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ANDALUCÍA – Pág. 4: Arranca el consorcio del milenio del Reino de Granada |La búsqueda de fosas en Alfacar se ampliará
Pág. 32: El Gobierno falla los Campus de Excelencia
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Gene Increases Effectiveness Of Drugs Used To Fight Cancer And Allows Reduction In Dosage

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Gene Increases Effectiveness Of Drugs Used To Fight Cancer And Allows Reduction In Dosage

Researchers at the University of Granada have found a suicide gene, called \’gene E\’, which leads to the death of tumour cells derived from breast, lung and colon cancer, and prevents their growth. The importance of this new gene is that its use to fight cancer can reduce the potent drugs that are currently used, so that could mean more effective treatment for cancer.

This research was conducted by Ana Rosa Rama Ballesteros, from the Department of Anatomy and Human Embryology at the University of Granada, and directed by professors Antonia Aránega Jimenez, José Carlos Prados Salazar and Consolación Melguizo Alonso. Its aim was to study the possibility of reducing the dosage of drugs currently administered to cancer patients using combination therapy with suicide gene E.

Scientists from the UGR have shown that the bacteriophage phiX174 killer gene called E, can be used to induce death in tumour cells. So far, attempts to use many chemotherapeutic (cytotoxic) agents similar to the E gene have shown severe limitations resulting from their toxicity and their poor affinity with the tumour.

Advantages of gene therapy

As Ana Rosa Rama explains, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery show at present «limited» results in advanced stages of cancer. «That is why it is urgent to find new therapies, and gene therapy has emerged as a potentially powerful therapeutic platform.» Her work has shown that «it is possible to use gene therapy as an aid to chemotherapy, improving its results when it comes to attacking cancer, thus allowing the dosage of agents to be reduced and contributing to a reduction in side effects for the patient.»

In order to understand how the E gene works, the researchers conducted studies using various techniques. The results indicate that the E gene\’s mechanism of action is to induce apoptosis (cell death), possibly through mitochondrial injury.

Therefore, they stress that «this new E gene appears as an ideal candidate to be transfected into tumour cells in order to induce apoptosis, possibly through mitochondrial activation, and to increase the sensitivity of these cells to the action of the drug developed specifically to act on them.»

The results of this research suggest the possibility of reducing the concentration of chemotherapeutic agents in current use with cancer patients. Thus, in lung cancer cell line A-549, scientists from the UGR achieved a 14% inhibition of tumour growth and reduced by 100 times the dose of Paclitaxel agent when it was combined with gene E. In the case of colon cancer, the results were similar. However, the most relevant fact was found in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7, in which the dose of the chemotherapeutic agent, doxorubicin, was reduced by 100 times, reaching up to a 21% greater inhibition of tumour proliferation when combined with gene E. Currently, researchers from the UGR are in the process of obtaining a patent for gene E.
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‘Suicide gene E’ reduces potent drug dosage in cancer patients

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\’Suicide gene E\’ reduces potent drug dosage in cancer patients

Researchers at the University of Granada have found a suicide gene, called \’gene E\’, which leads to the death of tumour cells derived from breast, lung and colon cancer, and prevents their growth. The importance of this new gene is that its use to fight cancer can reduce the potent drugs that are currently used, so that could mean more effective treatment for cancer.

This research was conducted by Ana Rosa Rama Ballesteros, from the Department of Anatomy and Human Embryology at the University of Granada, and directed by professors Antonia Ar-nega Jimenez, Jos- Carlos Prados Salazar and Consolaci-n Melguizo Alonso. Its aim was to study the possibility of reducing the dosage of drugs currently administered to cancer patients using combination therapy with suicide gene E.

Scientists from the UGR have shown that the bacteriophage phiX174 killer gene called E, can be used to induce death in tumour cells. So far, attempts to use many chemotherapeutic (cytotoxic) agents similar to the E gene have shown severe limitations resulting from their toxicity and their poor affinity with the tumour.

Advantages of gene therapy

As Ana Rosa Rama explains, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery show at present «limited» results in advanced stages of cancer. «That is why it is urgent to find new therapies, and gene therapy has emerged as a potentially powerful therapeutic platform.» Her work has shown that «it is possible to use gene therapy as an aid to chemotherapy, improving its results when it comes to attacking cancer, thus allowing the dosage of agents to be reduced and contributing to a reduction in side effects for the patient.»

