Individuals respond differently to drugs and sometimes the effects are unpredictable. Differences in DNA that alter the expression or function of proteins targeted by drugs can contribute significantly to the variation in the individuals responses. The use of pharmacogenomics is to identify genetic polymorphisms that predispose patients to adverse drug effects that, although they may occur in only a small subset of the people treated with a new medication, are sufficiently toxic to jeopardise further development of the drug for all patients. Given the potential value of knowing all the possible factors that influence the effects of new agents, it is likely that pharmacogenomics will have an increasingly important role in drug discovery and development. This article briefly reviews concepts that underlie the emerging fields of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics, with an emphasis on the pharmacogenetics of drug metabolism. Although only a few examples will be provided to illustrate concepts and to demonstrate the potential contribution of pharmacogenetics to medical practice, it is now clear that virtually every pathway of drug metabolism will eventually be found to have genetic variation.
The articular facets on the inferior aspect of the occipital condyles, articulate with the superior articular facets of the first cervical (atlas) vertebra, to form the atlanto-occipital joint. The present case, reports the asymmetrical dimensions of the facets on the occipital condyles of a human dried skull. The anatomico-radiological study of asymmetrical articular facets on the occipital condyles, may be helpful for academicians, neuro-surgeons, clinicians and radiologists in day to day clinical practice.
The testis is an important organ upon which the survival of the human species depends. Any compression of testicular artery may lead to loss of gametogenesis and hormone production. We found a left testicular artery entrapped between two divisions of a left renal vein in an approximately 50 year old cadaver. The left renal vein was formed by union of two veins coming from the kidney, left suprarenal vein, left testicular vein and an abnormally enlarged lumbar vein. This case may be of particular importance to surgeons who transplant kidneys, radiologists and orthopaedic surgeons dealing with the spine repairs.