Articles tagged with Animal Research
A team of researchers has developed a robotic device that can mimic the sensory function of human skin, allowing it to sense touch and respond accordingly. The device, which features a stretchable transistor, represents a significant step towards creating prosthetics that can directly connect with peripheral nerves.
The article discusses human-animal chimeras with brains composed of human cells, raising questions about their moral status. The author argues that a standard view, which considers human cognitive capacities morally significant, is mistaken and proposes a better framework for thinking about the moral status of part-human beings.
Researchers analyzed continental-scale data to investigate the impact of human-caused noise pollution on birds, finding that breeding in modified habitats increases ANP levels by twice as much as forested habitats. The study suggests vocal traits like song complexity could be useful for understanding ANP effects across spatial scales.
Researchers found a neural pathway that links adult rats' preference for stressed juveniles, triggering parental instincts. This parallels humans' empathy towards children over peers.
Researchers developed a microfluidic device to keep brain tissue viable for months using a semi-permeable membrane, allowing gas exchange while preventing dehydration or drowning. This breakthrough enables long-term study of biological development and organogenesis, facilitating drug discovery and tissue research.
The occurrence of antibiotic resistance in disease-causing bacteria from animals to humans has nearly tripled since 2000. Researchers found that antibiotics showing rates of resistance above 50% increased in chickens and pigs in developing countries between 2000 and 2018.
Scientists have found evidence of prehistoric humans storing and consuming animal bone marrow at Qesem Cave, dating back to around 400,000 years ago. The discovery suggests that early Paleolithic people had a sophisticated understanding of food preservation, allowing them to store bone marrow for up to nine weeks before feasting on it.
The Morris Animal Foundation is awarding over $1 million for research projects focusing on deadly diseases in dogs and cats, including canine cancer and feline infectious peritonitis. The grants will support scientists at nine universities in developing new treatments and tests to improve animal health.
A new phylogenomic tree reveals the early evolution of stick insects was likely triggered by birds and mammals. The study suggests that their remarkable camouflage abilities evolved as an adaptation to avoid predators, with most old lineages emerging after the dinosaurs became extinct 66 million years ago.
Researchers confirm that the brain attends to criticality, a state of optimal excitation without disorder, to maximize information processing. This is achieved through the regulation of inhibitory neurons, allowing for efficient encoding and transmission of complex patterns.
Researchers found higher levels of stress hormone corticosterone in white-tailed sea eagles near paths or roads, but not on breeding success. Protection zone regulations may need adjustment to prevent negative effects on breeding performance.
Researchers at Stanford University identified 25 convergent amino acid changes in 18 genes involved in the development of the cochlear ganglion, a key component in echolocation. This discovery resolves a long-standing debate on whether echolocating bats and whales independently evolved similar genomic changes.
Researchers discovered that Shiga toxin subtype 2a enhances E. coli O157 colonization and facilitates effective cattle-to-cattle transmission. This finding highlights the importance of understanding Shiga toxin activity and its role in animal reservoirs to reduce human health threats.
A recent study by Hebrew University researchers found that bumble bee workers sleep less while caring for young, even when not their own offspring. This suggests a mechanism allowing them to reduce sleep without a cost to health or cognitive performance.
Researchers are expanding brain organoid research, raising concerns about the potential for consciousness in host animals. The authors propose an ethical framework grounded in scientific principles to address these issues and ensure responsible use of this technology.
The authors propose an 'internet of health' where wearable sensors provide non-intrusive data on a person's health, correlated with environmental factors. This could lead to early disease prevention and personalized medicine.
A new deep learning toolkit, DeepPoseKit, has been developed to measure animal body posture with high speed and accuracy. The tool can be applied to study wild animals in challenging field settings and provides an accessible system for non-experts to apply machine learning to their behavioral research.
Researchers found that jackdaws can identify individual calls and assess group size when deciding to join a mob. While they use a form of counting, there may be cognitive limitations to their ability.
A new study from UC Berkeley finds that hotter temperatures in the desert are causing birds to need more water to cool off, exacerbating a decline in species populations. Larger birds and those with insect or animal diets are most threatened by this heat stress.
A new study suggests that great apes, including chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans, possess a theory of mind, enabling them to understand others' mental states. The team observed that the apes anticipated an agent's actions based on their own experiences with different barriers.