In order to understand how the E gene works, the researchers conducted studies using various techniques. The results indicate that the E gene\’s mechanism of action is to induce apoptosis (cell death), possibly through mitochondrial injury.

Therefore, they stress that «this new E gene appears as an ideal candidate to be transfected into tumour cells in order to induce apoptosis, possibly through mitochondrial activation, and to increase the sensitivity of these cells to the action of the drug developed specifically to act on them.»

The results of this research suggest the possibility of reducing the concentration of chemotherapeutic agents in current use with cancer patients. Thus, in lung cancer cell line A-549, scientists from the UGR achieved a 14% inhibition of tumour growth and reduced by 100 times the dose of Paclitaxel agent when it was combined with gene E. In the case of colon cancer, the results were similar. However, the most relevant fact was found in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7, in which the dose of the chemotherapeutic agent, doxorubicin, was reduced by 100 times, reaching up to a 21% greater inhibition of tumour proliferation when combined with gene E. Currently, researchers from the UGR are in the process of obtaining a patent for gene E.
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Small faults in southeast Spain reduce earthquake risk of larger ones

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Small faults in southeast Spain reduce earthquake risk of larger ones

A team of Spanish scientists, studying recent, active deformations in the Baetic mountain range, have shown that the activity of smaller tectonic structures close to larger faults in the south east of the Iberian Peninsula partially offsets the risk of earthquakes.

«There are large faults in the eastern part of the Baetic mountain range, which are active and occasionally cause moderate, low magnitude earthquakes (measuring less than 5 on the Richter scale)», Antonio Pedrera, lead author of the study and a researcher in the Department of Geodynamics at the University of Granada (UGR), tells SINC.

The team\’s research, published recently in the Journal of Quaternary Science, involved studying the La Molata sector, near Albox, in Almeria, near the southern end of the active Alhama de Murcia fault. The authors say this sector has been deformed by small faults and folds that are growing progressively.

«Although we can\’t exclude the possibility that these direction faults could cause earthquakes of greater magnitude, we have shown that the formation of small tectonic structures helps to partially relax the energy associated with the convergence of plates, and reduces seismic activity in these larger faults», says Pedrera.

The secrets of rodent fossils

By studying mammal fossils, Antonio Ruiz Bustos, co-author of the study and a researcher at the Andalusian Institute of Earth Sciences (UGR) has been able to date inverse faults and active folds near the town of Albox.

Some of the fossils found in the faults have included the molars of Mimomys Sabin (a small rodent that lived in wetland areas between 950,000 and 830,000 years ago), which have allowed him to measure the horizontal narrowing of the faults at 0.006 milimetres/year.

The scientists have combined the dating of deformed sediments with other surface geological data, such as geological mapping, cinematic analysis of the structures, geophysical prospecting and geomorphological analysis, in order to evaluate what role these faults have played in causing earthquakes during the Quaternary (from 1.8 million years ago to the present day).

Nine million years ago, the eastern part of the Baetic mountain range was deformed by numerous folds and faults, caused by the collision of the Eurasian and African plates.

Currently, some of these tectonic structures are still developing, but available data on the location of earthquakes suggest that their seismic activity is dispersed and moderate.
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Small faults in Southeast Spain reduce earthquake risk of larger ones

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Small faults in Southeast Spain reduce earthquake risk of larger ones

A team of Spanish scientists, studying recent, active deformations in the Baetic mountain range, have shown that the activity of smaller tectonic structures close to larger faults in the south east of the Iberian Peninsula partially offsets the risk of earthquakes. «There are large faults in the eastern part of the Baetic mountain range, which are active and occasionally cause moderate, low magnitude earthquakes (measuring less than 5 on the Richter scale)», Antonio Pedrera, lead author of the study and a researcher in the Department of Geodynamics at the University of Granada (UGR), tells SINC.

The team\’s research, published recently in the Journal of Quaternary Science, involved studying the La Molata sector, near Albox, in Almeria, near the southern end of the active Alhama de Murcia fault. The authors say this sector has been deformed by small faults and folds that are growing progressively.

