Research Roundup

Researchers: Brain Has Second Mechanism for Depth Perception

Humans and animals can judge depth visually because the brain compares images from each eye. But the brain can also judge depth with only one eye, and University scientists believe they know how it can do that. In an online issue of the journal Nature, a team led by Gregory DeAngelis, professor of brain and cognitive sciences, reports that a small part of the brain can process images from a single eye and the motion of the body. The findings may eventually help instruct children born with a misalignment of the eyes as well as create more compelling virtual-reality environments.

Leaky Blood Vessels May Play Role in Lou Gehrig’s Disease

Blood vessels that lose their ability to protect the spinal cord from toxins may play a role in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. In research published in Nature Neuroscience, a team of Medical Center researchers working with ALS experts at the University of California at San Diego showed that the barrier between the blood and the spinal cord weakens in all three types of genetically based ALS cases involving a specific genetic mutation.

Team Compresses Music File 1,000 Times Smaller than MP3

Mark Bocko, professor of electrical and computer engineering, and doctoral students Xiaoxiao Dong and Mark Sterling have digitally reproduced music in a file nearly 1,000 times smaller than a regular MP3 file. The 20-second clarinet solo is encoded in less than a single kilobyte and is made possible by two innovations: recreating in a computer the real-world physics of both a clarinet and a clarinet player. The work was announced in April at the International Conference on Acoustics Speech and Signal Processing.

Rare Genetic Syndrome May Hold Key to Heat Stroke Cure

A genetic disorder that can cause a fatal rise in body temperature in some patients undergoing general anesthesia may hold the key to a cure for heat stroke, according to a study coauthored by Robert Dirksen, associate professor of pharmacology and physiology, and published in the journal Cell. Researchers reported strong evidence that the genetic and protein defects that cause the inherited condition malignant hyperthermia also contribute to the development of heat stroke, and that antioxidants, like those currently being tested to protect the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients, may also protect those genetically prone to heat stroke.

First Depression May Come Late in Life

Even after age 70, people prone to feelings of anxiety, worry, distress, and insecurity face a risk for a first lifetime episode of clinically significant depression, according to a study led by Paul Duberstein, professor of psychiatry, and published in the May issue of the journal Psychological Medicine. Having a working-class background may also place older adults at heightened risk for depression, particularly prior to the age of 80, the study found. Consistent with previous research, women were found to be at higher risk than men. The study enhances the understanding of late-life depression and could aid in the identification and treatment of people at risk.

Mounting Evidence Shows Red Wine Antioxidant Kills Cancer

University researchers have shown for the first time that resveratrol, a natural antioxidant found in grape skins and red wine, can help destroy pancreatic cancer cells. In a study led by Paul Okunieff, professor and chief of radiation oncology at the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center, researchers reported that the antioxidant can help cripple and kill cancerous cells in the pancreas. The findings were published in the journal Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology.