ABSTRACT
General anesthesia is critical for various procedures and surgeries. Despite the widespread use of anesthetics, their precise mechanisms remain poorly understood. Anesthetics inevitably act on the brain, primarily through the modulation of target receptors. Even if the action is specific to an individual neuron, however, long-range effects can occur due to the tremendous interconnectedness of neuronal activity. The strength of this connectivity can be understood using mathematical models that allow for the study of neuronal connectivity dynamics. These models also allow researchers to develop hypotheses on the candidate mechanisms of action of different types of anesthesia. This review highlights the theoretical background associated with the study of the mechanisms of action of anesthetics. We propose a candidate framework that describes how anesthetics act on the brain and consciousness in general.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#To investigate differences in the heritability of skeletodental characteristics between twin pairs with skeletal Class I and Class II malocclusions. @*Methods@#Forty Korean adult twin pairs were divided into Class I (C-I) group (0° ≤ angle between point A, nasion, and point B [ANB]) ≤ 4°; mean age, 40.7 years) and Class II (C-II) group (ANB > 4°; mean age, 43.0 years). Each group comprised 14 monozygotic and 6 dizygotic twin pairs. Thirty-three cephalometric variables were measured using lateral cephalograms and were categorized as the anteroposterior, vertical, dental, mandible, and cranial base characteristics. The ACE model was used to calculate heritability (A > 0.7, high heritability). Thereafter, principal component analysis (PCA) was performed. @*Results@#Twin pairs in C-I group exhibited high heritability values in the facial anteroposterior characteristics, inclination of the maxillary and mandibular incisors, mandibular body length, and cranial base angles. Twin pairs in C-II group showed high heritability values in vertical facial height, ramus height, effective mandibular length, and cranial base length. PCA extracted eight components with 88.3% in the C-I group and seven components with 91.0% cumulative explanation in the C-II group. @*Conclusions@#Differences in the heritability of skeletodental characteristics between twin pairs with skeletal Class I and II malocclusions might provide valuable information for growth prediction and treatment planning.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this paper was evaluating the ratios of electrical impedance measurements reported in previous studies through a correlation analysis in order to explicit it as the contributing factor to the accuracy of electronic apex locator (EAL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The literature regarding electrical property measurements of EALs was screened using Medline and Embase. All data acquired were plotted to identify correlations between impedance and log-scaled frequency. The accuracy of the impedance ratio method used to detect the apical constriction (APC) in most EALs was evaluated using linear ramp function fitting. Changes of impedance ratios for various frequencies were evaluated for a variety of file positions. RESULTS: Among the ten papers selected in the search process, the first-order equations between log-scaled frequency and impedance were in the negative direction. When the model for the ratios was assumed to be a linear ramp function, the ratio values decreased if the file went deeper and the average ratio values of the left and right horizontal zones were significantly different in 8 out of 9 studies. The APC was located within the interval of linear relation between the left and right horizontal zones of the linear ramp model. CONCLUSIONS: Using the ratio method, the APC was located within a linear interval. Therefore, using the impedance ratio between electrical impedance measurements at different frequencies was a robust method for detection of the APC.
Subject(s)
Architectural Accessibility , Constriction , Electric Impedance , EndodonticsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this paper was evaluating the ratios of electrical impedance measurements reported in previous studies through a correlation analysis in order to explicit it as the contributing factor to the accuracy of electronic apex locator (EAL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The literature regarding electrical property measurements of EALs was screened using Medline and Embase. All data acquired were plotted to identify correlations between impedance and log-scaled frequency. The accuracy of the impedance ratio method used to detect the apical constriction (APC) in most EALs was evaluated using linear ramp function fitting. Changes of impedance ratios for various frequencies were evaluated for a variety of file positions. RESULTS: Among the ten papers selected in the search process, the first-order equations between log-scaled frequency and impedance were in the negative direction. When the model for the ratios was assumed to be a linear ramp function, the ratio values decreased if the file went deeper and the average ratio values of the left and right horizontal zones were significantly different in 8 out of 9 studies. The APC was located within the interval of linear relation between the left and right horizontal zones of the linear ramp model. CONCLUSIONS: Using the ratio method, the APC was located within a linear interval. Therefore, using the impedance ratio between electrical impedance measurements at different frequencies was a robust method for detection of the APC.