Photosensitive behaviors and circadian rhythms are well documented in reef-building corals and their larvae, but the mechanisms responsible for photoreception have not been described in these organisms. Here we report the cloning, immunolocalization, and partial biochemical characterization of three opsins and four G proteins expressed in planulae of the Caribbean elkhorn coral, Acropora palmat...

Coral recruitment was examined on terracotta tiles deployed for four six-month periods between March 2001 and April 2003 on the West Fore Reef at Discovery Bay, Jamaica. During each sampling period, four tiles were deployed on each of two arrays at six depths ranging from 3 m to 33 m. Only three Acropora spat recruited to the tiles over the sampling period. The Acropora spat recruited during on...

Climate change scenarios predict stronger and more frequent hurricanes. We studied survival patterns of Acropora palmata during the hyper-active 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season [AHS] to assess future effects of routinely elevated storm seasons. Before the start of the 2005 AHS, 105 colonies on three survey reefs in the EPA/NOAA Coral Reef Monitoring Project were marked and tracked through 2007. ...

This study was conducted to examine the effects of condensed tannins (CT) from Ficus bengalensis leaves on the feed utilization, milk production and health status of crossbred cows. Eighteen crossbred dairy cows at their second and mid lactation (avg. BW 351.6±10.6 kg) were randomly divided into two groups of nine each in a completely randomized block design and fed two iso-nitrogenous suppleme...

Plant compensatory regrowth is an induced process that enhances plant tolerance to herbivory. Plant behavior against herbivores differs between species and depends on resource availability, thus making general predictions related to plant compensatory regrowth difficult. To understand how soil nutrients determine the degree of compensatory regrowth for different plant species, we selected sapli...

BACKGROUND Andrographis paniculata, Gynura procumbens, Ficus deltoidea and Curcuma xanthorrhiza are commonly consumed as herbal medicines. However their effects on human liver glucuronidation activity are not yet evaluated. OBJECTIVE In this study, we evaluate the inhibitory Effects of Andrographis paniculata, Gynura procumbens, Ficus deltoidea and Curcuma xanthorrhiza extracts and their cons...

The 14 species of Ficus of the subgenus Sycomorus (Moraceae) are invariably pollinated by Ceratosolen species (Hym. Chalcidoidea), which in turn reproduce in the fig florets. They are distributed mostly in continental Africa, Madagascar, and the Mascarene and Comoro Islands, but 1 species extends its geographical range all over the Oriental region. Fig-pollinator relationships are usually stric...

BACKGROUND Liver disorder was associated with alcohol consumption caused by hepatic cellular damages. Opuntia ficus-indica fruit extracts (OFIEs), which contain betalain pigments and polyphenols including flavonoids, have been introduced as reducing hangover symptoms and liver protective activity. OBJECTIVE To evaluate hepatoprotective activity of OFIEs and isolated compounds by high-speed co...

Fig trees (Ficus) are often ecologically significant keystone species because they sustain populations of the many seed-dispersing animals that feed on their fruits. They are prominent components of riparian zones where they may also contribute to bank stability as well as supporting associated animals. The diversity and distributions of riparian fig trees in deciduous and evergreen forests in ...

In the present study, we evaluated anti-Parkinson's activity of petroleum ether extract of Ficus religiosa (PEFRE) leaves in haloperidol and 6 hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) induced experimental animal models. In this study, effects of Ficus religiosa (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) were studied using in vivo behavioral parameters like catalepsy, muscle rigidity, and locomotor activity and its effect...