Scientific Publications

WHO IS Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja?

This unique logo shows what he is. The Mountain (Thorax diaphragms) is Illimani (6,432m), caressing the city of La Paz, Bolivia (3,100-4,100m). The lung at high altitude, above the mountain shown with a barometer with low levels of oxygen: Hypoxia……
(art by Katia Ardaya-Zubieta).

His fully detailed Curriculum Vitae can be found here

PROF. DR. GUSTAVO ZUBIETA-CALLEJA, M.D., FPVRI
The HYPOXIA MAN (India 2017)
Head
High Altitude Pulmonary and Pathology Institute (HAPPI-IPPA) located in La Paz, Bolivia (3,100-4,100m)
in the heart of South America.
Cel (591-73258026)
gzubietajr@altitudeclinic.com
Av. Copacabana – Prolongación # 55
Teleféricos Celeste y Blanco Av. Del Poeta, La Paz, Bolivia

find the Institute map:https://goo.gl/maps/nL2Y2TJjd4t


Ex-Visiting Professor Univ. of Copenhagen
Visiting Professor BLDE University, India
Visiting Professor at Era University, India
Co-Organizer of the 1st WORLD CONGRESS ON HIGH ALTITUDE MEDICINE AND PHYSIOLOGY
Co-Organizer 7 Chronic Hypoxia Symposiums 

Carries out joint research with his daughter Dr. Natalia Zubieta-DeUrioste, MD. They collaborate with BLDE University India, Laval University, Canada.

BUT, WHO IS HE REALLY?

…….
Well… kind of difficult to say. He has been described as a “Renaissance Man” along with his father Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo, because of his extensive know-how.

Has proposed that space travel should be in a chronic hypoxia environment and created the word BIOSPACEFORMING to denote adaptation to life in space.

He constructed with his father Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja the Chacaltaya Glass Pyramid Laboratory at 5,260masl, the highest laboratory in the world.

He helped carry out the Futbol (Soccer) game at the Summit of Mt. Sajama at 6,542 masl, a world record.

He constructed the Hyperoxic/Hypoxic Adaptation Chambers 1 and 2.

He has been invited to give talks in many parts of the world, including:
India (5 times)
USA
Italy
Ukraine
Russia
Spain
Germany
Poland
Denmark
Czech Republic
Ecuador
Colombia
Brazil
Chile
Japan
Tibet
China


And many more…

Interested in learning more about him? Go to his blog.
Make sure you navigate all around.

He has worked on COVID describing the disease from very early on, creating the term Pneumolysis (Lung destruction) in COVID, was the first to affirm, in the world, that COVID would have a lower incidence at high altitude and the favorable effect of U-V radiation at high altitude.

He is also a bioengineer.

He constructed pulmonary function equipment, protein electrophoresis equipment, and even an elevator.

He is a top self-taught mechanical electronics engineer.

He developed hardware, software for medical records and on-line data loggers since 1981, being the first to have databases in the medical field.

Distinctions and Awards:
Several, but he is not interested.
Rather, he created the “Science, Honor and Truth” Award

His publications are extensively read:

Publications by Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja ordered by date.

[1] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja R, Zubieta-Calleja G. Estudios sobre la circulacion coronaria en la altura. Acta de las Primeras Jornandas de Medicina y Cirugia de la Altura; 1978 4 – 7 de Octubre La Oroya, Peru; 1978.
[2] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja, G. & Zubieta-Calleja, R. El consumo de oxigeno en miocardio de perros a 3600 mt y a differentes tensiones de oxigeno. Acta de las primeras Jornadas de Medicina y Cirugia de la altura. La Oroya, Peru 1978.
[3] Zubieta-Calleja G, Zubieta-Castillo, G., Zubieta-Calleja, R. La Produccion de anhidrido carbonico durante el consumo de oxigeno en miocardio de perros a 3600 m. (Abstracto).
Primer Congreso Boliviano de Biología; 1979 1979; UMSS Cochabamba; 1979.
[4] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja, R., Zubieta-Calleja, G. Clasificacion de la eritrocitosis en la altura de acuerdo al numero de eritrocitos (Abstracto). Primer Congreso Boliviano de Biología; 1979; UMSS Cochabamba; 1979.
[5] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja GR. Chronic mountain sickness and miners (Spanish). Revista de la Academia Nacional de Ciencias de Bolivia. 1985;4:109-16.
[6] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja GR. El mal de Montaña Cronico y los mineros. (Chronic mountain sickness and miners). Cuadernos Academia Nacional de Ciencias de Bolivia. 1985;62:109-16.
[7] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja GR. Pulmonary diseases and chronic mountain sickness (Spanish). Revista de la Academia Nacional de Ciencias de Bolivia. 1986;5:47-54.
[8] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja GR. Las Enfermedades pulmonares y el Mal de Montaña Cronico. (Pulmonary diseases and chronic mountain sickness). Cuadernos de la Academia Nacional de Ciencias de Bolivia. 1986;68:3-12.
[9] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja GR. The triple hypoxia syndrome at altitude (Abstract). Amer Rev of Respir Dis. 1988;137(4):509.
[10] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja GR. Iatrogenic Disease in a polycythemic patient at altitude. Amer Rev of Respir Dis. 1988;137(4):509.
[11] Zubieta-Calleja GR, Zubieta-Castillo G. High Altitude Pathology at 12000 ft. La Paz: Publisher: Papiro, 1989. La Paz, Bolivia
[12] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja GR. Progressive high altitude hypoventilation reversed by hyperoxia. Amer Rev of Respir Dis. 1990;141(4):a924.
[13] Zubieta-Castillo. G & Zubieta-Calleja G. Hematocrit, PaO2 and PaCO2 changes in a High altitude increased Polycythemic during a 12 year follow up. Amer Rev of Respir Dis. 1990;141(4):a921.
[14] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja, G & Zubieta-Calleja, L. Cambios en la PaO2, PaCO2 y el hematocrito en un paciente con mal de montaña cronico durante 12 años. Acta del Quinto Congreso Nacional de Medicina de la Altura; 1992; La Oroya, Peru; 1992. p. 136.
[15] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja G. Acute Hypoventilation on ascent to high altitude. European Respiratory Society Congress; 1992; Vienna, Austria; 1992.
[16] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja GR. El Sindrome de Triple Hipoxia en la Altura. Acta del Quinto Congreso Nacional de Medicina de la Altura; 1992; La Oroya, Peru; 1992. p.
136.
[17] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja G. Eritrocitosis agudas, EPOC y sindrome de triple hipoxia. Acta del Quinto Congreso Nacional de Medicina de la Altura; 1992; La Oroya,
Peru; 1992. p. 135.
[18] Zubieta-Calleja G, Zubieta-Castillo G. High altitude illness in Bolivia (Abstract). First World Congress of High Altitude Medicine and Physiology;
1994; La Paz, Bolivia: Edvil;p. 58.

