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Cuba: 10 years after the discovery and identification of the remains of Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara and his comrades
Related to country: Cuba

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

A feat of Cuban science

• 10 years after the discovery and identification of the remains of Che and his comrades

BY FREDDY PEREZ CABRERA AND ORLANDO ORAMAS LEON—Granma daily staff writers—



SANTA CLARA.— The search for, discovery and identification of the remains of Che and his fellow guerrilla fighters was a scientific feat, the result of research and multidisciplinary efforts by Cuban experts and institutions.

That was the conclusion of a commemorative workshop on the 10th anniversary of those findings of indisputable patriotic, humane and above all scientific value, at the Santa Clara Social Workers School, a few steps away from the memorial where the remains of Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara and his comrades-in-struggle lie.

Organized by the Academy of Science, the event featured the participation of Commander of the Revolution Ramiro Valdés Menéndez and Major General Rogelio Acevedo González, comrades of Che during the revolutionary struggle; Rolando Alfonso Borges, head of the Ideological Department of the Central Committee of the Party; Doctors Fernando González, acting minister of the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment (CITMA) and Ismael Clark, president of the Academy of Science; representatives of the diplomatic corps and researchers from different branches of the sciences in Cuba who took part in that effort, along with members of the group that worked in Bolivia to find the guerrilla fighters’ remains.

Others present included authorities of Villa Clara province, led by Omar Ruiz Martín, first secretary of the Party.

A decade after the return of that “Reinforcement Brigade” —as Fidel called it—the importance of the entire scientific process, backed by DNA tests, which led to the identification of the revolutionary fighters’ remains, was ratified.

The success of that effort was the not result of chance or improvisation, but the careful compilation, analysis and interpretation of information collected from investigations carried out for years, in each period of collective effort and inter-institutional cooperation.

The mission depended on exemplary integration, contributions from historic investigations, anthropology, sociology and other social sciences, as well as extremely important contributions from technical disciplines such as geology, geodesy, geochemistry and mapmaking, as well as informatics, botany, edaphology, geophysics and forensic medicine, including the most modern molecular techniques and physical anthropology, the CITMA minister emphasized.

FROM THE FIRST MOMENT

Cuba’s first steps to find and bring home Che’s remains began after receiving the first news of his death.

A decisive moment came in 1995, when retired Bolivian general Mario Vargas Salina, who led the ambush in Vado del Yeso, stated that Che was buried in Vallegrande.

That year, a work commission was created, presided over by General of the Army and Second Secretary of the Party Raúl Castro, and an executive group led by Commander of the Revolution Ramiro Valdés, charged with coordinating the tasks of searching, exhumation and identification.

An identification group was formed for that purpose by the Institute of Legal Medicine and the Central Laboratory of Criminal Science, which collected primary information, including that contributed by family members. A search for data in the field was organized to guide the work of prospecting, based on a system of artificial intelligence.

At the same time, coordination was carried out among various Cuban research centers and institutions for the participation of top experts, and the process of selecting, locating and/or producing the technical means necessary for these labors was undertaken.

In Cuba, several multidisciplinary groups with experts from every branch of science contributed to the effort to find the burial spots and then apply the available techniques for the positive identification of each combatant found. No resources or specialties were spared.

A work team led by Doctor Jorge González Pérez, director of the Institute of Legal Medicine at the time, traveled progressively to Bolivia in late 1995, near the end of what was conceived of as the first stage of the search, carried out by Argentine anthropologists who drafted a technical report enabling the research to continue.

Communication was thus established between Cuban experts in Bolivia and the executive group in Havana, which in its turn had at its disposition a considerable team for supporting and orienting the work of those in the field.

THE PROTAGONISTS

And in Santa Clara, in a brief synthesis, it was demonstrated how the scientific process worked, through the integration of institutions and experts, to facilitate the process of historic studies, basic research, search in the field, exhumation and identification of the remains.

From the persistence of Dr. María del Carmen Ariet in establishing the history and with it the methodology, to Dr. Fernando Ortega and engineer Carlos Sacasas in their studies in the field, with techniques ranging from geo-radar to simpler ones for reaching the conclusion of where to dig, to anthropologist Héctor Soto and others in Bolivia.

