Surgical management of proximal humerus fracture treated with locking compression plate

Background: Proximal humerus fractures accounts for about 4 to 5% of all fractures.  Treatment of unstable, displaced, and comminuted fractures of the proximal humerus remain challenging. Significant controversy continues regarding the best methods of treating displaced proximal humerus fractures. Various operative procedures are carried out, the recent trend in internal fixation has moved on to locking plates. The present study is undertaken to evaluate the functional outcome and complication of proximal humerus fractures treated by locking compression plate.Methods: This is a prospective study comprising of 30 patients with fractures of proximal humerus were treated by open reduction and internal fixation with locking compression plate were evaluated at Velammal  Institute Of Medical  Sciences, Madurai from the period of April 2015 to December 2016. Clinical and radiological evaluation was done. Patients will undergo open reduction internal fixation with locking compression plate for the sustained fracture under general anesthesia.Results: In our series, the majority of the patients were males, elderly aged, with RTA being the commonest mode of injury, involving 2 part, 3 part and 4 part fractures of the proximal humerus. Excellent and satisfactory results were found in 76.7% of patients with unsatisfactory results in 23.3 % according to Neer’s criteria. There were 100 % union rates and no failures.Conclusions: In conclusion locking Compression, the plate is an advantageous implant in proximal humeral fractures due to angular stability, particularly in comminuted fractures and in Osteoporotic bones in elderly patients, thus allowing early mobilization

Evaluation of the Wits crisis centre lay counselling training course via trainee perceptions

Abstract Keywords: Lay counsellors, training and evaluation. The training of lay counselling is of great significance to the field of Counselling Psychology. Therefore,the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) decided to allow for the registration of lay counsellor training courses. However, the criteria for registration need to be formulated. This study evaluated the Wits Crisis course for volunteer counsellors, via illumination of the perceptions of the trainees and a measurement of their self-efficacy and personal relations before and after the training. The study included qualitative and quantitative methodology. Past trained counsellors and trainees were interviewed and then assessed on Self-Efficacy and Personal Relations before and after training. A Wilcoxon Matched-Pairs Signed-Rank significance in self-efficacy or personal relations scores after training. However, the interviews of the participants' perceptions of the course and its impact on them supported the hypotheses. Overall, perceptions were positive. Negative perceptions were highlighted, as this information could add to the knowledge base of the program.GR 201

To analyze the functional outcome of proximal tibial fractures treated with minimally invasive percutaneous plate osteosynthesis technique

Background: Tibial plateau fractures constitute about 1% of all fractures and complex bicondylar fractures constitute 30% of all Tibial plateau fractures. Minimally Invasive Percutaneous Plate Osteosynthesis [MIPPO] is a method of biological fixation in which a plate is percutaneously inserted and fixed at a distance proximally and distally from the fracture site. By minimal exposure, this helps in the preservation of the essential fracture hematoma, minimal soft tissue dissection, avoidance of periosteal stripping and providing an adequate fixation. The objective of the study was to analyze the functional outcome of proximal Tibial fractures treated with MIPPO technique. The method of fixation shall be evaluated for the time period required for the patients to return to active work following surgery.Methods: In our study, all 18 patients with proximal Tibial fractures underwent definitive fixation by MIPPO technique. All our cases underwent initial stabilization as per the ATLS guidelines. Patients with closed Tibial plateau fractures associated with a tense haemarthrosis underwent aspiration of the joint under aseptic precautions. The limb was immobilized either in an above knee slab or through skeletal traction using a distal Tibial or calcaneal pin traction on a Bohler Braun splint until definitive fixation was carried out. In cases complicated with excessive swelling and blistering, definitive fixation was delayed until the swelling/ blistering subsided.Results: The post-operative results were designated as excellent, good, fair and poor according to pain, walking capacity, the range of motion and stability of the knee using Rasmussen’s grading system. In our study, the average functional knee score was 22.89. Rasmussen’s score does not consider articular congruity while assessing the functional outcome of the knee.Conclusions: MIPPO technique gives good to excellent results even in high energy Tibial condyle fractures [72.22% cases in our study]. Our patients were able to achieve a good functional range of movement, averaging 120 degrees. [Krettek et al – 124 degrees]. Those who were treated with early fixation and early mobilization were found to have a better functional outcome irrespective of the fracture type. No secondary bone grafting was required.

