The Mountain Guru

January 14, 2010 admin 7 Comments

Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo (Sr.) has received a most extraordinary distinction and honor in Bangalore, India at the St. John’s Medical College:

In response to an invitation by Prof. Thuppil Venkatesh to attend a meeting and present their recent scientific work, Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo (Sr) and Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja (Jr) travelled to Bangalore, India and on the way there stopped in Copenhagen, Denmark to visit and discuss scientific projects with Prof. Dr. Poul-Erik Paulev. Further news on this will follow soon.

Once in India, they were received by the most distinguished Shashidhara N. who became along with Prof. Thuppil Venkatesh their guides, and colleagues of profound phylosophical discussions during 10 days of a most memorable visit to incredible India.

Having arrived at the modern airport in Bangalore, they were then transported to Kochi, where the 36th National Conference of Clinical Biochemists was carried out Nov 5-8th, 2009 under the direction of Prof. D.M.Vasudevan. After their presentation both Zubietas were driven to Mysore to meet Prof. Virupasksha Hosur and visit the extraordinary Mysore Palace. Elephants, crocodiles and bird watching filled them with eco-nature and a profound understanding of the wisdom of the people from India.

Upon returning to Bangalore Prof. Zubieta-Castillo (Sr.) and Prof. Zubieta-Calleja (Jr.) were invited to give a talk at the St. John’s Medical College (see the invitation on the left). Much to their surprise, Prof. Thuppil Venkatesh leaded in the presentation and introduced the Director of the St John’s National Academy of Health Sciences Dr. Lawrence D’Souza, along with very distinguished personalities of Bangalore.

Then upon the podium, starting with Dr. Lawrence D’Souza one by one the wicks of a large oil lamp, were lighted by each of the distinguished guests as a sign of friendship and cooperation (photo below).

Shown at left: Dr. Prem Pais (Dean of St. John’s Medical College), Mr. A.S. Sadashivaiah, Chairman Karnataka State Pollution, Prof. Dr. Zubieta-Castillo (Sr.), Dr. Lawrence D’Souza, Director St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Prof. Dr. Zubieta-Calleja(Jr) Padmashree Mahadevappa, Former Chancellor UAS and Prof. Thuppil Venkatesh, NRCLPI. (All photos courtesy of the distinguished colleagues from India)

Immediately afterwards, Dr. Lawrence D’Souza presented Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo (Sr) in a special ceremony a turbant, flowers and a gold plated oil lamp.

The special honors, the turbant, flowers, a gold plated oil lamp bestowed upon Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo at St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences in Bangalore, India, Nov 11, 2009.

Then the honoree gave a talk on “Patho-Physiology of Adaptation to Hypoxia and Prof. Zubieta-Calleja (Jr) on ” The Current Status of Millions of Highlanders”.

The photo below shows the resemblance of Prof. Zubieta-Castillo with the late and famous legendary Indian Engineer-Statesman: Sir. Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya, as expressed by many distinguished attendees.

With Prof. Thuppil Venkatesh, Principal Advisor Quality Council of India (QCI) &
National Referral Centre for Lead Poisoning in India (NRCLPI)
Professor- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics
St. John’s Medical College

At a dinner in the Country Club in Bangalore, Prof. Venkatesh surrounded by very important people gave Prof. Zubieta-Castillo, the following distinction:

Furthermore, he was repeatedly mentioned as a candidate for the Nobel Price in Medicine for he has determined that Chronic Mountain Sickness is not a “Loss of Adaptation” but rather a consequence of pulmonary diseases with shunts that increase the number of red cells (polyerythrocythemia) thereby saving the life of thousands of high altitude residents that have been intoxicated with drugs like Phenylhidrazine with the wrong concept of destroying the “excessive” red blood cells. This drug damaged the liver cells producing jaundice and also the endothelium of all vessels in the system, and lesions to the kidneys. His theories of Adaptation to life at the hypoxic levels of Mt. Everest applying the high altitude adaptation formula, following Ohm’s law, and the triple hypoxia syndrome were also mentioned.

They likewise were also honored by a visit to his excellency Governor Karnataka, H R Bhardwaj, at the Governor’s Palace in Bangalore, below :

Shown here Shashidhara N, Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja (Jr), His excellency Governor of Karnataka H R Bhardwaj, Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo (Sr), Thuppil Venkatesh.

So those of different countries must be wondering but what is a Guru?

A guru (Sanskrit: गुरु) is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others (teacher). As a principle for the development of consciousness it leads the creation from unreality to reality, from the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge.

The syllable gu means shadows
The syllable ru, he who disperses them,
Because of the power to disperse darkness
the guru is thus named.

– Advayataraka Upanishad 14—18, verse 5

from Wikipedia

Meetings

III Symposium on the Effect of Chronic Hypoxia on Diseases at High Altitude

December 9, 2009 admin 4 Comments

Dear Colleagues and friends:

Several colleagues were asking us about the next symposium. It is here.

Mark you calendar for October 16-23, 2010!

The III Symposium on the Effect of Chronic Hypoxia
on Diseases at High Altitude is coming up.
And yes, it will also be itinerant, so that conferences are carried out at different altitude sites:

click here to read about it.

