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Objetivo

El objetivo de este comite esta dirigido a tener un intercambio de información para los integrantes de la comunidad científica colombiana dentro y fuera de Colombia.

Todos tenemos un compendio de información que le puede ser útil y es este "cerebro" colectivo organizado en una forma eficiente la que puede ser útil para la comunidad.

Vale la pena reiterar los propositos de PECX:

1.  Facilitar el contacto entre científicos, investigadores y estudiantes colombianos fuera del país y las instituciones académicas, científicas, culturales e indiustriales en Colombia.

2. Promover el intercambio de iniciativas entre los profesionales colombianos que se encuentran fuera del pais, y las instituciones colombianas que se pueden beneficar de ellos.

3. Trabajar en conjunto con las instituciones dedicadas al desarrollo del pais, incluidas especificamente las instituciones que promueven la investigacion como "Colciencias", estudios avanzados como "Icfes" e "Icetex", actividades culturales como "Colcultura" entre otras.

Para Destacar

Dos biólogos colombianos fueron oradores en la Academia de Ciencias de Estados Unidos
tomado de eltiempo.com  Dec 19 2004

Uno de los Andes y otro de la Nacional, participaron en el evento con el que la academia más prestigiosa del mundo conmemoró centenario de Ernst Mayr.

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Para destacar

Abril 2 de 2004
Jóvenes colombianos obtienen recursos de Alemania para proyecto de divulgación científica infantil.

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Boletín Informativo de Colciencias

Boletín No 44 - Año 3
3 de Diciembre de 2004 
División de Ciencia, Cultura y Comunicación
 

 

 


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Becas y Fellowships, Febrero 2005

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GRANTSNET NEWSLETTER (February 2005)

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Pre/Post Docs en ICGEB

THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR GENETIC ENGINEERING
AND BIOTECHNOLOGY (ICGEB)

An international organization dedicated to advanced research and
training in molecular biology and biotechnology, with special regard to
the needs of the developing world.

Pre- & Post-doctoral positions The newly established Laboratory of
Molecular Virology at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering
and Biotechnology (ICGEB) focuses on the establishment of virus latency
and on its relationship with host cell’s factors. Postintegration
latency of the human immunodeficiency virus and adeno-associated virus
site-specific integration are being currently investigated. We are
actively searching one pre-doctoral candidate with some previous
experience in protein chemistry and molecular biology In order to
implement the use of proteomics in collaboration with the Proteomics
Laboratory of the ICGEB. The successful candidate will join the
international pre-doctoral program of the ICGEB (www.icgeb.org). We are
also offering one post-doctoral position to apply highly advanced
fluorescence optical techniques for the visualization of HIV-1
integrated into chromatin and during reactivation. The candidate will
work within the consortium “Challenging the hidden HIV: understanding
the block on transcriptional reactivation to eradicate infection” funded
by the European Community. The ideal post-doctoral candidate should have
an experience in molecular and cellular biology. Previous experience in
fluorescence microscopy is not necessarily required, but will provide an
asset to the project. The successful candidate will join the
international post-doctoral program of the ICGEB (www.icgeb.org).

Candidates from ICGEB Member States are strongly encouraged to apply.

Alessandro Marcello, PhD
Head, Molecular Virology Laboratory
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB)
Padriciano, 99 - 34012 Trieste, ITALY
Phone: +39 040 3757375; Fax: +39 040 226555; Email: marcello@icgeb.org
Trieste 18th January 2005

Política científica colombiana será discutida en la Universidad de Harvard y el MIT

Eltiempo.com
Noviembre 7 de 2005

El certamen, cuyo título es ‘Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación en Colombia 2005’, es organizado por El Coloquio Colombiano.

Esta es una organización estudiantil de la Universidad de Harvard y el Instituto de Tecnología de Maassachusetts (MIT, por su sigla en inglés). Fundada hace nueve años, su “propósito es crear espacio académico abierto para discutir los temas colombianos”.

Dentro de la conferencia, que se realizará el 18 y el 19 de noviembre, se discutirán los siguientes temas:

  • El diagnóstico del estado de la Ciencia y la Tecnología en Colombia.
  • Cómo capitalizar la exportación de recursos humanos calificados.
  • Áreas con ventaja competitiva para Colombia.
  • Soluciones alternativas dadas las restricciones existentes.

