Life Science Research Publications

The development of animal models for COVID-19 is essential for basic research and drug/vaccine screening. Previously reported COVID-19 animal models need to be established under a high biosafety level condition for the utilization of live SARS-CoV-2, which greatly limits its application in routine research. Here, we generate a mouse model of COVID-19 under a general […]

Increasing age is the strongest predictor of risk of COVID-19 severity and mortality. Immunometabolic switch from glycolysis to ketolysis protects against inflammatory damage and influenza infection in adults. To investigate how age compromises defense against coronavirus infection, and whether a pro-longevity ketogenic diet (KD) impacts immune surveillance, we developed an aging model of natural murine […]

Abstract Many controllable factors negatively impact fetal development, underscoring the importance of early pregnancy detection and identification of events that reliably predict potential complications. Clinically, core body temperature (CBT) is used to aid family planning and pregnancy detection. However, such temperature data typically are gathered in single, daily measurements. In animal studies, interventions or cell/tissue […]

AbstractMicro-computed tomography (micro-CT) imaging is an emerging technology with many applications in small animals, for example, the study of pulmonary diseases, although clear guidelines and critical mass of evidence are still missing in the preclinical literature. The neonatal rabbit is a valuable model for studying pulmonary development. However, the longitudinal monitoring of lung function by […]

Abstract: The role of inhibitory neurons in the respiratory network is a matter of ongoing debate. Conflicting and contradicting results are manifold and the question whether inhibitory neurons are essential for the generation of the respiratory rhythm as such is controversial. Inhibitory neurons are required in pulmonary reflexes for adapting the activity of the central […]

Rodent cages equipped with access to a voluntary running wheel are commonly used to study the effects of aerobic physical activity on physiology and behavior. Notable discoveries in exercise neurobiology, including the key role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in neural plasticity and cognition, have been made using rodents housed with voluntary running wheels. A […]