A new study reveals that cooking food fundamentally alters the microbiomes of both mice and humans. Cooking raw foods can harm certain microbes, while cooked foods may be more calorie-dense, affecting gut bacteria. In a human trial, participants showed significant changes in their microbiome after switching between raw and cooked diets.
Researchers have discovered that purple martins are roosting in small forest patches as they migrate from North America to Brazil. The birds seem to be intentionally seeking out these isolated habitats, possibly due to fewer predators than in larger forest areas.
Researchers analyzed ancient crocodiles' shapes, modern diets, and fossil records to reconstruct their diets. Slender-snouted groups eat various prey, while broader-snouted groups consume larger prey up to their size.
The Morris Animal Foundation has awarded grants totaling $940,000 to support research projects focusing on horse and alpaca health. The studies aim to develop better diagnostics and treatments for equine herpesvirus, strangles, and fungal infections.
Researchers found that big mammals have far more neutrophils in circulation than small species, a key defense against early immune responses to invaders like bacteria and parasites. Larger mammals may need more circulating neutrophils to overcome the advantage infectious agents have over them due to their size.
Researchers have discovered a new species of ten-foot-long crocodile in New Guinea, separated from another by the island's mountain range. The species, Crocodylus halli, was named after Philip Hall, who first investigated the reptile's lineage.
Researchers at the University of Exeter found that jackdaws can learn to identify dangerous people by hearing a warning call, and this knowledge helps them avoid humans who pose a threat. The birds that heard the warning call returned to their nests more quickly when seeing the human again, indicating they had learned to recognize danger.
Iain Couzin, a renowned expert in collective animal behaviour, receives the 2019 Lagrange - CRT Foundation Prize for his groundbreaking work on collective sensing and decision-making. His research has had significant impact on various fields, including behaviour, ecology, psychology, and complexity science.
Researchers analyzed six different bird species and found no uric acid in their excretions. Instead, they identified ammonium urate, struvite, and two unknown compounds, suggesting that bacteria break down uric acid before excretion.
Researchers discover that the physical structure of animal groups, not individual animals, plays a crucial role in processing information and responding to environmental changes. By changing the group's structure, individuals can amplify risk signals and respond effectively to threats, highlighting the importance of social connectivity.
A recent study published in Science explores how humans shaped species coexistence and biodiversity loss in North America, leading to the mass extinction of giant carnivores and herbivores.
Boston University School of Medicine researchers have developed a new protocol to produce large quantities of AAVs, which can deliver specific genes into humans and animals. The advanced technique bypasses developmental effects, saving time and reducing the number of animals used in research.
A study by Macquarie University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found that the extinction of giant mammal species like mammoths led to a decline in their interactions with smaller mammals, such as deer and coyotes. The loss of these large species altered ecosystems, potentially making them more vulnerable to future extinctions.
Researchers discovered genetic regions linked to TB resistance in African buffalos, highlighting the complex interplay between host immune responses and disease spread. The study's findings suggest a trade-off between fitness and disease resistance, with potential implications for wildlife management.
Researchers mapped global trends in antimicrobial resistance rates among food animals in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2018. The study found that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are on the rise, with high rates of resistance identified in antibiotics commonly used in food production.
Researchers at the University of Miami discovered that fruit flies have an innate time- and color-dependent preference for light, contrary to decades-long assumption that they are attracted to blue light. The study found that fruit flies prefer green light early in the morning and late afternoon, and avoid blue light throughout the day.
Researchers discovered that border zone cells in humans and mice develop a gene program that helps them survive a heart attack. This response is crucial for long-term recovery of the heart, but further research is needed to induce this response in humans.
Researchers at UC Riverside are part of a US EPA plan to eliminate animal testing by 2035. They're developing a way to test chemicals using lab-grown human tissue, not live animals, to identify musculoskeletal birth defects. This non-animal approach will help reduce animal suffering and improve the accuracy of toxicity predictions.
Researchers developed a new tracking method for urban rats using pheromones, revealing sex-specific scent preferences. This finding could aid in urban wildlife management and development of novel control tools, such as bait deployment or immuno-contraceptives.
A study by Georgia State University researchers found that creating mutations in the VP35 protein of the Ebola virus can make it unable to cause disease. The mutated virus was able to induce strong immune responses in non-human primates, protecting them from infection with wildtype Ebola virus.
