Schizophrenia is a devastating psychiatric disorder that affects approximately 1% of the general population. Its complexity and enigmatic etiology place an economic and social burden on public health resources, while causing emotional distress for patients and their families. Twin, family, and adoption studies have shown evidence for a genetic component, but its complex pattern of inheritance h...

In a recent FASEB paper, Palau and co-workers claimed that lowering frataxin reduces C. elegans lifespan (1). Given the importance of frataxin for survival in other organisms, these results may not seem surprising. However, they are clearly in contrast with our previously published findings showing that frataxin RNAi knock down, (both feeding and injection), increases C. elegans lifespan (2). O...

The aim of the study was to characterize the chemical composition and biological properties of the essential oil from the plant Lippia citriodora grown in Greece. The essential oil volatiles were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry GC-MS indicating citral as the major component. Τhe antimicrobial properties were assayed using the disk diffusion method and the minimum inhibitory and...

It has long been recognized that the management of emergencies requires that response organisations act flexibly, becoming an “emergent organisation” to better manage the fact that disasters do not follow scripts. Nevertheless, recent research shows that crisis response organisations prefer to follow patterns adequate for normal situations. Arguably, the resistance to become an emergent organis...

Species boundaries in Lippia asperrima and turnerifolia complex (Verbenaceae)
 The specific of L. are discussed. contermina is accepted as segregated asperrima, while modesta Morongii rehabilitated the synonym turnerifolia. Lantana ovata var. hirsuta recognized new synonymies contermina, whereas trachyphylla treated cospecific modesta, asperima f. angustifolia reduced under Morongii. All s...

The antibacterial effect of Lippia sidoides (rosemary pepper) essential oil was tested against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli isolated from homemade Minas cheese produced in Brazil. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) determined in the Dilution Test was 13 L oil mL-1 for both bacteria, which characterizes inhibitory action in broth for a 24hour interaction perio...

The pollen morphology and exine structure of 17 species of Lippia L. were investigated in this work using light and scanning electron microscopy. Among the species studied, 14 showed tricolporate pollen grains, two had tri- and tetracolporate pollen grains and a single species exhibited, only tetracolporate pollen. The amb ranged from triangular to square, and the shape varied from oblate-spher...

The Dioscoreabuchananii complex is shown to comprise three species, one of which is divided into two subspecies, based on morphological data. Two species, Dioscorearupicola Kunth and Dioscoreamultiloba Kunth, are endemic or subendemic to South Africa and of widespread occurrence in KwaZulu Natal. They differ markedly from each other in inflorescence and floral morphology and appear to be ecolog...