air, were investigated using XPS and the chemical states of amalgam components and oxygen were studied. The aged surfaces were also characterized with XRD and grazing angle XRD. RESULTS: With increased oxidation, the surface contents of tin and oxygen were increased in all amalgams. In contrast, the surface contents of copper and mercury were decreased. An increase of zinc or indium content were observed in zinc or indium containing amalgams, respectively. A surface layer enriched with indium and oxygen was clearly detected by XPS but not with grazing angle XRD. SIGNIFICANCE: The thickness of the enriched surface layer is estimated to be in the order of few nanometer, which is approximately equal to the analysis depth of XPS. In addition, the presence of metallic elements, like tin and zinc, that readily form a stable oxide layer at the surface suppress the release of mercury.
Two types of non-contact optical profilometers, one performing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) installed with a 3D analyzer and another performing confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were applied to evaluate imaging and surface profiles simultaneously on enamel and dentin after Nd:YAG laser irradiation. The results were correlated with a stylus profilometer. Surface roughness (Ra) was also measured. Laser was applied perpendicularly to vertical sections of human extracted caries-free molars. Analysis was done on the same spot of the same specimen by both SEM and CLSM for comparison. After irradiation, enamel produced a flake-like surface and dentin resulted in a melted globule surface. SEM and CLSM gave similar surface profiles and different image contrast. The Ra obtained by CLSM was larger than that by SEM. Both SEM and CLSM provided a non-contact evaluation of tooth structural change by laser irradiation through surface analysis in selected micro areas, which was not possible using the stylus profilometer.
The differentiation of composite resin from teeth using fluorescence emission was investigated as basic research for the visual detection of resin filled teeth in mass dental health examinations. Fluorescence spectra were taken from extracted human maxillary central incisors and 12 types of light-cured composite resins with a maximum of 15 shades via excitation using light with wavelengths of 400-500 nm. The fluorescence intensity ratio of resin to tooth was lowest around 500 nm for all the resins. The fluorescent images were taken based on spectroscopic results, which confirmed discrimination between the resin part and the tooth in the resin filled tooth.
We compared the cytotoxicity of soluble and particulate titanium (Ti), vanadium (V) and nickel (Ni) by biochemical functional analysis and by microscopic morphology with micro-area elemental analysis in vitro using human neutrophils as probes and in vivo in animals. The biochemical analyses of LDH, superoxide anion, TNF-alpha and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that Ni in solution destroys the cell membrane of neutrophils, whereas Ti and V in solution stimulate neutrophils and increase the quantity of released superoxide anions. Fine Ti particles (1-3 microm), which smaller than neutrophils (about 5 microm), were phagocytized by the cells and the results were similar in vivo. These results showed that the cytotoxic effect of Ti particles is size dependent, and that they must be smaller than that of cells. The present study demonstrated that the biochemical functional tests are useful for evaluating the biocompatibility of materials.
Corrosion, other related properties and biocompatibility of surface nitrided titanium were investigated to examine its possible use as an abrasion resistant implant material. The nitrided layer about 2 microm thick composed of TiN and Ti2N was formed on titanium by a gas nitriding method. The dissolved amount of titanium ion in SBF was as low as the detection limit of ICP, and that in the 1% lactic acid showed no significant difference from titanium. The tissue reaction of the cylindrical implant in soft tissue of rats showed no inflammation, and fine particles of 1 microm induced phagocytosis, which was similar to titanium. The implantation in the femor showed the new bone formed in direct contact with implants. All the results suggested that the wettability, corrosion resistance, S. mutans adhesion and biocompatibility were nearly equivalent to those of titanium. The surface of nitrided titanium was promising, with biocompatibility comparable with titanium, as an implant material such as for an abutment part of a dental implant, which requires high abrasion resistance.