Technology Spain  MADRID 02/12/2013

Google+ registers many users, but few are active

A research group at Universidad Carlos III of Madrid (UC3M) has analyzed the first months that Google+ has been functioning to study its popularity and compare this platform to others, such as Facebook and Twitter

Social networks have become the Internet’s most used applications. Among these, Facebook and Twitter dominate the market, with billions of users. Given this scenario, “Google, the internet giant, realized that in order to maintain its dominant position, it would have to get involved in the social network market,” declares one of the authors of the study, Rubén Cuevas, of UC3M’s Telematic Engineering Department. His study seeks to settle the debate regarding the success of Google+. On one hand, Google has, on several occasions, declared its social network a huge success; on the other hand, some experts and media sources, such as the Wall Street Journal, have nicknamed the network a “ghost town”.

Gráfico sobre los usuarios de Google+. Imagen: UC3M.
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Health Argentina  ARGENTINA 25/11/2013

Advances in the identification of novel targets for prolactinoma treatments

CONICET scientists study inhibitory effects of the prolactin secretion and cell proliferation to counterbalance the development of these tumours

In the year 2010, a study of the Division of Endocrinology of the “Hospital de Clinicas José de San Martin” showed that 79 per cent of the patients diagnosed with lesions on the hypothalamic- hypophyseal area of the brain had tumours at the base of the brain, and of those, 19 per cent were prolactinomas, a type of benign tumour of the pituitary gland that is responsible for several hormone secretions.

Díaz Torga, Recouvreux y el equipo del IBYME. Foto: gentileza investigadores.
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Social Sciences Chile  ATACAMA 21/11/2013

Infant galaxies merging near ‘Cosmic Dawn’

Astronomers have discovered a far-flung trio of primitive galaxies nestled inside an enormous blob of primordial gas nearly 13 billion light-years from Earth

Astronomers using the combined power of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) telescope and NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope have discovered a far-flung trio of primitive galaxies nestled inside an enormous blob of primordial gas nearly 13 billion light-years from Earth.

Estructura de Himiko, un objeto formado por la fusión de tres galaxias jóvenes y brillantes del Universo temprano. Himiko visto por el telescopio espacial Hubble y el telescopio Subaru. Créditos: NASA/Hubble; NASA/Spitzer; NAOJ/Subaru.
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Nutrition Colombia  ANTIOQUIA 13/11/2013

Forensic entomology: crime solving insects

For more than a decade researchers at the University of Antioquia have been studying forensic entomology and compiled a vast collection of insect species that can help determine the elapsed time since a person has died

“Insects are fascinating,” says Professor Martha Wolf, an entomologist at the University of Antioquia who has long been devoted to study the role of insects in death investigations, and current director of the UA Entomology Group (GEUA), established in 1997. The use of insects in forensic investigations dates back to the 13th century in China as evidenced by Chinese physician and forensic expert Song Ci (also known as Sung T’zu) in his book “The washing away of wrongs”.

Professor Martha Isabel Wolf, current director of the UA Entomology Group (GEUA), a pioneer in the field of forensic entomology in Colombia. FOTO: UDEA.
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Nutrition Argentina  SANTA FE 12/11/2013

The tick holds the key

Molecular techniques allow detecting and determining the population dynamics of a bacterium that uses ticks as vectors

Lucas Monje is 35, holds a PhD in Biological Sciences and is a CONICET assistant researcher at the Laboratory of Disease Ecology of the Institute of Veterinary Sciences (ICIVET-LITORAL, CONICET-UNL). Although he works in the field of molecular biology, “the subject that I became directly involved with is an investigation that tries to elucidate the eco- epidemiology of Rickettsia parkeri, a bacterium that causes emerging infectious diseases”, he explains.

Fotos Investigadores procesando roedores � Garrapata (Amblyomma triste) hembra. Gentileza Georgina Tumini (ICIVET). Foto Lucas Monje. CCT Santa Fe.
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Technology Colombia  ANTIOQUIA 31/10/2013

UA-led research team develops plant-based biofuel

Researchers at the University of Antioquia have managed to produce biofuel from aquatic plants

Most of Ayapel inhabitants derive their livelihood from hunting, fishing and agriculture. However, these resources are being drastically depleted as a result of overexploitation and deforestation. Also overfishing has led to a decline in populations of several species including shad, catfish and bocachico. Illegal gold mining and drop in rice prices due to free trade agreements are also problems affecting this region.

