BACKGROUND The aim of this review was to systematically assess the literature on herbal medicine for cough as a symptom of upper respiratory tract infections and common cold. METHODS The Cochrane Library, Scopus, MEDLINE/PubMed, and Embase were searched through March 2012 for RCTs testing the effects of herbal medicine for cough. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool. RESULTS 34...

Root climbers such as English ivy (Hedera helix) rely on specialized adventitious roots for attachment, enabling the plants to climb on a wide range of natural and artificial substrates. Despite their importance for the climbing habit, the biomechanical properties of these specialized adventitious roots compared with standard roots and their performance in the attachment to different host speci...

Epilepsy is a frequent neurological disorder that affects directly 0.5-1.5% of the world's population. Despite advances regarding therapy, about 30% of patients cannot be relieved of seizures, mainly because the pathophysiological mechanisms are still not elucidated completely. Basket, axo-axonic, bistratified, oriens-lacunosum moleculare (O-LM) and Ivy cells exert spatially and temporary diffe...

Cape-ivy, Delairea odorata Lamaire, is an ornamental vine, native to the eastern part of South Africa, which has escaped into natural areas in many countries and become a serious pest. Exploratory surveys in South Africa located several potential biological control agents. One of these is Parafreutreta regalis Munro, a tephritid fly that causes large (14 by 20 mm) galls to form on the stems of ...