Schizophrenia Gene Identified
The scientists of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Australia have identified a new gene ABCA13 that is linked to Schizophrenia. The gene ABCA13 is active in the hippo campus and peripheral cortex of the brain. They found the gene while they were testing on the DNA of the patient who has been suffering from schizophrenia for a long time. According to Allan McRae the scientist of QIMR the structural defect of the gene ABCA13 was found to be the cause of schizophrenia. The people suffering from schizophrenia possess severely impaired thinking and emotions.
Electric Eye – The Artificial Eye For Toally Blind Persons
A team of 26 experts of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical Health jointly worked in developing the Electric eye-an artificial eye for the totally blind persons and succeeded in the project. The blind person who gets the electric eye fixed can visualize things partially. Though the blind persons can not see clearly with this device it helps them to their work without depending on the assistance of others.Testing the electric eye on five blind persons the scientists got successful results. The artificial retina directly excites the optic nerve cells with the electric probes. Joseph Rizzo of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear infirmary and John Wyatt of the MIT say,”Many of us believe we can create vision by stimulating optic nerve cells electrically”. The research is certainly one of the best of the twenty first century and it gives a great hope for the blind.
Artificial Bones From Trees
Italian scientists developed artificial bones from the wood of Red Oak, Rattan and Sipo trees.These bones are far better plastic or metal that are now being used for implanting. These artificial bones being organic in nature do not cause any infections and at the same time promote faster healing. The Italian scientists have developed a way of turning Rattan wood into bone that is almost identical to the human bone. To create the bone substitute the Rattan wood is heated in the absence of Oxygen until it turns into charcoal. These artificial bones are tested in the sheep and the results are favorable.
Sex Determination In Human Beings
How does a baby happen to be male or female? The gender of a baby is determined at the time of fertilization only. In the process of fertilization the male gamete or sperm cell unites with the female gamete or the egg cell to form the zygote. The zygote develops into the embryo. The gender of the baby depends on the chromosomal structure of the male and female gametes. The nucleus of the human cell contains 23 pairs or 46 chromosomes out of which 22 pairs are called autosomes that determine the physical traits and the remaining one pair of chromosomes is called allosomes or sex chromosomes. This pair of sex chromosomes determines the gender of the baby. The pair of sex chromosomes is designated as XY in males and as XX in females.
In the formation of sperm cells and egg cell a special division called Meiosis occurs due to which the number of chromosomes in the sperm cell and the egg cell is reduced to half. That means the egg cell contains 23 chromosomes (22 + X). All the sperm cells formed due to the Meiotic division contain 23 chromosomes each but they will be of two kinds. 50% of the sperm cells contain (22 + X) chromosomes while the other 50% of them contain (22 + Y) chromosomes. In the process of fertilization if the sperm cell with the X chromosome happens to unite with the egg cell the zygote will have XX chromosomes which will develop into a female baby and if the sperm cell with Y chromosome happens to unite with the egg cell the zygote will have XY chromosomes which will develop into a male baby. So to be a male or a female is purely a chance factor.
Alzheimer’s Disease Can Be Prevented With Apple Juice
A recent study by the researchers of the Massachusetts Varsity revealed interesting uses of the apple juice. A team of scientists conducted various experiments on rats to find out the effect of apple juice on diseases of brain. They found out that the Beta-Amiloid which is the main cause of the Alzheimer’s disease decreased in the rats that were given apple juice daily. So those who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and other brain diseases can try preventing them by drinking apple juice daily.