  1. [20] Zubieta-Calleja GRZ-C, G and Zubieta-Calleja, L. Zubieta-Calleja, G.R. Zubieta-Castillo, G and Zubieta-Calleja, L.. Inadequate treatment of excessive erythrocytosis. Acta Andina. 1995;4:123-6.
    [21] Zubieta-Calleja GZ-C, G. Chronic Mountain Scikness. Proceedings of the Third Symposium on High Altitude
    Medicine and Physiology; 1995; Xining, Gingai, PR China; 1995. p. 40.
    [22] Triplett J, Zubieta-Calleja L, Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja GR. Physiological changes related to rapid altitude shifts in La Paz, Bolivia. Acta Andina. 1996;5(1):19-21.
    [23] Zubieta-Calleja GR, Zubieta-Castillo G. High Altitude Pathology Institute. 1996 [cited 2007 june 15, 2007]; Available from:
    http://www.altitudeclinic.com
    [24] Zubieta-Calleja G. and Zubieta-Castillo GR. International Soccer vetoed in Stadiums above 3000 m of altitude. International Society for Mountain Medicine. 1996;6(1).
    [25] Zubieta-Calleja GR, Zubieta-Castillo, G and Zubieta-Calleja, L. Can HAPE be diagnosed through the tongue? Acta Andina. 1996;5:31-4.
    [26] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja G. Triple hypoxia syndrome. Acta Andina. 1996;5(1):15-8.
    [27] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja G. New Concepts on chronic mountain sickness. Acta Andina. 1996;5:3-8.
    [28] Zubieta-Calleja G, De Urioste, L. & Zubieta-Calleja, L. High altitude residents in Bolivia. Progress in Mountain Medicine and High Altitude Physiology. In: HidekiOhno TK, Shigeru Masuyama and Michiro, Nakashima, ed. Progress in Mountain Medicine and High Altitude Physiology. Matsumoto, Japan 1998:185-9.
    [29] Zubieta-Calleja G, Zubieta-Castillo G. Changes in oximetry during breath holding in normal residents of high altitude. In: Hideki Ohno TK, Shigeru Masuyama and Michiro, ed. Progress in Mountain Medicine and High Altitude Physiology. Matsumoto, Japan 1998:343-8.
    [30] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja G, Arano E, Zubieta-Calleja L. Respiratory Disease, chronic mountain sickness and gender differences at high altitude. In: HidekiOhno TK,
    Shigeru Masuyama and Michiro, Nakashima., ed. Progress in Mountain Medicine and High Altitude Physiology. HidekiOhno, Toshio Kobayashi, Shigeru Masuyama and
    Michiro, Nakashima. 1998:132-7.
    [31] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja GR. Pulse oximetry in chronic mountain sickness- long breath holding time and oscillation at lowest saturation. In: HidekiOhno TK, Shigeru Masuyama and Michiro, Nakashima, ed. Progress in Mountain Medicine and High Altitude Physiology 1998:349-54.
    [32] Pollard AJ, Niermeyer S, Barry P, Bartsch P, Berghold F, Bishop RA, et al. Children at high altitude: an international consensus statement by an ad hoc committee of the International Society for Mountain Medicine, March 12, 2001. High Alt Med Biol. 2001
    Fall;2(3):389-403.
    [33] Zubieta-Calleja G, Zubieta-Castillo, G., Zubieta-Calleja, L. & Zubieta, N. Exercise performance of bolivian aymara in 3 conditions: at La Paz 3,510 m, breathing a hypoxic mixture simulating Chacaltaya and at Chacaltaya 5,200 m. HAMB. 2002;3(1):114-5.
    [34] Zubieta-Calleja G, Zubieta-Castillo, G., Zubieta-Calleja, L., Zubieta, N. Measurement of circulatory time using pulse oximetry during breath holding in chronic hypoxia. HAMB. 2002;3(1):115.
    [35] Zubieta-Calleja GR, Zubieta-Castillo, G., Zubieta-Calleja, L., Zubieta, N. Breath holding and pulse oximetry as a diagnostic tool at high altitude. HAMB. 2002;3(1):115.
    [36] Zubieta-Calleja GR, Zubieta-Castillo, G., Zubieta-Calleja, L., Zubieta, N. Exercise performance in chronic mountain sickness (cms) patients at 3510 m. HAMB. 2002;3(1):114-5.
    [37] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja, G.R., Zubieta-Calleja, L. Exercise performance in a woman with CMS following triple hypoxia syndrome treatment. HAMB. 2002;3(1):114-5.
    [38] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja, G.R., Zubieta-Calleja, L., Zubieta, N. Bolivian Aymara that played soccer at 6542 m maintain higher oxygen saturation and lower oxygen uptake during maximal exercise. HAMB. 2002;3(1):114-5.
    [39] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja GR, Zubieta-Calleja L, Zubieta C, Nancy. Adaptation to life at the altitude of the summit of Everest. Fiziol Zh. 2003;49(3):110-7.
    [40] Zubieta-Calleja (Jr) GR, Moretti M, Zubieta-Calleja L, Zubieta N, Zubieta-Castillo (Sr) G. Chronic mountain sickness among the Chipaya after 2500 years of high altitude exposure. HAMB. 2004;5(2):291-2.
    [41] Zubieta-Calleja (Jr) GR, Zubieta-Castillo (Sr) G, Zubieta-Calleja L, Zubieta N. Hypoventilation in Chronic Mountain Sickness: a mechanism to preserve energy. HAMB. 2004;5(2):291-2.
    [42] Zubieta-Calleja G. Bloodletting: a medical resource since the stone age. Journal of Qinghai Medical College. 2004;25(4):273-5.
    [43] Zubieta-Castillo (Sr) G, Zubieta-Calleja (Jr) GR, Zubieta-Calleja L, Zubieta N. How chronic mountain sickness (cms) contributed to the theory of life at the hypoxic levels of the summit of Mount Everest. HAMB. 2004;5(2):291-2.
    [44] Fabiola León-Velarde, Marco Maggiorini, John T Reeves, Almaz Aldashev, Ingrid Asmus, Luciano Bernardi, Ri-Li Ge, Peter Hackett, Toshio Kobayashi, Lorna G Moore, Dante Penaloza, Jean-Paul Richalet, Robert Roach, Tianyi Wu, Enrique Vargas, Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo, Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja. Consensus statement on chronic and subacute high altitude diseases. High Alt Med Biol. 2005 Summer;6(2):147-57.
    [45] Paulev PE, Zubieta-Calleja GR. Essentials in the diagnosis of acid-base disorders and their high altitude application. J Physiol Pharmacol. 2005 Sep;56 Suppl 4:155-70.
    [46] Zubieta-Calleja GR, Zubieta-Castillo G, Paulev PE, Zubieta-Calleja L. Non-invasive measurement of circulation time using pulse oximetry during breath holding in chronic hypoxia. J Physiol Pharmacol. 2005 Sep;56 Suppl 4:251-6.
    [47] Zubieta-Calleja GR, Paulev PE, Zubieta-Calleja L, Zubieta-Calleja N, Zubieta-Castillo G. Hypoventilation in chronic mountain sickness: a mechanism to preserve energy. J Physiol Pharmacol. 2006 Sep;57 Suppl 4:425-30.
    [48] Zubieta-Calleja GR, Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja L, Zubieta N. The increase in hematocrit during the high altitude adaptation process. (Abstract). Wilderness Environ Med. 2006 Fall;17(3):202-3.
    [49] Zubieta-Castillo G, Sr., Zubieta-Calleja GR, Jr., Zubieta-Calleja L. Chronic mountain sickness: the reaction of physical disorders to chronic hypoxia. J Physiol Pharmacol. 2006
    Sep;57 Suppl 4(2):431-42.
    [50] Paulev P-E, Zubieta-Calleja G. High Altitude Diving Depths. Res in Sports Med. 2007;15(1 or 2 in print).
    [51] Zubieta-Calleja GR, Paulev P-E, Zubieta-Calleja L, Zubieta-Castillo G. Altitude adaptation through hematocrit changes. J of Physiol and Pharmacol. 2007;58(Supplement).
    [52] Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja GR. Facts that Prove that Adaptation to Life atExtreme Altitude (8848m) is Possible. In: L.Lukyanova NTaPKS, editor. Adaptation Biology and
    Medicine: Health Potentials; 2007; New Dehli, India: Narossa Publishing House; 2007.
    [53] Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja GZC, Poul-Erik Paulev (2009) The Adaptation of Highlanders to Sea Level. In Wilderness & Environmental Medicine- Wilderness Conference and Annual Meeting. (ed.), Vol. 20, pp. 184-5, Wilderness & Environmental
    Medicine-Official Publication of the Wilderness Medical Society, Snowmass, Colorado.
    [54] Zubieta-Calleja G, Zubieta-Castillo G, Zubieta-Calleja L, Ardaya-Zubieta G, and Paulev PE (2009) Do over 200 million healthy altitude residents really suffer from chronic Acid-Base disorders? Indian J Clin Biochem 26, 62-5.
    [55] Zubieta-Calleja L (2009) The High Altitude Adaptation Formula. In 36th Annual Conference of Association of Clinical Biochemists of India. (ed.), Vol. 24, pp. 83-4, Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry- Association of Clinical Biochemists of India, Kochi, India.
    [56] Zubieta-Castillo G (2012) Loss of Adaptation and Maladaptation: two terms Inadequately used-Conversely-“Adaptation: A Fundamental Law of Biology that at High Altitude, even Permits Life at the Hypoxic Levels of Mt. Everest”. In Global Hypoxia Summit & 4th International Conference on Chr onic Hypoxia. (ed.), Vol. pp. 74-5, New Delhi, India.
    [57] Zubieta-Calleja, G, Zubieta-Castillo, G, Merishi, J. (2012) Extremely high altitude hypoxic conditions during Mount Everest expeditions, residence at South Pole stations, in Tibet and among the Andes: Van Slyke equation modification is crucially important for acid–base measurements. Journal of Biological Physics and Biochemistry 12(3):103-112.
    [58] Balaban DY, Duffin J, Preiss D, Mardimae A, Vesely A, Slessarev M, ZubietaCalleja G, et al.(2013) The in-vivo oxyhaemoglobin dissociation curve at sea level and high altitude. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 186, 45-52.
    [59] Zubieta-Calleja, GR, Ardaya, G, Zubieta-DeUrioste, N, Paulev, PE, Zubieta-Castillo, G. Tolerance to Hypoxia (2013) Vol 59:4 Fiziol Journal. Kiev, Ukraine.
    [60] Zubieta-Castillo, G and Zubieta-Calleja GR.(2014) High Altitude Research and its Clinical Application. Chapter in Book Translational Research in Environmental and Occupational Stress. Editors: Chachi Bala Singh, Nanduri R. Prabhakar, Crinivas N. Pentyala. Springer
    India.
    [61] Zubieta-Calleja GR, Zubieta-DeUrioste NA. Extended longevity at high altitude: Benefits of exposure to chronic hypoxia. BLDE Univ J Health Sci 2017;2:80-90
    [62] Zubieta-Calleja, G.R.; Zubieta-DeUrioste, N.; Venkatesh, T.; Das, K.; Soliz, J. COVID19: Multiple Diseases Simulating Extreme High-Altitude Exposure? Oxygen Transport Physiology and Scarce Need of Ventilators; Andean Condor’s-Eye-View. Preprints 2020,
    2020050085 (doi: 10.20944/preprints202005.0085.v1).
    [63] Zubieta-Calleja, G., & Zubieta-DeUrioste, N. (2020, September 27). Pneumolysis and “silent hypoxemia” in COVID-19. https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/qde8w
    [64] Roberto Carlos Vera, Natalia Zubieta-DeUrioste, Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, (Oct 2020) La quema de los bosques bolivianos afecta la calidad del aire y atenta contra la salud en estos tiempos de pandemia COVID- https://zuniv.net/pub/BOLET%C3%8DN1Ambiente_13oct.pdf.
    [65] Arias-Reyes C, Zubieta-DeUrioste N, Poma-Machicao L, Aliaga-Raduan F, CarvajalRodriguez F, Dutschmann M, Schneider-Gasser EM, Zubieta-Calleja G, Soliz J. Does the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 virus decrease at high-altitude? Respir Physiol Neurobiol.
    2020 Jun;277:103443. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2020.103443. Epub 2020 Apr 22. PMID: 32333993; PMCID: PMC7175867.
    [66] Soliz J, Schneider-Gasser EM, Arias-Reyes C, Aliaga-Raduan F, Poma-Machicao L, Zubieta-Calleja G, Furuya WI, Trevizan-Baú P, Dhingra RR, Dutschmann M. Coping with hypoxemia: Could erythropoietin (EPO) be an adjuvant treatment of COVID-19?
    Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2020 Aug;279:103476. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2020.103476. Epub 2020 Jun 6. PMID: 32522574; PMCID: PMC7275159.
    [67] Gustavo R. Zubieta-Calleja*, Natalia Zubieta-DeUrioste, Thuppil Venkatesh, Kusal K. Das and Jorge Soliz, “COVID-19 and Pneumolysis Simulating Extreme High-altitude Exposure with Altered Oxygen Transport Physiology; Multiple Diseases, and Scarce Need
    of Ventilators: Andean Condor’s-eye-view    ”, Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials (2020) 15:
  2. https://doi.org/10.2174/1574887115666200925141108
    [68] Zubieta-Calleja, G., Merino-Luna, A., Zubieta-DeUrioste, N., Armijo-Subieta, NF., Soliz, J., Arias-Reyes, C. , Escalante-Kanashiro, R., Carmona-Suazo, J., López-Bascope, A., Calle-Aracena, J., Epstein, M. & Maravi, E (2020, October 15). COVID-19 patients in the high-altitude areas of Bolivia and Peru manifest a substantive decrease in mortality. https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/7rd2h
    [69] Zubieta-Calleja G, Zubieta-DeUrioste N. Pneumolysis and “Silent Hypoxemia” in COVID-19. Indian J Clin Biochem. 2020 Nov 9;36(1):1-5. doi: 10.1007/s12291-020-00935-0. Epub ahead of
    print. PMID: 33191989; PMCID: PMC7652053.
    [70] Zubieta-Calleja G, Merino-Luna A, Zubieta-DeUrioste N, Armijo-Subieta NF, Soliz J, Arias-Reyes C, Escalante-Kanashiro R, Carmona-Suazo JA, López-Bascope A, Calle-Aracena JM, Epstein M,
    Maravi E. Re: “Mortality Attributed to COVID-19 in High-Altitude Populations” by Woolcott and
    Bergman. High Alt Med Biol. 2021 Feb 9. doi: 10.1089/ham.2020.0195. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33567217.
    [71] Zubieta-Calleja G, Zubieta-DeUrioste N. Acute Mountain Sickness, High Altitude Pulmonary Edema, and High Altitude Cerebral Edema: A view from the High Andes. Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2021 Feb 2;287:103628. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2021.103628. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33545376.
    [72] Zubieta-Calleja G, Zubieta-DeUrioste N. The Oxygen Transport Triad in High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema: A Perspective from the High Andes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(14):7619. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147619


