I've been a little less than 14 years working for companies involved in health. The first, a pharmacist (yes, to me Farmafia paid, so what?), the second, my current job, medical devices.
Both places are a good source of science, and if you scratch it a little, can realize that the reason why we are alive and we have a better life expectancy, is the basic science.
In my view (discussion welcome), there are two types of science discovery. The direct and indirect. The straight is one that is dedicated to finding something, I can think of cancer studies, or for how they discovered the AIDS virus, in short, science-led. The other, indirect, is trying to study something, whatever, and see what comes out. It I can think of studies of fruit flies.
I'd like to share some indirect findings of science which has become a full exploitation of its potential and, at times, has helped increase our life expectancy.
Needless to say that these examples are closely linked to my work, so if someone from my work reads this, maybe you already know for the courses I teach.
Fever and crabs
must define the term pyrogen:
Piro - Fire
Geno -
agent pyrogens are fever-causing agents in our body. There are several, but I'm going to focus on those from bacteria, which are known as bacterial endotoxin.
A high fever can be fatal. That's why medical devices to be placed directly into the bloodstream or cerebrospinal fluid, it is necessary to have a controlled amount of pyrogens.
Today, there are already regulations that tell you what is the limit must meet, depending on the type of medical device, and how invasive it is. But let's go a bit in the past and understand how the technique for measuring pyrogens, has to do with a crab.
Certain types of bacteria (Gram negative) release pyrogen pyrogens as these are in their cell wall and when the bacteria die, because "the body" of the bacteria causing the fever.
A guy named Frederick Bang in the fifties found that the crabs' blood clotting in the presence of gram negative bacteria, even though they were dead. From that little discovery, led to the Food and Drug Agency of the United States agreed to a technique for measuring pyrogens based on cells of the crab in the seventies. The technique has been completely revolutionized and exploited, as there is evidence of clotting, chromogenic and turbidimetric, but all need the blood from the pericardium of good crab. Thus, if a device is measured me your amount of pyrogens and does not comply with regulations, it must be discarded and thus avoiding unnecessary fever could be fatal.
sterilization and bacteria
Another feature of some medical devices is that they are sterile. Rather, it has microorganisms that are sterile and can no longer reproduce.
This is basic, if you put a device inside someone non-sterile, depending on the degree of contamination, you can send to know San Pedro. That's why some devices have a stage that is called sterilization.
There are different types, but for illustration, I will focus on two. That of ethylene oxide gas, and heat.
ethylene oxide gas can not be regarded as very friendly, explosive, carcinogenic, highly toxic, but it's great to sterilize. That's why science is a very specialized sterilization that takes years to master.
In short, medical devices are exposed to the gas to sterilize and now. Sure, it takes a lot of things as pressure, gas measurements, gaps, and much more. But, not for the fact that the device is exposed to gas, like say it is sterile. That's why our friends come here bacteria.
Depending on the volume of devices to be sterilized, it is necessary to introduce in each load to be sterilized, a type of organism called Bacillus Atreophaeus. This guy resists, and good resistance to any change in temperature, climate, pressure, or any adverse conditions to their needs. It does this because it is protected and "mummify" waiting for optimal conditions to return to its "normal." This makes it very hard to kill. But the gas, which can be disabled to play. When the devices come into contact with the gas, so does the Bacillus atrophaeus, and when it finishes the sterilization process, the bacteria are removed from the burdens and are incubated to see if they grow. If you do not grow, it means that you can not play, therefore, the sterilization was effective. If the organism grows, it means that sterilization did not work.
The other method is also used heat, but for this type, you use another type of microorganism, Geobacillus stearothermophilus, which, as its name implies, holds high temperatures. The same principle applies, they get to be sterilized, was removed after process, and incubated to see if they grow
These two types of sterilization are procedures approved by health departments, there are many, many regulations for use, and proved a great effectiveness. Everything to avoid putting risk in patients during surgery. What an imagination of which he has thought of using bacteria to prove effective in sterilization. Chulada.
Another case we can read this post from Science for fun , where someone's curiosity to know why the mollusk Cypridina glowed in the dark, led to techniques used in biology as molecular markers used to detect and cure of cancer. It also led to a Nobel prize.
What can we conclude?
I've seen, not only markers in Mexico but gringolandia also, which shows that there is widespread ignorance of the people to basic science. Just this week listening to a podcast where he said that 1 in 5 gringos did not know that the Earth revolved around the sun Chale.
This is partly by the government. If the government is committed to basic science, it is very difficult for the average citizen engagement with science. Governments must in my opinion, set out to discover. Designate funds to see what lies beyond what we know. Without this, we can lose a lot of surprises, or techniques that result in, among other things, better health of citizens.
Important Note: If you have not seen the movie and schmooze bothers them part of the story, stop reading.
Agorafinally saw a slight film that tells a part of the story of Hypatia of Alexandria. The character is characterized by Rachel Weisz, and the truth, I really liked how they took the character and the film itself.
is difficult to summarize a film that has many interesting parts. On the one hand, there is a hunger for knowledge of Hypatia, which, he did not question their own beliefs, much less repaired to doubt the belief of others, more authority than they were. Basic to critical thinking and skepticism.
Hypatia, a philosopher, astronomer, mathematician, is a female symbol of knowledge and struggle to defend the knowledge. The film has some sentences that make you curl one's hair. For example, when he tells the Bishop: "You do not question your beliefs. Or can not. I must. " Chulada.
