Betaine accumulation and the change of betaine-aldehyde dehydrogenase activity in barley seedlings under KCl and NaCl stress

The changes in growth status, ion contents, betaine levels and betaine\|aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH) activity in seedlings of nonhalophyte barley treated with different concentrations of NaCl and KCl were studied. Results showed that the inhibition of growth in barley seedlings increased as enhancing NaCl and KCl for 96h and NaCl inhibitory degree was higher than that of KCl. The K\++ content of barley seedlings in NaCl was lower than the control, while the Na\++ content was higher, the levels of Na\++ fell in the seedlings treated with KCl, but K\++ levels rose, and K\++ content was higher than that of Na\++. The betaine levels of barley shoots rose with the increase in both external salt concentration and treatment time. Higher BADH activity was observed in low\|salt concentration but lower slightly in high\|salt concentration.

L-leucine stimulates glutamate dehydrogenase activity and glutamate synthesis by regulating mTORC1/SIRT4 pathway in pig liver

The liver is the most essential organ for the metabolism of ammonia, in where most of ammonia is removed by urea and glutamine synthesis. Regulated by leucine, glutamate dehydrogenase(GDH) catalyzes the reversible inter-conversion of glutamate to ammonia. To determine the mechanism of leucine regulating GDH, pigs weighing 20 ± 1 kg were infused for 80 min with ammonium chloride or alanine in the presence or absence of leucine. Primary pig hepatocytes were incubated with or without leucine. In the in vivo experiments with either ammonium or alanine as the nitrogen source, addition of leucine significantly inhibited ureagenesis and promoted the production of glutamate and glutamine in the perfused pig liver(P < 0.05). Similarly, leucine stimulated GDH activity and inhibited sirtuin4(SIRT4)gene expression(P < 0.01). Leucine could also activate mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1(m TORC1) signaling(P < 0.05), as evidenced by the increased phosphorylation levels of ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1(S6 K1) and ribosomal protein S6(S6). Interestingly, the leucine-induced m TORC1 pathway activation suitably correlated with increased GDH activity and decreased expression of SIRT4.Similar results were observed in primary cultured hepatocytes. Notably, leucine exerted no significant change in GDH activity in SIRT4-deficient hepatocytes(P > 0.05), while m TORC1 signaling was activated.Leucine exerted no significant changes in both GDH activity and SIRT4 gene expression in rapamycin treated hepatocytes(P > 0.05). In conclusion, L-leucine increases GDH activity and stimulates glutamate synthesis from different nitrogen sources by regulating m TORC1/SIRT4 pathway in the liver of pigs.

Studies on Electrolyte Conductivity and Activity of Dehydrogenase of Chinese Fir and Masson Pine Bare-Root Seedling under Water and Cold Stress

The electrolyte conductivity and activity of dehydrogenase of bare-root seedlings of both Chinese fir (Cunningha-mia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook.) and Masson pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) under freezing and desiccation treatments were studied. The results showed that needle electrolyte conductivity of both species increase significantly after freezing treatment and there are no significant differences in needle electrolyte conductivity between the two species. The dehydrogenase activity (ARD) of fine roots of both Chinese fir and Masson pine was negatively correlated with increasing freezing and desiccation. The results suggest that both electrolyte conductivity and dehydrogenase activity could be used as quick indicators of Chinese fir and Masson pine bare-root seedling quality.

In Vitro and In Vivo Effects and Safety Assessment of Corn Peptides on Alcohol Dehydrogenase Activities

The in vitro and in vivo effects of corn peptides（CPs） prepared from corn gluten meal by proteolysis with an alkaline protease and fractions of CPs from Sephadex G-15 and G-10 columns on activities of alcohol dehydroge-nase（ADH） were studied. The results show that CPs and fraction 3 of CPs from Sephadex G-10 column enhance in vitro ADH activity. Furthermore, the in vitro accelerating effect of the fraction 3 of CPs on ADH activity was superior to that of glutathione, which was also found even in the presence of ADH inhibitor, such as pyrazole. In the in vivo experiments, the animals were fed with different dosages of CPs and with a dose of Chinese distilled spirit orally, and sacrificed for the measurement of ADH activity. In vivo experimental results indicate that CPS enhanced hepatic ADH activities. To test the safety of CPs as health food, 30 d feeding test was performed. No obvious toxic effects were detected in treated Wistar rats.

