The use of automated blood pressure (BP) monitoring is growing as it does not require much expertise and can be performed by patients several times a day at home. Oscillometry is one of the most common measurement methods used in automated BP monitors. A review of the literature shows that a large variety of oscillometric algorithms have been developed for accurate estimation of BP but these algorithms are scattered in many different publications or patents. Moreover, considering that oscillometric devices dominate the home BP monitoring market, little effort has been made to survey the underlying algorithms that are used to estimate BP. In this review, a comprehensive survey of the existing oscillometric BP estimation algorithms is presented. The survey covers a broad spectrum of algorithms including the conventional maximum amplitude and derivative oscillometry as well as the recently proposed learning algorithms, model-based algorithms, and algorithms that are based on analysis of pulse morphology and pulse transit time. The aim is to classify the diverse underlying algorithms, describe each algorithm briefly, and discuss their advantages and disadvantages. This paper will also review the artifact removal techniques in oscillometry and the current standards for the automated BP monitors.

GVHD is a major complication in allogeneic SCT. Available GVHD models are mainly based on radiotherapy-conditioning and/or immune deficient mice. GVHD models based on chemotherapy-based regimens remain poorly studied, despite 50% of all transplantations being chemotherapy based. Our aim was to develop a GVHD model using chemotherapy as conditioning. Female BALB/c (H-2Kd) were conditioned with BU-CY and transplanted with 2 Â 10 7 BM and 3 Â 10 7 spleen cells from either C57BL/6 (H-2 Kb) mice (allogeneic setting) or from male BALB/c to serve as a control group for regimen-related toxicity and engraftment. GVHD manifestations and histopathological changes were evaluated. Chimerism and donor T cells presence in skin, intestine and liver were studied using FACS-, FISH analysis and immunohistochemistry. Allogeneic transplanted mice developed lethal GVHD starting from day þ 7 with both histological and clinical signs. Donor T cells accumulated in recipient skin and intestine with GVHD progression. BM-failure, apoptosis and T-lymphocyte infiltration into target organs were significantly higher in allogeneic when compared with the syngeneic group. No toxicity or GVHD signs were observed in the syngeneic setting. We report a mouse model of GVHD using BU-CY conditioning that represents the most common myeloablativeconditioning regimen in clinical SCT. This model can be utilized to study the role of conditioning on mechanisms underlying GVHD.

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