In these trying times, ideas on dealing with CoVid-19 in the medical field are mandatory, from any part of the planet. This Pandemia will change, without doubt, the way we scientists deal with population emergency situations in the near future. As a physician working at high altitude, several novel ideas arise, that may aid in the life-saving management of such critical situations. As such, allow me to propose the following:
I suggested that patients with Coronavirus detected at airports or other points of entry should be taken to isolated areas outside cities where vacant buildings ought to be adapted for intensive care (or containers with sunroofs). They should not at all be taken to city or town hospitals as, particularly in a country with limited resources, as they would overwhelm existing intensive care units and thereby displace all work with routine critically ill patients. In addition, it would become a nucleus that spreads the disease to the otherwise healthy population. The areas should be surrounded by open space, with security and the sterilization techniques mentioned in the 3rd point should be applied.
Furthermore, In the city of La Paz, Bolivia (3100-4100m) establishing these modified buildings in the Altiplano (High Plateau) at 4,100 meters above sea level would indeed be beneficial as ultraviolet radiation is relatively high and can help as a natural bio-sterilization resource. Furthermore, the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) should have roofs to let sunlight come through.
The recent good news is that Dr. Augusto Ittig an intensive care specialist in Jujuy, Argentina has established his Coronavirus isolation and intensive care treatment, following theses guidelines.
2) I originally mentioned that there was an exponential growth of this Pandemia. Actually, it is a Hyper-Exponential, since it does not follow the regular exponential progression (y = A * Bx) but rather, in CoVid-19, 1 patient in a closed environment full of people can infect 50 or more in one shot from the very beginning.
3) The management of intensive care units has to be modified. As mentioned in the above interview, the Covid-19 is like a nuclear attack. It could actually be termed a BIO-NUCLEUS ATTACK. Viruses are targeting our nuclear cell areas, in search of self-reproduction, as is well known. Hence, the protection suits for the medical personnel should be full-body impermeable overalls leaving only the face exposed. Goggles, face masks and gloves should, of course, be worn. Upon exiting the Intensive Care Unit, the personnel should pass through a mandatory shower with plenty of soap or other disinfectants, followed by hot drying air for the whole body. This can help reduce significantly the viral transmission. This is similar to radioactive contamination, and it could be termed BIO-ACTIVE CONTAMINATION and we physicians need to evolve urgently to these new 21st-century health safeguarding strategies. After all, we all have the obligation of saving the lives of the courageous intensive care physicians and para-medical personnel that can end up giving their lives in order to save others.
4) Finally, those that actually survive the severe complications with lung (and heart tissue) sequelae will have pulmonary (and perhaps myocardial) fibrosis that will give rise to a pulmonary (and perhaps to some degree, cardiac) insufficiency with resulting complications at a later date. If those patients remain at high altitude, they will present Chronic Mountain Sickness (Poli-erythro-cythemia), as a compensatory mechanism in order to provide sufficient oxygen transport to the tissues. At high altitude, if properly understood, it can be adequately managed.
It has been observed by several groups that Hydroxychloroquine has some effectiveness in the treatment of severe CoVid-19 cases. In-vitro, it has been shown to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 virus[1,2,3]. The American government has announced that Hydroxychloroquine will be approved by the FDA, ASAP today (March 19, 2020).
We are aware that full studies have to be carried out but, there is no time.
The hospitals are being overflowed, the intensive care units are insufficient, medical resources are running out, even in the first-world countries! People are losing their lives at an alarming rate and the crucial ones turn out to be those of the medical personnel, doctors, nurses, and all those working in the hospitals. The whole planet is shutting down. The world economy is suffering the consequences and above all, it is taking away thousands of human lives.
When you board a plane, prior to departure, you are always told that if there is an emergency related to cabin decompression in-flight, one fundamental advice is:
If you are with a child, please put on the oxygen mask yourself first before putting the child’s mask on. This is a fundamental life-saving procedure since if the loss of consciousness hits the mother or father first then, for certain, not only will the parents lose their lives but also the child.
In a similar manner, if the doctors, nurses and medical personnel fall sick with the Coronavirus, then the patients will also succumb (thousands and maybe tens or hundreds of thousands).
Due to the emergency situation that the whole planet is suffering and particularly the medical and paramedical personnel with this extreme Pandemia, it is essential to consider prevention strategies.
Consequently, we suggest that all medical staff and support teams in hospitals consider start taking Hydroxychloroquine as a preventive strategy, once per week, while studies are being carried out. This is based on the effect of hydroxychloroquine taken to reduce malaria-risk significantly. It is not a perfect solution but it is what is available. The dosage, side-effects, contraindications are available from IAMAT[4]. The long term use of this drug in several other pathologies is well known and apparently well tolerated. We are aware of the criticism that can arise from this. However, today, this world is in a critical emergency situation and the Coronavirus is implacable, unmerciful, selfish and cruel. And we, as physicians from all around the world, have the obligation to help with innovative ideas born from our extensive experience.
The recommended initial dose could be 2 tablets orally for a total of 300mg or 400mg depending on the pharmaceutical presentation STAT, to be repeated every week if no symptoms appear provided there are no contraindications. If SARS-CoV-2 symptoms appear, a full daily dose will probably need to be administered along with the other medication. We cannot wait for full statistically proven studies. Nevertheless, the dosage and methods of administration can be modified with time. What is undeniable is that time is running out !!
The medical personnel should be prioritized. Particularly in a low resource country.
It is highly probable that this emergency life-saving strategy that we propose be considered for immediate execution in all medical personnel treating CoVid-19 hospitals around the world !!!
ESTRATEGIA URGENTE PREVENTIVA CON HIDROXICLOROQUINA PARA EL PERSONAL MEDICO ANTE EL COVID-19.
from: https://www.keckmedicine.org/coronavirus/
Queridos colegas:
Varios grupos han observado que la Hidroxicloroquina tiene cierta efectividad en el tratamiento de casos graves de CoVid-19. In vitro, se ha demostrado que inhibe el virus SARS-CoV-2 [1, 2, 3]. Hoy, 19 de Marzo de 2020, el gobierno estadounidense ha anunciado que la hidroxicloroquina será aprobada por la FDA lo antes posible.
Somos conscientes de que se deben realizar estudios completos, pero no hay tiempo.
Los hospitales se están desbordando, las unidades de cuidados intensivos son insuficientes, los recursos médicos se están agotando, ¡incluso en los países del primer mundo! Las personas están perdiendo la vida a un ritmo alarmante y los que están sufriendo contagios de manera preocupante resultan ser el personal médico, para-médico, enfermeras y todos los que trabajan en los hospitales. Todo el planeta se está paralizando. La economía mundial está sufriendo las consecuencias y sobre todo miles de vidas humanas se están perdiendo.
Cuando Ud. aborda un avión, antes del despegue, siempre le informan que si hay una descompresión de emergencia de la cabina en vuelo, un consejo fundamental es el siguiente:
Si Ud. está con un niño, póngase primero la máscara de oxígeno antes de ponersela al/la niño/a. Este procedimiento es fundamental para salvar vidas, ya que si la pérdida de conciencia golpea primero a la madre o al padre, entonces, con certeza, no solo perderán ellos la vida sino también el/la niño/a.
