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Researchers at the University of Granada (UGR ), coordinated by Javier Mateos , are developing statistical techniques , called Bayesian , who later apply in their own software to improve resolution digital multispectral imaging , ie with the same geometric properties and where each contains aspects of the scene corresponding to a specific color.
Experts devote special emphasis on improving images Landsat- ETM + type and SPOT. These satellite images are characterized by capturing the land surface in many wavelengths, not just the visible spectrum (usually captured as bands of red, green , blue), but also in the infrared.
The intent of these scientists from Granada is to use this computer application for monitoring and mapping of the use , as well as ground cover and other environmental applications . In fact, currently working in collaboration with the Environment Centro Andaluz (CMEA ) in this work , employing the use of superresolution techniques .
The software also can be used , according to its creators , in any field that has required multispectral imaging and high-resolution images of higher quality. May be used to assist visual identification of objects and areas of interest in images and the application of automatic classification methods applied to very large regions , but also in search engines.
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Malaga hosts these days Bioengineering Symposium 2010. The event brings together over 40 specialists from all over Spain to make known the latest developments in a dozen research projects.
Actions such as raising the volume on the TV , turn on the light switch or press the play to listen to an album of music may seem simple to most, but become real challenges for people with severe physical or mental disabilities .
Usually, on most occasions, was eligible for the assistance and specialized care in such cases. However, at present, the autonomy of people with disabilities begins
gain importance and has become a priority for both agencies in the investigation , as in society itself.
Malaga hosts these days Bioengineering Symposium 2010. The event, held at the headquarters of Unicaja and organized by the Thematic Network of Biomedical Engineering ( REDINBIO ), the Technology Thematic Network Disability Support and Senior ( RETADIM ) and the University of Malaga ( UMA), brings together over 40 specialists from all over Spain to make known the latest developments in their respective research projects.
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Researchers at the Autonomous University of Madrid ( UAM ( have contributed to a review by the fascinating field of astrobiology to detect Earth-like planets has published the journal Astrobiology. The analysis of physical- chemical properties is one of the current challenges of science.
The Volume 10 / 1 Magazine 2010 Astrobiology presents the results of work done over several years by the committee, ” Terrestrial Exoplanet -Scientific Advisory Group ” Euripea Space Agency (ESA) , with the collaboration of other scientists including researchers from the Department are of theoretical physics at the UAM. The various contributions suggest that it is feasible to detect ” Land “and build the tools to analyze and characterize them.
Michelle Swiss astronomers Mayor and Didier Queloz announced in 1995 the discovery of a Jupiter-like planet orbiting the star 51 Peg. That is, just 15 years ago we know for sure that there are planets orbiting around stars like the Sun With this verification responded to a question asked of humanity for over 2000 years .
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Paleontologists from the Natural History Museum in Rotterdam , Paris , Pisa, Lima and Brussels and Utrecht University have participated in the discovery and description Leviathan Melvillei, A Miocene whale prey with giant teeth . The official scientific description of this new species (extinct ) with the biggest teeth ever found is published today in the journal Nature.
The sea monster devouring probably feeding baleen whales . The fossil , found in Peru, has an approximate age of 12 or 13 million years . Natural History Museum of Rotterdam will exhibit this year for reconstruction of the Leviathan . Currently you can see patterns of three of the larger teeth .
In 2008 Klass Post, honorary curator of fossil mammals at the Museum of Natural History in Rotterdam, came across the remains of the leviathan during a brief expedition to the desert of Pisco , Ica , southern Peru. Some large fragments of the skull and lower jaw and several teeth , initially resembled the tusks of an elephant, caught the attention of the expedition team .
The teeth proved to be huge sperm whale teeth . The skull and jaws were reasonably well preserved. Scientists at the Natural History Museum of Lima protected the remains , which then prepared in the laboratory . This unique fossil remains in Peru in the Museum of Natural History in Lima.
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A group of 85 international experts , including two scientists are Basques, believes that the disease known as ‘ bovine paratuberculosis ‘( or Johne’s disease ) could be eradicated through control programs, new vaccines and the slaughter of infected animals. This is the main conclusion of the meeting held by scientists last February in the Scottish town of Inverness, in a project of the European Commission ( ParaTBTools ).
Paratuberculosis or Johne’s disease is a progressive regional inflammatory bowel disease caused by bacteria Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Paratuberculosis is transmitted from cows , sheep and goats to their descendants , who are heavily infected .
They can transmit it to other herds of animals through their droppings contaminated. Relates strongly with Crohn ‘s disease , a severe regional inflammatory bowel disease in humans, although it has not yet definitively proven that this relationship is causal.
The possible similarity with Crohn ‘s disease , together with production losses in the field of ruminant livestock , which has led the European Commission to take measures to prevent and ParaTBTools finance the project . The initiative brings together 200 scientists in different teams, working in Europe , USA , Canada , Argentina and New Zealand.
