Articles tagged with Dogs
A national review suggests studying cancer in dogs can inform new drug therapeutics and accelerate human treatment, saving time and costs. The study highlights the genetic similarities between canine and human cancers, offering new targets for improving treatments.
A study by Lisa Wallis and Friederike Range found that older Border Collies perform slower in tasks requiring learning, logical reasoning, and cognitive flexibility. However, the dogs' long-term memory for touchscreen stimuli remained unaffected by age.
A new review by the University of Liverpool found that approximately one in four reported cattle attacks in the UK were fatal and involved dogs. Dog owners are advised to control their pets to avoid interactions with cattle, suggesting letting them off the lead as a way to prevent attacks.
A new smartphone app has enabled vets to vaccinate 70% of the dog population in Ranchi, India, minimizing the risk of rabies transmission. The app tracks vaccinated and unvaccinated dogs, allowing for targeted vaccination efforts.
Researchers have successfully used gene therapy to correct a rare bleeding disorder, factor VII deficiency, in dogs. The treatment showed long-term safety and efficacy, with treated dogs expressing therapeutic levels of clotting factor VII.
A recent study from the University of Helsinki reveals that dogs systematically view facial expressions like humans, prioritizing eyes and altering their behavior in threatening situations. This research supports Darwin's theory on shared evolutionary roots for animal emotions.
A UCLA-led study analyzed genome sequences of wolves, wild dogs, and domesticated dogs to find that domestication may have led to a rise in harmful genetic changes. This could be due to temporary population bottlenecks during breeding for desirable traits.
Researchers have identified a modifier gene for copper toxicosis in Labradors, which could lead to early detection and treatment of Wilson disease. Mutations in ATP7A protect against hepatic copper accumulation, suggesting antagonistic roles with ATP7B.
A new study suggests that as early as 3 years old, toddlers begin to grasp the fundamental difference between a written word and a drawing. The research indicates that this understanding could be an important early indicator for children who may need extra help with reading lessons.
A $30,000 donation will support research into dogs and children with cancer at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), following an 8-year-old girl's battle with cancer. Brooke Hester's genomic analysis of canine cancer could help develop new therapies for children with cancer.
Researchers from Monash University have developed a new image modulation technique called SWIFT to study how the brain categorizes objects. The study found that SWIFT can stimulate specific neural activity patterns in the brain, enabling greater understanding of human visual processing and its potential applications.
A study by Friederike Range and colleagues found that dogs donated food to familiar partners more often than to unfamiliar ones. The researchers also discovered that the degree of familiarity among the dogs influenced this behavior, with prosocial behavior exhibited less frequently towards unfamiliar dogs.
Dogs drink by accelerating their tongues to create a water column, whereas cats use steady inertia. Researchers used photography and laboratory simulations to study dog lapping, finding that dogs' sloppy-looking actions are high-speed movements optimizing fluid acquisition.
For the first time, a litter of puppies was born through in vitro fertilization, thanks to work by Cornell University researchers. The breakthrough enables conserving endangered canid species and study genetic diseases, as dogs share more than 350 similar disorders with humans.
Researchers analyzed canine cell lines to understand cancer development and metastasis, identifying key gene switches that could be targeted with novel therapeutics. The study provides a basis for further research into personalized medicine for dogs with cancer.
A study in Tanzania found that using incentives increased dog vaccination turnout by 34 dogs per village, while a household questionnaire underestimated coverage by 6.6%. The researchers recommend using incentives and the questionnaire as a reliable method to assess post-vaccination coverage.
Researchers at NC State University have developed a device that monitors a guide dog's breathing and heart rate, sharing the information with its handler to detect stress or anxiety. The technology aims to prevent early retirement of guide dogs by providing real-time health insights.
Researchers have identified the Jagged1 gene as a potential target for therapies to combat Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration. Increasing expression of JAG1 was shown to prevent the development of degenerative disease in zebrafish models.
Researchers have developed a gene therapy approach that delays symptoms and extends lifespan in dogs with a comparable disease to Batten disease. The treatment involves delivering a working version of a gene to produce a key enzyme, resulting in striking clinical improvements and slowed disease progression.
Researchers found that injecting viruses carrying gene codes into the brain's ventricles can slow down Batten disease progression. The treatment improved symptoms and reduced damage caused by the disease in dogs with a similar disorder.
