When the guard honey bees, Apis mellifera L., form a clump at the hive entrance or on the flight board, the oriental hornet, Vespa orientails L., either creeps toward the clump or hovers over it in order to take a bee. Once the hornet creeps, only few bees facing the hornet become alert, rock their heads and antennae, open their wings, and take a posture of defense. The rest of the clump stays listless without any signal of concern. However, the clump stays dense and the defending bees do not detach themselves neither from the rest of the clump nor from each other. For this reason, it is very difficult for the hornet to grab a bee unless the latter makes a “mistake” by detaching herself from other adjacent bees. If the hornet grabs such a bee, the other defending bees will not attack the hornet to free that bee even when the latter is one centimeter from the others. The defending bees can capture the hornet only when the latter grabs one of them which stands very close to the others. The hornet seems very “aware” of such a situation; hence she seldom becomes a captive. On the other hand, hovering over the clump makes it easier for the hornet to grab a bee. The hovering puts all the clump, rather than part of it, on alert. If the hornet is persistent, which is not often the case, then the clump will no longer be dense. The bees will panicly disperse all over the flight board; hence the hornet can find a detached bee and grabs it easily. The hornet also waits on wing in front of the hive to capture an outgoing or incoming flying bee but the latter usually maneuver to escape. Also, foraging bees reduce their activity during main hours of hornet presence. Among the main factors reducing the hornet impact are the continuous chasing of hornets to each other and the non-persistent attempts of the hornets when they attack bee clumps.
Environmentally friendly copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) were prepared with a green synthesis route via Anchusa strigosa L. Flowers extract. These nanoparticles were further characterized by FTIR, XRD and SEM techniques. Removing of Gongo red from water was applied successfully by using synthesized CuO NPs which used as an adsorbent material. It was validated that the CuO NPs eliminate Congo red by means of adsorption, and the best efficiency of adsorption was gained at pH (3). The maximum adsorption capacity of CuO NPs for Congo red was observed at (35) mg/g. The equilibrium information for adsorption have been outfitted to the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Halsey adsorption isot
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In this study, functional and numerical response tests, which are important components in the selection of biological control agent, were carried out. In functional response trials, the amount of food consumed, attack rate (a) and handling time (Th) were calculated for each developmental period, depending on the number of preys given after 24 hours. The obtained results were evaluated with the Holling. In numerical response experiments, the development of the predator insect was examined depending on the number of preys given in certain numbers (5, 10, 20, 40 and 80) and the data were recorded. This phase of the trials continued until the individuals died. At this stage of the trials, the reproductive response of the p
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This study involved the effect of the aqueous extracts of two plants, Origanum vulgare L.(1), Trigonella Foenum Graecum L. (Fenugreek) seeds(2) on the growth of cancer cell lines. Rhabdomyo sarcomas (RD) of human cell line and female intestine cells of Albino mice (L20B) in vitro System. These extracts were compared with the known anticancer drug Cis-platinum(Cis-Pt) as a positive control. The phytochemical tests were used for screening the active compounds in plants. The inhibition activity assay was used as a parameter of the cytotoxic effect of these extracts. Cancer cell lines were treated with four concentrations of Cis-platin, 31.25, 62.5, 125 and 250 ?g/ml for 72 hour exposure time. The same concentrations were used for the other ext
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The purpose of this research was to prepare, characterize, and evaluate the new antimicrobial peptide KSL peptide encapsulated in poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA)composite microspheres. KSL was loaded in poly(acryloyl hydroxyethyl) starch (acHES) micropar-ticles, and then the peptide-containing microparticles were encapsulated in the PLGA matrix by a solvent extraction /evaporation method.
KSL-loaded PLGA microspheres were also prepared without the starch hydrogel microparticle microspheres for comparison study. KSL peptide microspheres were characterized for drug content, surface morphology, microspheres size determination, polymers stability , in vitro microspheres degradation and in vitro release. KSL peptide
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2,2'-(1-(3,4-bis(carboxydichloromethoxy)-5-oxo-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-yl)ethane-1,2-diyl)bis(oxy)bis(2,2-dichloroacetic acid) a derivative of L-ascorbic acid was prepared by reaction of L-ascorbic acid with trichloroacetic acid (1:4) ratio, in the presence of potassium hydroxide. A series of new metal complexes of this ligand were prepared by a reaction with the chlorides of Cd(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II). The new ligand and its complexes were identified by C.H.N., IR, UV-visible spectra, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), as well as 1H, 13C-NMR and Mass spectra for ligand L. The complexes were also identified by molar conductance, atomic absorption, magnetic susceptibility and X-ray diffraction for Cu (II) complex. FT-IR spectra
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