«Although we can\’t exclude the possibility that these direction faults could cause earthquakes of greater magnitude, we have shown that the formation of small tectonic structures helps to partially relax the energy associated with the convergence of plates, and reduces seismic activity in these larger faults», says Pedrera.

The secrets of rodent fossils

By studying mammal fossils, Antonio Ruiz Bustos, co-author of the study and a researcher at the Andalusian Institute of Earth Sciences (UGR) has been able to date inverse faults and active folds near the town of Albox.

Some of the fossils found in the faults have included the molars of Mimomys Sabin (a small rodent that lived in wetland areas between 950,000 and 830,000 years ago), which have allowed him to measure the horizontal narrowing of the faults at 0.006 milimetres/year.

The scientists have combined the dating of deformed sediments with other surface geological data, such as geological mapping, cinematic analysis of the structures, geophysical prospecting and geomorphological analysis, in order to evaluate what role these faults have played in causing earthquakes during the Quaternary (from 1.8 million years ago to the present day).

Nine million years ago, the eastern part of the Baetic mountain range was deformed by numerous folds and faults, caused by the collision of the Eurasian and African plates.

Currently, some of these tectonic structures are still developing, but available data on the location of earthquakes suggest that their seismic activity is dispersed and moderate.
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Tres proyectos universitarios andaluces aspiran a convertirse en Campus de Excelecia Internacional

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Tres proyectos universitarios andaluces aspiran a convertirse en Campus de Excelecia Internacional

El consejero de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa, Martín Soler, ha destacado la «calidad» de los tres proyectos andaluces, coordinados por las universidades de Córdoba, Sevilla y Granada, que aspiran a convertirse en Campus de Excelencia Internacional (CEI), subrayando el gran esfuerzo realizado por estas instituciones, además del potencial innovador, de investigación y transferencia del sistema andaluz de universidades.

Soler ha asistido en Madrid, junto con los ministros de Educación, Ángel Gabilondo, y de Ciencia e Innovación, Cristina Garmendia, al acto de presentación de los proyectos de las quince candidaturas que optan a conseguir esta denominación.

El consejero ha considerado este primer reconocimiento «un importante logro y un paso decisivo» que confirma que el modelo de financiación y los contratos programa impulsados desde la Consejería, pioneros a nivel nacional, representan «un sistema fructífero por el que debemos seguir avanzando».

Durante esta ceremonia se han concretado los detalles de cada una de las candidaturas andaluzas. Así, el proyecto de Granada está basado en la creación de un Campus Tecnológico y Biosanitario que cuenta con el respaldo del Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, el Parque de las Ciencias, una treintena de empresas referentes (como Puleva, Abbott, Telefónica I D), hospitales, CSIC y otras instituciones públicas y privadas.

Las acciones propuestas en este proyecto convertirán a la Universidad de Granada en un campus excelente, abierto e innovador, así como en un motor de desarrollo sostenible que tendrá, sin duda, un efecto multiplicador en su entorno.

Por su parte, la Universidad de Sevilla ha presentado un proyecto que destaca por su capacidad de agregar a agentes del conocimiento de multitud de ámbitos como el científico, el académico y el empresarial.

Este Campus cuenta con la participación y apoyo del Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas y la Universidad Internacional de Andalucía, de los parques tecnológicos Cartuja 93, Aerópolis y el Centro Tecnológico Palmas Altas; e implica a grandes compañías como Abengoa, Endesa, Telefónica, CTA, Cepsa, Heineken y EADS-CASA.

Finalmente, el plan de la Universidad de Córdoba, en el que participan las universidades de Almería, Huelva, Jaén y Cádiz, prevé crear un polo de atracción universitario y un referente en el desarrollo de investigación, innovación y generación del conocimiento entorno a la agroalimentación, uno de los sectores estratégicos de Andalucía.

En él participan los diferentes implicados en el proceso de la transferencia de la investigación al sistema productivo, desde el tejido empresarial, centros públicos y privados, hasta el IFAPA y sus 19 centros de investigación.
Todo un conglomerado de instalaciones y recursos que se distribuyen por toda la geografía andaluza para dotar a la región de un Campus Agroindustrial de dimensión internacional.

