Surface characterization of noncarious cervical sclerotic dentin following treatment with different acidic conditioners

Abstract no. 29published_or_final_versio

An ultrastructural study of bonding of a self-etching primer to sclerotic dentin

Abstract no. 1538published_or_final_versio

TEM study on application of phosphoric acid and self-etching primer to sclerotic dentin

Abstract no. 27published_or_final_versio

Highly phosphorescent platinum(II) emitters: photophysics, materials and biological applications

published_or_final_versio

Managing BRCA Mutation Carriers in China: Reply

published_or_final_versionSpringer Open Choice, 31 May 201

Effect of acceleration and deceleration distance on the walking speed of people with chronic stroke

published_or_final_versio

Floor transfer test for assessing people with chronic stroke

published_or_final_versio

Bonding to sclerotic dentin using two conditioning methods

published_or_final_versio

Cross-Atlantic modification and validation of the A Tool to assess quality of life in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (ATAQ-IPF-cA)

Rationale: The A Tool to Assess Quality of Life in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (ATAQ-IPF) was developed in the USA to assess health-related quality of life in patients with IPF. It is likely that some of the original ATAQ-IPF items perform differently when applied in different countries. This paper reports results of a study conducted to identify the need to refine the content of the ATAQ-IPF to minimise cross-country bias between the USA and the UK. Methods: The ATAQ-IPF and other study measures were completed by patients attending specialist IPF clinics in the USA and UK. Rasch analysis was used to determine which items performed differently across countries (USA vs UK) and refine the original ATAQ-IPF to an instrument without cross-country bias (ATAQ-IPF-cA). Preliminary validation of the modified instrument was examined by assessing correlations between ATAQ-IPF-cA scores and scores from dyspnoea-specific patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures. Results: 139 patients with IPF (USA=74; UK=65) participated in the study. A total of 41 items and 4 domains were removed from the original, 86-item instrument to yield the 43 items and 10 domains of the ATAQ-IPF-cA. Each domain had good fit to the Rasch model, internal consistency was comparable to the corresponding domains for the original ATAQ-IPF, and validity was supported by significant correlations between its scores and scores from dyspnoea-specific PROs. Conclusions: The reliability and validity of the substantially shortened ATAQ-IPF-cA are acceptable and comparable to the original instrument. We recommend use of the ATAQ-IPF-cA in IPF studies in which participants are enrolled from the USA and UK

Modulation of epithelial immunity by mucosal fluid

Mucosal epithelial cells, including those at the ocular surface, resist infection by most microbes in vivo but can be susceptible to microbial virulence in vitro. While fluids bathing mucosal surfaces (e.g. tears) contain antimicrobials, potentially pathogenic microbes often thrive in these fluids, suggesting that additional mechanisms mediate epithelial resistance in vivo. Here, tear fluid acted directly upon epithelial cells to enhance their resistance to bacterial invasion and cytotoxicity. Resistance correlated with tear fluid-magnified activation of NFκB and AP-1 transcription factors in epithelial cells in response to bacterial antigens, suggesting priming of innate defense pathways. Further analysis revealed differential regulation of potential epithelial cell defense genes by tears. siRNA knockdown confirmed involvement of at least two factors, RNase7 and ST-2, for which tears increased mRNA levels, in protection against bacterial invasion. Thus, the role of mucosal fluids in defense can include modulation of epithelial immunity, in addition to direct effects on microbes