Trade-offs between growth and mortality can occur for a variety of reasons. These include foraging and predation risk, growth and mature function, growth and somatic development, growth and immune function, or growth and resistance to physiological stressors. We use a simple life-history model to show how individual trade-offs between growth and mortality can lead to the maintenance of individu...

Species have been adapted to specific niches optimizing survival and reproduction; however, urbanization by humans has dramatically altered natural habitats. Artificial light at night (LAN), termed 'light pollution', is an often overlooked, yet increasing disruptor of habitats, which perturbs physiological processes that rely on precise light information. For example, LAN alters the timing of r...

The immune function of wild animals has been rather little studied. Wild animals' immune function may differ from that of laboratory bred animals because of their different environments. This idea follows from the concept of resource partitioning in which animals distribute scarce resources to all aspects of life, including to costly immune responses. A logical extension of this idea is that th...

The authors review evidence regarding the biological processes that may link religiosity/spirituality to health. A growing body of observational evidence supports the hypothesis that links religiosity/spirituality to physiological processes. Although much of the earliest evidence came from cross-sectional studies with questionable generalizability and potential confounding, more recent research...

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system which is accompanied by demyelinating the neurons. The imbalance between the T cell effectors and T cell regulators is thought to have a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Melatonin is a hormone that is secreted by pineal gland which has an important role in circadian rhythm and immune-modulatory effects. Melatonin ...

Background and aims: Vitamins are essential constituents of our diet that Longley have been known to influence the immune system. Vitamin D3 and B9 have received particular attention in recent years as these vitamins have been shown to have an unexpected and crucial effect on the immune response. 1, 25(OH)2D3 metabolizing enzymes and vitamin D r...

abstract background and aims: vitamins are essential constituents of our diet that longley have been known to influence the immune system. vitamin d3 and b9 have received particular attention in recent years as these vitamins have been shown to have an unexpected and crucial effect on the immune response. 1, 25(oh)2d3 metabolizing enzymes and vitamin d receptor (vdr) are present in many cell ty...

Inflammation is essential to combat invading microbial pathogens. In this process, the involvement of multiple immune cell populations is crucial in mounting an optimum immune response. In the past decade, a new class of noncoding small RNAs, called microRNAs (miRNAs), has emerged as important regulators in biological processes. The important role of miRNAs in inflammation and immune response i...