But overall, he is a nice guy!!

AltitudeClinic
Social events

Dr. Tatiana Serebrovskaya – memorial

30/12/1947 – 06/04/2021

Prof. Tatiana Serebrovkaya
Leading Researcher in the Department of Hypoxic States Investigation, head of Bioethics Committee of Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology NAS of Ukraine the Principal Researcher, Doctor of Biology and Academician of the International Academy of Sciences, Kyiv, Ukraine.

It is with great sorrow, that the High Altitude and Pulmonary Pathology Institute communicates to the world scientific community that this great physiologist from Kyiv, Ukraine, has passed away. This represents a great loss for science, as her extensive experience and dedicated work in Physiology, particularly in ventilation, hypoxia, mitochondria, is her legacy. She was born in Shevchenko Lane, Kyiv, and studied at the Kyiv State University (now Taras Shevchenko University of Kiev)

Among her most distinguished achievements, she proposed the use of Intermittent hypoxia as a therapeutic approach. She developed the first apparatus for intermittent hypoxia based on a re-breathing technique with CO2 consumption. She studied therapeutic possibilities of intermittent hypoxia when applied to patients with prediabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. She has many publications in important journals around the world.

Tatiana was the first recipient of the Science, Honor, and Truth Award in 2002 during the 5th World Congress on High Altitude Medicine and Physiology held in Barcelona, Spain.

At the 5th World Conference on High Altitude Medicine and Physiology in Barcelona, Spain, the moment Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo and Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja give Tatyana Serebrovskaya the Science, Honor, and Truth Medal. Our toast was with a Budmo! and Hey!!! (Ukranian toast).
Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo, Dr. Tatiana Serebrovskaya, and Dr. Pavel Beloshitsky during the 3rd World Congress on High Altitude Medicine in Matsumoto, Japan (May 20-24, 1998).

