Predictive value of post-operative drain amylase levels for post-operative pancreatic fistula.

Backgrounds/aims: Traditionally, surgically placed pancreatic drains are removed, at the discretion of the operating surgeon. Moving towards enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS), we looked for predictors for early drain removal. The purpose of this paper was to establish which postoperative days' (POD) drain amylase is most predictive against post-operative pancreatic fistula (POPF).

Familial and socio-environmental predictors of overweight and obesity among primary school children in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

Introduction: A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the familial and socio-environmental predictors of overweight and obesity among 1430, 9-12 year-old primary school children and their parents in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

Methodology: Body weight and height were measured and body mass index was calculated. Modified Child Feeding (CFQ) and Determinants of Adolescent Social Well-being and Health (DASH) questionnaires were used to measure familial and socio-environmental factors.

Enhanced surface hardness by boron implantation in Nitinol alloy.

Boron implantation into Nitinol alloy has a potential for developing improved Nitinol root canal instruments with excellent cutting properties, without affecting their superelastic bulk-mechanical properties. The surface hardness of nickel-titanium (NiTi) alloy, also known as "Nitinol" (50 atm% nickel+50 atm% titanium), has been improved by ion-beam surface modification. With an implantation dose of 4.

Complement activation as a possible in vitro indication of the inflammatory potential of endodontic materials.

Samples of four brands of gutta-percha and the nine ingredients that make up one brand were studied in vitro to observe their interaction with the serum complement system, thus allowing for assessment of their possible inflammatory potential. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis of the third complement component was used as an indicator of complement activation. The four different brands of gutta-percha showed comparable complement activation as determined by C3 conversion.

Variations in same-size endodontic files.

Variations in same-size endodontic files (K-type, style B, stainless steel) were detected with a three-dimensional gauge. The variation between same-size files was within 3 mm. in most instances; however, variations from the smallest file in one size group to the largest file in the next size group was 5 mm.