Annual Plan for the Application of Technical Reserve for Institutional Infrastructure Costs for Research

• Grant number: 24/18241-9
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Technical Reserve for Institutional Research Infrastructure
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Dental Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Adriano Fonseca de Lima
• Grantee: Adriano Fonseca de Lima
• Host Institution: Vice-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação. Universidade Paulista (UNIP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The funding proposal aims to enhance the infrastructure of the Biomechanical Analysis Laboratory at the Institute of Health Sciences (ICS) of Universidade Paulista, prioritizing strategic investments to address the unit's most immediate needs. With the requested resources, it will be possible to acquire equipment that will significantly expand the laboratory's capacity to characterize the properties of materials, whether commercial or experimental.The acquisition of an extensometer will enable precise analyses of shrinkage stress, complementing the polymerization shrinkage studies already conducted using the previously acquired LVDT device. This technical advancement will allow for more comprehensive investigations into the performance and durability of innovative or widely used materials in clinical practice.Moreover, the purchase of a brushing machine will facilitate the simulation of various clinical conditions, such as wear and abrasion, enabling tests on how these challenges impact the chemical and mechanical properties of the analyzed materials. This new equipment will bring a competitive advantage to the laboratory, qualifying it to meet the demands of applied research and collaborative projects with companies and other academic institutions.The proposed investments will not only strengthen the laboratory's analytical capabilities but also contribute to advancing scientific knowledge, training researchers, and fostering innovation in the health sector.In part 1, HDPCs will be isolated from the dental pulp of healthy human third molars, and the new co-initiators SE06, SE09, SE19, SE20, and the widely used ethyl 4-dimethylaminobenzoate (EDAB) will be diluted in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to obtain different concentrations (0.5mM, 1mM, 2mM, 4mM). Control groups will be established (pure culture medium and the maximum DMSO concentration used). HDPCs (10 x 10^4 cells per well) will be seeded in 96-well plates and incubated at 37°C and 5% CO2. The cells will be exposed to the different concentrations of co-initiators and maintained in culture medium for 24 h. Then, the culture medium containing the monomers will be removed and analyzed for the release of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1b, IL6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-¿). The cells will be collected, and DNA extracted, treated with MspI and HpaII enzymes for the evaluation of global epigenetic regulation patterns (LINE-1, DNMTs, and TETs) and in specific genes (inflammatory cytokines) by real-time PCR. Mitochondrial metabolism (MTT) and cell death (flow cytometry) will also be assessed.For part 2, experimental composites with the co-initiators (SE06, SE09, SE19, and SE20) combined with camphorquinone (0.5% CQ) and diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate (0.5% DFI) will be evaluated. The resins will be prepared by varying the initiator/co-initiator ratio (1:1 and 1:2). HDPC mitochondrial metabolism, cell death, cytokine release, and gene epigenetic regulation will be evaluated. The degree of conversion of the resin systems will be assessed using a Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR).For part 3, a monomeric base containing bisphenol A diglycidyl methacrylate (BisGMA) 50% and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) 50% will be prepared, with 0.5% CQ and 0.5% DFI. The groups will be established according to the co-initiator (SE06, SE09, SE19, SE20, DMAEMA, and EDAB, used as control) and compound concentration (1% and 2%), establishing 12 experimental groups. These resins will have 60% by weight of Ba-Al-Si filler added. After the preparation of the composites, the degree of conversion of the resin systems will be evaluated in real-time through FTIR. Water sorption and solubility will also be evaluated. The elasticity modulus of adhesives and flexural strength will be obtained from the three-point bending test (25 mm length, 2 mm width, 2 mm thickness). The volumetric contraction of the composites will be evaluated using the bonded disc method, and the contra (AU)