02 May - World Asthma Day

 

World Asthma Day (WAD) (May 2, 2023) is organized by the Global Initiative for Asthma, (GINA) (www.ginasthma.org), a World Health Organization collaborative organization founded in 1993.  WAD is held each May to raise awareness of Asthma worldwide.

GINA has chosen “Asthma care for All” as the theme for the 2023 World Asthma Day.

The majority of the burden of asthma morbidity and mortality occurs in low and middle income countries. GINA strives to reduce this burden by encouraging health care leaders to ensure availability of and access to effective, quality-assured medications. The Asthma care for All message promotes the development and implementation of effective asthma management programs in all resource countries.

GINA aims to increase and strengthen the link with local and national guideline makers.   GINA also commits to ensure specific recommendations for environmental sustainability by sharing concerns about planetary health with a high priority on patient safety.  GINA is working to improve the lives of people with asthma globally, and multi-faceted collaboration for improvement in all aspects of asthma care, for patients and for the environment is vital.

World Asthma Day is held on the first Tuesday in May. Each year GINA chooses a theme and coordinates preparation and distribution of World Asthma Day materials and resources. GINA also maintains the World Asthma Day Internet Headquarters, where materials and resources are posted for downloading and a complete listing of activities around the world is constantly updated.

Future World Asthma Days:
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Tuesday, May 4, 2027

The first World Asthma Day, in 1998, was celebrated in more than 35 countries in conjunction with the first World Asthma Meeting held in Barcelona, Spain. Participation has increased with each World Asthma Day held since then, and the day has become one of the world’s most important asthma awareness and education events.

02 May - John Carew Eccles death anniversary

 

John Carew Eccles (27 January 1903 – 2 May 1997) was an Australian neurophysiologist who made significant contributions to the understanding of the synapse and the functioning of the nervous system. He won the 1963 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on the synapse.

His research focused on the synapse, the tiny gap between two nerve cells where chemical signals are transmitted. He was able to show that the synapse was not a passive structure but an active one that could amplify or inhibit signals. Eccles’ work revolutionized the field of neuroscience and laid the groundwork for much of the research that followed. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1963, along with Andrew Huxley and Alan Hodgkin, for their work on the ionic mechanisms of nerve cells.

He died on 2 May 1997, in Switzerland.

02 May - Giulio Natta death annivesary

 

Giulio Natta (26 February 1903 – 02 May 1979) was an Italian chemist and Nobel laureate who is best known for his work on the development of stereospecific catalysts for polymerization reactions.

From 1929 to 1933, he also taught physical chemistry at the University of Milan’s Faculty of Science. He started working on the X-ray structures of inorganic compounds at the University of Milan. In 1932, he studied electron diffraction analysis with Hermann Staudinger in Germany and used both processes to investigate the structure of solid materials.

Later, he defined the structure of several hydroxides and hydrates. He also built an ingenious low-temperature spectrograph and described the structure of gases that solidify there.

In 1935, he was appointed as a full professor of general chemistry at the University of Rome. In the following years, he shifted to the University of Turin and remained there till 1938.

In the 1950s, he developed a stereospecific catalyst that could be used to synthesize polymers with a controlled structure and high molecular weight. This catalyst, which was based on titanium and magnesium, was widely used in the production of polypropylene and other important plastics.

Eventually, he developed linear non-branched olefinic polymers and copolymers with an atactic structure in Montecatini’s lab. He also determined the exact arrangement of chains in the lattice of the new crystalline polymers he discovered with X-ray investigations.

Natta wasn’t just a great scientist but also a great teacher and trained innumerable students, who later took on influential posts at universities. He prepared every lesson in advance, and his students appreciated his commitment to teaching.

He died on 2 May 1979, in Bergamo, Italy.

02 May - Leonardo da Vinci death anniversary

 

Leonardo da Vinci (15 April 1452 – 2 May 1519) was an Italian polymath, artist, scientist, inventor, and writer who is widely considered one of the greatest geniuses of all time.

Leonardo’s artistic genius is evident in his iconic paintings, such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, which are considered among the greatest masterpieces in the history of Western art. He also created numerous other paintings, drawings, and sculptures that are admired for their artistic skill, innovative techniques, and meticulous attention to detail.

Leonardo da Vinci was a pioneering scientist and inventor, known for his keen observations and innovative ideas. He conducted studies in anatomy, geology, engineering, and optics, among other fields. His scientific and technical drawings, including his famous Vitruvian Man, are considered groundbreaking and continue to inspire modern scientific research.

Leonardo da Vinci’s numerous inventions and engineering designs spanned a wide range of fields, including aviation, architecture, military technology, and transportation. Some of his notable inventions include flying machines, armored vehicles, and water-based devices.

Leonardo was a prolific writer and kept numerous notebooks filled with his observations, ideas, and sketches. His writings covered a wide range of topics, including art theory, anatomy, engineering, and philosophy, providing insight into his creative and intellectual mind.

He died on 2 May 1519 in France.

02 May - Satyajit Ray

 

Satyajit Ray ( 02 May 1921 – 23 April 1992), one of the world’s greatest film personalities of the twentieth century, who gave a new direction to the films of the realistic stream. Apart from this, he also showed his talent in other genres like literature, and painting. He was best known as a director in films but has also earned a notable reputation as a writer and litterateur. His first film ‘Pather Panchali’ received a total of eleven international awards including the “Best Human Document” award at the Cannes Film Festival. Satyajit Ray, who gave new recognition to Indian films in the world, is honored with Padma Shri (1958), Padma Bhushan (1965), Padma Vibhushan (1976), and Ramon Magsaysay Award (1967) in addition to Bharat Ratna (1992). Awarded the Honorary Oscar Award’ to Satyajit Ray for his phenomenal contribution to world cinema. Apart from this, he and his work won a total of 32 National Film Awards. He was born on 2 May 1921.