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The unfitted finite element methods have emerged as a popular alternative to classical finite element methods for the solution of partial differential equations and allow modeling arbitrary geometries without the need for a boundary‐conforming mesh. On the other hand, the efficient solution of the resultant system is a challenging task because of the numerical ill‐conditioning that typically entails from the formulation of such methods. We use an adaptive geometric multigrid solver for the solution of the mixed finite cell formulation of saddle‐point problems and investigate its convergence in the context of the Stokes and Navier–Stokes equations. We present two smoothers for the treatment of cutcells in the finite cell method and analyze their effectiveness for the model problems using a numerical benchmark. Results indicate that the presented multigrid method is capable of solving the model problems independently of the problem size and is robust with respect to the depth of the grid hierarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maxillofacial osteochondromas are considered benign neoplasms, and compared with their extracranial variant are relatively rare. When they involve the mandibular condyle they can induce significant facial deformity, malocclusion and various temporomandibular joint symptoms. Complete excision is considered the standard of care, but can lead to a reduction in the height of the ipsilateral mandible with resultant complications. In such cases, reconstruction is usually warranted and may be approached in various ways. This case report demonstrates a straightforward, accurate and reproducible approach to reconstructing the TMJ, facial profile and occlusion following resection of a large TMJ osteochondroma, without the need for concomitant orthodontics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, two widely used artificial intelligence techniques, i.e. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS), were applied for global solar radiation (GSR) prediction in Isfahan Province, Iran. Different sets of meteorological data were used as inputs to specify the best set of inputs. Relative humidity and precipitation had an unfavorable effect on radiation prediction, while the number of days, sunshine duration, minimum temperature, maximum temperature, daylight hours and clear-sky radiation were effective parameters to determine GSR. Using the mentioned parameters as inputs, 6-5-1 architecture had the best performance without overtraining. In ANFIS models, ' triangular-shaped' had the highest performance amongst different types of membership functions. Resulted correlation coefficients and errors showed that ANN was generally better than ANFIS for this purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a complex disease that involves collapse of the upper airway during sleep, subsequent abnormal reduction or complete cessation of airflow. OSA is one of the most common medical disorders in the general population. Adult prevalence ranges from 9% to 38%, higher in men and the older population. Sleep disorders cost the Australian economy $45.21 billion. OSA is underdiagnosed and undertreated in Australia. Evaluate health practitioners and general public's knowledge of OSA risk factors, screening, clinical signs, treatment– surgical vs non-surgical including maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) compared to uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). Secondary aims - increase knowledge of participants and stimulate referral, multidisciplinary (MD) assessment and management. This 28-question quantitative online survey evaluated the knowledge of adult and paediatric OSA amongst health professionals and members of the general public across Australia. There were 420 participants, 80% (n=335) registered health practitioners 33% (n=138) involved in the assessment or treatment of OSA practitioners. 70% of dentists and dental specialists were aware of MMA. 78% of critical care physicians were aware of UPPP compared to 50% aware of MMA. Most groups performed well in sign and symptom recognition of individuals with OSA. Most participants are uncertain regarding surgical interventions efficacy. Critical-care and physician's favour UPPP over MMA. Less than 46% of all participants believe retrognathism is associated with OSA – either due to believing in no association or unawareness on how to diagnose retrognathism. OSA knowledge deficits exist and it continues to require MD assessment and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the different classes of physical properties of foods, color is considered the most important visual attribute in quality perception. Consumers tend to associate color with quality due to its good correlation with physical, chemical and sensorial evaluations of food quality. This study used an inexpensive method to predict sweet cherries color parameters by combining image processing and artificial neural network (ANN) techniques. The color measuring technique consisted of a CCD camera for image acquisition, MATLAB software for image analysis, and ANN for modeling. To demonstrate the usefulness of this technique, changes of cherry color during ripening were studied. After designing, training, and generalizing several ANNs using Levenberg- Marquardt algorithm, a network with 7-14-11-3 architecture showed the best correlation (R2= 0.9999) for L*, a* and b* values from Chroma meter and the machine vision system. L* and b* parameters decreased during ripening of cherries and a* parameter increased at first and then decreased. Evaluation of L*, a* and b* values showed the possibility of reliable use of this system for determination of absolute color values of foodstuffs with a much lower cost in comparison with Chroma meter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The global wine industry is mostly reliant on the use of active dry yeasts to conduct wine fermentations. The use of single industrial yeasts, however, may result in the loss of complexity or uniqueness of the wine bouquet; the option of fermenting grape musts with multiple active dried yeast strains could enhance the complexity and quality of wines. Two novel Burgundian Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains (C2, C6) were compared with six