Assessing dentists' knowledge and experience in restoring endodontically treated teeth using post & cores

OBJECTIVES: The restoration of endodontically, heavily filled teeth has been a challenge for the dental profession for decades. The aims of this study were to investigate dentists' experience and knowledge in the use of post & core when restoring endodontically treated teeth. METHOD: This was a mixed method study incorporating quantitative and qualitative data collection. An online questionnaire was developed and distributed, comprised of 18 questions. It was calculated that 93 respondents were needed to validate the study of which 60% should meet a minimum knowledge requirement. RESULTS: 173 respondents completed the questionnaire. 109 (63% (95%CI56%,70%) demonstrated proficient knowledge of post & core restorations. Recent graduates were more likely to follow current guidelines (F=4.570: P<0.034). As the age of the respondent increases the number of posts placed (F=18.85; p<0.001) and the perceived confidence level increases (Spearman's Rho 0.43: P<0.01). Experience of postgraduate education also positively influenced clinical confidence. CONCLUSION: The placement of post & cores is influenced by age. Confidence is also influenced by age. More evidence on post usage is required and several questions remain to be answered on what drives decision making and perceived long-term success. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: There is a general acceptance of when a post and core restoration should be used. Clinician experience and age can have an impact on what type of restorations are used. Fibre posts are more commonly used due their accessibility and cost

Kinase D-interacting substrate of 220kDa is overexpressed in gastric cancer and associated with local invasion

Background: Kinase D-interacting substrate of 220kDa (Kidins220), also known as ankyrin repeat-rich membrane spanning protein (ARMS) is a transmembrane scaffold protein. It has been indicated in various malignancies including melanoma, glioma, neuroblastoma, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, and ovarian cancer. Materials and Methods: In the current study, Kidins220 expression was determined at transcript and protein levels. Kidins220 knockdown cell model was established to identify its role in cellular functions including cell cycle, proliferation, and invasion. The relevant cell signalling was analysed by protein array and TCGA gastric cancer cohort. Results: Kidins220 transcript was significantly increased in gastric tumors in comparison with adjacent normal tissues. More advanced tumors (TNM3 and TNM4) exhibited higher protein levels of Kidins220 compared with early-stage tumors (TNM1 and TNM2). Increased expression of Kidins220 in gastric cancer was associated with poorer overall survival. Loss of Kidins220 promoted cell invasion and adhesion of gastric cancer and correlated to EMT and MMP signalling. Knockdown of Kidins220 allowed more cells to enter into G2/M phase in gastric cancer and attribute to cell proliferation with corresponding alteration in cell cycle regulators. Conclusion: Our study identified an increased expression of Kidins220 in gastric cancer, which is associated with disease progression and poor prognosis. The disease progression in gastric cancer can be promoted by the loss of Kidins220 via EMT, MMP and cell cycle signalling

