Effects of Glyphosate Application on Physiologically Integrated Clones of the Invasive Plant Carpobrotus edulis

Management of invasive alien species is a high priority for biodiversity conservation. Here, we studied the effects of glyphosate application, at 0.06 g/m2 concentration, on physiologically integrated basal and apical ramets of the invasive clonal plant Carpobrotus edulis. Physiological integration allows the transport of resources and other substances between connected ramets in clonal plants. We found a significant reduction of growth and photochemical efficiency both in basal and apical ramets of C. edulis after glyphosate application. Interestingly, we also observed a significant growth reduction in untreated basal ramets when they remained connected to apical ramets treated with glyphosate. This result was interpreted as a cost for basal ramets due to supporting severely stressed apical ramets. Therefore, local application of glyphosate to apical ramets of C. edulis can negatively affect not only their own growth, but also the growth of their interconnected, untreated basal ramets. Our results suggest that glyphosate effectiveness can be maintained when applied only to one part of the clone so that the amount of herbicide used in eradication programs can be greatly reduced, which can minimize the negative impact of chemical herbicides on ecosystems.

Endurance exercise: a model of physiological integration

Endurance exercise is a model of physiological integration. There is no other animal activity in which cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic-endocrine and neuromuscular functions are activated at the same time. Even apparently, silent functions are essential during exercise (digestive, renal). During long-term exercise, the absorption of water and carbohydrates is a determining factor in performance. Kidney function plays a fundamental role in trying to preserve the hydro-electrolyte balance during exercise. In this work we present an integrative physiological perspective during dynamic exercise (mobilization of a large muscle mass with a low to moderate degree of strength development), both from the point of view of health and performance. The response of the heart rate in the first moments of exercise is a good example of the feedforward mechanism. Overall, the nervous system has two control mechanisms: feedforward and feedback. These depend on the central command, a more functional than anatomical entity. The feedforward system allows to immediately start the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. This mechanism is important because it activates the organism to overcome resting state. The feedback system is equally important because it allows the central command to receive the necessary information to “order” the appropriate response according to the intensity of the exercise. The information for retrocontrol comes from various receptors located in: the muscles, the respiratory system and the cardiovascular system. It is complex information that the central nervous system processes with exquisite precision, as can be seen in in endurance exercise.

Active Tactile Sensibility of Brånemark Protocol Prostheses: A Case–Control Clinical Study

Few studies have assessed active tactile sensibility in patients rehabilitated with implants. Improved knowledge about functional tactile sensibility will contribute to several clinical applications, such as protocols for immediate loading, prosthesis design, occlusal improvement in implantology, and physiological integration of implant-supported prostheses. The present study evaluated active tactile sensibility in patients rehabilitated with Brånemark-type mandibular prostheses that impede the total mucosa-supported maxillary prosthesis. Thirty-five subjects participated in this study. The experimental group (n = 18) inclusion criteria were as follows: Brånemark-type prosthesis and a total mucosa-supported maxillary prosthesis. The control group (n = 17) was composed of participants with complete healthy dentition. Carbon foils with different thicknesses (12 μm, 24 μm, 40 μm, 80 μm, and 200 μm) were placed in the premolar region to evaluate the brink of active oral tactile sensibility. The researchers assessed the participants 120 times. After evaluation, we observed a statistical difference (p < 0.05) between the groups. Additionally, the degree of sensibility was found for all thicknesses, except for 12 μm, on both sides. There was a more significant increase in perception in the control group as the carbon thickness increased. The tactile sensibility threshold was 2.5 times greater for participants with prostheses. Thus, the tactile sensibility for mandibular implant-supported and maxillary mucosa-supported prostheses is significantly lower than that of dentate patients, which was detected above the thickness of 80 μm; in patients with natural dentition, different thicknesses were seen starting from 24 μm.

