Banco de germoplasma

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– Banco de germoplasma

La Alhambra albergará un banco de germoplasma que conservará material biológico de sus especies vegetales más representativas.

La Alhambra contará con un banco de germoplasma que recopilará y conservará material biológico de sus especies más representativas.

Ésta es una de las cuestiones que se abordarán en la conferencia ‘Gestión de áreas verdes en la Alhambra. El olivar de la Dehesa del Generalife’, impartida por el jefe del departamento de Jardines y Bosques del Patronato, Rafael de la Cruz Márquez, en el marco del curso del centro Mediterráneo de la UGR, ‘La Alhambra verde: Patrimonio, paisaje y biodiversidad’.

El proyecto incluye la instalación de un banco de germoplasma y un vivero para la gestión del material biológico destinado a la plantación. Ambas iniciativas se acometerán en colaboración con la Universidad de Córdoba y se prevé que estén funcionando en el primer semestre de 2009.
Según explica el jefe del departamento de Jardines y Bosques, la introducción de cualquier especie, cultivar o variedad en las huertas debe responder a un criterio agronómico e histórico adecuado. “Por eso, para obtener este material habrá que recurrir a colectas dirigidas, que sean rigurosas con el origen y naturaleza genética del material de propagación”, aclara el experto.

El objetivo del banco de material biológico y el vivero será la conservación y gestión de los materiales de siembra y propagación con especial valor histórico. El experto adelanta que el germoplasma procederá de las semillas, estaquillas y bulbos colectados en el propio conjunto de la Alhambra y el Generalife, así como de aquellas huertas del Darro y Genil que el estudio etnoagroecológico haya permitido identificar.

Para poner en marcha el proyecto, el Patronato se plantea la colaboración con el Banco de Germoplasma Vegetal Andaluz, adscrito a la Consejería de Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andalucía, y del Jardín Botánico de Córdoba.

Asimismo, se estudiará la posibilidad de obtener el material vegetal necesario para la recuperación paisajística. “Se conseguirá bien a través de su adquisición, bien mediante propagación en las propias huertas del Generalife, o con la colaboración de otras empresas o instituciones”, relata el especialista.

Un vergel con 300 especies
En la conferencia, Rafael de la Cruz Márquez incidirá en cómo gestionar las áreas verdes del recinto nazarí y, en concreto, el olivar. En ese vergel conviven unas 300 especies e híbridos, de más de 90 familias y algo más de 210 géneros.

Entre ellas, predominan el arrayán y el boj, que se utilizan en la formación de setos, así como el ciprés, empleado en paredes y esculturas vegetales.Otras especies representativas que se encuentran en la Alhambra y el Generalife son la rosa, el durillo, el evónimo, la adelfa, el aligustrón, el laurel, el naranjo amargo o la hiedra.
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Antonio Campos propone crear un vicerrectorado de Granada en Melilla y dotar al campus melillense de mayor autonomía

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– Antonio Campos propone crear un vicerrectorado de Granada en Melilla y dotar al campus melillense de mayor autonomía.

El candidato a rector está convencido de que siempre que hay que optar por un modelo que debe tenderse a lo máximo, porque si no aspiramos a lo máximo nunca podremos llegar a serlo.

El candidato al rectorado de la Universidad de Granada Antonio Campos ha dado a conocer algunas de las propuestas más significativas sobre las que se estructurará su programa que seguirá el modelo descentralizado de Oxford y Cambridge, que combina transversalidad y especialización.

Para lograrlo se implantarán seis divisiones organizativas vinculadas a ramas convergentes del conocimiento, en cuyo seno se agruparán las facultades y escuelas vinculadas a casa una de dichas ramas del saber, según informó en un comunicado.

Una de las novedades más importantes será sacar a Melilla y Ceuta de la dependencia absoluta en la que se encuentran, dotándoles de la posibilidad de participar en la toma de decisiones. Para ello se crearán dos vicerrectorados con sede en las dos ciudades autónomas, que será responsable de la coordinación administrativa en su nivel.

