ABSTRACT
Methods@#A total of 18 mice were divided into injured (n=12) and non-injured (n=6) groups. The disc height index (DHI%) at coccygeal 4–5 level was measured by computed tomography (CT) scan for all mice. Coccygeal 4–5 discs of the injury group were injured using a 32G needle fixed to a novel tool and confirmed by CT. The non-injury group underwent no procedure. DHI% was measured by CT at 2-, 4-, and 6-week post-injury, and all mice tails were sectioned for histopathology grading of disc degeneration at the respective time intervals. @*Results@#The injured group showed significant variation in DHI% at 2, 4, and 6 weeks, whereas there was no change in the noninjured group. Histopathologic evaluation with Safranin O stain showed a worsening of the disc degeneration score at 2, 4, and 6 weeks in the injured group, but in the non-injured group there was no change. Percutaneous needle injury technique with our novel tool provided 100% accuracy and uniform degeneration. @*Conclusions@#A simple, easily reproducible mouse model for disc degeneration was created using a simple, cost-effective, novel tool and technique, its advantage being high precision and user friendly.
ABSTRACT
Methods@#A total of 18 mice were divided into injured (n=12) and non-injured (n=6) groups. The disc height index (DHI%) at coccygeal 4–5 level was measured by computed tomography (CT) scan for all mice. Coccygeal 4–5 discs of the injury group were injured using a 32G needle fixed to a novel tool and confirmed by CT. The non-injury group underwent no procedure. DHI% was measured by CT at 2-, 4-, and 6-week post-injury, and all mice tails were sectioned for histopathology grading of disc degeneration at the respective time intervals. @*Results@#The injured group showed significant variation in DHI% at 2, 4, and 6 weeks, whereas there was no change in the noninjured group. Histopathologic evaluation with Safranin O stain showed a worsening of the disc degeneration score at 2, 4, and 6 weeks in the injured group, but in the non-injured group there was no change. Percutaneous needle injury technique with our novel tool provided 100% accuracy and uniform degeneration. @*Conclusions@#A simple, easily reproducible mouse model for disc degeneration was created using a simple, cost-effective, novel tool and technique, its advantage being high precision and user friendly.
ABSTRACT
Background: The t[8;14][q24.1;q32] and its variants - the t[2;8][p12;q24.1] and t[8;22][q24.1; q11.2] are associated with B-cell neoplasia and result in MYC/immunoglobulin [IG] gene rearrangement
Patients and methods: We correlated the cytogenetic, molecular and clinico-pathological findings of patients with 8q24 translocations seen in the Department of Haematology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, from January 2003 to December 2015
Results: There were 34 patients with 8q24 translocations [31, ALL and three myeloma]. The t [8;14] was seen in 25 patients, t[8;22] in seven and t[2;8] in two. The salient findings were as follows: 85% males; 79% adults, median age 37 years; L3 morphology in 61%; mature B immunophenotype in 77%; extra-medullary disease in 41%; additional abnormalities in 28 [85%], notably, structural abnormalities of chromosome 1q [41%] and 13q [9%] and monosomy 13 [15%]; complex karyotypes in 68%. There were two double-hit lymphoma/leukemia, one with a t[14;18][q32;q21] and the other with a t[3;14][q27;q11.2], associated with nodal high grade B cell lymphoma and dermal leukemic infiltrates respectively Only 13 samples were processed for DNA PCR and all these samples were positive for MYC-IgH [c-gamma type] rearrangement. Only in one patient, in addition to c-gamma, c-alpha rearrangement was also detected
Conclusion: The frequency [1.7%] and distribution of these translocations in our series and the association with 1q and 13q abnormalities is similar to the literature. Trisomies 7 and 12 were seen in less than 10% of our patients
ABSTRACT
The hematopoietic cell transplant [HCT] activity has grown significantly over the past two decades in both developing and developed countries. Many challenges arise in establishing new HCT programs in developing countries, due to scarcity of resources and manpower in expertise in HCT. While cost issues can potentially hinder establishment of new HCT programs in certain regions, the focus on quality and value should be included in the general vision of leadership before establishing an HCT program. The main challenge in most developing countries is the lack of trained/qualified personnel, enormous start-up costs for a tertiary care center, and quality maintenance. Herein, we discuss the main challenges from a cost and quality perspective which occur at initiation of a new HCT program. We give real world examples of two developing countries that have recently started new HCT programs despite significant financial constraints. We also portray recommendations from the Worldwide Network of Blood and Marrow Transplantation for levels of requirements for a new HCT program. We hope that this review will serve as a general guide for new transplant program leadership with respect to the concerns of balancing high quality with concurrently lowering costs