Knowledge Update

​Tokyo, July 6 (IANS) In a first, Japanese researchers have rehabilitated a paralysed chimpanzee through interaction with computers and touch screens.

The case of Reo, a male chimpanzee that learned to walk again after being paralysed due to illness, shows how much can be done to rehabilitate animals injured in captivity, said lead author Yoko Sakuraba of Kyoto University.

Reo's example suggests that euthanasia does not have to be the only option for injured animals

The case was described in an article in Primates, the official journal of the Japan Monkey Centre published by Springer.

In their normal work, researchers of the Primate Research Institute at Kyoto University use chimpanzees' interaction with computers and touch screens to study the cognition and perception of these primates. 

When Reo was paralysed from the neck down, dedicated staff put this technology to further use by encouraging the animal to walk again. 

When Reo was 24 years old in 2006, he suddenly became paralysed when a portion of his spinal cord became inflamed. 

For the first ten months thereafter, the chimpanzee was severely disabled, lying on his back. He gradually recovered enough to sit up, and could later pull himself upright by using suspended ropes. 

Intensive physiotherapy over a period of 41 months followed, after which he was able to climb about again using only his arms.

To aid Reo's ultimate integration back among the other twelve animals held at the institute, his carers decided to try to get him walking again. 

They incorporated a computerised task in this process. This was considered an option because in his youth Reo had learnt how to perform cognitive tasks on a touch panel, and in so doing had become used to receiving food rewards whenever he succeeded at tasks presented to him.

A computer-controlled monitor was, therefore, placed on one wall, and cognitive tasks were again put to him. 

The rehabilitation sessions encouraged him to increase his movements considerably, and he started walking up to five hundred metres in a two-hour session.

"Cognitive tasks may be a useful way to rehabilitate physically disabled chimpanzees, and thus improve their welfare in captivity," Sakuraba said.​

Milan, July 6 (IANS/AKI) Italian media mogul and former premier Silvio Berlusconi confirmed that he is selling AC Milan to Chinese investors in a deal he expects to inject 400 million euros into the Serie A team over two years.

New York, July 6 (IANS) In a bid to regain footing in the social media landscape, Micro-blogging site Twitter has appointed Bret Taylor -- former chief technology officer at Facebook and an ex-Google employee who helped build Google Maps -- to its board.

​New York, July 6 (IANS) Though banned in China since 2009, micro-blogging website Twitter has estimated that it has nearly 10 million Chinese users, a media report said on Wednesday.

​Toronto, July 5 (IANS) A young researcher in Canada has created a smartphone app that helps find out when the solar panels are facing the most effective direction -- making them up to 40 per cent more effective.

London, July 5 (IANS) British business confidence has fallen sharply in the aftermath of the vote to leave the European Union (EU), a new research revealed.

The share of businesses that reported feeling pessimistic about the British economy doubled in the week after the Brexit vote on June 24, according to the YouGov and the

​Canberra, July 5 (IANS) A team of Australian scientists have developed a new technique for computer operating systems that could boost the efficiency of large data centres by 25 per cent.

​London, July 4 (IANS) The British government is to consider slashing corporation tax to less than 15 per cent in an attempt to maintain business interest in the country, amid a turbulent economy in the wake of the "Brexit" -- Britain's vote to leave the European Union.

London, July 4 (IANS) Surviving all kinds of environmental changes, hedgehogs -- the 15 million years old species -- have adapted to city life more than the rural areas, says a new study.

The findings showed that cities have higher hedgehog numbers than rural areas.

Hedgehogs were also found to have adjusted their activity to levels of human disturbance with much smaller nightly ranging areas of five hectares than their rural counterparts with 50 hectares.

While the city hedgehogs mainly stayed in private gardens during the day but around midnight, when the number of humans and pets in local parks decreased, they came out to forage and look for mates.

This shows the importance of gardens or parks for them to remain undisturbed for the entire hibernation season as well as for their future survival, the researchers said.

"Gardens and public parks are very important for city hedgehogs. They need gardens with natural vegetation and public parks less immaculately pruned, with plenty of natural, bushy areas," said lead researcher Lisa Warnecke from University of Hamburg in Germany. 

Further, urban hedgehogs seemed to have similar pattern of hibernation to rural populations. 

During winter season, hedgehogs enter a physiological state called torpor, where their metabolic rate and body temperature decrease significantly in order to save energy. 

"This was despite city hedgehogs often nesting next to busy roads and having potential food sources available throughout winter - such as food scraps or cat food on private terraces," Warnecke added.

City dwellers should take care to avoid disturbing nesting hedgehogs and to keep their gardens free of anything that could do them harm, the researchers suggested. 

"Our work with the hedgehog care station showed that the main problems were injuries caused by fences, plant netting or gardening tools and sickness from ingesting rat poison," Warnecke noted.

For the study, the team fitted free-ranging hedgehogs with temperature-sensitive transmitters to investigate what physiological factors allow them to thrive in urban areas. 

The results were presented at the Society for Experimental Biology's Annual Meeting held at London, recently. ​

​Toronto, July 4 (IANS) Parents, especially fathers, play a vital role in developing healthy behaviours as well as help prevent obesity in young adults, say researchers.

The findings showed that among males, the quality of relationship with the father had a greater impact on their odds of being overweight or obese.

When it came to predicting whether a young male will become overweight or obese, the mother-son relationship mattered far less than the relationship between father and son, the researchers said.

"Our results highlight the importance of examining the influence fathers have on their children and to develop strategies to help fathers support the development of healthy behaviours among their children," said lead author Jess Haines, Professor at the University of Guelph in Canada. 

Further, young adults who grew up in stable families with quality parental relationships were more likely to have healthy diet, activity and sleep behaviours and were less likely to be obese.

Girls who were raised in stable families were also found to consume less fast food and thus less likely to be overweight or obese. 

"It appears the father-son parent relationship has a stronger influence on sons than the mother-daughter relationship has on young women," Haines added.

For the study, the team analysed more than 3,700 females and more than 2,600 males, all aged 14-24. 

Among both males and females, 80 per cent said they had high family function, defined by how well the family managed daily routines, and how family members fulfilled their roles and connected emotionally.

In all, six out of 10 females and half of males reported high quality relationships with their parents.

"In general, the findings show the importance of family behaviours and relationships on the health of young adults from an early age, which can be powerful determinants of weight and related behaviours," Haines noted.

On the other hand, a high level of family dysfunction may interfere with the development of health behaviours in young adults, said the paper published in the Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.​