A relaxation technique enhances psychological well-being and immune parameters in elderly people from a nursing home: a randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: The aging process involves a decline in immune functioning that renders elderly people more vulnerable to disease. In residential programs for the aged, it is vital to diminish their risk of disease, promote their independence, and augment their psychological well-being and quality of life. METHODS: We performed a randomized controlled study, evaluating the ability of a relaxation technique based on Benson's relaxation response to enhance psychological well-being and modulate the immune parameters of elderly people living in a geriatric residence when compared to a waitlist control group. The study included a 2-week intervention period and a 3-month follow-up period. The main outcome variables were psychological well-being and quality of life, biomedical variables, immune changes from the pre-treatment to post-treatment and follow-up periods. RESULTS: Our findings reveal significant differences between the experimental and control groups in CD19, CD71, CD97, CD134, and CD137 lymphocyte subpopulations at the end of treatment. Furthermore, there was a decrease in negative affect, psychological discomfort, and symptom perception in the treatment group, which increased participants' quality of life scores at the three-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This study represents a first approach to the application of a passive relaxation technique in residential programs for the elderly. The method appears to be effective in enhancing psychological well-being and modulating immune activity in a group of elderly people. This relaxation technique could be considered an option for achieving health benefits with a low cost for residential programs, but further studies using this technique in larger samples of older people are needed to confirm the trends observed in the present study. TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register ISRCTN85410212.

Análisis biotecnológico de Latinoamérica a través de las patentes en Inmunología / Biotechnological overview of Latin America from the perspective of immunological patents

Introducción: se admite que hay un abismo tecnológico entre los diversos continentes. Si bien contamos con multitud de informes sobre la producción científica y su evolución a nivel mundial, faltan estudios de esta misma índole en el campo de las patentes. Los estudios cienciométricos sobre patentes son escasos y limitados, especialmente sobre áreas específicas del conocimiento. Objetivo: analizar la situación tecnológica de la Inmunología en Latinoamérica, entre 2004 y 2011. Métodos: los documentos de patentes en el área de la Inmunología se obtuvieron a través de SCOPUS, con el análisis de las patentes solicitadas vía Tratado de Cooperación en Materia de Patentes, valorando los solicitantes, sus países de origen, los sectores económicos que patentan, así como la cooperación entre países. Resultados: en el período de estudio, 89 países solicitaron 17 281 patentes en Inmunología. Los países de la OCDE solicitaron el 97,28 % de estas, la Unión Europea el 30,76 % y Latinoamérica el 149 (0,86 %). Los países que más patentes solicitaron fueron Brasil con 43 y Cuba con 31. Los principales cosolicitantes fueron: Argentina y Brasil con EE.UU. (10 cada uno), y México con EE.UU. (8); entre los países latinoamericanos se encontraron Bahamas-Belice, Brasil-Uruguay, Chile-Ecuador, Cuba-México y Honduras-México. Las patentes inmunológicas se centraron, especialmente, en productos farmacéuticos y la Biotecnología. Las entidades privadas latinoamericanas solicitaron el 46 % de las patentes, las OPIs el 28 %, las universidades el 25 % y los hospitales el 3 %. Conclusiones: las diferencias tecnológicas, al menos en esta área de conocimiento, se han ido reduciendo. Bermudas e Islas Caimán ocupan la octava y novena posición mundial, respectivamente, por patentes/habitante; Brasil es el vigésimo país en patentes/INB-PP; Uruguay es el onceno en patentes/inversión en I+D+i en % INB, y México es el vigésimo en patentes/I+D+i en % del INB. Somos conscientes de que, al analizar únicamente un área de conocimiento, se produce un sesgo importante, pero nos permite ver y valorar la evolución de cada país hacia esta disciplina.

Introduction: a great technological divide is recognized to exist between the continents. Even though there is a multitude of reports about scientific production and its evolution around the world, relevant studies are still lacking in the field of patents. Scientometric studies dealing with patents are few and limited, particularly in certain knowledge areas. Objective: analyze the technological status of immunology in Latin America between 2004 and 2011. Methods: Immunological patent documentation was obtained from Scopus, and an analysis was conducted of the patents applied for through the Patent Cooperation Treaty. An evaluation was carried out of applicants, their country of origin, the patenting economic sectors and the cooperation between countries. Results: during the study period 89 countries applied for 17 281 immunological patents. Countries from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development applied for 97,28 % of the patents, the European Union for 30,76 % and Latin America for 0,86 %. The Latin American countries applying for most patents were Brazil (43) and Cuba (31). The main applicants were Argentina and Brazil (10 each) and Mexico (8). Latin American co-applicants included Bahamas-Belize, Brazil-Uruguay, Chile-Ecuador, Cuba-Mexico and Honduras-Mexico. Most immunological patents were for pharmaceutical products and biotechnology. Latin American private institutions applied for 46% of the patents, public research offices for 28 %, universities for 25 % and hospitals for 3 %. Conclusions: technological differences, at least in this knowledge area, have gradually lessened. Thus Bermuda and the Cayman Islands rank 8th and 9th worldwide, respectively, in patents per inhabitant. Brazil ranks 20th in patents/Gross National Income-Purchasing Power Parity. Uruguay ranks 11th in patents/investment in RDI in % of the Gross National Income, and Mexico ranks 20th. Significant bias may result from analyzing just one knowledge area, but it makes it possible to determine and assess the evolution of the study subject in each country.