“A 40-meter piece of pipe was ripped off, the pipes were 250 meters apart, one piece bent 90 degrees and fell into part of the North Stream; there is no doubt that it is a terrorist act,” he pointed out.

Putin stressed that details of the incident had been discovered by investigators from the Russian energy company Gazprom, who were eventually admitted to the blast site.

Sweden, in whose special economic zone the accident occurred, had previously refused to involve Russia in the investigation, hiding behind the fact that the information on the events “is subject to confidentiality directly related to national security.”

Russian president explains why the grain transport agreement was suspended

“We are not saying that we are ending our participation in this operation; no, we are saying that we are interrupting it,” Putin said. Photo: AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin participated in a press conference after his meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, aimed at finding a solution to the conflict over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

In his statements, the Russian president addressed the suspension of Moscow’s participation in the agreement for the transport of wheat and other agricultural products from Ukrainian ports after the massive attack launched this Saturday with drones against its ships in the Sevastopol Bay ( Crimea).

Putin stated that Moscow is suspending its participation in the agreement until Ukraine guarantees the safety of ships in the Black Sea.

In his words, “the unsuccessful attack that Ukraine launched against ships of the Black Sea Fleet” was carried out by drones “both underwater and aerial” that partly flew over the corridor through which grain is transported from Ukraine.

“In this way, they created a threat both to our ships, which must ensure the safety of grain exports, and to the civilian ships involved,” he said.

The president emphasized that if kyiv attacked civilian vessels, Russia would be accused of the aggression, since it is responsible for guaranteeing their safety.

“We are not saying that we are ending our participation in this operation; no, we are saying that we are interrupting it,” Putin said, stressing that Ukraine must ensure that there are no threats to Russian civilian and military ships.

According to the Russian president, the UN should carry out “additional work” with kyiv so that Ukraine “guarantees the security of this corridor.”

(With information from RT in Spanish)

Over the course of the last three years, the researchers asked a group of 64 volunteers to wear nylon stockings on their arms for six hours a day for several days. Maria Elena De Obaldia, the first author of the study and a former postdoctoral fellow at Rockefeller University, built a “two-choice olfactometer assay”: an acrylic glass chamber into which the researchers placed two of the stockings. The study team then released yellow fever mosquitoes — scientifically called Aedes aegypti — into the chamber and noted which sock attracted them the most.

This test allowed the researchers to separate study participants into “mosquito magnets,” whose socks attracted a lot of mosquitoes, and “low attractors,” who didn’t seem as attractive to insects. The scientists examined the skin of the mosquito magnets and found 50 molecular compounds that were higher in these participants than in the others.

“We had no preconceived notions about what we would find,” Vosshall, who is also chief scientific officer of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, told CNN. But one difference was particularly distinctive: Mosquito magnets have much higher rates of carboxylic acid in the skin than low attractors.

Carboxylic acids are found in sebum, the oily substance that creates a barrier and helps keep skin hydrated. Carboxylic acids are large molecules, Vosshall explained. “They’re not that smelly by themselves,” she said. But beneficial bacteria on the skin “chew these acids, which produce the characteristic human odor,” which may be what attracts mosquitoes, according to Vosshall.
The odor of skin secretions plays a role

One of the study participants, identified as Subject 33, was the center of attention for mosquitoes: the subject’s stockings were 100 times more attractive to mosquitoes than those of the rest of the participants.
And the level of human attraction appeared to remain fairly constant over time for the participants who were tracked over the three-year period, Vosshall said.

Subject 33, for example, “never stopped being the most attractive human being” to mosquitoes, which could be “bad news for those who are mosquito magnets.” When it comes to the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the females prefer to use human blood to fuel their egg production, speeding up their search for humans to hunt. And these mini-predators use a variety of mechanisms to identify and choose the humans they bite, Vosshall said.
Carboxylic acids are just one piece of the puzzle that explains how pesky insects choose their targets. Body heat and the carbon dioxide we release when we breathe are also a factor of attraction.

