Siemens entregará 60 sistemas altamente innovadores de imagen y software para el inversor privado Alliar que pretende cubrir pequeñas ciudades en varios Estados brasileños con Siemens vanguardia la resonancia magnética, tomografía y sistemas de imágenes moleculares aumento andallowing de confianza de diagnóstico para la detección más temprana de enfermedades.
Según informa la compañía tecnológica, con este acuerdo Siemens muestra la estrategia de dar soporte a los países del grupo BRIC (Brasil, Rusia, India y China), para mejorar sus estructuras sanitarias en las áreas rurales. Con más de 46 millones de seguros privados de salud, Brasil está transformando su mercado sanitario ofreciendo muchas y diversas oportunidades al sector privado.
En Brasil han surgido varias oportunidades de negocio para los inversores privados, especialmente en el sector de la salud, en donde la enorme demanda está cubierta por el sector privado. Solo en 2010 más de 30 acuerdos de fusiones y adquisiciones han cambiado el panorama competitivo de los prestadores de servicios para una administración más profesional y madura.
Alliar surgió de una exitosa fusión de líderes de empresas de servicio de diagnóstico por imagen en Brazil. Y el objetivo principal del grupo es proporcionar servicios de diagnóstico con alta calidad y precios asequibles en pequeñas ciudades brasileñas que tienen un alto potencial económico, pero en donde faltan centros de diagnóstico por imagen competitivos.
12 December 2011
11 December 2011
Viajes: Budapest, Navidad arropada por las aguas termales
Budapest, la ciudad con mayor número de fuentes termales del mundo, celebra su tradicional mercadillo de Navidad en la Plaza Vörösmarty a partir del 18 de noviembre con especial atención para la Nochebuena, noche en la cual el mercadillo abre sus puertas hasta las 2 de la madrugada. Además, la capital húngara celebra más de 150 eventos culturales, y acoge a cerca de 600.000 visitantes venidos de todas las partes del mundo.
Este mercadillo se ha convertido en uno de los eventos de Navidades más popular de Europa, gracias a la presencia de más de 100 stands de artesanía tradicional húngara, además de chiringuitos donde el visitante puede probar delicias de gastronomía típicas del país. En casetas hechas de madera, uno puede comprar regalos especiales, certificados por la Asociación de Artistas Folklóricos Húngaros, o simplemente pasear mirando los objetos de artesanía típicamente húngaros que estos comerciantes tienen para ofrecer. Hay casetas donde se hace el tradicional pan lángos, cocido en el horno húngaro töki, barbacoas, pastelería caramelizada y los famosos strudels. La bebida más popular es el ponche caliente de vino con especias, forralt bor, servido en una taza especial que el visitante puede llevarse consigo como recuerdo del Mercadillo.
Bajo la nieve. Como suele ser frecuente en esta fechas, puede nevar. Si es así, no te pierdas acudir al balneario al aire libre Széchenyi, donde la experiencia de estar sumergido en aguas a 38 grados mientras contemplas la caía de los copos es única.
*Croisi Europe (tel.: 912952497 http://www.croisieurope.com/) propone un crucero de 5 días visitando las más bellas capitales centroeuropeas: Viena, Budapest y Bratislava con alojamiento en cabina exterior, visitas, comidas y bebidas desde 578 euros.
*Más información: http://www.hungriaturismo.com/
Pig-induced pluripotent stem cells may be safer than previously thought
Pig stem cell research conducted by two animal scientists at the University of Georgia reveals a better way to determine the safety of future stem cell therapies than rodent-based models. Rodent studies are likely inadequate for testing many human therapies -- including pharmaceuticals -- since 50 percent of all chemicals test positive as carcinogens in rodents regardless of their source or identity, according to Thomas Hartung, a professor in the Bloomsburg College of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. He suggests these rodent studies may be no better than a coin toss. For example, some components in coffee appear to be carcinogenic in rodents, but in humans moderate coffee consumption may reduce the risk of cancer.
In 2010, UGA faculty Steve Stice and Franklin West introduced 13 pigs that have shown promise in unlocking the path to new therapies. The pigs recently produced another positive finding: These adult-cell-sourced stem cells don't form tumors in pigs.
"Pluripotent stem cells have significant potential for stem cell therapies," said West, an animal science researcher and assistant professor in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. "However, tests in mice often resulted in tumor formation that frequently led to death."
