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...
BioNews
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)...
Keep moving. It prevents your muscles from shriveling.
The paper: Yogev, O., et al. (2013) eIF4EBP3L Acts as a Gatekeeper of TORC1 In Activity-Dependent Muscle Growth by Specifically Regulating Mef2ca Translational Initiation. PLoS Biology 11(10): e1001679. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001679 Subject areas: Physiology, Cell Biology, Developmental Biology Vocabulary: —– This article is a summary of a recent primary research paper intended […]
Fossilized Mosquito with Blood Discovered!
The paper: Greenwalt, D.E. et al. (2013) Hemoglobin-derived porphyrins preserved in a Middle Eocene blood-engorged mosquito. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. (USA) doi:10.1073/pnas.1310885110 Subject areas: Paleontology Vocabulary: Eocene – a geological epoch from 56 million years ago through 33/9 million years ago. It is a part of the Cenozoic Era, and […]
Growing up in tight spaces.
The paper: Shyer, A.E. et al. (2013) Villification: how the gut gets its villi. Science 342:212-218. doi:10.1126/science.1238842 Subject areas: Developmental biology Vocabulary: mesenchyme – a loose connective tissue containing relatively undifferentiated embryonic cells. The cells are not very densely distributed in the extracellular matrix. Because of this, the cells can […]
High Fat + High Fructose = Bad Liver
The paper: Ishimoto, T. et al. (2013) High-fat and high-sucrose (western) diet induces steatohepatitis that is dependent on fructokinase. Hepatology. doi:10.1002/hep.26594 Subject areas: Physiology, Biochemistry, Health Vocabulary: metabolic syndrome – refers to a group of five risk factors that together significantly raise the risk of health problems like heart disease, […]
Sex, death, and large testes.
The paper: Fisher, D.O. et al. (2013) Sperm competition drives the evolution of suicidal reproduction in mammals. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. (USA) doi:10.1073/pnas.1310691110. Subject areas: Evolution, Reproductive Biology Vocabulary: marsupials – a group of mammals that have external pouches in which newborns are protected and nurtured, in part because unlike […]
![Clown fish in the Andaman Coral Reef. By Ritiks (2009) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons](https://www.axopub.com/wp01/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Clown_fish_in_the_Andaman_Coral_Reef-120x80.jpg)
Finding lots of Nemos
The article: Stuart-Smith, R.D. et al. (2013) Integrating abundance and functional traits reveals new global hotspots of fish diversity. Nature 501:539-542. doi:10.1038/nature12529 Subject areas: Ecology, Marine Biology Vocabulary: biodiversity – the amount of variation in living organisms within a particular ecosystem. This could be the number of different species within […]
Bacteria responding positively to fever?
The article: Loh, E. et al. (2013) “Temperature triggers immune evasion by Neisseria meningitidis.” Nature online publication doi:10.1038/nature12616 Subject areas: Microbiology, Molecular Biology Vocabulary: meninges – three thin membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. The outermost and relatively strong layer is the dura mater, the middle layer is the […]
Heart changes in newborns.
The article: Breckenridge RA, et al. (2013) Hypoxic Regulation of Hand1 Controls the Fetal-Neonatal Switch in Cardiac Metabolism. PLoS Biol 11(9): e1001666. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001666 Subject areas: Developmental Biology Vocabulary: heart attack – When a blood vessel supplying oxygen-rich blood to the heart is blocked, part of the heart is deprived of […]
DNA should not be in the cytoplasm.
Subject areas: Immunology, Cell Biology Vocabulary: transfection – introducing DNA into a cell by physical means. Two common methods are lipofection, in which the DNA is packaged into tiny lipid vesicles that fuse with the cell membrane to release the DNA inside, and electroporation, in which a high voltage is […]
Fear not the cat pee, little parasitized one.
Subject areas: Parasitology, Neuroscience Vocabulary: oocysts – a protozoan parasitic zygote encapsulated in a very thick-walled sphere that protects it while it develops. antibodies – proteins secreted by B cells of the immune system. In response to an infection, the B cells that make a particular antibody are activated and […]