Crean el primer test argentino de inteligencia para bebes

Crean el primer test argentino de inteligencia para beb�s: "SALUD : ESPECIALISTAS DEL CONICET

Crean el primer test argentino de inteligencia para beb�s

Eval�a la inteligencia global de chicos de entre 6 y 24 meses. Permite detectar en forma precoz retrasos o alteraciones cognoscitivas. Seg�n los especialistas, hay retrasos reversibles con la debida estimulaci�n."

Mis recomendaciones para Blogday 2005

La propuesta de Blogday es comentar cinco weblogs nuevos.

No me parece muy original ni muy revolucionario, ni siquera útil, pero me voy a sumar, así que aquí van los míos, aunque algunos no son tan nuevos para mí sí creo que lo serán para ustedes, si es que alguien lee esto, cosa que dudo mucho.

No están en orden de ningún mérito ni nada.

Loxosceles
Beth es una chicha muy interesante, se dedica a la bioinformática y es muy adepta al soft libre. A su weblog lo nombró como a una especie de araña. Tiene una serie de links interesantes y el blog me gusta por diseño, porque lo hizo ella misma, etc. Me da la impresión de una persona inteligente y para los que no creen que las mujeres son racionales, pues acá tienen. Es curioso que el prejuicio masculino diga que las mujeres no tienen mentalidad científica o técnica siendo que hay tantas estudiantes de matemática. E fin larga la discusión, mejor disfrutar de su blog. La admiro en cierta forma. (USA)

Mixing Memory
Este sí es más nuevo y es un blog sobre ciencia cognitiva muy interesante y que incluso tiene un grupo de discusión en Yahoogroups sobre un libro que han elegido comentar. (USA).

neurodudes.com at the intersection of neuroscience and AI. Sobre neurociencias e inteligencia articifial. Buenos links a la derecha. (USA)

How to save the world Dave Pollard's environmental philosophy, creative works, business papers and essays. ¿Pretencioso el título eh?. Pero es muy bueno por los temas. (Canadá)

Cool tools por Kevin Kelly. Cool tools really work. A cool tool can be any book, gadget, software, video, map, hardware, material, or website that is tried and true. Es uno de una serie de blogs que han salido que tienen recomendaciones de productos que realmente sirven, son ecológicos e interesantes. Puse este porque es uno de los que no parece sólo un pretexto para publicidad. (USA)

Si tuviera tiempo y recursos hubiera sido lindo hacer algo con Google maps y las localizaciones de estos weblogs.

Si quieren saber más sobre Blogday2005:
http://www.blogday.org

BlogDay2005

Consultar interacciones entre distintos medicamentos y otras sustancias

Check drug interactions

En drugdigest.org se pueden consultar las interacciones entre distintos medicamentos y otras sustancias.

Como aprender mas en el mismo tiempo

Curioso método para aprender más en el mismo tiempo. Para analizar.

Open Loops: A Secret They Should Have Taught You In School: How to Learn More with No Extra Effort : " The brain learns more at the start of the learning and the end of the learning (the beginning and end of the data set). Your teachers have known this for a long time. This is why the beginning and end of a class is the most important. At the beginning of the class, the teacher should spell out the learning goals of the period and provide some teacher input. An overview of the procedures to be followed are also usually taught at the beginning of the period. At the end of the period, the teacher sums everything up and hits the most important parts again. They do that because students remember what is taught at the beginning and end of the class much more accurately than what is taught in the middle of the period.

How can you exploit this? When you are learning something for your job, simply increase the number of starts and stops in your study time. That’s right, simply throw some breaks in the study period to break it up into more starts and stops. By tossing in two 10–minute breaks into one three-hour study period, you can now have three one-hour study periods, each separated by a 10–minute break. Instead of one start and one stop, you now have three starts and three stops. Although you have increased the time from three hours to three hours and twenty minutes, there is still only three hours of study time. The additional time are rest breaks. You have not studied any harder or longer, yet, the Primacy and Recency Effect guarantees that you will remember more of your learning.