This is the paper she presented at the 3rd World Congress on High Altitude Medicine and Physiology held in Matsumoto, Japan 1998.

Gsutavo Zubieta-Calleja, Tatyana Serebrovskaya and Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo visiting the Hypobaric Chamber in Barcelona, Spain 2002. Such was the passion for Science Tatiana had.

Through the years, we met several times in many parts of the world. She also visited us here in La Paz, Bolivia, and we had the most beautiful times together.

We went with my father to Kyiv, Ukraine, and she kindly hosted us in two opportunities, when we shared beautiful moments with Alex, her husband who is a Mathematician. We stayed in their apartment in one opportunity and the next in her mother’s apartment, Maria! She was a very sweet, lovely, and kind lady that we always remember. We visited the Bogomoletz Institute and shared academic moments with Pavel Beloshistky and V. Ya. Berezovsky. They showed us their hypoxicator machines used to treat Asthma and circulatory problems in Kyiv. We were also given as a gift a helmet that they developed, and we used it throughout the years for studies and treatments at our Institute.

The Bogomoletz Helmet in our Hyperoxic/Hypoxic Chamber

When Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo passed away, Dr. Portnychencko A.G., Chief Editor of the Medical Hydrology and Rehabilitation Journal, kindly invited us to write a Scientific Memorial by the kind suggestion of Tatiana. It is found on page 89 here.

Here at a meeting in Moscow, with her delightful smile!!

Tatiana was a kind and generous person. She loved the mountains and she loved children. Her spirit was always high and filled with enthusiasm.

Tatiana with her granddaughter

She was always willing to share whatever she had. We were going to Odense from Kiev on a train and she shared her snack including delicious conserved cherries that she and Alex had cultivated and prepared in her Dasha. But she was also generous in science. She kindly published two of our important papers in the Fiziol J of the Bogomoletz institute: The Life at the Summit of Mt Everest and the Tolerance to Hypoxia. We will forever be grateful for her generosity.

Her daughter Dr. Zoya Serebrovsky, also a physiologist at the Bogomoletz, follows in her footsteps. We keep in contact with her and look forward to the moments when we will meet again at some international conference, where we will share splendid memories of Tatiana.

Farewell Tatiana!!! You will always remain in our hearts and in our minds. You were a great Scientist, a wonderful Wife, a lovely Mother and Grandmother, and a truly marvelous Person!

Adaptation, Scientific Publications

AMS, HAPE, HACE: A view from the High Andes

 

Much to many world scientists’ surprise, a group of sea-level “International high altitude experts” who defend a different point of view, wrote to the Chief Editor of the prestigious journal Respiratory Physiology and Neurobiology questioning our article: “Acute Mountain Sickness, High Altitude Pulmonary Edema, and High Altitude Cerebral Edema: A view from the High Andes” by Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja [his CV] and Dr. Natalia Zubieta-DeUrioste, published in Volume 287, May 2021 of the Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology. Available as a Pre-print here. A full Journal printed scan version is available on request from the authors. Please send us an email.

 

full version copy available on request from authors at gzubietajr@gmail.com

The questions asked were properly answered with evidence-based medicine by the authors in a letter to the publishers. In order to find a solution, it was decided to stamp “RETRACTION” on the article (which would block the possibility of citations).

Interestingly, the same article received multiple congratulations and support. Simultaneously, the prestigious International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health with an Impact Factor of 3.3 asked the author for an extension of the paper. Consequently, “The Oxygen Transport Triad in High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema: A Perspective from the High Andes” was published. In it, several of the questions are addressed.

Many scientists from around the world are giving their support asking for a NO RETRACTION of the paper, as any questioning should follow a standard course through a Letter to the Editor.

Some comments of support by very distinguished scientists of include:

Dear Gustavo
You have taken the right step for world scholars’ opinion to the journal.
I am always with you and will be.
It is disgusting to see some Western scientists’ attitudes towards Latin America and South Asian community fellow colleagues.
Science always prevails with experience, observation, and truth. Yes I agree that nothing is a universal truth in science and that is the beauty of science but ‘what I think is always right and there will not be any “alternate hypothesis” is a shallow mindset of a few people who never tested their own hypothesis in other environments.
Your research and honesty are beyond any doubt. You are not only a great scientist but also a great physician with credibility.
I did not find anything wrong or unscientific in this interesting thought-provoking research article with facts and deep logical analysis. To me, it is a great Science and I shall teach your alternate but strong theories and explanations to my University students without hesitations as a great novel contribution of high altitude biology.
I believe your work is a part of the progress of science for serving humanity!

I not only oppose the idea of this great publication retraction but also condemn it.

Regards

Kusal K.Das, PhD, FRSB
Distinguished Chair Professor in Vascular Physiology
Laboratory of Vacular Physiogy and Medicine
Faculty of Medicine
BLDE ( Deemed to be University ), Vijayapur,
Karnataka, India (560m)
Former Vising Professor
School of Medicine
University of Leeds, UK
( 2014 – 2016 )
Hony.Fellow
Karnataka Academy of Science & Technogy
Government of Karnataka
President
South Asian Association of Physiologists ( HO. University of Colombo ).
President’s message, above.
Member of International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS)
IUPS is the world body of physiologists with 84 countries and hundred societies

Dear Gustavo,
I fully support your publication. My details are as follows.

Prof. Praveen Sharma      
PhD (Med), FACBI, FAMS, FAACC
Professor of Biochemistry,
(Former Head Biochemistry,
Dean (Research) & Controller of Examinations),
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, 
Jodhpur-342005 ( India)
President ACBI (2003-2004 and 2014-2015)
President, InSLAR (2017 to date)
Chair, IFCC-CCLM (2020-to date)
Director, South East Asia on WASPaLM Board (2021 to date)
Editor-in-Chief, IJCB (2006 to date),
Chairman, APFCB Congress and Conferences (2019 to date)
Chairman, APFCB Communication committee (2010-2019)
Chief Editor, APFCB News (2010-2019)
Director, NRCLPI, Jodhpur (2014 to date)
Assessor (NABL )
International Lead Assessor (AERSSC)
Mobile:+91-8003996869
            +91-9414044562
Email:    praveensharma55@gmail.com
 sharmapr@aiimsjodhpur.edu.in

Someone has to pioneer the road to higher consciousness through scientific exploration. You have. Your paper is stellar and ahead of its time.
There was a saying in the 1960s I abide by: “keep on keeping on.”
Be proud of your forward-thinking ideals. Westerners will catch up to you in time.

Dr. Kathryn Rossie, PhD
Clinical Psychologist
Researcher
Author, Publisher, and Editor
Consultant: International level. Private Practice Consultation: California.
Professor of the Neuroscience Institute for Psychotherapists of San Lorenzo Maggiore, Italy.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Vice President:
The Ernest Lawrence Rossi Non-Profit Foundation for Psychosocial Genomics Research
Board of Directors: The Milton H. Erickson Foundation Press
Founding Director of the Milton H. Erickson Institue of the California Central Coast (MHE-CCC)

All high altitude researchers in India including HPRC (High Altitude Physiology Research Cell, Darjeeling), high altitude research facilities St John’s team, Defense Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS) are all in support of the research paper published by Professor Gustavo et al. We require scientific community to take this concept forward without any bias and come out with the most appropriate guidance documents to manage chronic Hypoxia.
With regards,

Dr Thuppil Venkatesh
President
International Society of Chronic Hypoxia
CEO and Director
Chairman Indian Society for Lead awareness and research and
Director
The National Referral Center for Lead Poisoning Prevention in India (NRCLPI)
Foundation for Quality India (FQI)
The Lead Man of India
Professor Emeritus
Biochemistry Department St John’s Medical College
Bangalore, India

Dear Gustavo, 

Thank you for the materials you sent me. I need some time to study these materials more closely, delving into the arguments and comparing them. 