Contrasting Effects of Plant-Soil Feedbacks on Growth and Morphology of Two Clonal Plants

AimSoil abiotic and biotic conditions are often spatially variable, challenging plants with a heterogeneous environment consisting of favorable and unfavorable patches of soil. Many stoloniferous clonal plants can escape from unfavorable patches by elongating stolon internodes, but aggregate in favorable ones through shortening stolon internodes. However, whether these plants can use their stolons to respond to plant-soil feedbacks (PSFs) is largely unknown. MethodsIn the conditioning phase, we grew either Hydrocotyle vulgaris or Glechoma longituba clonal plants separately in mesocosms to condition bulk soil. In the feedback phase, we grew connected mother and daughter ramets of each species in soil inoculated with the unsterilized or sterilized soil conditioned by conspecifics. We grew the plants for 12 weeks and measured the growth of the mother and daughter ramets separately. ResultsThe daughter ramets of H. vulgaris produced more biomass but shorter stolon internodes when grown in soil with sterilized inocula than with unsterilized inocula. However, no difference was found between the daughter ramets of G. longituba grown in soil with unsterilized and sterilized inocula. For both species, no significant difference was found between the mother ramet or between the daughter ramets when the mother ramet was grown in soil with sterilized and unsterilized inocula. ConclusionsThe daughter ramets rather than the mother ramet of H. vulgaris experienced negative biotic PSFs. However, PSF had no effects on the daughter or mother ramet of G. longituba. Moreover, physiological integration or plasticity in stolon internode lengths cannot help H. vulgaris alleviate the negative PSFs.

IMPROVING PERFORMANCE THROUGH REST TIME SYSTEM DESIGN: PHYSIOLOGICAL INTEGRATION AND QUALITY FUNCTION DEVELOPMENT

Overwork is the cause of above-normal pulses. Rest time role needed to re-normalize pulse. The research aims to design the right rest system with a Physiology and Quality Function Deployment approach in tofu craftsmen of the male gender in Kediri district. The method with the first stage performs measurements of pulse, oxygen consumption, metabolism, energy and intervention. The second stage performs a set of attributes needs of craftsmen and technical responses from MSME owners know with the final results of attribute selection based on the highest weight. The results showed an effective rest time of 233.9 minutes per 6 hours of work reviewed from the physiological approach. Rest time with Quality Function Deployment approach weighing 192.02 is worship with a time of 20 minutes; sleep weight 182.25 with a time of 60 minutes; evaluation weighed 157.84 with a time of 120 minutes; heating weighs 152.96 with a time of 20 minutes; and drinking water weighed 121.85 with a time of 13.9 minutes. With this result, a break design system can be applied to improve the performance of tofu craftsmen. Subsequent development may lead to reduced rest time but result in greater performance.

Effects of resource sharing directionality on physiologically integrated clones of the invasive Carpobrotus edulis

Aims One of the key traits associated with clonal growth in plants is the capacity for physiological integration, which allows resource sharing between connected ramets within a clonal system. Resource transport is expected to occur following a source–sink relationship: from ramets established in rich patches to ramets growing in poor patches. However, some experiments have shown that acropetal transport (from basal to apical modules) usually exceeds basipetal transport (from apical to basal ramets). In this study, we aimed to determine the resource transport directionality in physiologically integrated modules of the invader Carpobrotus edulis. Methods We conducted two manipulative experiments under common garden conditions that studied the effect of different nutrient levels located at different positions (basal, medial, apical) on connected and disconnected clonal systems of C. edulis. We compared the biomass partitioning patterns and final biomass of ramets to elucidate whether the effect of physiological integration is affected by the directionality of the resource transport. Important Findings Results indicate a prevalent acropetal transport of resources in C. edulis, with a developmentally-programmed division of labor where basal ramets were specialized in obtaining soil-based resources and apical ramets specialized in aboveground growth. This biomass-partitioning pattern was not affected by the nutrient conditions in which basal or apical ramets were growing, although the highest benefit was achieved by apical ramets growing under the most stressed conditions. This developmentally-programmed division of labor is expected to increase the lateral growth of C. edulis, and therefore could have meaningful implications for the expansion of this invasive species.