Campos manifestó estar convencido de que siempre que hay que optar por un modelo que debe tenderse a lo máximo, porque si no aspiramos a lo máximo nunca podremos llegar a serlo. En parte, apuntó, nuestra universidad es víctima de muchos años de una política en la que no ha existido este convencimiento.

La creación de los dos vicerrectorados dará a Ceuta y a Melilla la suficiente autonomía y permitirá que se refuerce el liderazgo de la universidad en las dos ciudades, explicó.

Estos cambios en la gestión también se harán extensibles a Granada, donde el organigrama de gestión quedaría compuesto por un rector, Antonio Campos, nueve vicerrectores –dos de ellos en Ceuta y Melilla–, un gerente y veinte directores generales, reduciendo el organigrama existente y eliminando la figura de director de secretariado.
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Andalucía lidera por vez primera el ranking nacional de «spin-off»

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– Andalucía lidera por vez primera el ranking nacional de spin-off.

En cinco años, el panorama andaluz de empresas de base tecnológica creadas en el seno del mundo universitario ha experimentado un giro de 360 grados. Si en el año 2002 Andalucía contaba con una única spin-off , en 2007 la comunidad puede presumir de haberse situado en cabeza de España en la creación de empresas ligadas al ámbito universitario con un total de 67 firmas. Así, si hace un lustro, Andalucía sólo aportaba el 1,5 por ciento de estas empresas existentes en España, en 2007 el porcentaje se ha elevado al 27 por ciento del total, una cifra que aúpa a la comunidad a un envidiable primer puesto, adelantando por vez primera a Cataluña, según se desprende de los datos del último Informe de la Fundación Cotec y del balance anual que elabora la Red Oficinas de Transferencia Tecnológica de las Universidades.

En la actualidad, todas las universidades andaluzas cuentan con alguna spin-off. Entre ellas, destaca sobre todo la de Málaga, con 17 jóvenes empresas de base tecnológica, seguida por las universidades de Almería, Granada y Sevilla, con 12 firmas cada una.

Por sectores, las materias que lideran la creación de estas empresas en la región son las de Nuevas Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (29 empresas), Ciencias de la Vida, Salud y Biotecnología (20) y el sector Energía y Medio Ambiente (6 empresas). Pero entre ellas también hay spin-off ligadas al desarrollo del sector aeroespacial, la localización de personas con problemas de edad o salud, la elaboración de cartografía aérea y los servicios de traducción.

Un buen ejemplo de la velocidad de crucero que ha marcado la evolución de este tipo de empresas se encuentra en el auge que experimentó este campo el pasado año en el marco de la Universidad de Sevilla. A lo largo de 2006, a las cinco spin-off que ya existían en la Universidad -Green-power Tecnologies, Yflow, Ingeniatrics, Indysis y Biomorphic- se han sumado siete nuevas firmas: Geographica Studio, que diseña mapas con información para empresas como la que gestionan los autobuses urbanos; Icinetic, dedicada al desarrollo de software de forma semiautomática; Prextor, que genera burbujas de agua y facilita el aprovechamiento de la energía proveniente de las olas; Tecfarmade, una de las pocas de España que liga la investigación farmacéutica a la Universidad; Teams, que ya tiene contratos con Airbus y CASA; Vigiatech, que diseña sistemas de seguimiento de objetos e individuos y Visión Sistemas de Localización, que comercializará a finales de mes dispositivos propios de búsqueda de personas dependientes.

Buena parte del cambio experimentado en Andalucía en la creación de empresas universitarias radica en el cambio de mentalidad de los investigadores de las facultades y escuelas andaluzas, que se han atrevido a dar el salto de la Universidad a la empresa, sin por ello descuidar su trabajo en las aulas. Un salto que a comienzos de la década se hacía casi a ciegas, pero que desde hace tres años cuenta con una tupida red tejida por el programa Campus de la Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa de la Junta.