Being a specialist in some intracellular molecular mechanisms of adaptation to hypoxia, I will not take the responsibility to take part in the discussion on issues of respiratory physiology and practical medicine.  

However, in any case, I consider the precedent of retraction of the already published article extremely dangerous. This not only destroys constructive scientific discussion, based on the freedom of publication by each of the side of its position and arguments. This also threatens us with an Orwellian dystopia of an unpredictable changing past. This precedent is especially dangerous in conditions when more and more scientific journals have only an electronic version and are not published in paper form. With this approach, we can get a situation where, with each change of the prevailing concepts in science, articles previously published in electronic journals will “disappear” as if they never existed. 

Of course, I join to letter to the Chief Editor and Publishers asking for NO RETRACTION.

Sincerely,  

Dr. Sergei Alexandrovich Stroev, PhD
I.P. Pavlov Institute of Physiology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia (2000-2015), University of Tampere, School of Medicine, Finland (2001-2014).

P.S. By the way, I was somewhat surprised by point 4 of your opponents’ objections, where they state: «“adaptation” must be limited to genetically transmissible changes because they are integrated into the gene pool of a particular population or species». 

My thesis, which I successfully defended in University of Tampere was called “The role of endogenous protein antioxidants in neuronal adaptation to hypobaric hypoxia”.

https://trepo.tuni.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/95013/978-951-44-9354-6.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

The dissertation dealt with adaptation to hypoxia of cells and the organism as a whole at the level of regulation of the expression of individual proteins without any genetically transmissible changes (I will not vouch for epigenetic changes in this model – I have not studied this issue). And the term “adaptation” in this sense of an individual, not related to genetic changes, adaptation did not cause any objections from highly professional opponent, reviewers and many specialists who were present at the defense of the thesis.

Many other authors use this term in the same meaning, for example: 

Samoilov M.O. Brain and adaptation. Molecular and cellular mechanisms. St. Petersburg, 

1999. 272 p. (In Russian). 

Portnichenko V.I., Nosar V.I., Sydorenko A.M., Portnichenko A.H., Man’kovs’ka I.M. 

Continuous adaptation of rats to hypobaric hypoxia prevents stressor hyperglycemia and optimizes mitochondrial respiration under acute hypoxia. Fiziol Zh. 2012 b. 58(5): 56-64 (In Ukrainian, summary in English). 

Meerson F., Pozharov V., Minyailenko T. Superresistance against hypoxia after 

preliminary adaptation to repeated stress. J Appl Physiol. 1994. 76(5): 1856-1861. 

Lukyanova L.D., Sukoyan G.V., Kirova Y.I. Role of proinflammatory factors, nitric 

oxide, and some parameters of lipid metabolism in the development of immediate adaptation to hypoxia and HIF-1α accumulation. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2013. 154(5): 597-601. 

Lu G., Ding D., Shi M. Acute adaptation of mice to hypoxic hypoxia. Biol Signals Recept. 1999. 8(4-5): 247-255. 

49 world distinguished scientists have supported the quality of this article. We are most thankful !

See the letter of support by
49 outstanding scientists here.

as of Aug 5, 2021

We also have great support from a growing number of people 1,789 as of Aug 20, 2021 that also support our article.

 

 

The original article was printed in the Volume 287, May 2021 of the Respiratory Physiology and Neurobiology journal

 

We have just published our latest enhanced version in the top level Journal Reviews on Environmental Health, responding to the observations made by those 17 “sea level high-altitude experts”.

Our latest publication May 2022

The link to this article is: 

https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/reveh-2021-0172/html

Uncategorized

The Hypoxia Man

During the Association of Clinic Biochemistry in India

Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja was addressed for the first time in 2017 as THE HYPOXIA MAN by Prof. M.L.B. Bhatt the Vice-Chancellor of King George’s Medical University in Lucknow India shown above during the Inauguration of the Asociation of Clinical Biochemists International Conference (ACBICON).

India is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Its biodiversity, love, and respect of all living beings and its kindness and hospitality, never stop surprising me. Five times have I visited India, thus far. Three with my late father Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo, the Mountain Guru!

Prof. Thuppil Venkatesh, The Lead Man of India has been instrumental. We met at the 4th World Conference on High Altitude Medicine and Physiology in Arica, Chile in 2000. The President of that meeting was Klaus Behn, a fine man, that we have never seen again, although we would love to do it. He had invited my father to be one of the 3 Keynote Speakers. His theme was Chronic Mountain Sickness. Unfortunately, a Peruvian lady imposed her presence and my father was obliged to share his presentation.

Prof. Venkatesh is the current President of the International Society of Chronic Hypoxia. Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja (Jr) is the Vice-President.

It is interesting to point out, that during the ACBICON 2017 conference, Gustavo Jr had not taken a suit to his 4th visit to India. Prof. Venkatesh kindly lent him a blue coat, which is shown in the picture above.

Outside King George’s beautiful Vice-Chancellor’s office we share some wonderful moments with Prof. (Dr.) Farzana Mahdi , Vice-Chancellor of Era University, and our dear friend Dr. Hari Sharma Professor at Erasmus MC in Belgium.

During a wonderful visit to Prof. M.L. Bhatt, Vice-Chancellor’s at the King Georges’s University in Lucknow, India, we discussed many interesting aspects.

During his second visit to the new Vice-Chancellor of King George’s University

Adaptation

Chronic Mountain Sickness Discussion prior to the International Consensus Statement on Chronic and Subacute High Altitude Diseases – Zubieta observations

CONSENSUS STATEMENT by and Ad Hoc Committee of the International Society for Mountain Medicine on CHRONIC HIGH ALTITUDE DISEASES

Xining, August 2004

These guidelines are established to inform the medical services onsite, who are directed to solve high altitude health problems, about the definition, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the most common high altitude diseases. The health problems associated with life at high altitude are well documented, but health policies and procedures often do not reflect current state-of-art knowledge. Most of the cases of high altitude diseases are preventable if onsite personnel identify the condition and implement appropriate care.

This consensus statement has been developed by medical/scientific experts from the Committee experienced in the recognition and prevention of high altitude diseases.

Affiliations of the Ad Hoc Committee on Chronic High Altitude Diseases

Co-Chairs : Fabiola León-Velarde (UPCH, ISMM and ARPE, Perú) and

                     John T. Reeves (……., USA).

Committee : Almaz Aldashev (…….,, Kyrgyz Republic) ; Ingrid Asmus (……. ; USA) ; Luciano Bernardi (…….., Italy) ; Ri-Li Ge  (……, China);  Peter Hackett (ISMM and WMS, USA); Toshio Kobayashi (…….., Japan) ; Marco Maggiorini (…….., Switzerland);  Lorna G. Moore (ISMM, USA) ; Dante Peñaloza (UPCH, Perú) ; Jean Paul Richalet  (ISMM and ARPE, France); Robert Roach  (ISMM, USA); Tianyi Wu (…….., China) ; Enrique Vargas  (ISMM and IBBA, Bolivia) ; Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo, Sr., ; Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, Jr. (ISMM, IPPA, Bolivia)

At this point, the Zubieta draft (click here) for the final version to be defined in Xining, China, was sent by us.

At Xining we were mostly ignored with our concepts, where we were the ones actually diagnosing and treating these patients in the cities of La Paz, and El Alto, Bolivia between 3,100 to 4,100m of altitude.

The final version of the Consensus Statement on Chronic and Subacute High Altitude Diseases can be found here.

It becomes clearly evident that of all the references we provided, only one was included. The rest were totally droped out.

This meant a great loss for the high altitude health systems around the world, since 2005 (16 years as of 2021 when this article was writen).

We did achieve that the term “Loss of Adaptation” be dropped but it continues to be used regularly as of 2021.

