News, Links and Commentary
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Talking Yahtzee, Blackjack and Klondike Solitaire
Azabat Software offer talking versions of computer games Yahtzee, Blackjack and Klondike Solitaire. The games are played directly from CD and do not require a mouse or speech engines.
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Monkeys And MD
German and US researchers have discovered genetic links between macular degeneration in humans and in rhesus monkeys ('Primate Gene Link Opens Up Eye Research', HealthDay News at Forbes.com, 28 July 2005). By studying the progression of MD in rhesus monkeys, scientists hope to learn more about macular degeneration in humans. The research was published online in Experimental Eye Research (5 April 2005).
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Friday, July 29, 2005
Association Found Between Fungicides and Retinal Degeneration
A US health study of agricultural workers has revealed an association between retinal degeneration and fungicides. More research must be carried out before the scientists can draw conclusions or make recommendations based on their findings so far. Read more in 'Retinal degeneration in licensed pesticide applicators' (Important Findings from the Agricultural Health Study). The research, by Kamel, F. and others, was also published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine.
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Thursday, July 21, 2005
WikiTalk TL For Search and Navigation of Wikipedia
Do you use WikiPedia? A free text-to-speech tool is now available for searching and navigation of the free wiki encyclopedia. WikiTalk TL features text to WAV and text to MP3 options and several choices of language. Keyboard shortcuts are designed to make WikiTalk TL easier to use for people with vision impairments. Internet Explorer 6 and Windows XP are needed to use WikiTalk TL. More information is available at TL Products.
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Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Positive Results For Wet AMD Drug Lucentis
Some of the patients taking part in a study of the wet age-related macular degeneration drug Lucentis are regaining lost vision.
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About four patients in 10 treated with Lucentis (ranibizumab) saw their vision improve enough to allow them to drive or read, according to one-year data from the two-year MARINA study, which was presented at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting [in Montreal, Canada].
'Anti-VEGF Drug Said To Improve Vision In Wet AMD' (MedPage Today, 18 July 2005).
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Lonely Planet Travel Guides in Word Format
Traveleyes is a UK travel agency that's producing electronic versions of some of the Lonely Planet travel guides. The guides will be available in Microsoft Word format and can be used with a PDA.
Thanks goes to E-Access Bulletin for this handy information and more.
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Thanks goes to E-Access Bulletin for this handy information and more.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Walnut Extract May Prevent AMD
French researchers from the University of Montpellier believe that a walnut extract, resveratrol, may protect against the development of new blood vessels in the wet form of macular degeneration. American researchers from Harvard University have already reported that nuts may have a protective effect on AMD. However, studies are yet to be conducted into the effects of resveratrol on AMD. Read more in 'Walnut extract targeted for AMD supplement' (FoodNavigator.com, 8 July 2005).
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Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Protein Found That Inhibits Adult Stem Cell Development
Neurobiologists from the University of California, Irvine, have discovered that the protein GDF11 is important in understanding how stem cell development is inhibited in the retina. The researchers learnt about the protein's role through genetic studies of mice. They now hope to determine if drugs can interfere with GDF11, allowing adult stem cells already present in the eye to repair damage caused by diseases such as macular degeneration. ('Stem cells might fix damage,' The State, 26 June 2005).
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