Physiological Adaptations Research Articles

To Study the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Postpartum Exercises in Nursing Mothers

Postpartum period has three distinct phases - immediate, early and remote.[1] First six weeks following childbirth known as puerperal period is a stressful for any women due to physiological and psychological adaptation which happens during this period and pelvic organ returns to pre pregnant state.[1] Breastfeeding starts immediately after the birth of the infant and as per the recommendation of WHO it is to be continued exclusively for 6 months.[2] During this period, Postpartum exercises like Kegel’s, abdominal and breathing exercises helps to improve the pelvic floor and abdominal muscle tone, bowel and bladder function and cardiovascular fitness which will have a positive influence on the health of the mother.[3] Two hundred and sixteen postpartum nursing mothers between the time period of six weeks to six months and Women who have given birth in hospitals and have been informed about post- natal exercises during the duration of hospitalization.In conclusion, the findings of this study provided an excellent insight on how many of the participants had knowledge about postnatal exercises and attitude is relatively positive which they were fully aware of the potential benefits of postnatal exercises but most of them did not practice postnatal exercises in their postpartum period regularly because majority of mothers were facing barriers because of household chores and baby care. Key Words: knowledge, attitude and practice of postpartum exercises, nursing mothers, postpartum health.

Role of sex hormones in physiological adaptation and athletic performance in women with hyperandrogenism: medical and ethical aspects

role of sex hormones in physiological adaptation and athletic performance in women with hyperandrogenism: medical and ethical aspects

Morphophysiological adaptations and fragrance profile analysis of two relocated orchid species

This study investigates the morpho-physiological adaptations and fragrance profiles of 2 relocated orchid species, Cattleya aclandiae x Brassavola Little star (V1) and Dendrobium var. Meesangnil (V2), following their translocation from Nagercoil to Coimbatore, India. The research aims to elucidate the mechanisms underlying successful acclimatization of these fragrant orchids to a new environment, with implications for horticulture, conservation and therapeutic applications. Comprehensive analyses were conducted on vegetative growth parameters, flowering characteristics, physiological responses and volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles. Morphological assessments revealed distinct adaptive strategies between the 2 species, with Dendrobium exhibiting superior vertical growth (39.13 cm) and leaf production (9 leaves/plant), while Cattleya developed larger leaves (30.483 cm length, 7.178 cm breadth) and longer internodes (5.061 cm). Flowering characteristics also differed significantly, with Cattleya demonstrating earlier spike emergence and floret opening. Physiological analyses using a CI-340 Handheld Photosynthesis System showed higher photosynthetic rates, transpiration rates and stomatal conductance in Dendrobium, suggesting a more resource-acquisitive strategy. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis identified unique VOC profiles for each species, with 30 compounds detected in both varieties, including notable compounds such as n-Hexadecanoic acid, Octadecanoic acid and beta-Sitosterol. The study also explored potential applications in therapeutic horticulture, highlighting the diverse sensory and educational value of these orchid species. This comprehensive analysis of morphological, physiological and biochemical adaptations provides valuable insights into orchid acclimation processes and their potential for conservation and horticultural applications, contributing to our understanding of plant adaptability in the face of environmental changes and offering a foundation for future studies on orchid biology, ecology and therapeutic uses.

Physiological Adaptations to Arid Conditions in South African Rodents: A Comparative Study of Rhabdomys Species

Physiological Adaptations to Arid Conditions in South African Rodents: A Comparative Study of Rhabdomys Species

Physiological adaptations of red blood cells during aestivation in the south American lungfish Lepidosiren paradoxa

The South American lungfish Lepidosiren paradoxa inhabits areas with variable pluvial regimes. During aestivation (dormancy state observed in some species during dry seasons), the prolonged period of dryness imposes osmotic stress. We aimed to investigate the physiological and morphological adaptations of RBCs in Lepidosiren paradoxa during aestivation. Here, the lungfish were subjected to aestivation for 20 and 40 days and compared to a control group in an active period. The osmotic fragility, blood osmolality, and pH were measured. Blood smears were performed to assess morphological changes in the RBCs. Lepidosiren paradoxa presented lower hemolysis when compared with a teleost fish and tegu lizard. Hemolysis increased when the lungfish was subjected to 40 days of aestivation (from 6.04 % to 16.51 %; control vs 40-day aestivation). Hematocrit rose in both aestivation groups compared to the control (26.36 %, 41.36 % and 41 %, control, 20 and 40 days, respectively; p < 0.05) indicating changes in RBC volume and hydration status. Moreover, the results revealed increased osmolality in the 40-day aestivation group (244.4 vs 372.1 mmol/Kg; control vs 40-day aestivation). 40 days of aestivation led to a decrease in blood pH when compared to the control and 20-day aestivation groups. Both aestivation durations resulted in a reduction in the perimeter and cell diameters in at least one direction of the RBCs (24 % mean reduction in size from control to 40 days aestivation). These findings suggest that South American lungfish possess remarkable physiological and morphological adaptations in their RBCs during aestivation.