Biomolecular transport at and through two-dimensional materials

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have transformed single molecule nanoscale manipulation and molecular detection. Graphene is one such 2D material whose single-atom thickness and high in-plane electrical conductivity enables potential nanopore sensing applications for controllable nanofluidics and nanopore sensing applications conducive towards biomolecule sequencing. A nanopore sequencer operates by recording the ionic current as a single-stranded DNA molecule is electrophoretically driven through a nanopore; ionic current blockades unique to each nucleotide provide a key to the sequence readout. 2D materials provide the ultimate resolution by isolating one or two nucleotides in the nanopore at a given instance. A major challenge limiting the applications of nanopores for sequencing is the stochastic transport of DNA through the nanopore contributing to noise in the readout. Experiments have tested DNA transport though graphene nanopores however the strong hydrophobic interactions between DNA and graphene limit DNA capture and transport. To increase throughput, exper- iments tested geometric modifications and chemical functionalization of the nanopore as well as altering the solvent conditions to control the passage of DNA through the nanopore with varying degrees of success. To optimize and test the design of nanopores in 2D materials, an atomistic description of these processes is extremely valuable. Here, several modalities of controlling DNA and ion transport through graphene nanopores are compre- hensively investigated using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. The first modality is an application of local electric potentials on the surface of free-standing graphene membranes to limit the transport speed of DNA. Charge on the graphene membrane was discovered to limit DNA transport as well as effect the conformation of adsorbed DNA on the surface of graphene. Similar potentials applied on the surface of graphene-silica-graphene hetrostructures were found to modulate the ion selectivity and induce ionic current rectification useful to serve as elements of a nanofluidic circuit. The second modality focuses on a con- trolled method of DNA delivery to the nanopore by harnessing the strong physioadsorption of DNA onto graphene and defects naturally present on the surface of graphene to guide the lateral transport of DNA to the nanopore opening. The defect guided delivery method may be potentially be used for precise delivery, concentration and storage of scarce biomolecular species and on-demand chemical reactions. Transport of DNA through the 2D material MoS2 in a specialized viscosity gradient was also investigated to determine the nature of molecular transport in unique solvent conditions. Lipid transport diffusion on graphene and the osmotic permeability and selectivity of the biological nanopore OmpF were characterized in conjunction with experiments. Results presented in this dissertation provide key insights into the design of solid-state nanopore based DNA sequencing devices.LimitedAuthor requested closed access (OA after 2yrs) in Vireo ETD syste

Biomolecular transport at and through two-dimensional materials

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have transformed single molecule nanoscale manipulation and molecular detection. Graphene is one such 2D material whose single-atom thickness and high in-plane electrical conductivity enables potential nanopore sensing applications for controllable nanofluidics and nanopore sensing applications conducive towards biomolecule sequencing. A nanopore sequencer operates by recording the ionic current as a single-stranded DNA molecule is electrophoretically driven through a nanopore; ionic current blockades unique to each nucleotide provide a key to the sequence readout. 2D materials provide the ultimate resolution by isolating one or two nucleotides in the nanopore at a given instance. A major challenge limiting the applications of nanopores for sequencing is the stochastic transport of DNA through the nanopore contributing to noise in the readout. Experiments have tested DNA transport though graphene nanopores however the strong hydrophobic interactions between DNA and graphene limit DNA capture and transport. To increase throughput, exper- iments tested geometric modifications and chemical functionalization of the nanopore as well as altering the solvent conditions to control the passage of DNA through the nanopore with varying degrees of success. To optimize and test the design of nanopores in 2D materials, an atomistic description of these processes is extremely valuable. Here, several modalities of controlling DNA and ion transport through graphene nanopores are compre- hensively investigated using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. The first modality is an application of local electric potentials on the surface of free-standing graphene membranes to limit the transport speed of DNA. Charge on the graphene membrane was discovered to limit DNA transport as well as effect the conformation of adsorbed DNA on the surface of graphene. Similar potentials applied on the surface of graphene-silica-graphene hetrostructures were found to modulate the ion selectivity and induce ionic current rectification useful to serve as elements of a nanofluidic circuit. The second modality focuses on a con- trolled method of DNA delivery to the nanopore by harnessing the strong physioadsorption of DNA onto graphene and defects naturally present on the surface of graphene to guide the lateral transport of DNA to the nanopore opening. The defect guided delivery method may be potentially be used for precise delivery, concentration and storage of scarce biomolecular species and on-demand chemical reactions. Transport of DNA through the 2D material MoS2 in a specialized viscosity gradient was also investigated to determine the nature of molecular transport in unique solvent conditions. Lipid transport diffusion on graphene and the osmotic permeability and selectivity of the biological nanopore OmpF were characterized in conjunction with experiments. Results presented in this dissertation provide key insights into the design of solid-state nanopore based DNA sequencing devices.LimitedAuthor requested closed access (OA after 2yrs) in Vireo ETD syste

