Purpose: To evaluate the diuretic effect of the aqueous methanol extract of Mentha viridis Linn (Labiatae) in Albino rats. Methods: The aqueous-methanol extract of Mentha viridis was administered to experimental rats at doses of 30, 50 and 100 mg/kg, (i.p.) Furosemide 10 mg/kg (i.p.) and normal saline were used as reference drug and control, respectively. Diuretic effect was examined immediatel...

Contemporary cnidarian-algae symbioses are challenged by increasing CO2 concentrations (ocean warming and acidification) affecting organisms' biological performance. We examined the natural variability of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in the symbiotic sea anemone Anemonia viridis to investigate dietary shifts (autotrophy/heterotrophy) along a natural pCO2 gradient at the island of Vulcano, Italy...

Freshwater snails of the family Lymnaeidae play an important role in the transmission of fascioliasis worldwide. In Vietnam, 2 common lymnaeid species, Lymnaea swinhoei and Lymnaea viridis, can be recognized on the basis of morphology, and a third species, Lymnaea sp., is known to exist. Recent studies have raised controversy about their role in transmission of Fasciola spp. because of confusio...

We investigated the relationships of Asian bufonids using partial sequences of mitochondrial DNA genes. Twenty-six samples representing 14 species of Bufo from China and Vietnam and 2 species of Torrentophryne from China were examined. Three samples of Bufo viridis from Armenia and Georgia were also sequenced to make a comparison to its sibling tetraploid species B. danatensis. Bufo americanus,...

We discuss curvature corrections to Fresnel's laws for the reflection and transmission of light at a nonplanar refractive-index boundary. The reflection coefficients are obtained from the resonances of a dielectric disk within a sequential-reflection model. The Goos-Hänchen effect for curved light fronts at a planar interface can be adapted to provide a qualitative and quantitative extension of...

Rattlesnakes use chemical stimuli in ambush site selection and for relocation of envenomated prey through strike-induced chemosensory searching. Shifts in responsiveness to prey chemicals have been documented in many snakes, and often correlate with prey commonly taken as snakes increase in age and size as well as geographical locations of the species. For instance, neonate rattlesnakes that pr...

The genus Miloderes Casey, 1888 is reviewed and three new species are described. The genus now has eight valid species: M. amargosensis sp. nov., M. mercuryensis Tanner, M. nelsoni Kissinger, M. panamintensis sp. nov., M. setosus Casey, M. tingi Tanner, M. ubehebensis sp. nov. and M. viridis Pierce. Miloderes allredi Tanner, 1974 is a new junior synonym of M. viridis Pierce, 1910. The relations...

Three marine prostanoids, 1, 2, and 3, were isolated from the extract of the Okinawan soft coral Clavularia viridis. The structures of these compounds were assigned based on the results of spectroscopic analysis. Compound 1 was shown to be preclavulone-A methyl ester, and this is the first isolation of the ester of preclavulone-A as a natural product. Preclavulone-A is proposed to be the key in...

The effect of hyperosmotic solution of NaCl, urea and mannitol on Bufo viridis red blood cells were studied. The percentage of water content in B. viridis red blood cells decreased significantly in NaCl and mannitol hypertonic solutions compared to urea hypertonic solution. The urea concentration found in red blood cells in a urea hypertonic solution was significantly higher than in red blood c...