EVERAL authors have interpreted the S adrenal hyperactivity of normal animals exposed to low temperatures (1, 2) and the reduced cold resistance of adrenalectomized animals (3-5), as indications of the importance of the adrenal glands in the acquisition of resistance to low temperatures. However, in studies on acclimation to other types of stressing conditions (6, 7) it has been found that adre...

BACKGROUND The ability to withstand thermal stress is considered to be of crucial importance for individual fitness and species' survival. Thus, organisms need to employ effective mechanisms to ensure survival under stressful thermal conditions, among which phenotypic plasticity is considered a particularly quick and effective one. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In a series of experiments we ...

Ectotherms in northern latitudes are seasonally exposed to cold temperatures. To improve survival under cold stress, they use diverse mechanisms to increase temperature resistance and prevent tissue damage. The accumulation of anti-freeze proteins that improve cold hardiness occurs in diverse species including plants, arthropods, fish, and amphibians. We previously identified an Ixodes scapular...

BACKGROUND Jatropha curcas L., also called the Physic nut, is an oil-rich shrub with multiple uses, including biodiesel production, and is currently exploited as a renewable energy resource in many countries. Nevertheless, because of its origin from the tropical MidAmerican zone, J. curcas confers an inherent but undesirable characteristic (low cold resistance) that may seriously restrict its l...

This study investigated the resistance to stress as a function of age in Drosophila melanogaster overexpressing Hsp70. The resistances to starvation, paraquat, and cold in flies from 1 to 7 week-old have been measured. The line carrying the insertion vector without the transgenes is more resistant to starvation and cold than the parental and transgenic lines. In contrast, transgenic flies carry...

In this study, experimental constant-current cold starts were performed on a polymer electrolyte fuel cell from −10°C to characterize high-frequency resistance behavior, water motion, and ice accumulation before, during, and after cold start. A diagnostic method for rapid and repeatable cold starts was developed and verified. Cold-start performance is found to be optimized when cell resistance ...

BACKGROUND Ability to resist temperature shock is an important component of fitness of insects and other ectotherms. Increased resistance to temperature shock is known to affect life-history traits. Temperature shock is also known to affect reproductive traits such as mating ability and viability of gametes. Therefore selection for increased temperature shock resistance can affect the evolution...

The tomato plant (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.) is sensitive to cold, and low field temperatures can result in shortened growth periods and decreased crop yield. Transcription of CRT/DRE-binding factor (CBF) is regulated by INDUCER of CBF EXPRESSION1 (ICE1). CBF activates many downstream genes that confer cold tolerance on plants. ICE1 has been used in genetic engineering to improve cold-resistan...

Populations are from time to time exposed to stressful temperatures. Their thermal resistance levels are determined by inherent and plastic mechanisms, which are both likely to be under selection in natural populations. Previous studies on Drosophila species have shown that inherent resistance is highly species specific, and differs among ecotypes (e.g., tropical and widespread species). Apart ...