Then doctors Luis Herrera Martínez and Ricardo Leonard Cruz provided a simple explanation of the complex methodology used in Cuba via universally applied DNA techniques. This made it possible to authenticate the methods later used by Cuban anthropologists and forensic scientists in identifying Che. The DNA techniques, including the establishment of paternity in two of his children, confirmed the complete identification of the remains, a finding issued in November 1997.

In his particular case, six markers were used to calculate the genetic profile frequency of the remains studies, which could only be found in one out of 500 million people. The paternity tests, for their part, found coincidence of more than 99%. This area included the participation of the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, the Central Laboratory of Criminal Science, the Institute of Legal Medicine and the Civil Defense Laboratory.

CONCLUSIVE PROOF

Doctor Jorge González referred to evidence that, from the first moment, made it possible to conclude the identity of revolutionary hero, particularly the comparison of his teeth with a study of the existing anthropological dental characterization.

There are no two individuals in the world that have exactly the same teeth: size, position, rotation — all of them proof that was at hand in Che’s case, he explained.

Other coincidences were also confirmed: a previous fracture, others described by the autopsy, and for the first time a photo was shown of his cranium with the characteristic protuberance in the upper arch that added to the other factual evidence in his identification, including the clothing he was buried in and the tobacco pouch found in his jacket pocket.

Finally, Dr. García Gutiérrez (Fisin) explained the reasons for the detailed odontological study that existed for Che, noting that it was essential for the work of superimposition had to be performed on his teeth to guarantee his safety by disguising him.

Ten years after that unprecedented feat by Cuban science, the workshop commemorating it was not at all mournful, but a confirmation of the validity of the example set by those whom we now honor every day.

A graphic example of this was provided by members of the Argentine anthropological team that began the search in Bolivia. In a message sent to the event, they recalled a phrase painted by an anonymous person onto a wall in Vallegrante: “Che, you are alive, despite their wish.” •

November 27, 2007 | 9:50 PM Comments  0 comments



20 or 30 minutes of shut-eye in the middle of the day at work refreshes the brain, and improves productivity
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Why you should be sleeping on the Job:
By Kermit B. Fernander, Guardian Lifestyles Reporter -
Nassau, Bahamas -



Power napping is the custom of taking a brief nap in the middle of the day in order to refresh the mind and increase mental alertness. Actually, in practical terms, it's more of a rest than a nap.

Dr. Maoshing Ni — known simply as Dr. Mao — is a 38th-generation doctor of Chinese medicine and an authority in the field of Taoist anti-aging medicine. According to Dr. Mao, one of the best ways of refreshing the brain and improving productivity at work, is to take 20 or 30 minutes of shut-eye in the middle of the day. He says this practice will also lead to a longer, healthier lifespan.

Perhaps Spanish-speaking cultures had something similar in mind when they established the siesta, a civilized habit which cuts the workday in half, allowing workers to labor from 8:00 a.m. to noon, break for four hours, and then resume working from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

In Spain, for example, many working people ate the main meal of the day in their homes, and afterwards enjoyed a refreshing nap before returning to work. At the end of the workday, they would socialize with their friends in bars or restaurants, or see a movie or a show, before returning home for a light supper of soup and salad.

Extolling the virtues of the siesta, Dr. Mao said: "A long-time tradition in Latin countries, a siesta is a great way to jump-start the second half of your day. Famous nap enthusiasts have included some of the best minds in history, such as Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill and Thomas Edison. What they knew was that a midday snooze — while seeming to be an unproductive use of time — could actually increase their effectiveness. Some of the reviving benefits of naps include enhanced cognitive function, better reaction time, more patience, stress relief, and better overall health.

Since few workers in North America can take a proper nap in the middle of the day, Mao believes that a brief nap of between 15 and 30 minutes is sufficient to revive the brain. Sleeping for any longer will get you into the deeper stages of sleep from which it is difficult to awaken he said. On the other hand, if you are napping to catch up on lost hours of sleep, you would want to take a longer nap, if this is convenient.

Mao explains that napping in the middle of the day is also an excellent way to reduce stress on the heart — an important consideration bearing in mind that coronary heart disease is the largest killer of men and women in North America. Believing that the body follows a circadian rhythm whereby noontime is the peak hour for the heart, Chinese doctors advise that rest or calming exercises like meditation at this time of the day will strengthen the heart.

