CINDY BENAISA 1r batx B (9)

Scientists are able to transfer memories between living beings for the first time

Summary:

Biologists at UCLA University have transferred for the first time a memory between two living beings, specifically from one marine snail to another, creating an artificial memory by injecting RNA from one to the other. To achieve this, researchers applied light electric shocks to the tails of a marine snail species called Aplysia californica. The snails received five shocks, one every 20 minutes, and then five more 24 hours later. 

Link:

http://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/ciencia/2018/05/24/5b06b77122601d243e8b45cb.html

Publication date:

2/5/18

Scientific field:

Biology

Glossary:

Electric shocks

A sudden discharge of electricity through a part of the body

Transfer

Move from one place to another

Analysis comment:

The impacts improved the defensive reflex of the snail's retreat, a response it shows to protect itself from possible damage. When the researchers touched the snails, they found that those who had been given the shock absorbers showed a defensive contraction lasting an average of 50 seconds, a simple type of learning known as "sensitization. Those who had not been given the shock absorbers contracted for just one second.

The scientists extracted RNA from the nervous system of the marine snails that received the tail strikes the day after the second series of strikes, and also from the marine snails that did not receive any impact. RNA from the first group (sensitized) was then injected into seven marine snails that had not received any shock, and RNA from the second group was injected into a control group of seven other snails that had also not received any shock.

Triptych about ADHD - Sofía Rivero & Mireia Bonich

Here is the link to see the trpitych that we have done together with Cèlia Esbrí about Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
We hope this triptych will be useful for learning things about ADHD.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PFznDXYLvcs8pFz4vkN0r9dL4syHV9RG/view?usp=sharing

Poster about sport - Sofía Rivero

Here is the link to see the poster that I made with Cèlia Esbrí about sport.

I hope you enjoy it! And remember, all starts with you!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cxs4-4kXJkHVxsTXj7LkgelXcvUnJEia/view?usp=sharing
(English version)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tMISX6mtLSe8iT9jPH8uRqhb32OtoveB/view?usp=sharing
(Catalan version)

Wildfires - Sofía Rivero

Here is the link to see the video that I made with Aitana Gutiérrez, Álex Stan and Jordi Adán about wildfires. I hope you enjoy it and that you realize that wildfires are not joke.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a118ybzWQf-0NrecOIckFHvtD7UeXj5U/view?usp=sharing

Sofia Rivero 1r Batx B (12)

 The neurons of aggressiveness

Summary:

According to the authors of the study, the effects of
manipulating these nurons lasted up to 2 weeks.

It has been shown through a study in mice that there are neurons of aggression found in the hypothalamus and that their manipulation allows, therefore, to modify aggressive behaviors.

Link:

http://www.quo.es/ciencia/neuronas-de-la-agresividad

Publication date:

MAY 26, 2018

Scientific field:

Neuroscience

Glossary:

Hypothalamus: a region of the forebrain below the thalamus that coordinates both, the autonomic nervous system and the activity of the pituitary, controlling body temperature, thirst, hunger, and other homeostatic systems, and involved in sleep and emotional activity.
Behaviour: the way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially toward others.

Cage: a structure of bars or wires in which birds or other animals are confined.

Analysis comment:

Set of neurons during aggressiveness.

This article explains that aggression is a behavior that is found throughout the animal kingdom and that shapes human life. Like all behavior, aggression originates in the brain. However, the identity of the neurons that are involved and how their properties contribute to stereotyped expression remains largely a mystery.
And using optogenetic techniques, aggressiveness can be controlled in mice by stimulating or inhibiting these cells. 

It explains too that one of the most surprising findings of the study was that the effects of the manipulations of the activity of these neurons, lasted up to two weeks.

On the one hand, according to a recent study, the results contribute to a new understanding of the biological mechanisms behind aggressive behavior. 
The neurons analyzed, until now little known, are found in the ventral premamillary nucleus (VPN) of the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that controls many of our fundamental impulses and plays a key role in initiating and organizing aggressive behavior.

On the other hand, studying male mice, the researchers discovered that animals that showed aggression when a potential rival was placed in the cage, showed greater activity in these neurons. Thanks to optogenetics, aggressive behavior could be initiated in situations where animals normally do not attack and also inhibit aggressive behavior in situations where animals normally attack.

To conclude, this article is a succes for the neuroscience because this discovery it is a great advance, since not much is known about the neurons of aggression, however, thanks to this study, progress will continue to be made and little by little more information will be discovered.
And also, in a long term it will be able to help people who have problems of self-control of their aggressiveness.

Laboratory mice.

MARTA COROMINAS 1r Batx B (12)

Researchers at the Clínic decipher the map of how leukemia works. 

The discovery opens the door to developing new treatments against this type of cancer.

Summary:

The clinical research team at Clinic Hospital has managed to develop a genome map of people with leukemia. These researchers have discovered that people who have this disease have about 500 alterations, which they share among them derived from 3 families of proteins.

This detailed analysis has discovered that these three proteins stick to DNA, thus beginning to form and generate the 500 genomic alterations. The interesting results, were published in the journal Nature, have also been posted on the network so that different experts can also study it by their account 

link: 

http://www.lavanguardia.com/ciencia/20180521/443751560125/descifran-como-funciona-el-genoma-de-la-leucemia-mas-frecuente.html

Publication date: 21/5/18

Scienific field: Medicine.  

Glossary:

Genome: A full set of chromosomes; all the inheritable traits of an organism.

Gene map: An arrangement of genes on a chromosome.

Leukemia: Any of several cancers of the bone marrow that prevent the normal manufacture of red and white blood cells and platelets, resulting in anemia, increased susceptibility to infection, and impaired blood clotting.

Analysis comment: 

This discovery is very important because thanks to it we are about to discover that they have in common all these patients and we could even know what is the cause of this disease. although it is already known that the cause is not genetic but environmental. This discovery is very important also because it has been an innovation in the knowledge of leukemia, as you can see in the summary of this news, three proteins cause 500 genetic alterations that before the appearance of these 3 proteins did not exist. 

In my opinion this discovery is very important because I think it could mean a total change of view towards this disease and it is also a step towards the cure of this disease.

To finish I would like to say also that it is very interesting also to see how a disease that apparently has a very difficult cure as we know more about it.

MARTA COROMINAS - Droughts.

This is my documentary obout droguhts: 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1nilfBfn5Jj_oqfWdtVv8V2b4yb0i-rRS