Hereditary Ataxias in Cuba: A Nationwide Epidemiological and Clinical Study in 1001 Patients

The Cerebellum - The prevalence estimations of hereditary ataxias are biased since most epidemiological studies are confined to isolated geographical regions and few nationwide studies are...     

A new acrylic tissue adhesive for conjunctival surgery: experimental study

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and the clinical and histopathologic tolerance of a new acrylic tissue adhesive (ADAL-2) versus 8/0 polyglactin sutures (Vicryl) for its use in conjunctival surgery. METHOD: Experimental study performed on New Zealand albino rabbits. The animals were divided into two groups. Surgery consisted of a conjunctival peritomy of 8 mm in the superior limbus followed by extensive subconjunctival dissection and creation of a flap by two radial cuts. The conjunctiva was then attached to the limbus again by the proposed acrylic tissue adhesive (ADAL-2) or 8/0 polyglactin suture depending on the group. Clinical efficacy of the closure of the conjunctival wound, either with adhesives or sutures, and the clinical and histopathologic tolerance were also evaluated 1, 7, 28 and 42 days after surgery. RESULTS: Both conjunctival surgical closure methods were found to be equal in efficacy concerning their ability to fix the conjunctiva to the limbus. There were no significant clinical and histopathologic tolerance differences between the new tissue adhesive investigated (ADAL-2) and 8/0 polyglactin sutures (Vicryl). Histopathology showed no presence of the adhesive 28 days postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: ADAL-2 tissue adhesive is an efficient conjunctival closure method, very well tolerated by the ocular surface. Its sealing efficiency and its tolerance are similar to 8/0 polyglactin sutures. This new acrylic adhesive has a potential as an alternative for surgical conjunctival sealing in ophthalmic surgery.     

HLA-DPA1*/DPB1* en asociación con leucemias linfoides agudas y leucemias mieloides crónicas en mestizos venezolanos

More is now known of the involvement of HLA-DP region in the pathogenesis of the leukemias through several previousstudies showing interference of these molecules in modulating the immune response to pathogens. For evaluation of HLA alleles and haplotypes DPA1*/DPB1* (28 alleles HLA DPA1* and 123 of HLA- DPB1*) Olerup SSP ™PCR (Genovision) was used in 48 patients with ALL, 48 CML, and 48 Venezuelan twins as controls. For HLA/leukemias, a relative risk (RR) > 3 was considered to be a positive association and negative with an RR < 3, with a p corrected P<.05. ALL patients confirmed positive associations with DPA1*0105 allele, and negative with DPA1*010301-010302. In addition, they were positively associated with DPA1*0106 and *0107, with DPA1*020101-020106 being negatively associated with ALL. DPA1*0105, *0108 and *0109 were negatively associated with CML. The observed frequencies of HLA-DPB1* 01:01, 02:01, 03:01, 04:01 and 4:02 alleles in Venezuelan, which twins were between 7 and 16%, were higher than those of leukemic patients. Negative associations of DPB1*2:01, *3:01 and LLA were confined. No positive associations were observed with ALL. Non-confirmed positive associations were observed between DPB1*99:01 and CML. Haplotypes HLA-DPA1*01:03-DPB1*4:01, *2:01, *99:01 were strongly positively associated with CML. DPA1*1:09-DPB1*2:01, *4:01 were negatively associated with the CML. DPA1*1:03-DPB1*4:02; DPA1*01:09-DPB1*2:01, *4:01 and DPA1*02:01-DPB1*04:02 were negatively associated with ALL. The DPB1* single region does not appear to be associated with leukemia in the Venezuelan population. The strong association with several haplotypes DPA*1/DPB1* and LMC suggests massive differences between the pathogenesis of both diseases.