Draft Genome Sequences of Three Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum Isolates Used in Designing Markers for Race Differentiation.

Here, we report the draft genome sequences of three Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum isolates that were used to design markers for molecular race differentiation. The isolates were collected from watermelon fields in Georgia (USA) and were determined to be different races of F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum using a traditional bioassay.

Management of fractures of the midshaft of the femur in adults

Eighty-five patients with fractures of the middle third of the shaft of the femur were treated at the Georgetown Hospital between 1982 and 1983. Thirty-five were treated by open reduction and insertion of a Kuntscher Nail. Fifty were treated conservatively with skeletal traction, using a modified Perkin's method. In both groups, the results of treatment were satisfactory. The advantages and disadvantages of each method are identified and discussed. On the whole, conservative treatment is best for comminuted fractures and intra-medullary nail fixation for transverse or segmental fractures. Patients treated surgically stay a shorter time in hospital, are ambulant early, and return to work much earlier than those treated conservatively (AU)

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis at the University Hospital of the West Indies

Forty patients with slipped capital femoral epiphysis were treated at the University Hospital of the West Indies over a three-year period. The condition occurs during adolescence between 12 and 18 years. Boys are affected more than girls. The incidence is higher in the obese sexually underdeveloped patient. The early slip is best treated by pinning and the late slip by osteotomy. The development of chondrolysis is a contra-indication for surgery as this leads to a very stiff hip. (AU)

Supracondylar fracture of the humerus in children in Guyana

The management of 109 children with supracondylar fractures of the humerus at the Georgetown Hospital, Guyana over a 5-year period has ben described. The condition was seen more commonly in East Indians than in Africans. The treatment of choice was closed reduction which was performed in flexion and held in pronation. Open reduction when necessary was done early. Cubitus varus deformity was more common in the group which had closed reduction and was due to inadequate correction of the medial angulation of the distal fragment. Volkmann's ischaemia, as a complication, was not observed in this series (AU)

Calcaneal spur in Guyana - abstract

One hundred and fourteen women were seen and treated at the Georgetown Hospital in Guyana between 1972 and 1977 for painful heel due to Calcanceal Spur. Calcaneal Spur can be defined as a spike of bone projecting from the medical tubercle of the calcaneum. The presenting symptom in all patients was pain in the heel on getting out of bed in the mornings and aggravated by walking. There is no doubt that this condition is more common in Guyana as compared to the rest of the West Indies. 75 percent of the patients were East Indians and over 70 percent of the women were fat, their weight ranging from 140-200lb. The parity was 5.4 children per woman and nearly all the patients had flat feet. The maximum incidence occurred between the age of 40 and 50 years. It seems that therefore, that calcaneal spur occurred mostly in fat, fertile, females over forty with flat feet. The cause of the pain is thought to be due to chronic plantar fasciitis, the spike of bone being the end result of repeated trauma to the posterior attachment of the plantar fascia at the calcaneum. Symptomatic relief with local injections of steroid lent further credence to this view. 75 percent of patients obtained a cure by plantar fasciotomy and 85 percent of patients by plantar fasciotomy combined with excision of the spur. Histological examination of the plantar fascia showed plantar fibromatosis (AU)

Calcaneal spur in Guyana

The clinical features and management of 114 women with calcaneal spur seen at the Georgetown Hospital, Guyana are described. The condition occurs most commonly in fat, fertile, females over forty with flat feet. It is three times more common in East Indian women. The painful heel is due to a fibrotic response similar to plantar fibromatosis and not to the spur of bone which is the end result of recurrent strain on the plantar fascia combined with excision of the calcaneal spur (AU)

Idiopathic adolescent scoliosis in Jamaica

Two hundred and one patients with scoliosis have been reviewed. The condition is four times more common in girls than in boys. The maximun age at presentation was between 15 and 16 years. A dorsal curve was the most common deformity with the convexity of the curve being twelve times more common to the right. Conservative treatment was the method of choice in patients who had curves less than 40 degrees and those with a potential for growth (AU)

The pattern of orthopaedic injuries resulting from road traffic accidents in Guyana

Over the years 1970-1972, the records of the Georgetown Hospital have shown a large but steady number of admissions as the result of road traffic accidents, mainly from motor cars, motor cycles and bicyles. Children and men are most frequently injured. Children are usually struck down as pedestrians whilst the adults are usually occupants or riders of the cars or cycles. Head injuries are commonest injury seen. An analysis of the orthopaedic injuries show that fractures of the long bones are most common, with those of the lower limb prolominating. Some of the mechanisms of production of these injuries are discussed, as are some of the problems of treatment (AU)

