Rods of a visible-light-cured dental composite resin were photo-polymerized and immersed in water at 37 degrees C for 7 days. The residual monomers (TEGDMA and Bis-GMA) trapped in the set composite and those eluted into water were analysed by gas-liquid chromatography. It became evident that minor amounts of the residual monomers dissolved in water, but that most residual monomers remained in the set composite. Extension of the irradiation period contributed to the significant reduction in the residual monomer level and its elution into water.

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Seven commercial visible-light-cured (VL) dental composite resins were analytically studied for identification of the photo-initiator consisting of photo-sensitizer and reducing agent. Gas-liquid chromatography (GC) was used for the determination of the dilute components extracted from the composite resin. Mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) was used for confirmation of the qualitative data obtained by GC. The results showed that all composite resins examined included camphorquinone (CQ) as a photo-sensitizer. The concentration of CQ in the resin phase, however, ranged from 0.17 to 1.03% w/w. The composite resin with hybrid-sized filler tended to have a higher concentration of CQ than did the micro-filled composite resin. As for the reducing agent, two out of seven brands contained dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), and one included dimethyl-p-toluidine (DMPTI). The mixing ratio between CQ and the amine in these three composite resins also varied. Another four brands did not contain either DMAEMA or DMPTI, and would utilize different reducing agents.

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) remodel or regenerate various tissues through several mechanisms. Here, we identified the hMSC-secreted protein SCRG1 and its receptor BST1 as a positive regulator of self-renewal, migration, and osteogenic differentiation. SCRG1 and BST1 gene expression decreased during osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs. Intriguingly, SCRG1 maintained stem cell marker expression (Oct-4 and CD271/LNGFR) and the potentials of self-renewal, migration, and osteogenic differentiation, even at high passage numbers. Thus, the novel SCRG1/BST1 axis determines the fate of hMSCs by regulating their kinetic and differentiation potentials. Our findings provide a new perspective on methods for ex vivo expansion of hMSCs that maintain native stem cell potentials for bone-forming cell therapy.

The radiopacity of 12 VL-cured composite resins was determined with reference to an aluminum step-wedge. Two anterior composites were radiolucent while two anterior and one anterior/posterior composites exhibited the radiopacity equal to, or slightly greater than, that of human enamel. Three posterior and one inlay composites possessed the radiopacity equivalent to, or in tiny excess of, that of human enamel. Three posterior composites had the radiopacity, fairly exceeding that of human enamel. Chemical analyses of the filler particles were carried out with SEM/EDX. It became evident that radiopaque fillers contained at least one radiopaque oxide component such as BaO, ZrO2 and Yb2O3 with varying concentrations. In general, the radiopacity of the composite resin was linearly proportional to the amount of the radiopaque oxide in the filler. It was suggested that ZrO2 was radiopacifier equivalent to, or even stronger than, BaO.

Immunosuppressive/anti-inflammatory macrophage (Mφ), M2-Mφ that expressed the typical M2-Mφs marker, CD206, and anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-10, is beneficial and expected tool for the cytotherapy against inflammatory diseases. Here, we demonstrated that bone marrow-derived lineage-positive (Lin+) blood cells proliferated and differentiated into M2-Mφs by cooperation with the bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) under hypoxic condition: MSCs not only promoted proliferation of undifferentiated M2-Mφs, pre-M2-Mφs, in the Lin+ fraction via a proliferative effect of the MSCs-secreted macrophage colony-stimulating factor, but also promoted M2-Mφ polarization of the pre-M2-Mφs through cell-to-cell contact with the pre-M2-Mφs. Intriguingly, an inhibitor for intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 receptor/lymphocyte function-associated antigen (LFA)-1, Rwj50271, partially suppressed expression of CD206 in the Lin+ blood cells but an inhibitor for VCAM-1 receptor/VLA-4, BIO5192, did not, suggesting that the cell-to-cell adhesion through LFA-1 on pre-M2-Mφs and ICAM-1 on MSCs was supposed to promoted the M2-Mφ polarization. Thus, the co-culture system consisting of bone marrow-derived Lin+ blood cells and MSCs under hypoxic condition was a beneficial supplier of a number of M2-Mφs, which could be clinically applicable to inflammatory diseases.

New fillers have been prepared for visible-light-cured (VL) dental resin composites with the refractive index adjustable to that of the resin phase. These SiO2 glass powders containing TiO2 up to 20 wt% were formed by heating to 1000 degrees C ground gels made from a mixture of Ti[OCH(CH3)2]4 and Si(OC2H5)4. With increasing TiO2 content, the refractive index of the prepared power increased linearly, while the optical transmittance at 467 nm decreased linearly. The experimentally formulated VL-cured resin composites, consisting of (TEGDMA and Bis-GMA) monomer mixture and TiO2-SiO2 glass filler, had greater transmittance when the refractive index of the filler matched that of the monomer mixture, resulting in a greater degree of monomer conversion upon irradiation with VL.