Issue # 232 _ June 2015

S&T Policy

Laboratories

Fragmented efforts

IPEA study indicates Brazil’s research infrastructure has benefited from recent but unsystematic investment

Collaboration

Competitive measurements

Inmetro seeks universities to participate in a Brazilian metrology network

Bioenergy

Obstacle race

Study indicates that Brazil plays a modest role in cellulosic ethanol research networks, despite its importance as a biofuel producer

Evaluation

What each does best

USP Chemistry Institute department develops method to measure faculty performance

Science

MENTAL HEALTH

A long maturation period

Functional magnetic resonance images begin to reveal stages of development in the brain’s networks along with deviations that might indicate future psychiatric disorders

TISSUE ENGINEERING

Made-to-measure organs

Stem cells aid in producing trachea and blood vessels with less risk of transplant rejection

Astronomy

An enigma in the Milky Way

International team identifies young stars in our galaxy with the chemical composition of old stars

PHYSICS

Less energy loss

International group produces graphene and phosphorene transistor in the laboratory, with layers one atom thick

OCEANOGRAPHY

Thinner and more fragile

Ice shelves in western Antarctica are losing volume, and one shelf may disappear by the end of the decade

ZOOLOGY

A zoo among the feathers

Birds are hosts to a wide variety of mites, most of them unknown to science

Technology

NANOTECHNOLOGY

Selective transport

Silica nanoparticles carry antibiotics and eliminate bacteria without harming healthy cells

Computer science

Recognizing the environment

System developed with video game technology transforms images into sounds in order to simplify the day-to-day activities of the visually impaired

BIOTECHNOLOGY

Natural actives

Red blood cells are a source of proteins and lipids for producing small capsules and drug candidates

Humanities

Heritage

Feet planted in history

Researchers record the struggles of the remaining members of fugitive slave communities in Vale do Ribeira to preserve their lands and traditions

Architecture

The Artigas whirlwind

The architect’s centennial commemorates not only his work in general, but his contributions as educator, militant and thinker