Abstract
We will take a look at a very unusual mode of transportation for school kids in a small Colombian village, followed by the usual compendium of upcoming conferences.
In a tiny Colombian village perched on a ridge above the Rio Negro, people use steel cable zip lines to cross the valley, high over the river below. Small children use these zip lines to travel back and forth to school every day. The articles, photos, and vide of this ought to interest anyone who has ridden a zip line (or flying fox).
The cable runners: In the mountains of central Colombia is a dangerous game…
Written up in the Geographical in July 2003.
Contact: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3120/is_7_75/ai_n29013114/?tag=content;col1
The ultimate school run
Written up in the Mail Online, 22nd March 2010, with a couple of fabulous photos.
Kids ride a zip line to school
Here you can watch a relatively low-quality (but nonetheless riveting to watch) video of the cable system in use by kids. This same video is also on YouTube under a variety of names.
Contact: http://www.noob.us/miscellaneous/kids-ride-a-zip-line-to-go-to-school/
High wire, higher risk
Finally, here is a more sobering article from the Houston Chronicle in 2006 about a Colombian schoolteacher who commutes to a remote schoolhouse via zip line, and some of the real hazards of this form of transportation.
Contact: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/3997647.html
Upcoming Conferences
Physiological Society 2010 Meetings
The Physiological Society has a series of meetings throughout 2011, in various locations in the U.K. The range of topics covered is quite diverse, and will be of interest to those working to understand the inner machinery of the hypoxic cell.
Contact: http://www.physoc.org/meetings/
International Hypoxia Symposium
The International Hypoxia Symposia was founded by Charles Houston, Geoff Coates and John Sutton to enable scientists, clinicians, mountaineers and other interested individuals to share their experiences of the situations associated with oxygen lack and the adaptations that allow us to survive. Held every other year in Lake Louise, Canada, the International Hypoxia Symposia presents cutting edge, sophisticated research at the very highest levels into the many effects of hypoxia on humans and animals in health and disease. Hypoxia XVII will be held February 15–20, 2011 at the Chateau Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada.
Contact: http://www.hypoxia.net/
American Physiological Society (Experimental Biology)
The annual Experimental Biology meeting features the latest advances in physiology with a wide range of topics of interest to High Altitude Medicine and Biology readers. This is the premiere physiology meeting in the United States. In 2011, Experimental Biology will be held in Washington, D.C., April 9–13.
American Academy of Neurology
The AAN Annual Meeting, one of the world's largest gatherings of neurology professionals, brings together more than 10,000 neurologists and neuroscientists to share groundbreaking research and participate in a comprehensive curriculum-based educational program. The 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology is set for April 9–16, 2011, at the Hawaii Convention Center in the heart of beautiful Honolulu.
Contact: http://www.aan.com/go/am11
International Society of Travel Medicine
The biennial ISTM conferences are established as the leading venue for the practice and science of the discipline of travel medicine. The 12th ISTM conference will be held May 8–12, 2011, in Boston.
Contact: http://www.istm.org/
American Thoracic Society International Conference
The ATS is committed to disseminating the latest advances, nationally and internationally, in the fields of lung disease, sleep disorders and critical care medicine. The annual International Conference has become the premier international forum for physicians and scientists who work in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. The 2011 conference will be held May 13–18 in Denver, Colorado.
Brain'11 & BrainPET'11
Ideal for people interested in the brain-hypoxia link, the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism sponsors a pair of international symposia, which are held every other year. The 25th International Symposium on Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, and the 10th International Conference on Quantification of Brain Function with PET (also known as Brain'11 and BrainPET'11) will be held in Barcelona, Spain on May 24–28, 2011.
Contact: http://www.kenes.com/brain
American College of Sports Medicine Annual Conference
You will find a great deal of integrative physiology at the annual American College of Sports Medicine meeting. This seems to be one of the more active forums for exercise-altitude interactions, and a host of other topics of interest to high altitude physiologists. The 2011 annual meeting topic is “Exercise is Medicine”; it will be held May 31–June 4 in Denver, Colorado.
Contact: http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Annual_Meeting2
53rd Annual American Headache Society Scientific Meeting
Bringing together physicians and other health providers from various fields and specialties to share concepts and developments about headache and related conditions, the 2011 annual scientific meeting will be held in Washington DC, June 2–5.
Contact: https://www.americanheadachesociety.org/events/index.asp
15th Congress of the International Headache Society
The 15th Congress of the International Headache Society will be held on June 23–26, 2011, in Berlin, Germany.
European College of Sport Science Annual Congress
The 16th annual congress of the ECSS will be held in Liverpool, UK, July 6 – 9; the theme is “New Horizons in Sports Sciences”.
Contact: http://www.ecss-congress.eu/2011/
8th IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience
The International Brain Research Organization will hold the 8th IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience in Florence, Italy July 14–18, 2011.
European Federation of Neurological Societies
The 15th Congress of the European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS) provides an unmatched opportunity for participants to join over 4,500 colleagues to study and disseminate the latest research. Discover current clinical practices and treatments, and be an integral part of the central network of neurology in Europe. The congress will be held September 10–13, 2011, in Budapest, Hungary.
Contact: http://www.efns.org/15th-EFNS-Congress-Budapest-2011.286.0.html
European Respiratory Society Annual Meeting
The annual meeting of the European Respiratory Society to be held in Amsterdam, Netherlands from September 24–28, 2011, features many topics related to high altitude medicine and biology.
Contact: http://www.ersnet.org/index.php/congresses/amsterdam-2011.html
NAVBO 2011
The North American Vascular Biology Organization (NAVBO) will hold its 2011 annual meeting in Hyannis, Massachusetts, October 16–20, 2011. Topics include workshops in vascular biology, biology of signaling in the cardiovascular system, and vascular matrix biology and bioengineering.
Contact: http://www.navbo.org/event/vb2011
European Federation of Sports Medicine Associations
The conference will provide health care professionals from around the globe with the opportunity to exchange ideas and learn about new achievements in the area of sports medicine. The 7th European Federation of Sports Medicine Associations Congress will be held 26-29th October, 2011, in Salzburg.
Contact: http://www.efsma.net/
World Congress of Neurology
The World Congress of Neurology (WCN) has been the world's largest scientific event in Neurology for over half a century. Doctors from various disciplines, together with neuroscientists, have collaborated in the organization of the best academic curriculum at preceding congresses and have contributed greatly to the worldwide neuroscience community.
The next WCN will be held in Marrakesh, Morocco during November 12–17, 2011 and will be hosted by The Neurological Society of Morocco under the congress theme “With Africa, for Africa ". The main purpose of this congress is to provide Neurologists in Africa with a unique opportunity to join colleagues from around the world for the largest scientific event in Neurology. Discover scientific achievements and interact with delegates of diverse backgrounds and perspectives to find real solutions to improve the long-term outcomes for patients with neurological disorders.
Contact: http://www.wfneurology.org/WCN.php
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), founded in 1903, is a worldwide organization of scientists, clinicians, and program professionals whose mission is to promote global health through the prevention and control of infectious and other diseases that disproportionately afflict the global poor. Research, health care and education are the central activities of ASTMH members, whose work bridges basic laboratory research to international field work and clinics to country-wide programs. The ASTMH 60th Annual Meeting will be held December 4–8, 2011 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Contact: http://www.astmh.org/Future_Meetings.htm
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