Scientists don’t yet know why carboxylic acids seem to attract mosquitoes so strongly, Vosshall said. But the next step could be to explore the effects of reducing carboxylic acids on the skin.
“You can’t completely remove natural moisturizers from your skin, that would be bad for your skin’s health.” However, Vosshall said dermatological products could minimize carboxylic acid levels and reduce mosquito bites.

“Each bite of these mosquitoes puts people in a dangerous situation for their health,” he said. “Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are contagious vectors for dengue, yellow fever and Zika. Those magnet people will be much more likely to get infected with those viruses.”

Mosquitoes evolved to hunt based on scent
Matthew DeGennaro, an associate professor at Florida International University who specializes in mosquito neurogenetics, told CNN that the study results help answer long-standing questions about what specific factors cause mosquitoes to choose some humans more. than others. He did not participate in the study.

“This study clearly shows that these acids are important,” he said. “Now the way mosquitoes perceive these carboxylic acids is interesting because these particular chemicals are really heavy, so they’re hard to smell from a distance.”

“It could be that these chemicals are altered by, say, the skin microbiome, and that causes a certain type of odour. Or it could be that other factors in the environment break down these chemicals a bit, so they’re easier for mosquitoes to detect.”

The results are also “a great example of how well insects can smell,” DeGennaro added. “This insect has evolved to hunt us.” For DeGennaro, the staying power of certain humans’ attractiveness is one of the most interesting aspects of the research.

“We didn’t know that there were very stable preferences of mosquitoes for certain people,” he said. “It might suggest that the skin microbiome is important, although they didn’t address that.”
Further research should explore the microbiome that exists on human skin to understand why mosquitoes are attracted to certain compounds over others, she said. And that could lead to better products to reduce mosquito bites and the spread of disease.

“I think if we understand why mosquitoes find a host, we can design new repellants that stop mosquitoes from detecting those chemicals,” DeGennaro said. “And this could be used to improve our current repellents.”

(With information from CNN in Spanish)

This was announced on Tuesday -as part of the 15th health for all fair, which takes place at the Pabexpo exhibition center-, engineer Alejandro César González Urquiza, member of the team that developed the ‘device, which clarified that the license It was awarded after a rigorous validation process.

Previously, he explained, two satisfactory experimental tests were carried out on pigs, which were ventilated under the supervision of the regulatory authority. Subsequently, a stability diagnosis of the equipment was approved, which was put into service for a long continuous period, without showing any failures.

After all the validation process carried out with Cecmed, where tests were carried out on the software, the pneumatic system and the electronics of the equipment, the entity granted the authorization for use in humans, in order to testing it in patients with ventilatory needs. .

Professor Alberto Martínez Sardiñas, anesthesiologist, intensivist and project manager, indicated that two of these devices are already located at the Calixto García Hospital and the Neurology Institute, respectively, while the third, which is now on display at the Fair, He will be transferred to the Hospital Miguel Enríquez, also in Havana.

He specified that within ten days clinical trials should begin in ventilated patients of these hospitals, with medical personnel previously trained and advised by the developers of the device.

Martínez Sardiñas pointed out that this equipment represents a possible solution to provide all forms of ventilation to severe and critical patients in Cuba. It was born from the difficulties of importing these devices, which during the covid-19 acquired a high cost.

José Ángel Portal Miranda, Cuban Minister of Public Health, highlighted during the inauguration the importance of this unit, both for the province and for neighboring territories, and for the processing of samples from all tourists who arrive at the northern keys.

He highlighted the quality and value of the installed technology , as well as the preparation of the personnel, which allows for much faster diagnoses and opens up treatment opportunities, both for COVID-19, and for other infectious diseases .

Portal Miranda praised the design and characteristics of the work and urged to ensure the quality of the processes and biosecurity for the protection of workers.

Dr. Vivian Kourí, deputy director of the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK), in the opening remarks recalled how, given the increase in positive cases in SARS-CoV-2 , new laboratories were enabled , both in the capital of the country and in other provinces.

Dr. Vivian Kourí, deputy director of the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK). Photo: Osvaldo Gutiérrez Gómez / ACN.

She specified that the training of the personnel working in the Avilanian laboratory was in charge of experts from IPK and Villa Clara , and today the first 40 samples were processed here, a figure that should be progressively increased.