Medical aspects of national insurance and social security scheme, Guyana

A National Insurance and Social Scheme was introduced in Guyana on the 29th September, 1969. On 1st January, 1970, injury benefit was payable to all insurable workers which virtually meant that even if a worker was not registered under the Scheme and he sustained an industrial injury, so long as he was in insurable employment he was eligible to receive injury benefit and also disablement benefit if he suffered any degree of disablement resulting from the injury. This paper will confine itself to the provisions for medical examination, certification and treatment of persons suffering industrial injuries. The programme for medical care is conceived as a vertical one, and so an industrially injured worker is not permitted to change the medical practitioner and proceed horizontally with his treatment without the permission of the general manager. From the very inception of the scheme every registered medical practioner was accepted as an examining officer and was empowered to examine, treat and issue certificates in keeping with the relevant regulations. If a claimant for injury benefit is not satisfied with the handling of his case, he could lodge an appeal, and then he would be allowed to go upwards in the organizational structure and be examined by a medical referee in order to resolve the issue. A panel of Medical referees has been appointed by the National Insurance Board. If a claimant is dissatified with the medical referee's determination, he can lodge a further appeal and his case would then be placed before a Medical Board comprised of two or more members. A panel of Medical Board members has been appointed by the National Insurance Board. A Medical Board's determination is final unless there is a disagreement between two members, when another Board will be arranged comprised of least 3 members. The decision of a Medical Board consisting of more than 2 members, if not unanimous, will be that the majority of the members. So far, no separate facility for medical care of industrially injured workers has been established. The country's existing resources in medical man-power and institution (public and private) are being fully utilized to provide all aspects of diagnosis and treatment of cases. Medical Care includes - General Medical Practitioners care, specialist care and treatment at hospitals the supply of prescribed essential pharmaceutical products and dressing, the provision, repair and renewal within limits laid down by the National Insurance Board, of orthopaedic and prosthetic appliances necessary for the rehabilitation or the reduction of incapacity for work of the injured person, arising as a direct consequences of employment injury. The main pre-occupation of the Medical Division and of physicians and surgeons, appointed under the Scheme is with refereeing and boarding of workers suffering from industrial injuries. Thus in 1972, 403 claimants appealed against determinations of Medical Referees and to date some 395 have been medically boarded. The main questions for determination by Medical Referees and Board Members are reviewed (AU)

Some problems with National Insurance Scheme cases in Guyana - abstract

400 patients coming from estates have been seen and treated under the National Insurance Scheme. A variety of injuries were seen of which backache was the most common. 231 workers were seen complaining of backache of which 104 had X-Ray evidence of osteoarthritis. It is interesting to find changes as early as age 30 years. The nature of the work which consists of cutting and loading bundles of cane, fetching them on the shoulders has been thought to predipose to this early osteoarthritic change in the dorsal spine particularly. Sacro-iliac and lumbar strains can be accounted for by with this load over irregular terrain to load the punts. In many cases also, there were no clinical or radiological findings to account for symptoms. Compensation is been the motivating factor in the behaviour of patients suffering from all industrial accidents. This paper also deals with some of the general problems resulting from this scheme and may be of interest to the doctors coming from the Caribbean since the National Insurance Scheme is being introduced in other West Indian Islands (AU)

Opponensplasty by flexor digitorum sublimis tendon transfer: It's use in patients paralysed as a result of poliomyelitis - abstract

Guyana had two major epidemics of poliomyelitis in 1957 and 1962. Of 300 patients followed up, 14, average age 8 years, had paralysis of the opponens pollicis with failure to oppose the thumb and selective paralysis of the other short muscles of the thumb. Lack of opposition produced loss of pinch grip. These 14 patients had opponensplasty. In all cases the tendon of flexor digitorum sublimis was used and post-operatively the hand was immobilized in 30§ flexion at the wrist with thumb in abduction and opposition. The case was removed after four weeks and a temporary opponens splint worn for a further 4 weeks. Active excercises were carried out to re-educate and strengthen the transferred tendon. Good opposition was restored in 8 cases, there was satisfactory improvement in 2 and in 4 cases there was failure. Pinch grip was restored in 10 cases. It should be noted that best results are obtained when the flexor digitorum sublimis is not or little affected and there has been no paralysis of the abductor pollicis (AU)

Management of orthopaedic problems from the 1962 epidemic of poliomyelitis in Guyana

A brief study has been made of the problems that presented at the Polio Rehabilitation Centre following a polio epidemic in 1962 in Guyana. These problems presented in 1966, when the Centre was opened, allowing a period of four years to elapse. 219 cases have been followed up and treated. 149 surgical operations were performed, 113 patients required bracing and as can be imagined the physiotherapy department had a full-time job with all of these patients. Treatment was aimed at early ambulation and this purpose has been achieved. It has not been possible in this paper to go into detailed study of any of the operations done, but it is hoped that other papers will follow which will give some idea as to the practical value of many of these operations (AU)

The treatment of talipes calcaneus by tendon transfer in seventeen cases of polio - abstract

Taplipes calcaneus is a deformity of the foot resulting from paralysis of the triceps surae muscle. It produces a very bulbous heel and an unstable foot. The combination of these two factors lead to a very ackward gait. Seventeen cases of talipes calcaneus from the 1957 and 1962 polio epidemics were available for this study. An attempt has been made to treat these cases by the use of tendon transfers. In all these cases there was little choice in the tendon to be transferred as the muscles of the foot were either partially or completely paralysed. Fifteen cases had peroneus longus transfer. In thirteen of these the tendon was transferred directly into the os calcis. The remaining three had tendon transfers into the tend-achilles. Post-operative evaluation of these cases was based on cosmetic appearance of the foot, strenght of contraction of the transferred tendon and the stability of the foot. Of the seventeen cases, there were ten who had marked improvement in the cosmetic appearance of the foot and excellent (grade 5) contraction of the transferred tendon. In five there was fair cosmetic improvement and in two there was very litte. Two cases had only fair (grade 3) contraction of the transferred tendon and four were poor (grade 2). There was a marked improvement in the gait of all these patients due to the improved stability of the foot. This is best borne out by observing these patients walk (AU)