The glycanic epitope of the 38,000 Mr Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula major immunogen defined by the IPLSm1 protective mAb was identified in the hemocyanin of the marine mollusc Megathura crenulata, better known as KLH. This antigenic community was exploited to investigate further the biological properties of this epitope. KLH was shown to strongly inhibit the binding of IPLSm1 mAb to its 38,...

BACKGROUND Rhodiola species have been used for asthenia, depression, fatigue, poor work performance and cardiovascular diseases, all of which may be associated with insulin resistance. To disclose the underlying mechanisms of action, the effect of Rhodiola crenulata root (RCR) on insulin resistance was investigated. METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with liquid fructose in their d...

Laportea aestuans L. (Chew), Commelina virginica (L.) and Sida rhombifolia are common wild plants used in treating several ailments including diarrhea, dysentery, hernia, oedema, ulcers many more traditional African medicine especially, Nigeria. The potentials of Random Amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers delimiting intra-specific variation aestuans, C. S. was assessed using three RAPD pri...

Phytochemical analysis of 3 members the Urticaceae family (eg Pilea pumila, Laportea canadensis, and Boehmeria cylindrica) was conducted using GC-MS. P pumila L canadensis have several recorded historical medicinal uses by Native American tribes, whereas B cylindrica does not. This study to understand in terms chemical composition. Plant material, separated into aerial or root portions, dried e...

Teeth are designed to deliver high forces while withstanding the generated stresses. Aside from isolated mineral-free exception (e.g., marine polychaetes and squids), minerals are thought to be indispensable for tooth-hardening and durability. Here, the unmineralized teeth of the giant keyhole limpet (Megathura crenulata) are shown to attain a stiffness, which is twofold higher than any known o...

Anucleate Acetabularia crenulata shows a circadian rhythm in photosynthesis. In this study, an oxygen electrode was employed to measure this photosynthetic rhythm in the presence and absence of the inhibitors, actinomycin D, chloramphenicol, and puromycin. High concentrations of the inhibitors were used: actinomycin D, 20-40 micrograms ml-1; puromycin, 30 and 100 micrograms ml-1; and chloramphe...

—We analyzed 621 lizard fecal pellets to assess the diet of the endemic lizard Gallotia galloti (Lacertidae) throughout one year in the thermophilous scrubland, the most threatened habitat in the Canary Islands. Indicating the importance of frugivory, 98.1% of pellets contained seeds from fleshy-fruited plant species (8,028 seeds in total), and the fruit volume reached 47.5%. The Canarian endem...