Stimulating Effects of Seed Treatment by Magnetized Plasma on Tomato Growth and Yield

Tomato seeds （Lycopersicon esculentum L. Mill. cv. zhongshu No. 6） were treated by magnetized plasma before being sown to investigate its effect on the growth and yield of tomatoes. Biochemical analysis showed that dehydrogenase activity increased with the increase of the current but decreased when the current was higher than 1.5 A. The activities of peroxidase （POD） isoenzyme changed in the same pattern. There was no difference in germination percentage between treatments and control, which were carried out in laboratory conditions. However, significant （c~ = 0.01） difference was observed in germination percentage in the pot experiment. In the pot experiment, the sprouting rate for the treatment with a 1.5 A current was 32.75%, whereas the untreated was only 4.75% on the eleventh day. Germination time is more than one day earlier than the control. The 1.5 A treatment increased the tomato yield by 20.7%.

Phytoremediation of petroleum polluted soil

An experimental study of the rhizosphere effect on phytoremediation of petroleum polluted soil was carried out with three species of grasses, namely Pannicum, Eleusine indica （L.） Gaerth, and Tall Fescue. After a period of 150 days, this pot experiment showed that the rhizosphere of these three species accelerated the degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons to different extents. The results showed that the number of microorganisms in the rhizosphere increased by three orders of magnitude. The induction of the plant rhizosphere and the coercion influence of petroleum changed the species and activity of microorganisms. The degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in the rhizosphere was 3-4 times that in unplanted soil. The dehydrogenase activity in the rhizosphere was 1.61-2.20 times that in unplanted soil, but the catalase activity was 0.90-0.93 times that in unplanted soil, and soil moisture content increased by 5% compared with the unplanted soil.

Effects of Nitrogen Fertilizer Treatments on Caryopsis Filling and Respiratory Rate of Rice

An experiment was conducted to study the effects of nitrogen （N） rate and application time on grain filling and respiratory trait of caryopsis in two rice varieties, IR36 and Dali. The treatments were consisted of no N application topdressing at both tillering and booting stages （CK）, 6 g/pot of N topdressing at the tillering stage and 2 g/pot of N topdressing at the booting stage, 2 g/pot of N topdressing at the tillering stage and 6 g/pot of N topdressing at the booting stage. The results showed that the proper utilization of N fertilizer can be helpful to maintain the higher water content, higher respiratory rate and higher dehydrogenase activity of rice caryopsis in late filling phase, and prolong the course for filling and maintaining higher respiratory rate and dehydrogenase activity of rice caryopsis. More N application at booting was more effective compared to more N application at tillering.

Effects of Cd^(2+) and Pb^(2+) on the substrate biofilms in the integrated vertical-flow constructed wetland

The effects of single Cd^(2+)and Pb^(2+),and combined Cd^(2+)and Pb^(2+)on dehydrogenase activity and polysaccharide content of the substrate biofilms in the integrated vertical-flow constructed wetland(IVCW)were studied.Dehydrogenase activities decreased linearly with the increasing concentrations of Cd^(2+)and Pb^(2+)at different times(6,24,72,and 120 h).The activities at both 6 and 24 h were significantly higher than that at 72 and 120 h in the case of single and combined treatments.The single Cd^(2+)and...