Con un presupuesto que supera los cinco millones de euros, la iniciativa Campus nació en 2004 con el objetivo de fomentar la creación de spin-off universitarias. Desde el pasado año, el 100 por ciento de las spin-off andaluzas se acogieron a un programa que toma el dinero a través de Invecaria, el fondo de capital riesgo de la Consejería de Innovación. La agilización de los trámites para conseguir estos incentivos de la Junta, así como la implicación en el desarrollo de los proyectos de las Oficinas de Transferencia Tecnológica de las Universidades han ayudado a popularizar este programa entre los investigadores.

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Shaking may cause brain damage and serious long-term effects to infants

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– Shaking may cause brain damage and serious long-term effects to infants.

A group of interns of the Teaching Maternity Unit of the University College of Health Care of the UGR has carried out a bibliographic review of the shaken baby syndrome. Many of the diagnosed cases which produce internal damage to the infant have been caused by mistreatment or abuse.
Crying is the only way a baby can express its feelings and needs. If the parents or caregivers cannot find the cause of the inconsolable crying of the infant, they might react sharply and shake the baby. The violent shake of the infants head causes brain damage and, as a result, the infant stops crying. For this reason, this behaviour may be repeated in similar situations. This is one of the serious consequences extracted from the bibliographic review carried out by a group of interns of the Teaching Maternity Unit of the University College of Health Care (http://www.ugr.es/~ccsalud/)
of the University of Granada (UGR) (http://www.ugr.es) published by the Nursing Journal Rol.

Concepción Ruiz Rodríguez, lecturer of the Department of Nursing (http://www.ugr.es/~enfermer/) of the UGR (http://www.ugr.es) and head of the research group, explains that the “shaken baby syndrome” is not well-known and may cause several injuries which, in most cases, have no outward physical signs. Although the seriousness of the brain damage depends on the frequency, intensity and duration of the shake, there are other minor injuries observed due to this syndrome, such as irritability, lethargy, convulsions, vomiting or lack of appetite, and others that are more serious such as eye injury and broken bones.

The father, the main aggressor

Most victims are under two years old, and the most vulnerable victims include premature babies, low-weight babies, babies with excessive colic, disabled babies, twins and stepchildren. The aggressors are chiefly men, frequently the father (44%) followed by the mothers boyfriend living in the family home (20%). The most frequent aggressors among women are the babysitters (18%) and the mothers (7%).

According to the information collected from the scientific articles published over the last five years, the researcher assures that “in most of the cases diagnosed, the cause is abuse or mistreatment. For this reason, early detection and especially appropriate prevention by health professionals is essential, because this syndrome may cause serious long-term effects on the infant. In fact, a poor assessment could lead to serious consequences or even the death of the victim. 20% of victims die during the days following the aggression, and of those who survive, 50% suffer from a wide variety of disabilities and only 30% recover fully.

Prevention

Concepción Ruiz points out “the importance of establishing prevention and early detection programmes in which experts in early childhood healthcare are involved.
It is necessary to offer educational courses for parents and health professionals where they can learn about the characteristics of this syndrome and some strategies to deal with stressful situations. However, the researcher wants to make it clear that the aim is to educate and inform without alarming parents, to prevent parents who have not mistreated their children from feeling guilty, and to clarify misconceptions.
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EL APRENDIZAJE DEL ESPAÑOL EN LENGUAS ESLAVAS

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– EL APRENDIZAJE DEL ESPAÑOL EN LENGUAS ESLAVAS

Investigadores de la Universidad de Granada desarrollarán un proyecto en el que pretenden encontrar las dificultades más significativas con las que se encuentran los estudiantes rusos y ucranianos en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje del español, para así solventarlas mediante la elaboración de aplicaciones metodológicas e instrumentos didácticos. El estudio ha sido financiado por la Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa de la Junta de Andalucía con 26.100 euros.

