Herbivory has long been recognized as a significant driver of plant population dynamics, yet its effects along environmental gradients are unclear. Understanding how weather modulates plant-insect interactions can be particularly important for predicting the consequences of exotic insect invasions, and an explicit consideration of weather may help explain why the impact can vary greatly across ...

BACKGROUND This study was designed to assess the quality of reporting on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of scalp acupuncture for the treatment of stroke. METHODS The following 8 databases were systematically investigated from their inception to December 2015: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, National Institute of Informatics Scholarly and Academi...

Opuntia species, which belong to the Cactaceae family, are well-known and have long been utilized in folk medicine. Scholars interested stems, fruits, cladodes of species recent years because their possible nutraceutical content therapeutic properties. While stricta (O. stricta) is a family member, it relatively unknown herbal plant Zambia, where viewed primarily as flower only few local people...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of scalp acupuncture (SA), a modern acupuncture technique specialized to neurological disorders, in managing motor function and symptoms for Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. METHODS Two independent reviewers extracted data from all of the randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that assessed the efficacy of SA for PD compared with conventional therapies (CT...

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Floral symmetry is a trait of key importance when considering floral diversification because it is thought to play a significant role in plant-pollinator interactions. The CYCLOIDEA/TEOSINTE BRANCHED1 (CYC/TB1)-like genes have been implicated in the development and evolution of floral symmetry in numerous lineages. We thus chose to investigate a possible role for these gene...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the reports' qualities which are about randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture treatment on Mild Cognitive Impairment (MIC). METHODS Nine databases including the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL,2010), PUBMED (1984-5/2010), EMbase (1984-5/2010), MEDLINE (1984-5/2010), CINAL (1984-5/2010), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI, 19...

In largely clonal plants, splitting of a maternal plant into potentially independent plants (ramets) is usually spontaneous; however, such fragmentation also occurs in otherwise non-clonal species due to application of external force. This process might play an important yet largely overlooked role for otherwise non-clonal plants by providing a mechanism to regenerate after disturbance. Here, i...

The alkaloids present in the flowers of Erythrina stricta have been isolated and characterized by spectroscopic methods. A new alkaloid 11-acetyl erysotrine has been isolated and its structure established by spectral studies (UV, IR, 1H NMR and HRMS).