Issue # 66 _ July 2001

Cover

Selective memory: Research shows that the similar injuries, but from separate causes, make the brain reorganize in different fashions, resulting in epilepsy or a stroke
A blow to post-trauma epilepsy: A Unifesp project has resulted in a patent request for medicine based on scopolamine salts, substances normally used to treat amnesia, which can avoid the appearance of the illness in victims who have received substantial head injuries

S&T Policy

indicator

Knowledge (still) confined

The UNO's Technology Achievement Index (TAI) assesses the processes of creation, use, and diffusion of technology in 72 countries, and suggests measures to stimulate investments in search of solutions for problems in developing regions

partnership

Contracts X Conflicts

Nature comments report of the Forum that gathers companies and universities together

conference

Challenge to competence

Brazil to debate strategic plan for science, technology and innovation

new secretary

Focus on the energy matrix

Altenfelder Silva takes over the SCTDE, with plans to invest in research

commemoration

Education and democracy

Capes reaches its 50th anniversary, betting on the education of human resources

competitiveness

Profitable research

Anpei puts together company representatives to debate technologicalinnovation, and to analyze ways of encouraging investments in researchand development

ideas

Space for Diversity

In Salvador, the SBPC meeting brings together cultural expressions and scientific reports, in an exercise of reflection on the country

Science

Medicine

Dissecting the forces of aneurism

The study of the aorta tensions moves on using the device of an Indian engineer

Pharmacology

A Plant against tuberculosis

In the laboratory, an extract of Physalis angulata exterminates six types of Mycobacterium

biology

The dynamic rules of evolution

A mathematical model describes how the genetic code was formed and assists the unveiling of the origin of human beings

Ecology

A SinBiota base is already in operation

The Paulista biodiversity is on the Internet, with lots of data and hundreds of maps

Animal behavior

Bumps on the road of evolution

An USP study knocks down a model on the use and making of tools

archeology

Africans came first

Parts of three human bones, close to 8,400 years old, that have just been found by a team from São Paulo

Technology

ceramics

New model of manufacturing performance

Cepid supports the modernization of the 108 companies in the Porto Ferreira ceramics complex

Forest Engineering

Eucalyptus with pea genes

A partnership between Esalq and Cia. Suzano prepares a genetically modified plant that will develop more cellulose

Chemistry

Cheap, efficient, and the market leader

New compound for the pulp industry lowers costs and does not pollute

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

X-ray of pollution in Campinas

Unicamp researcher detects the presence of metal in water, the air and in effluents

Humanities

History

The marvelous foreign land

Researcher compiles tales of Guanabara bay before D. João VI

Persona

The geography of inclusion

Milton Santos, who died in June, advocated the role of the dispossessed

Education

Mathematicians wanted

Study shows that Brazil suffers from a great lack of these professionals and the few that exist do not interact with scientific sectors