Fauna-associated Changes in Chemical and Biochemical Properties of Soil

Objective To study the impacts of abundance of woodlice, termites, and mites on some functional aspects of soil in order to elucidate the specific role of soil fauna in improving soil fertility in desert. Methods Fauna-rich sites were selected as experimental sites and adjacent areas were taken as control, Soil samples were collected from both sites. Soil respiration was measured at both sites. The soil samples were sent to laboratory, their chemical and biochemical properties were analyzed. Results Woodlice showed 25% decrease in organic carbon and organic matter as compared to control site. Whereas termites and mites showed 58% and 16% decrease in organic carbon and organic matter. In contrast, available nitrogen （nitrate and ammonical both） and phosphorus exhibited 2-fold and 1.2-fold increase, respectively. Soil respiration and dehydrogenase activity at the sites rich in woodlice, termites and mites produced 2.5-, 3.5- and 2-fold increases, respectively as compared to their control values. Fauna-associated increase in these biological parameters clearly reflected fauna-induced microbial activity in soil. Maximum decrease in organic carbon and increase in nitrate-nitrogen and ammonical-nitrogen, available phosphorus, soil respiration and dehydrogenase activity were produced by termites and minimum by mites reflecting termite as an efficient soil improver in desert environment. Conclusion The soil fauna-associated changes in chemical （organic carbon, nitrate-nitrogen, ammonical-nitrogen, phosphorus） and biochemical （soil respiration, dehydrogenase activity） properties of soil improve soil health and help in conservation of desert pedoecosystem.

Effect of Moisture Content on Melilotus suaveolens Seed Quality During Ultra-drying Storage

In order to enhance the seed storability and supply high-quality seeds for vegetation restoration in the arid and semi-arid regions in Northwest China,the effects of ultra-drying and accelerated aging on the physiological characterstics of Melilotus suaveolens seeds were studied.Melilotus suaveolens seeds were dried in a desiccator containing silica gel to 80,53,42,33,23 and 16 g·kg-1 of moisture contents（MC）,respectively.The parameters of the seed quality including germination energy（GE）,germination percentage（GP）,relative conductivity（RC）,dehydrogenase activity（DA） and α-amylase activity（AA） were determined after ultra-drying and accelerated aging.The results showed that ultra-dried seeds with 42 g·kg-1 of MC showed the minimum changes of GE and GP before and after seed aging.Moreover,ultra-dry seeds with 42 g·kg-1 of MC showed higher DA and AA,and lower RC than non-ultra-drying seeds.Therefore,ultra-drying to 42 g·kg-1 of MC was helpful for M.suaveolens seed storage.

Phytoremediation of Oil-Contaminated Soils by Combining Flowering Plant Cultivation and Inoculation with <i>Acinetobacter junii</i>Strain M-2

Oil contamination of the soil by petroleum products has become an enormous environmental problem. In this study, we examined whether remediation of oil-contaminated soils by cultivating three flowering plants (Mimosa, Gazania, and Zinnia) could be enhanced by inoculation with Acinetobacter junii strain M-2 at different plant growth stages (at sowing, at early growth, and at mid-growth). The growth of Zinnia cultivated in oil-contaminated soils inoculated at sowing was significantly superior to that in the non-inoculated soil. Although total petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in soils inoculated at sowing were nominally lower than those in non-inoculated soils, especially in the case of Zinnia planting, the effect did not reach statistical significance. However, dehydrogenase activity was significantly higher in the soils inoculated with A. junii strain M-2 than in non-inoculated soils for all three plant species tested. These results demonstrate that a combination of ornamental plant cultivation (particularly Zinnia) and inoculation with A. junii strain M-2 increases the efficiency of oil-contaminated soil phytoremediation.

Effects of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid (ALA) on Zinnia hybrida Growth and Phytoremediation Effects in Oil-Contaminated Soil