Prediction on Chinese elderly's thermo-physiological and cardiovascular responses to non-uniform and transient thermal environment during getting-up process

Getting-up process after sleep would typically involve the non-uniform transition with temperature reduction, increased activity level, and change in clothing insulation, which is rarely explored in existing research. Due to the decline of physiological adaptability of the elderly, they may have sudden changes in physiology under transient environment. It is necessary to develop prediction models for the elderly to prevent or reduce health risks. The aim of this research is to predict the thermo-physiology and cardiovascular responses to non-uniform and transient thermal environments during getting-up process, a 4-node thermoregulatory-cardiovascular predicted model was established based on Gagge's thermoregulatory and heart rate model in International Organization for Standardization. Experimental data of twenty-six Chinese elderly subjects aged over 60 at a caring home in Chongqing both in winter and summer conditions was collected for validating. The results showed that the non-uniformity and dynamic states were 5.0–15.0 °C temperature differences between cover and bedroom. Core and overall skin temperatures decreased by 0.1–0.3 °C, while the heart rate increased by 5–10 %. Bare skin temperature decreased significantly by 0.2–1.0 °C. It implied that the process posed a potential risk to body cooling, local thermal discomfort, and cardiovascular health in the elderly, which was more severe in winter. The prediction result's error was below 6.0 %, which was more accurate by 6.0 %–18.0 % than that of typical models. This research can provide a reference for creating comfortable and healthy bedroom temperatures after sleeping for the elderly by intelligent air conditioning at residences and care homes.

Advancements in Rice Biotechnology for Enhanced Abiotic Stress Tolerance

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a vital crop globally, crucial for food security. However, its production faces increasing challenges from abiotic stresses such as drought, cold, heat, salinity, and heavy metals, exacerbated by climate change. This review explores biotechnological approaches aimed at enhancing rice's resilience to these stresses. Key strategies include genetic engineering for introducing stress-tolerant genes, modification of regulatory pathways involved in stress response, and enhancement of physiological adaptations. Advances in biotechnology offer promising avenues for developing rice varieties with improved tolerance to abiotic stress, thereby ensuring sustainable production in diverse agricultural environments.

Optimizing Resistance Training for Sprint and Endurance Athletes: Balancing Positive and Negative Adaptations.

Resistance training (RT) triggers diverse morphological and physiological adaptations that are broadly considered beneficial for performance enhancement as well as injury risk reduction. Some athletes and coaches therefore engage in, or prescribe, substantial amounts of RT under the assumption that continued increments in maximal strength capacity and/or muscle mass will lead to improved sports performance. In contrast, others employ minimal or no RT under the assumption that RT may impair endurance or sprint performances. However, the morphological and physiological adaptations by which RT might impair physical performance, the likelihood of these being evoked, and the training program specifications that might promote such impairments, remain largely undefined. Here, we discuss how selected adaptations to RT may enhance or impair speed and endurance performances while also addressing the RT program variables under which these adaptations are likely to occur. Specifically, we argue that while some myofibrillar (muscle) hypertrophy can be beneficial for increasing maximum strength, substantial hypertrophy can lead to macro- and microscopic adaptations such as increases in body (or limb) mass and internal moment arms that might, under some conditions, impair both sprint and endurance performances. Further, we discuss how changes in muscle architecture, fiber typology, microscopic muscle structure, and intra- and intermuscular coordination with RT may maximize speed at the expense of endurance, or maximize strength at the expense of speed. The beneficial effect of RT for sprint and endurance sports can be further improved by considering the adaptive trade-offs and practical implications discussed in this review.

Breeding for water-logging tolerance in pigeonpea: current status and future prospects

AbstractPigeonpea is grown in semi-arid tropics where the annual precipitation ranges from 200 to 800 mm and soil orders comprising of Inceptisols, Entisols, Alfisols, Vertisols, Mixed soils, and Aridisols. During monsoons, the semi-arid tropics also receive up to 140–180 mm/day rainfall for a span of 5–10 days, highlighting the chances of waterlogging in an early vegetative stage of pigeonpea, causing 25–30% yield loss in the Indian subcontinent. Waterlogging is a state where soil reaches saturation at submergence, creating an anaerobic condition in the root zone of the plants. As a result, plant withering, leaf chlorosis, stunted growth, lowered photosynthetic rate and plant mortality is evidenced widely. In response to waterlogging, the formation of aerenchyma cells, lenticels and adventitious roots were noticed as morphological adaptations. Whereas, the production of proline, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, ethylene and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) as biochemical modifications. The minimal breeding efforts for waterlogging tolerance in pigeonpea may be the reason for the susceptibility of current varieties to waterlogging stress. This review emphasized the importance of breeding for waterlogging tolerance in pigeonpea. It focused on the morphological, physiological and biochemical adaptations of a plant when subjected to waterlogging stress. It accentuated the need for a standard screening protocol for waterlogging tolerance. Breeding strategies inclusive of novel single pod descent method, marker-assisted selection and rapid generation advancement techniques are discussed in detail.

