[Regulation of androgen on singing behavior and song control system of songbirds].

Androgen plays an important role in singing of songbirds. Recent studies have shown that androgen levels in vivo not only affect the external morphology of songbirds, but also affect their singing behavior. Androgens (including derivatives) affect singing behavior and singing system in many ways.

The Influence of the Degradation of Tetracycline by Free Radicals from Riboflavin-5'-Phosphate Photolysis on Microbial Viability.

Tetracycline (TC) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic compound. Wastewater with TC may have an adverse effect on ecosystems. Riboflavin-5'-phosphate (FMN or flavin mononucleotide) is a non-toxic product of the phosphorylation of vitamin B and is required for the proper functioning of the humans.

[Central cholinergic system innervates song control system of songbirds and regulates song behavior].

Songbird has become an ideal model for studying motor learning due to its unique learned song behavior. It has been proved that song behavior is directly regulated by song control system in the forebrain of songbirds. There are lines of evidence to show that cholinergic transmitters and their receptors are distributed in song control system, and vocal control nuclei in song control system are innervated by cholinergic nerves from the central cholinergic system in basal forebrain, which can affect activities of vocal control nuclei through cholinergic transmitters, and then affect song behavior.

[Effects of androgens on the long-term depression of HVC-RA pathway in adult male zebra finches].

Androgens can affect the singing behavior via regulating the song control system. In the present study, the effect of androgen on the synaptic plasticity of high vocal center (HVC)-robust nucleus of the arcopallium (RA) pathway was investigated through electrophysiological recording in vivo. We divided the adult male zebra finches into control, castration and castration plus testosterone implantation groups.

Carbachol-Induced Reduction in the Activity of Adult Male Zebra Finch RA Projection Neurons.

Cholinergic mechanism is involved in motor behavior. In songbirds, the robust nucleus of the arcopallium (RA) is a song premotor nucleus in the pallium and receives cholinergic inputs from the basal forebrain. The activity of projection neurons in RA determines song motor behavior.

Sulfur Dioxide Enhances Endogenous Hydrogen Sulfide Accumulation and Alleviates Oxidative Stress Induced by Aluminum Stress in Germinating Wheat Seeds.

Aluminum ions are especially toxic to plants in acidic soils. Here we present evidences that SO2 protects germinating wheat grains against aluminum stress. SO2 donor (NaHSO3/Na2SO3) pretreatment at 1.

[Effects of syringeal denervation on the vocalization in red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea)].

In this study, the unilateral and bilateral syrinx nerve (NXIIts) were resected in the red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea) to assess the roles of NXIIts in vocalization. Wavesurfer and Sound Analysis Pro were used to analyze pre- and postsurgical acoustic changes. After resecting of unilateral NXIIts, red-billed Leiothrix produced the common calls with lengthened syllable interval, shortened duration and a declined FM index.

SK channels modulate the excitability and firing precision of projection neurons in the robust nucleus of the arcopallium in adult male zebra finches.

Objective: Motor control is encoded by neuronal activity. Small conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels (SK channels) maintain the regularity and precision of firing by contributing to the afterhyperpolarization (AHP) of the action potential in mammals. However, it is not clear how SK channels regulate the output of the vocal motor system in songbirds.

[Effects of copper stress on Medicago sativa seedlings leaf antioxidative system].

This paper studied the effects of different concentration (0, 10, 30, 50, and 100 micromol x L(-1)) CuSO4 on the leaf physiological and biochemical characteristics of Medicago sativa seedlings cultured with 1/4-strength Hoagland nutrient solution. In treatments 30, 50, and 100 micromol x L(-1) of CuSO4, the leaf H2O2, OH., and MDA contents and Fe-SOD and EST activities increased, and GSH and AsA contents increased significantly.

Hydrogen sulfide alleviates aluminum toxicity in germinating wheat seedlings.

Protective role of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) on seed germination and seedling growth was studied in wheat (Triticum) seeds subjected to aluminum (Al(3+)) stress. We show that germination and seedling growth of wheat is inhibited by high concentrations of AlCl(3). At 30 mmol/L AlCl(3) germination is reduced by about 50% and seedling growth is more dramatically inhibited by this treatment.

Hydrogen sulfide promotes wheat seed germination and alleviates oxidative damage against copper stress.

With the enhancement of copper (Cu) stress, the germination percentage of wheat seeds decreased gradually. Pretreatment with sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) donor alleviated the inhibitory effect of Cu stress in a dose-dependent manner; whereas little visible symptom was observed in germinating seeds and radicle tips cultured in NaHS solutions. It was verified that H(2)S or HS(-) rather than other sulfur-containing components derived from NaHS attribute to the potential role in promoting seed germination against Cu stress.

[Effects of cadmium stress on the antioxidative system in Ganoderma lucidum mycelia].

The study on the effects of different concentration (0, 10, 50, 100, 200 and 400 micromol x L(-1)) cadmium (Cd) on the antioxidative system in Ganoderma lucidum mycelia indicated that with increasing concentration of Cd, the fresh mass and the proline, total polysaccharides, and reduced polysaccharides contents of G. lucidum mycelia decreased, but non-protein thiol (NPT) content increased. At 400 micromol x L(-1) of Cd, the NPT content increased dramatically, being 5.

Purification, properties, and application of a novel acid urease from Enterobacter sp.

It has been demonstrated that acid urease is capable of decomposing urea in fermented beverage and foods. As urea is a precursor of ethylcarbamate, a potential carcinogenic compound, measures must be taken to control the level of urea. We herein describe the purification and characterization of a novel acid urease from Enterobacter sp.

[Anti-oxidative responses of Agrocybe aegerita mycelia to cadmium stress].

This paper studied the effects of different concentration Cd on the anti-oxidative enzyme activities and glutathione content in Agrocybe aegerita cultivated in liquid medium. The results indicated that at low concentrations of Cd, the test enzyme activities increased with increasing Cd concentration, being the maximum at 0.1 mmol x L(-1) for CAT, at 0.

Salicylic acid-induced aluminum tolerance by modulation of citrate efflux from roots of Cassia tora L.

Aluminum-induced exudation of organic acids from roots has been proposed as a mechanism for Al tolerance in plants. To better understand the regulatory process leading to efflux of organic acids, the possible involvement of salicylic acid (SA) in regulating Al-induced citrate release in Cassia tora L. was identified.