Politehnica University of Bucharest, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, Department of General Chemistry, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042, Bucharest, Romania
Mr. Radu Nartita
Politehnica University of Bucharest, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, Department of General Chemistry, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042, Bucharest, Romania
Sepsis is one of the most common causes of death in critical patients. Severe generalized inflammation, infections, and severe physiological imbalances significantly decrease the survival rate with more than 50%. Moreover, monitoring, evaluation, and therapy management often become extremely difficult for the clinician in this type of patients. Current methods of diagnosing sepsis vary based especially on the determination of biochemical-humoral markers, such as cytokines, components of the complement, and proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory compounds. Recent studies highlight the use of new biomarkers for sepsis, namely, miRNAs. miRNAs belong to a class of small, noncoding RNAs with an approximate content of 19–23 nucleotides. Following biochemical and physiological imbalances, the expression of miRNAs in blood or other body fluids changes significantly. Moreover, its stability, specificity, and selectivity make miRNAs ideal candidates for sepsis biomarkers. In conclusion, we can affirm that stable species of circulating miRNAs represent potential biomarkers for monitoring the evolution of sepsis.
Starting with a description of the meaning of sustainable coating nowadays, this review presents a selection of methods for sustainable coatings manufacture using raw materials, saving energy and costs. This selection creates an introduction for the coatings performances of intensively investigated coated alloys and their multifunctionality. There are many examples and EU recommendations to be discussed, and we especially chose to introduce sustainable coatings with both industrial and medical functions, such as bioinspired films and coatings on high-entropy alloys, biodegradable metallic alloys, etc. A special focus is on nanotechnology and nanomaterials in green procedures, enhancing coatings’ multifunctionality, introducing green corrosion inhibitors, smart additives, and coatings based on superhydrophobicity. The conclusions and future perspectives of sustainable and multifunctional coatings, as expressions of sustainable advanced materials, are based on important motivations of such studies.
Amidst the prevalence of aggressive bacterial infections that can impact both oral and systemic health following various dental and implant procedures, the search for alternative, high-performing and biocompatible materials has become a challenging pursuit. The need for such investigations is increasing owing to the fact that toxicological risks of cobalt–chromium (CoCr) alloys used in dentistry have become a part of the EU’s new Medical Devices Regulations establishing that cobalt metal has been classified as carcinogenic, genotoxic and detrimental to reproduction. Within this context, this review proposes high entropy alloys (HEA) as potential alternatives and presents their characteristics and in vitro biological performance when used as a substrate or coating. Anatomical details of the oral cavity in relationship with prosthodontics and implant dentistry support the paper’s motivation and presentation. The review highlights the innovative manufacturing procedures, microstructure and properties of both the bulk and coatings of BioHEA. It evaluates the performance of BioHEAs based on their complete characterization and assesses their suitability for novel applications in dentistry, serving as the primary objective of this manuscript.
High-entropy alloys (HEAs), also known as multicomponent or multi-principal element alloys (MPEAs), differ from traditional alloys, which are usually based only on one principal element, in that they are usually fabricated from five or more elements in large percentages related to each other, in the range of 5%–35%. Despite the usually outstanding characteristics of HEAs, based on a properly selected design, many such alloys are coated with advanced composites after their elaboration to further improve their qualities. In this study, 73Ti-20Zr-5Ta-2Ag samples were covered with chitosan and a mixture of chitosan, bioglass, and ZnO particles to improve the materials’ antibacterial properties. A variety of methods, including scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and mechanical and electrochemical determinations, has permitted a quantified comparison between the coated and uncoated surfaces of this medium–high-entropy alloy. The materials’ properties were enhanced by the complex coating, giving the alloys not only high antibacterial activity, but also good corrosion protection.
This paper is a review focused on the capability of graphene oxide (GO) coatings in preventing peri-implantitis. Firstly, the paper establishes GO’s place in the frame of carbonic materials and its role as a composite material in dentistry in the prevention of bacterial infections and in sustaining osseointegration. Secondly, the most relevant articles on GO as implant coatings and their associated shortcomings are presented and emphasizing is placed on the areas where more data is needed. The main chapters are devoted to the relationship between GO and biofilm formation on the implants and the surrounding periodontal tissue and we also attempt to evaluate GO’s efficacy in the case of peri-implantitis. Our findings strongly indicate that GO is a promising material for mitigating the problems mentioned, but some answers remain to be answered through rigorous research before declaring it a real success.
This review article was developed based on the scientometric analysis of the evaluated studies conducted on titanium−zirconium (TixZr) alloys from 2000 to the present. The scientometric data obtained helped us to identify the most researched topics and these topics were further analyzed and discussed. An increasing number of researchers are considering TixZr alloys as opposed to the traditional ones because these alloys present improved mechanical properties and in some cases improved corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. Due to the natural layer of oxides formed on these alloys, multiple surface modification methods can be applied to solve some of the challenges faced in the field of implantable materials. A significant number of studies are now focusing on surface modifications at the nanometer scale or various coatings for improved corrosion resistance and biological interactions. Although not yet commercially available, a TiZr alloy with a nanostructured surface and embedded biologically active substances, such as antibiotics or coated with hydroxyapatite, may become a future option.