En España, la presencia de ciudadanos emigrantes se ha incrementado de una manera notable en los últimos años. Es ya un hecho real encontrar en las aulas de los colegios, institutos, universidades y centros de enseñanza, estudiantes que provienen de países eslavos como Rusia o Ucrania, y que se encuentran con grandes dificultades y obstáculos significativos cuando aprenden nuestra lengua. Hasta ahora no había sido necesario el desarrollo de investigaciones dirigidas a la búsqueda de dichas dificultades y elaboración de material didáctico que permitan solventarlas, pero en la actualidad es algo urgente.

En esta línea, el grupo de investigación Eslavística, Caucasología y Tipología Lingüística del Área de Filología Eslava de la Universidad de Granada, abordará un proyecto de excelencia. El objetivo principal del estudio es establecer las dificultades con las que los alumnos de origen ruso y ucraniano que aprenden español, y los profesores que lo enseñan, pueden encontrarse en los diferentes niveles de la lengua, así como en el ámbito cultural, y que afectan, por tanto, al proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje. Y es que esta investigación se hace muy especial y particular al combinar el estudio de las dificultades del aprendizaje del español por hablantes de estas lenguas con una aproximación, además, a los problemas culturales, ya que nunca antes se había planteado algo similar.

El proyecto titulado Estudio de las particularidades de la enseñanza de la lengua española a estudiantes de origen ruso y ucraniano, dirigido por el profesor Rafael Guzmán, ha sido financiado por la Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa de la Junta de Andalucía con 26.100 euros.

Influencia de la lengua materna
Así pues, para realizar el estudio, el equipo de investigadores granadinos partirá del principio teórico de la influencia que, durante el aprendizaje de una lengua extranjera, tiene la lengua materna del propio estudiante. Tal y como asegura el responsable del proyecto, Rafael Guzmán, las semejanzas existentes entre la lengua materna y la extranjera pueden facilitar el aprendizaje de esta última. Pero también, por el contrario, las ‘falsas semejanzas’ entre las dos lenguas lo hacen más difícil, y en la mente del estudiante nace lo que podríamos llamar un tercer sistema lingüístico intermedio entre la lengua materna y la extranjera, por simplificación, en el que se mezclan rasgos de ambas.

Por tanto, para poder detectar los problemas y obstáculos con los que se encuentran los estudiantes rusos y ucranianos durante el proceso de aprendizaje del español en sus distintos niveles, y que pueden ser debidos a la información errónea que se adquiere por ‘semejanzas falsas’, los científicos realizarán un estudio contrastivo de las particularidades de estas lenguas y del español.

Aplicaciones metodológicas
Una vez que sean detectadas, clasificadas y estudiadas las informaciones incorrectas motivadas por la lengua materna que se transfieren en el aprendizaje de la lengua española en los hablantes rusos y ucranianos, los expertos de la Universidad de Granada elaborarán las aplicaciones metodológicas que permitan ayudar al estudiante a vencerlas. Además, con la ejecución de este proyecto, los docentes también se verán beneficiados, ya que podrán desarrollar la metodología adecuada y los materiales didácticos que faciliten su superación y les proporcionen la ayuda necesaria en la organización del proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje.

Por último, hay que destacar que debido a la proximidad que mantienen los miembros de la familia lingüística eslava, las conclusiones y resultados que se deriven de esta investigación de excelencia no sólo se aplicarán a hablantes de origen ruso y ucraniano, sino también a los hablantes de la mayoría de las lenguas eslavas.

Más información:
Rafael Guzmán Tirado
Universidad de Granada.
Departamento de Filología Griega y Filología Eslava.
Campus Universitario Cartuja.
Teléfono: 958 243 694
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Shaking may Cause Serious Long-term Effects to Infants

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– Shaking may Cause Serious Long-term Effects to Infants

A group of interns of the Teaching Maternity Unit of “The University College of Health Care of the UGR” has carried out a bibliographic review of the ‘shaken baby syndrome’.

