[Impressions techniques--Part 2].

A dental impression is a positive replica of the teeth, the surrounding gingiva and the border between them; the purpose of which is to create an accurate master model. Two major techniques for impressions exist today: The conventional and the digital impressions. The current article describes both techniques.

Assessment of an existing and modified model for predicting non sentinel lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patients with positive sentinel node biopsy.

Summary: The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) breast nomogram has been validated in different populations. In this study, the nomogram was validated for the first time in a Middle East population sample. Although our sample was found to have significant differences from the dataset from which the model was derived, the nomogram proved to be accurate in predicting non sentinel axillary lymph node metastasis.

Factors influencing vancomycin loading dose for hospitalized hemodialysis patients: prospective observational cohort study.

Background: The increasing use of vancomycin to treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has resulted in reduced susceptibility of MRSA to this drug. It is important to optimize vancomycin dosing in patients who are undergoing hemodialysis to attain a pre-hemodialysis serum concentration sufficient to eradicate MRSA, in accordance with recent guideline recommendations.

Objectives: To establish the optimal strategy for vancomycin loading dose in patients undergoing hemodialysis and to explore the determinants of pre-hemodialysis serum concentration of vancomycin measured in these patients.

[Tissue displacement and impression techniques--part 1].

In order to create an accurate model of the soft and hard tissues of the mouth, a complete control of the gingiva around the prepared teeth is needed. This gingiva must be displaced and bleeding must be avoided. This article describes the three techniques for tissue displacement: mechanical, chemicomechanical and surgical.

Comparison of alteplase (tissue plasminogen activator) high-dose vs. low-dose protocol in restoring hemodialysis catheter function: the ALTE-DOSE study.

Hemodialysis catheter (HDC) dysfunction due to thrombosis is common, and dysfunction incidence can reach up to 50% within 1 year of use. Although administration of intraluminal alteplase (tissue plasminogen activator [tPA]) is the standard of practice to pharmacologically restore HDC function, there are no evidence-based guidelines concerning the optimal tPA dose. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of 1.

Mass attenuation coefficients of soil and sediment samples using gamma energies from 46.5 to 1332 keV.

Mass attenuation coefficients of various soil and sediment samples (density range between 1.0 and 1.7 g cm(-3)) collected from 60 sites distributed in Syrian land have been determined for gamma lines of 46.

Evaluating undergraduate nursing students' learning using standardized patients.

Background: The use of standardized patients is an established training technique in medical education. However, this problem-based learning approach is relatively new to the field of nursing education. Its benefits to undergraduate nursing education continue to be underinvestigated in the nursing literature.

Development and psychometric assessment of the undergraduate nursing student academic satisfaction scale (UNSASS).

Background And Purpose: To examine the psychometric properties of a newly developed instrument: The Undergraduate Nursing Student Academic Satisfaction Scale (UNSASS).

Methods: A self-report test-retest questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of 313 students enrolled in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) program in Ontario, Canada.

Results: The psychometric analysis yielded a 48-item multidimensional instrument.

Biological and anti-inflammatory evaluation of two thiazole compounds in RAW cell line: potential cyclooxygenase-2 specific inhibitors.

The anti-inflammatory effect of two new thiazoles derivatives CX-32 (N-[4-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,3-thiazol-2-yl]acetamide) and CX-35 (4-(2-amino-1,3-thiazol-4-yl)-2-methoxyphenol), was investigated in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cell line. Synthesis, structure analysis and purity of these compounds were evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography, H1 NMR, and C13 NMR.

A descriptive study exploring the principles of asepsis techniques among perioperative personnel during surgery.

Background: Perioperative nurses are expected to demonstrate strict adherence with asepsis principles to prevent surgical site infections (SSIs) as breaching of these principles poses a serious risk of infection to surgical patients.

Methods: A descriptive survey was conducted with a convenience sample of 87 perioperative personnel to describe self-reported compliance with the principles of asepsis during surgery.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the practices of perioperative scrub personnel with surgical asepsis.

Exploring the benefits of double gloving during surgery.

Breaches in the glove barrier pose a risk for transmission of bloodborne pathogens during surgical procedures. Double gloving or double gloving with an indicator glove system may provide added protection. For this 24-month study, we used a comparative design to examine the effect of double gloving with inner indicator gloves on the durability of inner gloves and the detection of glove tears or perforations during surgery.