O when accused of not believing in anything. She just says, "I have a philosophy."
On the scientific side of the tape, it is interesting to see how one reasons about some fact that, at present, is a theory rather than proven. Those first few laudable attempts to want to know why, wanted to discover what lies beyond what we know and take for granted.
The other part of the movie has to do with religion, bigotry, and stupidity of humans, who prefers to start from an imaginary friend, before reaching laws that lead to respect and tolerance.
reminded me of George Carlin:
Do you believe in God?
No Bang, bang!
Do you believe in God? Yes
me Do you believe in God?
No Bang, bang!
certainly kill idiotic for these reasons.
Hypatia is said was killed by a witch and consider not believing in God (or that of the pagans, nor in that of the Jews, or chisuscraist ). Some versions say he was stoned, some others say was flayed alive in the film, an ex-slave kills her suffocating, to avoid suffering, and ultimately, is stoned. Whichever way Hypatia has died, the cause is religion and fanaticism.
Hypatia is one of many documented cases of religious fanaticism, and above all, religious bigotry against anyone who dared to question and discover things that amaze us today.
Another important thing in the film, which is very hand with religious fanaticism, is the burning of the Alexandrian library. In a tragic scene, he sees Hypatia and other scientists try to save the most precious with what they had, knowledge. People tried to salvage what they could of written more with the knowledge of the period, before they entered the Christians to break everything, only because they thought it went against what he says dear God. An irreparable loss. What was written there? Maybe we'll never know.
I could not help wondering, what would our species if we had not had these religious conflicts, Are we more advanced? Would we be better individuals? Held on tight "science better than religion? Are we just screwed? Valid questions, I think.
Film makes clear that to survive in a society, the government must not interfere in religious affairs. Individual freedom is what one pleases you to believe. Even is free too, openly criticize those beliefs, be it religious, scientific, whatever.
What happened then enEgipto is not very far from reality in some countries today. Do any of you have signed electronic petitions for stoned no women in the Middle East? I have arrived, and I signed. It is incredible that at this point, with the knowledge we have, so far we have come, some people continue to identify that someone must die apedreado solo por un libro que tiene muchos años escrito y que nadie le ha hecho una revisión, sobre todo por las salvajadas que vienen escritas que está muy lejos de considerarse un libro que nos enseña moralidad.
Ágora es una buena película, al menos a mí me gustó mucho, aunque, me sentí un poco triste por el destino de Hipatía que, sin merecerlo, tuvo que morir sólo porque se atrevió a preguntar. Pero tiene escenas muy buenas, sobre todo cuando hacen los alejamientos y vemos nuestro planeta Tierra, y se escuchan los gritos o cantos en el espacio.
Si tienen oportunidad de rentarla, háganlo, creo yo que no se van a arrepentir. Lo bueno es que no vivimos en Egipto, porque Beyond the banned for "insulting religion." He also had trouble finding distributors in Italy and the United States. Burros.
Here are two reviews: Free thinking and science for fun . Information
This news pleased me. The Federal Commission for Protection Against Health Risks (COFEPRIS) recalled more than 250 "miracle products" market.
The complete list is available at the following link and truth that there are some names that it should be noted.
ADELGAC120
SLIM LINE
ambisexuality
AMI-NO-
GRAS BEADS CAT'S CLAW
SYRUP MATABICHOS
CHINA FLY FLY POWER IBERICA
TNT TNT POWER PRO PLUS
NOPAL
CHEMISTRY OF LOVE JRI
among many others.
is certainly a good step forward, and if you read the official statement COFEPRIS, one would think they are doing a good job. These are the reasons why the products were withdrawn from the market:
"Below is a list of some products in insured COFEPRIS 2010 at which manufacturers are attributed therapeutic properties, preventive and / or rehabilitation, same lack a scientific basis to support it and lack of authorization for marketing by Health Authority therefore recommended to people not to use them. "
Excellent, but missing something.
holes that currently have regulations do not prevent charlatans sell to your liking. COFEPRIS It is recognized in this article and mention that you could reversed with the new regulations on advertising that's out soon. It sounds good, but regular advertising is not enough.
COFEPRIS It acknowledges in the interview that these companies simply change their name and they changed their name to their products, and fixed the problem. This is not solved by simply regulate advertising.
Mexico is characterized by warm regulations in many aspects, and public health is no exception. I think that apart from regular advertising, should focus on attacking the owners of these companies as they acknowledge, too, which puts them just fine. This is not enough, we're talking about public health. I guess they do because the same holes that exist in the regulations work against it and not to jail will be able to get.
On the other hand, if you really get married with the idea that the products lack a scientific base will not be accepted as virtually acupuncture and homeopathy would go to trash, but not, until we NOMs for such practices, a homeopathic pharmacopoeia and up to the Polytechnic Institute of Homeopathy. This shows that the regulator is ineffective to include science in its rules and regulations.
Just before it happened about the homeopathic suicide , I talked to a doctor for this event, and I answered "yes homeopathy works, but only as a placebo. I use it when I have a patient which I have to monitor, but it is only as monitoring. " Well, we're screwed. It is true that the placebo effect is powerful, but because the recommendations of the "doctors" are not helpful. Homeopathy A homeopath prescribing and the doctor too. Bad combination.
It is certainly good news and I applaud the COFEPRIS withdrawn from the market that these drugs but we lack a good way to go if we have the standard that the government will only accept science-based medicines.
aside this issue, what I say about you? 