According to them many of the diagnosed cases, which produce internal damage to the infant, have been caused by mistreatment or abuse of infants.

Crying is the only way a baby can express its feelings and needs. If the parents or caregivers cannot find the cause of the inconsolable crying of the infant, they might react sharply and shake the baby. The violent shake of the infants head causes brain damage and, as a result, the infant stops crying. For this reason, this behaviour may be repeated in similar situations. This is one of the serious consequences extracted from the bibliographic review carried out by a group of interns of the Teaching Maternity Unit of the University College of Health Care of the University of Granada (UGR) published by the Nursing Journal Rol.

Concepción Ruiz Rodríguez, lecturer of the Department of Nursing of the UGR and head of the research group, explains that the “shaken baby syndrome” is not well-known and may cause several injuries which, in most cases, have no outward physical signs. Although the seriousness of the brain damage depends on the frequency, intensity and duration of the shake, there are other minor injuries observed due to this syndrome, such as irritability, lethargy, convulsions, vomiting or lack of appetite, and others that are more serious such as eye injury and broken bones.
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Shaking baby may cause brain damage

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– Shaking baby may cause brain damage.

Shaken baby syndrome, from shaking a baby to have it stop crying, may cause several injuries with no outward physical signs, says a Spanish study.

If parents or caregivers cannot find the cause of the inconsolable crying of an infant, they might react sharply and shake the baby, causing brain damage and, as a result, the infant stops crying, explained study leader Concepcion Ruiz Rodriguez of the University of Granada.

Although the seriousness of the brain damage depends on the frequency, intensity and duration of the shake, there are other minor injuries observed due to this syndrome, such as irritability, lethargy, convulsions, vomiting or lack of appetite, and others that are more serious such as eye injury and broken bones.

Most victims are under age 2, and the most vulnerable victims include premature babies, low-weight babies, babies with excessive colic, disabled babies, twins and stepchildren. The aggressors are chiefly men; 44 percent are the father, 20 percent the mothers boyfriend living in the home, 18 percent are babysitters and 7 percent are the mothers, reported the study published in Nursing Journal Rol.
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Shaking may cause brain damage and serious long-term effects to infants.

Escrito por

– Shaking may cause brain damage and serious long-term effects to infants.

Crying is the only way a baby can express its feelings and needs. If the parents or caregivers cannot find the cause of the inconsolable crying of the infant, they might react sharply and shake the baby.

The violent shake of the infants head causes brain damage and, as a result, the infant stops crying. For this reason, this behaviour may be repeated in similar situations. This is one of the serious consequences extracted from the bibliographic review carried out by a group of interns of the Teaching Maternity Unit of the University College of Health Care [http://]
of the University of Granada (UGR) published by the Nursing Journal Rol.

Concepción Ruiz Rodríguez, lecturer of the Department of Nursing [http://www.ugr.es/~enfermer/] of the UGR [http://www.ugr.es] and head of the research group, explains that the “shaken baby syndrome” is not well-known and may cause several injuries which, in most cases, have no outward physical signs. Although the seriousness of the brain damage depends on the frequency, intensity and duration of the shake, there are other minor injuries observed due to this syndrome, such as irritability, lethargy, convulsions, vomiting or lack of appetite, and others that are more serious such as eye injury and broken bones.

The father, the main aggressor

Most victims are under two years old, and the most vulnerable victims include premature babies, low-weight babies, babies with excessive colic, disabled babies, twins and stepchildren. The aggressors are chiefly men, frequently the father (44%) followed by the mothers boyfriend living in the family home (20%). The most frequent aggressors among women are the babysitters (18%) and the mothers (7%).

According to the information collected from the scientific articles published over the last five years, the researcher assures that “in most of the cases diagnosed, the cause is abuse or mistreatment. For this reason, early detection and especially appropriate prevention by health professionals is essential, because this syndrome may cause serious long-term effects on the infant. In fact, a poor assessment could lead to serious consequences or even the death of the victim. 20% of victims die during the days following the aggression, and of those who survive, 50% suffer from a wide variety of disabilities and only 30% recover fully.

