INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Cuban nurses and doctors working at the Hastings Ebola Treatment Center. Photo: WHO /Winnie Romeril
Ebola
Undoubtedly this was one of the most important topics in 2014 for both medical and social fields. According with the World Health Organization (WHO), the outbreak in the three most affected West African countries (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone) resulted in 20,171 cases and 7,890 deaths by December 31 2014.
While interventions in the three countries improved the Ebola control since last October, the disease remains an important issue and still causing many deaths. WHO declared last year that hundreds of thousands of doses of Ebola vaccine will be available by mid-2015, with this action the Organization hopes to finally control this terrible outbreak.
Other emerging diseases to keep an eye on during this 2015 are enterovirus D68 and Chikungunya.
Uterine transplantation and pregnancy
In September 2014 the birth of a baby was possible after a uterine transplant in a 36 year old from a living donor in 2013. Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, Mats Brännström, said: “Our success is based on more than 10 years of intensive animal research and surgical training by our team and opens up the possibility of treating many young females worldwide that suffer from uterine infertility. What is more, we have demonstrated the feasibility of live-donor uterus transplantation, even from a postmenopausal donor”.
ACC/AHA lipid guidelines fuels debates
American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) “Guideline on the Treatment of Blood Cholesterol to Reduce Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk in Adults,” published in November 2013, eliminated treating to target lipid-level goals based on patient risk for Cardio Vascular Disease and instead identified four subgroups of patients for whom high-, moderate-, or low-intensity statin therapy would be recommended.
The new lipid guidelines, particularly the recommended use of statins fueled debates among experts during 2014. While some scientists think statins are appropriate for diabetic patients, many others argue that there is a lack of evidence supporting a significant benefit for these drugs in primary prevention and also that not all diabetic patients should benefit from statins.
Hypertension in 2014
In December 2013 the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8) published their guidelines for hypertension. This guideline addresses blood pressure (BP) thresholds at which drug therapy should be initiated, BP targets during treatment, and choice of antihypertensive agents.
Among the principal changes with its predecessor JNC 7, this guideline raises a treatment threshold of 140/90 mm Hg at age 60 (before it was at any age). In addition, JNC 7 recommended a lower treatment threshold for patients with diabetes or chronic kidney disease, but JNC 8 does not. Also, In JNC 7, thiazide-type diuretics were recommended as initial drug therapy (unless compelling reasons dictated another drug class), with CCBs, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and β-blockers as alternates. In JNC 8, the initial drug choice is broadened to four classes for nonblack patients and two classes for black patients. β-blockers are no longer recommended for initial therapy because they might afford less protection against stroke.
“Sugar” and salt
Nature published in October 2014 a study that found that artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, sucralose and saccharin, induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbial in mice and humans.
Regarding salt, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine published in August 2014 raised questions about the value of very low sodium intake. The Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study showed suggested that moderate sodium intake (between 3,000 mg and 6,000 mg per day), in comparison with higher or lower, may be better for the prevention of CVD.
Consciousness about suicide
The death of actor and comedian Robin Williams at 63 years on August 2014 was a tragic reminder that suicide risk is pervasive. It does not respect genders, social classes or professions, affecting more commonly middle-aged white men. For prevention, it is critical that family and close friends are on the lookout for some situations and signs.
Have you ever felt so low or so dejected that you felt that life was not worth living anymore? If you answered yes, is important to visit your doctor. He will do follow-up questions such as: “Have you ever actually thought about killing yourself” and “Have you thought of a plan?”
One of the factors that contributed to the death of Robin Williams was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In this topic, it can be noted that a new blood test may help identifying major depressive disorder in adults, helping to predict the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in them. According with the report published in Translational Psychiatry in September 2014, mutations in a gen related with stress reactions may help identifying patients with increased risk of suicidal behavior, through a simple blood test.
New drugs for hepatitis C
Approximately 1% of US residents are infected with chronic hepatitis C. New drugs to treat this infection have been approved offering several benefits. Simeprevir was the third protease inhibitor for hepatitis C to hit the market in November 2013, but still had to be combined with interferon, which could cause serious side effects. Sofosbuvir is the first polymerase inhibitor that inhibits the HCV-specific NS5B polymerase, an enzyme the virus needs to copy itself. It was approved in December 2013, and is the first approved interferon-free treatment regimen. However, even it is not the most expensive treatment, sofosbuvir has a high price (a 12-week treatment period, amounts to 84,000 US Dollars), limiting its usability.
Technology and Medicine
The technology has many important applications in medicine. For example telemedicine has helped improve patient care, standardizing the politics and regulations. Telemedicine is the use of telecommunication and information technologies in order to provide clinical health care at a distance. It helps eliminate distance barriers and can improve access to medical services that would often not be consistently available in distant rural communities.
In a survey of Digital Technology WebMD noted that 69% of doctors were using technology to enhance and facilitate the process of diagnosis and 63% of physicians referred to use a smartphone as a useful diagnostic tool for blood analysis.
HPV DNA test approved by the FDA
On March 2014, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee unanimously recommended the premarket testing for first human papillomavirus test for primary cervical cancer screening. The FDA first had approved the test, called the cobas® HPV Test in 2011 for use in conjunction with or as a follow-up to a Pap test (cell cytology), which examines cervical cells for changes that might become cervical cancer. In Aril, an approval expanded the use of the test to include use as either a co-test or as a primary cervical cancer screening test, however; it does not change current medical practice guidelines for cervical cancer screening.
