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A University of Colorado School of Medicine researcher has found that key eye reflexes are substantially altered in people with Down syndrome, who often have poor balance and motor coordination.
Future for green energy:spray-on solar
As Japan seeks to optimize its use of environment-friendly energy sources in the wake of the nuclear crisis triggered by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, a company here may just have come up with a major breakthrough: spray-on solar cells.
Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. has developed technology that enables solar cells to be applied to buildings, vehicles and even clothing in the same way that paint is applied. The breakthrough means that the places where energy from the sun can be harvested are almost limitless.
The new solar cells utilize carbon compounds which, when dried and solidified, act as semiconductors and generate electricity in reaction to being exposed to light. Most existing solar cell technology requires crystalline silicon to be sandwiched between glass sheets and positioned on the roofs of homes and office buildings, or in space-consuming "solar parks."
Scientists have been attempting to both increase the energy-gathering efficiency of solar panels.
That figure is still some way behind the 20 percent that is standard in traditional crystalline silicon solar cells, but the firm expects to be able to improve the efficiency ratio to 15 percent by 2015 and is aiming to eventually reach 20 percent.
The company said the new painted-on solar cells would be particularly effective when applied to round or curved structures, such as chimneys or the noise-reduction barriers that line many highways in built-up areas of Japan.
It could also be applied to the exteriors of cars and theoretically used to help power the vehicle and even to such flexible surfaces as clothing.
Key eye reflexes altered in people with Down syndrome
The findings by Alberto Costa, could lead to new tools to assess the effectiveness of new drugs and therapies aimed at improving quality of life for those with this genetic disorder.
“People with Down syndrome suffer various degrees of motor difficulty. They tend to walk later than their typical peers; they often lack balance and have low muscle tone and poor postural control,” said Costa.
That’s likely because Down syndrome affects the optokinetic and vestibular systems of the brain.
In a healthy brain, the vestibular system reacts to signals from neuroreceptors in the inner ear to produce responses to head movements. The optokinetic system uses visual information to produce eye movement. These reactions are often slow or decreased in those with Down syndrome.
“Although we have known for many years that the cerebellum is disproportionally shrunk in persons with Down syndrome, we wanted to find out how their cerebella operated on a functional level,” Costa said.
“We found that people with Down had much diminished optokinetic and vestibular reflexes compared to typically developing individuals. As a consequence, it is likely that things may appear blurry when they ride a bike or play sports,” he stated.
Smartphone games may promote family bonding
Enjoy playing smartphone games with your kids? New research announced last week finds that games such as Angry Birds and Plants vs. Zombies can increase quality bonding time for the family.
The study, however, was conducted by video game maker PopCap Games in conjunction with the University of London in an online survey of 3,250 parents and grandparents. The study examined the role of “casual games” such as puzzle or strategy games, and what role they may play in creating a bond between parents and grandparents and youth under the age of 16.
One-third of survey participants said they play smartphone games with their children every day, and 80 percent of this group described it as a “quality time” activity within their family. The study also stated that games such as Angry Birds are helping children as young as two to become proficient in smartphones and tablet devices.