Bolivia is waiting for you!

The city of La Paz at 3600 m.

Our previous two symposium were very succesful and everyone was able to appreciate not only the good science of the presentations, but also the visits to unique high altitude places.

II Symposium on the Effect of Chronic Hypoxia on Diseases at High Altitude (follow up)

We are at 39 years of scientific production in high altitude research, and we celebrate our friendship with you.

Due to unfortunate circumstances our Echocardiograph broke down and we are in need of a portable echocardiograph for high altitude research at 5300 m. Is there anyone that would know who would be so kind to donate such equipment and consequently collaborate to the sustainability of the high altitude medicine research and knowledge ? If any of you would like to participate in research with us, you are most welcome.

All the best from Bolivia.

Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja and Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo (Sr)….. still active

High Altitude Pathology Institute
Web: AltitudeClinic.com
Email: zubieta@altitudeclinic.com
Phone: (591-2) 224-5394

Meetings

The International Society of Chronic Hypoxia

November 27, 2009 admin

We are proud to present the new website of the International Society of Chronic Hypoxia (ISCH) whose President is Larry Silver, Vice-President Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja (Jr) and Directors, all the founding members from different parts of the globe that gathered during the II Chronic Hypoxia Symposium.

Please click below:

International Society of Chronic Hypoxia

Congratulations Larry!!

Xtreme hypoxia

A Refuge at the summit of Mt. Everest

November 27, 2009 admin 5 Comments

It will be most convenient for the future Mt. Everest climbers, to have a refuge at the summit. For this purpose some explosive climbers experts should build a small cave that can house a small number of people, such that it will save lives by protecting those caught in severe storms. Life should be saved by all means. It can likewise be used as a laboratory for research at the extreme altitude of around 8800 m. Furthermore the cave could have an oxygen concentrator that could work on solar energy.

Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo.

Adaptation, Medical news

Human Adaptation to High Altitude and Sea Level

August 28, 2009 admin

Here goes the link (click below) to my dissertation that I have been repeatedly asked to publish on-line:

http://www.altitudeclinic.com/Copenhagen/Dissertation10b.pdf

It has novel things about adaptation of high altitude residents to sea level and future space travel. Hope you enjoy them.

The book is now available in all major libraries around the world.

For Example in Germany (click here):

or in India: (click here)

Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja
High Altitude Pathology Institute
Celebrating our 39th Anniversary!!
Web: AltitudeClinic.com
Email: zubieta@altitudeclinic.com
Phone: (591-2) 224-5394

sports

The Argentinian football team lost to Bolivia in La Paz, due to the high altitude fear factor

April 13, 2009 admin

Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo the Director of the High Altitude Pathology Institute affirmed in a newspaper interview that the Argentinian Soccer team took its worst defeat in world Cup qualifying play, 6 – 1 to the Bolivian Soccer team in La Paz. due to “fear of high altitude”. He affirmed “The fear factor played a crucial role. Fear uses up more energy than physical exercise.”

Periodico LA PATRIA, ORURO, BOLIVIA Domingo 5 de Abril de 2009
Primera Plana.

Director del Instituto de Patología de la Altura, Gustavo Zubieta Castillo
SELECCION ARGENTINA PERDIO PORQUE TUVO MIEDO A LA ALTURA

• Indicó que cuando se tiene miedo se gasta cualquier cantidad de energía, más que el esfuerzo físico

Los jugadores bolivianos siempre fueron más, en recuadro, Gustavo Zubieta Castillo

La selección de fútbol de la Argentina perdió el partido contra Bolivia, porque tuvo miedo a la altura, ya que si bien la altura afecta, pero sólo entre un 10 a 15 por ciento en el rendimiento de un deportista, sin embargo, el porcentaje restante, se debe al factor psicológico y la preparación táctica y técnica que puedan tener los jugadores.

Esa fue la afirmación que realizó ayer, el experto en problemas de la altura y director del Instituto de Patología de la Altura, Gustavo Zubieta Castillo,
quien estuvo presente en nuestra capital para hablar de ese tema tan polemizado, principalmente por los periodistas argentinos que convirtieron a la altura en un mal.

En una entrevista con LA PATRIA, el profesional afirmó: “Mucho se habla de la altura sin tener conocimientos que sean de carácter científico. A nivel mundial el tema de la altura tiene varios años y poco a poco, se fueron descubriendo las reacciones de manera normal del organismo a la altura y después me he dedicado al efecto de las enfermedades”, dijo.

No negó que la altura puede llegar a afectar e incluso esta puede ser mortal, pero en extremas condiciones, pese a que incluso un feto puede sobrevivir en el vientre de su madre a la altura del monte Everest, que está a 8.844 metros sobre el nivel del mar.

Indicó que hay personas que vienen (a nuestro país) después de un tiempo y se adaptan a la altura y hay gente que viene y si no se la atiende puede morirse por la altura, por edema cerebral, edema pulmonar, cosa que no debe ocurrir ahora porque esas enfermedades ya se las conoce y son curables.