Modernización del concepto de campus

Los Ministerios de Educación y Ciencia e Innovación han convocado por primera vez este año el programa CEI, con el que se pretende iniciar la modernización del concepto de campus universitario y conseguir que los campus españoles adquieran un nivel de excelencia e internacionalización que les permita constituir un referente en el ámbito global.

El programa de dinamización de los Campus de Excelencia Internacionales se incorpora a la Estrategia Universidad 2015. Está dirigido a modernizar la Universidad española en este horizonte y a introducir un alto nivel de calidad en los campus universitarios para que actúen de motores centrales de atracción de talento, de actividad internacional y de generación de valor económico, a través de la transferencia de conocimiento y tecnología.

En una primera fase, una Comisión Técnica seleccionó en octubre 15 proyectos de CEI (entre los que se encuentran los tres andaluces). Estos proyectos han recibido hasta 200.000 euros de financiación del Ministerio de Educación para la elaboración del plan director completo y para la presentación oficial de este día.

Finalmente, el viernes 27 de noviembre, el Gobierno anunciará los 10 de los 15 candidatos que se repartirán los 150 millones de euros de financiación en forma de préstamos sin intereses que se concederán a las CCAA para ejecutar los CEI en el periodo 2009/12
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Small faults in South East Spain reduce earthquake risk of larger ones

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Small faults in South East Spain reduce earthquake risk of larger ones

A team of Spanish scientists, studying recent, active deformations in the Baetic mountain range, have shown that the activity of smaller tectonic structures close to larger faults in the south east of the Iberian Peninsula partially offsets the risk of earthquakes.

\’There are large faults in the eastern part of the Baetic mountain range, which are active and occasionally cause moderate, low magnitude earthquakes (measuring less than 5 on the Richter scale),\’ Antonio Pedrera, lead author of the study and a researcher in the Department of Geodynamics at the University of Granada (UGR), tells SINC.

The team\’s research, published recently in the Journal of Quaternary Science, involved studying the La Molata sector, near Albox, in Almeria, near the southern end of the active Alhama de Murcia fault. The authors say this sector has been deformed by small faults and folds that are growing progressively.

\’Although we can\’t exclude the possibility that these direction faults could cause earthquakes of greater magnitude, we have shown that the formation of small tectonic structures helps to partially relax the energy associated with the convergence of plates, and reduces seismic activity in these larger faults,\’ says Pedrera.

By studying mammal fossils, Antonio Ruiz Bustos, co-author of the study and a researcher at the Andalusian Institute of Earth Sciences (UGR) has been able to date inverse faults and active folds near the town of Albox.

Some of the fossils found in the faults have included the molars of Mimomys Sabin (a small rodent that lived in wetland areas between 950,000 and 830,000 years ago), which have allowed him to measure the horizontal narrowing of the faults at 0.006 milimetres/year.

The scientists have combined the dating of deformed sediments with other surface geological data, such as geological mapping, cinematic analysis of the structures, geophysical prospecting and geomorphological analysis, in order to evaluate what role these faults have played in causing earthquakes during the Quaternary (from 1.8 million years ago to the present day).

Nine million years ago, the eastern part of the Baetic mountain range was deformed by numerous folds and faults, caused by the collision of the Eurasian and African plates.

Currently, some of these tectonic structures are still developing, but available data on the location of earthquakes suggest that their seismic activity is dispersed and moderate.
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Gene Increases Effectiveness of Drugs Used to Fight Cancer and Allows Reduction in Dosage

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Gene Increases Effectiveness of Drugs Used to Fight Cancer and Allows Reduction in Dosage

Researchers at the University of Granada have found a suicide gene, called \’gene E\’, which leads to the death of tumour cells derived from breast, lung and colon cancer, and prevents their growth. The importance of this new gene is that its use to fight cancer can reduce the potent drugs that are currently used, so that could mean more effective treatment for cancer.

This research was conducted by Ana Rosa Rama Ballesteros, from the Department of Anatomy and Human Embryology at the University of Granada, and directed by professors Antonia Aránega Jimenez, José Carlos Prados Salazar and Consolación Melguizo Alonso. Its aim was to study the possibility of reducing the dosage of drugs currently administered to cancer patients using combination therapy with suicide gene E.