Tatiana Artiles Herrera, specialist in clinical laboratory, at the head of the facility, explained that initially they will process samples from the isolation areas of Ciego de Ávila using PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests .

She explained that as of the incorporation, in the coming days, of automated extraction equipment, the number of PCRs will rise, with samples from other nearby provinces.

The inauguration of the center was attended by Carlos Luis Garrido Pérez and Tomás Alexis Venegas, president and vice president, respectively, of the Provincial Defense Council.

Currently underway at the site, where the laboratory will process up to 1,000 tests in 24 hours, is the required civil construction, which is more than 75% complete, according to engineer Marilín Escobar Cabrera, of the Vladimir Lenin Hospital’s investment department.

Within the hospital where an area is being modified for the lab, at a cost of 3,000 CUC for the construction alone, adherence to all hygienic and sanitary norms will be assured and maximum biological security will be guaranteed to safely conduct the processing of tests.

Before beginning the work, Escobar reported, project specialists in Public Health, Hygiene and Epidemiology in the province of Holguín consulted personnel at the Molecular Engineering Laboratory in Santiago de Cuba.

The facility will begin operations as a Category Two lab, given the risks associated with the handling of samples to be tested, but experts from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, responsible for the preparation of the installation’s legal file, are considering the possibility that, once the COVID epidemic is contained, testing for other diseases could be conducted here, including those that require Category 4 status, given the high level of precaution implied.

Escobar noted that the lab will afford the Lenin Hospital greater scientific capacity, as well as the possibility of being designated a Medical Institution, with the addition of this new service to the more than 30 currently offered, which include specialized attention in obstetrics/gynecology, cardiology, oncology, and assisted reproduction.

(Source: Granma)

Precisely to share information and raise risk perception, Granma spoke with Dr. Vivian Kourí Cardellá, first deputy director of the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK), to learn more about the impact of the large number of asymptomatic cases of the disease.

“An asymptomatic person is defined as someone infected with a pathogenic agent, who does not present manifestations of the disease. When a diagnostic test is administered, the result is positive and the individual can transmit the infection to others,” she explained.

Dr. Kourí, a microbiologist specializing in virology, added that in the case of SARS-COV-2, contagion is determined through a PCR test in real time, using a nasopharyngeal exudate sample.

“It is important to differentiate between asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic individuals. It may be that the patient is tested at an early stage and subsequently develops the disease. Such cases are not considered asymptomatic, since this group includes only those who never show any type of symptom,” she stated.

The scientific literature reports that this phenomenon occurs in 40% to 70% of cases confirmed, especially if health authorities are conducting population studies to detect outbreaks or local transmission events in a given area.

This is, in fact, the strategy Cuba has implemented since the appearance of the first imported cases, March 11th, with immediate hospitalization of the sick, as well as testing and isolation of their direct and indirect contacts – producing an average rate of asymptomatic cases close to 60%.

-Is the viral load of an asymptomatic individual higher than that of a person exhibiting symptoms?

-There is no scientific evidence on this matter. Cuba does not have conclusive data on the subject either. Current investigations report differences, between symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, in the duration of positivity in Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests. In antibody tests (to determine if the body has produced an immune response to infection), it has been noted that antibodies increase earlier, with higher titer, and last longer in symptomatic patients, as compared to asymptomatic individuals.

-What treatment is recommended for asymptomatic individuals, in addition to isolation?

-Around the world, asymptomatic patients do not receive any type of treatment, they are simply told to isolate themselves at home and limit contact with others.

In Cuba, such individuals are given medications to boost the immune response, such as interferon and nasalferon. The latter is a chemical compound administered through the nose, which is less invasive, with less risk for the body.

-What procedures are performed to determine if a person is infected with the virus?

-A person who arrives with respiratory symptoms is hospitalized, evaluated and isolated in a center for suspected cases, and a sample of nasopharyngeal exudate is taken. If a positive result is produced, the person is classified as a patient with COVID-19 and is transferred to an institution that provides specialized treatment of the disease. If the result is negative, the person is referred to a non-COVID center.