Researchers at the University of Antioquia have managed to produce biofuel from aquatic plants. Author: UDEA.
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Social Sciences Chile  ATACAMA 30/10/2013

ALMA reveals ghostly shape of ‘coldest place in the universe’

Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) telescope have taken a new look at this intriguing object

At a cosmologically crisp one degree Kelvin (minus 458 degrees Fahrenheit), the Boomerang Nebula is the coldest known object in the Universe – colder, in fact, than the faint afterglow of the Big Bang, which is the natural background temperature of space.

La nebulosa del Búmeran, llamada �el lugar más frío del Universo�, revela su verdadera forma gracias a ALMA.  Crédito: Bill Saxton; NRAO/AUI/NSF; NASA/Hubble; Raghvendra Sahai.
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Nutrition Chile  ATACAMA 16/10/2013

ALMA Probes Mysteries of Jets from Giant Black Holes

Astronomers obtained the best view yet of the molecular gas around a nearby

Two international teams of astronomers have used the power of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to focus on jets from the huge black holes at the centres of galaxies and observe how they affect their surroundings. They have respectively obtained the best view yet of the molecular gas around a nearby, quiet black hole and caught an unexpected glimpse of the base of a powerful jet close to a distant black hole.

Composición de la galaxia NGC 1433 con imágenes de ALMA y Hubble. Crédito: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/NASA/ESA/F. Combes.
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Science Spain  ZAMORA 15/10/2013

Researches in the late roman site of 'El Castillón' reveal a longer occupation for the settlement

Last summer fieldworks revealed that the settlement of Santa Eulalia was inhabited until the 7th century AD

Last campaign of excavations at El Castillon (located in Santa Eulalia de Tabara, Zamora, Northwestern Spain) have revealed that this Late Roman town was occupied for a longer period of time than the determined by the scientists so far. Prior dating placed the last dwellers of El Castillon not beyond the 5th century AD, but in the 2013 fieldwork, the archaeologists have discovered artefacts enabling to enlarge the chronology of the site until a period between the 6th and the 8th centuries, then the Early Middle Ages.

Trabajos de excavación en El Castillón.
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Health Spain  MADRID 15/10/2013

Improvements in the Detection of Drug Interactions Researched

A pharmacological interaction occurs when the effects of one drug are modified by the presence of another

A group of researchers at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) recently organized an international science competition on information extraction techniques to more accurately detect the pharmacological interactions described in biomedical texts.

Administración de fármacos.
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Nutrition Colombia  ANTIOQUIA 09/10/2013

UA researchers discover new frog species

University of Antioquia researchers claimed to have discovered a new species of amphibian endemic to the department of Antioquia
The discovery was announced last week in Herpetologica, a journal published by the Herpetologist's League, an international organization devoted to the study and conservation of amphibians and reptiles. La nueva especie se dio a conocer el 7 de septiembre del 2013, en la revista estadounidense Herpetologica. Foto: Mauricio Rivera Correa.
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Science Chile  ATACAMA 01/10/2013

Final Antenna Delivered to ALMA

By the end of 2013, all 66 ultra-precise millimeter/submillimeter wave radio antennas are expected to be working together as one telescope

The final antenna for the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) project has just been handed over to the ALMA Observatory by the European AEM Consortium, which also marks the successful delivery of a total of 25 European antennas, 25 North American antennas and 16 Japanese antennas.

La última de las 66 antenas de ALMA. Foto: ALMA.

 

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Technology Spain  MADRID 30/09/2013

An automatic monitoring system has been created for subtitling digital television

30% of the channels do not subtitle correctly

Researchers at the Laboratorio de Accesibilidad Audiovisual (Laboratory for Audiovisual Accessibility) in Universidad Carlos III of Madrid’s (UC3M) Science Park have created a system that analyzes the contents of subtitles on DTTV. According to the data that is automatically gathered, 30% of channels fail to comply with current legislation regarding subtitling and accessibility.

