FOR WHOM DO WE TOIL?

Indoor workload of a zonal service hospital for one month was studied. Service personnel and their dependents form the bulk of workload. Though the absolute number of ex-servicemen and their dependents is small, the resources spent on them are quite high. The average stay in hospital is 15 days. Rapid turnover of the patients reveals appropriate utilization of resources. Optimization of resources is possible by reducing the number of admissions for administrative purposes.KEY WORDS: Exservicemen, Hospital Admission, Medical facility, Resource Utilisation, Servicemen     

Generation of T cells from cytokine-mobilized peripheral blood and adult bone marrow CD34+ cells

The present study compared the T-cell progenitor content of CD34+ lineage (Lin)- cells isolated from normal adult bone marrow (ABM) and mobilized peripheral blood (MPB). Both cell populations were found to differentiate into T cells when injected into human fetal thymi implanted into severe combined immunodeficient mice. Cytokine-MPB cells were less efficient than ABM cells in engrafting in the fetal human thymus, although both gave rise to thymocytes with identical phenotypes based on the analysis of CD1a, CD3, CD4, and CD8 expression. Thymocytes derived from adult CD34+ Lin- cells were capable of fully differentiating into mature CD3+ T cells expressing either the T-cell receptor (TCR) gamma delta or the TCR alpha beta (the later associated with CD4 or CD8), showing that the T-cell progenies of adult CD34+ cells were polyclonal and functional. Our data indicate that human MPB CD34+ cells are qualitatively identical to their BM counterparts, and demonstrate the existence of T-lymphoid progenitor cell activity in MPB.     

Complex infantile and congenital hip dislocation: assessment with MR imaging

Twenty-five magnetic resonance hip studies were performed on 19 infants with congenital hip dislocation. These patients had a poor initial treatment response, a teratologic dislocation, or a late presentation. Detailed images of single hips obtained with small surface coils resulted in excellent visualization of all the clinically important soft-tissue and cartilaginous structures of the hip. No other imaging modality demonstrates all of these structures simultaneously.     

ANEURYSMAL BONE CYST IN THE MANDIBLE (A Case Report)

Aneurysmal bone cyst is commonly seen in the long bones and vertebrae and is rare in the jaws. Its association with other lesions of the bone has been stressed by many workers. Because of its variable radiological appearance, diagnosis of the lesion is established by histopathological examination. A case of aneurysmal bone cyst occurring in the mandible is reported.KEY WORDS: Aneurysmal bone cyst, Mandible     

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF BONE HEALING FOLLOWING BONE CUTS USING SURGICAL BURS AND MICROSAWS

Bone cuts on the tibia of 6 healthy dogs were studied using surgical burs and microsaws arranged in two groups by random selection to assess the speed of cutting, precision and bone healing. Bone cuts in Group A were made with surgical burs of 1.6 mm diameter using micromotor at 40,000 revolutions per minute (RPM) whereas in Group B they were created using Stryker microsaws of 0.75 mm width at the speed of 40,000 RPM. In each group, the dogs were sacrificed at the end of 8, 12 and 16 weeks and a section of the tibia containing the fracture site was removed to assess healing histopathologically. Based on clinical, radiological and histopathological examination, the results of this study indicate that microsaws have their best use in osteotomy procedures in terms of precision and thermal injury to bone whereas ostectomy procedures are more convenient with surgical burs.KEYWORDS: Bone cuts, Bone healing, Microsaws, Surgical burs     

Prenatal growth restriction,retinal dystrophy,diabetes insipidus and white matter disease: expanding the spectrum of PRPS1-related disorders

PRPS1 codes for the enzyme phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase-1 (PRS-1). The spectrum of PRPS1-related disorders associated with reduced activity includes Arts syndrome, Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease-5 (CMTX5) and X-linked non-syndromic sensorineural deafness (DFN2). We describe a novel phenotype associated with decreased PRS-1 function in two affected male siblings. Using whole exome and Sanger sequencing techniques, we identified a novel missense mutation in PRPS1. The clinical phenotype in our patients is characterized by high prenatal maternal α-fetoprotein, intrauterine growth restriction, dysmorphic facial features, severe intellectual disability and spastic quadraparesis. Additional phenotypic features include macular coloboma-like lesions with retinal dystrophy, severe short stature and diabetes insipidus. Exome sequencing of the two affected male siblings identified a shared putative pathogenic mutation c.586C>T p.(Arg196Trp) in the PRPS1 gene that was maternally inherited. Follow-up testing showed normal levels of hypoxanthine in urine samples and uric acid levels in blood serum. The PRS activity was significantly reduced in erythrocytes of the two patients. Nucleotide analysis in erythrocytes revealed abnormally low guanosine triphosphate and guanosine diphosphate. This presentation is the most severe form of PRPS1-deficiency syndrome described to date and expands the spectrum of PRPS1-related disorders.