The confirmed case generates a contact study, and isolation of all relatives and friends. Focused studies are also conducted among the population where the person lives and works, to determine the degree of transmission. The most distant contacts are followed by primary care physicians in the area.

Testing of those sent to isolation centers is conducted five days after the last contact with the confirmed patient. If the test is negative, a second test is repeated after another five-day interval, during which the individual stays at home and has no contact with others in the community. This group is kept under epidemiological surveillance, since the virus has an incubation period of up to 14 days.

With this second test, we can identify asymptomatic individuals carrying the virus. Those in this group are isolated in centers established for asymptomatic cases.

-Are PCR tests expensive?

-Cuba does not produce PCR diagnostic tests. We purchase them abroad. We produce only a limited volume of expendable materials, I am referring to swabs for sampling, the collection medium, where the swab is placed and other items. We also produce personal protection wear, that is clothing.

What we cannot produce are the reagents. These supplies are obtained abroad, at a price of approximately 50 dollars per test. This does not include the cost of medical care, transporting the samples or handling them in laboratories.

Large laboratory companies sell these reagents, which are very expensive, and are currently in short supply.

The country faces many obstacles in purchasing these reagents, even with the money in hand, for this purpose.

-Can Cuba produce the supplies needed to administer PCR tests?

-Several BioCubaFarma centers are investigating the possibility of producing the reagents and inputs for the laboratory. We have sought to reuse the plastic materials.

The literature suggests discarding all the material used in molecular biology work, but we are experimenting with a type of protocol for washing and sterilization with autoclaves and radiation. Thus far, we have seen encouraging results.

-Estimating more than 7,000 tests a day, at $50 a piece, since the beginning of the pandemic, means an expense of millions…

-The country is investing a great deal of money in these diagnostic tests, and this represents a huge effort for an underdeveloped nation like ours, which is economically blockaded by the United States government, as well.

The expense is warranted, because we are talking about an epidemic that is very difficult to contain, with a high number of infections and deaths. As long as a vaccine is not available, unfortunately, there will be no effective, worldwide control of the epidemic.”

(Source: Granma)

Cuba’s BioCubaFarma Enterprise Group and the British company SG Innovations Limited has announced the creation of a new company, BioFarma Innovations, focused on accelerating the development of new medications and their distribution in Europe and the British Commonwealth, according to a joint statement, made available to Granma.

The new partnership aims to provide broader access to BioCubaFarma’s patent-protected portfolio of biopharmaceutical products, developed by the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry in Cuba.

Amidst the global crisis and threats to public health systems, BioFarma Innovations will expand distribution networks and increase accessibility around the planet to Cuban products, including those being used to combat COVID-19.

Clinical trials of several products developed by BioCubaFarma for the treatment of the new coronavirus have shown promising results in several countries.

BioFarma Innovations’ strategic approach is based on the development and commercialization, in Europe and the Commonwealth, of a portfolio of patented biopharmaceutical products; providing access to BioCubaFarma’s expertise worldwide; promoting investment in new product development, including clinical trials and new drug launches.

BioFarma Innovations will be based in the UK, and Lord David Triesman, who will assume the role of CEO of the new company, has over 40 years experience with the National Health Service.

Commenting on the new partnership, Dr. Eduardo Martínez Díaz, president of BioCubaFarma, noted, “In line with our mission to prioritize public health, we are offering a dynamic, open approach to collaboration with global pharmaceutical companies and public health agencies throughout Europe and the Commonwealth, ranging from licensing to joint development and research agreements.”

(Source: Granma)

This figure includes 250 machines described as invasive, that is, the patient must be physically connected via intubation. These are used primarily in intensive care units to aid patients in serious and critical condition. The first lot will also include the same number of non-invasive ventilators, which do not require intubation and are used with patients in less serious condition.

According to Doctor Valdés Sosa, the first of the devices mentioned is the result of a joint effort by CNEURO specialists, the National Electro-medicine Center and the Grito de Baire enterprise affiliated with Military Industry Union, the latter responsible for development of mechanical components, while the non-invasive ventilator was produced by CNEURO in collaboration with the Molecular Immunology Center.