De acuerdo con los organizadores, “el rápido ritmo del avance tecnológico, la globalización y las reformas económicas están creando cambios dramáticos en la estructura de las economías y en los mercados laborales a través del mundo.

La investigación y la educación son cada vez más valoradas mientras la ‘economía del conocimiento’ encuentra su lugar y la fragmentación de los procesos de producción trae competencia global a cada aspecto de la economía.

Dos de los principales factores para determinar la capacidad de un país en este contexto son los niveles de desarrollo científico y tecnológico y la preparación y adaptabilidad de la fuerza de trabajo.

“Colombia es un país en desarrollo con deficiencias en aspectos socioeconómicos y tecnológicos. Aunque lo anterior conlleva un tono de urgencia, la contribución que puede hacerse por desarrollos tecnológicos podría ofrecer soluciones sostenibles para muchos de los desafíos socioeconómicos que enfrenta. De ahí la importancia de organizar y comunicar los esfuerzos de los investigadores locales y en el exterior, las instituciones gubernamentales, los establecimientos académicos y los empresarios interesados en promover la investigación y la innovación en Colombia”.

El certamen contará con la participación de altos representantes del Gobierno colombiano: Santiago Montenegro, Director del Departamento de Planeación Nacional; Maria del Rosario Guerra, Directora de Conciencias; Hernando José Gómez, jefe de negociadores para el TLC; de organismos multilaterales: Guillermo Perry, Economista en Jefe para Latinoamérica y el Caribe del Banco Mundial. Así mismo, participarán  renombrados académicos e industriales: Karen Polenske, Directora del Grupo de desarrollo Internacional y Planeación Regional de MIT; Carlos Angulo, Director de la Universidad de los Andes; Lindsay Lowell, Director de Estudios de Política del Instituto de Migración Internacional de la Universidad de Georgetown; Miguel Rueda, Presidente de Epsifarma, entre otros.

La conferencia está organizada en los siguientes páneles:

  • Panel 1. Estado actual de la ciencia y la tecnología en Colombia. El tipo y la calidad de la investigación que se lleva a cabo en Colombia serán evaluadas. Así mismo, será presentada información sobre las instituciones públicas y privadas que llevan a cabo investigación,  sus áreas de estudio y recursos, así como sus planes en el futuro inmediato.
  • Panel 2. Capitalizando la fuga de cerebros. La carencia de recursos en Colombia en comparación con los de los países desarrollados genera una fuga de cerebros temporal o permanente. Este fenómeno crea ventajas y desventajas para el país. El panel abordará las características y efectos económicos de la diáspora.
  • Panel 3. Áreas de vantaja competitivas. Un primer paso para hacer a Colombia competitive mundialmente  es identificar áreas en las cuales Colombia puede tener ventajas intrínsecas a fin de competir en la economía global.
  • Panel 4. Soluciones alternativas. Una vez se determine el estado de la ciencia y la tecnología en Colombia, así como las áreas en las que sería más competitiva, la pregunta natural sería: ¿cuáles son los mecanismos necesarios para promover este desarrollo? Este panel enfatizará en proponer soluciones concretas y creativas para los problemas existentes. Se enfocará en soluciones viables dado el estado actual de recursos en Colombia.

Programación:

Viernes, 18 de Noviembre (MIT):
Auditorio Kresge
8am-9:00am   Registro
9am-9:15 a.m. Comentarios de apertura
9:15 a.m.– 12m
Panel I : Estado de la Ciencia, Tecnologia  e innovacion en Colombia:

“Estado de la Ciencia, la Tecnología y la Innovación en Colombia y sus perspectivas futuras”/Maria del Rosario Guerra de Mesa,  Directora General de Colciencias

“Innovación en Latinoamérica”/Guillermo E. Perry, Economista en jefe para Latinoamerica y el Caribe del Banco Mundial

“Posibilidades y problemas para establecer una carrera científica en Colombia” Moisés Wasserman Lerner, Director de la Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales y Decano de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional

Plan 2019 y Ciencia en Colombia/Santiago Montenegro Trujillo,  Director de Planeación Nacional, Colombia

Auditorio Wong
1pm - 3:30pm
Estado de la Ciencia, Tecnologia  e innovacion en Colombia (continuación):

La investigación en la Universidad de Los Andes/Carlos Angulo Galvis, Rector de la Universidad de los Andes

“La Investigación en la Universidad de Antioquia y los Nuevos Retos”/Pablo J. Patiño Grajales, Representante de la Decanatura de Investigación, Universidad de Antioquia

La investigación en la Universidad Nacional/Natalia Ruiz Rodgers, Vicerrectora Academica, Universidad Nacional.

