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Objective: To identify the risk factors for the development of stress fractures in this sub population in our country. Study Design: Comparative cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital Abbottabad Pakistan, from Jan 2015 to Aug 2017. Methodology: This study was conducted to identify different variables as risk factors for stress fractures in training cadets. We analyzed age, gender, running and sports prior to joining training, duration of marching, daily milk and carbonated drinks consumption, cigarette smoking, serum albumin, calcium and vitamin D levels, calf muscle diameter, leg length discrepancy and tibiofemoral angles. Results: A total of 275 participant included in this study, 140 cases, 51% and 135 controls, 49%. Mean age was 20 years. Two hundred and sixty eight (97%) were males and 7 (3%) were females. Grade-2 stress fracture was the commonest with 63 (45%) cases. Regular daily running prior to joining training p<0.006, regular milk intake p<0.005 were found to have a protective effect while subnormal serum calcium level p<0.001, serum vitamin D insufficiency p<0.009, thinner calf diameter p<0.001, heavy daily march p<0.039, leg length discrepancy p<0.025 were significant risk factors. Fourteen percent needed operative treatment. Conclusion: Regular daily running prior to joining training, regular milk intake, thicker calf diameter has a protective effect, while subnormal serum calcium and serum vitamin D levels, daily heavy march, leg length discrepancy are significant risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study was carried out to evaluate the usefulness of sternal puncture for bone marrow examination when posterior superior iliac spine was not approachable. Design: Case series. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out from Sep 2008 till Feb 2009 at Haematology Department, Army Medical College /Military Hospital Rawalpindi. Patients and Methods: Sternal puncture was performed on 12 patients where PSIS/ASIS were not accessible due to patients condition/ disease. Results: The diagnosis was possible in all the patients and the reports were intimated within a few hours of carrying out the procedure. Indications for sternal puncture were non accessibility of PSIS/ASIS due to obesity, bed sores, anasarca, skin lesions and patients on ventilators. No complications were seen. Conclusion: Sternum is as good as other sites of bone marrow examination especially in critically ill patients who cannot undergo conventional bone marrow aspiration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: As Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology continues to assimilate into various industries, there is a huge scope in the healthcare industry specifically in clinical laboratories. The perspective of the laboratory professionals can give valuable insight on the ideal path to take for AI implementation., Methods: The study utilized a cross-sectional survey design and was conducted at the section of Chemical Pathology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, the Aga Khan University (AKU), Karachi, Pakistan in collaboration with Consultant Pathologists of 9 clinical laboratories associated with teaching hospitals across Pakistan from October-November 2023. The survey was for a duration of 2 weeks and was circulated to all working laboratory technical staff after informed consent., Results: A total of 351 responses were received, of which 342 (male=146, female=196) responses were recorded after exclusion. Respondents ranged from technologists, faculty, residents, and coordinators, and were from different sections (chemical pathology, microbiology, haematology, histopathology, POCT). Out of the total 312 (91.2%) of respondents stated that they were at least somewhat familiar with AI technology. Experts in AI were only 2.0% (n=7) of all respondents, but 90% (n=6) of these were < 30 years old. 76.3% (n=261) of the respondents felt the need to implement more AI technology in the laboratories, with time saving (26.1%) and improving performances of tests (17.7%) cited to be the greatest benefits of AI. Security concerns (n=144) and a fear of decreasing personal touch (n=143) were the main concerns of the respondents while the younger employees had an increased fear of losing their jobs. 76.3% were in favour of an increase in AI usage in the laboratories., Conclusion: This study highlights a favourable perspective among laboratory professionals, acknowledging the potential of AI to enhance both the efficiency and quality of laboratory practices. However, it underscores the importance of addressing their concerns in the thoughtful implementation of this emerging technology., (Copyright © 2024 International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC). All rights reserved.)