Nevertheless, it was during this time that we received an email that Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo responded after some time as a public letter entitle “FOREVER, LOSS OF ADAPTATION DOES NOT EXIST“

Adaptation

Chronic Mountain Sickness Discussion prior to the International Consensus Statement on Chronic and Subacute High Altitude Diseases – Letter by Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo to Jack Reeves

Dear Jack:

FIRST:

This is how we are seeing some general medical aspects at our institution:

a) When normal animals or human beings ascend to altitude the two pumps, hemo-dynamic and neumo-dynamic play a fundamental role in acute adaptation to hypoxia as has been nicely described by many authors.

b) In normal and subjects with disease of diverse etiology, the increase of hemoglobin is the most effective mechanism of adaptation.

c) When there is tissue hypoxia, independent of its cause the increase of hemoglobin is closely related with the degree of hypoxia, resembling the altitude effect.

d) This increase in hemoglobin is due, for example, to the presence of pulmonary shunt of varied etiology, from which the principal is anatomo-pathologic lesions as: the destruction, obstruction, or impermeability of the pulmonary alveoli with preservation of the alveoli capillary net. The lesions that more often produce shunt are: the macro and micro thromboembolism due to endothelial damage in the venous system as in phlebitis, certain forms of skin cancer, parasites, smoking, etc.

e) In the lungs the arterialized pulmonary veins blood (already hypoxic due to altitude) mixes with non-arterialized blood of the alveolar shunt, then goes to all organs with  low oxygen tension, unsaturated. The kidney responds with the erythropoyetin and the bone marrow with the erythrocyte production.

f) Adaptation  mechanisms to acute and chronic hypoxia are the same, the only difference is their time of action.

g) The benefit of low ascent is based on the necessary time for hemoglobin to be produced, in order to reach the normal value for a certain altitude.

h) Hemoglobin during hypoxia increases oxygen content (CaO2) and respiration is regulated according to the metabolism at rest and during exercise.  The CaO2 is reduced to the minimum during sleep. Hypoventilation due to “ relative hyperoxia “ at the nervous centers level regulates respiratory frequency.

  • OF COURSE, WE DON’T EXCLUDE THE ROLE THAT OTHER SYSTEMS PLAY DURING ADAPTATION,  AS THE NEUROENDOCRINE, THE ADRENAL SYMPATHETIC, AND OTHERS. BUT THIS IS ANOTHER FIELD OF STUDY BEING DONE BY OTHERS.

SECOND:

Thank you so much for your comments on the subject of CaO2 and PaO2 in respiratory control. It is a privilege to exchange ideas in this matter with you.

I will freely express the following points, which are based on observations at our laboratory, which up to now are unfortunately unpublished. Of course, this is only some preliminary opinion.

We have been studying oxygen consumption of yeast and the oxyhemoglobin saturation curve in blood from normals and increased polycythemia, under the same experimental conditions. The difference is that yeast cells take longer to consume the oxygen from the polycythemic blood due to a higher oxygen content in hemoglobin, making the desaturation curve bulky and CaO2 can be calculated by integrating it. Yeast does not stop oxygen consumption down to a very low PO2 and CaO2 in the saturation curve: So you can assume that the same happens with all cells in the tissues.

The affinity of the cells for O2 is of such a degree that a small difference in pressure will be sufficient, depending on their metabolic rate and respiratory coefficient.

We were also studying the differences between normal and increased polycythemia during exercise. During all stages, SaO2 of increased polycythemia remained lower than in normals up to the end of the exercise protocol. The lower saturation reflects the low oxygen tension.  The non-sedentary patients tolerate very well the protocol with very low O2 tensions due to a sufficient amount of oxygen in the CaO2.

THIRD:

 As a consequence, – since nothing is absolute – , the following questions arise:

1) Is the increase of Hb necessary or unnecessary for adaptation to high altitude and particularly in tissue hypoxia due to disease? Can other mechanisms replace the role of Hb?

2) Is there a necessity of a great difference of PaO2  between the red cell  and the tissue cell? 

3) In polycytemia Vera and anemia are the mechanisms of metabolism different? How are the two pumps regulated?

That is what I can say for the moment, there’s more to come.

Gustavo Sr.

July-15-2004

Uncategorized

In Memoriam, Dr. M.S. Biradar, Vice-Chancellor BLDE Deemed To Be University, Vijayapur, India.

It is with great sadness that we communicate the loss of a great man, a great leader, a great educator, a great physician, a great Vice-Chancellor, and a great friend: the Distinguished Dr. M.S. Biradar.

He leaves an empty space physically and in all our brains, and with great sorrow because we did not learn, all we could from him. He was profoundly philosophical, kind, sweet, and wise! Few have such distinctions in life!!!

The HIGH ALTITUDE PULMONARY AND PATHOLOGY INSTITUTE (HAPPI-IPPA) from La Paz, Bolivia, honors his memory from here into Eternity!!

During our visit with Jan Marino Ramirez to BLDE University. From left: Kusal Das, Jan Marino Ramirez, Dr. M.S. Biradar, Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, Dr. Patil.
From the left: Prof. Kusal Das, Dr. M.S. Biradar, Erika Ramirez, Natalia Zubieta-DeUrioste, Rafaela Zubieta-DeUrioste, Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, Jan Marino Ramirez, Thuppil Venkatesh

Please see the beautiful Condolence messages from World leaders of Medical Sciences:

Condelence-FINAL-ADDITION.Download
During the 7th Chronic Hypoxia Symposium Opening Ceremony with the participating Institutions: Jorge Soliz, Laval University, Thuppil Venkatesh, President of the International Society of Chronic Hypoxia, Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, Head of IPPA, Commander Gonzalo Jarjuri, Prof. M.S. Biradar BLDE Deemed To Be University, India, the Vice-Commander of the Bolivian Navy and Dr. Natalia Zubieta-DeUrioste
The participation of 16 countries: Australia, Cezch Republic, India, Mexico, USA, Peru, Ukraine, Canada, Colombia, Chile, England, Bolivia, Kyrgistan, Italia, Ecuador, Dinamarca
During the candle lighting ceremony, following the Indian Tradition, a first in the History of Bolivia

The local Newspaper EL DIARIO publication MARCH 3, 2019 can be found here

Medical news, Uncategorized

Polieritrocitemia

El uso de la palabra polieritrocitemia creado por el Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo se esta generalizando.

 

Los Doctores Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo y Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja fueron invitados a participar en el 6to Seminario Internacional de Salud Ocupacional en operaciones mineras llevado a cabo el 23 y 24 de octubre de 2014, en Lima, Peru. En esa oportunidad el Dr. Zubieta-Castillo hablo sobre la polieritrocitemia, sus causas  y sus tratamientos. El Dr, Zubieta-Calleja habló sobre la hipoventilacion en la altura y sus efectos.

 

Una disertación en la Universidad Nacional de Cajamarca para el titulo de Médico Cirujano:

“DETERMINACIÓN DE VALORES DE LA VELOCIDAD SISTÓLICA PICO EN LA ARTERIA CEREBRAL ‘MEDIA FETAL SEGÚN LA EDAD GESTACIONAL COMPRENDIDA ENTRE LAS 22 – 38 SEMANAS, EN CAJAMARCA, A 2700 m.s.n.m. 2012 – 2013” por ROMERO TORRES, IRIS JANET

In the Wilderness and Environmental Medicine  March 2015Volume 26, Issue 1, Page e4

En Ortografía a tu alcance de la Academia Boliviana de la Lengua

En Palabras francesas de traducción compleja o engañosa en medicina (segunda parte: E-Q) Fernando A. Navarro*

 

En LA TRADUCCIÓN MÉDICA DE LA OBRA PRINCIPLES OF ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY Trabajo Final de Máster Profesional Alejandra Meroño Burgos

 

En Plan de Accion de 90 dias con el mangostán del Dr. J. Frederic Templeman

 

Insigne investigador médico Boliviano, orgullo de Latino América y el mundo, dejó gran legado en la medicina de la altura

Causas de rechazo de donantes de sangre de un hospital del sur peruano / Reasons for blood donor deferral in a Southern Peruvian hospital

COMENTARIO DE LA TRADUCCIÓN DE FRAGMENTOS DEL LIBRO:
THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM AT A GLANCE

2 Parcial Flashcards | Chegg.com

La polieritrocitemia fue la causa más frecuente de rechazo 669 (45,8 %) en Chino

Uncategorized

The Zubietas, San Sebastian, the Vasque roots, Spain visit

On one of our trips to Europe invited to give talks, my father Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo and myself were going by train from Madrid to Paris. Close to the north border of Spain, in a beautiful sunny day, we both stared out the windows and suddenly the magnificent Playa de la Concha appeared. We were breath-taken by its beauty and by the prettiness of the town next to it. My father immediately exclaimed: “I truly want to come here!!” and we continued the trip to Irun the border and then on to Paris.