Prevention

Concepción Ruiz points out “the importance of establishing prevention and early detection programmes in which experts in early childhood healthcare are involved.

It is necessary to offer educational courses for parents and health professionals where they can learn about the characteristics of this syndrome and some strategies to deal with stressful situations. However, the researcher wants to make it clear that the aim is to educate and inform without alarming parents, to prevent parents who have not mistreated their children from feeling guilty, and to clarify misconceptions.
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Study looks at shaken baby syndrome

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– Study looks at shaken baby syndrome.

Crying is the only way a baby can express its feelings and needs. If the parents or caregivers cannot find the cause of the inconsolable crying of the infant, they might react sharply and shake the baby.

The violent shake of the infants head causes brain damage and, as a result, the infant stops crying. For this reason, this behaviour may be repeated in similar situations. This is one of the serious consequences extracted from the bibliographic review carried out by a group of interns of the Teaching Maternity Unit of the University College of Health Care of the University of Granada (UGR) published by the Nursing Journal Rol.

Concepci?uiz Rodr?ez, lecturer of the Department of Nursing of the UGR and head of the research group, explains that the shaken baby syndrome is not well-known and may cause several injuries which, in most cases, have no outward physical signs. Although the seriousness of the brain damage depends on the frequency, intensity and duration of the shake, there are other minor injuries observed due to this syndrome, such as irritability, lethargy, convulsions, vomiting or lack of appetite, and others that are more serious such as eye injury and broken bones.

Most victims are under two years old, and the most vulnerable victims include premature babies, low-weight babies, babies with excessive colic, disabled babies, twins and stepchildren. The aggressors are chiefly men, frequently the father (44%) followed by the mothers boyfriend living in the family home (20%). The most frequent aggressors among women are the babysitters (18%) and the mothers (7%).

According to the information collected from the scientific articles published over the last five years, the researcher assures that in most of the cases diagnosed, the cause is abuse or mistreatment. For this reason, early detection and especially appropriate prevention by health professionals is essential, because this syndrome may cause serious long-term effects on the infant. In fact, a poor assessment could lead to serious consequences or even the death of the victim. 20% of victims die during the days following the aggression, and of those who survive, 50% suffer from a wide variety of disabilities and only 30% recover fully.

Concepci?uiz points out the importance of establishing prevention and early detection programmes in which experts in early childhood healthcare are involved.

It is necessary to offer educational courses for parents and health professionals where they can learn about the characteristics of this syndrome and some strategies to deal with stressful situations. However, the researcher wants to make it clear that the aim is to educate and inform without alarming parents, to prevent parents who have not mistreated their children from feeling guilty, and to clarify misconceptions.
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Alternative Methods Proposed To Detect Pesticides And Antibiotics In Water And Natural Food

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– lternative Methods Proposed To Detect Pesticides And Antibiotics In Water And Natural Food.

Science Daily — Water or food of natural origins (from plants or animals) that we consume on a daily basis can contain unwanted ‘supplies’ for our organism, such as pesticides or antibiotics.

Research forms part of several projects financed by the Spanish National Institute for Agrarian and Alimentary Research (INIA) and the Ministry of Education and Science, in collaboration with the company Puleva Biotech.

A doctoral thesis carried out by Jorge Juan Soto Chinchilla, from the Department of Analytical Chemistry at the University of Granada (Universidad de Granada), and directed by professors Ana María García Campaña and Laura Gámiz Gracia, proposes new analysis methods for the detection of pesticide residue (carbamates) and antibiotic residue (sulfonamides) in water, plant foods and food of animal origin (milk and meats from varied sources). These new methods constitute a routine analysis alternative to the analysis used until now.

