While RBL-2H3 cells may be useful as a model for mast cell IgE-mediated degranulation, other aspects may not be representative and they may share similarities with basophils rather than with other histamine-releasing cell types.

Summary1. Increased intensification in agricultural grasslands has led to well-documented declines in the associated flora. Manipulation of field margins for biodiversity enhancement in arable systems has been extensively investigated. However, there is a paucity of corresponding long-term research within intensively managed grasslands. 2. We investigated a combination of establishment and management methods to enhance botanical diversity of newly established field margins in intensively managed grasslands. Three methods of field margin establishment were investigated including fencing, natural regeneration by rotavation, or seeding with a wildflower mixture. Subsequent sward management by either grazing or mowing was tested at three margin widths. Success of establishment was addressed in terms of persistence of species richness, plant community composition and incidence of noxious weeds. 3. Seeding with a wildflower mixture was the most successful establishment method to enhance plant species richness and this effect persisted throughout the 7 years of the experiment (x = 16AE4 ± 0AE43 SE plant species richness per 1 · 3 m 2 quadrat). Mown (x = 6AE01 ± 0AE30 SE) and rotavated (x = 9AE7 ± 0AE34 SE) treatments contained significantly fewer plant species; grazed controls contained 9AE83 ± 0AE24 species. 4. Grazing led to a significant, but modest increase in species richness in fenced and rotavated plots compared to the mowing treatment, but had no effect in seeded plots. Grazing also led to an increased frequency and cover of competitive grasses in the seeded treatment. 5. Although margin width was not found to significantly influence species richness, there was increased herb cover and reduced abundance of noxious weeds in the wider seeded margins. 6. Synthesis and applications. The choice of establishment method and subsequent management of grassland field margins significantly affected their conservation value. The botanical diversity of margins within intensively managed pasture can be enhanced by sowing wildflower seed mixtures. This diversity can be maintained over time through appropriate management, i.e. either the reduction of high grazing pressure by seasonal fencing, or annual mowing. Management approaches that involve minimal change are currently adopted in many agri-environment schemes (such as fencing and ⁄ or the cessation of nutrient inputs) but did not produce swards of conservation value in this study.

RESUMO: "Atividade hipoglicemiante de duas espécies de Bauhinia brasileira: Bauhinia forfi cata L. and Bauhinia monandra Kurz.". Extratos aquosos das folhas de Bauhinia forfi cata L. e Bauhinia monandra Kurz (10% p/v) foram testados em camundongos normoglicêmicos, objetivando averiguar a sua atividade hipoglicemiante. Ambos os extratos mostraram atividade hipoglicemiante na metodologia empregada. Ainda, foi possível isolar de B. forfi cata L. dois fl avonóides, quercetina-3,7-O-dirhamnosido e kaempferol-3,7-O-dirhamnosido, sendo as estruturas estabelecidas por técnicas clássicas de RMN. Apenas o derivado da quercetina foi identifi cado no extrato aquoso de Bauhinia monandra por CLAE.Unitermos: Bauhinia forfi cata, Bauhinia monandra, Leguminosae, atividade hipoglicemiante, fl avonoides, CLAE. ABSTRACT:The hypoglycemic activity of aqueous extracts from Bauhinia forfi cata L. and Bauhinia monandra Kurz leaves (10% w/v) was evaluated in normoglycemic mice. Both extracts have shown hypoglycemic activity using this methodology. It was also possible to isolate two fl avonoids from B. forfi cata L., 3,7-di-O-α-rhamnopyranosylquercetin and 3,7-di-O-α-rhamnopyranosylkaempferol (kaempferitrin), whose structures were elucidated by usual NMR techniques. Only the quercetin derivative was identifi ed in B. monandra aqueous extract by HPLC.

A vast majority Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) are traditionally administered as individually prepared water decoctions (tang) which are rather complicated in practice and their dry extracts show technological problems that hamper straight production of more convenient application forms. Modernised extraction procedures may overcome these difficulties but there is lack of clinical evidence supporting their therapeutic equivalence to traditional decoctions and their quality can often not solely be attributed to the single marker compounds that are usually used for chemical extract optimisation. As demonstrated by the example of the rather simple traditional TCM formula Danggui Buxue Tang, both the chemical composition and the biological activity of extracts resulting from traditional water decoction are influenced by details of the extraction procedure and especially involve pharmacokinetic synergism based on co-extraction. Hence, a more detailed knowledge about the traditional extracts' chemical profiles and their impact on biological activity is desirable in order to allow the development of modernised extracts that factually contain the whole range of compounds relevant for the efficacy of the traditional application. We propose that these compounds can be identified by metabolomics based on comprehensive fingerprint analysis of different extracts with known biological activity. TCM offers a huge variety of traditional products of the same botanical origin but with distinct therapeutic properties, like differentially processed drugs and special daodi qualities. Through this variety, TCM gives an ideal field for the application of metabolomic techniques aiming at the identification of active constituents.

