Keratometers

Eye and Its Functions

admin — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 02:00:27 +0000

Eye movement is not just a function of cognition. This was what a pair of Beckman Institute researchers namely, Psychology Professor Alejandro Lleras, a member of the Human Perception and Performance group, and Ph.D. candidate Laura Thomas, has discovered. Eye function affects cognitive processes. These researchers were able to come up with this conclusion through directing the eye movement of their test subjects. As such, the scientists were able to affect the ability of their subjects to solve problems. The researchers occasionally guided the eye movements of subjects with the use of a tracking task, which was unrelated to the problem. Lleras and Thomas were able to significantly influence the chances of their subjects to problem-solving success to the extent where the directed group outperformed every other control group at problem solving. These results reveal that eye movements indicate thoughts and influence them at the same time. (more…)

Eye Development Switch

admin — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 01:57:59 +0000

The presence of essential signal that switches the eye development on was discovered by researchers from the University of Warwick. The study was funded by Wellcome Trust. This finding has potential for great contributions for stem cell research related to eye development. Furthermore, this discovery opens up opportunities for research that would eventually lead to “eye in a dish.”

The researchers were trying to find out whether the release of an important signaling and energy carrying molecule, called ATP, has bearing on the development of locomotion among frogs. Their study presented molecules into frog embryos during one of the earliest stages when they are just 8 cells in size. These molecules are called ectoenzymes, which are normally found on the external surface of cells. Three ectoenzymes were used in the experiment: E-NTPDase1, E-NTPDase2, and E-NTPDase3. These ectoenzymes disintegrate ATP subsequent to its release from cells. However, each version of the ectoenzyme has faintly diverse effects on such disintegration. (more…)

Sleep Influence Driving

admin — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 01:54:28 +0000

Driving a vehicle calls for the synchronization of horizontal eye movements and steering. A recent study discovered that even a single night of sleep deprivation can affect the ability of a person to match up his eye movements with his ability to steer. The research was authored by Mark Chattington from Manchester Metropolitan University. In doing his study, he had six participants drive a winding route with the use of a driving simulator. On the first day, the subjects were asked to drive for one hour beginning at 5 p.m. Then, the said participants were kept awake the following night. On the second day, they were asked to drive again at 5 p.m. and this time, they were to drive for two-and-a-half hours. The eye movements of the participants were monitored with the aid of a dashboard mounted eye tracker. Their steering wheel movement was also monitored and this time, it was with the use of a precision potentiometer that was fixed to the steering column. (more…)

No Single Gene Determines Eye Color

admin — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 01:51:36 +0000

There is no single gene for eye color. This was the conclusion that the researchers from the University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) and the Queensland Institute of Medical Research had arrived to. This study was first to prove such. The said researchers were able to discover that several genes influence the color of a person’s eyes. However, some genes are more dominant in influencing eye color than others. (more…)

Eye, Window for Respiratory Infection

admin — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 01:47:20 +0000

According to a study done by researchers from the University of South Alabama, College of Medicine, a respiratory pathogen generally found among newborns may subsequently be transmitted to the lungs after initial infection. Such research was recently published in the Journal of Virology. This virus that commonly attacks children is the respiratory syncytial virus. This pathogen is responsible for the conditions that are collectively called as croup. These conditions are wheezing, bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and asthma. Croup annually claims millions of lives worldwide. Until now, no reliable vaccine or preventive antiviral is on hand. Furthermore, treatments for the infection have proven to be unreliable, controversial, and expensive. (more…)