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.

Inpatients' awareness of admission reasons and management plans of their clinical conditions at a tertiary hospital in South Africa.

Background: Inpatient awareness of the reason for their admission and the planned management enhances patient compliance and empowers patients to be resourceful in subsequent consultations. The objective of this study was to determine patients' awareness of their clinical conditions while admitted to an academic hospital.

Methods: A survey was conducted at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital in Pretoria, from 6 to 17 December 2010, on 264 inpatients drawn from a population of 837 through a systematic sampling method.

A comparison of the pharmacokinetics of Aspen Ceftriaxone and Rocephin in community-acquired meningitis.

Background: Community-acquired bacterial meningitis (CABM) is a life-threatening condition that is common among immunocompromised individuals. Intravenous ceftriaxone, of which Rocephin (ROC) is the originator brand, is recommended as first-line therapy in South Africa. Despite concerns regarding therapeutic equivalence with generic agents, this is the first study that has been conducted comparing clinical pharmacokinetics (PK) of a generic ceftriaxone formulation with the originator.