Articles tagged with Hibernation
A new study predicts that the little brown myotis bat population in the Northeast will decline by over 99% within 20 years due to White-Nose Syndrome. The disease has already affected at least seven species of bats, with millions dying from its effects.
A new infectious disease, white-nose syndrome, is killing millions of bats and predicted to cause regional extinction of the little brown myotis. The disease affects hibernating bats and disrupts their hibernation, causing them to wake early and lose critical fat reserves.
A 33-year study found that climate change is causing yellow-bellied marmots to grow fatter and healthier due to longer summers. This shift allows them to reproduce earlier and survive the winter, leading to an increase in population size.
A study by University of Kansas researchers found that climate change is leading to increased body weight and population size in mountain rodents called marmots. The longer growing season due to warming temperatures allows marmots to gain more fat, reproduce earlier, and survive hibernation better.
A Colorado State University biologist discovered a nutrient that activates a neurological pathway driving food intake in hibernating marmots. By releasing the molecule AICAR, researchers found the animals' appetite is stimulated when energy levels within cells are low, mimicking human obesity and eating disorders.
The buff-tailed bumblebee's unique behavior allows it to collect nectar from exotic winter-flowering plants like strawberry trees and Mahonia, raising an extra generation of workers.
Researchers found that bat migration evolved independently within the Vespertilionidae family, with most species migrating for better hibernating conditions. The study discovered a correlation between migration and roost use, with tree-roosting bats more likely to migrate.
Researchers found that an opioid peptide, DADLE, protected against experimental stroke in rats, preventing cell death and behavioral abnormalities. The study suggests a new pharmacological target for stroke therapy.
A new species of pink-winged moth, Lithophane leeae, has been identified by University of Arizona biologist Bruce Walsh in the Chiricahua Mountains. The discovery highlights the region's vast biodiversity and suggests that more individuals may exist, considering the moth's habits.
Ecologists suggest providing heat sources to hibernating bats to reduce energy expenditure and survival rates, which could help save affected populations. The proposed measure has shown promising results in a mathematical simulation, with mortality levels dropping to as little as 8 percent.
Researchers at the University of Chicago found that ground squirrels can reconnect with their siblings' smells after prolonged hibernation. This ability is crucial for survival and social bonding in these animals.
Scientists have discovered the first mating pheromone in Caenorhabditis elegans, a tiny worm that sends signals to mate or hibernate. The newly found compound changes its behavior depending on concentration levels, affecting both reproductive and survival traits.
The U.S. Geological Survey is investigating the cause of thousands of bat deaths in the northeastern US, with most affected species showing signs of emaciation and poor body condition. Environmental samples have been collected to determine if toxicants or secondary microbial pathogens are contributing to the illness.
Scientists discovered an Antarctic fish species that enters a dormant state similar to hibernation to conserve energy during the long winter. The study showed that the fish reduces its metabolic rate even when seawater temperature doesn't decrease, suggesting alternative drivers for this behavior.
Researchers have successfully transplanted purified adult stem cells into the hearts of severe angina patients, showing a significant reduction in pain and improved daily functioning. The study, led by Northwestern University's Douglas Losordo, provides evidence for the safety and therapeutic potential of this cell therapy approach.
Researchers found that a key hormone called fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) enables starving mice to alter their metabolism and induce a hibernation-like state, conserving energy. This discovery opens up new avenues for treating human obesity and metabolic disorders.
A new study found that hibernating black bears lose about half as much skeletal muscle strength as humans confined to bed rest for similar periods. The researchers tested the bears' muscle strength and fatigue resistance after a 110-day period of anorexia and confinement.
A study by Penn State researchers found that breaks in hibernation may be an evolutionary mechanism to combat bacterial infections. Regular wake-ups help animals avoid serious infection while minimizing energy loss.
Researchers aim to determine if metabolic changes in 'hibernating' heart cells limit their ability to recover after revascularization. The grant builds on previous work using a novel pig model with hibernating myocardium.
Researchers at UB aim to improve heart function in hibernating myocardium using bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. The study will investigate the effects of aging on MSC potency and develop optimized therapeutics for managing chronic coronary artery disease.
Researchers identified a liver-derived protein complex as the first essential brain signal governing seasonal adaptation in hibernating animals. This discovery may pave the way toward clinical therapies that protect humans from lethal diseases like hypothermia and ischemia.
An undergraduate researcher at Williams College has discovered the specific mechanism mice use to enter torpor, a state that enables them to survive fasting periods. The study found that replacement of epinephrine and adrenaline in the peripheral nervous system determines whether an animal enters torpor.
Researchers found that pravastatin increased endogenous stem cells for cardiac repair, independent of cholesterol-lowering action. High doses improved cardiac function and coronary blood flow in hibernating myocardium, a condition where heart cells reduce their function due to insufficient blood flow.
A study found that a chemical hibernation trigger may help protect skeletal muscles from damage caused by lack of oxygen. The researchers discovered that the plasma from hibernating woodchucks improved muscle activity after a period of hypoxia and reoxygenation.
Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center have made a groundbreaking discovery that enables temporary metabolic hibernation in mice, reducing oxygen dependence and potentially extending organ preservation time before transplantation. This technique could also accelerate wound healing in diabetic patients and improve cancer treat...
A recent study published in Journal of Bacteriology has identified the HipA gene responsible for making persister cells resistant to antibiotics. Biofilm infections, which can cause fatal lung infections, periodontal disease, and other serious health issues, are notoriously difficult to treat.
Researchers found hibernating mammals, like ground squirrels, have superior tolerance to extended cold storage. This could lead to new methods for preserving human organs, reducing damage from transportation and storage.
Studies have found a direct correlation between global warming and biological changes in plants and animals globally. Over 1,200 species have undergone changes consistent with temperature change influencing various traits.
Researchers have found that delta opioid peptide may help protect brain cells from the ravages of Parkinson's disease by inducing a state of suspended animation. The compound was shown to reduce brain damage and neurological deficits in animal models of stroke, suggesting potential benefits for patients.
Researchers have discovered that hibernating ground squirrels can tolerate extreme cold and stress without damage, which could lead to breakthroughs in organ preservation for humans. Their intestines display reduced oxidative stress during hibernation, and their livers show improved viability when stored at low temperatures.
Researchers used bat hibernation physiology to predict climate change effects, finding that warmer winters will allow little brown bats to expand their northern ranges. The study's findings highlight the importance of basic physiological processes in understanding ecosystem changes.
Researchers discovered that hibernating squirrels don't exhibit an immune response to bacteria when injected with lipopolysaccharide, but their temperature spikes when they awaken from hibernation to 'check' for infections. This suggests that animals may arouse from hibernation to monitor and combat pathogens in the body.
A team of chemists at Amsterdam University has created an environmentally-friendly pesticide that can effectively combat potato cyst nematodes. The new substance is a derivative of solano-eclepin A, which was first identified in 1992 and has a complex molecular structure containing seven rings.
Scientists have discovered a cellular mechanism in hibernating ground squirrels that allows them to survive extreme cold and hypothermia. The study found changes in the cell membrane, specifically slits on neurons and glia, which enable proteins to function within selected lipid domains.
A Colorado State University professor believes that groundhogs emerge from hibernation based on their linoleic and linolenic acid levels. He suggests that these fatty acids affect the animal's activity levels during hibernation, rather than traditional shadow tricks.
Arctic ground squirrels experience long periods of torpor punctuated by costly rewarming periods. Hibernation is about finding rest, not conserving energy, according to zoophysiologist Brian Barnes.