BY LILLIAM RIERA —Granma International Staff Writer—

Neuronic S.A., 2002 Export National Prize winner in the medium business category, foresees putting its Version V Audix, Medicid and Neurónica medical equipment on the market in the second semester of 2003, said commercial specialist Tania Guerra to Granma International.

It was revealed that the new line of equipment will be smaller and can be configured according to work needs for both stimulation and neo-physiological studies. Furthermore, they will be developed with the latest software and hardware informatics technology.

Audix is designed to explore children’s audio capacity, particularly that of infants, and up until last year was the only one of its kind on an international level; Medicid consists of an electro-encephalograph, useful in detecting diseases like epilepsy and behavioral disorders; while Neurónica is used to study visual and audio potential and muscular problems; all are necessarily computer friendly.

At the International Medical-Technical Fair Health For All, Neurónica S.A. displayed products developed by the Cuban Neuroscience Center, some already functional in the national hospital network, while others are still awaiting approval. The medical firm exports to countries throughout Latin America, Canada, Europe, Asia and Africa.

Guerra stated that "139 Version IVs were sold to Venezuela for a total sum of $4 million USD." There are similar versions on the world market ranging from $18-$20 million USD.

La Coralina consists of biomaterial used in the reconstruction of bone tissue and eye aesthetics, while Diramic is useful for urinary analysis. Both are products of the National Scientific Investigation Center and marketed by Neuronic S.A.

Specialist Magalys Hevia explained that Coralina "is widely distributed throughout Cuban hospitals and is exported to Mexico and Costa Rica. It is registered in Colombia and Venezuela is currently soliciting registration."

The biomaterial’s success is notable in the areas of odontology, maxillary facial surgery, orthopedics and trauma. Over the last decade, both pre-clinical and clinical experiences have demonstrated its use in both chemical identity and bone structure, its high capacity in tissue regeneration, low risk of infection and the absence of signs of rejection.

It was revealed that over 25 Diramic systems are functional throughout the island’s hospitals, in addition to being exported to countries throughout the region. Alberto Ferreiro explained to Granma International that Diramic analyzes urine samples in less than eight hours, determines if there is an infection and gives medical staff information on the specific antibiotic to be prescribed." This process, he commented, "could take as long as 96 hours using traditional methods."

Ferreiro pointed out that at this time, Microdiramic is still awaiting approval: "While this system can conduct massive urinary investigations of any segment of the population, it is mainly used for pregnancies. Highlighting its small size, he noted that it makes work easier: "It is useful for all levels of the health system, including family doctors and nurses."

He mentioned that future marketing of the Medicid Fénex and Panda portable versions, useful for registering cerebral energy activity and dream studies, respectively, is still at the approval stage. Guerra said that, in concert with current market tendencies, "the Medicid Panda could even be connected to a lap top."

By Sam Vaknin <a href=www.upi.com>UPI Senior Business Correspondent From the Business & Economics Desk Published 4/29/2003 1:43 PM

SKOPJE, Macedonia, April 29 (UPI) -- Indonesia's Energy Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro is unhappy with the modest production cut, from June 1, of 2 million barrels per day, adopted last week by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. He intends to demand further reductions at the June 11 meeting in Qatar.

The deal struck is so convoluted and has so many loopholes that actual output declines may amount to no more than 600,000 bpd, assuming, miraculously, full compliance. Quotas were first raised before the war to 27.4 million bpd -- a theoretical level, not met by actual supply. Crude prices, entering a period of seasonal weakening, dropped further on the news.

With Nigerian and Venezuelan crude recovering from months of strife, this downtrend may be temporary. Global excess capacity is a mere 1 million bpd, one-fifth its prewar level. As North American and North Sea production declines, the importance of Gulf producers soars.

OPEC's 11 countries -- Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq (suspended in 1990, following its invasion of Kuwait), Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela -- control one-third to two-fifths of global oil output and three-quarters of the far more important residual demand -- traded between net consumers and net exporters. Residual demand is set to double by 2010.

Still, OPEC, led by Saudi Arabia, now off the U.S. buddy list, faces fundamental problems that no tweaking can resolve. Iraq, in the throes of reconstruction and under America's thumb, may opt to exit the club it has founded in 1960 and, thus unfettered, flood the market with its 2.3 to 2.8 million bpd of oil. Iraqi production can reach 7-8 million bpd in 6 years, completely upsetting the carefully balanced market sharing agreements among OPEC members.

This nightmare may be years away, what with Iraq's dilapidated and much-looted infrastructure and vehement international wrangling over past and future contracts. All the same, it looms menacing over the organization's future.

Far more ominous perils lurk in Russia, the second-largest oil producer and growing. Though the cheapest and most abundant reserves are still to be found in the Persian Gulf, Central Asia and Russia are catching up fast. Ali al-Naimi, the Saudi oil minister, may be forced out of office by this apparent crumbling of the organization's stature.

