Health Colombia  BOGOTÁ D.C. 06/09/2016

Genetic discovery would explain aggravating of refractory epilepsy

Loss or duplication of chromosomes in patients with epilepsy was discovered by a group of a Universidad Nacional de Colombia (UNal) researchers offers new clues to understand the disease

With these findings they consider that close to 15% of the patients with refractory epilepsy may have losses or gains of genetic material which will enable explaining its appearance or aggravating of the disease.

Estudios sobre epilepsia. FOTO: UN
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Health Brazil  BRASIL 05/09/2016

Vaccines protect monkeys against Zika

US trials prove efficacy of three formulations developed by team including São Paulo-based scientists affiliated with FAPESP-funded Zika Research Network

Trials recently completed in the United States have shown that three different vaccines provide effective and safe protection against Zika virus in rhesus monkeys.Two of the formulations, a vaccine based on an inactivated Zika virus and a DNA vaccine using two Zika genes, had already proved effective in mice, according to a report by Brazilian and US researchers published in Nature in late June (see Pesquisa FAPESP no. 245 for an account in Portuguese).

 Virus zika. FOTO: Wikimedia Commons
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Social Sciences Spain  BURGOS 22/08/2016

Neanderthal child tooth and parietal fragment discovered at Teixoneres Cave (Barcelona, Spain)

Ruth Blasco, researcher at the CENIEH, is co-leader of the excavation project "Teixoneres Cave", one of the Middle Palaeolithic sites in the Iberian Peninsula with new Neanderthal fossils

It is not common to find human remains in a Pleistocene archaeological site; nevertheless, they are very significant and can be used in numerous research fields. The analysis of the characters of each fossil gives us valuable information in order to understand not only the variability of a species, but also its diet type or its development patterns.

Diente neandertal hallado en Teixoneres. FOTO: Xavier Crespiera
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Technology Spain  MADRID 29/07/2016

A Research Project Coordinated by UC3M Helps Reduce the Cost of Parallel Computing

The European research project REPARA

The European research project REPARA, which is nearing completion under the coordination of Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), has worked toward improving parallel computing applications for reducing costs, increasing performance, and improving energy efficiency, in addition to facilitating the maintenance of the source code.

 Programación. Imagen: UC3M.
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Nutrition Panama  PANAMÁ 29/07/2016

After the Age of Dinosaurs Came the Age of Ant Farmers

A group of South American ants has farmed fungi since shortly after the dinosaurs died out, according to an international research team including Smithsonian scientists

A group of South American ants has farmed fungi since shortly after the dinosaurs died out, according to an international research team including Smithsonian scientists. The genes of the ant farmers and their fungal crops reveal a surprisingly ancient history of mutual adaptations. This evolutionary give-and-take has led to some species—the leafcutter ants—developing industrial-scale farming that surpasses human agriculture in its efficiency.

 Colonia de hormigas cultivadoras de hongos. Foto: Karolyn Darrow.
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Health Brazil  BRASIL 28/07/2016

Growing evidence that a peridomestic mosquito also transmits Zika virus

Scientists find viral load in saliva of 'Culex quinquefasciatus' to be similar to that in 'Aedes aegypti'

The mosquito Aedes aegypti has been considered the main vector of Zika virus, estimated to have infected 49,000 people by June 2016, although 139,000 cases were notified in this period. Zika is also widely considered as the cause of microcephaly in 1,600 babies born in 582 Brazilian cities.

 Mosquito. Foto: FAPESP.
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Science Chile  ATACAMA 21/07/2016

ALMA Achieved Highest Polarimetric Sensitivity

Polarimetry is an important method to investigate magnetic fields in the Universe

Researchers have confirmed ALMA’s unprecedented capability for polarimetry in millimeter/submillimeter wavebands. Polarimetry is an important method to investigate magnetic fields in the Universe and astronomers are eager to use ALMA for unveiling magnetic mysteries, such as the launching mechanism of high energy jets from supermassive black holes.

 Los telescopios de ALMA. Foto: ALMA.
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Health Brazil  BRASIL 19/07/2016

Male hormone reverses cell aging in clinical trial

Telomerase, an enzyme naturally found in the human organism, is the closest of all known substances to a “cellular elixir of youth”

Telomerase, an enzyme naturally found in the human organism, is the closest of all known substances to a “cellular elixir of youth.” In a recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, Brazilian and US researchers show that sex hormones can stimulate production of this enzyme.