Scientists from the UGR have shown that the bacteriophage phiX174 killer gene called E, can be used to induce death in tumour cells. So far, attempts to use many chemotherapeutic (cytotoxic) agents similar to the E gene have shown severe limitations resulting from their toxicity and their poor affinity with the tumour.

Advantages of gene therapy

As Ana Rosa Rama explains, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery show at present «limited» results in advanced stages of cancer. «That is why it is urgent to find new therapies, and gene therapy has emerged as a potentially powerful therapeutic platform.» Her work has shown that «it is possible to use gene therapy as an aid to chemotherapy, improving its results when it comes to attacking cancer, thus allowing the dosage of agents to be reduced and contributing to a reduction in side effects for the patient.»

In order to understand how the E gene works, the researchers conducted studies using various techniques. The results indicate that the E gene\’s mechanism of action is to induce apoptosis (cell death), possibly through mitochondrial injury.

Therefore, they stress that «this new E gene appears as an ideal candidate to be transfected into tumour cells in order to induce apoptosis, possibly through mitochondrial activation, and to increase the sensitivity of these cells to the action of the drug developed specifically to act on them.»

The results of this research suggest the possibility of reducing the concentration of chemotherapeutic agents in current use with cancer patients. Thus, in lung cancer cell line A-549, scientists from the UGR achieved a 14% inhibition of tumour growth and reduced by 100 times the dose of Paclitaxel agent when it was combined with gene E. In the case of colon cancer, the results were similar. However, the most relevant fact was found in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7, in which the dose of the chemotherapeutic agent, doxorubicin, was reduced by 100 times, reaching up to a 21% greater inhibition of tumour proliferation when combined with gene E. Currently, researchers from the UGR are in the process of obtaining a patent for gene E.
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El Dúo “Manuel de Falla” y Susana Ferrero ofrecen en la UGR “Lieder en árabe y el canto andalusí”

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El Dúo “Manuel de Falla” y Susana Ferrero ofrecen “Lieder en árabe” con poemas recitados por Isabel Humbert, el viernes, 27 de noviembre de 2009, a las 20 horas, en el Aula Magna de la Facultad de Medicina.

Este concierto, al que se puede asistir gratuitamente, hasta completar el aforo de la sala, surge como consecuencia del Proyecto “Compositores Marroquíes: La Senda de la vida” con dirección, coordinación y organización de Luis Mariscal y realizado por el Dúo “Manuel de Falla”. El proyecto, patrocinado por la Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional, pretende dar a conocer la música de los pocos compositores marroquíes de formación clásica occidental.

Organizado por la Cátedra Emilio García Gómez, del Secretariado de Extensión Universitaria; y la Cátedra Manuel de Falla del Centro de Cultura Contemporánea, Vicerrectorado de Extensión Universitaria y Cooperación al Desarrollo de la Universidad de Granada, el concierto estará a cargo de la mezzosoprano Susana Ferrero, y del Dúo “Manuel de Falla”, conformado por el violonchelo Dimitar Furnadjiev y el pianista Luis C. Mariscal, a quienes acompañará la recitadora Isabel Humbert.

Programa:
Estrella: Mustafa Aicha Rahmani
Bella Ofrenda: Mustafa Aicha Rahmani

Poema “Dedicatoria”: Nizzar Qabbani
Impulsión: Mustafa Aicha Rahmani
Su Senda: Mustafa Aicha Rahmani

Poema “Nueva Elegía a Córdoba”: Ali Yafar Al-Allaq
Adolescente: Mustafa Aicha Rahmani
Niño de Varsovia I:Mustafa Aicha Rahmani
Niño de Varsovia II: Mustafa Aicha Rahmani

Poema: “Nacer en ciudades que no han nacido”: Al Bayati
Kasida en mi corazón: Mustafa Aicha Rahmani
Nocturno:Mustafa Aicha Rahmani
Mirlo: Mustafa Aicha Rahmani

Poema: “El río de las tristezas”: Nizzar Qabbani
Como una paloma en mi corazón: Mustafa Aicha Rahmani
Bella Mujer: Mustafa Aicha Rahmani
Poema: ”Celebración del día y la noche”: Adonis
Fado Al Mutamid: Amina Alaui
Rama de Arrayán: Mustafa Aicha Rahmani
Momento Feliz: Mustafa Aicha Rahmani

