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The connection between TESOL and English-medium instruction (EMI) may appear at first to be somewhat tenuous. After all, teaching English to speakers of other languages is typically accomplished through deliberate, form-focused instruction. On the other hand, EMI presupposes and is enabled by the ability of all participants (e.g., teachers, students, administrative staff) to use English as a lingua franca. Yet if EMI and TESOL are not obvious companions they can exist in a very natural symbiosis, and can potentially inform each other, both in research and in practice. The authors illustrate this first by examining definitions of EMI, and then contrasting them with an analysis of the characteristics of research studies which situate themselves in the area of EMI. After this opening analysis, they introduce the contributions in this special issue as case studies for the opportunities existing for cross-pollination between TESOL and EMI. The authors conclude by arguing that the rapid growth of EMI means that it will be an increasingly important factor in the future, and therefore these connections need not only to be understood, but to be exploited more fully, for the mutual benefit of transnational education and TESOL. (Verlag, adapt.).

This study investigates Swedish university students’ engagement with academic reading in English, with a focus on reading compliance, perceived comprehension, and preparedness. Based on a nationwide survey (N = 1,000), the study offers a representative account of students’ academic reading practices and experiences. While a majority of students report reading most or all assigned English texts and generally find them comprehensible, a substantial minority read selectively/not at all and struggle with understanding. Many students also feel underprepared for the demands of academic reading in English. These challenges are unevenly distributed and show systematic variation across demographic groups (gender, age, level of education and academic discipline). Overall, the study highlights that academic reading in English is not merely a linguistic challenge but a socially and institutionally shaped practice. The findings call for more coordinated support across educational levels, including stronger alignment between pre-tertiary and tertiary education, and targeted interventions to support students’ developing academic reading literacy. This study contributes to the growing literature on academic reading in non-Anglophone higher education contexts.

Tertiary education in many countries is increasingly bilingual, with English used in parallel with the national language, particularly as a reading language. This article describes the results of a survey of student attitudes toward, and reading practices regarding, English language textbooks. Over 1,000 students at three Swedish universities responded to a questionnaire asking about their experiences with English textbooks. Textbooks written in English were generally unpopular, and the perception was widespread that they placed a greater burden on students. However, respondents were divided about whether their reading behavior and their learning outcomes were affected by having a textbook in English, and about whether English texts were desirable. The findings of this study have implications for teaching practices in contexts in which students are asked to read, or are being prepared to read, in a second language. Implications for the English as a foreign language or English as a second language classroom are discussed.

Current bone grafting materials have significant limitations for repairing maxillofacial and dentoalveolar bone deficiencies. An ideal bone tissue-engineering construct is still lacking. The purpose of the present study was first to synthesize and develop a collagen-hydroxyapatite (Col-HA) composite through controlled in situ mineralization on type I collagen fibrils with nanometer-sized apatite crystals, and then evaluate their biologic properties by culturing with mouse and human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). We synthesized Col-HA scaffolds with different Col:HA ratios. Mouse C 3 H 10 T 1/2 MSCs and human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDSCs) were cultured with scaffolds for cell proliferation and biocompatibility assays. We found that the porous Col-HA composites have good biocompatibility and biomimetic properties. The Col-HA composites with ratios 80:20 and 50:50 composites supported the attachments and proliferations of mouse MSCs and hPDSCs. These findings indicate that Col-HA composite complexes have strong potentials for bone tissue regeneration.

The objective of this study is to determine whether elevated circulating plasma catecholamine levels significantly impact opioid requirements during the first 24 hours postoperative period in individuals with acute surgical pain. We retrospectively reviewed 15 electronic medical records (EMRs) from adults 18 years and older, with confirmed elevated plasma catecholamine levels (experimental) and 15 electronic health records (EHRs) from matched-controls for age, gender, race and type of surgery, with a follow up of 24 hours postoperatively. The total morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) requirements from the experimental group were not statistically different when compared with controls [44.1 (13 to 163) mg versus 47.5 (13 to 151) mg respectively; p 0.4965]. However, the intraoperative MMEs showed a significant difference, among the two groups; [(experimental) 32.5 (13. to 130) mg, (control) 15 (6.5 to 130) mg; p 0.0734]. The intraoperative dosage of midazolam showed a highly significant positive correlation to the total MMEs (p 0.0005). The subjects with both elevated plasma catecholamines and hypertension used significantly higher intraoperative MMEs compared to controls [34.1 (13 to 130) mg versus 15 (6.5 to 130) mg, respectively; p 0.0292)]. Those 51 years and younger, with elevated circulating levels of catecholamines, required significantly higher levels of both the postoperative MMEs [29.1 (0 to 45) mg versus 12 (0 to 71.5) mg; (p 0.0553)] and total MMEs [544.05 (13 to 81) mg versus 29.42 (13 to 92.5) mg; (p 0.00018), when compared to controls with history of nicotine and alcohol use. This preliminary study evaluated a biologic factor, which have promising clinical usefulness for predicting analgesic requirements that can drive clinical decisions on acute surgical pain.