De manera similar, si los médicos, las enfermeras y el personal médico se enferman con el coronavirus, los pacientes también sucumbirán (miles y quizás decenas o cientos de miles).
Debido a la situación de emergencia que sufre todo el planeta y, en particular, el personal médico y paramédico de esta pandemia extrema, es esencial considerar estrategias de prevención.
En consecuencia, sugerimos que todo el personal médico y los equipos de apoyo en los hospitales consideren comenzar a tomar hidroxicloroquina como estrategia preventiva, una vez por semana, mientras se realizen estudios completos. Esto está basado en la metodología para reducir el riesgo de malaria significativamente. No es una solución perfecta, pero es lo que está disponible. La dosis, los efectos secundarios y las contraindicaciones están disponibles en IAMAT [4]. Tratamientos prolongados para otras patologías con este medicamento, aparentemente son bien tolerados. Somos conscientes de las críticas que pueden surgir de esto. Sin embargo, hoy, este mundo se encuentra en una situación crítica de emergencia y el Coronavirus es implacable, despiadado, egoísta y cruel.
La dosis inicial recomendada podría ser 2 tabletas de 300 mg por vía oral STAT, que se repetirá cada semana si no aparecen los síntomas. siempre que no hayan contraindicaciones. Si aparecieran los síntomas de SARS-CoV-2, probablemente será necesario administrar una dosis diaria completa junto con los otros medicamentos. No podemos esperar a estudios científicos completos estadísticamente comprobados sin embargo, las dosis e indicaciones se podrán mejorar a través del tiempo. Lo irrefutable es que el tiempo se acaba …
Se debe priorizar al personal médico. El tiempo dirá si esta estrategia deba expandirse a toda la población.
¡Es muy probable que esta estrategia de emergencia para salvar vidas que proponemos hoy, sea considerada para su ejecución inmediata en todo el personal médico que trata el Co-Vid-19 en los hospitales de todo el mundo!
Otras ideas fueron expresadasel 30 de Enero de 2020 y luego modificados el 17 de Marzo 2020. Para leerlas haga click aqui.
From Nov 9th to Nov 16th 2019 we visited Italy. The trip started in Rome with the usual jaw dropping and splendid structures.
At the Roman Colliseum Nov 2019, Natalia, Rafaela and Luc recia.
We then traveled to Firenze and the visit to “David” was indeed interesting. Particularly because, we realized that the bust obtained at the time of Michelagelo’s death was not the source of attraction but rather his magnificent David Sculpture. Fabulous indeed because of the weight of statue, the fact that it was sculptured in a Marmol piece that was not perfect, and that sustaining more than 6 tons of weight required him to leave a support next to his right leg. Truly awesome.
Michelagenlo’s David and Bolivia{s Zubieta
But the look on David’s face is of particular interest as it shows a calculating stare, right before the battle with Goliath. I stand, in life, staring as David in the struggle to put things straight in relation to Chronic Mountain Sickness in the scientific world.
The Zubieta MDs admiring Esculapio!!
We then went on to Bolzano to visit the terraXcube laboratory under the direction of the notable Hermann Brugger as Head and Giacomo Strapazzon as Vice-Head.
Hermann Brugger, Gsutavo Zbuieat, Natalia Zubieta nd Giacomo Strapazzon in the front door fo the famous TerraXcube in Bolzano Italy at EURAC.
There at Eurac, we gave a talk on Space Travel in a chronic hypoxia environment and in relation to our concepts of Chronic Mountain Sickness.
The Eurac Conference by Prof. Dr. Gsutavo Zubieta-Calleja in NO 2019.
It was an interesting visit as this facility is quite big and top of the line, of course. A research project was being started the 2nd day we were there. We met many of the scientists in a wonderful lunch and we discussed things of common interest.
The terraXcube in Bolzano, Italy.
We traveled to Milano and met our friends Prof. Giuseppe Miserocchi and his wife Cristina. At the University of Milano Prof. Giuseppe Miserocchi gave a splendid talk in relation to his trip to Bolivia and his recent work on pulmonary circulation time in hypoxia.
Prof. Giuseppe Miserocchi giving an introductory talk at the University of Milano Nov 2019
Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja followed with a talk on Space Travel in a Chronic Hypoxia Environment. Very interesting team of professors and students. We enjoyed a beautiful and delicious dinner in their house with Sandro and Patrizia.
Gsutavo Zubieta-Calleja, Sandro, Lucrecia, Patricia, Giuseppe Miserocchi, Cristina, RafaelaThe joyful group after excellent wine and delicious food!!
Next day we headed to Venice and had to put on plastic rain boots as there was rain water in the streets, when we arrived. However in 1 hour the level went down and we were able to enjoy such a wonderful city.
It has been an honor to give talks in such highly scientific environments blessed with remarkable and historic geniuses, Italia!!!
The story of our purchase of a Radiometer blood gas machine in 1973.
Back in 2004, the day I arrived in Copenhagen, while visiting my wife Lucrecia at the Bolivian Embassy, I called Prof. Poul-Erik Paulev whom I had contacted before my arrival. He was Prof. of Physiology in Exercise at the Panum Institute in the Department of Physiology of the prestigious University of Copenhagen.
I was surprised that on that call we carried on for about 2 hours talking of the scientific subjects of our common interest. One of them was Acid-Base and I was delighted to know that he was also working with Ole Siggaard-Andersen who had many years back developed the Siggaard-Andersen Nomogram for Radiometer. we finished the conversation with his invitation to visit him next day in his office at Panum.
Next day, the moment he opened his door we were linked and he after a brief talk opened another door in his office and said “This is your new office and lab where we will do research together”. Not only did we collaborate for almost 4 years, writing 6 papers jointly, but we also became very dear friends. It was “great fun”, as he always used to say.
The first paper we wrote was the “Essentials of Acid-Base Disorder and its high altitude application”. I had told him that the Siggaard-Andersen Nomogram did not work for the city of La Paz. He had been working on a review paper on the extraordinary achievements of the Danish scientists on acid-base equilibrium. I exposed to him the need to make high altitude corrections for the adequate interpretation in all high altitude cities of the world, a knowledge that would save lives. He became immediately interested and when I finished the calculations and the graphs, he decided to include a section in his review article and changed the title to “Essentials in the diagnosis of Acid-Base Disorders and it’s High Altitude Application“. He offered to put my name as first author and I refused as he had been so kind to receive me at Panum. Then, I came up with the idea of tossing a coin, that upon flipping in the air and dropping to the ground, favored him. We laughed and carried on and wrote in all, 8 papers together.
Many years back when had I finished the Freshman year at the University of Arkansas, upon coming to La Paz, my father had asked me to buy him a blood gas equipment from the London Company in US. I did so and packed my bags in order to bring it to La Paz, with the help of my American parents: Dr. Purcell Smith and Joan Smith, the most wonderful and collaborative people. I was 17 years old, back in 1973. United Airlines was the transporter. I checked-in my bags and although they were somewhat overweight, the airline agent, understood my American Mother’s request and they did not charge me overweight and so I was on the way home.
The Radiometer MK2 Acid-Base Analyzer.