Actividad:
XV Ciclo de Música de Cámara
Concierto: “Líeder en árabe y el canto andalusí”
Intervienen: Dúo “Manuel de Falla”, Susana Ferrero e Isabel Humbert
Lugar: Aula Magna de la Facultad de Medicina
Día: Jueves, 26 de noviembre de 2009
Hora, 20 horas
Organiza: Cátedra Emilio García Gómez, del Secretariado de Extensión Universitaria; y la Cátedra Manuel de Falla del Centro de Cultura Contemporánea, Vicerrectorado de Extensión Universitaria y Cooperación al Desarrollo de la Universidad de Granada
Entrada: Libre (limitada al aforo del recinto)

Contacto:
Profesor Joaquín López González. Director de la Cátedra Manuel de Falla. Universidad de Granada. Tlf. 958246373 y 958 243484. Correo e.: jologon@ugr.es

COMUNICADO DEL RECTORADO DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DE GRANADA SOBRE LA RESOLUCIÓN REFERENTE A LA CALIFICACIÓN DE CAMPUS DE EXCELENCIA INTERNACIONAL

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El Rector y el Equipo de Gobierno de la Universidad de Granada, tras la resolución final del Ministerio de Educación de la convocatoria de Campus de Excelencia Internacional y en la que nuestra Universidad ha sido seleccionada como “Proyecto Prometedor CEI”, quiere manifestar lo siguiente:

1º- Que en dicha resolución se anima a la Universidad de Granada a realizar esfuerzos adicionales para obtener el potencial necesario al objeto de alcanzar el nivel de excelencia internacional al final del programa.
Para este fin se propone un importe de 4 millones de euros, de los cuales 2 se destinarán a actuaciones relacionadas con la mejora científica y la transferencia del conocimiento y tecnología como resultado de la investigación académica al sector empresarial, y otros 2 millones a actuaciones en mejora docente, a transformación del campus para el desarrollo de un modelo social, integral, a mejoras dirigidas a la implantación del EEES con la correspondiente adecuación de los edificios y a la interacción entre el campus y su entorno territorial. Una Comisión de Seguimiento, que se constituirá de acuerdo con el Convenio entre el Ministerio de Educación y la Comunidad Autónoma de Andalucía, determinará los aspectos concretos de esas actuaciones del proyecto con arreglo al convenio suscrito entre el Ministerio de Educación y la Comunidad Andaluza.

2º- El Equipo de Gobierno desconoce las valoraciones y recomendaciones concretas de la Comisión Internacional; aun así, se reafirma en la idea de que el CEI – Granada es un proyecto sólido, sostenible e inteligente. No obstante, esperamos las indicaciones concretas de la Comisión Internacional para poder realizar una valoración más ajustada.
En todo caso, aun no habiendo obtenido la valoración esperada, este Equipo de Gobierno expresa su confianza en conseguir la calificación de Campus de Excelencia Internacional al final del programa, como indica la Resolución, dada la calidad de la agregación estratégica que se ha conseguido en Granada.

3º- El Equipo de Gobierno y el Rector expresan el agradecimiento a todas aquellas instituciones públicas y privadas que han apoyado nuestra propuesta en una decidida apuesta por Granada.
Asimismo, agradece a todos los miembros de la comunidad universitaria el trabajo, esfuerzo, e implicación activa en la realización de la propuesta CEI-Granada. Su apoyo y participación han sido esenciales para la elaboración del proyecto.
En el proceso en el que estamos actualmente, contamos con todos ellos para alcanzar los objetivos esperados.

UGR researchers provide early diagnosis of ARMD and keratitis

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UGR researchers provide early diagnosis of ARMD and keratitis

Researchers from the UGR have provided an early diagnosis of certain ocular diseases that are very common today, such as age-related macular degeneration and keratitis, by applying an existing optical technique that, nevertheless, had never before been used for this purpose.

Scientists from the UGR have studied the image quality in subjects affected by one of these two pathologies, finding a greater amount of ocular aberrations and a higher level of scattering (term associated with the dispersion that light suffers when passing through the various ocular media) in affected eyes compared with results in healthy eyes. This significantly affects visual performance.