Notch receptors (version 2019.4) in the IUPHAR/BPS Guide to Pharmacology Database

The canonical Notch signalling pathway has four type I transmembrane Notch receptors (Notch1-4) and five ligands (DLL1, 2 and 3, and Jagged 1-2). Each member of this highly conserved receptor family plays a unique role in cell-fate determination during embryogenesis, differentiation, tissue patterning, proliferation and cell death [2]. As the Notch ligands are also membrane bound, cells have to be in close proximity for receptor-ligand interactions to occur. Cleavage of the intracellular domain (ICD) of activated Notch receptors by γ-secretase is required for downstream signalling and Notch-induced transcriptional modulation [15, 3, 11, 22]. This is why γ-secretase inhibitors can be used to downregulate Notch signalling and explains their anti-cancer action. One such small molecule is RO4929097 [8], although development of this compound has been terminated following an unsuccessful Phase II single agent clinical trial in metastatic colorectal cancer [19].Aberrant Notch signalling is implicated in a number of human cancers [12, 20, 6, 16], with demcizumab and tarextumab identified as antibody inhibitors of ligand:receptor binding [13]

Notch receptors in GtoPdb v.2021.2

Aberrant Notch signalling is implicated in a number of human cancers [18, 26, 13, 21], and there is intense pharmaceutical activity being directed towards achieving clinically effective Notch pathway inhibition [7, 16]

Z Source Inverter Topologies-A Survey

Need for alternative energy sources to satisfy the rising demand in energy consumption elicited the research in the area of power converters/inverters. An increasing interest of using Z source inverter/converter in power generation involving renewable energy sources like wind and solar energy for both off grid and grid tied schemes were originated from 2003. This paper surveys the literature of Z source inverters/converter topologies that were developed over the years

Enhancement of agronomic traits and yield of rice var. ADT 43 grown in typic ustifluvent soil through silicon fertilization

Rice is a rich accumulator of silicon and its supply is essential for the growth and economic yield of rice. Hence, a field experiment was conducted in sandy clay loam soil belonging to Padugai series (Typic ustifluvent) at farmers holding in Kuttalam block, Mayiladuthurai district, Tamil Nadu to assess the role of silicon in improving agronomic characters and yield of rice ADT 43, Oryza sativa. The treatments included  T1 -  Recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), T2 - RDF + Potassium silicate (FS) - 0.25%, T3- RDF + FS - 0.50%, T4 - RDF +FS - 1.00%, T5­ -RDF + FS - 0.25%, T6 - RDF + FS - 0.50%,  T7­ - RDF + FS - 1.00%,  T8 - RDF + SA - 50 kg ha-1, T9 - RDF + SA - 100 kg ha-1 and T10 - RDF + SA- 150 kg ha-1. From T2 to T4, the foliar spray was done at tillering stage and from T5 to T7, the foliar spray was done at tillering and panicle initiation stage.  The silicon was applied through FS with the rice crop. The soil application of silicon relatively recorded higher growth and yield compared to foliar application. Besides improving different agronomic characters of the rice, the soil application of 50 kg Si ha-1 registered the highest grain yield (6183.3 kg ha-1) and straw yield (6740 kg ha-1) and was comparable with a single foliar spray of 1% Si.  Growth and rice yield increased with Si concentration of 0.25% to 1%.  Thus, the soil application of silicon @50 kg ha-1 through potassium silicate is advocated to realize maximum rice yield

Hydrostatic pressure effect on Tc of new BiS2 based Bi4O4S3 and NdO0.5F0.5BiS2 layered superconductors

We investigate the external hydrostatic pressure effect on the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) of new layered superconductors Bi4O4S3 and NdO0.5F0.5BiS2. Though the Tc is found to have moderate decrease from 4.8 K to 4.3 K (dTconset/dP = -0.28 K/GPa) for Bi4O4S3 superconductor, the same increases from 4.6 K to 5 K (dTconset/dP = 0.44 K/GPa) upto 1.31 GPa followed by a sudden decrease from 5 K to 4.7 K upto 1.75 GPa for NdO0.5F0.5BiS2 superconductor. The variation of Tc in these systems may be correlated to increase or decrease of the charge carriers in the density of states under externally applied pressure.Comment: 3 pages text +Fig