Posterolateral rotatory instability of elbow: An uncommon entity

Posterolateral rotatory instability of elbow is an exceedingly uncommon entity, which results from injury to the lateral ligamentous complex. Failure of adequate healing of lateral collateral ligaments may necessitate its surgical repair or reconstruction. We describe here a boy 12 years of age who was initially treated as soft tissue injury and later presented with instability of the same elbow. He later required repair of lateral ulnar collateral ligament

Role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Evaluation of Tubercular Spondylitis: Pattern of Disease in 100 Patients with Review of Literature

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in evaluation of tubercular spondylitis and to correlate imaging findings with clinical severity of the disease. Methods: One hundred consecutive patients, who presented with features suggestive of spinal infections, were subjected to MRI examination. T1W and STIR images were obtained followed by T2W and post-contrast T1W images. Various imaging characteristics of spinal infections were noted and correlated with the clinical severity of the disease. Results: Backache was the most common presenting symptom present in 86 %, while paraparesis was the most common sign seen in 62 %. The neurological status of the patients correlated well with MRI findings in the majority of the cases with an overall good correlation obtained in 96 % of cases. The majority of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs affected showed hypointensity or isointensity on T1W images and hyperintensity on T2W images. Epidural/dural disease was present in 74 % while 68 % of patients demonstrated decreased intervertebral disc height. Epidural extension and subligamentous spread was in 74 % and 90 % of patients respectively. Conclusions: MRI plays a vital role in early and accurate diagnosis of spinal infections. It is non-invasive and clearly demonstrates soft tissue anatomy and pathology which makes it superior to X-rays and Computed Tomography (CT). Imaging findings of tubercular spondylitis were also found to have a good correlation with the clinical status of the patients. Hence, it is of much help in the evaluation and assessment of patients presenting with features of spinal infections.  Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging, spinal tuberculosis, tubercular spondyliti

Molecular investigation of two contrasting genotypes of Medicago truncatula to salt stress using two expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeat (EST-SSRs) markers

Two expressed sequence EST-SSRs primers were used to show genetic variation and determine a potential link of these markers to salt stress tolerance on two contrasting Medicago truncatula genotypes (Tru 131 tolerant genotype, and Jemalong, sensitive one). The amplification of the DNA were isolated from 10 individual seedlings for each genotype (tolerant and sensitive) with two Expressed Sequence Tag-Simple Sequence Repeat (EST-SSR) primers (MTIC 044) and (MTIC 124) produced a total of 20 amplified products, of which MTIC 124 was polymorphic. The sizes of the alleles detected ranged from 100 to 280 bp. The EST-SSRs markers were polymorphic with an average of 1.33 alleles per primers and gave moderate values of polymorphic information content (PIC) that ranged from 0 to 0.267. The analysis of polymorphism loci for each genotype showed that the tolerant genotype (Tru 131) population had two alleles; genetic diversity index of 0.32 and PIC value of 0.267. The results obtained from unigene database of highly similarity proteins sequences with these loci showed that these two EST- SSRs loci MTIC 044 and MTIC 124 encode GATA transcription factor and cysteine proteinase inhibitor, respectively and were expressed principally in root in M. truncatula. This data suggest that these two loci are involved in salt stress tolerance and the two EST-SSR markers used are appropriate for the studying of salt stress tolerance in M. truncatula.Keywords: Medicago truncatula, salt stress, in silico analysis, expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR), UniGene / UniProt databases.African Journal of Biotechnology, Vol 13(41) 4046-405

Delayed fixation of displaced type II and III pediatric femoral neck fractures

BACKGROUND: Time from injury to fixation of femoral neck fractures has been postulated as a vital determinant for rate of complications; however, no prospective study is available in the English literature. Delay, unfortunately, is inevitable in developing countries. The aim of the present study is to retrospectively review the outcome after delayed fixation of displaced type II and III femoral neck fractures in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using a standard assessment chart, we retrospectively reviewed medical records of all pediatric patients having femoral neck fractures presenting to our institution from June 1999 to May 2006. Inclusion criteria were children between 5 and 15 years of age sustaining displaced Delbet type II and III femoral neck fractures having a complete follow-up of at least 2 years. Patients with known metabolic disease, poliomyelitis or cerebral palsy, were excluded from the study. After application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 22 patients having 22 fractures (13 type II and 9 type III) were studied. Surgery could be performed after a mean delay of 11.22 days (ranging from 2 to 21 days). Closed reduction was achieved in 14 cases and 8 cases required open reduction through anterolateral approach. RESULT: Osteonecrosis was noted in eight patients (36.37%) who included two of nine patients (22.22%) operated in the first week, three of eight patients (37.51%) operated in the second week, and three of five patients (60%) operated in the third week of injury. Nonunion was seen in four (18.18%) cases, and two of them were associated with failure of implants. One was treated by valgus osteotomy and the other by Meyer's procedure. Fractures united in both children but the latter developed avascular necrosis. Functional results, as assessed using Ratliff's criteria, were good in 14 (63.63%), fair in 2 (9%), and poor in 6 (27.27%) patients. CONCLUSION: Delay in fixation, type of fracture, and ability to achieve and maintain reduction are factors primarily responsible for the outcome. We also found that delay after the first week further adversely affects the outcome

Container-aided integrative QTL and RNA-seq analysis of Collaborative Cross mice supports distinct sex-oriented molecular modes of response in obesity

BACKGROUND: The Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse population is a valuable resource to study the genetic basis of complex traits, such as obesity. Although the development of obesity is influenced by environmental factors, underlying genetic mechanisms play a crucial role in the response to these factors. The interplay between the genetic background and the gene expression pattern can provide further insight into this response, but we lack robust and easily reproducible workflows to integrate genomic and transcriptomic information in the CC mouse population. RESULTS: We established an automated and reproducible integrative workflow to analyse complex traits in the CC mouse genetic reference panel at the genomic and transcriptomic levels. We implemented the analytical workflow to assess the underlying genetic mechanisms of host susceptibility to diet induced obesity and integrated these results with diet induced changes in the hepatic gene expression of susceptible and resistant mice. Hepatic gene expression differs significantly between obese and non-obese mice, with a significant sex effect, where male and female mice exhibit different responses and coping mechanisms. CONCLUSION: Integration of the data showed that different genes but similar pathways are involved in the genetic susceptibility and disturbed in diet induced obesity. Genetic mechanisms underlying susceptibility to high-fat diet induced obesity are different in female and male mice. The clear distinction we observed in the systemic response to the high-fat diet challenge and to obesity between male and female mice points to the need for further research into distinct sex-related mechanisms in metabolic disease