To go fast…go slow."

Repercusion en los weblogs del estudio desacreditando a la homeopatia

Usando icerocket.com

Revalorizan y promocionan el cafe

Un estudio realizado en Estados Unidos revela que es bueno para evitar enfermedades como las cardiovasculares, el cáncer y diabetes

(EFE).- El café empieza a ser visto en Estados Unidos no sólo como la bebida ideal para mantenerse despierto sino como una fuente de salud, según reveló un estudio presentado ante la Sociedad de Química estadounidense.

"Los estadounidenses reciben más antioxidantes del café que de cualquier otra fuente dietética. No hay nada que se le acerque", señaló Joe Vinson, profesor de química de la Universidad de Scranton, en Pensilvania, a cargo del estudio.

Según Vinson, tanto la versión con cafeína como la descafeinada proporcionan un nivel más alto de antioxidantes que muchas frutas y verduras, y ello ha empujado a los estadounidenses a acudir al café en desmedro del té o de otras infusiones.

Es la homeopatia efectiva?

"Es la homeopatia efectiva?
La pregunta del millon, que durante años ha enfrentado a los adeptos de la medicina convencional y la alternativa, ya tiene una respuesta. O por lo menos asi lo afirma la prestigiosa revista cientifica Lancet.

De acuerdo con la publicacion, la homeopatia no es mas efectiva que las sustancias que carecen de accion terapeutica o placebos.

Lancet considera que el tiempo para los estudios sobre este tema ha terminado y que los doctores deberian ser honestos con los pacientes sobre "la falta de beneficios" de la homeopatia."

New Blood Test Furthers Personalized Medicine

New Blood Test Furthers Personalized Medicine : "The Invader UGT1A1 Molecular Assay detects a genetic variation that determines how a particular body processes certain drugs. Doctors can use the results to help determine dosing information and whether a person might be subject to dangerous drug reactions, the agency said."

El Ginseng y el Guarana se potencian

Speed-of-memory test scores, showing improvements produced by ginseng, guarana, and their combination. Negative values indicate faster responses. Kennedy DO, Haskell CF, Wesnes KA, Scholey AB. Improved cognitive performance in human volunteers following administration of guarana (Paullinia cupana) extract: comparison and interaction with Panax ginseng. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2004;79:401-11.

Ver nota en life-enhancement.com

Medidas para mantener el alerta en el trabajo

El Reloj de la Aldea Global
Daniel P. Cardinali* y Antonio M. Battro

Desctacado de http://www.byd.com.ar/relojln.pdf

El alerta es el estado activado óptimo del sistema nervioso. Nos permite tomar
decisiones, prestar atención a nuestro medio ambiente y decidir qué hacer y qué
no hacer. El objetivo primario de la planificación de los turnos de trabajo es el
diseño de rutinas que tiendan a mantener el alerta continuo en los operadores.
Un instrumento idóneo para aumentar el alerta es el diseño de sistemas de
iluminación, temperatura, sonidos, convección de aire, etc., sobre bases
fisiológicas. Entre estos factores, el más efectivo es la luz. Medidas como atenuar
las luces por la noche en los lugares de trabajo nocturno son totalmente
contraproducentes para el rendimiento laboral: lo que en realidad se debiera hacer
es aumentar la intensidad lumínica hasta niveles adecuados para cada caso y
tarea. Otras medidas para el mantenimiento del alerta comprenden rutinas de
actividad física predeterminadas y una dieta adecuada.

Contenido de cafeina de algunas bebidas y alimentos

Aguante el mate!

No sé si será verdad, pero estos vendedores dicen que el mate tiene 196
componentes activos contra 144 del té verde.

"Yerba Maté contains 196 Active Compounds-vitamins, minerals, and amino
acids vs. 144 found in Green Tea from Asia."

guayaki.com

Buying Nootropics and Smartdrugs in Latin America

For those that are planning to travel to a Spanish speaking latin american country here are some suggestions that can help find what you need.