This would be unwise. Al-Naimi is widely credited with engineering the tripling of oil prices to more than $30 a barrel between 1998 and 1999. As the informal boss of the state-owned Saudi oil behemoth, Aramco, he has already introduced postwar output cuts. The oil market is so volatile that even marginal production shifts affect prices disproportionately. Naimi is a master of such manipulation.

Saudi Arabia regards itself as the market regulator. It keeps expensive, fully developed wells idle as a 1.9 million bpd buffer against supply disruptions. It is this "self-sacrificial" policy that endows it with tremendous clout in the energy markets. Only the United States can afford to emulate it -- and even then, the Saudis still possess the largest known reserves and sports the lowest extraction costs worldwide.

OPEC is, therefore, not without muscle. Saudi Arabia has punished uppity producers, such as Nigeria, by flooding the markets and pulverizing prices. Yet, the organization is plagued by internecine squabbles about market shares and production ceilings. Giants and dwarves cohabit uneasily and collude to choreograph prices in what has long been a buyers' market. These inherent contradictions are detrimental. If OPEC fails to recruit another massive producer (namely: Russia) soon, it is doomed.

Paradoxically, the Iraq war is exactly what the doctor ordered. OPEC's only long-term hope lies in a geopolitical shift, the harbingers of which are already visible. Russia may join the cartel, disenchanted by an imperious and haughty U.S., or the Europeans may "adopt" OPEC as a counterweight to the sole "hyperpower's" newfound energy preeminence.

America announced its intention to pull out its troops stationed in Saudi Arabia. As this major producer is thrust into the role of the "bad guy," it acquires incentives to team up with other "pariahs" such as France and, potentially, Russia. Controlling the oil taps is a sure way to render the U.S. less unilateral and more accommodating.

U.S. interests are diametrically opposed to those of oil producers, whether in OPEC's ranks or without. The United States seeks to secure an uninterrupted supply of cheap oil. Yet, a consistently low price level would go a long way towards reducing Russia back to erstwhile penury. It would also destabilize authoritarian and venal regimes throughout the Middle East.

This unsettling realization is dawning now on minds from Paris to Riyadh and from St. Petersburg to Tehran. As the United States looms large over both producers and consumers, the ironic outcome of the Iraqi war may well be an oil crunch rather than an oil glut.

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Send your comments to: svaknin@upi.com

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

A Venezuelan vessel with 17 people aboard has capsized and sunk off the coast of Aruba ... 15 of 17 were rescued while 1 passenger drowned and another has been declared missing. 

According to the Netherlands Antilles Coast Guard Service, the accident took place on coordinates 12-24N and 070-04W. 

Three passengers were picked up by a launch called Lucky Star, while Coast guard patrol launch P-04  and Aruba Search & Rescue (Sarfa) Foundation yachts picked up the rest. 

Helicopter Pedro-2 AS 356 took part in the rescue operation and is still searching for the missing passenger. 

All the passengers are said to be Venezuelan citizens and the authorities are said to be checking out the cause of the accident and why so many people were aboard.

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Health and safety officers in Delta Amacuro, Sucre and Monagas States have held an joint emergency meeting to assess a sudden and drastic increase in malaria. 

• 113 persons have been registered with the disease in the short space of one week, meriting the issuing of a health alert and efforts to stem further rises. 

The authorities suggest that people traveling during the Easter vacation could have been in some way responsible for the outbreak for failing to attend outpatients for an anti-malaria shot and medicine. 

In a break down of the advance of the disease there have been recorded 157 cases in Delta Amacuro since the Easter vacation with 44 in the last week. Sucre has registered 67 persons infected in one week and Monagas 2 last week,  despite having accumulated 100 cases ... the last 2 victims were visitors from Sucre.

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic NewsPosted: Tuesday, April 29, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

According to a Police Detective Branch (CICPC) report, the weekend homicide toll in Venezuela reached 92 deaths ... broken down as 25 homicides in Caracas and 67 in the provinces. 

• In Caracas, Libertador municipality registered 22 homicides, compared to 3 in Sucre Municipality. 

Zulia State headed the provincial list with 13 murders, followed by Portuguesa and Carabobo at 8 each, Anzoategui 7, Miranda 6, Aragua and Vargas 4 each, Yaracuy 3, Cojedes, Sucre, Trujillo, Tachira, Lara and Falcon 2 each and Nueva Esparta, Apure, Monagas and Delta Amacuro 1 each. 

Among the highlighted homicides in Caracas are those of three cab drivers in different sectors of the city.

The CICPC report claims that 30 homicides were due to settling of scores between rival gangs and 23 the result of shootouts with the police.