Latest news with #UniversitatAutònomadeBarcelona
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Prehistoric ‘scalopini' mole fossil uncovered in an ancient Spanish volcano crater
Researchers have discovered a new genus and species of prehistoric mole in Spain. Vulcanoscaptor ninoti lived during the Pliocene Epoch, from 5.3 to 2.6 million years ago and belonged to the Scalopini, a tribe of moles that currently exists in North America and Asia. Before we dive into the details of a discovery, there is one matter we should immediately set straight. If 'Scalopini' sounds familiar, you're probably thinking of scallopine, or scallopini—a delicious Italian dish consisting of thin sautéed slices of meat served in a variety of sauces. Needless to say that the food scallopine will (unfortunately) not be playing a large part in this story. Researchers found V. ninoti in an excellent state of preservation, recovering its mandible with a complete set of teeth, sections of the torso, and a number of leg bones in their correct anatomical connection. The specimen represents one of the oldest and most complete small mammal fossils in Europe, as they explain in a study recently published in the journal Scientific Reports. The team examined the delicate remains via high-resolution micro-computed tomography (microCT) scanning, which generated a 3D reconstruction of the skeleton. 'With the microCT, we were able to analyze extremely small and delicate structures—such as phalanges and teeth—that would have been nearly impossible to study otherwise,' Adriana Linares, lead author of the study and a predoctoral researcher at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, explained in a statement. While the anatomy of the fossil indicates that the animal was a strong digger and highly adapted to an underground lifestyle, 'the fact that this individual was preserved in lacustrine [lake] sediments and in a lateral position raises the possibility that it may also have had some aquatic locomotion abilities,' Linares added. 'We can't confirm this with certainty yet, but there are modern moles that are powerful diggers and also excellent swimmers.' The name Vulcanoscaptor ninoti means 'the Camp dels Ninots volcano digger' in reference to where it was discovered. Camp dels Ninots is an important paleontological site in the crater of an ancient volcano near Girona in northeastern Spain. An eruption about 3.1 million years ago created ideal conditions for the preservation of fossils. In fact, the researchers claim that V. ninoti is also the most complete known Pliocene mole fossil from Europe, presenting an excellent opportunity to investigate the evolutionary history of the small mammals. [ Related: These moles may have been hiding for 3 million years. ] 'Despite its clearly fossorial morphology, this mole is closely related to extant North American species of the genera Scapanus and Scalopus, which points to a far more intricate evolutionary history for these animals than we had imagined,' said Marc Furió, co-lead of the study and a geologist at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. 'Its presence in Europe suggests past transcontinental migrations of moles, challenging the assumption that they are mammals with low dispersal capacity.' It seems like both prehistoric and modern mole species still have a lot of surprises in store for paleontologists. Solve the daily Crossword
Time Business News
16-07-2025
- Health
- Time Business News
Peptide Antibiotics Gain Momentum Amid Rising Resistance and R&D Advances
Peptide antibiotics is basically short chains of amino acids make up the family of antimicrobial medicines. They are either naturally occurring or artificially created to combat bacterial infections. Peptide antibiotics are effective because they break down bacterial cell walls or prevent vital bacterial processes, even against strains of bacteria that counter antibiotics. Peptide antibiotics appeal is increased by their capacity to target germs that are resistant to many drugs, as well as by developments in peptide synthesis and drug delivery technology. Other growth factors include increasing pharmaceutical R&D expenditures, growing awareness of hospital-acquired infections, and encouraging government programs for the development of novel antibiotics. Key Growth Drivers and Opportunities Rising Antibiotic Resistance: The increasing antibiotics resistance makes the conventional antibiotics less effective against bacteria that are resistant to multiple drugs leading towards adoption of peptide antibiotics. Novel peptide-based solutions have higher investments from government, healthcare institutions, and pharmaceutical corporations in order to counter the increasing global health danger posed by superbugs and the pressing need for new, effective therapies. With increasing demand for potent antimicrobials, the peptide antibiotics industry is seeing a surge in research, development, and commercialization. Challenges The peptide antibiotics mostly requires complicated and complex synthesis processes that can be expensive, consumes more time and labor-intensive as they need creating accurate sequences of amino acids with certain structures and clear modifications. To improve stability or activity of some procedures, solid-phase peptide synthesis, purification procedures, and chemical alterations are needed with each call for specific tools and knowledge. This intricacy increases production costs and restricts scalability. Innovation and Expansion New peptide antibiotic stops bacteria by binding where no drug has before In March 2025, the lariocidin was discovered which is a lasso peptide making a breakthrough step ahead in antibiotics. Found by McMaster University researchers binds to a bacterial ribosome location which was previously untargeted, preventing protein production and leading to incorrect coding. The antibiotics peptide effectively counters the multi-drug-resistant bacteria in animal models and lab studies, having a minimum toxicity and lower potential for resistance development. New Human-Derived Peptides Show Promise Against Superbugs in June 2025 Breakthrough In