Biotechnologys

Future Foresees Eyes In the Back of Your Head

FEB 27, 2013 06:00 PM ET // BY NIC HALVERSON

A "blind" tadpole without its native, normal eyes is able to see using a functioning ectopic eye located on its tail.

D. BLACKISTON AND M. LEVIN

Having eyes in the back of one’s head has long been the threat of mothers everywhere. But for future generations, that ability may become real. Not only could we have eyes in the back of our head, we could have them on our arms, our shoulders -– even our derrières.

For the first time ever, scientists have shown that eyes transplanted far outside the head in a vertebrate animal were capable of “seeing,” despite having no direct neural connection to the brain.

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This discovery has many implications, especially in the fields of regenerative medicine, sensory augmentation research and bioengineering, say biologists at Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences.

“One of the things that this study showed us is that connecting a sense organ as complex as the eye to the spinal cord is sufficient to confer vision,” Dr. Michael Levin told Discovery News. “So you don’t have to plug in to the actual brain.”

Levin is a professor of biology and director of the Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology at Tufts University. Along with Douglas Blackiston, a post-doctoral associate in Levin’s lab, the two co-authored the study “Ectopic Eyes Outside the Head in Xenopus Tadpoles Provide Sensory Data For Light-Mediated Learning,” recently published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

For the experiment, biologists surgically removed the eyes of donor tadpoles and grafted them onto the posterior of recipient tadpoles, which induced the growth of ectopic -– or abnormally placed –- eyes. Recipient tadpoles had their natural eyes removed, so only the ectopic, spinal cord-connected eyes remained.

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The team developed a computerized visual training system with quadrants of water illuminated by either red or blue LED lights. Administrators issued a mild electric shock to tadpoles swimming in the red quadrant and used a camera-equipped motion tracking system to record the tadpoles’ subsequent movements.

More than 19 percent of the tadpoles with optic spine-connected nerves showed that they had learned to swim away from the red light. Tadpoles in the blue light swam naturally.
Link

Multiple choice (Finish the sentence)

1. This article is about..
    a. arms and legs
    b. eyes in the back of head
    c. about tropical fish

2. Molecular Fountain discovery has many implications in the...
    a. fields of regenerative medicine    b. sensory augmentation research and bioengineering    c. fields of regenerative medicine, sensory augmentation research and bioengineering

3.Professor of regenerative and developmental biology is...
  a. Levin
  b. Douglas
  c. Brown

4. Having no direct neural connection to the brain...
   a. animals can`t see
   b.animal were capable of “seeing,”
   c. you can`t move

5.For the experiment, biologists surgically removed the eyes ...
  a. of baby
  b. of scientists
  c. of donor tadpoles

6. The team developed a computerized visual training system with quadrants of water illuminated by either
    a. brown or yellow LED lights
    b. red or blue LED lights
    c. red or yellow Led lights

Biotechnology

http://news.discovery.com/tech/biotechnology/future-forsees-eyes-130227.htm

Summary

  The headline of thie article I have read is "The D-BOX experience". It was published on friday, 11 may, 2012-12.03. The article was written by John Moran.
  The article is about John Moran`s appinion about D-BOX in the cinema. According to the article I can say that John Moran have a good appinion about it. He describes it with detailes and very interesting.
  The purpose of the article is to provide the reader to go and watch some films by D-BOX. How he has said "So, maybe in a few years’ time it won’t be as popular and people will prefer to watch films in the traditional 2D format – no glasses, no moving seats, just the film. However, for now, it’s the new craze."
 
Valeria Juskova 

A short legent

The coward wolf whose tears turn things to stone.

Once in the far distant of forest where  the person foot  didn't  step,  lives one unusual wolf.
It was unusual because it was very cowardly animal. This wolf should  heard only rustle or whistle as right there, he was frightened.
 It seems to  be strange but all were afraid of it. Because when it was a little baby the sorcerer bewitched it.
And now each time when it is very frightened it cries, and it`s tears turn things to stone.
  But there is only one opportunity to stop it, wolf must sell it`s sight to a devil.
    For such serious act wolf was very coward.
The days were going.. Every day frightened wolf was crying and it`s tears turned the things and animals to stones.  It was very frightened and unhappy.
A lot of  years had gone, but wolf was as before same coward. Once at night when moon was full, it sets in night calm and thought : “Now I am old, but all the same coward.. I think the time came to decide to give my sight to a devil. Because forces abandon me and I feel that soon I will die. I want to have quiet old age. “
At that night it solved finally.
Next day it went to a flaring volcano, there a devil was waiting it. Devil was happy that wolf came to him, without words it deprived of its sight.
 At now days blind old wolf is sitting near flaring volcano, and  also doesn't do more harm.

For Stella Remmelg

Dear Teacher,

    Thank you for idea to registrate in World Education Games 2013.
   I registrate on this website for the 3ed time.At first time I had some problems with it,but now all was right.
It was easy and no difficulties to registrate on this website.
  I hope that it will be a grate opportunity to practis English.

     Best Wishes,Valeria.