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Science News for October 5, 2005


The brain needs the middle ear to track depth

Researchers demonstrated how monkeys update depth motion with the help of their middle ears. The study strongly implicated the vestibular system in this process, showing that intact motion cues are critical for reconstructing three-dimensional visual space during motion in depth.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateOct 5, 2005

PET's imaging power may be best indicator for determining which patients develop Alzheimer's

A study published in Journal of Nuclear Medicine found that PET imaging with FDG has significantly higher accuracy than genetic screening for predicting Alzheimer's disease in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients. Most MCI patients who showed abnormalities in their original PET scan developed dementia within 16 months.

SourceSociety of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging·JournalJournal of Nuclear Medicine·DateOct 5, 2005

Hair-raising stem cells identified

Researchers at EPFL discover that stem cells within hair follicles can develop into various cell types needed for hair growth and follicle replacement. This breakthrough has significant implications for regenerative medicine and could potentially be used to regenerate hair on patients with severe burns.

SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 5, 2005

Neural stem cells are long-lived

Researchers have discovered that neural stem cells in adult mice can respond to Shh signaling and give rise to other neural cell types, including glial cells. The study also found that quiescent stem cells can self-renew after a year, with implications for tissue repair and cancer progression.

Flashes shed light on cosmic clashes

Astronomers have discovered the first optical afterglow of a short gamma-ray burst, providing evidence for their cosmic explosion hypothesis. The findings suggest that these bursts originate from the merging of compact stars in elliptical galaxies.

SourceESO·JournalNature·DateOct 5, 2005

Mother-of-pearl in highest resolution

Researchers at Max Planck Institute have found that the surface of lime platelets in mother-of-pearl is disordered and wavy, ruling out ordered layers on the organic matrix. This discovery challenges previous understanding of nacre's composition and mechanism, offering new insights into building materials.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 5, 2005

How the brain sorts babble into auditory streams

The study used repetitive triplet sequences of tones with alternating frequencies to explore how the brain perceives auditory streams. The researchers found that at intermediate frequency separations and speeds, listeners' perceptions shifted from a single stream to two separate streams.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateOct 5, 2005

New mental health help for juvenile offenders

The new guidelines aim to improve psychiatric evaluation, screening, and treatment for juvenile offenders. They recommend educating clinicians on unique system issues and refer juveniles with mental health or substance abuse disorders for systematic evaluation and treatment.

SourceLifespan·JournalJournal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry·DateOct 5, 2005