June 2025, a novel class of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been identified by Researchers at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona that is embedded within human glycosaminoglycan-binding proteins. In both in vitro experiments and mice sepsis models, HBP-5 showed strong, targeted efficacy against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria with no harm to human cells. The Lariocidin's therapeutic potential in hostile biological conditions is further enhanced by its extraordinary durability against enzymatic degradation due to its unique lasso structure. First Peptide-Based Long-Lasting Frown Line Treatment In September 2022, The U.S. FDA has cleared DAXXIFY (DaxibotulinumtoxinA-lanm) for injection, according to a statement released by Revance Therapeutics. Since DAXXIFY is the first and only peptide-formulated neuromodulator that provides long-lasting cosmetic results, this is a significant milestone. In comparison to current botulinum toxin treatments, the product is intended to lessen the appearance of frown lines and may have a longer duration of action. Innovation in Antibiotics, Expand Markets The key players operating in the peptide antibiotics market include, Merck & Co., Inc., Monarch Pharmachem, AbbVie Inc., VERRA, Melinta Therapeutics LLC, and others. Long-term goals consist of to improve product quality and scalability, peptide antibiotic firms are concentrating on innovation through robust research and development, strategic partnerships, and economical production. About Author: Prophecy is a specialized market research, analytics, marketing and business strategy, and solutions company that offer strategic and tactical support to clients for making well-informed business decisions and to identify and achieve high value opportunities in the target business area. Also, we help our client to address business challenges and provide best possible solutions to overcome them and transform their business. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Just 100 Corporations Behind A Fifth Of Global Environmental Conflicts, Study Reveals
Friday, 23 May 2025, 10:56 am Press Release: Global Atlas of Environmental Justice Just one hundred corporations are behind a fifth of the documented environmental conflicts worldwide, exposing how companies from the Global North seize resources and profits, while social and ecological harms are imposed on the Global South, according to a recent study published by researchers at the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB). The findings are based on the analysis of data from the Environmental Justice Atlas (EJAtlas), an interactive map that locates and documents more than 4,300 environmental conflicts around the world - such as disputed mines, pipelines, or hydropower dams resisted by environmental justice activists and local communities. The most conflictive 100 corporations - including Shell, Glencore, Repsol, or Bayer-Monsanto - represent only 2% of the 5,500 companies documented in the EJAtlas and yet are involved in 20% of the conflicts analysed. The vast majority of these companies are transnational giants that operate in the energy, mining, and hydropower sectors, are headquartered in the Global North, and yet their activities have serious negative impacts on communities in the Global South. The study shows that nearly half of the companies involved in environmental conflicts in the Global South are from the Global North. Furthermore, 50% of the environmental conflicts of Global North companies are located in the Global South. 'Current global trade rules, such as free trade agreements, investor-state dispute settlement courts, and foreign investment tax incentives, promote the unfettered growth of big transnationals involved in a large number of environmental conflicts, and exacerbate the environmental and social impacts of their extractive operations, primarily in the Global South" explains Marcel Llavero-Pasquina, lead author of the study published in the journal Global Environmental Change. Transnational corporations are particularly involved in conflicts related to products of high value or large environmental footprints, such as corn, cotton, oil, gas, or precious and rare minerals. In contrast, conflicts over lower-value resources, such as coal or waste, more often involve domestic companies. The extraction and transport of such strategic goods allows Global North companies to more efficiently concentrate wealth while transferring harms such as land dispossession, deforestation or oil spills to communities and ecosystems in the Global South. The study also shows that the involvement of transnational corporations in environmental conflicts is linked with more harm and worse outcomes for local populations. The authors document more violent events, forced displacement, land dispossession, loss of livelihoods and traditional knowledge, and greater impacts on women and Indigenous Peoples when foreign companies are involved in conflicts. In many cases, conflicts with transnational corporations disproportionately lead to corruption, repression, and even the murder of community leaders and environmental activists. The report's findings call into question corporate social responsibility policies and voluntary sustainability commitments. Despite many of the most conflictive companies being part of initiatives such as the UN Global Compact, their operations continue to have significant negative impacts. "Teethless voluntary initiatives mainly based on self-reporting paint a deceitful picture of corporate transparency and responsibility. Yet, the voices of the environmental defenders confronting their operations reveal a story of widespread corporate impunity, and a systemic lack of accountability and justice", says Llavero-Pasquina, coordinator of the Environmental Justice Atlas. The researchers call on academia and international organizations to judge corporate social and environmental behaviour based on the outcomes experienced by affected communities rather than on company voluntary policies. The study results urge policymakers to rewrite the rules of global trade on principles of equity, autonomy and reciprocity, and implement binding, mandatory and enforceable regulations on transnational corporations to avoid harm, and when necessary provide the tools to secure accountability and liability for the impacts linked to their wrongdoing. 