This work has been performed by the researcher Carolina Herrera Ortiz, from the Optics Department at the University of Granada, and directed by professors José Ramón Jiménez Cuesta and Francisco Pérez Ocón.

Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the leading cause of central vision loss in developed countries, and mainly affects people of over 50 years of age. As far as keratitis is concerned, this condition causes inflammation of the cornea and can cause blindness, due to the severe alterations that the corneal surface may suffer.

Optical instruments

To carry out this work, the scientists measured the image quality with two optical instruments and used a psychophysical test for assessing visual performance. Results from patients with ARMD were compared with those obtained from a control group of similar age without any ocular pathology. Thus, the researchers could verify that for individuals affected by this condition there is an increased level of ocular scattering that could be mainly due to the disruption suffered by the light reflected in the damaged retina of the ARMD eyes, because a priori optics are not expected to be altered, since it is a retinal pathology.

On the other hand, optical quality and visual performance have also been studied in patients affected by keratitis. Eyes affected by keratitis present a poorer optical quality and a reduced visual performance that improves significantly after the resolution of the pathology. Nevertheless, once medical treatment ends, eyes that suffered from keratitis still have a worse image quality compared to the contralateral healthy eye, a result that significantly influences visual performance even having reached the normal values of visual acuity.

Visual quality characterization

The results of this research carried out at the UGR will make a full and objective characterization of visual quality in patients affected by any of these ocular pathologies. So far, the use of new techniques for assessing objectively the optic quality of the eye has been limited to studies on refractive or cataract surgery. However, as Carolina Ortiz Herrera suggests, this work «may be of particular interest to establish an early diagnosis of certain ocular diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, the main cause of central vision loss in developed countries.»

Furthermore, this technique allows researchers to carry out a monitoring of possible stages of both diseases. Ortiz Herrera stresses the importance of including «both in the clinical practice of optometry and ophthalmology» the use of new techniques that, objectively, could indicate deterioration in vision even when the visual acuity values are normal, since «vision is not only seeing well, but providing quality and comfort.»

The results of this PhD research led to two publications in journals of international prestige such as Journal of Modern Optics and Cornea. They will be soon published in Current Eye Research.
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Small faults in southeast Spain reduce earthquake risk of larger ones

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Small faults in southeast Spain reduce earthquake risk of larger ones

A team of Spanish scientists, studying recent, active deformations in the Baetic mountain range, have shown that the activity of smaller tectonic structures close to larger faults in the south east of the Iberian Peninsula partially offsets the risk of earthquakes.

«There are large faults in the eastern part of the Baetic mountain range, which are active and occasionally cause moderate, low magnitude earthquakes (measuring less than 5 on the Richter scale)», Antonio Pedrera, lead author of the study and a researcher in the Department of Geodynamics at the University of Granada (UGR), tells SINC.

The team\’s research, published recently in the Journal of Quaternary Science, involved studying the La Molata sector, near Albox, in Almeria, near the southern end of the active Alhama de Murcia fault. The authors say this sector has been deformed by small faults and folds that are growing progressively.

«Although we can\’t exclude the possibility that these direction faults could cause earthquakes of greater magnitude, we have shown that the formation of small tectonic structures helps to partially relax the energy associated with the convergence of plates, and reduces seismic activity in these larger faults», says Pedrera.

The secrets of rodent fossils

By studying mammal fossils, Antonio Ruiz Bustos, co-author of the study and a researcher at the Andalusian Institute of Earth Sciences (UGR) has been able to date inverse faults and active folds near the town of Albox.

Some of the fossils found in the faults have included the molars of Mimomys Sabin (a small rodent that lived in wetland areas between 950,000 and 830,000 years ago), which have allowed him to measure the horizontal narrowing of the faults at 0.006 milimetres/year.

The scientists have combined the dating of deformed sediments with other surface geological data, such as geological mapping, cinematic analysis of the structures, geophysical prospecting and geomorphological analysis, in order to evaluate what role these faults have played in causing earthquakes during the Quaternary (from 1.8 million years ago to the present day).

Nine million years ago, the eastern part of the Baetic mountain range was deformed by numerous folds and faults, caused by the collision of the Eurasian and African plates.

Currently, some of these tectonic structures are still developing, but available data on the location of earthquakes suggest that their seismic activity is dispersed and moderate.
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