Unfortunately, Western culture encourages us to work hard and play hard — often to our detriment. As a result, we tend not value rest probably because many of us have been brought up to associate rest with laziness. Consequently, most adults are sleep-deprived, and this kind of fatigue produces stress, which in turn impacts negatively on our health, safety and productivity at work. This leads to serious health and safety issues in the workplace since it is well known that tired, sleepy workers make more mistakes.

Whenever we feel a decrease in energy levels at work, instead of consuming caffeine to stay awake and alert, we could simply close our eyes for five minutes. Such a brief rest can help us de-stress and give us the increase in energy we need to complete the tasks of the day.

11/26/07

November 26, 2007 | 5:15 PM Comments  0 comments



Bahamas: The venomous Asian lionfish could jeopardize the local fishing sector
Related to country: Bahamas

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Lionfish Threatening Industry:
By Macushla N. Pinder -
Nassau, Bahamas:


Marine officials are seriously concerned about the growing numbers of the venomous lionfish in Bahamian waters, which the Deputy Director of Marine Resources has insisted could jeopardize the local fishing sector.
Atlantic Lionfish
According to Edison Deleveaux, Bahamians have recently encountered the lionfish on a very frequent basis, an indication that the species has become "very common" in The Bahamas.

There is also the issue of the species having no natural predators in the Atlantic Ocean.

"The information we have is that they have been observed eating our commercially viable species like grunts and groupers and these are matters which are still being investigated."

"If these stories are true, this can have a profound impact on our commercial fishing industry, in that they are feeding on the various species that form the basis of this sector."
Atlantic Lionfish
The local fishing sector brought in $92 million last year and $100 million in 2005.

"We are very concerned about this. This is why we are doing the research to determine exactly what is happening," Mr. Deleveaux said.

"We know that the species is multiplying while in our waters hence the increase in numbers," Mr. Deleveaux said in a recent interview with the Bahama Journal.

"Two to three years ago, we would have never heard of someone sighting this particular species. But the species has recently become abundant in that they are been sighted almost on a daily basis."
Atlantic Lionfish
A native of the Indo-Pacific region, the juvenile lionfish measuring between three and four inches long – was discovered by aquarium divers on an expedition to Atlantic waters off The Bahamas several months ago.

According to Mr. Deleveaux, there are several hypotheses as to how and why the lionfish adopted The Bahamas as home.

"There is some claim that the species came into The Bahamas during hurricanes Frances and Jeanne considering that the fish has been known to exist in Florida waters for some time," the Deputy Director said.

"But again as with any invasive species, we cannot say this is a case of the wrong fish in the wrong ocean because there may be persons who find they cannot take care of an exotic species and dump them into a new environment where the species thrive."

In an effort to establish an invasion management program and policy development, The Department of Marine Resources in collaboration with the College of The Bahamas Marine and Environmental Studies Institute (COB-MESI) recently launched an online Lionfish Sighting Survey.

The survey allows ecological research to determine what affects the lionfish invasion has on our marine resources.

24 November 2007

November 25, 2007 | 9:03 AM Comments  0 comments



Bahamas: Daniel Wayne Smith - Late Son Of Former Playboy Playmate And Guess Model Anna Nicole Smith (Deceased) Coroner's Inquest Is Underway
Related to country: Bahamas

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Daniel Smith inquest begins:
By ARTESIA DAVIS, Guardian Senior Reporter -
Nassau, Bahamas:


Doctors had to physically remove Anna Nicole Smith from her son, Daniel, after medical staff gave up their attempts to revive him, a coroner's jury heard yesterday.

The seven-member panel is investigating the circumstances of Smith's September 10, 2006 death, which occurred hours after he arrived in Nassau to visit his mom who had recently given birth to his half-sister, Dannielynn.

According to Dr James Iferenta, the head of the emergency room at Doctors Hospital, doctors tried to resuscitate the 20-year-old for about 25 minutes before they gave up. Dr Iferenta said Anna Nicole Smith's nurse told him that Daniel had been found unconscious in the bed next to his mother. Dr Iferenta said Daniel's fingers had turned blue, which meant that his blood had become deoxygenated.

