Role of Family System, Positive Emotions and Resilience in Social Adjustment Among Pakistani Adolescents

The present study explored the role of positive emotions, resilience & family system in social adjustment in Pakistani adolescents. Through convenient sampling, data collected from 150 adolescents (70 boys & 80 girls).In terms of family system 92 were living in nuclear family while 58 injoint family. Urdu version of Modified Differential Emotions Scale, Resilience Scale and Bell`s Adjustment Inventory were used. Statistical analysis revealed the presence of significant positive relationship between positive emotions and resilience (r = .39**) where girls were slightly more resilient (M ± SD = 120.77 ± 24.03) & socially adjusted (M ± SD = 17.41 ± 4.15). Moreover 52 % adolescents reported difficulty in talking with new people. Majority of participants from Joint family reported good social adjustment (38%) and high resilience (17%) as compared to those in nuclear family (21%, 13%). The influence of these demographic variables is important indication to be explored further

Plate on Plate Technique of Minimally Invasive Percutaneous Plate Osteosynthesis in Distal Tibial Fractures, an Easy and Inexpensive Method of Fracture Fixation

Background: Plate on plate technique can lessen operative time and patient morbidity. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of minimally invasive percutaneous plate osteosynthesis (MIPPO) using plate on plate technique of locking plate fixation for closed fractures of distal tibia in a prospective study. Patients and Methods: Twenty-five patients with distal tibial fractures were treated by MIPPO using locking plate by plate on plate technique. Preoperative variables including age of patient, mode of trauma, type of fracture and soft tissue status were recorded for each patient. Perioperative variables included surgical time and radiation exposure. Postoperative variables included wound status, time to union, return to activity and the American orthopaedic foot and ankle score (AOFAS). Results: All the fractures had united at one year. The average time to union was 16.8 weeks. There were two cases of superficial infection and two cases of deep infection, which required removal of hardware after the fracture was united. The average AO foot and ankle score was 83.6 in our study population. Conclusions: MIPPO using locking plate by plate on plate technique was a safe, effective, inexpensive and easily reproducible method for the treatment of distal tibial fractures in properly selected patients, which minimized operative time and soft tissue morbidity

Diagnostic Surgical Pathology: the importance of Second Opinion in a Developing Country

Objective: To review the cases sent to the section of histopathology, Aga Khan Universty (AKU) for second opinion and see whether there are significant differences in the original outside diagnosis and the subsequent diagnosis submitted by us. Methods: A retrospective study of all consecutive cases for second opinion in the form of paraffin blocks from 1st Novemver 2001 to 31st July 2002. The primary submitted diagnosis in each case was compared with the subsequent AKU diagnosis. Results: The study included a total of 381 cases. However, in 45 cases (11.81%), initial histopathological diagnosis was not provided. Out of the remaining 336 cases, there were differences between the original diagnosis and the subsequent AKU diagnosis in 120 cases (35.71%). Out of these 120 cases, immunohistochemistry was performed in 65 cases (54.16%) only. Conclusion: In a developing country like Pakistan, where few laboratories are equipped to function as modern histopathology units, second opinion on difficult cases is very important. Worldwide, the concept of second opinion in surgical pathology is well established

The Frequency of IgA Nephropathy at a Single Center in Pakistan

Objectives: To detect the prevalence of IgA nephropathy in Pakistani patients, as no significant published data from this part of the developing world is available in the international literature for reference. Method: The study was conducted in a university hospital on 105 consecutive renal biopsy specimens. Direct immunofluorescence microscopy was performed using antibodies specific for the heavy chains of IgG, IgA, IgM, C3 and fibrinogen. Results: Seventy-nine (79) cases were classified as glomerulopathies, out of which 10 cases (12.65%) were diagnosed as IgA nephropathy, among which one case was that of Henoch- Schonlein purpura. The age range was 6 to 65 years with median age of 25 years and male to female ratio was 1.5: 1. Nephrotic range proteinuria was seen in 40% of cases and 50% cases showed impaired renal function. The light microscopic examination revealed diffuse proliferative pattern in 3 cases out of which one case showed crescent formations. Focal-segmental glomerulosclerosis, minimum histologic lesion and advanced chronic glomerulonephritic patterns were observed in 2 cases each and in one case focal proliferative morphology was appreciated. Conclusion: The frequency of IgA nephropathy among glomerular diseases was 12.65% in our study, which is somewhat higher when comparing the studies from North America, United Kingdom and Northwest Europe. However, it was significantly lower when comparing the studies from other parts of Asi

Morphological pattern and frequency of thyroid tumors

Objective: The present study was done to evaluate the frequency of thyroid cancer and to find out the prevalence of histological types of thyroid tumor with respect to age and sex group.Setting: This study included consecutive cases of malignant tumors of thyroid gland, which were diagnosed in the Department of Pathology at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi during the period of three years (1995-1997).Methods: These cases were evaluated on H & E stained sections from paraffin embedded 10% buffered formalin fixed tissue blocks. Special stains and immunohistochemical analysis were performed whenever required.Results: A total of 8541 malignant tumors were diagnosed in a period of 3 years which included 103 (1.2%) cases of thyroid cancer. Thyroid tumors were more prevalent in females with female to male ratio of 2.6:1. Papillary carcinoma (69%) was the most common histological type of thyroid tumors, followed by follicular carcinoma (11.6%), medullary carcinoma (9.7%), anaplastic carcinoma (5.9%), non-Hodgkin\u27s lymphoma (2.9%) and unclassified tumors (0.9%) in order of frequency.Conclusion: Thyroid cancer was more common in females. Papillary carcinoma was the most common histological type of thyroid tumors in females as well as in males. Papillary carcinoma was more prevalent in third, fourth and fifth decades of life while follicular and anaplastic carcinomas were more frequent after the fourth decade of life