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Genealogical information and the structure of rural Latin-American populations: reality and fantasy.

Genetic data organized in the form of genealogies can provide much information regarding the history and genetic structure of human populations. A large proportion of the population of Latin America is organized in small rural semi-isolated communities, with little immigration, and until the last 50-100 years, little emigration. These communities have a strong sense of their genealogical history, and this "genealogical conscience' is a frequent leitmotif in modern Latin-American literature. In this communication, we compare the characteristics of fictitious genealogies described in two masterpieces of Latin-American literature, García Márquez' Cien Años de Soledad (A Hundred Years of Solitude), and Verissimo's O Tempo e o Vento (Time and the Wind), with one existing well-studied population in Argentina, Aicuña. All three populations exhibit a number of common characteristics, such as histories of long periods of civil war, and large pedigrees with complex paths of inheritance resulting in complex patterns of inbreeding. Genetic themes common to all three are: (1) the use of genealogical records to substantiate the property of the land or the political power of a kinship; (2) the genealogical registry of biological descendants, independent of their legal or marital status in the clan; (3) the existence of pedigrees of the aristocratic branches in the same kindreds, which illustrate the legal principle of primogeniture; (4) the value of last names as indicators of kinships and the extent of genetic isolation, and (5) the awareness of the deleterious consequences of consanguinity.

Argentina↗
PubMed1996

Melatonin as an antiaging drug: between facts and fantasy.

This contribution makes an attempt to critically reassess the impressive career of melatonin from a stepchild of hormone research to a best-seller of drug marketing. Melatonin is an extremely interesting hormone. It is involved in the regulation of seasonal and circadian fluctuations of other hormones and in the synchronization of many different aspects of circadian rhythmicity to the light-dark cycle. In addition to these receptor-mediated functions, melatonin may act as a modulator of intracellular signal transduction to enhance or suppress the responses of many different cells to other incoming signals. Melatonin is also a potent scavenger of reactive oxygen species and may thus protect cells and tissues against radical-mediated damage. The production of melatonin declines with increasing age, and circulating melatonin levels are affected by certain pharmacological or physiological manipulations, notably food restriction which increases melatonin levels and prevents its age-related decline. Animal and cell culture experiments suggest that melatonin may have beneficial effects on certain aspects of aging and age-associated diseases. Of particular interest in this respect are reports on the influence of melatonin on the brain and the immune system. More research data are urgently needed in order to more clearly define the possible sites and mechanisms of these actions. Clinical studies need to be performed in order to identify possible side effects of long-term melatonin treatment, especially in elderly and diseased subjects. Serious concerns are raised about the use of uncontrolled, impure, or partially degraded melatonin preparations.

Aging↗
PubMed1994

Oral immunization: turning fantasy into reality.

The application of oral immunization as the primary means to deliver multivalent vaccines to large populations has many theoretical advantages. However, widespread success in achieving protective immunity against these diseases through oral immunization requires additional understanding of the basic mechanisms of host resistance in the mucosal tissues. Fundamental issues, such as the lineage and repertoire or regulatory pathway of mucosal effector cells, are only now just beginning to be understood. A more comprehensive understanding of these issues could greatly enhance our success at designing and applying successful oral immunization programs.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1997

Glottic-supraglottic barrier: fact or fantasy?

An anatomic structure that might act as a barrier between the glottic and supraglottic areas has never been demonstrated in whole organ serial section studies. Nevertheless, most squamous cell carcinomas arising on the supraglottic mucosa remain confined above the ventricle, and this fact is reflected in the high rate of local control obtained by surgeons performing horizontal supraglottic laryngectomy: 80.6% to 98%. Whole organ sections of laryngectomy specimens suggest that a tumor situated above and below the glottic level may have arrived there not by crossing the ventricle, but by encircling it. In so doing, part of the tumor is visible posterior to the ventricle or on the arytenoid cartilage-a finding that contraindicates conventional supraglottic laryngectomy, with or without limited mobility of the true vocal cord.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMed1990

Pediatrics 1990: facts and fantasies, myths and misconceptions.

Pediatrics is a constantly evolving medical specialty. As our knowledge grows through scientific research and careful observation, common pediatric concepts and practices are modified or sometimes even abandoned. Yet, for many reasons, clinicians tend to resist rapid changes and perpetuate antiquated practices, diagnostic strategies, and clinical policies. A number of such practices are presented along with the medical evidence supporting their discontinuation.

Humans↗