Archive for August, 2008
Serotonin as a key regulator of fear memory
Sunday, August 31st, 2008
Researchers have shown that mice lacking serotonin are less anxious compared to control animals but retain fearful memories for much longer time.
Scientist unveils secret of newborn’s first words
Saturday, August 30th, 2008
A new study could explain why "daddy" and "mommy" are often a baby's first words - the human brain may be hard-wired to recognize certain repetition patterns.
Bed with built in treadmill
Friday, August 29th, 2008
Adjustable beds are commonly used in hospitals to help patients change position and get up with minimal help. Now Charles Filipi, a surgeon at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, wants to take them a step further, literally.He says that many obese patients are required to exercise as part of their treatment. But getting them into a standing position can involve numerous staff and finding a treadmill for them to work out on can be even more time consuming.
So, Filipi suggests building the treadmill into the hospital bed. When not in use the treadmill sits in a vertical position at the end of the bed (see image, above).
When the patient needs to exercise, the bed slowly tips into the vertical position, planting the treadmill onto the ground ready to be used. That means a person can always access the treadmill easily, with minimal assistance from anyone else.
Read the full hospital bed treadmill patent application.
Justin Mullins, New Scientist consultant
Memory Trick Shows Brain Organization
Friday, August 29th, 2008
A simple memory trick has helped show researchers how an area of the brain called the perirhinal cortex can contribute to forming memories. The finding expands our understanding of how those brain areas that form memories are organized.
My Life is Not a Myth
Friday, August 29th, 2008Satellite image sharpener
Thursday, August 28th, 2008
Images from spy satellites are often blurred by swirls of atmospheric turbulence. Finding better ways to correct for that could help anyone from CIA spooks to people checking out the neighbour's swimming pool on Google Earth.
The most promising method so far involves determining how the turbulence has distorted a simple point source of light in the image and reversing the effect.
But a human expert is required to locate what appear to be point-like sources from which the distortion can be calculated. Now Yitzhak Yitzhaky, an electronics engineer at Ben-Gurion University in Israel, has developed a system that automates a version of the process.
It works by searching the image for what appear to be step-like edges, and then calculating how such edges must have been distorted. It applies the reverse of that to the entire image.
This method only determines the distortion in one direction across an image (since edges are straight lines). But Yitzhaky points out that blurring due to atmospheric turbulence is usually the same in all directions this doesn't matter. The result is an automated system for removing the blur from satellite images of the Earth.
Read the full satellite image sharpener patent application.
Justin Mullins, New Scientist consultant
The most promising method so far involves determining how the turbulence has distorted a simple point source of light in the image and reversing the effect.
But a human expert is required to locate what appear to be point-like sources from which the distortion can be calculated. Now Yitzhak Yitzhaky, an electronics engineer at Ben-Gurion University in Israel, has developed a system that automates a version of the process.
It works by searching the image for what appear to be step-like edges, and then calculating how such edges must have been distorted. It applies the reverse of that to the entire image.
This method only determines the distortion in one direction across an image (since edges are straight lines). But Yitzhaky points out that blurring due to atmospheric turbulence is usually the same in all directions this doesn't matter. The result is an automated system for removing the blur from satellite images of the Earth.
Read the full satellite image sharpener patent application.
Justin Mullins, New Scientist consultant
Triggers of Depression
Thursday, August 28th, 2008by Susan
My husband and I spent four days at the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital with his mother who is 94 years of age. She is out of the hospital now and will be returning to the hospital soon for a procedure on her back. The many hours we spent in the ICU and adjoining waiting room were very similar to times when I was there for my own mother and for one of my sisters.
Needless to say, I believe the events of the past week have triggered some depressive feelings for me. My mother passed away in 1999. She was in the hospital for 10 days as a result of a fall due to the unsteadiness she suffered with Alzheimer's Disease. All of my sisters, as well as my brother visited and spent time together. We all rallied together again a few years later when one of my sisters spent 10 days in the ICU on life support.
I believe significant events such as loss of a loved one and life threatening illness of a loved one can trigger depression. I also believe similar events can re-trigger those same feelings of depression, fear and anxiety.
There are so many events in our lives that are possible triggers of depression. Job loss, financial problems, arguments with loved ones, death, illness and many many more. Some of us may be depressed due to genetics and chemical imbalance but these triggering events increase our levels of depression, sometimes to the point of immobilizing us for a short period of time. If you find yourself unable to function somewhat normally for you, get professional help as well as help from family members.
Here is an interesting site that lists many of the triggers of depression "Causes of Depression: Possible Triggers of Depression?"
Subliminal learning demonstrated in the human brain
Thursday, August 28th, 2008
New study used sophisticated perceptual masking, computational modeling, and neuroimaging to show that instrumental learning can occur in the human brain without conscious processing of contextual cues
Human-motion energy harvester
Wednesday, August 27th, 2008
Magnetoelastic materials change their shape when zapped with a magnetic field and are widely thought of as a way to produce movement, for example in small robots. But they also work in reverse, producing a magnetic field when they are deformed.Greg Hampikian and Peter Mullner, both at Boise State University in Idaho say this property can be used to harvest energy from human movement.
They connect the magnetoelastic material to a magnetic transducer that generates a current from changes in a magnetic field.
This approach can create energy from low-level vibrations. The inventors say that relatively small movements are needed to produce an effect, making their devices ideally suited to harvesting power from human movement. That could be useful to stretch the battery life of portable gadgets, or medical implants.
Read the full human-motion energy harvester patent application.
Justin Mullins, New Scientist consultant
‘Perfect Pitch’ in Humans Far More Prevalent than Expected
Wednesday, August 27th, 2008
Researchers have developed a unique test for perfect pitch, and have found surprising results.