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Science News Archive October 2005


Page 1 of 16

Combination therapy for mouse model of human inherited blindness

Researchers have successfully tested combining two treatments to restore retinal function in a mouse model of human inherited blindness. The combination of oral retinoids and gene therapy offers effective means for treating this devastating disease, with potential applications for wider age ranges of patients.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateOct 31, 2005

CHEST 2005 abstract highlights

The study found that the size of a patient's lung mass correlates with brain metastases in non-small cell lung cancer. School sports significantly decrease smoking rates among students. Researchers discovered a new method to diagnose and treat sleep apnea without overnight polysomnography, but noted a higher use of sedatives in non-obe...

California's oak woodlands face a new threat: Climate change

Climate change is expected to shift the suitable ranges of blue oak and valley oak in California, with potential habitats shrinking by nearly half, posing a challenge for conservation planning. The study highlights the importance of regional climate models for accurately predicting species' responses to climate change.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Cruz·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 31, 2005

UW scientists report a new method to speed bird flu vaccine production

A team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Tokyo report a new way to generate genetically altered influenza virus. This technique improves upon a previous reverse genetics method by significantly reducing the number of plasmid vectors required, increasing the efficiency of virus production.

SourceUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 31, 2005

Mice have a gift for song

Researchers discovered that male mice produce ultrasonic calls with complex passages, syllable types, and regular time signatures, meeting the definition of song. The findings suggest that mouse song may approach that of many songbirds, opening new avenues for research into the genetic contributions to song and learning.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateOct 31, 2005

Mathematicians get a handle on centuries old shape

A team of mathematicians from Rice, Stanford, and Indiana universities has provided the first proof since Jean Meusnier's study of soap films in 1785. The new shape, called genus one helicoid, is an infinitely twisted version of a fundamental simple shape with balanced properties.

SourceRice University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 31, 2005

Genetic prediction of Type 2 diabetes

Scientists have identified genetic variants in PPARG and CAPN10 genes that increase the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, particularly in individuals with other risk factors. A large-scale study found that these variants can predict diabetes in high-risk individuals from families with T2D.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateOct 31, 2005

Monkey math machinery is like humans'

Researchers found that monkeys demonstrate a significant semantic congruity effect when making numerical comparisons, similar to humans. The study used colored cues to instruct monkeys to choose larger or smaller numbers, showing high accuracy and speed in the task.

SourceDuke University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 31, 2005

Out of sight, out of mind? Not necessarily

A study published in PNAS found that even when the primary visual cortex is temporarily shut down, the brain can still process visual information unconsciously. Researchers used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to induce temporary blindness in nine volunteers with normal vision.

SourceRice University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 31, 2005

Bees solve complex colour puzzles

A new UCL study reveals that bees can recognize flowers under different global lights by segmenting scenes into regions of illumination and finding the correct flowers within each region. This strategy suggests that bees use color relationships between objects in a scene to resolve stimulus ambiguity, a challenge also faced by humans.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 31, 2005

Every squeak you make

Researchers find mouse songs have syllabic diversity and temporal regularity, similar to birdsong, but with less complexity. The study adds mice to the list of creatures that sing during courtship, paving the way for future investigation into mouse vocalizations in wild populations.

SourceWashU Medicine·JournalPLOS Biology·DateOct 31, 2005

New imaging method shows early in treatment if brain cancer therapy is effective

Researchers developed a functional diffusion map that tracks water movement in the brain, predicting tumor response to treatment. This non-invasive method identifies patients who will benefit from second-line therapy and those whose tumors are not responding, allowing for targeted radiation doses.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 31, 2005

Nanomanufacturing: Systematic study of nanostructure growth yields production 'road map'

Nanotechnology researchers at Georgia Tech created a systematic study of growth conditions for one-dimensional nanostructures from cadmium selenide, producing three types of nanostructures: nanosaws/nanocombs, nanobelts, and nanowires. The 'road map' provides optimal conditions for controlling the production of each structure.

SourceGeorgia Institute of Technology Research News·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateOct 31, 2005