Posts tagged with "study"

Brazilians Fighting Autism

Posted by Rachel 1 Comment
Nov 18 2010

This week, an interesting story came out in the news about Brazilian scientists working in the United States on an autism study. They discovered an autism “neuron” that they managed to fix in a laboratory experiment. The ground-breaking study, led by Brazilian molecular biologist Alysson Muotri, showed that there may be a possibility to treat or even cure autism. The scientists took skin samples from children with autism and children without autism, and found that the neurons from the children with autism had shorter synapses. They tested a drug to treat the effected neurons, and miraculously, the neurons were fixed. The big challenge now is to find a new treatment that would work outside of a lab.

Learn more below!

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Cientistas brasileiros consertam ‘neurônio autista’ em laboratório, Portal de Paulinia

“Para analisar diferenças entre os neurônios, a equipe fez uma biópsia de pele de pacientes autistas e de pessoas sem a condição. Depois, reprogramou as células da pele em células de pluripotência induzida (iPS) – idênticas às células-tronco embrionárias, mas não extraídas de embriões. “Pluripotência” é a capacidade de toda célula-tronco de se especializar, ou diferenciar, em qualquer célula do corpo.” READ MORE

Vocabulary Check

1. What’s the Portuguese word for disease?

2. What does incurável mean in English?

3. How do you say stem cells in Portuguese?

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Reading Comprehension: Lizards

Posted by Rachel No Comments
May 14 2010

Today we’re going to look at an article about lizards and global warming. Have a read and try to answer the questions.

Aquecimento global já leva populações de lagartos à extinção, Estadão

Excerpt: “O aquecimento global está inviabilizando a sobrevivência de várias populações de lagartos, reduzindo o tempo em que os animais  se mantêm ativos para buscar comida e gerar filhotes, diz estudo internacional publicado a revista Science. Pelo menos 5% das espécies existentes já estão comprometidas, afirma o pesquisador brasileiro Carlos Frederico Duarte Rocha, um dos autores do estudo. Rocha é professor do Departamento de Ecologia do Instituto de Biologia da UERJ.”

Questions

1. Where does the scientist in the article work? Where did the study take place?

2. Why is global warming contributing to lizard extinction?

3. The scientist studied the Liolaemus lutzae species, found in Rio de Janeiro. How many populations used to exist, and how many have disappeared?

4. What does the Science article predict will happen in 2080?

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Amazon Cosmetics Study

Posted by Rachel No Comments
Apr 1 2009

The Secretary of Science & Technology of Tocantins state, along with research groups from the states of Amazonas, Pará, and Maranhão are launching a R$6.9 million study to examine the cosmetic properties of Amazon fruits and plants, including the andiroba, copaíba, castanha and babaçu.

The study intends to create a network of groups that will identify the best ingredients for products like soaps, shampoo, and lotions. The organizers hope to bring scientists together with researchers throughout the Amazon to work on the study.

The other purpose of the study is to eventually bring profits to the people of the Amazon, since products are often sold or exported as primary materials rather than finished goods. Researchers hope the study will enable small businesses to create Amazon-based cosmetics and sell the goods directly.

There are already several companies that make cosmetics with Amazon fruits and natural ingredients. Here are your best bets:

  • Natura: One of the best, if not the best for Amazon cosmetics, this Brazilian-based company has a wide variety of products and ingredients. The Ekos line is especially good, which uses a variety of Amazon fruits, like cupuaçu, pitanga, and castanha do brasil.
  • Granado: A Rio-based cosmetics company, they use both Amazon and foreign ingredients in their simple and excellent products.
  • Amazon Herb Co: This American-based company sells cleansers and creams with Amazon ingredients.
  • Brazilian Beauty Products: Also American-based, this company sells lotions and soaps using a variety of Amazon fruits, like guaraná and açaí.
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