When I arrived in Miami, it suddenly dawned on me, that I should check if the airline had transferred to the Branniff Airlines flight to La Paz. I approached the front desk and they said they could not find my bags. They told me to go down some side stairs to the landing field and find someone to help me locate my bags. I immediately ran into a very nice guy with a tractor to pull bags and he said “hop-on and hold yourself in my shoulders”. I was actually standing in the Y connector to the tractor so each leg went to each side. Furthermore, I was travelling with a nice navy blue tropical suit coat and a white, red and blue hook-on bow tie that I had “inherited from my American brother “Purcell Smith III”. He is now a well known hand surgeon in Dallas, but in 1973, we went together to the high school senior 2nd semester at the famous De-segregation Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.
It is also interesting to point out that, at the time, America was free from terrorism so I could go and ride underneath the huge airplanes holding on to the kind young tractor driver, with whom I am forever grateful (wish I could find him now; boy, would I give him a great present!!). My father had given me all his savings to buy that Acid-Base Mk2 Blood Gas analyzer from the Copenhagen Radiometer Company. It was around 9000 US$. Those were all his savings so if I had lost the equipment, our loss would have being immense. Needless to say that the experience gained running blood gases for all hospitals in La Paz and above all for our High Altitude Pathology Clinic, founded in 1970 by my father, would have been incalculable…..
We looked for my bags in several big hangars. They were nowhere to be found. Then he said: let’s check that last one. It was a dark place place at the very end. There they were both bags “suspiciously placed there”. I well recall the deep breath I took in relief. We loaded the bags onto the cart and we took them to my Braniff airline where I watched them go in the plane baggage compartment, elated and relieved.
They were many years of runing to all hospitals and clinics in La Paz, Bolivia.
And sometime later I will write how I arrived to La Paz and found my father had bought a beautiful 1952 Chevrolet pick up, where I then placed my bags……
BioSpaceForming a creation of Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-CAlleja
What is BioSpaceForming?
BioSpaceForming is the adaptation of all living beings on earth to outer space. Humankind with the highest intelligence, evolving into the future beyond earth.
Bio = life Space = Universe Forming = Adaptation
Humans cannot expect to go to high altitude cities and continue to be sea-level residents. The same concept applies to space travel. Adaptation is a fundamental process in order to secure the survival of the species. One of the transcendental mechanisms of adaptation to high altitude is the increase of red blood cells. This is the biological response to chronic hypoxia that allows for the most efficient and less energy-consuming mechanism of oxygen transport to the tissues. One of the key issues is that Chronic Hypoxia becomes a fundamental tool. it gives humans and other species an advantage of survival, on earth, and even beyond earth.
This is explained with the Adaptation to High Altitude Formula that we created. Additionally and actually paradoxically, there is more tolerance to hypoxia, the higher one goes in altitude. On the summit of Mt. Everest at 8842m, humans are 6 fold more tolerant to hypoxia than at sea level. These fundamental observations show us that as we go high in a mountain we are actually reducing the barometric pressure and we are getting closer to space, where the pressure is 0.
Look for our Facebook Biospaceforming site for more details.
Space travel in chronic hypoxia
Reducing the pressure of spaceships is extremely important because it will signify a reduction of the wall strengthening materials and hence lighter spaceships. This not only reduces the weight for lift off, but it has biological advantages. Exposure to life under chronic hypoxia makes humans stronger, following a basic rule: what does not kill you, makes you stronger. This is proved by extended longevity at high altitude.
Furthermore and most importantly, the EVA suits can become more flexible with extended autonomy and this applies even those space suits used on Mars. Why? Because since the astronauts would be permanently adapted to life at high altitude, they would use less oxygen pressure.
Furthermore space travel with actual technology requires a lot of time. Our biological clocks are too short. This implies that in order to travel to relatively close planets, it will be a one-way flight. No round trip. Hence why try to remain with the optimal body for earth habitation?. Why use so much oxygen pressure? Why expect to live surrounded by an atmosphere with a sea level barometric pressure? Why expect the future habitable planets to be like earth? Humans have to understand that it is not only the planets that have to be Terraformed; hypothetical process of deliberately modifying the atmosphere, temperature, surface topography or ecology of a planet, moon, or other body to be similar to the environment of Earth to make it habitable by Earth-like life. Mars is the first planet that is being proposed to be terraformed. It is us the biological beings that have to change and adapt to other worlds i.e. BioSpaceForming, and continue life and intelligence in totally different conditions. The first paper where BioSpaceForming was originally described (for the first time in history Dec, 2018) can be read here: https://zuniv.net/pub/BioSpaceForming.pdf This was published in the BLDE Journal in India., thanks to Prof. Kusal Das.
Actually, the first mention of Space travel in a Chronic Hypoxia Environment was written in a Dissertation entitled “Adaptation to High Altitude and to Sea Level: Acid-Base Equilibrium, Ventilation and Circulation in Chronic Hypoxia” at the Univ of Copenhagen, back in 2007. It was then presented in the III Chronic Hypoxia Symposium entitled: THE HIGH ALTITUDE AND LOW ALTITUDE ADAPTATION STUDIES AND THEIR PRACTICAL APPLICATION TO TRAVEL IN HUMAN EXPLORATION OF SPACE Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja (Jr), Natalia Zubieta-DeUrioste & Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo (Sr). High Altitude Pulmonary and Pathology Institute (IPPA) Zubieta University La Paz, Bolivia
And in subsequent Chronic Hypoxia Symposiums, the last one (as of this date, Sept 2019) 7th Chronic Hypoxia Symposium. But I was also invited to a Space Physiology Symposium in Varadero Cuba during the Panam2019 Physiology conference, by Alan Hargens.
Alberto Dorta from Cuba, Alan Hargens from US and Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja from Bolivia at the Space Physiology Symposium in Varadero, Cuba
Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja during his conference in Cuba showing that Biology helps surpass the Pressure Laws of Physics in Space.
The concept about hypoxia is always negative. The problem is that it is a biased opinion. There is a constant search for the deleterious effects of hypoxia. However, several adaptation mechanisms are misinterpreted as being a negative response, when they are actually an extraordinary positive effect.
We have to remark once more: Humans live longer at high altitude !!!
We have just heard of a lady that is 117 years old that was born in Potosi at 3850mm and now lives in Cochabamba 2500m.
117 year old lady currently living in Cochabamba, Bolivia 2500m of altitude.
She was born on Oct 28, 1900 in San Pedro de Buena Vista Potosi, Bolivia at 3850m of altitude. According to the US Gerontology Research group – that documents the oldest people on the planet- the bolivian Julia Flores would be the oldest woman alive since she is 6 months older than the japonesa Chiyo Miyako, born on May 2 1901. Please read the article on Newspaper Pagina 7 here.
Come join us to discuss these and other ChronicHypoxia interesting aspects.
After 6 successful ChronicHypoxiaSymposiums (5 held in Bolivia and 1 in India) we invite you to join us and participate in the forthcoming, exciting:
7thChronicHypoxiaSymposium
February 23- March 2, 2019
Dedicated to the late extraordinary Danish Physiologist Poul-Erik Paulev
Poul-Erik Paulev, Ole Siggard-Andersen and Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja at the University of Copenhagen 2005
Mark your calendar!
This year we will also attend the Carnaval in Oruro 3800m. We want to show you how people dance with great energy over several kilometers and some carrying heavy 20 kilogram outfits. No one worries about hypoxia. As affirmed in our publications: The best way to defeat hypoxia is a timely exposure to chronic hypoxia
This time we were in the wonderful USA, to give talks about our scientific experience in chronic hypoxia. It was a splendid and unique experience.
