BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Leishmaniasis is a protozoan parasitic disease which is transmitted by the female Phlebotomus sand fly and is prevalent in four continents.The first-choice treatment for the leishmaniasis is pentavalent antimonials, which are potentially toxic and often ineffective and use of them exhibit therapeutic failure. These pharmaceutical problems point towards the need to deve...

Stable isotope ratios of carbon (delta13C) and nitrogen (delta15N) were used to investigate feeding patterns of larval and early juvenile pelagic fishes in slope waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Contribution of organic matter supplied to fishes and trophic position within this pelagic food web was estimated in 2007 and 2008 by comparing dietary signatures of the two main producers in this ecosyste...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Sargassum polycystum, a type of brown seaweed, has been used for the treatment of skin-related disorders in traditional medicine. AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of the present study is to investigate the antimelanogenesis effect of Sargassum polycystum extracts by cell-free mushroom tyrosinase assay followed by cell viability assay, cellular tyrosinase assay and melan...

Many reefs have shifted from coral and fish dominated habitats to less productive macroalgal dominated habitats, and current research is investigating means of reversing this phase shift. In the tropical Pacific, overfished reefs with inadequate herbivory can become dominated by the brown alga Sargassum polycystum. This alga suppresses recruitment and survival of corals and fishes, thus limitin...

The occurrence of oxidative stress during the sperm freeze-thaw cycles affects the sperm parameters and eventually leads to a decrease in its reproductive potential. Sperm protection against oxidative reactions during freezing is done by antioxidants. Since the selection of a suitable sperm cryopreservation bank is effective in maintaining acceptable reproductive potential and motility of sperm...

The brown seaweed Sargassum sp. is a promising feedstock for ethanol production because of its relatively high content (41.6% dry basis) of holocellulose. Chemical pretreatment of the seaweed was carried out with 1% (v/v) H SO solution at 5% solid loading for 15 min at 121°C prior to saccharification with 2 4

Natural dietary markers (stable isotopes and fatty acids) were used to determine the trophic structure and characterize carbon source(s) of juvenile and adult fishes associated with floating Sargassum in mid-shelf waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Stable carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) of 4 autotrophs (Cladophora sp., phytoplankton [based on particulate organic matter, POM], S. fluitans, S. natans) we...

SUMMARY This Technical Memorandum provides a comprehensive and critical review of the available literature on the primary processing, storage and quality of fresh lowbush (wild) blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait. and V. myrtilloides Michx.). Areas of discussion include: pre-process cooling, mechanical damage, washing, storage temperature and quality parameters. Recommendations for furthe...