The formation of tumors has raised concerns about the safety of induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs, and cells derived from these stem cells. Until now, all iPSC safety studies have been performed in rodent models.
"To address the concern, our research team studied tumor formation in pigs generated from pig iPSCs," West said. "Brain, skin, liver, pancreas, stomach, intestine, lung, heart, kidney, muscle, spleen and gonad tissues from all 11 pigs tested showed no evidence of tumors."
The absence of tumor formation in these pigs suggests that iPSCs can safely incorporate into tissues without tumor formation.
"Being able to safely use iPSCs without the potential of causing tumors is essential for this promising stem cell therapy to become a viable treatment option," said Stice, a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. "We now have graduate students working on making neural cells from the human and pig stem cells to help further the studies. The human stem cells were effective in a rodent model for stroke, but rodent studies are not rigorous enough to start human clinical trials."
West agrees. "Over 700 drug treatments have gone to human clinical trials for stroke alone based on findings in rodents and have turned out not to be viable in humans," he said. "The pigs are much more human like, and they are going to be a much better model to study strokes."
West is leading a cooperative project between the UGA Regenerative Bioscience Center and stroke researchers at Georgia Health Sciences University. "This project will improve the speed and efficiency of treatment development for stroke and many other conditions and potentially reduce the number of nonhuman primates used in research," he said.
Additionally, Stice and West have now bred the pigs produced from iPSCs and have proven the stem cells did pass to the offspring. This finding opens the door for better animal-sourced tissue for human regenerative medicine such as islet cells that produce insulin for diabetic patients.
Using iPSC technology, the UGA Regenerative Bioscience Center is working with researchers at Emory University to make pigs whose cells from the pancreas would demonstrate decreased rejection in human treatments.
"The next step would be to put these pig insulin-producing cells into other animals, potentially dogs or cats suffering from diabetes -- to see if it will produce insulin for them without being rejected," Stice said. "So, it's moving forward. Never as fast as we like, but it's moving."
*Source: University of Georgia
In 2010, UGA faculty Steve Stice and Franklin West introduced 13 pigs that have shown promise in unlocking the path to new therapies. The pigs recently produced another positive finding: These adult-cell-sourced stem cells don't form tumors in pigs.
"Pluripotent stem cells have significant potential for stem cell therapies," said West, an animal science researcher and assistant professor in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. "However, tests in mice often resulted in tumor formation that frequently led to death."
The formation of tumors has raised concerns about the safety of induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs, and cells derived from these stem cells. Until now, all iPSC safety studies have been performed in rodent models.
"To address the concern, our research team studied tumor formation in pigs generated from pig iPSCs," West said. "Brain, skin, liver, pancreas, stomach, intestine, lung, heart, kidney, muscle, spleen and gonad tissues from all 11 pigs tested showed no evidence of tumors."
The absence of tumor formation in these pigs suggests that iPSCs can safely incorporate into tissues without tumor formation.
"Being able to safely use iPSCs without the potential of causing tumors is essential for this promising stem cell therapy to become a viable treatment option," said Stice, a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. "We now have graduate students working on making neural cells from the human and pig stem cells to help further the studies. The human stem cells were effective in a rodent model for stroke, but rodent studies are not rigorous enough to start human clinical trials."
West agrees. "Over 700 drug treatments have gone to human clinical trials for stroke alone based on findings in rodents and have turned out not to be viable in humans," he said. "The pigs are much more human like, and they are going to be a much better model to study strokes."
West is leading a cooperative project between the UGA Regenerative Bioscience Center and stroke researchers at Georgia Health Sciences University. "This project will improve the speed and efficiency of treatment development for stroke and many other conditions and potentially reduce the number of nonhuman primates used in research," he said.
Additionally, Stice and West have now bred the pigs produced from iPSCs and have proven the stem cells did pass to the offspring. This finding opens the door for better animal-sourced tissue for human regenerative medicine such as islet cells that produce insulin for diabetic patients.
Using iPSC technology, the UGA Regenerative Bioscience Center is working with researchers at Emory University to make pigs whose cells from the pancreas would demonstrate decreased rejection in human treatments.