Auditorio Wong
4:00pm - 6:30pm
Panel II Cómo aprovechar la fuga de cerebros:

“Fuga de Cerebros y Diásporas: Retos y Promesas para el Desarrollo”/ Lindsay Lowell,  Director de Estudios de Política, Instituto de Migración Internacional, Universidad de Georgetown

Posibilidades de colaboración entre investigadores en Colombia y en el exterior/ Jose Rafael Toro Gómez:  Vicerrector de Asuntos Académicos, Universidad de los Andes

Estrategia de Colciencias para la integracion de la comunidad científica colombiana en el exterior /Juan Pablo Isaza Vargas:  Jefe de la división de Internacionalización de la Ciencia de Colciencias.

“Fuga de Cerebros y Desarrollo Económico: amigos o enemigos”./ Francisco L. Rivera - Batiz:  Director del Programa en Administración de Política Económica, Universidad de Columbia

“Impacto de las colaboraciones internacionales en la calidad de producción científica en Colombia”. /Gonzalo Ordoñez Matamoros: estudiante de postgrado, Escuela de Política Pública, Georgia Tech

Sábado, 19 de Noviembre (Harvard):
Sanders Theater
9am - 12:30pm

Panel III: Areas con Ventaja Competitiva

Ventaja competitive y propiedad intelectual en el comercio internacional/ Hernando Jose Gomez: Jefe del Equipo Colombiano de Negociación del TLC

“Cambios Tecnológicos y Eficiencia en Energia”/Karen R. Polenske: Directora del Grupo de Desarrollo Internacional y Planeación Regional, MIT

Desarrollo tecnológico en el sector farmacéutico/Miguel Germán Rueda Serbausek: exDirector del INVIMA, Presidente de Epsifarma

Posibilidades de tecnología en el sector  de informática/ Jorge Aramburo
Siegert: Presidente de PSL S.A

Posibilidades en el sector de telecomunicaciones/Gustavo Adolfo Gómez Uribe: Director de la Agenda de Conectividad del Ministerio de Comunicaciones

Lowell Lecture Hall
1:30pm - 5:00pm
Panel 4: Soluciones Innovadoras

Impulsando la Innovación a través de las Incubadoras Empresariales/ Dario Montoya Mejía: Director General del SENA

Nuevas opciones de investigación a través de la consolidación de las EPS/ Carlos Palacino Antía: Presidente, grupo Saludcoop

“Como convertir vantajas competitivas endesarrollo sostenible”/ Andres Lopez
Astudillo: profesor de administracion, ICESI .Orlando Rincón Bonilla: Presidente de ParqueSoft.

“SHARE Boston – un Consulado Cientifico para Nueva Inglaterra”/ Remo Steinmetz, Director de programa, Casa Suiza para la Investigación Académica

“Sistema de Recaudo – Transporte masivo transmileneo”/ Jorge Cortazar, Miembro de la junta directiva, Angelcom

El programa de Centros de Excelencia en la investigación/Felipe García Vallejo: Subdirector Programas de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico de Colciencias

“Fabricación Personal y Proveedores en Internet”/ Jorge Andrés Barrera: Director de Ingenieria, Formulatrix

“MIT OpenCoarseWare: Un modelo para colaboración abierta”/Jon Paul Potts:
Communications Manager of MIT OpenCourseWare

El certamen es abierto al público y gratuito. Para mayor información por favor diríjase a www.cticolombia.com.