Much to my surprise around 3 months later we get an e-mail from the Federación Vasca de Montaña, signed by Dr. Ramón Gárate. They were inviting us to present a paper (both of us) on behalf of the director Paco Iriondo.It was the 75 Anniversary of the FEDERACION VASCO-NAVARRA DE ALPINISMO (EUSKAL MENDIZALE FEDERAKUNDEA) celebrated in Donostia, San Sebastian on October 15th de 1999.

My father was not only a visionary but also remarkable in getting what he desired. This was a typical outcome, again and again.

Several months later, we were again heading to Europe but this time to San Sebastian!! Arriving at the airport and meeting Ramón Gárate and his collaborator was a true delight. They were kind and very friendly, as we had met a long time before. They drove us to a small beautiful wooden refuge in the curvy green surrounded areas named Abeleche. There the administrator Juancho greeted us and prepared a fantastic lunch with Jamón Serrano, and kinds of delicious sea food. I don’t believe we had ever enjoyed such a magnificent sea food delight and perhaps it was never repeated in our joint lives.

Antxon Burcio, Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo, Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, Ramón Gárate

The Conferences, where my father talked about “Pulmones y Altura” and I “El Corazon y la Altura”, went on very nice with a couple of Spanish Colleagues who also presented their work. It is interesting to note that they asked us to also write a manuscript and they gave us each a good payment that allowed us to travel to London right afterwards and visit the Royal Academy.

With the Spanish colleagues that were also co-speakers. Left-to-right: Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo, Conxita Leal, Carlos Villas, Antón Rañé, Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja.
Visiting and having a wonderful conversation with the president of the Royal Society in London

The papers were handed over to them and were later published at ResearchGate.net. Interestingly, we had hardly published scientific articles in Spanish as we always thought that the worldwide distribution was important. What is outstanding is that the “El Corazon y la Altura: Función cardiaca y adaptación” has over 38,500 reads as of the time of writing this article (Feb 14, 2021).

“Pulmones y Altura” has just been uploaded to ReserachGate.net

Our dear friends took us all around and we were surprised to find that the Avenue in front of the Playa de la Concha is called “Zubieta”. We then visited the Zubieta Bridge and the Town of Zubieta. What a delight all that was! We had learned of our roots and probably where our adventurous in science genetic driving spirit came from. They also gave us some guides

showing our background, and along two black boinas vascas txapelas. We remained extremely impressed the beauty and organization of the Vasque country. They also gave us a book on Vasque climbing the Ochomiles mountains.

In front of the Zubieta Bridge

Here, I found a link to our old Geocities website with comments of our historic participation. YOU MUST VISIT IT!!

In any event, this metaphysical phenomenon, that crystallized when my father affirmed “I truly want to come here” still makes me wonder in fascination !!!

Uncategorized

Is the CoV-2 alive?

International Conference on Coronavirus Viral Genomes Oct 2020 Bangalore, India.

Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, M.D., FPVRI

Head, High Altitude Pulmonary and Pathology Institute – (HAPPI-IPPA)

La Paz, Bolivia

COVID is a dramatic terrible disease for around 5% of the population, causing great sorrow, pain, and suffering. Yet, we have to be positive and we must try to understand deeply the CoV-2, that we are all facing. The Second World Covid Conference we organized jointly with between Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja and Dr. Natalia Zubieta-DeUrioste from High Altitude Pulmonary and Pathology Institute (HAPPI-IPPA) and Dr. Malali Gouda and Dr. Pruthvi Chakravarthi the Bengaluru Genomics Center (BGC) was a gathering of notable scientists, from around the world like Kusal Das, Thuppil Venkatesh, Malali Gowda, Robert Gallo, Murray Epstein, Andrew Pollard Giuseppe Miserocchi, Oscar Murillo, Paolo Pelosi, Augusto Ittig, V. Ravi, and so many other excellent speakers. It was a wonderful opportunity to exchange ideas, to give all our knowledge in what we understand was the first International Conference on COVID in India. The speakers made it a goal to find solutions, suggest ideas, propose therapies with great originality to improve our world. I found myself delighted by the exchange of ideas, the learning, the reasoning, and I am certain it is a remarkable contribution to the world.

Did we shed some light on the Coronavirus Pandemia shaking the world? After all, the scientific conferences in India always start by jointly lighting a multiple wick oil lamp in order to find illumination. I had previously been invited to the International Conference on COVID Genomics Bangalore on June 7-10th 2020 in this conference organized by Dr. Malali Gowda and his collaborators Dr. Pruthvi Chakravarthi and Dr. Preenon Bagchi. He has set his life goal to improve the environment through genetics, making it greener, more ecologic, and hence filled with oxygen, our luxury precious element of life on our planet Earth.

https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20210120/6185904/publican-primera-foto-real-coronavirus.html#foto-3

A virus is an RNA strand encapsulated in a protective sheath composed of proteins. We can understand that this structure is essential for its survival and its transport. Most affirm that it has no life and it is a subject of interest(Villarreal, 2004). But, what is life? Life is defined as having the following properties: Organization, Metabolism, Homeostasis, Growth, Reproduction, Response, and Evolution(Academy, 2016). Let us analyze each one. 

  1. Organization: living beings contain specialized coordinated parts, i.e. cells. But are cells necessary? Coronavirus is in a way like a cell. They have a nucleus: RNA and they have an outer sheath, which has a special corona shape. Are they organized? Do we know if they communicate between themselves? It would seem not with our current understanding of communication. But there are many things we don’t know or much less understand thus far. They are composed of atoms that build amino-acids composing the RNA. Do we fully understand the atoms? We continue to find particles within them thanks to immense cyclotron colliders. The coronavirus is a nucleic acid genome surrounded by a protein sheath. What is in-between? nothing? emptiness? space? molecules?
  2. Metabolism: Chemical reactions that allow the living organism to move and catch a prey. The shape of the coronavirus is very peculiar. It measures 120nm and has spikes that provide it with several properties: self-protection, adhesion to surfaces, connection “hooks”, and possibly even air flotation qualities, like an airplane. It reduces the contact surface area. Probably that is why it survives so long on many surfaces (the least time in copper, possibly due to its atomic electrically charged characteristics). Consequently, they move and furthermore, they have a prey: it is us humans. Anabolism is making complex molecules from simpler ones. They use molecules within cells. Catabolism; they have their energy. How can they survive days on surfaces? Perhaps they obtain their energy from molecules?  
  3. Homeostasis: Coronavirus regulate their internal environment to maintain a relatively narrow range of conditions, otherwise they would not exist.
  4. Growth: it implies creating proteins and DNA. Well, in this case, it is RNA and the outer sheath, also its protein growth. 
  5. Reproduction: This is what they do best within our cells. The question is what drives them? Humans and animals have the sex drive: a sweet intuitive compulsive sensation. All insects must have this same drive. Bacteria, fungi, and other organisms probably do too. Why not the Coronavirus? Is there an intricate drive for reproduction within them that we still don’t understand? They certainly move fast to replicate themselves, within us.
  6. Response: The capability to respond to stimuli. Antibodies block and destroy them, so they mutate. That is a response. 
  7. Evolution: mutations, adaptation to the environments allow for its survival. The spikes are resources of evolution. The entrance through the ACE2 receptors is a coordinated “well-calculated” mechanism that allows them to enter the cells and re-code the lysosomes changing the genetic code for mass replication of its code. 