In this study, we compared plant height, weight, soil TPH concentration, and soil DHA level after 18 weeks of Zennia hybrida cultivation with four different concentrations of 5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-based liquid fertilizer: 1500-fold, 5000-fold, and 8000-fold dilutions, along with a non-treatment control of diluted ALA. The plants of ALA-treated were significantly taller than the non-treatment control. The plants of ALA-treated plants were higher in shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, and root dry weight than the non-treatment control. The plot of ALA-based liquid fertilizer with the 5000-fold dilution was significantly highest in shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, and root dry weight. ALA-treated plants were lower in the soil Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) concentration than the non-treatment control. The plot of ALA-based liquid fertilizer with the 5000-fold was significantly lowest in the TPH concentration. In addition, ALA-treated plants were higher in the soil dehydrogenase activity (DHA) than the non-treatment control. The plot of ALA-based liquid fertilizer with the 5000-fold was significantly highest in the TPH concentration. This study indicated that ALA-applied zinnia-grown oil-contaminated soil is more effective than not. The remediation in oil-contaminated soil with ALA-based liquid fertilizer is more effective than the non-treatment control;furthermore, ALA application with 5000-fold dilution was most suitable in oil-contaminated soil among other plots.

Atorvastatin activates autophagy and promotes neurological function recovery after spinal cord injury

Atorvastatin, a lipid-lowering medication, provides neuroprotective effects, although the precise mechanisms of action remain unclear. Our previous studies confirmed activated autophagy following spinal cord injury, which was conducive to recovery of neurological functions. We hypothesized that atorvastatin could also activate autophagy after spinal cord injury, and subsequently improve recovery of neurological functions. A rat model of spinal cord injury was established based on the Allen method. Atorvastatin（5 mg/kg） was intraperitoneally injected at 1 and 2 days after spinal cord injury. At 7 days post-injury, western blot assay, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dU TP nick-end labeling（TUNEL） staining results showed increased Beclin-1 and light chain 3B gene and protein expressions in the spinal cord injury ＋ atorvastatin group. Additionally, caspase-9 and caspase-3 expression was decreased, and the number of TUNEL-positive cells was reduced. Compared with the spinal cord injury ＋ saline group, Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan locomotor rating scale scores significantly increased in the spinal cord injury ＋ atorvastatin group at 14–42 days post-injury. These findings suggest that atorvastatin activated autophagy after spinal cord injury, inhibited apoptosis, and promoted recovery of neurological function.

Effects of Micronutrient Niacin on Treatment Efficiency of Textile Wastewater

Textile wastewater is well known as one of the wastewaters to be most difficultly treated. The effects of niacin on textile wastewater treatment efficiency were studied by continuous addition of 1.0 mg·L^-1 niacin, the physical and chemical indexes of the water samples, such as COD, ammonia and dehydrogenase activities, were analyzed every day with standard methods, and obvious improvement in wastewater treatment performance was achieved. The exact results showed that：① Niacin could improve the COD removal efficiency signifcantly with removal rates being 1.31 times as to those of the control system; ② under this experimental condition, addition of niacin had almost no effect on the removal of ammonia;③ Addition of niacin could improve the activity of dehydrogenase by 130 %. It proved that the biological treatment performance of textile wastewater treatment system probably could be optimized through micronutrient niacin supplement.

In-situ sludge reduction based on Mn^(2+)-catalytic ozonation conditioning:Feasibility study and microbial mechanisms

To improve the sludge conditioning efficiency without increasing the ozone dose,an in-situ sludge reduction process based on Mn^(2+)-catalytic ozonation conditioning was proposed.Using ozone conditioning alone as a control,a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor coupled with ozonated sludge recycle was evaluated for its operating performance at an ozone dose of 75 mg O_(3)/g VSS and 1.5 mmol/L Mn^(2+)addition.The results showed a 39.4%reduction in MLSS and an observed sludge yield of 0.236 kg MLSS/kg COD for the O_(3)+Mn^(2+)group compared to the O_(3)group (15.3%and 0.292 kg MLSS/kg COD),accompanied by better COD,NH_(4)^(+)-N,TN and TP removal,improved effluent SS and limited impact on excess sludge properties.Subsequently,activity tests,BIOLOG ECO microplates and 16S rRNA sequencing were applied to elucidate the changing mechanisms of Mn^(2+)-catalytic ozonation related to microbial action:(1) Dehydrogenase activity reached a higher peak.(2) Microbial utilization of total carbon sources had an elevated effect,up to approximately 18%,and metabolic levels of six carbon sources were also increased,especially for sugars and amino acids most pronounced.(3) The abundance of Defluviicoccus under the phylum Proteobacteria was enhanced to 12.0%and dominated in the sludge,they had strong hydrolytic activity and metabolic capacity.Denitrifying bacteria of the genus Ferruginibacter also showed an abundance of 7.6%,they contributed to the solubilization and reduction of sludge biomass.These results could guide researchers to further reduce ozonation conditioning costs,improve sludge management and provide theoretical support.

