Life Lines by Dr. Dolittle

Tag Archive for ‘science’

Leave a comment

The gatekeepers of life: Exploring the complex role of GPCRs

Cell membranes are incredibly complex environments that play crucial roles in interacting with other cells, sensing specific molecules in the body, controlling what crosses the membrane, and other vital functions. The composition of these membranes varies between organs in an animal, between similar organs in different species, and even between individuals of the same species. Think of cell membranes as gatekeepers, responsible for detecting various chemical signals (such as ions […]

Continue Reading →

Leave a comment

Brain Power on a Budget: How Bullfrogs Survive Without Oxygen

Did you know that your brain is really greedy? It uses about 5.7 kilograms of ATP every day, which is an incredible amount of energy! To keep up with such demand, the brain depends on an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients, such as glucose. When oxygen or nutrient delivery are limited, like during a heart attack, stroke or in low-oxygen environments, the brain is unable to produce enough ATP […]

Continue Reading →

Leave a comment

Time Machine: Nutritive significance of amino acids

In this Time Machine post, we travel back to 1938 to check out a manuscript on the importance of amino acids in nutrition authored by Dr. William Cumming Rose (1887-1985), professor of biochemistry at the University of Illinois, published in Physiological Reviews. His research on the importance of amino acids in the physiology of an organism culminated in 124 research, review or biographical articles and his receipt of the National […]

Continue Reading →

Leave a comment

On the path to preventing white-nose syndrome

This Halloween, we are checking in with our “bat-ty” friends. North American populations of bats have been severely decreased by a deadly fungus, known as Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which results in a disease called ‘white-nose syndrome’. There are currently 13 species of hibernating bats known to have been impacted by the disease (Center for Biological Diversity). Having toured a cave recently, our guide ensured that everyone decontaminated their shoes before entering […]

Continue Reading →

Leave a comment

Physiology on the Road: Midland physiologists search for answers

The Midland Society of Physiological Sciences, comprised of physiologists in Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota is hosting their annual chapter meeting this weekend at the University of South Dakota. Dr. Javier Stern, Distinguished University Professor and Director of the Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases at Georgia State University will present the Keynote lecture on the role of neuropeptides in the hypothalamus of the brain. The title of his […]

Continue Reading →

Leave a comment

Physiology on the road: 17th annual Arizona Physiological Society conference

Physiologists in Arizona also shared their research this past weekend at the 17th annual Arizona Physiological Society conference held at the University of Arizona in Tucson. 2024 Arizona Physiological Society Established Scientist Keynote Address The Established Scientist Keynote Address was given by Dr. Meredith Hay, Professor and former Executive Vice President and Provost of The University of Arizona in Tucson. Dr. Hay also served as President of the American Physiological […]

Continue Reading →

Leave a comment

Physiologists in California meet today to discuss the latest research

The California Society of Physiologists is hosting their annual meeting today at the University of California Davis campus! Adapting to high altitude The keynote address will be given this evening by Dr. Tatum Simonson (Associate Professor, University of California San Diego) who will speak about, “Variation in human responses to low oxygen: Insights from Mount Everest to Machu Picchu.” Together with Dr. Francisco Villafuerte (Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru) […]

Continue Reading →

Leave a comment

2024 “Ig Nobel” prize-winning research

The results are in (drumroll please). Here are some highlights from the 34th First Annual “Ig Nobel” Prize ceremony held on September 12th at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Ig Nobel prize is designed to recognize “achievements that first make people laugh and then make them think”. Physiology Following the Covid-19 pandemic, an international team of researchers published a study in 2021 eloquently titled, “Mammalian enteral ventilation ameliorates respiratory […]

Continue Reading →

Leave a comment

It’s all about the glucose

A lack of available food resources drives many species to forego reproduction until conditions improve. In other words, there is a trade-off between reproduction and foraging. This link was the subject of a recent study of Drosophila melanogaster published in the American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology.   To examine the link, researchers placed fed or food-deprived Drosophila into a testing arena with another animal of […]

Continue Reading →

Leave a comment

Researchers discover a biological signature that can be used to predict the maximum lifespan of mammals

With the multitude of anti-aging products on the market today, it may be hard to believe that humans are one of the longest-living mammals. Why organisms age and how to slow down this process, or at least ensure that organisms stay healthy as they age, has been on the minds of many researchers over the years. Now, an international team of researchers called the Mammalian Methylation Consortium, led by Dr. […]

Continue Reading →