Researchers have uncovered fossils of seven giant rat species in East Timor, with the largest weighing around 5 kilos. The discovery sheds light on human migration and its impact on ecosystems, as humans are believed to have driven the rats to extinction around 1,000 years ago.
A Swedish study found that children growing up with dogs have a lower risk of developing asthma, with a 15% reduction compared to those without dogs. The study analyzed over one million children and controlled for confounding factors.
A Johns Hopkins University research team has validated a theory on the brain's mechanism of learning, finding that 'eligibility traces' effectively tag neural synapses activated by stimuli, linking actions with rewards. This discovery could enhance teaching methods and lead to treatments for cognitive problems.
A multi-center trial found that therapy dogs can reduce anxiety levels and improve heart rate stability in children with cancer, as well as their parents. The study provides the first solid data on the psychosocial benefits of animal-assisted interventions for pediatric cancer patients.
Researchers successfully treated dogs with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy using gene therapy, developing a miniature version of the dystrophin protein that protects all muscles. The treatment uses a common virus to deliver the gene, which has shown no symptoms in human bodies and is being planned for human clinical trials.
A study funded by the NIH has shown that gene therapy can preserve vision in dogs with late-stage retinitis pigmentosa. The treatment halted disease-associated cell death and preserved photoreceptor structure, improving visual performance under dim light conditions. Further research is needed to assess its safety and potential toxicity...
A Penn study shows that gene therapy can cure canine X-linked retinitis pigmentosa, even when treatment is started at mid- or late-stage disease. The treatment successfully halted photoreceptor cell loss and maintained vision in dogs for over three years.
Researchers are working on a multi-year project to help end Internet trickery by verifying true network owners and legitimate traffic paths. The team will deploy new protocols such as RPKI, updating router software and adding servers to the routing infrastructure.
A new study published in Nature Neuroscience found that individuals with autism spectrum disorder struggle to transfer learned knowledge to new contexts when trained through repetition. In contrast, breaks in repetition allow autistic individuals to learn efficiently and generalize, promoting broader concept understanding.
Researchers characterized two genetic mutations linked to achromatopsia in dogs and found that they destabilized molecular channels essential to light signal transduction. The findings provide new insights into the molecular cause of blindness and present opportunities for conducting preclinical assessments of curative gene therapy.
Researchers at MIT develop a new way of doing machine learning that enables semantically related concepts to reinforce each other. In experiments, their system outperformed conventional training methods in predicting Flickr tags and even when considering semantically similar tags.
Researchers discovered that genetic background affects mutations in lymphoma tumors across different dog breeds. The study identifies breed-specific genes and molecular subtypes, offering a unique model for understanding how genetics influence cancer development.
Kolltan Pharmaceuticals presents substantial tumor shrinkage with KTN0158 in dogs with spontaneous mast cell tumors, with favorable results from non-clinical toxicology studies. The company plans to file an IND for the drug candidate in oncology this year.
A study by Duke University analyzed data from 500 citizen scientists worldwide, who played the same games as researchers use in labs. The results showed that dogs rely on memory over sense of smell to solve problems. The dataset also revealed unique cognitive skills among dogs, including communication and problem-solving abilities.
A team of researchers at Penn Vet has identified a form of congenital night blindness in dogs, which shares similarities with human forms of the condition. The discovery may lead to the development of gene therapy to correct the dysfunction in both humans and dogs.
A study by Dr. Raffaella Leoci and colleagues found that a specific ultrasound treatment regime can permanently sterilize male dogs without affecting testosterone levels. The method involves three applications of ultrasound at 1 MHz, lasting five minutes, and resulted in significant reduction in testicular volume and degeneration.
The Parsemus Foundation has awarded the second round of the Timmy Prize to three winners who contributed substantial information on the use of Calchlorin nonsurgical sterilant. The data sharing prize aims to increase understanding of the method's effectiveness and refine its methodology.
A new study proposes a logical classification scheme for dogs and wolves, revealing that domestic dogs are descendants of two interbred species: an extinct Asian wild dog and the grey wolf. This finding has implications for wolf conservation, as some hybrids have evolved into full species.
A team of astronomers discovered 48 Dust Obscured Galaxies (DOGs) using the Hyper Suprime-Cam instrument on the Subaru Telescope. These rare galaxies are thought to harbor rapidly growing black holes, providing insights into the co-evolution of galaxies and supermassive black holes.