Researchers found that high temperatures reduce snort-call display behavior in grassland birds, affecting mating success. The study suggests up to 10% decrease in display activity by 2100 due to global warming.
A collaborative study between University of Montana and Universidad de Concepcion in Chile found substantial gaps in scientific information relevant to conservation planning for threatened and endangered terrestrial mammals. The research highlights the importance of developing strategic research agendas for at-risk species worldwide.
Most pups born in an elephant seal colony were produced by a small number of long-lived female seals, known as supermoms. These females dominated reproductive output, accounting for more than half of pup production.
A fossil skull found in a Bavarian town in the 1770s has been recognized as Mystriosaurus laurillardi, a now-extinct species that lived in tropical waters during the Jurassic Period. Researchers have also identified another skull discovered in Yorkshire, belonging to the same species.
A new two-minute focused cardiac ultrasound protocol can help veterinarians detect heart disease in cats earlier, potentially saving lives. The test, developed by researchers at Tufts University, has been shown to be successful in detecting moderate and severe heart disease with high accuracy.
A potential treatment for polycystic kidney disease has shown a significant reduction in kidney size in afflicted mice, with no evidence of toxicity in animal or human cell tests. The drug is now in early clinical trials in humans, offering hope for a new option for survival beyond dialysis or transplant.
New research at the University of Saskatchewan reveals that neonicotinoid pesticides can cause weight loss and delayed migration in wild birds, threatening their survival. Birds exposed to these insecticides suffered significant negative consequences, including appetite suppression and longer stopover times.
A research team studied 593 gorillas over a decade, finding females migrate to healthier groups to avoid transmission of yaws, a contagious skin disease. The scientists discovered that females can detect one symptom of the disease: disfigurement.
A study by University of Toronto researchers found that metformin promotes brain repair and improves cognitive function in adult female mice, but has no effect on males. The drug works through a sex hormone called estradiol, which enhances neural stem cells' ability to respond to treatment.
A new special issue of the Annals of the Entomological Society of America showcases research on insect agriculture for food and feed. More than 1 million insect species are known, offering room for growth in the field. Insect-based industries could reach $50-100 billion by 2050, bolstering global ag sector while protecting environment.
Researchers at the University of Georgia have discovered a new use for an existing insulin compound to treat glioblastoma, a fast-growing and often fatal form of brain cancer. The study found that surfen-treated cells were blocked from tumor growth and the spread of tumor cells in the brain.
Researchers have identified three species of electric eels, including one that can produce up to 860 volts, the strongest discharge ever recorded. The discovery opens new avenues of research into strong electric discharges in other fish species.
A team of neuroscientists discovered that the brain combines visual features through high-frequency oscillations to achieve a unified percept. The researchers measured nerve cell activity in rhesus monkeys while performing a visual perception task, finding that faster responses occurred with stronger high-frequency oscillations.
Russian researchers have shown an antioxidant compound called peroxiredoxin to be effective in treating kidney injury in mice by tripling survival rates. The compound may also offer prospects for longer kidney transplant storage and improved treatment options for ischemia-reperfusion syndrome.
Researchers identified two distinct sound elements in chestnut-crowned babbler calls that are shared across different arrangements and convey no specific meaning. The findings suggest that the capacity to generate meaning from meaningless building blocks is widespread in animals, similar to human language construction.
A small qualitative study found female vets frequently face outright sex discrimination, with implications for practice sustainability and burnout rates. Women are often assumed to be on the 'mommy track', denied complex cases, and overlooked for promotion.
A new AI software developed by University of Oxford scientists can recognize individual chimpanzee faces in the wild, allowing researchers to track behavior over long periods. This technology has potential for conservation efforts and animal behavior research, offering a sustainable solution to monitor species.
A 550-million-year-old fossil found in China reveals that mobile and segmented animals evolved by the terminal Ediacaran Period, providing crucial evidence for the origin of segmentation. The discovery also helps scientists understand the producers of Ediacaran trace fossils.
Scientists have found that the blue-banded sea snake uses a vascular network in its head to absorb oxygen from the surrounding water, allowing it to stay submerged for longer periods. This unique adaptation enables the snake to thrive in tropical waters with minimal surface exposure.
Researchers have discovered that bar-headed geese are able to fly high for long periods of time by reducing their metabolism in low-oxygen conditions. The study found that six out of seven birds could fly in moderately low-oxygen levels and three were willing to fly in severely low-oxygen conditions.