Dr Iferenta said that Anna Nicole Smith became emotional and refused to release her grasp on her son. He said it took several people, including himself, to remove Anna Nicole Smith.

Dr Reginald Neymour, the anesthesiologist who worked on Daniel Smith, said his body was "cool to the touch." According to Dr Neymour, the medical team administered adrenaline and chest compression in an attempt to restart Smith's heart. He was also given oxygen.

Marva Gibson, the immigration officer who cleared Smith when he arrived in Nassau around 9 p.m. on September 9 said he appeared normal when she saw him. Gibson said Smith requested a 90-day stay, which she granted. Gibson recalled that Smith had not completed his immigration form and he told her he would be staying with his mom at the Horizons Estate on the Eastern Road.

Also testifying was Anna Nicole Smith's lawyer and companion, Howard K Stern, who testified that he identified Smith's body at the morgue. Stern is expected to give additional evidence as the inquest continues before Coroner William Campbell.

11/20/07

November 20, 2007 | 5:25 PM Comments  0 comments



Bahamas Chamber Of Commerce President Dionisio D’Aguilar Urges Government To “Close The Deal” On Investment Projects To Minimize The Impact Of The Current Economic Downturn
Related to country: Bahamas


Chamber President Urges Gov’t To “Close The Deal” On Investment Projects:
By Juan McCartney -
Nassau, Bahamas:


The government needs to take swift action in order to assure local businessmen that the impact of the current economic downturn will be minimal, according to President of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce, Dionisio D’Aguilar.

"Clearly the statistics show that the economy is indeed slowing down. The Central Bank is saying it; the Minister of State for Finance Zhivargo Liang is not denying it. I just think that we could do something to prevent its slowdown being as significant as it is," he said.

Mr. D’Aguilar urged the government to "close the deal" on some major developments slated for New Providence.

"The two projects that jump to mind that are on the back burner right now are the Albany project in southwest New Providence, and more importantly the Baha Mar project (set for the Cable Beach Strip). If we could get them going – now – we could soften the downturn that’s coming, and there’s no doubt that it’s coming," he said.

"It would be a significant boost of confidence in the local economy if we could have a handshake, a sealing of a major deal and we could see our way forward for the substantial investment those huge projects would entail."

Mr. D’Aguilar pointed to the hit the United States’ economy has taken due to the recent "sub-prime fiasco".

He also pointed to the implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), which requires all American citizens to have a passport in order to reenter the United States from The Bahamas and other Caribbean countries when traveling by air, as indicators that The Bahamas needs to take measures to prevent a significant falloff in employment and revenue in the tourism sector.

"[It] is a major problem in the sense that now Americans can go anywhere. Before they didn’t need a passport to go to certain countries of which The Bahamas was one. Now that they’re all getting passports they can go to a whole host of other countries that they may have not even considered before," he said.

"So we need to act urgently. In my opinion we need to get one of those projects going."

Mr. D’Aguilar said while he does not have any concrete statistics, he has heard that unemployment levels have recently risen.

"That is why we need say, a Baha Mar, requiring a large amount of construction jobs on the outset and then employ a significant number of Bahamians once its up and running. I think that if you waste too much time trying to seal the best deal, by the time you seal the best deal, the people who are interested in making this $2 billion investment, might change their minds. The dynamics are changing in the U.S. economy, and what might have seemed attractive two years ago, might not seem attractive today," he said.

"For all the reasons we’ve mentioned that contribute to the downturn in the economy, people start to get jitters and say ‘I’m just not interested in this anymore’."

Mr. D’Aguilar said he believes the government is close to closing the deals with the developers of the Albany and Baha Mar, but it needs to operate with "a little sense of urgency".

"Let’s go now, you’ve been in office since May; let’s get a deal sealed. Let’s do what we need to do to get a deal sealed. And I think the local businessmen are anxious for a sign [to say] ‘okay the world might be in a bit of a crisis, but in our little bubble here in The Bahamas we’ve got some significant projects here that are going to cushion us through this potential downturn’," Mr. D’Aguilar said.

"I think that’s its important for the chamber to keep the pressure on the government and to make this a priority to make sure the deals on the table are signed."

19 November 2007

November 19, 2007 | 6:28 PM Comments  0 comments



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