Loggerhead Turtles Can Detect Airborne Odorants~!

If sea turtles can smell odorants, then this has implications for toxic air pollution! Like from spills.....

"The Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol. 212 (2009), pp. 3823-3827."

CiteULike: Perception of airborne odors by loggerhead sea turtles:

CiteULike: Hair cortisol concentration as a noninvasive measure of long-term stress in free-ranging grizzly bears (Ursus arctos): considerations with implications for other wildlife

CiteULike: Hair cortisol concentration as a noninvasive measure of long-term stress in free-ranging grizzly bears (Ursus arctos): considerations with implications for other wildlife: "Canadian Journal of Zoology, Vol. 88, No. 10. (2010), pp. 935-949."

MERCURY RISING:Bald eagles in region face new threat - DailyFreeman.com

"AFTER BEING pushed by humans to the brink of extinction and then re-establishing habitats in the Hudson River Valley and Catskill Mountains, bald eagles are again facing a manmade threat to their existence"

Read more: MERCURY RISING:Bald eagles in region face new threat - DailyFreeman.com:

Minnesota DNR told to put a stop to trapping Canada lynx | StarTribune.com

Minnesota DNR told to put a stop to trapping Canada lynx StarTribune.com: "Trapping and snaring in the 'core' habitat of the Canada lynx in Minnesota violated the Endangered Species Act, a federal judge said in a ruling published Monday."

Olfaction Plasticity and Neuropeptides

New study shows that a pheromone neprilysin is important for olfactory plasticity in worms and reflects behaviors of attraction and dispersal. While this may be species specific, one might ponder if the mechanims are similar in higher organisms. In any event, this class of neuropeptides have influence on a variety of physiological processes.

Cohen writes "NEP expression is modulated by various factors, including interferon, interleukin (IL)-1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), IL-4 and glucocorticoids. Tobacco smoke has been reported to inactivate NEP in vitro and in an animal model, but studies in humans have not demonstrated a clear difference in NEP activity between smokers and nonsmokers. Genetic variation in NEP could account for some of the wide variation observed in humans. Mice homozygous for NEP null mutations are surprisingly normal but do exhibit decreased blood pressure, increased microvascular permeability, and increased susceptibility to endotoxin shock. The hypothesis that genetic variation in NEP expression may cause differences in susceptibility to disorders such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, lung cancer, asthma, and sepsis, in which neuropeptides have been implicated, remains untested but attractive."

American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, Vol. 21, No. 1. (1999) http://www.citeulike.org/user/HEIRS/article/8027099

Science, Vol. 329, No. 5999. (24 September 2010), pp. 1647-1650. http://www.citeulike.org/user/HEIRS/article/8025793

Why Animals Turn White~!

It could suggest and I would propose it is worth investigating further the relationship between reverance for the white buffalo (and other non-albino animals) in Native American religion, known historical recorded patterns of disease characteristic of Nrf2 impairment such as myopathies, Parkinson's disease and neurodegenerative conditions that demonstrate "inheritablity" and settlements of indigenous and native peoples that harvested metals deposits. 

Olfactory Plasticity Is Regulated by Pheromonal Signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans

"Olfactory Plasticity Is Regulated by Pheromonal Signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans"

Read more: CiteULike: Olfactory Plasticity Is Regulated by Pheromonal Signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans:

From DMSP munching microbes to global climate -Animal Attractant?

The researchers found that some marine microbes, including bacteria, are attracted to DMSP because they feed on it, whereas others are drawn to the chemical because it signals the presence of prey. This challenges previous theories that this chemical might be a deterrent against predators."

From DMSP munching microbes to global climate Watts Up With That?: "

Disruption of muscle membrane and phenotype divergence in two novel mouse models of dysferlin deficiency — Hum Mol Genet

Disruption of muscle membrane and phenotype divergence in two novel mouse models of dysferlin deficiency — Hum Mol Genet: "loss of sarcolemmal integrity in both lines of mice, similar to that seen in mdx and caveolin-3 deficient mice"

Maine Lynx Case: “Capture Myopathy” Can Kill A Lynx? : Black Bear Blog

Maine Lynx Case: “Capture Myopathy” Can Kill A Lynx? : Black Bear Blog: "I am only in the beginning stages of examining the court ruling in Animal Welfare Institute v. Roland D. Martin, in which the AWI and others sued for a permanent injunction to stop trapping because “incidental” takings of Canada lynx by trappers of coyote and other species, are harming the lynx population."

An Omega-3 Fatty Acid-Enriched Diet Prevents Skele... [Am J Pathol. 2010] - PubMed result

An Omega-3 Fatty Acid-Enriched Diet Prevents Skele... [Am J Pathol. 2010] - PubMed result: "An Omega-3 Fatty Acid-Enriched Diet Prevents Skeletal Muscle Lesions in a Hamster Model of Dystrophy."

Effects of mercury on behavior and performance of northern two-lined salamanders (Eurycea bislineata).

CiteULike: Effects of mercury on behavior and performance of northern two-lined salamanders (Eurycea bislineata).: "Burke, J. N., Bergeron, C. M., Todd, B. D., and Hopkins, W. A. (2010). Effects of mercury on behavior and performance of northern two-lined salamanders (eurycea bislineata). Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987), 158(12):3546-3551."

Bears besiege Russian mine after killing guards - Times Online

Bears besiege Russian mine after killing guards - Times Online: "Terrified workers at a mining compound in one of Russia's most isolated regions are refusing to go to work after a pack of giant bears attacked and ate two of their colleagues"