New drugs
The FDA approved an inhaled human insulin product called Afrezza to improve glycemic control without the need for needles in adults with diabetes in July 2014. Similarly, Merk’s Belsomra, first medicine for adults with insomnia in its class, was approved by the FDA in August.
In May 2014 FDA granted commercial clearance of the first device, called Relaxix, to help improve quality of sleep in patients with primary restless legs syndrome (RLS). In August the institution approved Cologuard, the first stool-based colorectal screening test that detects the presence of red blood cells and DNA mutations that may indicate the presence of certain kinds of abnormal growths that may be cancers such as colon cancer or precursors to cancer.
NATIONAL NEWS
Mexico, a pioneer in bioengineering to combat hunger
Efforts against hunger and malnutrition have showed progress in many countries, but in others further work is needed. Fighting hunger requires an integrated approach, including the following elements: public and private investments to increase agricultural productivity; better access to supplies, land, services, technologies and markets; measures for promoting rural development; social protection for the most vulnerable.
In 2014 Sanjaya Rajaram, Indian born Mexican scientist, was awarded the 2014 World Food Prize for his for his scientific research in developing 480 wheat varieties that have been released in 51 countries, including high-yielding wheat. Rajaram worked alongside scientist Norman Borlaug, in experimental wheat fields in El Batan (Texcoco), in Toluca and Ciudad Obregon, and became director of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in 1972 at the age of 29.
His techniques allowed double annual crops and develop pest and disease resistant varieties.
Source: World Food Prize
Mexican scientists developed a chip for detecting breast cancer
Dr. Rodolfo Hernandez Gutierrez and collaborators developed a chip, based on gold and protein nanoparticles, capable of detecting breast cancer in an early stage. Before manufacturing the chip they needed to know what type of molecules or proteins are detectable in the early stages of the disease. Hernández Gutiérrez analyzed blood samples of woman with the disease and healthy and discovered two proteins in the blood of women with cancer: alpha-1 antitrypsin and alpha-2 glycoprotein.
The chip has approximate dimensions of 1.5 centimeters wide, 7.0 long and 1.5 deep, and resembles a small box with a hole in the center. There will be placed the patient sample with three solutions with different compounds and gold nanoparticles. The chip has a higher degree of detection than traditional methods (self-examination, clinical breast examination and mammography), as its sensitivity reaches up to 90 percent.
However, it still not ready for approval, it the chip needs more testing with more devices to ensure that this percentage is the same in all tests.
The group has been working in standardization to define the best way to place the proteins within the device (drip, pressure injection) and the optimal amount of reagents. They believed this stage will be completed in this month 2015.
Source: Invdes
Mexico pioneer in biotechnology
A group of Mexican researchers founded Labcitec, a company to promote the transformation of innovative ideas into technological applications in the area of biotechnology and various chemical engineering processes.
This initiative, which originated in 2009, develops products for molecular biology, genetic engineering and biotechnology research. Similarly, to implement processes that may have a greater impact on society, they work in collaboration with Iddea (ALFA Group’s company) in the study of microbial strains that produce raw materials for the chemical and biofuels industries.
It is also a place where researchers collaborate in various areas such as genetics, molecular biology and biotechnology; furthermore, it provides opportunities for undergraduate students for their professional development.
Source: NTR
Health Advances in Mexico 2014
In September 2014, Mexico’s Minister of Health Mercedes Juan Lopez participated in the 53rd Directing Council of the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) in Washington DC, where health priorities in Latin were addressed.
At the meeting, the Minister Mercendes Juan rinformed that President Enrique Peña Nieto launched the National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Overweight, Obesity and Diabetes in October 2013, in a joint effort between government, society and industry.
The Mexican official said that the country’s strategy was formed by three axes, first public health that includes campaigns, second education, and finally guidelines for schools on food and drinks in coordination with the Ministry of Education.
Regarding malaria, the official said it was initiated a collaboration agreement with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, “to support, knowing and learning practices in Central America”. She stressed that Mexico has universal coverage of antiretroviral treatment for patients with HIV / AIDS for several years now. Likewise, the Mexican official also said that girls from nine to 11 years have already universal coverage for HPV vaccines.
She said that Mexico reaffirms its commitment to support cooperation in the region under the agreement of the Agency for Development Cooperation, to “continue on the path of achieving inclusive and equitable development of our population.”
Source: Secretaria de Salud, OPS
Regenerative medicine, a step in Mexican technology
In a process called decellularization, it is possible to isolate the extracellular matrix (ECM) from its inhabiting cells. From the ECM scaffold new cells can grow and reproduce leading to tissue regeneration or a new organ, which can be used in patients without risk rejection.
The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) is developing mammalian organ decellularization; once ready ECMs will be sent to different hospitals where will be handle the entire process of recellularization, i.e. the reconstruction of organs from patient cells.
Such practices fall under the spectrum of biomaterials science. These are materials designed to operate in conjunction with biological systems in order to evaluate, treat, augment or replace any tissue, organ or body function. Its great advantage is that they can be in contact with living tissue without causing any damage.
Health experts said that ECMs are essential for tissue engineering, also known as regenerative medicine. Thanks to these innovations we will be able to longer with a high quality of life, experts predict.
Source: UNAM