“Ahora que la altura a los argentinos les ha afectado, sí les ha afectado, pero ese factor dentro del deporte que han realizado equivaldrá al 10% ó 15%, pero hay otro factor que no lo toman en cuenta, que es el temor a la altura, porque si usted tiene miedo, se le paran los pelos, se puede enfermar y hasta puede morirse de susto”, afirmó.

Argumentó que hay dos aspectos asociados a lo mencionado, uno es la altura y el otro es el susto a la altura.

Acotó que el director técnico de la selección Argentina, Diego Maradona quiso manejar el problema de la altura, pero lo subestimó.

“El otro porcentaje que es el 85% a 80%, es la capacidad física de los sujetos, la capacidad física de los sujetos, la técnica deportiva que utilizan, porque ellos teóricamente deberían ganar en el partido, pero se tropezaron con un equipo realmente extraordinario y le digo que el factor psicológico tiene tanta importancia, porque si usted nota en los nacionales, después del tercer gol tomaron confianza para meter el cuarto, quinto y sexto gol, por la confianza que tuvieron ellos en el juego”, indicó.

“Y lo contrario sufrió con los argentinos, que indudablemente sintieron el efecto de la altura, pero cuando ya tenían tres en contra, se desmoronó la cosa. Ahora el factor de la altura tuvo importancia en un 10 a 15 por ciento, pero a un equipo de esa naturaleza lo que le afectó fue el temor a la altura, porque cuando se tiene miedo, es cuando existe un desgaste de energía tremendo, entonces, ha sido el temor a la altura y el temor a perder el partido, y su comportamiento ha sido un desastre”, puntualizó.

From: http://lapatriaenlinea.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2967&Itemid=92

Featured, Xtreme hypoxia

Life is possible at the hypoxic levels of the summit of Mt. Everest

March 11, 2009 admin

Photo from Wikipedia
Revisiting the original theory by Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo that it is possible for man to adapt to live even on the highest mountain on planet Earth: Mt. Everest, please find below links to:

1) The original paper as published in the Fiziol. Journal 2003, 49:3, pg. 110-117

2) A Chapter of the book: Adaptation Biology and Medicine (Volume 5:Health Potentials).

3) An attempt by three bold and extraordinary Nepalese brothers to remain atop Everest for 24 hours:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7892588.stm

It is a first step in the proof of these bold theories, in spite of incomplete or rather “insufficient” time for full adaptation.

Medical news

New publications on ophthalmological studies and altitude adaptation

March 11, 2009 admin 2 Comments

The effect of High to Low Altitude Adaptation on the

Multifocal Electroretinogram.

Kofoed PK, Sander B, Zubieta-Calleja G, Kessel L, Klemp K, Larsen M.

Department of Ophthalmology, Glostrup Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark
High Altitude Pathology Institute, La Paz, Bolivia; Department of Ophthalmology, Glostrup Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark

PURPOSE. To examine variations in retinal electrophysiology assessed by multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) during acclimatization of native highlanders during adaptation to normobaric normoxia at sea level. METHODS. Eight healthy residents of from the greater La Paz area in Bolivia (3600 m above sea level) were examined over 72 days after arriving in Copenhagen, Denmark (sea level). A control group of 8 healthy lowlanders was used for comparison. RESULTS. During the period of observation hemoglobin decreased from 16.7 gm/dL to 15.0 gm/dL (p = 0.0031), erythrocytes decreased from 5.3 T/l to 4.6 T/l (p = 0.0006), and hematocrit decreased from 49.4% to 42.2% (p = 0.0008). At baseline, Day 2 after arrival, the amplitudes (N1, P1, N2) of the mfERG were 43.1-59.9% higher in the highlanders than in lowlanders (p < 0.017). During acclimatization the mfERG amplitudes increased 16.9 to 20.4% (p < 0.028) to a level 73.2-87.0% higher in the highlanders than in lowlanders (p < 0.0008). The increase in amplitude was inversely proportional to the decrease in erythrocyte concentration (p = 0.023, 0.053, 0.12 for N1, P1, N2 respectively). CONCLUSIONS. Upon arrival at sea level, highlanders had markedly supernormal multifocal electroretinographic amplitudes that continued to increase during the 72 day period of observation where the highlanders’ hematocrit normalized. Our results suggest that acclimatization after a change in altitude and hence in ambient oxygen tension involves intrinsic retinal mechanisms and that acclimatization had not been completed at the end of the study.

Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2009 Feb 21.

extracted from:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19234353

Medical news, sports

L’Internaute website: Football at 6542 m

March 9, 2009 admin 3 Comments

The website L’Internaute Sport has published a series of
incredible Sports experiences.

Among them:

floating tennis courts,
marathon in space,
tennis heliport in Dubai,
mountain biking,
golf on snow,
tennis on top of water,
Ski in the dessert,
Cricket in the Himalayas,
tennis in a boat
and the football (soccer) game played on the summit of Mt. Sajama at 6542 m. that the High the Altitude Pathology Institute organized in August 2001.

Click here to view the photos.

Click here to read about the Sajama football game.

High Altitude Pulmonary & Pathology Institute (IPPA)