"The next step would be to put these pig insulin-producing cells into other animals, potentially dogs or cats suffering from diabetes -- to see if it will produce insulin for them without being rejected," Stice said. "So, it's moving forward. Never as fast as we like, but it's moving."
*Source: University of Georgia
"Lucille", una novela de comic sobre la anorexia
"Lucille", obra de Ludovic Debeurme, no es una simple novela de comic. Sino todo un alegato sobre la anorexia y el autorrechazo hacia la sociedad. En el libro lanzado por "Norma Editorial" se descubre la vida de Lucille, una adolescente a la que sus problemas psíquicos y de salud le dificultan aún más su relación normal con los demás. Los críticos han calificado la obra como "una novela gráfica sensible y cautivadora".
New disinfection technique could revolutionize hospital room cleaning
A Queen's University infectious disease expert has collaborated in the development of a disinfection system that may change the way hospital rooms all over the world are cleaned as well as stop bed bug outbreaks in hotels and apartments. "This is the future, because many hospital deaths are preventable with better cleaning methods," says Dick Zoutman, who is also Quinte Health Care's new Chief of Staff. "It has been reported that more than 100,000 people in North America die every year due to hospital acquired infections at a cost of $30 billion. That's 100,000 people every year who are dying from largely preventable infections."
Dr. Zoutman has also used this disinfection technology to kill bed bugs. A major U.S. hotel chain has already expressed interest in the technology because of its potential to save the company millions of dollars in lost revenue and infected furniture.
Dr. Zoutman worked in collaboration with Dr. Michael Shannon of Medizone International at laboratories located in Innovation Park, Queen's University. Medizone is commercializing the technology and the first deliveries are scheduled for the first quarter of 2012.
The new technology involves pumping a Medizone-specific ozone and hydrogen peroxide vapour gas mixture into a room to completely sterilize everything -- including floors, walls, drapes, mattresses, chairs and other surfaces. It is far more effective in killing bacteria than wiping down a room.
Dr. Zoutman says the technique is similar to what we now know Mother Nature uses to kill bacteria in humans. When an antibody attacks a germ, it generates ozone and a minute amount of hydrogen peroxide producing a new highly reactive compound that is profoundly lethal against bacteria, viruses and mold.
"It works well for Mother Nature and is working very well for us," says Dr. Zoutman.
There are other disinfecting technologies that involve pumping gas into a room, but Medizone's method is the only one that sterilizes as well as surgical instrument cleaning. It also leaves a pleasant smell and doesn't affect any medical equipment in the room. The entire disinfection process is also faster than other methods -- it takes less than one hour.
Dr. Zoutman says the technology could also be used in food preparation areas and processing plants after outbreaks such as listeria and to disinfect cruise ships after an infection outbreak.
Study results on the process are published in the December issue of the American Journal of Infection Control.
*Source: Queen's University
Dr. Zoutman has also used this disinfection technology to kill bed bugs. A major U.S. hotel chain has already expressed interest in the technology because of its potential to save the company millions of dollars in lost revenue and infected furniture.
Dr. Zoutman worked in collaboration with Dr. Michael Shannon of Medizone International at laboratories located in Innovation Park, Queen's University. Medizone is commercializing the technology and the first deliveries are scheduled for the first quarter of 2012.
The new technology involves pumping a Medizone-specific ozone and hydrogen peroxide vapour gas mixture into a room to completely sterilize everything -- including floors, walls, drapes, mattresses, chairs and other surfaces. It is far more effective in killing bacteria than wiping down a room.
Dr. Zoutman says the technique is similar to what we now know Mother Nature uses to kill bacteria in humans. When an antibody attacks a germ, it generates ozone and a minute amount of hydrogen peroxide producing a new highly reactive compound that is profoundly lethal against bacteria, viruses and mold.
"It works well for Mother Nature and is working very well for us," says Dr. Zoutman.
There are other disinfecting technologies that involve pumping gas into a room, but Medizone's method is the only one that sterilizes as well as surgical instrument cleaning. It also leaves a pleasant smell and doesn't affect any medical equipment in the room. The entire disinfection process is also faster than other methods -- it takes less than one hour.
Dr. Zoutman says the technology could also be used in food preparation areas and processing plants after outbreaks such as listeria and to disinfect cruise ships after an infection outbreak.
Study results on the process are published in the December issue of the American Journal of Infection Control.
