Bio News Blog!
We have started a blog in which we discuss a recent research article from the scientific literature, usually related in some way to biology. The discussion will...
Author Archive: admin
Mini-lectures for High School Teachers
We are now producing Powerpoint slide sets for high school teachers. The subjects will vary but be generally centered on our usual focal points: biological sciences...
Neat Axolotl Logo Stuff
We have a storefront on Zazzle.com if you are interested in some Axolotl Academic logo gear, or some cute Happy Axolotl tees.
Publication Alert! Cells: Molecules and Mechanisms
Cells is now available! CLICK ON COVER to go to download page. This textbook was written for collegiate Cell and Molecular Biology courses and may be appropriate...
Publication Alert! Sex Ed: a sexual health primer for adolescents and young adults
sexed is now available for $3.00 at the Kindle store at amazon.com on March 1, 2012. The Nook store at Barnes & Noble now has the book as well (March 5, 2012)...
Talking Tails.
The paper: Siniscalchi et al. (2013) Seeing Left- or Right-Asymmetric Tail Wagging Produces Different Emotional Responses in Dogs. Current Biology 23:1-4. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2013.09.027 Subject areas: Animal Behavior Vocabulary: Left-right asymmetry – although externally, most animals appear very close to symmetric when comparing left and right sides, the fact is that internally, […]
Turtles Smell
The paper: Endres, C.S. and Lohmann, K.J. (2013) Detection of coastal mud odors by loggerhead sea turtles: a possible mechanism for sensing nearby land. Marine Biology 160:2951-2956. doi:10.1007/s00227-013-2285-6 Subject areas: Animal Behavior Vocabulary: Biomagnetism – some organisms can sense and respond to the earth’s magnetic field (much like a compass). […]
Warming up with brown fat.
The paper: Gerhart-Hines, Z. et al. (2013) The nuclear receptor Rev-erbα controls circadian thermogenic plasticity. Nature. doi:10.1038/nature12642 Subject areas: Physiology, Cell Biology Vocabulary: Zeitgeber Time (ZT) – ZT is a convention used in chronobiology to standardize time effects on biological processes. In the experiments described here, the mice are acclimated […]
Obesity and the Immune System
The paper: Takagi, K. et al. (2013) Anti-ghrelin immunoglobulins modulate ghrelin stability and its orexigenic effect in obese mice and humans. Nature Communications 4:2685. doi:10.1038/ncomms3685 Subject areas: Physiology Vocabulary: orexigenic – something that increases the appetite for food. anorexia nervosa – an eating disorder characterized by an obsession with maintaining […]
Burning Habitats with Positive Results
The paper: Bird, R.B. et al. (2013) Niche construction and Dreaming logic: aboriginal patch mosaic burning and varanid lizards (Varanus gouldii) in Australia. Proc. R. Soc. B 280 (172):20132297 doi: 10.1098/rspb.2013.2297 Subject areas: Ecology Vocabulary: Goanna – a large Australian lizard also known as the sand monitor. They average […]
Hibernation and (lack of) Muscle Wasting
The paper: Xu, R. et al. (2013) Hibernating squirrel muscle activates the endurance exercise pathway despite prolonged immobilization. Experimental Neurology 247: 392-401. doi:10.1016/j.expneurol.2013.01.005 Subject areas: Physiology Vocabulary: Skeletal muscle – a striated muscle usually composed of a mix of fiber types, including Type I (slow-twitch), Type IIa (moderately fast), and […]
Gold doesn’t grow on trees, does it?
The paper: Lintern, M. et al. (2013) Natural gold particles in Eucalyptus leaves and their relevance to exploration for buried gold deposits. Nature Communications 4:2274. doi:10.1038/ncomms3614 Subject areas: Biogeochemistry, Botany Vocabulary: eucalyptus – probably best known as the primary food for koalas. Eucalyptus actually refers to a Myrtle family of […]
Brain Freeze! in hibernating turtles.
The paper: Madsen, J.G. et al. (2013) Detecting spring after a long winter: coma or slow vigilance in cold, hypoxic turtles? Biol Lett 9:20130602. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2013.0602 Subject areas: Physiology Vocabulary: hibernation – an state of dormancy to help animals survive the winter; it is usually characterized by very low metabolism, prolonged […]
Pain and Pain Suppression Go Hand-in-Hand
The paper: Corder, G. et al. (2013) Constitutive µ-opioid receptor activity leads to long-term endogenous analgesia and dependence. Science 341: 1394-1399. doi:10.1126/science.1239403 Subject areas: Neuroscience Vocabulary: Hyperalgesia – abnormal sensation of pain from stimuli that should not cause pain, or excessive pain from stimuli that usually cause milder levels of […]
Pheromones Prevent Juvenile Sex
The paper: Ferrero, D.M. et al. (2013) A juvenile mouse pheromone inhibits sexual behaviour through the vomeronasal system. Nature 502: 368-371. doi:10.1038/nature12579 Subject areas: Physiology, Animal Behavior Vocabulary: Pheromone – chemicals produced by some animals (insects, most vertebrates except birds) to communicate with others of the same species. They are […]