Candida albicans has been detected together with Streptococcus mutans in high numbers in plaque-biofilm from children with early childhood caries (ECC). The goal of this study was to examine the C. albicans carriage in children with severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) and the maternal relatedness. Subjects in this pilot cross-sectional study were recruited based on a convenient sample. DMFT(S)/dmft(s) caries and plaque scores were assessed during a comprehensive oral exam. Social-demographic and related background information was collected through a questionnaire. Saliva and plaque sample from all children and mother subjects were collected. C. albicans were isolated by BBL™ CHROMagar™ and also identified using germ tube test. S. mutans was isolated using Mitis Salivarius with Bacitracin selective medium and identified by colony morphology. Genetic relatedness was examined using restriction endonuclease analysis of the C. albicans genome using BssHII (REAG-B). Multilocus sequence typing was used to examine the clustering information of isolated C. albicans. Spot assay was performed to examine the C. albicans Caspofungin susceptibility between S-ECC children and their mothers. All statistical analyses (power analysis for sample size, Spearman's correlation coefficient and multiple regression analyses) were implemented with SAS 9.4. A total of 18 S-ECC child-mother pairs and 17 caries free child-mother pairs were enrolled in the study. Results indicated high C. albicans carriage rate in the oral cavity (saliva and plaque) of both S-ECC children and their mothers (>80%). Spearman's correlation coefficient also indicated a significant correlation between salivary and plaque C. albicans and S. mutans carriage (p<0.01) and caries severity (p<0.05). The levels of C. albicans in the prepared saliva and plaque sample (1ml resuspension) of S-ECC children were 1.3 ± 4.5 x104 cfu/ml and 1.2 ± 3.5 x104 cfu/ml (~3-log higher vs. caries-free children). Among 18 child-mother pairs, >60% of them demonstrated identical C. albicans REAG-B pattern. C. albicans isolated from >65% of child-mother pairs demonstrated similar susceptibility to caspofungin in spot assay, while no caspofungin resistant strains were seen when compared with C. albicans wild-type strain SC5314. Interestingly, the regression analysis showed that factors such as antibiotic usage, birth weight, inhaler use, brushing frequency, and daycare attendance had no significant effect on the oral carriage of C. albicans in the S-ECC children. Our results reveal that both the child with S-ECC and the mother were highly infected with C. albicans, while most of the strains were genetically related, suggesting that the mother might be a source for C. albicans acquisition in the oral cavity of children affected by the disease.

Background and Objectives: Tooth whitening is a relatively conservative and effective option to treat discolored teeth. However, questions remain whether in-office or at-home tooth whitening products with short treatment durations are as effective and stable as products with longer treatment durations. Materials and Methods: Forty human third molars with intact enamel surfaces were divided into four groups of ten each, subjected to discoloration challenges with coffee for 60 h, and they were treated with four professional tooth whitening systems: two for take-home use—6% hydrogen peroxide for 30 min/d for a total of 7 h in 14 days (HP6), 10% carbamide peroxide for 10 h/d for 140 h in 14 days (CP10), as well as two for in-office use—35% HP for 10 min × 3 (HP35) for a total of 30 min and 40% HP for 20 min × 3 (HP40) for a total of 60 min. Teeth colors were assessed in the CIE L*a*b* color space with a spectrophotometer immediately and six months after whitening treatments. Surface roughness (Sa) for the treated and untreated enamel surfaces of the teeth in all groups were evaluated with a three-dimensional laser scanning microscope after six months. Results: No significant differences were found between HP6 and CP10 groups immediately after whitening (∆E 10.6 ± 1.6 vs. 11.4 ± 1.7, p > 0.05) and at six months after treatments (∆E 9.0 ± 1.9 vs. 9.2 ± 2.5, p > 0.05), or between HP35 and HP40 groups immediately after whitening (∆E 5.9 ± 1.2 vs. 5.3 ± 1.7, p > 0.05) and at six months after treatments (∆E 7.2 ± 1.6 vs. 7.7 ± 1.3, p > 0.05). The two at-home whitening systems achieved significantly better whitening outcomes than the two in-office products immediately after whitening (p < 0.05). However, at six months after treatments, the differences between at-home and in-office treatments had narrowed significantly (p > 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences with respect to the Sa values between the treated and untreated surfaces (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Tooth whitening products in the same product category have similar whitening efficacies, despite significant differences in treatment durations (7 vs. 140 h, and 30 min vs. 60 min, respectively). Take-home products achieved better whitening outcomes than in-office products, but they needed 14 to 280 times longer treatment durations.