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Traditional medicine ( TM ) deserves a revival. For millennia , all over the world has healed the sick with remedies derived from plants or animals , knowledge that has passed from generation to generation. In Africa and Asia , 80 % of the population uses traditional medicine and modern medicine for primary health care .
In industrialized countries, the MT is increasingly attracting more people. Some estimates suggest that up to 80 % of the population has proven therapies such as acupuncture or homeopathy, and a survey earlier this year revealed that 74 % of medical students in the U.S. believe that Western medicine would benefit from the therapies and integration of traditional or alternative practices .
The industry has high economic value. In 2005 , sales of traditional medicines in China amounted to 14,000 million dollars. In 2007 , Brazil generated revenues of 160 million dollars from traditional therapies , part of a global market valued at more than 60,000 million dollars.
The truth is that modern medicine has a critical need for new drugs. To make a new substance beyond the stages of research and development and get to market takes years and the investment is enormous. Moreover, the growing resistance to drugs, partly caused by the misuse of drugs, has become ineffective to antibiotics and other drugs that save lives.
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Researchers of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientÃficas ( CSIC ) have managed to synthesize a new zeolite , the ITQ -40 , with the lowest network density reported so far , which may affect your ability to act as a catalyst in many processes both industrial and fine chemicals. The work is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
Researchers of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas ( CSIC ) have managed to synthesize a new zeolite , the ITQ -40 , with the lowest network density reported so far , which may affect your ability to act as a catalyst in many processes both industrial and fine chemicals. The work is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
Composed of silicon and aluminum , zeolites are microporous crystalline materials that are used as catalysts and absorbents in many industrial chemical processes, such as the petrochemical industry. Researchers are trying to synthesize zeolites with increasing pore to be capable of absorbing and reacting bulky molecules , such as those derived from biomass or oil. Also, your interest is to synthesize bulky molecules are used in fine chemical processes , such as the fragrance industry or pharmaceutical. In this case, the investigation could be applied to the controlled release of drugs , for example.
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Mercury concentrations found in fresh water are higher than those of seawater , but sea are fish such as tuna , mackerel and shark , which end up representing a serious threat to the health of humans who eat . The reason lies in the nature of seawater , according to a study by researchers at Duke University ( USA).
The potentially most harmful form of mercury , methylmercury, in the fresh water joins the dissolved organic matter , but tends to stick to the chloride- to – salt in seawater , according to a new study by Heil Hsu- Kim, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University (USA ).
” The most common way by which nature becomes methylmercury in a less toxic is sunlight , “says Hsu- Kim. ” When combined with the dissolved organic matter like rotting plant or animal matter , sunlight decomposes more easily methylmercury . However, in seawater , methylmercury chloride remains tightly knit , where sunlight can not degrade as easily . In this form , methyl mercury can be ingested by marine animals . ”
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Ceferino Lopez is Research Professor at the Institute of Materials Science of Madrid where he leads the group currently responsible for photonics and materials area of the Higher Council for Scientific Research. His laser research conference opens in XI National Materials Congress being held in Zaragoza.
As head of the CSIC area of materials , Could you tell us how things are?
Materials Science I think it is very booming, in fact the scientific production in Spain is higher than the global average, and 3 % are in materials , superior even to areas like biology or medicine and a fraction thereof significant occurs in the CSIC. We are still behind countries like Germany or France , but we are gaining ground because our rate of increase is much higher and much lower than our funding .
Are you feeling the budget cuts ?
Not yet, but is expected to take place. Materials The National Plan has been a great success since its introduction , in recent calls have not noticed any cuts but it is foreseeable that in the next if it exists, even in those already granted but not yet started may be any delay in the breakdown . Anyway you have to be optimistic and pull savings.
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Last March the Journal of American Society Quemical published research of Jesus del Barrio, Luis Oriol and Carlos Sanchez on the formation of nano-objects from block copolymers . Researchers from the Institute of Materials Science of Aragon have used new structures that disperse in water molecules , called block copolymers self-organizing and creating nanowires, films , bilayers or vesicles .
These surprising results provide information about the behavior of a new type of materials whose applications are still developed, but whose importance can be significant.
The Group of Liquid Crystals and Polymers of the Institute of Materials Science of Aragon (UZ -CSIC) which includes the study of functional polymers for optical applications , has extensive experience in the synthesis and study of materials for optical storage , structuring of matter with light and nonlinear optics .
At present , researchers try to understand the behavior of these molecules under different stimuli , so that , for example, can cause the opening of a membrane and irradiating and releasing a drug contained inside , which could in the future used for the administration of drugs in tumor areas increasing their effectiveness and reducing risk.
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