We started with a talk at the National Institutes of Health in Washington. Another in Pennsylvania for the local Geriatrics Society. The next at the Center for Space and Planetary and Sciences in the University of Arkansas.
The last talk was at Tulane Medical School in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Our new building located in Av. Copacabana Prolongacion #55 is now the center hub connecting the north and south networks with two Telepheric stations (a few steps away). You will now be able to go anywhere in La Paz in this “aerial metro”, enjoying incredible sightings at high altitude.
The yellow telepheric going down from El Alto where the airport is located.
Between April 18th and April 30th Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, Director and Head of the High Altitude Pulmonary and Pathology Institute in La Paz, Bolivia, gave talks explaining the benefits of Life under Chronic Hypoxia (low-oxygen).
It started with a talk on April 18th at the National Institutes of Health, National Heart Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in Bethesda Maryland, in the Division of Lung Diseases. It’s director Dr. James Kyley introduced Prof. Zubieta to a group of his top Staff scientists.
The presentation was entitled: “Benefits of exposure to Chronic Hypoxia: Adaptation, Tolerance to Hypoxia, Acid-Base at high altitude and future space travel”. It was a stimulating talk that has a different concept regarding the traditional fears of hypoxia in Sea level physicians. This talk showed that chronic hypoxia at high altitude residents gives rise to many advantages, as a way of adaptation.
Explaining exercise at high altitude
At the Lung division of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. USA
Among them he showed that Bolivians live longer at high altitude in the high altitude areas.
This scientific paper is the most popular article in that journal thus far, since its publication on Dec 15, 2017. We have also been invited to write a book on this subject. So this is a transcendental paper in high altitude medicine.
Talking about 52 years of life at high altitude with a PaO2 of 60mmHg.
However many other subjects were dealt with in the conference, like the Adaptation Formula that we developed.
And the Remarkable Tolerance to Hypoxia formula that we also created:
This formula shows that paradoxically, the higher man goes to high altitude the more tolerance to hypoxia there is. Compared to sea level, the high altitude residents of La Paz, are 1.7 times more tolerant to hypoxia. Similarly, on the summit of Mt. Everest, where humans have climbed to, without the assistance of oxygen, it is around 6 times. This outstanding capacity of survival in such low levels of oxygen is proof that nature has wisely granted living beings the mechanisms to survive and sustain life even in the extreme environments.
From Left: Natalia Zubieta-DeUrioste, James Kyley, Director of the Lung division of the NIH and Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja (IPPA).
Ricardo Balderrama, Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja and Jorge Ordenes, our distinguished guests at the talk.
Visiting the Afro-American Muesum in Washington. D.C. Rafaela, Natalia and Lucrecia DeUrioste.
We then moved on to meet Dr. Oscar Murillo, a distinguished Geriatrician in Pennsylvania.
In Dr. Oscar Murillo’s home for the talk to the local Geriatrics Society in Penssylvania.
He kindly hosted a conference dinner at his beautiful residence in Schneksville, Penssylvania. The dinner was great. The members of the Geriatrics Society were a delight to share moments with.
Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja and Dr. Steven Fuller, Vice-President and Corporate Medical Director of the Presbyterian Senior Living.
Among them, Dr. Steven Fuller, a most distinguished Geriatrician with whom we shared many interesting comments regarding high altitude physiology.
Giving the talk to the Geriatric local society at Dr. Oscar Murillo’s residence in Pennsyvania.
Dr. Oscar Murillo, Dr. Steven Fuller and the physicians, nurses and students of the Geriatric group.
Dr. Oscar Murillo’s Medical Consultation offices premises in Hannover, Pennsylvania.
Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja and Dr. Oscar Murillo, in the offices he constructed with two colleagues.
Visiting the historic town of Gettysburg, thanks to Dr. Oscar Murillo and one of his colleagues.
Our next stop was Fayetteville, Ark where Prof. Zubieta-Calleja gave a talk at the Center for Space and Planetary Sciences in the University of Arkansas.
At the university of Arkansas prior to the talk.
He had attended this University during a year as a Pre-med before his transfer to the Universidad Mayor de San Andres Medical School in La Paz, Bolivia. Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, was an exchange student in Little Rock, Arkansas and lived with the Smith Family in 1973 prior to attending to the University of Arkansas.
Dinner at Mrs. Purcell Smith Jr’s residence in Rogers. From Left: Mrs Purcell Smith Jr, Cindy Youngblood, Lucrecia DeUrioste, Rafaela Zubieta DeUrioste, Dr. Natalia Zubieta DeUrioste, Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, Mr.Jim Youngblood, Mrs. Dr. Katie Youngblood.
Mr. Jim Youngblood, working for NASA, had met and acquainted astronaut Ed White of the Apollo program, who had given, as a Christmas present, an autographed photo to his son Tom Youngblood, currently a Pediatrician married to Cindy Smith. Astronaut Ed White was one of the three astronauts that unfortunately died in the tragic prelaunch burn of Apollo 1. Such event initiated the sea level (760mmHg), in space cabin pressure flights with 21% oxygen.
Historic autographed photo of astronaut Ed. White given to Dr. Tom Youngblood, as a child.
This coincidence of meeting Mr. Jim Youngblood in the dinner prior to the talk on space travel, is truly extraordinary, since for Prof Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja’s talk proposes that high altitude pressures (495mmHg) similar to the city of La Paz (3600m) be used in space capsules instead.
The title of the talk for the Center for Space and Planetary Sciences was about “Space travel under Chronic Hypoxia“.
Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, explaining the logic behind his proposal for future space travel. Biology aiding Physics in the conquest of Space.
The students’s and staff of the Center for Space and Planetary Sciences at the University of Arkansas in Fayeteville, Ark.
Visiting the laboratory project on Titan (largest moon of Saturn) of PhD student Kendra Farnsworth at the Center for Space and Planetary Sciences, Univ of Arkansas. From Left. Larry Roe, Director, Kendra Farnsworth and Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja.,
Another image of the Titan Moon simulation chamber by PhD student Kendra Farnsworth.
The idea is that future space travel has to be undertaken in high altitude environment similar to the city of La Paz (3600m), within space capsules.
At the Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences. From Left: Cindy Youngblood, Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja and Dr. Tom Youngblood.
This would grant astronauts great advantages. It would allow for a practical solution to astronauts anemia in Space. Furthermore, it would give great advantages speeding up the possibility of going out of the space ship and using a space suit, since the pressure changes would not be as great. This would allow for much lighter space suits, aiding in the flexibility and maneuverability.
Entering the ARkansas Center for Sopace and Planetary Sciences. From Left Larry Roe, Director, Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, Cindy Youngblood and Caitlin Ahrens pHd Student doing research on the cryo-geology and spectroscopy of PLUTO using the Pluto simulation Chamber..
Much more will come from this revolutionary concept, that will change forever the way humans travel in space. Please click below to see the BLDE Journal pre-print:
The final talk was given at Tulane Medical School in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Rafaela Zubieta, Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, Dr. Natalia Zubieta-DeUrioste
This was a very special situation. On a previous conference talks organized by Prof. Thuppil Venkatesh in Dec 2017 throughout India, Prof. Zubieta-Calleja, had the opportunity to meet Prof. Dewan S.A. Mahid at Prof Kusal Das’ Laboratory in BLDE University in Vijayapur, India. Prof. Majid a most distinguished scientist of the Physiology Department at Tulane, invited Prof Zubieta-Calleja to go give a talk.