Inmunomarcaje de la ATPasa del retículo sarcoendoplasmático, SERCA 2 (verde) y coloración de Hoechst para núcleos (azul) en células de neuroblastoma humano SH-SY5Y. La principal función de SERCA es bombear Calcio desde el citoplasma hacia el Retículo Endoplasmático, este mecanismo evita que ocurran acumulaciones tóxicas de este ion en el citoplasma celular. Se piensa que su función puede ser alterada por anestésicos volátites como halotano e Isofluorano.
Agradecimientos a  Zayra Viviana Garavito-Aguilar. Anesthesiology Department. NYU Medical School

Ciencia al Dia

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

  • 'Shaquille O'Neal' Of Bacteria Big Enough To See With Naked Eye - Cornell researchers are studying bacterium big enough to see -- the Shaquille O'Neal of bacteria. The secret to an unusual bacterium's massive size -- it's the size of a grain of salt, or a million times bigger than E. coli bacteria, and big enough to see with the naked eye -- may be found in its ability to copy its genome tens of thousands of times.
  • Women Who Breastfeed For More Than A Year Halve Their Risk Of Rheumatoid Arthritis - Women who breast feed for longer have a smaller chance of getting rheumatoid arthritis, suggests a new study. The study also found that taking oral contraceptives, which are suspected to protect against the disease because they contain hormones that are raised in pregnancy, did not have the same effect. Also, simply having children and not breast feeding also did not seem to be protective.
  • Treatment For Severe Blood Loss: Less Is More - Intravenous administration of isotonic fluids is the standard emergency treatment in the U.S. for patients with severe blood loss, but now bioengineering researchers have reported improved resuscitation with a radically different approach. Building on earlier studies in humans that have shown benefits of intravenous fluids that are eight times saltier than normal saline, the researchers combined hypertonic saline with viscosity enhancers that thicken blood.
  • Physical Activity More Likely To Prevent Breast Cancer In Certain Groups - Physically active women are 25 percent less likely to get breast cancer, but certain groups are more likely to see these benefits than others, finds a review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The type of activity undertaken, at what time in life and the woman's body mass index (BMI) will determine how protective the activity is against the disease.
  • Using Fruit To Aid The Sun's Work - Blackberries, blueberries, oranges and grapes --- chemistry students are loading up on their fruits these days, but it has nothing to do with the food pyramid. The students are using the fruit to produce solar energy. Actually, they are using the dye from the fruit in a process to create solar cells.
  • When Following The Leader Can Lead Into The Jaws Of Death - An international study of animal behavior has important implications for human decision-making. For animals that live in social groups, and that includes humans, blindly following a leader could place them in danger. To avoid this, animals have developed simple but effective behavior to follow where at least a few of them dare to tread -- rather than follow a single group member. This pattern of behavior reduces the risk of imitating maverick behavior of an individual as the group recognize that consensus is better than following someone that goes it alone.
  • Hot Climate Could Shut Down Plate Tectonics - A new study of possible links between climate and geophysics finds that a much hotter climate could shut down the Earth's plate tectonics. While human-induced climate change couldn't generate the needed heat, volcanic activity or changes in the sun's luminosity could. The research, in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, may help explain why Venus swelters beneath a thick blanket of heat-trapping carbon dioxide.
  • Electrode Re-implantation Helps Some Parkinson's Disease Patients - A study of seven patients with Parkinson's disease suggests that those who have poor results following implantation of electrodes to stimulate the brain may benefit from additional surgery to correct the electrode placement, according to a new report.
  • Fish Diet To Avoid Fights With Slightly Larger Rivals - People diet to look more attractive. Fish diet to avoid being beaten up, thrown out of their social group and getting eaten as a result. Researchers have discovered that subordinate gobis deliberately diet to avoid posing a challenge to their larger rivals by consistently remaining 5-10% smaller. Once a subordinate fish grows to within 5-10% of its larger rival, it provokes a fight which usually ends in the smaller goby being expelled from the group.
  • Timing Improves Cleft Palate Surgery - New research is changing the way cleft palate surgeries are performed throughout North America and around the world. Surgical timing has been a controversial topic with various cleft centers around the world opting for early closure at about 3-6 months of age. However, research complied over the past 20 years has shown that the best time to close the cleft at the alveolus (gum) in patients with either one or two sided clefts is at eight or nine years of age prior to canine tooth eruption.
  • 'Super Yeasts' Produce 300 Times More Protein Than Previously Possible - Researchers in California report development of a new kind of genetically modified yeast cell that produces complex proteins up to 300 times more than possible in the past. These "super yeasts" could help boost production and lower prices for a new generation of protein-based drugs that show promise for fighting diabetes, obesity, and other diseases, the researchers suggest.