Effect of high-strength ammonia nitrogen acclimation on sludge activity in sequencing batch reactor

The effect of high-strength ammonia nitrogen acclimation on sludge activity in sequencing batch reactor （SBR） was investigated. Two batch experiments, RUN1 and RUN2, were conducted with the influent ammonia nitrogen concentrations 60 and 500 mg/L, respectively. The sludges inoculated from RUN1 and RUN2 were used to treat a series of influent with ammonia nitrogen concentrations of 59, 232, 368, 604 and 1152 mg/L. It is found that the activated sludge acclimated to higher ammonia nitrogen concentrations revealed higher COD and NH 4 ＋ -N removal efficiencies, and slower DHA decrease. The results confirmed that the activities of the bacteria in activated sludge in SBR were inhibited by high-strength ammonia nitrogen, whereas the activated sludge acclimated to high-strength ammonia nitrogen showed substantial resistance to inhibition by influents containing high levels of ammonia nitrogen.

Physiological and Growth Responses of Tomato Progenies Harboring the Betaine Alhyde Dehydrogenase Gene to Salt Stress

The responses of five transgenic tomato （Lycopersicon esculentum Mill） lines containing the betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase （BADH） gene to salt stress were evaluated. Proline, betaine （N, N, N-trimethylglycine, hereafter betalne）, chlorophyll and ion contents, BADH activity, electrolyte leakage （EL）, and some growth parameters of the plants under 1.0% and 1.5% NaCl treatments were examined. The transgenic tomatoes had enhanced BADH activity and betaine content, compared to the wild type under stress conditions. Salt stress reduced chlorophyll contents to s higher extent in the wild type than in the transgenic plants. The wild type exhibited significantly higher proline content than the transgenic plants at 0.9% and 1.3% NaCh Cell membrane of the wild type was severely damaged as determined by higher EL under salinity stress. K^＋ and Ca^2＋ contents of all tested lines decreased under salt stress, but the transgenic plants showed a significantly higher accumulation of K^＋ and Ca^2＋ than the wild type. In contrast, the wild type had significantly higher CI- and Na^2＋ contents than the transgenic plants under salt stress. Although yield reduction among various lines varied, the wild type had the highest yield reduction. Fruit quality of the transgenic plants was better in comparison with the wild type as shown by a low ratio of blossom end rot fruits. The results show that the transgenic plants have improved salt tolerance over the wild type.

Effects of Ultra-drying on Viability and Physiological Characteristics of Platycladus orientalis Seed from Arid and Semiarid Areas of Northwest China

In order to supply quality seed for vegetation restoration in arid and semiarid areas of Northwest China, the effects of Platycladus orientalis seed storage under ultra-drying and accelerated aging were studied. The seeds were dried from 6.8% to 5.1%, 4.4%, 3.7% and 2.2% MC, respectively, in a desiccator with the silica gel. The germination energy, germination percentage, germination index and vigor index of the seed were investigated. After ultra-drying, groups of seeds were carried on the accelerated aging tests in an oven at 50 oC for 10, 20 and 30 d , respectively, and the physiological indexes, including relative conductivity, dehydrogenase activity and α-amylase activity were tested. The results show that the ultra-dried seeds with 3.7% MC have the highest germination energy, germination percentage, germination index and vigor index. After aging, the dehydrogenase activity and α-amylase activity of the group of seeds of 3.7% MC were higher than those of 6.8%, while the relative conductivity of the group of 3.7% is lower than that of 6.8%. It is feasible to ultra- dry the seeds with 3.7% MC.