The main goal of the work “New analytical methodologies, under quality criteria, for the determination of pharmaceutical residues in waters and food”, carried out by the research group “Quality in Food, Environmental and Clinical Analytical Chemistry (FQM-302)”, has been to develop new methods to detect residues in food of these contaminants below the Maximum Residue Levels (MRL) established by the European Union, in order to guarantee the quality of the product and permit its distribution and consumption.

Researchers point out, regarding water, that “the interest caused by control of residue levels of pesticides, which can be found in water as a result of treatment of crops with such compounds, is widely known. ”However, concern on detecting pharmaceutical residue, specifically antibiotic, is quite recent. The presence of these contaminants in fresh waters can cause a certain bacterial resistance or allergic reactions in the consuming population.

Innovative techniques

In order to achieve this, the study carried out by the UGR used techniques that have not been much explored in these fields. Cathodoluminiscence detection (CL) connected to Flow Injection Analysis (FIA) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPCL), or Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) with UV/Vis detection using an online preconcentration technique in the capillary itself, or detection via Mass Spectometry (MS). MS can also unequivocally identify the analysed compounds. Research has been specifically based on carbamates, a widely used pesticide family, and on sulfonamides, a group of wide-spectrum antibiotics commonly used in medicine and veterinary science.

Researchers point out that methods developed in this work could be applied in the future to routine analysis for this kind of residue control in plant foods and foods of animal origin, in Quality and Alimentary Safety laboratories, or in the detection of such contaminants in waters of varied sources. “These methods definitely constitute interesting alternatives to the already established and less sensitive methods which imply a greater consumption of organic solvents and generate more contaminant residues,” the author of the thesis points out.

FQM-302 research group has been working on the proposal of methods of detecting contaminant residues in foods and in the environment for several years. Currently work is being carried out in different doctoral theses which looks at the study of other pesticide families and their degradation products, as well as the study of other antibiotics such as quinolones and beta-lactams using the methods mentioned above.

Results of this work have been published in the following journals: ‘Analytica Chimica Acta’, ‘Journal of Chromatography’, ‘Trends in Analytical Chemistry’ and ‘Electrophoresis’.

Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by Universidad de Granada.

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Brain damage and serious long-term effects to infants from shaking

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– Brain damage and serious long-term effects to infants from shaking
Crying is the only way a baby can express its feelings and needs. If the parents or caregivers cannot find the cause of the inconsolable crying of the infant, they might react sharply and shake the baby. The violent shake of the infants head causes brain damage and, as a result, the infant stops crying. For this reason, this behaviour may be repeated in similar situations.

(Media-Newswire.com) – Crying is the only way a baby can express its feelings and needs. If the parents or caregivers cannot find the cause of the inconsolable crying of the infant, they might react sharply and shake the baby. The violent shake of the infants head causes brain damage and, as a result, the infant stops crying. For this reason, this behaviour may be repeated in similar situations. This is one of the serious consequences extracted from the bibliographic review carried out by a group of interns of the Teaching Maternity Unit of the University College of Health Care of the University of Granada ( UGR ) published by the Nursing Journal Rol.

Concepción Ruiz Rodríguez, lecturer of the Department of Nursing of the UGR and head of the research group, explains that the “shaken baby syndrome” is not well-known and may cause several injuries which, in most cases, have no outward physical signs. Although the seriousness of the brain damage depends on the frequency, intensity and duration of the shake, there are other minor injuries observed due to this syndrome, such as irritability, lethargy, convulsions, vomiting or lack of appetite, and others that are more serious such as eye injury and broken bones.

The father, the main aggressor

Most victims are under two years old, and the most vulnerable victims include premature babies, low-weight babies, babies with excessive colic, disabled babies, twins and stepchildren. The aggressors are chiefly men, frequently the father ( 44% ) followed by the mothers boyfriend living in the family home ( 20% ). The most frequent aggressors among women are the babysitters ( 18% ) and the mothers ( 7% ).