  • Asthma Linked To Higher Suicidal Thoughts With Attempts - Asthma is associated with higher suicidal thoughts with attempted suicide, but does not seem to be linked with suicidal thoughts without attempts, according to a new report in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Cigarette smoking and concurrent mental health conditions may independently account for significant proportions (but not all) of the association between asthma and suicidal thoughts with attempts noted researchers.
  • A Molecular Thermometer For The Distant Universe - For the first time, astronomers have detected in the ultraviolet the carbon monoxide molecule in a galaxy located almost 11 billion light-years away, a feat that had remained elusive for 25 years. This detection allows them to obtain the most precise measurement of the cosmic temperature at such a remote epoch.
  • Multiple Sclerosis Can Affect Children's IQ, Thinking Skills - Multiple sclerosis typically starts in young adulthood, but about five percent of cases start in childhood or the teen years. Children with MS are at risk to exhibit low IQ scores and problems with memory, attention and other thinking skills, according to a new study in Neurology.
  • Sniffing Dogs Detect Feces To Help Monitor And Protect Threatened Animals In Brazil - It's a tough job, but somebody, or at least some dogs, have to do it. In the Cerrado region of Brazil, four dogs trained to detect animal feces by scent are helping researchers monitor rare and threatened wildlife such as jaguar, tapir, giant anteater and maned wolf in and around Emas National Park, a protected area with the largest concentration of threatened species in Brazil.
  • Nearly One-third Of All Inexpensive Earrings Examined Tested Positive For Nickel - For the estimated 82 percent of women with pierced ears, earrings are an important fashion accessory that many women wear, and change, daily. However, a new study suggests that women may be getting more than they bargained for when purchasing inexpensive earrings. Nickel exposure from these earrings is a common cause of dermatitis on the earlobes and repeated exposure can make treatment difficult.
  • Ancient Protein Offers Clues To Killer Condition - More than 600 million years of evolution has taken two unlikely distant cousins -- turkeys and scallops -- down very different physical paths from a common ancestor. But researchers have found that a motor protein, myosin 2, remains structurally identical in both creatures.
  • College Student Sleep Patterns Could Be Detrimental - Many college students have sleep patterns that could have detrimental effects on their daily performance. As a graduate student, the researcher had her own trouble sleeping, prompting her to conduct a study to determine if other students experienced the same problems. Many of the students surveyed admitted that it took longer than 30 minutes for them to fall asleep and/or they woke more than once a night for at least five nights a week.
  • Seeing Alzheimer's Amyloids With Electron Microscopy For First Time - In an important step toward demystifying the role protein clumps play in the development of neurodegenerative disease, researchers have created a stunning three-dimensional picture of an Alzheimer's peptide aggregate using electron microscopy. Researchers have shown -- for the first time -- how A-beta peptide, found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, forms a spaghetti-like protein mass called an amyloid fibril.
  • New Approach To Protect The Hearts Of Patients With Muscular Dystrophy - Researchers have recently shown that the administration of sildenafil protects the heart in mice with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The researchers explain that the choice of sildenafil was based on their previous studies indicating that the hearts of dystrophic mice do not function as effectively and are more susceptible to stress-induced cell death.
  • New Technique Measures Ultrashort Laser Pulses At Focus - Lasers that emit ultrashort pulses of light are used for numerous applications, but the quality of the results is limited by distortions caused by lenses and other optical components that are part of the experimental instrumentation. Researchers have developed a system that tells researchers what types of aberrations are present, which allows them to create the desired pulse at the focus that's free of distortions.
  • New Theory Suggests How Hepatitis C May Cause Rare Immune Disease - Of the hepatitis alphabet, the C variant may be the nastiest. In 1990, researchers observed that most patients with hepatitis C also develop a rare autoimmune disease called mixed cryoglobulinemia, a condition that frequently leads to cancer, arthritis or both. Now, researchers say that a decade-old explanation of how one disease causes the other is likely wrong, and instead offer a new -- albeit controversial -- theory of their own: that the pathogen causing the disease zeros in on a specific cellular target that has yet to be identified.
  • Texting Costs In UK Are 'Out Of This World' -- More Expensive Than Downloading Data From Hubble Space Telescope - Space scientist says texting in the United Kingdom is at least four times more expensive than receiving scientific data from space.