Dr. Valdés emphasized that construction of both models was based on open codes, made available online by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the London University College, but the software used and the industrial design are the work of Cuban experts.

He also highlighted the leading role played by the Center for State Control of Drugs, Equipment and Medical Devices (Cecmed) in trict compliance with all regulatory requirements established for the production of such equipment.

Dr. Valdés recalled that last April the Cuban government was denied purchases of ventilators from the Swiss companies IMT Medical AG and Acutronis, after they were bought by the U.S. company Vyaire Medical Inc, which ended commercial relations with our country citing the blockade.

“This was when the country’s leadership commissioned a multi-institutional team to develop a prototype ventilator in record time, so no Cuban patient with COVID-19 would be left without such an important medical device, capable of guaranteeing assisted respiration,” he said.

(Source: Granma)

Scientific evidence has already shown the harmful relationship between diabetesand cardiovascular and vascular diseases. Suffice it to say that the risk of suffering the latter triples for people whose glucose levels fall out the normal range.

The preventions of the complications of diabetes were the focus of the recently concluded 1st International Diabetes Congress – which took place in Havana with the participation of more than 400 specialists from 20 nations -,as the director of the Institute National of Endocrinology Dr. Ileydis Iglesias Marichal said to Granma International newspapers.

Dr. Iglesias Marichal also emphasized the importance of controlling another silent epidemic such as obesity, since around 80% of people with this condition debut with diabetes throughout their lives. Similarly, smoking is a risk factor to develop the disease, the specialist warned.
The interviewee also called the attention about hidden kidney disease in diabetes. In Cuba – country with better glycemic control of its patients according to reports from the Pan-American Health Organization-, diabetes is the second cause for kidney disease. “A timely follow-up delays and avoids complications such as dialysis or kidney transplantation,” she said.

The wake-up call extends to conditions such as retinopathy, the first cause of blindness, which is also linked to this chronic metabolic disease. Therefore, it is critical not only the glycemic control, but also the active screening of the eye fundus to detect any alteration.

Regarding amputation, another major complication of diabetes, Dr. Iglesias Marichal explained that prevention is aimed at detecting the risk of experiencing foot ulcer. «Although the rates of amputation have decreased by more than 70% in Cuba with the introduction of the Heberprot-p, it has also been essential the generalization of a project throughout the national territory to detect the foot at risk in this program, as well as the correction of orthopedic deformities, and to avoid the vascular or dermatological problems that can also cause the appearance of ulcers,” she concluded.

IN FIGURES

In Cuba:

747,466 diabetic people.

18 diabetic care centers.

19 diabetes and pregnancy services.

150 secondary care hospitals, the National Institute of Endocrinology and other specialized services.

100% of patients have access to glucometers.

12 hours of US blockade equals one year’s worth of insulin for all patients who use this medication.

The Third International Cuba-Heath Convention 2018, entitled “Universal healthcare for sustainable development” – a space for scientific reflection taking place in Havana’s International Conference Center April 23-27, and the 14th Health For All Trade Fair, being held alongside the main event at the Pabexpo fairgrounds, represent action taken toward achieving this goal.

In this sense, “Cuba’s experiences and achievements in the field of health are extremely important for the world, firstly because they come from a country with many difficulties, which continues to suffer an economic blockade; from a country with few resources, but that managed to be the first to officially eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis; a county that eradicated malaria in 1970, as well as 12 other vaccine-preventable disease, to become one of the nations with the highest life-expectancy rate in the region, where the infant mortality rate is just four per 1,000 live births and work is underway to take these achievements even further, noted Cristian Morales Furihman, Pan American Health Organization representative in Cuba.

“These achievements are important given their impact on the health and well-being of the population, but also show that it is possible, that other countries can achieve these kinds of results with a system based on primary care, rooted in the community, and able to adequately respond to the health needs of the population. Any country can achieve this drawing in part from the lessons that Cuba can teach the world, and this convention is an important moment to share such experience,” he stated.

Over 150 personalities and 2,000 delegates from some 80 countries worldwide will be attending Cuba-Health 2018, according to Ileana Morales Suárez, Minsap Director of Science and Technological Innovation and executive secretary of the event.

(Granma)