According to the information collected from the scientific articles published over the last five years, the researcher assures that “in most of the cases diagnosed, the cause is abuse or mistreatment. For this reason, early detection and especially appropriate prevention by health professionals is essential, because this syndrome may cause serious long-term effects on the infant. In fact, a poor assessment could lead to serious consequences or even the death of the victim. 20% of victims die during the days following the aggression, and of those who survive, 50% suffer from a wide variety of disabilities and only 30% recover fully.

Prevention

Concepción Ruiz points out “the importance of establishing prevention and early detection programmes in which experts in early childhood healthcare are involved.
It is necessary to offer educational courses for parents and health professionals where they can learn about the characteristics of this syndrome and some strategies to deal with stressful situations. However, the researcher wants to make it clear that the aim is to educate and inform without alarming parents, to prevent parents who have not mistreated their children from feeling guilty, and to clarify misconceptions.

Reference: Lecturer Concepción Ruiz Rodríguez. Department of Nursing of the University of Granada. Phone: 958- 242 359 / 248 029. Email: crr@ugr.es
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Alternative methods to detect pesticides, antibiotics in water, natural food

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– Alternative methods to detect pesticides, antibiotics in water, natural food

Water or food of natural origins (from plants or animals) that we consume on a daily basis can contain unwanted ‘supplies’ for our organism, such as pesticides or antibiotics.

A doctoral thesis carried out by Jorge Juan Soto Chinchilla, from the Department of Analytical Chemistry at the University of Granada (Universidad de Granada), and directed by professors Ana María García Campaña and Laura Gámiz Gracia, proposes new analysis methods for the detection of pesticide residue (carbamates) and antibiotic residue (sulfonamides) in water, plant foods and food of animal origin (milk and meats from varied sources). These new methods constitute a routine analysis alternative to the analysis used until now.

Research forms part of several projects financed by the Spanish National Institute for Agrarian and Alimentary Research (INIA) and the Ministry of Education and Science, in collaboration with the company Puleva Biotech.

The main goal of the work “New analytical methodologies, under quality criteria, for the determination of pharmaceutical residues in waters and food”, carried out by the research group “Quality in Food, Environmental and Clinical Analytical Chemistry (FQM-302)”, has been to develop new methods to detect residues in food of these contaminants below the Maximum Residue Levels (MRL) established by the European Union, in order to guarantee the quality of the product and permit its distribution and consumption. Researchers point out, regarding water, that “the interest caused by control of residue levels of pesticides, which can be found in water as a result of treatment of crops with such compounds, is widely known. ”However, concern on detecting pharmaceutical residue, specifically antibiotic, is quite recent. The presence of these contaminants in fresh waters can cause a certain bacterial resistance or allergic reactions in the consuming population.

Innovative techniques
In order to achieve this, the study carried out by the UGR used techniques that have not been much explored in these fields. Cathodoluminiscence detection (CL) connected to Flow Injection Analysis (FIA) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPCL), or Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) with UV/Vis detection using an online preconcentration technique in the capillary itself, or detection via Mass Spectometry (MS). MS can also unequivocally identify the analysed compounds. Research has been specifically based on carbamates, a widely used pesticide family, and on sulfonamides, a group of wide-spectrum antibiotics commonly used in medicine and veterinary science.

Researchers point out that methods developed in this work could be applied in the future to routine analysis for this kind of residue control in plant foods and foods of animal origin, in Quality and Alimentary Safety laboratories, or in the detection of such contaminants in waters of varied sources. “These methods definitely constitute interesting alternatives to the already established and less sensitive methods which imply a greater consumption of organic solvents and generate more contaminant residues,” the author of the thesis points out.

FQM-302 research group has been working on the proposal of methods of detecting contaminant residues in foods and in the environment for several years. Currently work is being carried out in different doctoral theses which looks at the study of other pesticide families and their degradation products, as well as the study of other antibiotics such as quinolones and beta-lactams using the methods mentioned above.-Universidad de Granada

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