Predictors of the development of surgical complications among hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients.

Background: This study was designed to determine possible risk factors for the development of surgical complications after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). HSCT carries the possibility for the development of surgical morbidities and mortalities; certain populations of patients are at higher risk for developing complications. Defining those risk factors will help surgeons to anticipate and manage these complications.

The distribution of physicians workforce in Louisiana: results from a cross-sectional study.

For the past two decades, Louisiana's population health rankings as reported by the United Health Foundation have been among the lowest in the nation. In addition, the 2009 Commonwealth State Scorecards Report ranked the Louisiana health system performance, in terms of health outcomes, among the poorest in the nation. One reason for this disparity could be attributed to shortages of physicians and other healthcare resources in the state.

Exploring the influence of enforcing infection control directives on the risk of developing healthcare associated infections in the intensive care unit: a retrospective study.

Background: Although strict adherence to infection control strategies is recognised as the simplest and most cost effective method to prevent the spread of healthcare associated infections (HAIs), measurement of the direct impact that such adherence may have on the risk of developing such infections has always been a challenge.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the risk of HAIs before and during the SARS outbreak. Such comparison is intended to provide a surrogate measure of the influence that strict enforcement of infection control strategies during the SARS outbreak may have had on the risk of HAIs.

An in vitro nutritive evaluation of olive tree (Olea europaea) pruning residues as affected by cutting regimen.

Nutritive values of the branches from Olea europaea trees cut at 25, 50, 75 or 100 cm distance from the tip were evaluated by determination of the in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM), metabolizable energy (ME), net energy lactation (NEL), and presence nutritional and anti-nutritional components. The values of nutritive components, nitrogen forms, IVDOM, ME and NEL declined and concentrations of crude fiber and cell wall constituents increased with the increase in cutting length. Total phenols, hydrolysable tannins and condensed tannins amounted to 70, 17 and 0.

NORM emissions from heavy oil and natural gas fired power plants in Syria.

Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) have been determined in fly and bottom ash collected from four major Syrian power plants fired by heavy oil and natural gas. (210)Pb and (210)Po were the main NORM radionuclides detected in the fly and bottom ash. (210)Pb activity concentrations have reached 3393±10 Bq kg(-1) and 4023±7 Bq kg(-1) in fly ash and bottom ash, respectively; lower values of (210)Po were observed due to its high volatility.

Phyllodes tumor of the breast: role of CD10 in predicting metastasis.

Background: Phyllodes tumors are classified as benign, borderline, and malignant according to a group of histological features. The expression of many biological markers has been explored to discriminate between different grades of phyllodes tumor and to predict their behavior. The immunohistochemical expression of CD10 has been shown to discriminate between benign and other grades of phyllodes tumor but has not been evaluated as a predictor of metastasis.

A descriptive study of functions, symptoms, and perceived health state after radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Purpose: To explore the impact of prostate cancer treatment on: (a) the experience of symptoms (i.e. sexual, urinary, and bowel), and (b) perceived health state of men with prostate cancer one month following their radiation treatment.

A single-centre chart review exploring the adjusted association between breast cancer phenotype and prognosis.

Purpose And Methods: Using a retrospective chart review, we investigated the differences in survival and prognostic factors between patients with triple-negative breast cancer (tnbc) and those with non-tnbc. The review included 1018 breast cancer patients who were diagnosed between 2000 and 2005 in Essex, Kent, and Lambton counties in Ontario, Canada.

Results: Our findings indicate that, although the unadjusted results suggested that patients with tnbc were more likely than patients with non-tnbc to die [hazard ratio (hr): 2.

The small GTPase BcCdc42 affects nuclear division, germination and virulence of the gray mold fungus Botrytis cinerea.

The small GTPase Cdc42 plays a central role in various processes in eukaryotic cells including growth, differentiation and cytoskeleton organization. Whereas it is essential in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, its role in filamentous fungi differs, due to the complementing, partly overlapping function of Rac. We analyzed the role of the Cdc42 homologue in the necrotrophic, broad host range pathogen Botrytis cinerea.