Tulane Conference invitation
Prof. Zubieta-Calleja had been in New Orleans when he was 8 years old during two years because Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo was a visiting Professor at Tulane Medical School back in 1964.
We had a special bonus as we met our dear friend Prof. Rafael Rubio and Cherry his wife for the second time in beautiful New Orleans.
Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja with Prof. Rafael Rubio in New Orleans, LA.
We had the most interesting discussions about science and likewise, Rafael and following the extraordinary coincidences, Rafael had worked with Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo (Sr) in the 60’s at the Instituto de Cardiologia in Mexico. They had published a joint paper entitled “RUBIO, R., and-ZUBIETA, G.: ‘The variation of the electrical resistance of microelectrodes during the flow of current’, Acta Physiologica Latin Americana, 1961, 11. “, which became a very cited reference in physiology.
A special dinner was held at Prof. Dewan Mahid’s residence in New Orleans. Top row from left: Prof. Zubieta-Calleja, Prof. Edwan Mahid, Daniel from Bangladesh. Prof. Rafael Rubio, Seated from left: Cherry Rubio, Rafaela Zubieta, Dr. Natalia Zubieta DeUrioste, NIna Mahid, Mrs. Daniel
Dr. Rafael Rubio obtained his PhD in US and became a Professor of physiology at University of Virginia during over 30 years, becoming Emeritus. He now resides permanently in New Orleans and had written his book “Endothelial Luminal Membrane-Glycocalyx: Functionalities in Health and Disease” at Tulane.
At Prof. Luis Gabriel Navar’s office os Chairman, Department of Physiology and Director of the Center for Biomedical Research Excellence in Hypertension and Renal Biology at Tulane Medical School in New Orleans, Louisiana. From left: Natalia Zubieta, Rafaela Zubieta, Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, Prof. Luis Gabriel Navar. Prof. Dewan Mahid.
Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja’s seminar at Tulane.
Prof. Navar introducing the seminar to his staff and students at the physiology Department of Tulane in New Orleans, LA. USA
The talk was carried out on April 30, 2018 at the Physiology Department which runs under the direction of Prof. Gabriel Navar. It was a pleasure to meet him and to discuss subjects of mutual interest.
Prof. Gabriel Navar, second from the left.
He heads the Center for Biomedical Research Excellence in Hypertension and Renal Biology and has a staff that is truly outstanding. The program of visits is below:
Tulane visit program
We truly enjoyed meeting such distinguished colleagues at Tulane, and particularly Dr. Minolfa Prieto.
In this opportunity Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja was with his IPPA team, his brand new colleague and scientific researcher Dr. Natalia Zubieta, our language expert Rafaela Zubieta and Lucrecia De Urioste our International Relations expert.
Dr. Oscar Murillo, Dr. Natalia Zubieta-DeUrioste, Rafaela Zubieta-DeUrioste, Lic. Lucrecia DeUrioste, visiting St. Patricks in Manhattan..
Once again Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja was invited to participate in ACBICON (Association of Clinical Biochemists of India Conference, and to give talks at BLDE University between Nov 29 and Dec 15, 2017. Prof. Thuppil Venkatesh, was the host and he organized several conferences and meetings along with some visits to temples and friends in Bangalore, Lucknow, and Vijayapur. Here is his description of the events.
The inauguration was carried out by Prof. M.L.B. Bhatt, Vice-Chancellor of the famous KING GEORGE’S UNIVERSITY in Lucknow. His speech was very interesting and full of oratory talent. He talked about “The Lead Man” referring to the famous Prof. Thuppil Venkatesh and added that also present was “The Hypoxia Man” referring to me. I felt touched by such kind denomination. Many colleagues then started calling me “The Hypoxia Man” the rest of the meeting, which obviously makes it easier for them than to say my name that is complicated in India, as you may appreciate. They often confuse my First name Gustavo with my Last name Zubieta-Calleja. These are handicaps of cultural differences.
Acbicon times
Opening ceremony of the ACBICON conference in Lucknow, India Dec 3 2017
ACBICON opening ceremony speech by Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja
Lighting the Candles of Enlightenment as the opening ceremony. Shown from the right The Vice-Chancellor of King George’s University Prof. M.L.B. Bhatt, Vice-Chancellor of Era University Prof. Abbas Ali, Mahdi the Head organizer and Prof. Rajiv Sighn Secretary of Organization.
Prof. Abbas Ali Mahdi, the previous Head of the Biochemistry Department at King George’s University and now Vice- Chancellor of Era University, was the organizer of this interesting meeting in Lucknow. There I had the opportunity of meeting once again Prof. Praveen Sharma, the Head of the Biochemistry of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Jodhpur and Chief Editor of the Indian Journal of Biochemistry. I was invited to participate in the editorial board of the Journal and had the privilege of attending the yearly meeting.
My conference was entitled:
Clinical Biochemistry at the summit of Mt. Everest: Correct interpretation of arterial blood gases and acid-base status.
We then flew back to Bangalore where we met some old friends like Parthasarathy and Shashi.
We then travelled by train to Vijayapur and where we spent 4 days in multiple activities at the distinguished BLDE University Physiology Department that is more than 100 years old. We were greeted once more, by Prof. Kusal Das Head of the Laboratory of Vascular Physiology and Medicine
With Professor of Physiology Dewan Majid of Tulane Medical School, we shared very pleasant moments along with Prof. Thuppil Venkatesh and Parthasarathy.
I gave a talk related to chronic hypoxia and how high altitude residents have achieved what we call an “advantage for survival” and where I explained that we observe that sea level residents have a very poor tolerance to hypoxia, inducing us to affirm that they suffer a “disability”, whereby they have poor response to hypoxia and in contrast high altitude residents can even achieve extended longevity.
Incidentally, a researcher wrote:
Ian Gavaraeb, Academic writer at Livingston Research
If any one else knows any high altitude cities in the world where there is extended longevity please let us know by sending us an email: zubieta@altitudeclinic.com
Observing the techniques at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology at Prof. Kusal Das’s Department.
Inter-institutional cooperation.
Prof. Thuppil Venkatesh and myself also gave talks at the engineering Department at BLDE, thanks to an invitation by Prof. Swastika Das.
Sharing the conference auditorium honor table with the Heads of the Engineering Departments at BLDE
Poster of our talks at the Engineering Department at BLDE.
These were two very stimulating talks that generated much enthusiasm in the Professors and students of such a distinguished engineering School.
Receiving beautiful flowers from Prof. Swastika Das, prior to the talk.
Interesting moments with Prof. Kusal Das and Prof. Thuppil Venkatesh
I was also invited to be the External Examiner for a PhD Thesis by Dr S S Devarmani, Controller of Examination, BLDE University in reference to:
Thesis for PhD from BLDE University
After an interesting presentation and round of questions by the assisting Professors of BLDE, and then followed by a closed meeting with further questions and recommendations, between the Three examiners: Prof. Kusal Das, Prof. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja and Prof. Manjunath Aithal the guiding professor, along with the student Praveen S. Patil, we decided to accept and approve the Thesis and I was granted the honor of announcing it to the candidate.