  • Medical Research Should Include More Women Participants And Examine The Role Of Gender In Disease, Researchers Urge - Are the health needs of women adequately addressed by medical research as it is currently conducted? A team of Australian researchers and two cardiologists closely examine this question.
  • Molecule With 'Self-control' Synthesized - Plants have an ambivalent relationship with light. They need it to live, but too much light leads to the increased production of high-energy chemical intermediates that can injure or kill the plant. The intermediates do this because the efficient conversion of sunlight into chemical energy cannot keep up with sunlight streaming into the plant.
  • New MRI Technique Detects Subtle But Serious Brain Injury - A new technique for analyzing magnetic resonance imaging data can reveal serious brain injury missed by current tests and help predict a patient's degree of recovery. In brain injuries sustained when the head suddenly stops moving — during a motor vehicle accident, for instance — the force can shear and damage nerve cells. This kind of injury does not show up on computerized tomography scans, the researchers said, and magnetic resonance imaging does not yet reliably detect this type of injury.
  • Invasion Of The Spiny Water Fleas: Drying Anchor Lines Can Help Contain Spread - Reducing the spread of some invasive species into our lakes could be as simple as asking boaters and fishers to dry out their equipment, says one biology professor studying invasive species in Lake Ontario. When anchor rope, fishing line and the boats themselves are thoroughly dried, the invasive species and their eggs will die, rather than spreading to another location, she explains. "It's such a simple thing for the general public to do, and yet it could make a big difference in the way that our lake ecosystems function."
  • Identifying Abnormal Protein Levels In Diabetic Retinopathy - Researchers in Massachusetts are reporting an advance in bridging huge gaps in medical knowledge about the biochemical changes that occur inside the eyes of individuals with diabetic retinopathy (DR) -- a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in adults. They report discovery of 37 proteins that were increased or decreased in the eyes of patients with DR compared to patients without the disease.
  • Consumers Warm Up To 'Greener' Personal Care Products, But Labeling Controversy Broils - From soaps to body lotions to shampoos, consumers are increasingly drawn to personal care products that are labeled "green" or environmentally-friendly, a fast-growing market that chalks-up an estimated $4 billion in sales per year worldwide. Despite the hype over these products, there's growing confusion by consumers and manufacturers alike over what it really means to be labeled as "green," according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News.
  • Memory Lane: Older Persons With More Schooling Spend Fewer Years With Cognitive Loss - Those with at least a high school education spend more of their older years without cognitive loss -- including the effects of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and dementia -- but die sooner after the loss becomes apparent, reveals a new study in the Journal of Aging and Health.
  • How Embryonic Stem Cells Develop Into Tissue-specific Cells Demonstrated - While it has long been known that embryonic stem cells have the ability to develop into any kind of tissue-specific cells, the exact mechanism as to how this occurs has heretofore not been demonstrated. Now, researchers have succeeded in graphically revealing this process, resolving a long-standing question as to whether the stem cells achieve their development through selective activation or selective repression of genes.
  • High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol May Be Associated With Retinal Vascular Disease - High blood pressure and high cholesterol levels appear to be risk factors for retinal vein occlusion, a condition that causes vision loss, according to a new article. Retinal vein occlusion occurs when one or more veins carrying blood from the eye to the heart become blocked, according to background information in the article. Bleeding (hemorrhage) or fluid buildup (edema) may follow, damaging vision.
  • Beyond Fashion: Why You Gotta Wear Shades - Cheap sunglasses may cost you less, but are they just as likely to protect against the effects of harmful UV rays as expensive sunglasses? According to the chair of ophthalmology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital there is no certain way for consumers to be sure they are getting ultraviolet or UV protection from their sunglasses -- even if they are labeled "UV absorbing" or "UV blocking." Cost is no indicator of UV protection. An expensive pair of sunglasses does not guarantee sufficient protection from the sun. Sunglasses are not just a fashion statement; their lenses block harmful UV rays that, in severe cases, can cause permanent damage to the eyes in the form of cataracts, pterygium and possibly retinal degeneration.
  • Gene Function In Regulating Body Size Helps Inform Novel Cancer Treatments - In a leading study that has implications for the development of novel therapies for a number of breast, lung and ovarian cancers that have lost the expression of a gene called glypican-3, researchers have discovered how the loss of the GPC3 gene induces overgrowth through certain growth factors such as Sonic Hedgehog which stimulate cancer growth.