Modulation of Molecular Flux Using a Graphene Nanopore Capacitor

Modulation of ionic current flowing through nanoscale pores is one of the fundamental biological processes. Inspired by nature, nanopores in synthetic solid-state membranes are being developed to enable rapid analysis of biological macromolecules and to serve as elements of nanofludic circuits. Here, we theoretically investigate ion and water transport through a graphene–insulator–graphene membrane containing a single, electrolyte-filled nanopore. By means of all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we show that the charge state of such a graphene nanopore capacitor can regulate both the selectivity and the magnitude of the nanopore ionic current. At a fixed transmembrane bias, the ionic current can be switched from being carried by an equal mixture of cations and anions to being carried almost exclusively by either cationic or anionic species, depending on the sign of the charge assigned to both plates of the capacitor. Assigning the plates of the capacitor opposite sign charges can either increase the nanopore current or reduce it substantially, depending on the polarity of the bias driving the transmembrane current. Facilitated by the changes of the nanopore surface charge, such ionic current modulations are found to occur despite the physical dimensions of the nanopore being an order of magnitude larger than the screening length of the electrolyte. The ionic current rectification is accompanied by a pronounced electro-osmotic effect that can transport neutral molecules such as proteins and drugs across the solid-state membrane and thereby serve as an interface between electronic and chemical signals

Modulation of Molecular Flux Using a Graphene Nanopore Capacitor

Modulation of ionic current flowing through nanoscale pores is one of the fundamental biological processes. Inspired by nature, nanopores in synthetic solid-state membranes are being developed to enable rapid analysis of biological macromolecules and to serve as elements of nanofludic circuits. Here, we theoretically investigate ion and water transport through a graphene–insulator–graphene membrane containing a single, electrolyte-filled nanopore. By means of all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we show that the charge state of such a graphene nanopore capacitor can regulate both the selectivity and the magnitude of the nanopore ionic current. At a fixed transmembrane bias, the ionic current can be switched from being carried by an equal mixture of cations and anions to being carried almost exclusively by either cationic or anionic species, depending on the sign of the charge assigned to both plates of the capacitor. Assigning the plates of the capacitor opposite sign charges can either increase the nanopore current or reduce it substantially, depending on the polarity of the bias driving the transmembrane current. Facilitated by the changes of the nanopore surface charge, such ionic current modulations are found to occur despite the physical dimensions of the nanopore being an order of magnitude larger than the screening length of the electrolyte. The ionic current rectification is accompanied by a pronounced electro-osmotic effect that can transport neutral molecules such as proteins and drugs across the solid-state membrane and thereby serve as an interface between electronic and chemical signals

Modulation of Molecular Flux Using a Graphene Nanopore Capacitor

Modulation of ionic current flowing through nanoscale pores is one of the fundamental biological processes. Inspired by nature, nanopores in synthetic solid-state membranes are being developed to enable rapid analysis of biological macromolecules and to serve as elements of nanofludic circuits. Here, we theoretically investigate ion and water transport through a graphene–insulator–graphene membrane containing a single, electrolyte-filled nanopore. By means of all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we show that the charge state of such a graphene nanopore capacitor can regulate both the selectivity and the magnitude of the nanopore ionic current. At a fixed transmembrane bias, the ionic current can be switched from being carried by an equal mixture of cations and anions to being carried almost exclusively by either cationic or anionic species, depending on the sign of the charge assigned to both plates of the capacitor. Assigning the plates of the capacitor opposite sign charges can either increase the nanopore current or reduce it substantially, depending on the polarity of the bias driving the transmembrane current. Facilitated by the changes of the nanopore surface charge, such ionic current modulations are found to occur despite the physical dimensions of the nanopore being an order of magnitude larger than the screening length of the electrolyte. The ionic current rectification is accompanied by a pronounced electro-osmotic effect that can transport neutral molecules such as proteins and drugs across the solid-state membrane and thereby serve as an interface between electronic and chemical signals