*Source: Queen's University
Desarrollo cognitivo y suplemento de hierro
Expertos sudamericanos han desarrollado en Chile un estudio donde se analiza la relación entre el desarrollo cognitivo y los suplementos de hierro. Un grupo de bebés( con alto nivel de proteínas de hemoglobina en sangre) son los analizados en el estudio, ya publicado en la revista "Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine". En el mismo, con cierta cautela en cuanto a la interpretación de los resultados, los autores afirman que tuvieron menor rendimiento en test cognitivos y de memoria los que estuvieron alimentados con menos hierro.
Scripps research study underlines potential of anti-stress peptide to block alcohol dependence
New research by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute has underlined the power of an endogenous anti-stress peptide in the brain to prevent and even reverse some of the cellular effects of acute alcohol and alcohol dependence in animal models. The work could lead to the development of novel drugs to treat alcoholism. The new study, led by Scripps Research Associate Professor Marisa Roberto and now published online ahead of print by the journal Biological Psychiatry, illuminates the cellular mechanisms that govern the transition from alcohol use to alcohol dependence. Specifically, the study examined the interaction between two competing agents -- one a stress peptide that promotes excessive alcohol drinking, the other an anti-stress peptide that opposes it. The results confirm that drugs derived from the anti-stress peptide nociceptin could play an important role in treating a complex and multi-faceted disease.
"Alcohol affects a lot of systems in the brain, and there won't be a single pill that will cure the multiple and complex aspects of this disease," Roberto said. Instead, scientists are seeking to attack the disease from a variety of angles, and are investigating the many different areas of the brain that appear to play a role in the use and abuse of alcohol.
Alcoholism, a chronic disease characterized by compulsive drinking and loss of control over alcohol intake, is devastating to both individuals and society. Approximately one third of all traffic fatalities involve drunk drivers, and alcohol abuse generates hundreds of billions of dollars in direct and indirect public health costs.
"Alcoholism is a complex disorder with many contributing factors, one of which is stress," said Maureen Cruz, a research associate in Roberto's lab and first author of the study. "By targeting a particular system that's associated with stress, we can better understand the interaction of alcohol and stress in the brain."
-Peptide vs. Peptide
Roberto and her team focus on the central nucleus of the amygdala, a region of the brain that has long been implicated in the elevated anxiety and excessive drinking associated with alcohol dependence and withdrawal.
In previous animal studies, Roberto and her colleagues demonstrated that a particular stress peptide produced in the amygdala, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), plays a key role in the transition from alcohol use to alcohol dependence. "This peptide," said Roberto, "drives craving for alcohol." Roberto and her colleagues also demonstrated that nociceptin, a peptide that structurally resembles endogenous opioids, can both prevent and reverse some effects of alcohol.
Intriguingly, CRF and nociceptin exert opposite effects on the inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), in central amygdala. CRF stimulates the release of GABA by neurons in the amygdala, while nociceptin inhibits it.
In the new study, Roberto, Cruz, and their colleagues examined how these two competing agents interact. At the behavioral level, nociceptin regulates anxiety and alcohol drinking in rats. "We were interested in seeing if nociceptin blocked the effect of CRF on a cellular level," Roberto said.
To find out if that were indeed the case, the scientists examined amygdala neurons from both alcohol-dependent and control rats. They added CRF and nociceptin and electrically stimulated the neurons to see how they would behave under the influence of both peptides. The result: nociceptin completely blocked the effects of CRF on GABA release.
Winner Takes All
But that was not all. By varying the sequence in which the scientists introduced the two opposing peptides, the researchers established that it did not matter whether they introduced nociceptin before or after CRF had done its work: In either case, nociceptin counteracted CRF and drove GABA levels down. "No matter when CRF is added, nociceptin wins," said Roberto. "That's a really consistent effect."
The researchers also found that both CRF and nociceptin had a more powerful effect on the amygdala neurons of alcohol-dependent rats compared to those from non-dependent animals. Roberto believes that this has to do with cellular changes that alcohol dependence causes in the brain -- changes that heighten sensitivity to alcohol, compounding the effects of both drinking and withdrawal.
In addition, the team was able to determine that nociceptin and CRF both rely on the same enzyme, protein kinase A (PKA), to modulate GABA release in the amygdala.
**Source: Scripps Research Institute
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