 Cromosomas (en gris) y telómeros (blanco). Imagen: Fapesp.
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Technology Spain  MADRID 19/07/2016

New Guidance System with 3D sounds for the visually impaired

The application is designed to be installed in a mobile phone and uses satellite navigation and augmented acoustic reality to indicate to the user the correct path that is clear of obstacles

The visually impaired will be able to use a new system of sensorial guidance that uses 3D sounds. The system was developed by Geko NAVSAT, a company that receives assistance from the Business Incubator at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) Science Park. The application is designed to be installed in a mobile phone and uses satellite navigation and augmented acoustic reality to indicate to the user the correct path that is clear of obstacles.

 Sistema de guiado con sonidos 3D para personas con discapacidad visual. Imagen: UC3M.
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Science Panama  PANAMÁ 14/07/2016

A Bioarchaeologist Reads History from Bones

Nicole Smith-Guzmán holds up a small lower jawbone and says it belonged to a seven-year old child who grew up on a sugary, corn-based diet

Nicole Smith-Guzmán holds up a small lower jawbone and says it belonged to a seven-year old child who grew up on a sugary, corn-based diet. Although the child died over 1,500 years ago, she can determine its age to within six months based on the number and size of milk versus permanent teeth. She points out several signs of dental disease—a tooth cavity, an abscess in the jawbone, a gap from a fallen milk tooth with the bone healed over before the permanent tooth could grow out. On another person’s jaw, impacted teeth suggest that the jawbone never grew to its full potential because it only chewed on soft, mushy food. On yet another set of teeth, she points out ancient tartar, which may hold plant remains and even traces of mouth bacteria.

 Mandíbula. Foto: STRI.
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Health Brazil  BRASIL 30/06/2016

Vaccine against Zika virus tested successfully in mice

The results suggest a vaccine can be produced for humans in the near future

An experimental vaccine against Zika virus developed by Brazilian and US researchers has been tested successfully in trials with mice. The results were published on June 28 in Nature and according to the authors suggest a vaccine can be produced for humans in the near future.

 Virus del Zika. Imagen: FAPESP.
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Science Chile  CHILE 29/06/2016

ALMA Discovers a Rotating Ring of Complex Organic Molecules

This observation definitively shows that organic materials formed in interstellar space are brought into the planet-forming region

Researchers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have discovered a rotating ring containing large organic molecules around a protostar. This observation definitively shows that organic materials formed in interstellar space are brought into the planet-forming region. Researchers also found that the molecular species brought into the planet-forming region vary from one protostar to another. Chemical composition is a new way to answer the long-standing question of whether or not the Solar System is a typical example of a planetary system.

 Anillo giratorio de moléculas orgánicas complejas. Créditos: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), Oya et al.
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Science Spain  SALAMANCA 16/06/2016

Improvements in training and technology transfer are required in order to boost Iberoamerican Biotechnology

'BIO.IBEROAMÉRICA 2016' ends with new proposals on bioenergy, agriculture and the environmental preservation

A conference of Pedro Alvarez, a renowned Nicaraguan scientist at Rice University in Houston (Texas, USA), has been an exceptional finishing touch for 'BIO.IBEROAMÉRICA 2016, which throughout the last four days has gathered in Salamanca more than 600 researchers from 22 countries and several scientific areas such as agriculture, environment, medicine and energy. Mexico will take over to host the second edition, to be held in June 2018.

 Pedro �lvarez en BIO.IBEROAM�RICA 2016.
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Science Chile  ATACAMA 14/06/2016

ALMA Witness Intergalactic Deluge Feeding a Black Hole

An international team of astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has witnessed a cosmic weather event that has never been seen before

An international team of astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has witnessed a cosmic weather event that has never been seen before – a cluster of towering intergalactic gas clouds raining in on the supermassive black hole at the center of a huge galaxy one billion light-years from Earth. The results will appear in the journal Nature on June 9, 2016.