industrial yeast strains for fermentation of Chardonnay must. The volatile compounds in the wines were identified and quantified using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The concentrations of 18 volatile compounds (higher alcohols, ethyl esters, acetate esters, acetaldehyde, acetic acid) were compared using analysis of variance and radar diagrams. The concentration of volatile compounds in wines produced by industrial and Burgundian strains differed significantly. Principal component analyses of the volatile compounds (higher alcohols, ethyl esters, acetate esters) in the wines revealed that fermentations with individual and mixed Burgundian strains were more similar to one another than wines fermented with industrial strains. Calculation of odor active values (OAVs) allowed estimation of the sensory impact of each volatile compound. Radar diagrams of the OAVs revealed the estimated sensory profiles of the wine produced by industrial and Burgundian (individual, mixed) strains. The most distinguishing trait of the mixed novel Burgundian yeast strains was that they produced intermediate concentrations of most volatile compounds and that production of fruity aromas such as sweet fruit, strawberry, green apple, pear and banana were above the sensory threshold, while the production of nail polish, waxy, balsamic and vinegar were below the human perception threshold. The mixed culture of Burgundian yeast strains produced wines that were unique and more complex than wines produced with single industrial yeast strains. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: Hemoglobin A1c (A1C) has recently been recommended for diagnosing diabetes mellitus and diabetes risk (prediabetes). Its performance compared with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and 2-h post-glucose load (2HPG) is not well delineated. We compared the performance of A1C with that of FPG and 2HPG in preoperative cardiac surgery patients.Methods: Data from 92 patients without a history of diabetes were analyzed. Patients were classified with diabetes or prediabetes using established cutoffs for FPG, 2HPG, and A1C. Sensitivity and specificity of the new A1C criteria were evaluated.Results: All patients diagnosed with diabetes by A1C also had impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, or diabetes by other criteria. Using FPG as the reference, sensitivity and specificity of A1C for diagnosing diabetes were 50% and 96%, and using 2HPG as the reference they were 25% and 95%. Sensitivity and specificity for identifying prediabetes with FPG as the reference were 51% and 51%, respectively, and with 2HPG were 53% and 51%, respectively. One-third each of patients with prediabetes was identified using FPG, A1C, or both. When testing A1C and FPG concurrently, the sensitivity of diagnosing dysglycemia increased to 93% stipulating one or both tests are abnormal; specificity increased to 100% if both tests were required to be abnormal.Conclusions: In patients before cardiac surgery, A1C criteria identified the largest number of patients with diabetes and prediabetes. For diagnosing prediabetes, A1C and FPG were discordant and characterized different groups of patients, therefore altering the distribution of diabetes risk. Simultaneous measurement of FGP and A1C may be a more sensitive and specific tool for identifying high-risk individuals with diabetes and prediabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Pharyngeal anesthesia is widely used as an adjunct to sedation during upper endoscopy. Methemoglobinemia and anaphylactic reactions are rare but serious complications of topical anesthetic agents. Individual studies produce variable results about the effectiveness of pharyngeal anesthesia in improving patient tolerance. OBJECTIVE: A systematic review was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of pharyngeal anesthesia in improving patient tolerance and ease of endoscopy during sedated upper endoscopy. DESIGN: A MEDLINE search, an EMBASE search, and manual searches were performed to identify pertinent English language articles. Randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing the efficacy of pharyngeal anesthesia to placebo or no treatment were identified. Duplicate data extraction about patient tolerance of the procedure and endoscopist assessment regarding the ease of endoscopy was performed. RESULTS: From a pool of 53 studies, 5 RCTs evaluated a total of 491 patients and provided interpretable data. Patients who rated their discomfort during the sedated procedure as none/minimal were more likely to have received pharyngeal anesthesia (odds ratio [OR] 1.88, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13-3.12). Endoscopists were more likely to rate the procedure as 'not difficult' for patients who received pharyngeal anesthesia (OR 2.60, 95% CI 1.63-4.17). LIMITATIONS: Lack of standardized outcome measurements and standardized sedation strategies led to heterogeneity in the patient-tolerance portion of the meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Pharyngeal anesthesia before upper endoscopy improves ease of endoscopy and also improves patient tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Penetration depth between SWEEPS and PIPS method was evaluated. • The PIPS method showed higher penetration depth compare to SWEEPS method. • The penetration depth of ICG is higher than MB. • Er:YAG laser irradiation can penetrate the irrigant so it can help to achieve better final endodontics result. This study aimed to investigate the penetration depth of two different dyes after root canal preparation using PIPS and SWEEPS methods. A total of 60 single-rooted human teeth which were extracted for periodontal reasons were collected and stored in the sterile saline until using in the study. The crowns of the teeth were cut such that the remaining piece was 12 mm long. The root canals were prepared. Teeth were divided randomly into two initial groups (n = 30): indocyanine green solution (ICG) and methylene blue solution. Then, these teeth were divided into final subgroups (n = 10): Er:YAG laser irradiation with PIPS(photon-induced photoacoustic streaming) technique, Er:YAG laser irradiation with SWEEPS(shock-wave enhanced emission photoacoustic streaming) technique, and no irradiation. The penetration depth measurements were