'This research sheds light on the dark corners of corporate abuse, clearly illuminating how extensive and deep the tentacles of corporate wrongdoing reach,' said Rachel Rose Jackson, Director of Climate Research & Policy at Corporate Accountability, a corporate watchdog. 'It also clearly illustrates the failure of existing mechanisms to deliver justice, address harms, and stop future wrongdoing. The solutions to corporate impunity are not voluntary pledges, self-regulation, or half measures with little to no oversight. Addressing corporate abuse requires meaningful measures that are legally-binding and that truly safeguard people and the planet (not corporate greed). Until we hold corporations liable for the harms they cause, they will continue to wreak destruction in their unconscionable pursuit of profit.' 'This article clearly shows that global trade rules are a legacy of colonialism that give free reign to Global North transnationals to continue plundering the Global South at the expense of communities and ecosystems' said Meena Raman, Head of Programmes at Third World Network. 'Only a system change that counters the imperialistic and neo-liberal order and enables economic and ecological sovereignty of peoples, a fair distribution of world resources and forms of development which are ecologically sustainable and fulfill human needs, can deliver genuine justice for the poor and the planet." The study comes out as the European Parliament debates the European Commission's Omnibus deregulation package that will water down corporate obligations to prevent human rights and environmental violations across their global supply chains under theCorporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). Speaking to the European Coalition for Corporate Justice, Nick Omonuk, a climate justice activist resisting TotalEnergies' EACOP pipeline in Uganda, said "Irresponsible corporations don't just extract resources; they extract life. They displace people, destroy livelihoods, and pollute the water and soil we depend on. These companies know exactly what they're doing, but they don't care—because the system protects them, not us, we are the ones treated like criminals. The [European] Commission is making corporate impunity the norm, it's a death sentence for our communities. If the Omnibus proposals pass, they will give a free pass for polluters and be a direct attack on victims and communities." © Scoop Media
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Researchers uncover alarming particles have been hiding in our bodies for decades: 'This project is a decisive step'
We've all heard about plastic pollution in our oceans, but what about the plastic particles quietly building up inside our bodies? A major European research project called PlasticHeal has taken a deep dive into one of the least visible — and potentially most harmful — forms of plastic pollution: nanoplastics. These particles are so small that they can slip past our bodies' natural defenses and settle into vital organs. Scientists say the more we are exposed to nanoplastics, the more dangerously they accumulate, according to an article from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona posted on Led by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, the four-year PlasticHeal project has shed new light on how micro- and nanoplastics affect human health. In studies using human cell cultures, animal models, and biological samples, researchers found that these tiny plastics can damage DNA, disrupt how our cells function, and trigger chronic inflammation. "This project is a decisive step," said Alba Hernández Bonilla, a professor and lead investigator on the project. The team's work provides critical insight into how nanoplastics interact with our bodies — and what that might mean for our long-term health. So, why is this really concerning? Nanoplastics can cross the intestinal barrier, enter the bloodstream, and travel through the body, collecting in organs and tissues. And that exposure might make us more vulnerable to other toxins, such as tobacco or arsenic. While plastic bottles and bags break down over time, they don't really go away — they just become smaller. Nanoplastics are the result of that process. Because they're so tiny, they can easily enter the human body through food, water, and even the air we breathe. This isn't just an environmental issue — it's a public health issue. Scientists are still uncovering how these particles affect our immune system, but the early evidence shows that long-term exposure could be linked to a range of chronic conditions. Thankfully, the issue of micro- and nanoplastics is no longer flying under the radar. Governments, scientists, and advocacy groups are stepping up to better understand and reduce our exposure. The European PlasticHeal project is one of several initiatives under the European Research Cluster to Understand the Health Impacts of Micro- and Nanoplastics (CUSP). These organizations are developing cutting-edge tools to detect nanoplastics in human tissues and assess their long-term risks — vital steps toward setting safe exposure limits and shaping future regulations. Do you worry about having toxic forever chemicals in your home? Majorly Sometimes Not really I don't know enough about them Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Globally, some governments are starting to take action. France and England have both banned plastic cutlery and other single-use items, while California recently banned plastic produce bags from grocery stores. On the individual level, making a conscious choice to cut down on plastic can help move the needle, too. While the full health effects of nanoplastics are still being uncovered, the momentum is building to protect people — not just the planet — from plastic pollution. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
