Tag Archives: blind

Retinal Implants Regain Vision in Blind Mice

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Retinal damage can result in blindness

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Retinal implants have shown potential in restoring vision in blind mice, indicating that they may eventually help those with conditions like age-related macular degeneration, where photoreceptor cells in the retina deteriorate over time.

Shuiyuan Wang from Fudan University in China and his team developed a retinal prosthesis composed of metal nanoparticles that replicate the function of lost retinal cells, converting light into electrical signals to be sent to the brain.

In their experiments, the researchers administered nanoparticles into the retinas of mice that had been genetically modified to be nearly completely blind.

They restricted water access for three days to both the modified blind mice and those with normal vision. Subsequently, they trained all mice to activate a 6cm wide button on a screen to receive water.

Following training, each mouse underwent 40 testing rounds. The fully sighted mouse pressed the button successfully 78% of the time. Mice with implants achieved a 68% success rate, while untreated blind mice only managed 27%. “That presents a very noticeable effect,” stated Patrick DeGenard, who wasn’t involved in the research but is affiliated with Newcastle University in the UK.

After 60 days, researchers observed minimal signs of toxicity from the implants in the mice. However, Degenaar emphasized the need for long-term safety data, stating, “For clinical application, extensive animal testing lasting approximately five years will be necessary.”

“Patients with age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa could benefit from this prosthetic,” noted Leslie Askew from the University of Surrey, UK, who was not part of the study.

Degenaar also remarked that justifying this solution for age-related macular degeneration patients is complex, as they possess a degree of vision that may not warrant the risks associated with implanting prosthetics.

Furthermore, he noted that mice generally have inferior vision compared to humans, raising uncertainty about how beneficial the findings will be for people until comprehensive clinical trials are conducted.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

How Greenland Sharks Survive for Centuries Without Going Blind

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                <img class="Image" alt="" width="1350" height="899" src="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg" sizes="(min-width: 1288px) 837px, (min-width: 1024px) calc(57.5vw + 55px), (min-width: 415px) calc(100vw - 40px), calc(70vw + 74px)" srcset="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=300 300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=400 400w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=500 500w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=600 600w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=700 700w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=800 800w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=837 837w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=900 900w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=1003 1003w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=1100 1100w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=1200 1200w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=1300 1300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=1400 1400w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=1500 1500w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=1600 1600w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=1674 1674w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=1700 1700w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=1800 1800w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=1900 1900w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30143613/SEI_249430623.jpg?width=2006 2006w" loading="eager" fetchpriority="high" data-image-context="Article" data-image-id="2478629" data-caption="Greenland sharks’ eyes don’t seem to deteriorate with age" data-credit="WaterFrame/Alamy"/>
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                    <p class="ArticleImageCaption__Title">Greenland shark eyes appear to retain their integrity over time</p>
                    <p class="ArticleImageCaption__Credit">Water Frame/Alamy</p>
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    <p>The Greenland shark, the longest-living vertebrate on the planet, exhibits no signs of retinal degeneration despite surviving for centuries. This discovery has intrigued scientists, particularly as these creatures are thought to be functionally blind, inhabiting the bleak depths of the ocean.</p>
    <p><a href="https://duw.unibas.ch/en/persons/fogg-lily/">Lily Fog</a> from the University of Basel, Switzerland, and her team performed a detailed examination of the eyes of eight deceased Greenland sharks (<em>Somniosus microcephalus</em>) and analyzed their DNA.</p>
    <p>For humans and many other species...</p>
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Source: www.newscientist.com

Removing barriers is essential for achieving true powerfulism, not turning a blind eye to them.

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Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times Getty Images

In the latter half of the 18th century, mathematicians and physicists Joseph Lewis Lagrange made a shocking discovery. His star student, Monsieur Le Blanc, was actually a woman.

Lagrange was taught by Ecall Police Technique in France. As a result, students were able to receive lecture notebooks and submit their jobs without going directly to the university. This was especially useful for Sophie Germann, who was forced to study mathematics despite objections from his parents. She picked up the expired student and may have escaped, but Lagrange realized the vast and sudden improvement of Le Blanc's work and demanded that she would meet directly.

Germain is not the only person who pays attention to how the name used is perceived. As the psychologist Kion West explains here, experiments using the same recruitment application belong to white people who belong to blacks. It indicates that it is not more successful than the person who thinks.

In recent years, many organizations have adopted measures to compete with these results, such as deleting names from recruiting applications. These measures fall under the umbrella of diversity, fairness, and inclusion (DEI). But now, US President Donald Trump has ordered government agencies to dismantle the DEI program, promising that society is a “merit base.”

Trump approaches to diversity, fairness, and wrapping are unlikely to create talentedism

Some DEI Initiative are based on stronger evidence than other Initiative. As the resume test shows, the benefits alone are not enough to overcome people's prejudice, but many researchs show it. Anonymous application tends to improve the results In the case of a blessed group. On the other hand, unconscious biastration is a one -time session in the form of a single session aimed at to make employees recognize snap -judgments for people based on races and gender. It turns out that there is almost no difference in changing people's behavior。

The harsh approach to Trump's Day, not evidence, is unlikely to produce his remarkable consequences of his remarkable ability. Instead of developing organizations that are encouraging the best people to prosper, the current efforts seem to promote the culture of fear. Government worker We are warned of “adverse effects” because we did not end DEI work.

Thankfully, Germain did not have such results. Lagrange accepted who she was and defended mathematical development. Nevertheless, she still used Le Blanc's pseudonyms in some communications. The most prominent is that when she discovered her true identity, she has “courage, extraordinary talent, and excellent genius.” If we want to prosper more germen, we must recognize and deal with the barriers they face.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Broadband provider leaves blind father without panic button

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My father, who is 101 years old, was left without a landline or panic button when BT switched his phone service from analogue to digital without warning. BT told me his contract was ending and to contact them about renewing it. I did, but was not informed to contact the panic button provider or that I needed an adapter for his analogue phone to work with the new service. After spending 4 hours on the phone with BT, they finally told me I needed a digital adapter for the phone to function. However, 4 days later, the adapter had not arrived and BT could not expedite delivery. My father, who is blind and has limited hearing, was unable to use his panic button for 5 days until the Careline team helped him.tuberculosis, Birmingham

This incident highlights the difficulties faced by vulnerable individuals when analogue phone lines are transitioned to digital services. Since September, customers renewing or starting contracts have been moved to digital voice, which requires a broadband router. However, digital landlines do not work during power outages and some panic buttons are incompatible, posing risks to vulnerable users.

Critics have raised concerns about the slow rollout of this service, originally set to complete by the end of next year. Following reports of “serious incidents” due to faulty panic buttons, the government has urged providers to extend the deadline. BT has pledged not to switch panic button users unless their equipment is compatible and to provide battery back-up solutions for power outages.

Despite these assurances, your father’s situation suggests that these promises were not fulfilled, potentially putting him at risk. You had to be by his side for five days in case of an emergency.

The Observer contacted BT about your father’s case and, although he was not eligible for their priority repair scheme, they expressed regret for the situation and offered a goodwill gesture to acknowledge his experience.

Email us at your.problems@observer.co.uk including your address and phone number. All submissions and publications are subject to our terms and conditions.

Source: www.theguardian.com