A comparative study of the cutting efficiency of diamond rotary instruments with different grit sizes with a low-speed electric handpiece against zirconia specimens.

Statement Of Problem: The use of zirconia in dentistry has increased. However, little attention has been given to the difficulty experienced by clinicians when cutting zirconia restorations intraorally. Evidence for which grit size and type of rotary instrument is best for cutting zirconia intraorally is lacking.

Are interpersonal communication skills adequately taught at postgraduate specialist level in South Africa? The neurology experience.

Background: Interpersonal communication skills by clinicians with patients, carers, fellow health professionals and legal professionals carry many unique challenges in practice. Whilst undergraduate training in communication helps with generic information receiving and information giving, uncomfortable and demanding speciality-specific issues in the various medical specialities are not covered during under- and postgraduate training.

Methods: The aim of this study was to determine the self-perceived competence of neurology registrars and neurologists in interpersonal communication and the need for such assessment in college exit exams.

Airflow distribution with manual hyperinflation as assessed through gamma camera imaging: a crossover randomised trial.

Objectives: Manual hyperinflation (MHI) has been shown to improve lung compliance, reduce airway resistance, and enhance secretion removal and peak expiratory flow. The aims of this study were to investigate whether there is a difference in airflow distribution through patients' lungs when using the Laerdal and Mapleson-C circuits at a set level of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), and to establish whether differences in lung compliance and haemodynamic status exist when patients are treated with both these MHI circuits.

Design: Crossover randomised controlled trial.

Evaluation of an uncollimated printed paper transmission source used under scatter limiting conditions.

Transmission sources used for image attenuation correction, allowing image quantification, are collimated to reduce scatter. We propose the same effect can be achieved for an uncollimated source by increasing source to patient distance. The aim was to compare planar image performance characteristics and absorbed doses of uncollimated and collimated radioactive printed paper transmission sources.

Evaluation of a decision support system for interpretation of myocardial perfusion gated SPECT.

Purpose: We have recently presented a decision support system for interpreting myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS). In this study, we wanted to evaluate the system in a separate hospital from where it was trained and to compare it with a quantification software package.

Methods: A completely automated method based on neural networks was trained for the interpretation of MPS regarding myocardial ischaemia and infarction using 418 MPS from one hospital.