In searching for treatments for Covid-19, researchers discovered that a cancer drug called Aplidin (aka: Plitidepsin), originally isolated from Mediterranean sea squirts, was up to 27.5 times more effective at killing the virus in cell cultures than the FDA-approved drug Remdesivir! Importantly, it was also shown to be effective at preventing the virus from replicating in mice. Sources: Youtube KM White, R Rosales, S Yildiz, T Kehrer, L Miorin, E […]
Both diet and exercise training are associated with muscle performance and endurance. Migratory birds undergo intense endurance exercise. In fact, a recent review indicated that flapping flight costs more energy (9 x increase from basal metabolic rate) than required by elite athletes competing in the Tour de France (4.3 x increase from basal metabolic rate) (Butler, 2016). Unlike running animals, migratory birds fuel endurance exercise with fats as opposed to […]
There went another day spent sitting at my computer in virtual meetings with easily accessible snacks in the kitchen nearby. Okay, granted this is not a comparative physiology topic. But it is something many of us can relate to in this age of Covid-19. In a new study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers explored what happens when people seek out so-called “activity snacks” instead of the salty […]
A disorder affecting the normal development of cartilage and bone has been observed in wild giraffes. While skeletal dysplasia, or dwarfism, has been observed in captive and domestic animals such as dogs, cows, rats, pigs and marmosets, it is not often seen in wild animals. In a new study, researchers used photography to document the condition for the first time in a wild Nubian giraffe calf (Giraffa camelopardalis camelopardalis) in […]
Most animals that we know of sleep. Sleep is very important for a healthy brain and our brains are important in regulating sleep. Interestingly, recent studies have shown that the cerebrospinal fluid actually washes out toxins from the brain when we get enough sleep at night. That “rinse cycle” so to speak is the brain’s way of staying healthy and is thought to prevent neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. You may […]
Life Lines by Dr. Dolittle 