I believe that the Coronavirus is a striking mystery filled with life. And I even think that somehow it has intelligence that challenges that of all humans. 

Source: CDC

What has the COV-2 come to do to our planet? It has shaken the very foundations of our society. I find it a fascinating composition of nature. Humans had begun to think that they could dominate nature. That they were superior to all living beings. (apparently, not this one so far). Humans could kill animals, destroy forests, kill other humans, and even try to create life. However, this last task has not been easy, and thus far unsuccessful. Nature had been working for 13.8 billion years ago since the Big Bang (we assume). The molecules arrived on our planet from distant stars and created the most beautiful and precious music: the symphony of life. It is an insolence of humans to think they could dominate nature in so little time of human existence of around 3 million years, and with true development of science and technology only for the past thousands of years. 

There is the intention of “Terraforming” Mars (changing it to be like earth). They had even forgotten man and all living beings in this quest, so I created the term “BioSpaceForming” (Adaptation to life in Space)(G. R. Zubieta-Calleja & Zubieta-DeUrioste, 2018) to understand the changes living beings will have to undergo, without a doubt. Adaptation = survival. And that is what Cov-2 does.

BioSpaceForming

And then comes the behavior of humans on planet Earth. They based life on gain and greed. Even going beyond nature’s interests, other beings’ interests, and even other humans’ interests. The quest has wrongly been for money, money, money. The psychology of creating war to dominate others is a pathological mental derangement. Sometimes merely for pride and for the simple feeble-minded attitude of destruction, itself.

So, is the coronavirus a mere random and accident of nature or is it a preprogrammed biological weapon? It seems like a Bio-Nuclear attack(Gustavo R. Zubieta-Calleja, 2020). It biologically attacks our cells and mostly our life-sustaining cells located in our lungs. It enters the cells through the ACE2 receptors and reproduces itself within, creating the birth of thousands of new offspring breaking and destroying our life-sustaining cells in our lungs. It creates what I have called and mentioned publicly for the first time at this conference “pneumolysis” (Lung destruction), thereby depriving us of the fundamental organ with which we capture the oxygen molecules from the air. The rapidly progressing “silent hypoxia” can be aggravated by a superimposed High Altitude Pulmonary Edema-type reaction. Those affected severely by this COVID are suddenly taken to the hypoxic levels of Mt. Everest(Gustavo R. Zubieta-Calleja et al., 2020). With insufficient time for adaptation, without enough blood, with excess carbon dioxide, (the fundamental Tolerance to Hypoxia factors)(Zubieta-Calleja, G.R., Ardaya, G., Zubieta, N., Paulev, 2013), respiratory acidosis and possibly metabolic acidosis results. The severe hypoxia is aggravated by accumulating hypercapnia (due to insufficient gas-exchange area) inducing severe dyspnea and “gasping”. This acute pulmonary insufficiency takes the most precious gift of nature: life. 

This surprise attack on our bodies has shaken the most advanced societies with all their supposedly superior know-how, and created havoc in them. Immense amounts of money were useless in the richest countries. The rich became equal to the poor. Pre-established protocols in hospitals were inefficient and often deadly. Quarantines were established in order to attempt survival. The economies of all countries are now severely compromised. But going back, was all the social and economic “development” necessary? Does nature see it as “progress” or self-destruction? Is nature teaching us a lesson? Is it punishing us? Is this truly a random event? Is it biological cleansing of the weakest? 

Can we defend ourselves? What are the components of our armor? It seems more and more evident that our most important defense tool is intelligence. The creation of vaccines is underway, but it is plagued with time constraints and many doubts. The appearance of all types of medication in search for the miracle cure, keep turning unsuccessful. The pharmaceutic industry shows its real face of inefficiency as it is often based on propaganda, biased results, discrediting simple medication, manipulation of data, often resulting more lethal than curative. The manipulation of food through the use of chemicals has turned world food not nutritive and healthy but rather poisonous, causing cancer, metabolic disease and suffering. We have all polluted the world mercilessly. From the medical point facing COVID-19, some weaknesses become more and more evident: Type A blood, chronic inflammation, stress, multiple sicknesses, lack of hygiene, old age, dysfunctional organs, etc. We still have a long road ahead.

Delayed presentation and lower incidence of COVD-19 at high altitude where U-V is higher

High altitude with its high ultraviolet radiation along with biological adaptation proves to be one of the most effective armors. The Sun’s rays become our protectors, sterilizing our environment when falling on all surfaces destroying the Coronavirus (and hence reducing contagion)(G. Zubieta-Calleja, n.d.), and likewise building Vitamin D when falling on our skins. Biological adaptation such as the decreased ACE2 receptors, in the lungs at high altitudes may play a role in reducing the incidence up to 10 times less, with respect to sea level, all around the world(Arias-Reyes et al., 2020). It is safer to be at high altitude in this Pandemia.

Our only true defense mechanism is our immune system, that has been constantly attacked by medication, chemicals in our food, contamination of our water, all responding to ambition and economical greed. The truly useful medications become the prompt use of nature’s, good hydration, good healthy nutrition, and several natural components coming from plants, salts, metals like Iodine, copper, natural anti-inflammatories like AcetylSalicilic Acid, Aspirin, Curcumin, antibiotics and a good amount of iron in our blood as that naturally granted to us in the hypoxic environment at high altitude, thereby increasing the oxygen pool reserve for the moment of the most critical lung compromise. Many other natural medicines will surface. But in the meantime, we must be careful, use face masks, wash our hands, avoid multitudes, keep social distancing, and us scientists continue our research.

Perhaps, in the end, the remedy lies in respecting natural knowhow like the Ayurveda, the peace of mind in Yoga, the humbleness of Buddha, the kindness teachings of Christ, the generosity and love of Ganesha, the true values of man, not based on wealth, not based on religious or political domination but rather on respect for nature, harmony with nature, love of all living beings. That is what India teaches us. After all, we are all living only a very short period in time in our universe.

References

Academy, K. (2016). What is life? https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-biology/hs-biology-foundations/hs-biology-and-the-scientific-method/a/what-is-life

Arias-Reyes, C., Zubieta-DeUrioste, N., Poma-Machicao, L., Aliaga-Raduan, F., Carvajal-Rodriguez, F., Dutschmann, M., Schneider-Gasser, E. M., Zubieta-Calleja, G., & Soliz, J. (2020). Does the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 virus decrease at high-altitude? Respiratory Physiology and Neurobiology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resp.2020.103443

Villarreal, L. P. (2004). Are Viruses Alive? Scientific American, 101–105. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican1204-100

Zubieta-Calleja, G.R., Ardaya, G., Zubieta, N., Paulev, P. E. & Z.-C. G. (2013). Tolerance to Hypoxia. J Fisiol. https://zuniv.net/pub/TolerancetoHypoxiaFiziol.pdf

Zubieta-Calleja, G. (n.d.). The advantages of ultraviolet radiation in controlling the coronavirus at high altitude. La Razon. http://altitudeclinic.com/blog/2020/04/u_v-radiation-covid-2-at-high-altitude/

Zubieta-Calleja, G. R., & Zubieta-DeUrioste, N. (2018). Space travel in a high-altitude environment. One more step in human BioSpaceForming. BLDE Univ J Health Sci, 3, 97–103.

Zubieta-Calleja, Gustavo R. (2020). Co-Vid-19 Pandemia Essential Suggestions. March 19. http://altitudeclinic.com/blog/2020/03/covid-19-pandemia-essential-suggestions/

Zubieta-Calleja, Gustavo R., Zubieta-DeUrioste, N., Venkatesh, T., Das, K., & Soliz, J. (2020). COVID-19: Multiple Diseases Simulating Extreme High-Altitude Exposure? Oxygen Transport Physiology and Scarce Need of Ventilators; Andean Condor’s-Eye-View. https://doi.org/10.20944/PREPRINTS202005.0085.V1

High Altitude Medicine News