Crown Taper Angles Achieved by Dental Students: A Systematic Review.

The aim of this systematic review was to examine the literature on clinical taper angles achieved by dental students during crown preparation to determine the theoretical and clinically acceptable values identified in research studies. Medline, Embase, Web of Knowledge, the Cochrane Library, the , and the were searched to identify relevant studies. Studies were included if they were in vivo research on full crown preparations by dental students and published in English.

The concentration of ethanol affects its penetration rate in bovine cardiac and hepatic tissues.

Introduction: Ethanol is a commonly used fixative. Fixation of the inner layers of the tissue depends on the ability of the fixative to diffuse into the tissue. It is unknown whether the concentration of ethanol affects its penetration into tissues.

Phaeochromocytoma presenting with labile blood pressures following coronary artery bypass grafting.

Pheochromocytomas have been reported prior to and during coronary artery bypass surgery. We present a patient with an undiagnosed pheochromocytoma who presented with labile hypertension following coronary artery bypass surgery. This case calls attention to the inclusion of an undiagnosed pheochromocytoma in the differential diagnosis for all patients who develop labile hypertension in the postoperative period following cardiac surgery.

Designing for Safety: Implications of a Fifteen Year Review of Swallowed and Aspirated Dentures.

Objectives: Dentures are worn by around 20% of the population, yet if they become displaced they may enter the gastrointestinal or respiratory system, sometimes with grave consequences. The aim of this study was to review recent published literature in order to identify the epidemiology of patients and characteristics of swallowed and aspirated dental prostheses, and propose strategies to minimise these risks.

Material And Methods: A fifteen year retrospective of published case series and case reports was carried out.

Recent advances in the monitoring and control of haemodynamic variables during haemodialysis: a review.

The human body possesses a unique set of organs that are responsible for providing homeostatic balance to the body's fluids. Of these, the kidneys regulate fluid and electrolyte balance in order to maintain the intracellular and extracellular fluid volumes and ion composition within tight limits. When kidneys fail to function normally, fluid is retained and several ions and solutes accumulate.

Identification and control for automated regulation of hemodynamic variables during hemodialysis.

This paper proposes a novel model-based control methodology for a computer-controlled hemodialysis system, designed to maintain the hemodynamic stability of end-stage renal failure patients undergoing fluid removal during hemodialysis. The first objective of this paper is to introduce a linear parameter varying system to model the hemodynamic response of patients during hemodialysis. Ultrafiltration rate (UFR) and dialysate sodium concentration (DSC) are imposed as the inputs, and the model computes the relative blood volume (RBV), percentage change in heart rate ( ∆HR), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) during the course of hemodialysis.

Respiration-induced changes in ear photoplethysmography relates to relative blood volume during hemodialysis.

Renal failure patients provide a good model of fluid overload with the process of hemodialysis leading to central hypovolemia. This study aims to assess if hemodialysis induces identifiable changes in ear photoplethysmographic waveform variability (PPGV). The results are based on data collected from 10 kidney failure patients undergoing regular hemodialysis; classified as either fluid removal or non-fluid removal patients.

Linear parameter varying system based modeling of hemodynamic response to profiled hemodialysis.

This paper proposes a novel linear parameter varying (LPV) system to model the hemodynamic response of end-stage renal failure patients to profiled hemodialysis (PHD). Ultrafiltration rate (UFR) and dialysate sodium concentration (Na) are imposed as the control inputs and the model computes the relative blood volume (RBV), percentage change in heart rate (ΔDHR(%)) and percentage change in systolic blood pressure (ΔDSBP(%)) during the course of hemodialysis. Model parameters are estimated using least squares approach based on data collected from 12 patients where each patient underwent 4 profile hemodialysis sessions.

Frequency spectrum analysis of finger photoplethysmographic waveform variability during haemodialysis.

This study investigates the peripheral circulatory and autonomic response to volume withdrawal in haemodialysis based on spectral analysis of photoplethysmographic waveform variability (PPGV). Frequency spectrum analysis was performed on the baseline and pulse amplitude variabilities of the finger infrared photoplethysmographic (PPG) waveform and on heart rate variability extracted from the ECG signal collected from 18 kidney failure patients undergoing haemodialysis. Spectral powers were calculated from the low frequency (LF, 0.

Model predictive control of relative blood volume and heart rate during hemodialysis.

To maintain the hemodynamic stability of patient undergoing hemodialysis, this article proposes a novel model-based control methodology to regulate the changes in relative blood volume (RBV) and percentage change in heart rate (DeltaHR(%)) during hemodialysis by adjusting the ultrafiltration rate (UFR). The control algorithm uses model predictive control (MPC) to account for system variability and to explicitly handle the constraints on UFR. Linear state-space system with time-varying parameters is introduced to model the RBV and DeltaHR.

Changes in the spectral powers of finger photoplethysmographic waveform variability in hemodialysis patients.

This paper reports changes in the spectral powers of finger photoplethysmographic waveform variability (PPGV) following hemodialysis compared to pre-dialysis. The results are based on data collected from 12 hemodynamically stable patients having regular hemodialysis thrice weekly. Six minutes of continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) and finger infra-red photoplethysmographic (PPG) signals were collected at pre-dialysis and at end of dialysis.

RBF kernel based support vector regression to estimate the blood volume and heart rate responses during hemodialysis.

This paper uses non-linear support vector regression (SVR) to model the blood volume and heart rate (HR) responses in 9 hemodynamically stable kidney failure patients during hemodialysis. Using radial bias function (RBF) kernels the non-parametric models of relative blood volume (RBV) change with time as well as percentage change in HR with respect to RBV were obtained. The e-insensitivity based loss function was used for SVR modeling.

Assessing the blood volume and heart rate responses during haemodialysis in fluid overloaded patients using support vector regression.

This study aims to assess the blood volume and heart rate (HR) responses during haemodialysis in fluid overloaded patients by a nonparametric nonlinear regression approach based on a support vector machine (SVM). Relative blood volume (RBV) and electrocardiogram (ECG) was recorded from 23 haemodynamically stable renal failure patients during regular haemodialysis. Modelling was performed on 18 fluid overloaded patients (fluid removal of >2 L).

Effective health surveillance for occupational asthma in motor vehicle repair.

Background: Diisocyanates are the commonest reported cause of occupational asthma (OA) in the UK. Health surveillance should play an important part in the early detection of disease and the prevention of long-term morbidity.

Aim: To assess the efficacy of a UK-wide health surveillance programme provided to the motor vehicle repair industry.

Chronic kidney disease and automatic reporting of estimated glomerular filtration rate: a position statement.

The systematic staging of chronic kidney disease (CKD) by glomerular filtration measurement and proteinuria has allowed the development of rational and appropriate management plans. One of the barriers to early detection of CKD is the lack of a precise, reliable and consistent measure of kidney function. The most common measure of kidney function is currently serum creatinine concentration.

Outcome of overseas commercial kidney transplantation: an Australian perspective.

Lack of donors has led to a worldwide increase in commercial kidney transplantation programs where recipients acquire kidneys either from executed prisoners or live non-related donors. Commercial transplantation is prohibited by legislation in Australia. Our centres have had 16 patients who have travelled overseas to receive a commercial kidney transplant; five have subsequently died.