The ability to distinguish between different kinds of caresses on the skin already exists at a very early age. This is evident from a study by the Sahlgrenska Academy, in which the blood supply in brains of infants 6 to 10 weeks old was investigated.     “This type of neuroimaging study has not been done on such young children before, and it also is the first time that measurements have been made so deep in the brain with this particular technology,” says Emma Jönsson, a doctoral student at the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology with a master of science in engineering degree in biotechnology. The study, which is part of her thesis, encompasses 16 infants with an average age of eight weeks. For 30 to 40 minutes, they were subjected to tactile stimulation of the skin on their arms with soft brush strokes at different velocities. All rested securely in their mothers’ arms, awake or sleeping, and were fitted with elastic bandages around the head that held the measuring equipment in place.

To meet demand, food production will need to increase by 70 per cent while using less land, water, pesticides and fertilisers. Thankfully, researchers in Europe and around the globe are tackling issues of food security and food safety by exploring innovative ways to advance plant productivity, reduce disease and bolster beneficial nutrients.    Funded by the COST programme, an international consortium of researchers is investigating RNA interference (RNAi) – a method used to silence gene expression – to improve plant metabolism and plant defence mechanisms. Through RNAi it is possible to eliminate allergens or toxins, boost beneficial nutrients, inhibit undesirable traits and increase quality and yield. Excitingly, RNAi can also be used to develop plant species that are resistant to pests and diseases.   Until now, research into micro and small interfering RNAs has been limited, but through the COST Action ‘Modifying plants to produce interfering RNA’ (iPlanta), the network hopes to advance understanding, as well as determine the environmental and socio-economic impacts of RNAi technology.

Un nuovo studio apparso sull'Astrophysical Journal esamina 4 nuovi oggetti celesti giovani e di massa ridotta circondati da dischi attivi. La ricerca potrà chiarire le dinamiche di formazione di stelle e pianeti

4 inquilini cosmici di taglia small, giovani e“ingioiellati”, saranno d’aiuto agli astronomi per comprendere le dinamiche di formazione di stelle e pianeti. Sono un quartetto di corpi celesti in fasce circondati da dischi protoplanetari ancora attivi i soggetti dello studio apparso sull’Astrophysical Journal e firmato da un team di scienziati dell’Università di Montreal e del Carnegie Institute of Technology. Gli scienziati che hanno guidato la ricerca hanno preso in esame 4 nuovi corpi celesti di giovane età e di piccola massa mai visti prima, che serbano una caratteristica insolita: le 4 small new entries sono circondate da un disco primordiale di gas e polvere ancora attivo. L’anello detritico attorno ad una stella o ad un pianeta è un dato importante da considerare per determinare l’iter di formazione che porterà alla genesi di un oggetto celeste. Questi dischi, comuni nel panorama spaziale, sono raramente reperibili quando si tratta di nane brune o di astri di massa ridotta.