 Un pequeño cúmulo de nubes de gas gigantes que precipitan en dirección del agujero negro central. Imagen: NRAO/AUI/NSF; Dana Berry / SkyWorks; ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO).
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Nutrition Panama  PANAMÁ 13/06/2016


Using a reverse paint-by-numbers approach, scientists have located another gene that controls the brilliant patterning of Heliconius butterfly wings

Using a reverse paint-by-numbers approach, scientists have located another gene that controls the brilliant patterning of Heliconius butterfly wings. Led by former Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) fellow Nicola Nadeau, the researchers identified variations in the gene that correspond to wing color and pattern variation in three different Heliconius species. Published in Nature, June 2016, the discovery puts scientists a step closer to unlocking the code responsible for diversity and evolution in butterflies and moths.

 Mariposa Heliconius. Ilustración por: Paulette Guardia.
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Health Spain  MADRID 09/06/2016

A research project to improve the laws regarding disability

Madrid Sin Barreras

Six Madrid universities, led by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), are carrying out the research project “Madrid Sin Barreras” (Barrier-free Madrid) to promote the social inclusion of persons with disabilities. For that purpose, they are analyzing the laws governing accessibility in education, employment, mobility and participation, among other areas, with the goal of improving these regulations.

 Madrid sin Barreras.
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Health Spain  SALAMANCA 08/06/2016

Nanoparticles revolutionazed the way of delivering drugs

'BIO.IBEROAMÉRICA 2016' addresses nanoscience-based treatments that can be applied to various diseases

Biotechnology applied to the improvement of health and food has been the main issue on the third day of BIO.IBEROAMÉRICA 2016. Integrando Continentes', which is being held in Salamanca. In particular, new and more efficient forms of drugs delivery has been one of the more relevant topics of this scientific meeting.

 Jesús Santamaría, investigador del Instituto de Nanociencias de Aragón.
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Science Spain  SALAMANCA 07/06/2016

Gene editing is a new challenge for ethics and the law

'BIO.IBEROAMÉRICA 2016' addresses the legal and ethical challenges posed by new genetic engineering techniques

Biotechnology not only brings together various scientific matters, but has repercussions in all areas of human knowledge, as has been demonstrated today during BIO.IBEROAMÉRICA 2016. Integrating Continents'. Carlos María Romeo Casabona, director of the Chair University BBVA-Provincial Government of Vizcaya in Law and Human Genome at the Universities of Deusto and the Basque Country Foundation, examined an issue of topical, editing genes from the point of view of ethics and law.

 Asitentes a BIO.IBEROAM�RICA 2016.
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Technology Spain  SALAMANCA 06/06/2016

2016 BIO.IBEROAMÉRICA claims the Iberoamerican scientific heritage in its opening

The keynote lecture of Dr. Tejal Desai, an expert in nanotechnology based therapies , serves as starting point to a outstanding programme

The American researcher Tejal Desai was in charge of the opening lecture of BIO.IBEROAMÉRICA 2016. Intengrando Conteinentes'. The conference started today with an official ceremony, led by the rector of the University of Salamanca, Daniel Hernandez Ruipérez, who wanted to highlight during his intervention the close historical links between Salamanca´s academic institution , who turns 800 years in 2018, and the Latin America region. Ruiperez also expressed his wish that this anniversary would serve as an incentive to create a common university system throughout Latin America.

 Asistentes al congreso.
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Nutrition Spain  MADRID 02/06/2016

Discovering How Cyanobacteria Form Patterns for Nitrogen Fixation

These microorganisms are fundamental to life on Earth because they produce much of the oxygen in our planet, and convert nitrogen into chemical forms which can be used by any life form

Almost all the oxygen in the atmosphere today was produced by cyanobacteria 3,000 million years ago; cyanobacteria continue to produce between 20% and 30% of the photosynthetic activity on Earth. Furthermore, they perform additional vital tasks: along with other microorganisms called Archaea, they are the only living beings able to convert nitrogen from the atmosphere into chemical forms which can be used by any life form. According to one of the authors of the research, Saúl Ares of Grupo Interdisciplinar de Sistemas Complejos (GISC; Interdisciplinary Complex Systems Group) at UC3M. "Without cyanobacteria, neither human beings nor any other complex living organisms could survive on Earth, because we would not have oxygen to breathe or nitrogen with which to build complex molecules like DNA and the proteins in our bodies".

 Simulación por ordenador de la evolución temporal de un filamento de cianobacterias. Imagen: UC3M.
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