Background Many studies have demonstrated efficacy of casein phosphopeptide (CPP) containing products for dentin tubule occlusion for treatment of dentin sensitivity, but their effectiveness under dynamic erosive challenges remains to be elucidated. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of a desensitizing dentifrice containing CPP in occluding dentin tubules and resisting erosive challenges in comparison to that containing polyvinyl methyl ether/maleic acid (PVM/MA) copolymers. Methods A total of 33 dentin discs were prepared from coronal sections of human third molars and divided into 3 groups: a toothpaste containing CPP; a toothpaste containing PVM/MA and submicron silica; and a regular toothpaste (Controls). A soft-bristle toothbrush was used to brush the dentin discs with the dentifrices for 45 strokes in 30 s at a force of approximately 200 g. The brushing cycle was repeated after immersion of the dentin discs in artificial saliva overnight. The dentin discs were then challenged in orange juice for 10 min in an incubator rocking at 120 rpm. Three fields were randomly selected on each dentin disk surface to assess dentin tubule occlusions after each brushing cycle and after orange juice challenge with a 3D laser scanning microscope. Specimen cross sections were examined with a scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS). Results After the first and second cycles of brushing, dentin tubules were occluded on average by 56.3% and 85.7% in CPP group, 66.2% and 88.1% in PVM/MA group, and 0.0 and 13.0% in the controls, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in dentin tubule occlusions between the CPP and PVM/MA groups after two cycles of brushing (p>0.05). After dynamic erosive challenges with orange juice, 20.3% of the dentin tubules in the CPP group, 79.1% in the PVM/MA group and none in the control remained occluded (P<0.05). SEM/EDS imaging showed that dentin tubules were blocked with plugs containing dentifrice substances in CPP and PVM/MA groups after treatments, but none in the controls. Conclusions Desensitizing dentifrices containing CPP or PVM/MA could effectively occlude dentin tubules after two cycles of brushing. PVM/MA in combination with submicron silicon dioxide exhibited stronger resistance to dynamic erosive challenges by acidic beverages. Inorganic fillers that can enter dentin tubules and resist erosive challenges may be key for desensitizing dentifrices.

Objective The objective of this study was to test the effectiveness of resin-based materials against erosive enamel wear under erosive and abrasive challenges by orange juice and tooth brushing. Methods Fifty enamel specimens from third molars were assigned to five groups: ICON resin infiltration with no etching (ICON-NE), ICON resin infiltration with 15 % HCl etching (ICON-AE), Seal & Protect sealant (S&P), Tetric EvoFlow (TEF), and control. Erosive lesions were first created on enamel, then treated with resin-based materials. Erosive and abrasive challenges by orange juice and tooth brushing were repeated after treatments. Erosive wear of the treated areas was measured with 3D scanning microscopy, and data were analyzed using ANOVA and paired t tests. Results Treatments with ICON, S&P, and TEF created a protective material coating of 4.5 ± 1.9 μm, 44.3 ± 8.1 μm, and 84.6 ± 15.7 μm in thickness on the lesion surfaces, respectively. After 15 cycles of erosive and abrasive challenges, enamel or material losses were 21.9 ± 2.3 μm for control, 24.5 ± 4.0 μm for ICON-NE, 24.6 ± 7.4 μm for ICON-AE, 11.2 ± 4.1 μm for S&P, and 3.9 ± 1.9 μm for TEF, respectively. The protective coatings were completely lost in the ICON infiltration groups but remained intact in both the S&P and TEF groups after erosive and abrasive challenges. Conclusion In contrast to a resin sealant and a flowable composite, ICON infiltration resin was not effective in protecting enamel surfaces from erosive and abrasive wear. Clinical relevance Sealant and flowable composite resin may create protective coatings on eroded enamel surfaces and prevent further tissue loss.