Effect of Six Different Acoustic Frequencies on Growth of Cowpea(Vigna unguiculata)during Its Seedling Stage

[Objective] The aim was to study the effects of sound waves with different types and frequency characteristics on the growth of cowpea（Vigna unguiculata）during seedling stage.[Method] The insect-music mixed sound（MI）,cuckoo acoustic song,cricket acoustic song,single 400 Hz frequency sound wave,F5 and Fn sound waves composed of different frequencies were designed to investigate their effects on height and weight of cowpea seedling,and experimental data were statistically analyzed and multiple-compared by EXCEL.[Result] After treatment by sound waves with six different types and frequencies,the growth situations of cowpea were better than that in control.This indicated that sound waves could significantly promote height growth of plant.The treatments with good growth-promotion effect included 400 Hz frequency sound wave,cuckoo acoustic song and cricket acoustic song,followed by MI,Fn and F5.Cuckoo and cricket acoustic song treatment could promote the weight of cowpea seedling during seedling stage.[Conclusion] Sound waves with different types and frequency characteristics had significant growth-promotion effect on growth of cowpea during seedling stage,but their effects were different.

A comprehensive review of edible bird nests and swiftlet farming

Edible bird＇s nest （EBN） is currently widely consumed by the Chinese community as tonic food and functional food, which is believed to have many medicinal benefits. Some studies have reported the biochemical compositions of EBN, graded on the basis of colour, nitrate and nitrite contents. Other studies have shown significant biological effects, while ongoing research is in progress to explore potential pharmacological applications. The high demand for EBNs in the global market has forced the local regulatory bodies to monitor swiftlet farming activities, including the EBN cleaning process. Furthermore, numerous techniques have been developed to authenticate EBN; proteomics is likely to be the most promising of these methods. However, there are limited numbers of relevant protein sequences deposited at the database. More research is needed at the molecular level to explore the mechanisms behind the biological functions, such as bone strength improvement, skin rejuvenation, epidermal growth factor activity and cell proliferation.The current and future prospects of EBN and swiftlet farming are critically reviewed in this article.

Edible Bird's Nest:Food or Medicine?

Edible bird＇s nest （EBN） is derived from the saliva of certain types of swiflets. It is consumed in many parts of the world for its nutritional and medicinal values. Although many claims have been made on the therapeutic and health- promoting effects of EBN, scientific documentations regarding these effects are very limited in published literature. It is not until recently that the biological effects of EBN are being investigated and evidence-based studies are being conducted. Several studies have found that EBN may enhance cell proliferation and differentiation and various beneficial effects have been reported in vitro as well as in vivo. While these studies point towards the potential use of EBN in the treatment or even prevention of several diseases, the mechanisms of action of EBN remain largely unknown and more explorations are needed. This review is one of the very few scientific reviews onEBN which focuses on recent evidence-based discoveries.