The Granite Mountains of the Mojave Desert are a hot and arid ecosystem in July, but plants and animals thrive in this heat. Mojave rattlesnakes, lizards, hummingbirds, ants, and grasshoppers are just a few of the amazing species we found here.

The Granite Mountains of the Mojave Desert are a hot and arid ecosystem in July, but plants and animals thrive in this heat. Mojave rattlesnakes, lizards, hummingbirds, ants, and grasshoppers are just a few of the amazing species we found here.

The Granite Mountains of the Mojave Desert are a hot and arid ecosystem in July, but plants and animals thrive in this heat. Mojave rattlesnakes, lizards, hummingbirds, ants, and grasshoppers are just a few of the amazing species we found here.

Topsail Island, North Carolina is a northern nesting beach of threatened Loggerhead Sea Turtles. Here the residents have helped protect the turtles that visit the island during the nesting season. Beach walkers watch for turtle nests, pick up trash and report injured turtles. The island commerce has decided not to import new sand like most beaches, so the composition of the sand for incubation of turtle eggs doesn't change. The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center...

Animal, human and environmental health are inexorably intertwined. Diseases are making the jump from animals to humans and vice-versa at an increasing pace. The emergence of animal borne diseases such as Avian flu, Ebola, and most recently H1N1 (swine flu), demonstrate the need for an integrated strategy across several scientific, medical and environmental fields for improved public health. In this episode of MicrobeWorld Video, Dr. Mark Lutschaunig, director of the Governmental Relations...

Explore the evolutionary links between living things with the Wellcome Trust's Tree of Life, developed as part of our Darwin 200 activities, which celebrate the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth. This six-minute Tree of Life video also appeared on the BBC One programme 'Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life' narrated by David Attenborough. In addition to the video, an interactive version of the 'Tree of Life' here ( http://www.wellcometreeoflife.org ) has been created to allow...

Background Mutations in virtually all of the proteins comprising the cardiac muscle sarcomere have been implicated in causing Familial Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (FHC). Mutations in the β-myosin heavy chain (MHC) remain among the most common causes of FHC, with the widely studied R403Q mutation resulting in an especially severe clinical prognosis. In vitro functional studies of cardiac myosin containing the R403Q mutation have revealed significant changes in enzymatic and...

Background Utilization of alternative initiation sites for protein translation directed by non-AUG codons in mammalian mRNAs is observed with increasing frequency. Alternative initiation sites are utilized for the synthesis of important regulatory proteins that control distinct biological functions. It is, therefore, of high significance to define the parameters that allow accurate bioinformatic prediction of alternative translation initiation sites (aTIS). This...

Ichnology for the 21st Century: Understanding the differences between continental and marine trace fossils, with implications to the diversity, distribution, and evolution of soil biota ; Department of Geological Sciences, San Diego State University, Seminar Series ; The study of ichnology has come a long way since its inception and it continues to evolve. In particular, progress is being made in understanding the implications of trace fossils in the continental realm and how they can be...

Daniele Piomelli, PhD. - Another approach was discussed by D. Piomelli (University of California, Irvine). URB 597, an inhibitor of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), is expected to increase anandamide signaling and is being currently clinically tested in the therapy of pain. An increase in anandamide signaling may also be useful in the therapy of depression. This is a novel approach to the development of antidepressants. The signaling can be enhanced by blocking anadamide metabolism or by...