done by the stereo microscope in three zones of each specimen. The difference between ICG in the control group and PIPS and SWEEPS in the coronal area was not significant. In the middle section the difference between PIPS and the control group was marginally insignificant (P = 0.053). In the methylene blue group, PIPS had significantly higher penetration depth in the apical area compared to the control group (P = 0.004). In the middle section, both PIPS and SWEEPS showed significantly higher penetration than the control group. According to the results of this study, the laser has the potential to increase the penetration of methylene blue. Root canal preparation with the PIPS technique can increase the dye penetration. However, the SWEEPS technique and the conventional method have a similar outcome in terms of dye penetration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statement of the problem The General Dental Council (GDC) states that members of the dental team have to 'communicate clearly and effectively with other team members and colleagues in the interest of patients'. A number of studies from different parts of the world have highlighted problems and confirmed the need for improved communication methods and production techniques between dentists and dental technicians.Aim The aim of this study was to identify the communication methods and production techniques used by dentists and dental technicians for the fabrication of fixed prostheses within the UK from the dental technicians' perspective. The current publication reports on the communication methods.Materials and methods Seven hundred and eighty-two online questionnaires were distributed to the Dental Laboratories Association membership and included a broad range of topics. Statistical analysis was undertaken to test the influence of various demographic variables.Results The number of completed responses totalled 248 (32% response rate). The laboratory prescription and the telephone were the main communication tools used. Statistical analysis of the results showed that a greater number of communication methods were used by large laboratories. Frequently missing items from the laboratory prescription were the shade and the date required. The majority of respondents (73%) stated that a single shade was selected in over half of cases. Sixty-eight percent replied that the dentist allowed sufficient laboratory time. Twenty-six percent of laboratories felt either rarely involved or not involved at all as part of the dental team.Conclusion This study suggests that there are continuing communication and teamwork issues between dentists and dental laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The aim of this study was to identify the communication methods and production techniques used by dentists and dental technicians for the fabrication of fixed prostheses within the UK from the dental technicians' perspective. This second paper reports on the production techniques utilised.Materials and methods Seven hundred and eighty-two online questionnaires were distributed to the Dental Laboratories Association membership and included a broad range of topics, such as demographics, impression disinfection and suitability, and various production techniques. Settings were managed in order to ensure anonymity of respondents. Statistical analysis was undertaken to test the influence of various demographic variables such as the source of information, the location, and the size of the dental laboratory.Results The number of completed responses totalled 248 (32% response rate). Ninety percent of the respondents were based in England and the majority of dental laboratories were categorised as small sized (working with up to 25 dentists). Concerns were raised regarding inadequate disinfection protocols between dentists and dental laboratories and the poor quality of master impressions. Full arch plastic trays were the most popular impression tray used by dentists in the fabrication of crowns (61%) and bridgework (68%). The majority (89%) of jaw registration records were considered inaccurate. Forty-four percent of dental laboratories preferred using semi-adjustable articulators. Axial and occlusal under-preparation of abutment teeth was reported as an issue in about 25% of cases. Base metal alloy was the most (52%) commonly used alloy material. Metal-ceramic crowns were the most popular choice for anterior (69%) and posterior (70%) cases. The various factors considered did not have any statistically significant effect on the answers provided. The only notable exception was the fact that more methods of communicating the size and shape of crowns were utilised for large laboratories.Conclusion This study suggests that there are continuing issues in the production techniques utilised between dentists and dental laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The cell morphology and mechanical behavior of open-cell polyurethane and nickel foams are investigated by means of combined 3D X-ray micro-tomography and large scale finite element simulations. Our quantitative 3D image analysis and finite element simulations demonstrate that the strongly anisotropic tensile behavior of nickel foams is due to the cell anisotropy induced by the deformation of PU precursor during the electroplating and heat treatment stages of nickel foam processing. In situ tensile tests on PU foams reveal that the initial main elongation axis of the cells evolves from the foam sheet normal direction to the rolling direction of the coils. Finite element simulations of the hyperelastic behavior of PU foams based on real cell morphology confirm the observation that cell struts do not experience significant elongation after 0.15 tensile straining, thus pointing out alternative deformation mechanisms like complex strut junctions deformation. The plastic behavior and the anisotropy of nickel foams are then satisfactorily retrieved from finite element simulations on a volume element containing eight cells with a detailed mesh of all the hollow struts and junctions. The experimental and computational strategy is considered as a first step toward optimization of process parameters to tailor anisotropy of cell shape and mechanical behavior for applications in batteries or Diesel particulate filtering. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]