Subtítulos en un partido de baloncesto emitido por televisión.
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Science Spain  MADRID 23/09/2013

Spain Far from the Top in New Happiness Ranking

Spain is the 49th happiest country in the world, according to a new index of happiness based on migratory flows and not on subjective answers to surveys

Spain is the 49th happiest country in the world, according to a new index of happiness based on migratory flows and not on subjective answers to surveys created by the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Hong Kong, Singapore and New Zealand occupy the first three places.

Jóvenes tumbados en el césped. Foto: UC3M.
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Nutrition Spain  MADRID 16/09/2013

Remote Traffic Pollution Detection System Created

Their goal is to be able to conduct a global test of automobile emissions

A group of research centers and companies in which the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid participates has created the first infrared and remote system able to detect pollutants from cars on highways up to three lanes. Their goal is to be able to conduct a global test of automobile emissions.

Equipo de medición hiperespectral en vía multicarril para obtener la firma de emisión por infrarrojo de gases tóxicos producidos por el tráfico rodado. Foto: UC3M.
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Health Argentina  ARGENTINA 10/09/2013

Ubiquitin: small things matter

As a great recycling machine, this protein labels molecules that must be degraded and eliminates them, in an attempt to control many of the essential functions of the cell
Protein degradation, cell growth regulation, DNA repair, neural and muscle degeneration and response to stress are some of the functions that ubiquitin, a small protein that is found in most body cells, regulates. Its name comes from the Latin word ubīque, which means “everywhere”. Gastón Soria. Foto: gentileza investigador.
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Health Argentina  NEUQUÉN 06/09/2013

Yeasts for bioremediation

These organisms were found in acid aquatic environments of Agrio River and Cavihue Lake in Neuquén, Argentina
The team led by Maria Rosa Giraudo de van Brook, principal investigator of CONICET at the Center for Biodiversity and Environment Research (INIBIOMA, CONICET-UNCo), found a type of native yeast from the Patagonian Forest capable of accumulating metal in highly acidified environments. Micrografía óptica de levaduras (Foto: infouniversidades).
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Nutrition Chile  ATACAMA 02/09/2013

ALMA reveals luminous birth in the Milky Way

Chilean and foreign astronomers were able to detect a star in formation–a protostar–that appears to be one of the brightest and massive found in our galaxy
Thanks to data detected with the ALMA radio telescope, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, Chilean and foreign astronomers were able to detect a star in formation–a protostar–that appears to be one of the brightest and massive found in our galaxy. ALMA revela luminoso nacimiento en la Vía Láctea. Crédito: ALMA(ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)
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Technology Chile  ATACAMA 25/07/2013

ALMA Sheds Light on Mystery of Missing Massive Galaxies

The study is published in the journal 'Nature' on 25 July 2013
New observations from the ALMA telescope in Chile have given astronomers the best view yet of how vigorous star formation can blast gas out of a galaxy and starve future generations of stars of the fuel they need to form and grow. The dramatic images show enormous outflows of molecular gas ejected by star-forming regions in the nearby Sculptor Galaxy. These new results help to explain the strange paucity of very massive galaxies in the Universe. The study is published in the journal Nature on 25 July 2013. Visión tridimensional del gas expulsado de NGC 253 visto por ALMA. Crédito: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/Erik Rosolowsky
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Technology Spain  MADRID 22/07/2013

A scientific experiment is able to create a wave that is frozen in time

Scientists at the Universidad Carlos III of Madrid (UC3M) and the University of California - San Diego (UC San Diego) have created, in a laboratory, a static pipeline wave

Scientists at the Universidad Carlos III of Madrid (UC3M) and the University of California - San Diego (UC San Diego) have created, in a laboratory, a static pipeline wave, with a crest that moves neither forward nor backward. This research will allow improvement in boat and seaport designs and will enable analysis of how carbon dioxide exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere occurs.

Experimento de una ola congelada en el tiempo. Foto: UC3M.
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