  • Waste Water Treatment: Oxidation Of Contaminants As If They Got Burnt In The Water Itself - Reducing the level of contamination of water is the aim of a new line of research. Chemists are investigating chemical treatment capable of eliminating contaminants dumped by industry, in order to reuse the waste water. Industrial activity is one of the principal causes of contamination in water, given that industry dumps large amounts of chemical compounds into rivers that are not capable of degrading by themselves.
  • Both Boys And Girls Negatively Affected By Sexual Harassment - A new study in Psychology of Women Quarterly explored the outcomes of sexual harassment on both boys and girls. While girls were harassed more frequently, boys were indirectly yet negatively affected through a school climate that tolerates the harassment of girls.
  • Risk Of Hospitalization From Violent Assault Increases When Local Alcohol Sales Rise - The risk of being hospitalized from being violently assaulted increases when there is increased alcohol sales near the victim's residence. For every extra 1,000 liters of alcohol sold per store per day (a doubling of alcohol sales), the overall risk of being hospitalized for assault increased by 13%. At peak times of alcohol sales, the risk of assault was 41% higher than at times when alcohol sales were lowest.
  • Patients' Expectation Of Getting Better Is Crucial In Recovery From Whiplash - An individual's expectation of getting better plays a crucial role in the likelihood of his or her recovery, even after the severity of their physical and psychological symptoms are taken into account. Researchers investigated the role of individuals' expectation of recovery by using a questionnaire-based study of adult insurance claimants.
  • Possible Connection Between Marijuana Abuse And Stroke Or Heart Attacks - Marijuana abuse leads to blood flow problems in the brain and increased risks for heart problems. To understand the way that marijuana might cause these side-effects, NIH scientists measured proteins in the blood of marijuana abusers and found that heavy marijuana users show increased levels of a protein called apolipoprotein CIII which can cause increases in blood triglyceride levels. These findings might explain why marijuana users suffer from brain and cardiac problems.
  • Chronic Disease Management: Does It Improve Health And Save Money? - A study to determine whether chronic disease management of individuals with diabetes and/or congestive heart failure improves health outcome and lowers healthcare costs trial provides the first scientifically valid look at what one might expect from chronic disease management programs that serve low-income individuals.
  • New Process May Convert Toxic Computer Waste Into Safe Products - Discarded computer parts could one day wind up fueling your car. That's because researchers in Romania and Turkey have developed a simple, efficient method for recycling printed circuit boards into environmentally-friendly raw materials for use in fuel, plastic, and other useful consumer products.
  • Arsenic-based Therapy Shown To Help Eradicate Leukemia-initiating Cells - In a paradoxical discovery, scientists have found that a tumor suppressor protein known as PML appears to be the factor that enables leukemia initiating cells to maintain their quiescence -- the inert state that protects them from being destroyed by cancer therapies.
  • Are Anxiety Disorders All In The Mind? - Using single-photon emission computed tomography, researchers in The Netherlands were able to detect biochemical differences in the brains of individuals with generalized social anxiety disorder, providing evidence of a long-suspected biological cause for the dysfunction.
  • Mitral Valve Leak Repaired Through Tiny Puncture Hole Using Live 3D Images - Physicians can now close certain types of leaky heart valves through a tiny puncture in the groin, using live 3D imaging for precise guidance. This combination treatment is an alternative to open heart surgery.
  • What Does The Label On Your Chicken Really Mean? - Buying chicken these days is not like it used to be. With labels like "100 percent natural," "organic," "grain-fed," and "free range," many consumers don't really know what they're buying. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture "100 percent natural" means the poultry doesn't contain artificial ingredients like preservatives. But experts warn--there are no guarantees.
  • Children Better Prepared For School If Their Parents Read Aloud To Them - Young children whose parents read aloud to them have better language and literacy skills when they go to school, according to a new review.
  • Solar Variability: Striking A Balance With Climate Change - The sun has powered almost everything on Earth since life began, including its climate. The sun also delivers an annual and seasonal impact, changing the character of each hemisphere as Earth's orientation shifts through the year. Since the Industrial Revolution, however, new forces have begun to exert significant influence on Earth's climate.
  • Air Pollution May Be Associated With Blood Clots In Deep Leg Veins - Long-term exposure to air pollution appears to be associated with an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis, blood clots in the thigh or legs, according to a new article. Exposure to particulate air pollution--very small particles of solid and liquid chemicals that come from burning fossil fuels and other sources--has been linked to the increased risk of developing or dying from heart disease and stroke. Recent studies have suggested this relationship may result at least in part from the effects of particulate air pollution on blood clotting.