Norrie disease protein is essential for cochlear hair cell maturation.

Mutations in the gene for Norrie disease protein () cause syndromic deafness and blindness. We show here that cochlear function in an knockout mouse deteriorated with age: At P3-P4, hair cells (HCs) showed progressive loss of Pou4f3 and Gfi1, key transcription factors for HC maturation, and Myo7a, a specialized myosin required for normal function of HC stereocilia. Loss of expression of these genes correlated to increasing HC loss and profound hearing loss by 2 mo.

Monitoring Method of Total Seed Mass in a Vibrating Tray Using Artificial Neural Network.

To maintain the continuous working performance of a vacuum plate seeder, it is important to monitor the total seed mass in the seed tray in real time and accurately control the pickup position of the suction plate accordingly. Under the excitation of reciprocating vibration varying with time and interference by direction angle, the motion of seeds in a rectangular tray was simulated using the discrete element method (DEM). A measurement method for seed mass in a small area was proposed based on the impulse theorem.

[Metabolism and interaction of C and N in the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis].

The arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) is the symbiont formed by the host plant and the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). The transfer and metabolism of C and N in the symbiosis plays an important role in keeping nutrient balance and resource reallocation between the host plant and the fungi. The carbohydrates produced by plant photosynthesis are transferred to the fungi, where they are metabolized as materials and energy used for fungal spore germination, mycelium growth and uptake of nitrogen and other nutrients.

Red ginseng protects against gentamicin-induced balance dysfunction and hearing loss in rats through antiapoptotic functions of ginsenoside Rb1.

The authors evaluated the protective effects of Korean red ginseng (KRG) against gentamicin (GM)-induced unilateral vestibular and hearing dysfunction and investigated its effective mechanism using in vitro cell cultures. Vestibular function was comprehensively evaluated by a scoring system that ranged from 0 (normal) to 3 (worst) points, using head tilt, tail hanging, and swimming tests. The GM group showed significantly more deteriorated vestibular function (0 point--5 rats, 1 point--1 rat, 2 points--3 rats, and 3 points--3 rats) than the KRG+GM group (0 point--9 rats and 1 point--1 rat) (p<0.

Differences in the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi-improved rice resistance to low temperature at two N levels: aspects of N and C metabolism on the plant side.

We performed an experiment to determine how N and C metabolism is involved in the low-temperature tolerance of mycorrhizal rice (Oryza sativa) at different N levels and examined the possible signaling molecules involved in the stress response of mycorrhizal rice. Pot cultures were performed, and mycorrhizal rice growth was evaluated based on treatments at two temperatures (15 °C and 25 °C) and two N levels (20 mg pot(-1) and 50 mg pot(-1)). The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization of rice resulted in different responses of the plants to low and high N levels.

[Nitrogen metabolism and translocation in arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiote and its ecological implications].

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can form mutually beneficial relations with more than 80% of vascular plants, and the existence of the symbiote is of significance in promoting the growth and stress tolerance of host plants. AMF can obtain the photosynthate carbohydrates from host plants, and in the meantime, effectively promote the nitrogen (N) uptake by host plants via the absorption of various N sources by mycorrhiza mycelia, resulting in the N exchange at population or community level, the improvement of host plants nutrition and metabolism, and the strengthening of the stress tolerance of host plants. However, there are still in debates in which ways the symbiote absorbs and transfers N and what the mechanisms the N metabolism and translocation from AMF to host plants.