Edición en español

Jueves, 22 Diciembre 2016 16:58

Researchers study the interaction between nervous system and testosterone in C. elegans

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Fundación Descubre

A team of scientists from the city of Cordoba has studied the effect of testosterone on behavior of the worm Caenorhabditis elegans, with the aim to analyze at the molecular level the interaction between the male hormone and the nervous system.

Previous research established a correlation between development of autistic behavior traits and level of exposure to testosterone during prenatal development. The research study, entitled “Epigenetic effect of testosterone in the behavior of C. elegans. A clue to explain androgen-dependent autistic traits?” has been published in the journal Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience.

A team of scientists from the city of Cordoba has studied the effect of testosterone on behavior of the worm Caenorhabditis elegans, with the aim to analyze the interaction between the male hormone and the nervous system at the molecular level. Previous research established a correlation between autistic behavior traits and level of exposure to testosterone during prenatal development. The research study, entitled “Epigenetic effect of testosterone in the behavior of C. elegans. A clue to explain androgen-dependent autistic traits?” has been published in the journal Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience.

Publicado en Biomedicina y salud

Jueves, 22 Diciembre 2016 16:58

A new method to characterize pathogen contamination in pork meat

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This technique, based on mathematical calculations, enables definition of optimal storage temperature for these products, with the aim to avoid appearance and development of microorganisms such as Salmonella or Listeria monocytogenes

Researchers at the Bromatological Hygene Research Group (HIBRO) from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cordoba and the Agricultural Technology Institute of Castilla and León (ITACyL) have developed a new method to determine how Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes pathogens propagate in fresh pork. These organisms are characterized by their ability to survive at very low temperatures and can compromise consumer health when present at high concentrations. Researchers analyzed how changes in temperature affect concentration levels of these pathogens in meat products, from the moment of the point of sale until they reach households .

Fundación Descubre

Publicado en Tecnología

Jueves, 22 Diciembre 2016 16:58

Andalusian Engineers and Surgeons develop the first Spanish surgical robot with 3D vision

Escrito por

G.C.- E.L.

An Andalusian team of engineers and surgeons, mostly from Córdoba, is working on the development of the first Spanish surgical robot prototype with 3D vision, which successfully passed a first demonstration. This equipment will provide significant advantages over traditional laparoscopic systems thanks to its innovative technological specifications and results from collaboration between public sector and private enterprise.

Publicado en Tecnología

Jueves, 22 Diciembre 2016 16:58

Development of a new method to analyze authenticity of vinegar

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Fundación Descubre

This technique allows examination of vinegar properties and with lower cost of the quality control process

Publicado en Tecnología

Jueves, 22 Diciembre 2016 16:58

A sensor to analyze Iberian pig authenticity in real time

Escrito por

G.C.-E.L.

Researchers from the School of Agricultural and Forestry Engineering (ETSIAM) at the University of Córdoba have developed several applications for real time determination of food profuct quality and authenticity in sectors such as Iberian pork and fruit and vegetables. For this, experts used portable spectral sensors based on NIRS technology, which is based on a relationship between spectral measurements and physical and chemical parameters in food and allows instant, nondestructive analysis of different product samples, such as loin, ham, plums, asparagus or orange.

Researchers from the School of Agricultural and Forestry Engineering (ETSIAM) at the University of Córdoba have developed several applications to detect in real time quality and authenticity of food products in sectors such as Iberian pork and fruit and vegetables.

To do this, experts used portable spectral sensors based on NIRS technology, which is based on the relationship of spectral measurements with physical and chemical parameters in food and allows instant, nondestructive analysis of different product samples, such as loin, ham, plums, asparagus or orange.

In the work 'Prediction of fatty acid content in pig adipose tissue by near infrared spectroscopy: At-line versus in-situ analysis', published this same year 2013 in the journal Meat Science, experts show the potential and feasibility of this tool for meat classification and authentication, based on a sensor called MEMS-NIRS, which allows analysis of Iberian pig at the speed of dressing and cutting of carcases, ie at the slaughterhouse.

'The results obtained show that this technology allows determination both of carcass fatty acid content and pig diet and are key to ensuring their quality to consumers”, says Ana Garrido Varo, researcher at the University of Cordoba to Fundación Descubre.

In this sense, MEMS-NIRS instrument used by the research team adds a number of advantages over the quality control traditional system in Iberian pig industry. 'This methodology allows operators to analyze each carcass individually, eliminating the need to take samples and send them to the lab. This in-situ process means a time optimization which is very important factor for subsequent decisions related to quality control of each piece of ham or beef', said Garrido.

An innovative tool

Thus, the main innovation of this study is the fusion of NIRS technology with other emerging techniques such as the so-called MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System)-NIRS or hyperspectral image, which uses low cost, smaller size and faster than traditional sensors. Further, the combination NIRS-image not only allows to obtain spectral information using near-infrared radiation, but also spatial content, i.e., a visual representation of product characteristics similar to that provided by a satellite image . 'Not only does this combination provide general information about moisture, proteins, sugars or fatty acids, but it also shows other parameters such as the highly valued level of intramuscular fat or internal fruit damage', she said.

These results are part of the excellence project MEMS and NIRS-image Sensors for non-destructive and in situ analysis of animal and plant products, funded by the Ministry of Economy, Innovation, Science and Employement of the Andalusian Government.

Publicado en Ciencias de la naturaleza

Jueves, 22 Diciembre 2016 16:58

El proyecto COMET-LA, seleccionado para debatir el futuro de Europa como un actor global

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G.C. - E.L

La investigadora de la Universidad de Córdoba y el ceiA3 María del Mar Delgado expondrá en Bruselas la experiencia acumulada por el proyecto en la gestión participativa y ascendente de recursos naturales

Publicado en Ciencias de la naturaleza

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