Distance from the growth plate and Its relation to the outcome of unicameral bone cyst treatment

Background  

Interventions to treat unicameral bone cysts vary. Nonetheless, regardless of the intervention modality, the outcome is not certain. The purpose of this study was to determine if the distance between the growth plate and the cyst can be used to predict the outcome of the treatment.     

Leiomyoma mimicking an incarcerated inguinal hernia: A rare complication of laparoscopic hysterectomy

A 52-year-old, obese, female patient was referred for a right inguinal mass, which appeared seven months after a laparoscopic hysterectomy, which was performed because of myomatosis. Despite several examinations, including ultrasound, computed tomography (CT)-Scan, positron emission tomography (PET)-CT, and ultrasound-guided biopsy, the diagnosis remained unclear until surgical exploration, which disclosed a well-encapsulated solid tumour corresponding to a fibrotic leiomyoma. Spilling of leiomyoma cells is a rare and unusual complication of laparoscopic surgery. Tumour development in the inguinal canal after laparoscopic gynaecological surgery should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of inguinal hernia and other uncommon pathologies.     

Compartment syndrome following total knee replacement:A case report and literature review

Compartment syndrome is a rare complication of total knee replacement(TKR) surgery that needs prompt diagnosis and treatment as it may be associated with high morbidity and mortality. We have found very few reports in the literature describing compartment syndrome after TKRs and therefore, present a relevant case which occurred in the immediate postoperative phase and was treated with fasciotomy and subsequent operations to close the soft tissue defects.     

Indexing Cerebrovascular Health Using Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) blood flow velocity has been extensively used in biomedical research as it provides a cost-effective and relatively simple approach to assess changes in cerebral blood flow dynamics and track cerebrovascular health status. In this article we introduce a new TCD-based timing index, TI_TCD, as an indicator of vascular stiffening and vascular health. We investigate the correlations of the new index and the existing indices, namely the pulsatility index and the augmentation index, with age, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) blood flow pulsatility index (PI_MRI). Notably, the new index showed stronger correlations with CRF (r = ?0.79) and PI_MRI (r = 0.53) compared with the augmentation index (r = ?0.65 with CRF and no significant correlation with PI_MRI) and the pulsatility index (no significant correlations with CRF or PI_MRI), and a similar correlation with age as the augmentation index. The clearer relationship of the proposed timing index with vascular aging factors underlines its utility as an early indicator of vascular stiffening.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers

Acetonitrile extracts of ulcerated and control rat stomachs were studied by various NMR techniques in an attempt to understand how indomethacin, a common and powerful nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID), induces ulcers in the stomach. One- (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) NMR spectra of extracts of ulcerated and control stomachs revealed that glycolytic and Krebs cycle enzymes were partially inhibited in the ulcerated stomach as shown by the lactate/glucose ratio. The (total choline)/lactate ratio was also higher in the extract from the control stomach than in the ulcerated stomach. Glycerophosphoethanolamine and glycerophosphocholine concentrations were higher in the ulcerated stomach extract as compared with the control stomach extract. These results explain the gastrointestinal protective effect of D-glucose and Krebs cycle intermediates on NSAID-induced ulceration.     

Chiasma distribution, genetic lengths, and recombination fractions: a comparison between chromosomes 15 and 16.

The chiasma distribution of bivalents 15 and 16 identified at diakinesis by a quadruple staining technique including DA-DAPI fluorescence has been investigated in two human males. The study has shown that chiasmata are not distributed at random. Both chromosomes have distally localised chiasmata, but in the long arm of chromosome 15 chiasmata are also found to be localised proximally, adjacent to the centromere. Genetic lengths and recombination fractions have been calculated from chiasma distribution data for the major bands of chromosomes 15 and 16 under the assumptions that there is no chromatid interference, no chiasma movement, and no difference between mitotic and meiotic band positions. The localisation of chiasmata implies much discrepancy in recombination patterns between the acrocentric chromosome 15 and the submetacentric chromosome 16.     

Extracorporeal photochemotherapy in therapy-refractory subacute lupus

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal photopheresis is a leukapheresis therapy that uses psoralen and ultraviolet A irradiation. We report the case of a woman with a refractory sub acute lupus which dramatically but transitionally responded to extracorporeal photopheresis. CASE REPORT: This women, born in 1960, developed erythematous and squamous patches located on face and neckline, associated with hyperpigmented and atrophic lesions on the arms and shoulders. Investigations confirmed the diagnosis of subacute lupus without systemic disease. All lesions progressed, despite all conventional therapies leading to major aesthetic prejudice. Extracorporeal photopheresis was initiated, and after two months, all lesions, including atrophic and healing lesions had regressed, but laboratory abnormalities did not change. Extracorporeal photopheresis was well tolerated. However, treatment was discontinued nine months later, since the cutaneous lesions relapsed. COMMENTS: Extracorporeal photopheresis could be efficient in the treatment of cutaneous autoimmune diseases through several immunomodulatory mechanisms. Extracorporeal photopheresis is a potent alternative agent in the therapy of refractory dermatological diseases     

Newborn screening: Experiences in the Middle East and North Africa

Summary This review presents the current experiences with newborn screening in the Middle East and North Africa region. The population in the region is about 400 million, with high birth rate and an estimated 10 million newborns per year. The majority of the population is of the Islamic faith and mostly Arab. The population is characterized by a high consanguinity (25–70%) and a high percentage of first-cousin marriages. Haemoglobin disorders, inherited metabolic disorders, neurogenetic disorders and birth defects are relatively common among the population. There is a rather slow progress in developing and implementing preventive genetic programmes owing to legal, cultural, political and financial issues. Although research spending is rather soft in the region, there are numerous pilot studies that highlighted the high incidence of genetic defects and the need for newborn screening programmes. Currently, there are only four countries that are executing national newborn screening but they vary from one disease to 23 and coverage is not complete. The region needs to take big steps towards developing national strategies for prevention and should learn from experiences of regional and international screening programmes. Electronic Supplementary Material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Competing interests: None declared