I will give you same names in Spanish and the brand names we use in Argentina (most labs export, so names can be similar). To look for brand names and other drugs you can use an online vademecum like

http://www.prvademecum.com/

At the top it reads: "cambiar de país", select and then chose the country of your interest.

Some name equivalents for most commons nootropics:

English         Spanish         (brand names in Argentina)

ALC             l acetil carnitina (Neuroactil)
aniracetam      aniracetam      (Pergamid)
CDP choline     citidincolina   (Reagin)
centrophenoxine centrofenoxina (not available)
co Q10  coenzima Co Q10
deprenyl        deprenyl, selegilina    (Jumex, Kinabide)
desmopressin    desmopresina
hydergine       hydergina       (Hydergina)
Idebenone       idebenona       (Idesole,Esanic, Geniceral, Nemocebral, Lucebanol, Sicoplus)
lipoic acid     ácido lipoico/ácido tióctico?   (Biletan)
phosphatidylserine fosfatidilserina (Bros)
piracetam       piracetam       (not available)
pyritinol       piritinol               (Epocan)
soy lecithin    lecitina de soja        (at health shops, dietéticas)
vinpocetine     vinpocetina     (Kavinton)

Most of this products you will not find in a supplement/vitamin stores here (except lecithin, CoQ10, Ginkgo Biloba) but you can buy them over the counter although they are prescription in some countries.

Ask for the products at a Farmacia (drugstore). If they do not have the brand names or generic ask if they make "recetas magistrales" (compounds) or if they know of any farmacia that make them. Most farmacias that make compounds have sign. Sometimes some products that are not available as brand names are available for compounding pharmacies (e.g. there is not a lab that commercialize centrophenoxine here but I have seen the product listed in a compounding pharmacy, same with piracetam).

Here some compounding pharmacies will ask you for a prescription. Sometimes it depends on the dose of the product. High doses can cause more problem to obtain, chose lower doses and more capsules as an alternative. If they ask you for a prescription explain that in your country it is OTC and you forgot it at home (having the brochure could help or print from a website) . Most probably the first time they will make it to you and if you want a refill they will ask for a prescription, but it depends on the product. I am not promoting the irresponsible use of pharmaceuticals and I assume you have already consulted with your doctor and you are not taking any medicine just to experiment.

There are some idiosyncrasies that will surprise you here. DMAE and piracetam, when they were available required special prescriptions like for psychotropic (maybe because they can potentiate other drugs). So avoid problems, get informed and explain to the pharmacist.

Storing medicine safely

Storing medicine safely: "Storing medicine safely
Alternative Names:
Medicine storage

Information:

Many people store their medications in the bathroom. But this popular spot is actually one of the worst places to keep medicine. Bathroom cabinets tend to be warm and humid, an environment that accelerates a drug's decomposition. Instead, keep medicines in a cool, dry place away from the bathroom and out of a child's reach.

This is especially true for tablets and capsules. Unnecessary exposure to heat and moisture can cause them to lose their potency prior to their labeled expiration date. For example, a warm, muggy environment can cause aspirin tablets to break down into acetic acid (vinegar) and salicyclic acid, both of which are potential stomach irritants.

If you must keep them in the bathroom, always keep the containers tightly closed. Never repackage them.

If medicines are to be stored in a kitchen, store them away from the stove, sink, and any heat-releasing appliances.

In rare cases, an improperly stored medication can actually become toxic. To prevent danger, follow these tips:
Store drugs out of harm's way. Always keep them out of the reach of children.
Don't leave the cotton plug in a medication vial. Doing so can draw moisture into the container.
Check the expiration date each time you take a drug. Discard and replace any medications that are out of date.
Never use a medication that has changed color, consistency, or odor, regardless of the expiration date. Throw away capsules or tablets that stick together, are harder or softer than normal, or cracked or chipped.
Ask your pharmacist about any specific storage instructions.