There were several other activities but upon returning to Bangalore, I was invited by Satish Jain, President of the Maharaja Agrasen Hospital, to inaugurate the new Fertility Unit. Please see the video.
Aside from our Scientific cooperation with BLDE University with Prof. Kusal Das, we are now proud to announce that Dr. Abbas Ali Mahdi has honored me as:
Visiting Professor at Era University Lucknow, India
Visiting Professor at American University in Barbados
Thereby we establish a promising future collaboration association.
Our most profound thankfulness to Prof. Venkatesh and all his colleagues for the wonderful visit.
I arrived with our two daughters, Natalia and Rafaela to Copenhaguen, Denmark on a chilly July back in 2004, in order to join my wife, Lucrecia De Urioste, who was acting as the 1st Secretary in Charge of Consular Affairs at the Bolivian Embassy. Six months previously, when her destiny to go there, had been set, I contacted through the web, Prof. Pouk-Erik Paulev at the Physiology Dept of the Panum Institute of the University of Copenhaguen. He responded “you are welcome in my lab”. From the Embassy, the following day after my arrival, I called Poul-Erik and we spent over an hour talking about our common interests in science. I immediately realized that I had, on the other side of the line, an extraordinary scientist!!
We talked about Ole Siggaard-Andersen, another Dane, the world’s father of acid-base status in blood, whom I admired greatly and with whom Poul-Erik was working. I was truly delighted and amazed! Many years back I had corresponded with Ole, regarding my interest of Acid-base and had even sent him the first computer interpretation of arterial blood gases and acid-base status, that I had written. So I could hardly believe my luck. At the end of our long telephone conversation, Pool-Erik told me to meet him at his office in the Panum Institute, next day.
When I knocked on his door, I found a tall, kind and a very enthusiastic man, with a pleasant smile who welcomed me effusibely. I immediately felt at home. He opened the door next to his Office and said, “this is your Office”. I could hardly believe it
Three and a half years of very productive pleasant scientific collaboration, ensued. We published joint papers related to high altitude, my specialty, in a country where the highest Point is a 170 m. hill.
I learned so much from him, in regards to scientific rigor, synthesis, pragmatism, simple minded attitudes, all, fundamental traits of superior men.
Shown here, a beautiful image of our collaboration at Panum Institute of Physiology, University of Copenhagen
He had been working on a review paper on the extraordinary achievements of the Danish scientists on acid-base equilibrium. I exposed to him the need to make high altitude corrections for the adequate interpretation in all high altitude cities of the world, a knowledge that would save lives. He became immediately interested and when I finished the calculations and the graphs, he decided to include a section in his review article and changed the title to “Essentials in the diagnosis of Acid-Base Disorders and it’s High Altitude Application“. He offered to put my name as first author and I refused. Then, I came up with the idea of tossing a coin, that upon flipping in the air and dropping to the ground, favored him. We laughed and carried on and write in all, 8 papers together.
You can read here an amusing story on the acid-base analyzer at IPPA.
The subjects were diverse including high altitude diving tables. He came to our III Chronic Hypoxia Symposium with his lovely wife Kirsten. Some photos can be seen here.
His generosity went beyond limits. He wrote a physiology book and put it on-line for free use, by anyone. Later on, he granted me co-authorship and I wrote the High Altitude section. Kirsten McCord, one of his patients had discovered his personality and collaborated with him making the graphs, that are now so famous in many physiology books. She went on to become a lifetime collaborator and friend always visiting Poul-Erik and his lovely wife Kirsten that always greeted us with a smile and great Smorebrød (typical Danish sandwiches) at their enchanting home in Birkerød, right next to the golf course, where Poul-Erik and his wife Kirsten, spent many hours enjoying the fields.
I throughly enjoyed discussion of many aspects of physiology and science in his lab. He told me very interesting stories, like when he was a young man and wrote an article that questioned the concepts of Herman Rahn, who was a notable German physiologist who had moved to US. He pointed out that Herman had not been upset, quite the contrary, he invited Poul-Erik to spend some time in his lab. He also told me that Herman had a small scale in his pocket and ran out everyday from his office to the garden to weigh an egg of a small byrd in his nest, that way he was able to study hydration of the egg. That was a time of superior scientists, that made fantastic advances in science. There was no mediocrity, that my father once referred to as: “a congenital disease, very painful and with no treatment”.
Poul-Erik wrote a beautiful and concise biography. I insisted that it be longer, but he was always precise and to the point. It can be read here. Noteworthy is the fact that he suspected decompression sickness when most thought that there was a toxic effect in the water. It is important to note that while at the Panum Institute, I noticed that many of his colleagues were jealous of his work. They had tried to outs him from his teaching on several occasions, but could not do so because he had so many scientific publications, more than any of his colleagues. When I joined him and we worked together, I noticed a lot of jealousy about his work and I of course had to inherit this unnoble attitude towards him. But to simply spend life together with him, and to share the most beautiful moments together, in science and deep nearly parental friendship, was more than welcome.
Poul-Erik had worked as a young scientist, in the study of rescuing sailors from submarines. He performed many dives in a 20 meter pool specially designed in order to develop rescue techniques. He dived so many times that on one occasion upon coming up too fast he developed the “bends” (decompression sickness), that he referred to as very painful. He was immediately put of a hyperbaric chamber where he had to spend many hours and upon exit, he again presented pains so he returned for some more hours. This stimulated his interest in diving physiology. he wrote several papers, and I joined him in a few. We wrote about high altitude diving in Lake Titicaca and higher lagoons. This lead to the creation of the Poul-Erik Paulev High Altitude Laboratory.
There he wrote a most beautiful, concise and admirable autobiography. We travelled jointly to a meeting in Poland to join his friend Pokorsky of the Polish Science Academy. We also went to a meeting in Berlin. He asked me to replace Bengt Saltin in a course on acid-base in the north of Denmark, where we attended jointly with our wives. Thanks to their generosity we were able to integrate our family in the fascinating life of Danish culture, of which we became great admirers. I even wrote an article on Danish education in the Copenhagen Post.
He came with Kirsten, to the III Chronic Hypoxia Symposium that I organized in Bolivia. I created the Poul-Erik High Altitude Diving Laboratory in our building.
There we also met Pernille, Thomas and Matias, wonderful, wonderful Danés, He had 3 daughters and Kirsten has 2 sons.
I have difficulty expressing, when I write these words, about this extraordinary man, of all his scientific and human greatness!!
Had the world been populated by more people like him, we would all live in Paradise.
I express my profound admiration for his extensive and wisdom filled scientific work, of over 160 articles published in prestigious Journals around the world. Many are available at Researchgate.net. What a great Danish Physiologist he was. He left us on July 2017, when he decided it was time time to leave at 84 years of age after aheroic battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
His legacy is scientific, and I bow to always remind all scientists around the world, about his outstanding achievements.
