Friday, 15 June 2012
Researchers at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Göteborg have
managed to implant a blood vessel made from a patient’s own stem cells
in a ten year old, sick girl. One year after surgery she now is doing
pretty fine making the researchers to hope that this could be a method
to assist patients who need bypass surgery.
The process involves approach, in making the vein perform better
took three to four weeks, according to Michael Olausson, a professor at
the Transplantation Center at the hospital. The vein for the girl was
obtained from a donation from a deceased person, reports radio Sweden. “Then we have
removed all cells and all the genetic material, and after that we have
brought stem cells from the patient who will receive the blood vessel
and then grow this vessel out again,” says Michael Olausson, Professor
and Director of the Transplant Center at the Sahlgrenska University
Hospital in Gothenburg to radio Sweden.
At the moment, Michael Olausson and his team believe that the approach
could be of great help to many people with plug formation in their
blood vessels and that they need to undergo a so-called "bypass
surgery".
Asked how important is it that the patient's own stem cells are
included in the vein? Michael Olausson replied that it has to do with
the immune system recognizing the tissue as its own and thus will not
reject it. For him and the patient, it's a big advantage. All the
medications that are normally given to avoid the body rejecting the new
cell is very powerful and can cause side effects, so it is desirable to
avoid them.
He adds that this new method is also very important so that “we’ll be
able to solve problem around such things as hearts or kidneys in the
future. The next big step for us is probably a work around to get
arteries to function well. This opens the door and then maybe, be able
to produce whole organs,” says Michael Olausson.
By Scancomark.se Team
Somalis in Finland, the most discriminated human beings in that world
Wednesday, 08 February 2012
In Finland, people of Somali background face the most discrimination,
an EU study shows. As such Finland’s Somali community are trying to
improve the situation by coming together regularly in Helsinki to make
their voices better heard. This is not likely to make any difference in
a Finland that has become more polarise racially since the far right
True Finns gained political prominence
On the last Wednesday of every month a Somali club gathers at the Caisa
international cultural centre in Helsinki. This is a forum for the
13,000 Somalis living in Finland and a place where Somalis from all
walks of life can voice their opinions.
Saido Mohamed works at the Finnish League for Human Rights, where she
is part of a female circumcision prevention team. She told national
broadcaster, Yle that the Finnish Somali community has learned to work
together despite its share of differences.
The importance of banding together is highlighted by EU statistics that
show Finnish Somalis are one the most discriminated groups in Europe.
Half of people of Somali backgrounds in Finland say they have
experienced discrimination in the past year. Prejudice is most often
encountered in the job market.
The Czech Republic is the only country where minority groups suffer at the hands of criminals more than in Finland.
At Caisa, club members say there has been little improvement in the
situation. Abdirahim Husu of the Kanava Youth Organisation brings up a
recent incident:
“A 13 year-old Somali boy riding the metro was called a terrorist by
fellow adult passengers. He wanted to know what he could do so he
wouldn’t look like a terrorist,” he says.
Social worker Mukhtar Abib says he was pleased to see that tolerance became a key theme in the presidential election.
“We need to work together to ensure that everyone gains a foothold in Finnish society,” he says.
Authorities have set up working groups to help root out racism in
Finland. But immigrant groups say they what they want the most is
contact with regular Finns.
By Scancomark.se with imputes from Yle, Finland