TRAVEL TIPS

Travelers need to follow additional tips for safe storage of their medications:
Before leaving home, list all your medications, as well as the name and number of your pharmacist and physician.
To prevent your medicine from making a detour while on vacation, keep your medicine in a carry-on bag rather than a checked suitcase.
Bring an extra supply with you in case your return is delayed.
Never leave medicines in an automobile, where heat can rapidly destroy the drug.
Watch time changes. Set a separate watch to your usual time so you can remember when to take any medication.

More information on travel tips and safe storage of medicines is available through the American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists at www.safemedication.com."

El ejercicio es un potenciador cerebral

Fragmentos de : Exercise gives your brain a boost, too

Exercise, however, has emerged as a low-tech cognitive enhancement method. The news is filled with reports that Alzheimer's disease and other memory problems are less common among people who exercise regularly. Exercise also boosts brainpower in younger people.

The "hows" and "whys" lie in the results of landmark medical studies done in the late 1990s by a research team headed by Fred H. Gage of the Salk Institute in La Jolla, Calif.

Until then, conventional wisdom said that people are born with a life supply of brain cells and never grow new ones. The brain does get bigger, growing from about 12 ounces at birth to three pounds in the average adult. But scientists said that's mainly because brain cells themselves get bigger, just like muscle cells.

That traditional idea seemed a little bleak. It suggested that not only are people born with all the brain cells they will ever have, but lose cells during life. Brain cells start dying off around age 20, when people begin loose about 50,000 brain cells every day. By age 70 to 75, people have lost about 10 percent of their brain cells.

Often lost in the numbers, however, was the fact that remaining nerve cells do grow interconnections with other cells that help make up for the loss.

The old idea headed for science's junk pile when the Salk Institute team found that laboratory mice do grow new brain cells, hinting that the same was true for humans and other animals. In 1998, Mr. Gage's team found clear evidence that new brain cells do grow in humans. New cells grew in a brain region called the hippocampus, which is involved in learning and memory.

Studies with laboratory mice showed that mice kept in a stimulating environment - with toys, exercise apparatus, and chances to interact with other mice - grew more new brain cells than mice raised in regular cages. They also did better on learning and memory tests that involved navigating mazes.

Exercise turned out to be a key factor. Mice that got regular voluntary exercise on running wheels grew twice as many new brain cells as those in cages without any exercise device.

Other studies have found that even gentle, low-intensity exercise - like the stretching of yoga - can improve mental performance.

Michael Woods is the Blade's science editor. His health columns appear each Monday and his columns on computers and technology appear each Saturday.    
» Read more Michael Woods columns at www.toledoblade.com/woods

toledoblade.com

Reparar efectos cerebrales de la esclerosis multiple

OHSU researchers discover potential mechanism to repair brain damage linked
to MS

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Oregon Health & Science University researchers have
identified some of the key factors that prevent the repair of brain damage
caused by multiple sclerosis (MS), complications of premature birth, and
other diseases and conditions. The findings offer important clues about why
the nervous system fails to repair itself and suggest ways that at least
some forms of brain damage could be reversed. The research is published in
the August edition of the scientific journal Nature Medicine.

"For many years, scientists have understood that damage to the
insulation-like sheath surrounding nerve cells in the brain, called myelin,
is part of the disease process for MS and other brain disorders," said
Larry Sherman, Ph.D., an associate scientist in the Division of
Neuroscience at the Oregon National Primate Research Center and an adjunct
associate professor of cell and developmental biology in the OHSU School of
Medicine. "In recent years, it became clear that there were cells at the
sites of this damage that should have the capacity to repair the brain and
spinal cord but they fail to do so. Our studies have revealed that there is
a particular signal in the damaged brain that prevents these cells from
restoring lost myelin. We're hopeful that we can develop methods to
counteract this process in animal models in our search for human treatments."

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-08/ohs-ord080505.php

Los peces regeneran sus nervios

A Fishy Recipe for Healing Nerves

Unlike people, fish can regrow damaged nerve fibers in their central
nervous systems. Now a study may have found the reason: The creatures lack
a protein called Nogo-A that prevents nerve regeneration in mammals.