Dedicated to the late Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo
Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo “The Mountain Guru”
This unique itinerant symposium was a gathering of participants from around the world, all sharing a common interest in the wonder of the mountain environments, whether through research or other endeavors. With Chairman Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja at the helm, assisted by his family, medical students and Dr. Fabian Wayar. This symposium convened in La Paz (3100 – 4100m), and was generously supported by the High Altitude Pulmonary and Pathology Institute (IPPA) with collaboration by the Bolivian Navy, the La Paz Medical College and its President, Dr. Luis Larrea and the Universidad Franz Tamayo “Unifranz.” All were engaged in the lively presentations, and were wholly encouraged to participate in topic discussions.
Details of the Conference
The conference presentations were given almost exclusively in English. Attendees met in the Unifranz on the first day on Monday Oct 10, 2016, where opening words were given by Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, Director of the High Altitude Pulmonary and Pathology Institute (IPPA) and Dr. Thuppil Venkatesh, President of the International Society of Chronic Hypoxia. This symposium was poignantly dedicated in the memory of the incomparable Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo, whose life was devoted to the study of hypoxia and the care of patients suffering from altitude illness. A presentation by Dr. Zubieta-Castillo’s granddaughter, Natalia Zubieta, highlighted his life’s work. Conference participants were provided with books commemorating Dr. Zubieta-Castillo with quotes from colleagues who respected and admired him and his work from around the globe.
First day of conferences
Dr. Giuseppe Miserocchi, former Professor of Physiology and Biophysics at the University Milano-Bicocca in Italy, gave an enlightening talk on the Inter-individual Differences in the Adaptive Response of the Lung to Hypoxia. Dr. Miserocchi described the conditions leading to lung edema, including miscrovascular permeability and increased cardiac output, versus the conditions opposing it, including interstitial matrix rigidity, vasoconstriction in pulmonary microcirculation, and reduced capillary patency. Variations exist among human response to diffusion capacity of the lungs during hypoxia, with more than half of the subjects showing an increase in alveolar membrane diffusing capacity that overpowered the decrease in lung capillary blood volume.
Dr. Zubieta-Calleja gave a lively presentation regarding The Road to “Defeating Hypoxia” is a timely exposure to chronic hypoxia. He also discussed polyerythrocythemia as a precise terminology developed by the late Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo, to be used instead of chronic mountain sickness. He reiterated the simple yet powerful formula:
Adaptation = time / altitude
Dr. Zubieta-Calleja challenged the belief that people life’s under chronic hypoxia is debilitating, arguing that many conditions may be treated with exposure to hypoxia. He gave evidence of increased longevity among high-altitude dwellers. He punctuated his talk by climbing on a chair and “punching” hypoxia, breaking it into pieces that fell down in the screen, to emphasize its defeat!
A tour through the city of La Paz. Walter Calderon (Peru), Willy Cortez (Bolivia), K.V.R. Tagore (India), Naanjapa Rajashepar (India), Satish Jain (India) , Sadashivaiha (India), Annie Wislowski (USA), Jose Antonio Carmona (Mexico), Benedito Machado (Brazil).
After several breaks, in which the conference attendees enjoyed tasty local cuisine such as salteñas, cunapes, and galletas, Dr. Benedito Honorio Machado from the School of Medicine of Riberao Preto in the University of Sao Paolo, Brazil presented “Neural Mechanisms Involved in Autonomic and Respiratory Changes in Rats Submitted to Short-Term Sustained Hypoxia.” In this talk, Dr. Machado described the role of short-term sustained hypoxia on anesthetized rats in increasing the sympatho-inhibitory and bradycardiac components of baroreflex, as well as the sympathetic and respiratory responses of peripheral chemoreflex. They found hypoxic exposure was associated with increased excitation of the nucleus tractus solitarius neurons on the carotid body and aortic depressor nerve. Changes in glial density were also noted.
Dr. Alla Portnychenko, Head of the International Centre for Astronomical, Medical and Ecological Research, NAS of Ukraine presented via webcam “Rebuilding of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism under hypoxia: Regularities and therapeutic possibilities.” Her studies on rats showed activation of hypoxia inducible factor 1a (HIF-1a) and -3 a subunits during hypoxia, resulting in the induction of GLUT-4 and -1 in the myocardium and lungs. This resulted in a change from carbohydrate to predominantly lipid substrate up-regulation. In humans, they found changes in cholesterol metabolism, leptin and insulin-growth factor IGF-1 plasma levels, and positive correlation with HIF-dependent protein IFG-1 and HDL-cholesterol. She concluded with the intriguing suggestion that hypoxia might be used to correct metabolic disorders in some people.
Dr. Zoya Serebroska of the Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology in Ukraine presented via webcam “Potential application of cerium dioxide nanoparticles for acute pneumonia treatment.” She and her team found that CeO2 nanoparticles significantly reduced morphological and functional pulmonary damage in rats after exposure to pneumonia. It was noted that Dr. Serebroska’s mother Dr. Tatiana Serebrovskaya, also a hypoxia researcher, was one of the first to suggest the role of nitric oxide as an important molecule in vasodilatory regulation.
Dr. Walter Calderon of the Hospital Nacional Ramiro Prialé, EsSalud, Huancayo, Junín, Perú and the Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú, Huancayo, Perú presented “Prospective Validation of Framingham Criteria for Congestive Heart Failure diagnosis in a High Altitude Population” He noted that sensitivity was 98.6% for patients with Heart Failure, but specificity of these criteria were only 12% among patients who presented with dyspnea and at least one of the major Framingham criteria. He showed a compelling picture of collateral circulation from a cardiac cath.
Dr. Jose Antonio Carmona Suazo of the Hospital Juarez in Mexico presented “CO2 reactivity, a tool for prevention of HACE (High Altitude Cerebral Edema): Hands-on workshop.” He gave an exciting hands-on demonstration of the non-invasive and safe ability to monitor the level of cerebral blood flow, ETCO2 in humans at altitude. Cerebral and respiratory effects were measured on Dr. Thuppil Venkatesh, who happily volunteered.
The Tiwanaku Código 0.4666 was presented by Willy Eduardo Cortez Hemzler, Investigador y Artista Plástico. Señor Cortez described how he discovered that the ratio of the length and width of the building materials at Tiwanaku equals 0.46, which is maintained throughout the structures. He showed the relationship of 0.46 to the radius of a circle.
After this, participants were treated to a bus tour of the city of La Paz.and the Inauguration Ceremony was held at the IPPA Building auditorium.
Inauguration ceremony, at the IPPA building auditorium. From Left (Prof. Thuppil Vnekatesh, The La Paz, Mayor’s representative, Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, Dra. Representative of the Colegio Medico, and Celeste representing Unifranz.
It was a lively ceremony, with honored by the presence of 4 ambassadors (Great Britain, Mexico, European Union and Italy) and the representative of the Consulate of India, along with the representatives of the La Paz Medical College, Unifranz and the Bolivia. The La Paz Mayor’s office through its representative, granted Prof. Thuppil Venkatesh the “Huesped Ilustre de la ciudad de La Paz” (Distinguished Guest of the city of La Paz), normally given only to outstanding personalities (like Presidents) that visit our city.
Inauguration ceremony with the presence of 4 Ambassadors (England: James Thornton, Mexico: Hector Valezzi, European Union: Leon De la Barca and Italy: Placid Vigo, and also the representative of the Consul of India (Jorge Velasquez).
Prof. Thuppil Vnelatesh with his Illustrious visitor award granted by the La Paz, Mayor’s Office.