Summary 1.As measuring biodiversity in its entirety is impractical, there is a need for bioindicators. This study tested the hypothesis that parasitoid Hymenoptera are potential bioindicators that provide a useful means to assess the wider biodiversity of arthropod populations in agro-ecosystems. There are a range of theoretical arguments to support such a claim, including the high trophic position of these taxa within the arthropod communities in which they occur, and the unique nature of their biological relationships with the majority of terrestrial arthropod groups. 2. A survey of 48 commercial farms was conducted and Generalized Linear Models used to investigate relationships between six taxa-parasitoid Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Diptera, Araneae and plants (species richness and sward height)-in agricultural grasslands. As well as relationships between these groups, the relationship of each individual group to the overall biodiversity of all other arthropod groups was explored. 3. Both abundance (r 2 = 0AE58) and taxon richness (r 2 = 0AE54) of parasitoid Hymenoptera had stronger relationships with overall arthropod taxon richness than any other arthropod group investigated. Parasitoid abundance also had a positive relationship with species richness of Coleoptera (r 2 = 0AE23) and Hemiptera (r 2 = 0AE47).4. An historical data set demonstrated how the relationship between parasitoid abundance and overall arthropod taxon richness changes over the growing season. July, when the relationship was strongest, is potentially the most useful time to sample. 5. For use in routine monitoring, it is important that an effort be made to understand the seasonal influence on the relationship in the context being studied. Equal sampling effort must be made for all sites being compared and sites should be sampled as close together in the season as is possible. 6. Synthesis and applications. We show that, within agricultural grasslands, both the abundance and taxon richness of parasitoid Hymenoptera are more closely related with overall arthropod diversity than any other arthropod group investigated. The use of parasitoid abundance provides a simple and practicable monitoring tool for tracking change in wider arthropod diversity in agroecosystems.

Binary- and multi-species sown mixtures may increase herbage yield and/or reduce inorganic nitrogen (N) requirement compared to perennial ryegrass (PRG) (Lolium perenne L.) swards. A split-plot design was used to compare yields of binary- and multi-species mixtures to single-species swards of three grasses and red clover managed for intensive silage production under varying N application rates. Perennial and Italian (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) ryegrasses had greater annual yields when grown as single species receiving 360 kg N/ha per year than in binary mixtures with red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) receiving 0 kg N/ha per year, whereas timothy (Phleum pratense L.) produced equally high yields in both situations. When no inorganic N was applied, the annual dry matter yield of Mix 1 (10,738 kg/ha; PRG, timothy, red clover and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and Mix 2 (11,679 kg/ha; PRG, timothy, red clover, ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) and chicory (Cichorium intybus L.)) was greater than that of a PRG sward (PRG/0N; 5,885 kg/ha) and derived more from the contribution of legumes than herbs. This yield advantage of mixtures declined as inorganic N input increased, as did the legume and herb proportions in the multi-species swards. When averaged across rates of inorganic N input, Mix 2 had a greater annual yield than Mix 1 (12,464 vs. 11,893 kg/ha). Mix 2 receiving no inorganic fertiliser N and both Mix 1 and Mix 2 receiving 120 kg N/ha per year matched the annual yield achieved by PRG receiving 360 kg N/ha per year. Our results indicate that the yield performance of binary- and multi-species grassland swards should be measured in situ rather than predicted from single-species swards of constituent species.

A complete randomized design was used to investigate the effect of increasing pasture species on herbage production, chemical composition and utilization under intensive sheep grazing. Four experimental farmlets were established, namely perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) only, receiving 163 kg N ha−1 year−1 (PRG); a perennial ryegrass and white clover (Trifolium repens) sward (PRGWC); a six species sward containing two grasses, two legumes and two herbs (6S); and a nine species sward containing three grasses, three legumes and three herbs (9S), each receiving 90 kg N ha−1 year−1. Ewes (12.5 ewes ha−1) and lambs rotationally grazed each farmlet from turnout post‐lambing until housing. Target pre‐grazing herbage mass (above 4 cm) was 1,200 kg dry‐matter (DM) ha−1, Target post‐grazing sward height was 4 cm for all rotations. Herbage samples were collected for DM yield, botanical and chemical composition determination at each grazing. Annual DM production of the 6S, 9S and PRG swards was similar (10.3, 9.9 and 9.9 ± 0.5 t DM ha−1, respectively) despite differences in N application. The 6S sward, however, had greater annual DM production compared to the PRGWC sward (9.1 t DM ha−1, p < 0.05). Herb proportions decreased in the 6S and 9S swards from 2015 to 2016 (p < 0.05) resulting in increased proportions of grass in these swards (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the PRGWC, 6S and 9S swards produced similar annual herbage DM from lower N inputs to PRG swards; however, maintaining the proportions of herbs is a challenge under intensive sheep grazing.

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