Axons, or nerve fibers, are the transmission lines that conduct electrical
signals throughout the body. The fibers are protected by sheaths of myelin,
a fatty insulator that speeds the electrical impulses along. Damaged axons
in the brain and spinal cord of mammals don't regenerate, and spinal cord
injuries can therefore lead to permanent paralysis. Fish are luckier: They
can regrow the axons in their central nervous system, but curiously this
regeneration stops if their nerve endings come into contact with mammalian
myelin.

Because a protein in mammalian myelin called Nogo-A is known to inhibit
central nervous system axon growth in mammals, a team of researchers led by
biologist Claudia Stürmer at the University of Konstanz in Germany wondered
if fish might be missing this protein. When the researchers exposed
goldfish axons to rat Nogo-A, the nerves stopped growing. Furthermore, a
comparison of genomes between ten species of fish, including zebrafish and
pufferfish, and humans revealed that fish lack the genetic information to
make Nogo-A or a similar inhibitor. The team reports its findings in the
August issue of Molecular Biology and Evolution.

The paper's careful study of fish phylogeny supports an existing notion
that Nogo-A may be a recent evolutionary development that correlates with
more complex nervous systems and more complex functions, says Stephen
Strittmatter, a neurologist at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
"It's an important addition to our growing understanding of the role these
inhibitors play," he says.

--CAROLYN GRAMLING

http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2005/805/1

Students turn to drugs during finals - Globe Link - Campus

Students turn to drugs during finals - Globe Link - Campus: "According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, the number one 'easy out' is pain relievers, followed closely by anxiety and sleep medications, and stimulants. College students most often use Adderall, '[a] fast-acting mixture of amphetamines...one of a handful of stimulants prescribed for ADHD,' said the Wall Street Journal in a recent report.

Ritalin, 'a stimulant approved by the Food and Drug administration in 1955 [and] frequently prescribed for children,' takes a close second. Most pills that are taken during final exams are rarely prescribed-rather they are taken from someone else's medicine cabinet.

According to the TriState Observer, various 'surveys and interviews of students point to increasing use of amphetamines and other prescription stimulants to help them keep awake and focused on their goal of higher grades.' And more and more college students are learning about it.

Though some would say that a student who uses drugs simply to get through a difficult exam could hardly be classified with someone who uses on a regular basis, the results are often the same: heart or brain damage-even death.

Students who take the drugs never plan on making the choice a habit-it may simply be a way to work less for greater results. Some students have even opted for the 'smart drug' choice using Nootropics such as Ginkgo biloba, Dmae and Choline for 'increased alertness, energy, short and long term memory capacity, concentration levels, and work performance,' said Smartbomb.com, a nutrition emporium online."

Sustancias similares a las anfetaminas en las especias?

Prague Med Rep. 2005;106(1):27-38.

Christmas gingerbread (Lebkuchen) and Christmas cheer--review of the
potential role of mood elevating amphetamine-like compounds formed in vivo
and in furno.

Idle JR.

Institute of Pharmacology of the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles
University, Prague, Czech Republic. jidle_lf1.cuni.cz

The typical spices used in winter include nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and
anise. These spices contain two groups of chemicals, the allylbenzenes and
their isomers, the propenylbenzenes. It was suggested 40 years ago by
Alexander Shulgin that these substances act as metabolic precursors of
amphetamines. The biotransformation of these precursors to
nitrogen-containing metabolites is reviewed. These reactions have not been
reported in humans. Whether or not the pharmacology and toxicology of
spices such as nutmeg can be explained on the basis of their allylbenzene
or propenylbenzene content is speculative. Humans may be exposed to
amphetamines derived from these precursors in forno, the formation during
baking and cooking, for example in the preparation of Lebkuchen, or
Christmas gingerbread. It is possible that this may be responsible, in
part, for uplifting our mood in winter. However, the role of these aromatic
substances, acting simply as odours, evoking old memories of winters past,
cannot be ignored. Whether spices have a true pharmacological effect or
they act as aromatherapy remains to be elucidated through clinical and
laboratory studies