On Tuesday, October 11, participants left early in the morning to the ruins Tiwanaku and the Archaeological Museum, at 3800m. The morning provided a fascinating tour of the grounds of unknown age. Willy Eduardo Cortez Hemzler was the impromptu tour guide. The attendees also saw the big Monolito Bennet at Tiwanaku, and visited the ruins of Punta Punku, believed to be even older than Tiawanaku.
Annie Wislowski, the writer of this follow-up, at the Sun Door, during the visit to Tiawanacu. (photo courtesy of Annie Wislowski)
After this intriguing look at Bolivian history and life since ancient times at high altitude, participants had a late lunch on the Barco Multiproposito of the Bolivian Army. We were received in true elegance and style by the Army. Talks continued with Dr. Giuseppe Miserocchi continuing his presentation on “Inter-individual differences concerning the oxygen diffusion-transport function in the lung.” One fascinating thing we learned was that middle-distance runners tend to fare poorly at altitude, due to increased permeability at the alveolar level!
Next, presented Rajashekar Nanjappa of the Regional General Manager, THE HINDI NEWSPAPER, Bengaluru, India Media & Mountain Medicine A Commitment: Role and Impact of Media on Society and with Special reference to Newspapers role in Public Awareness. He focused on the endeavors of LESAAT which has organized treks at high-altitude around the globe.
After these presentations, attendees returned to La Paz at Unifranz and viewed the poster competition entries. These were “Development and validation of new sepsis criteria at high altitude” by Dr. Walter Calderon-Gerstein, and “Spirometry values of high-rise residents” of La Paz, Bolivia by one of the medical students, both awarded the 100 US$ price donated by Prof. Thuppil Venkatesh, President of the International Society of Chronic Hypoxia.
Performing tests at the Titicaca Lake with Dr. Jose Antonio Carmona and Yeshua Peña Y Lillo (medical student working with Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja. photo courtesy of Lucrecia De Urioste)
Measuring ETCO2, NIRS, brain waves and more with sophisticated technology brought by Dr. Jose Antonio Carmona for the Work Shop.
On Wednesday, October 12, participants rose early for the bus ride to Lake Titicaca at 3800m. Participants visited the High Altitude Diving Training Center in Tiquina.
Arrival to the Titicaca Lake
Here, talks were given by the Comander of the Diving Center, Cap. Chavez who described in Spanish the history and workings of the Dive Center (CIBA) and the challenges encountered while diving at altitude (buceo en altura). After a delicious lunch tasting the high altitude lake trout, participants toured the hyperbaric chamber and the hospital boat located on the base.
The Commander of the High Altitude Diving Center of the Bolivian Navy givin a talk about their experience.
Other talks that day included “Low Altitude Peripheral Edema (LAPE): The opposite of HAPE or HACE” by Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, on the swelling (positive Godet sign) that occurs when high-altitude residents spend time in low-altitude environments. He described the changes in sialic acid levels obtained from red blood cells in his family after a trip to low-altitude destinations in India.
During the beautiful boat ride by the Bolivian Navy.
A pre-recorded lecture by Dr. Sadykova from the Institute of Mountain Physiology National Academy of Sciences, Kyrgyz Republic described the neuroendocrine changes occurring at altitude. Among those, elevated norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, TSH and T4, and a reduction of testosterone and T3 were noted.
Visiting the Hyperbaric Chamber at the CIBA, Bolivian Navy facilities.
KVR Tagore, President of LESAAT, then described “Mountains – Law – Ethics ,” and discussed the importance of protecting mountains as precious resources through sustainable tourism.
Finally, Willy Eduardo Cortez Hemzler took time to finish his lecture from Monday on Tiwanku and the code of 0.466.
After these presentations, attendees returned to La Paz at Unifranz and viewed the poster competition entries. Two were granted the first prize of 100 US$ donated by Prof. Thuppil Venkatesh, President of the International Society of Chronic Hypoxia. These were: “Development and validation of new sepsis criteria at high altitude” by Dr. Walter Calderon-Gerstein, and “Spirometry values of high-rise residents” of La Paz, Bolivia by one of the medical students.
Hyaena Potosi Mountain near La Paz, (photo courtesy of Giuseppe MIsserochi)
On Thursday, October 11, participants traveled initially to the Refugio of Huayna Potosi and later to Chacaltaya (5260m). Scores of llamas and alpacas were photographed by the curious attendees, some of whom even got to view a glimpse of the shy and reclusive vicuña!
Llama staring at the high altitude experts on their way to Chacaltaya. (photo courtesy of Giuseppe Misserochi)
In Chacaltaya, Nam Deo of Bangalore, India gave a talk “Vihangam Yog helps in high altitude chronic hypoxia” and led the group in meditation on the shoulder of the mountain.
The visit to Huayna Potosi and Chacaltaya at 5300m
Interestingly, one of the participants reported that her pulse oximetry reading increased from 89% to 93% after the meditation session, Dr. Zubieta-Calleja, explained that as reported in one of his papers, breath holding at high altitude can momentarily increase the SpO2 to even sea level values of 98%.. Dr. Thuppil Venkatesh then gave a speech about “Life in high altitude conditions.” Prof. Sadashivaya, gave an interesting talk about the importance of “forestation at high altitude”. Prof. Nanjapa of the Hindu Newspaper talked about high altitude and the media, K.V.R Tagore talked about philosophical aspects of mountain climbing. Prof. Satish Jain also mentioned about his experience with high altitude.
Finally Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, gave a talk about the evolution of high altitude medicine, the tolerance to hypoxia at high altitude and thanked everyone for participating in this outstanding symposium, where the visit to different altitude sights to show normally developing life is a one of the fundamental objectives of defeating the wrong concepts of hypoxia.
All these talks filmed outdoors with the Chacaltaya Pyramid “the highest laboratory in the world 5250m)” (shown in the background), created by the late Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo and his son Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, in conjunction with the Club Andino Boliviano.
Upon returning to La Paz, a dinner and closing ceremony was held at the residence of Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja in the southern residential area of Calacoto. It was a special gathering where Dr. Satish Jain assisted in preparing some food from India, along the food that Lucrecia De Urioste with her assistant, Lucia, Natalia and Rafaela so beautifully presented for all those attending. Some talks also took place here.
Closing dinner conferences
The Science, Honor and Truth Award, went this year to Prof. Kusal Das, being given personally by Prof Thuppil Venkatesh on his return to India.
Conferences at the Closing Dinner.
Dr. Giuseppe Misserochi presented Dr. Zubieta-Calleja with a gift of a water color painting of the Cordillera, that he personally painted while enjoying the beatufil mountains around La Paz.
Watercolor painting of the Andes Cordillera by Prof. Misserochi.
Nam Deo from India, leaded everyone in a meditation session in the living room.
Nam Deo’s meditation session in the closing dinner.
Awards and certificates were presented and the Symposium was closed.
Closing ceremony and birthday cake celebration. Dr. Satish Jain, Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja, Rafaela, Lucrecia De Urioste, Natalia, Dr. Walter Calderon
The colleagues and friends from India, joined us in a trip to visit the incredible Salt Lake, Potosi and Sucre. Life at high altitude flourishes everywhere!
Prof. Giuseppe Misserochi pondering about the Salt Lake.
See you in the VII Chronic Hypoxia Symposium in two years!!