Researchers are exploring clinical trials on dogs with naturally occurring cancer to develop new treatments for humans. By studying the genetic basis of canine tumors, scientists hope to gain valuable insights into human cancer treatment.
Researchers at the University of Missouri found that resveratrol simultaneously increases and decreases dog's immune systems, leading to mixed signals. The study aims to better understand how this chemical affects human diseases, potentially leading to valuable treatments like cancer therapy.
Researchers from Penn and Baylor have precisely quantified the loss of insulin-producing beta cells in dogs with diabetes, revealing a key similarity with human type I diabetes. The study also identifies features unique to canine diabetes, highlighting potential insights into treating human patients.
Dogs evolved to pursue-pounce predators in response to climate change, shifting from ambushing to endurance running, according to a new fossil study. The research suggests that predators adapt to changing habitats rather than their prey's anatomy.
A new study by an international team of scientists found that competition from cats drove the extinction of many ancient dog species. The researchers analyzed over 2000 fossils and discovered that felids had a deadly impact on the diversity of the dog family, contributing to the demise of up to 40 species.
Researchers investigated dog food processing methods to combat pet obesity, finding that particle size affects digestibility. Maize and sorghum-based diets required coarser grinding for optimal gelatinization, whereas rice-based diets were more easily digested regardless of particle size.
A recent study has identified a face-selective region in the temporal cortex of dogs, which responds significantly to human and dog faces. The research suggests that this ability is hard-wired through cognitive evolution and may help explain dogs' sensitivity to human social cues.
Researchers identified three novel candidate genes, KIRREL3 and SLIT1, involved in immune cell development, and SERPINA9 expressed exclusively at the germinal center where B-cells produce IgA. A new method for analyzing complex traits was also developed to facilitate robust genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in dogs.
A new study finds that a moderate amount of stress stimulates mellow dogs, while hyperactive dogs perform poorly under increased stimulation. Researchers tested pet and assistance dogs, finding that their baseline temperament plays a crucial role in determining optimal stress levels.
Researchers describe skull, skeleton, and dental replacement of Tiarajudens eccentricus, a Brazilian species with remarkable features. The discovery reveals that head-butting and canine display during male-male combat were already present in mammals 270 million years ago.
Researchers at the University of Liverpool found that up to 26% of show dogs, particularly pugs, Basset hounds, and Labradors, are overweight due to their breeding history for physical activity. The team graded body condition and found significant health issues such as arthritis, diabetes, and respiratory diseases in obese dogs.
Research published in Veterinary Record found that one in four UK show dogs competing at Crufts was overweight, despite breed standards emphasizing ideal condition. The study suggests that widespread online exposure of show dog images may be normalizing canine obesity.
Children learn general facts about broad categories effortlessly and may struggle to recognize when they learn something new. This 'knew-it-all-along' illusion suggests that kids' minds absorb information about categories more readily than specifics.
New research on Smilodon fatalis reveals that the saber-toothed cat's permanent upper canines didn't fully develop until about three years of age. The growth rate was double that of an African lion's teeth, at 6 millimeters per month.
Saber-toothed cat canines took years to grow and fully emerged later in life compared to living relatives. Researchers used a novel technique to calculate the eruption rates of their teeth.
Recent changes to EU regulations have led to an increase in imported pets from Eastern Europe, where rabies is endemic, raising concerns about the effectiveness of current checks. The study found that many stray and rescue dogs had low antibody levels against rabies, suggesting potential risks for these animals.
Researchers found that when people perceive more variety in a product's usage situations, they like the product less. Lower variety situations led to customers feeling they were getting value from their sneakers, while higher variety situations made them feel they used the sneakers less often.
Researchers have discovered that starfish can remove deeply embedded foreign objects from their bodies by squeezing them out through the skin at the arm tips. This unique ability allows for quick healing and has implications for understanding animal physiology.
Researchers are using pet dogs with naturally occurring tumors to test new cancer drugs, which could lead to innovative therapies for both humans and animals. The dogs' physiological similarities to humans and conserved genetics between some dog and human cancers make them an ideal model for studying new treatments.
Researchers investigated how training affects dogs' ability to follow human gaze. They found that formal training and short-term training decrease dogs' gaze following performance. In contrast, aging does not significantly affect this ability.
Researchers found a 35,000-year-old wolf bone in Siberia that reveals the most recent common ancestor of modern wolves and dogs. The discovery sheds light on the early origins of dog domestication, with implications for our understanding of human-wolf relationships.