Skill building in freediving as an example of embodied culture.

Skilled activity is a complex mix of automatized action, changed attention patterns, cognitive strategies and physiological adaptations developed within a community of practice. Drawing on physiological and ethnographic research on freediving, this article argues that skill acquisition demonstrates the variety of mechanisms that link biological and cultural processes to produce culturally shaped forms of embodiment. In particular, apneists alter phenotypic expression through patterned practices that canalize development, exaggerating the dive response, developing resistance to elevated carbon dioxide levels (hypercapnia) and accommodating hydrostatic pressure at depth. The community of divers provides technical advice and helps to orient individuals' motivations. Some biological processes are phenomenologically accessible, but others are sub-aware and must be accessed indirectly through behaviour or altered interactions with the environment. The close analysis of embodied skills like freediving illustrates how phenotypic plasticity is inflected by culturally patterned behaviours. Divers do developmental work on bodily traits like the dive response to achieve more dramatic performance, even if they cannot directly control all elements of the neurological and physiological responses. The example of expert freediving illustrates the imbrication of biology and culture in embodiment. This article is part of the theme issue 'Minds in movement: embodied cognition in the age of artificial intelligence'.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus activates wheat physiology for higher reproductive allocation under drought stress in primitive and modern wheat

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) can mediate physiological adaptation of higher plants to drought stress, including wheat. Yet, it is unclear how AMF affects reproductive output via mediating crop physiological vitality at the evolutionary scale. To clarify this issue, a growth environment-controlled experiment was conducted using four primitive wheat genotypes and four modern ones with or without AMF (Funneliformis mosseae) inoculation. Two water regimes (80 % and 40 % field water capacity, FWC80 (well-watered) and FWC40 (drought stress)) were included. The data indicated that AMF inoculation significantly improved leaf area, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and water use efficiency under drought stress, compared to the non-AMF group (CK). Regardless of soil moisture, the relationship between reproductive biomass vs. vegetative biomass (R-V), and between leaf biomass vs. shoot biomass, all fell into a typical allometric pattern (α>1, P<0.001) in primitive wheat. In contrast, in modern wheat, the R-V relationship tended to an isometric pattern (α≈1, P<0.001), showing lower α values in all treatments relative to primitive ones. Furthermore, AMF inoculation significantly promoted the maintenance rate of yield and biomass under drought stress, suggesting greater drought tolerance as induced by AMF in modern wheat compared to primitive ones. These findings illuminated a key evolutionary strategy to enhance reproductive allocation via activating physiological activities under drought stress from primitive to modern wheat.

Assessing the thermal limits and metabolic profiles of small indigenous fish species: Informing conservation and aquaculture in a changing climate

This study explored the thermal tolerance and routine metabolic rate of ten small indigenous fish species from Northeast India: Amblypharyngodon mola, Esomus danrica, Puntius sophore, Gudusia chapra, Heteropneustes fossilis, Botia dario, Lepidocephalichthys guntea, Mystus cavasius, Aplocheilus panchax, and Glossogobius giuris. Fish were acclimated to 20°C, 25°C, and 30°C for two weeks prior to experiments and assessed for critical thermal maxima (CTmax), critical thermal minima (CTmin), lethal thermal maxima (LTmax), oxygen consumption rates, and respiratory quotients using standardized methods. The results revealed significant interspecific variations: CTmax ranged from 36.4°C to 41.7°C, CTmin from 8.7°C to 15.2°C, and LTmax from 41.5°C to 44.9°C. Oxygen consumption rates varied between 0.26 and 1.07 mg O₂/g/h, with respiratory quotients ranging from 0.76 to 1.01. Heteropneustes fossilis (CTmax: 41.7°C at 30°C acclimation) exhibited the highest thermal tolerance, while Amblypharyngodon mola had the lowest (CTmax: 38.2°C at 30°C acclimation). Differences in thermal tolerance between species were statistically significant (p<0.05). Notably, CTmax was positively correlated with oxygen consumption rates, suggesting a connection between metabolic rate and heat tolerance. These findings enhance our understanding of the physiological adaptations of these species to their thermal environments and underscore their conservation needs amidst climate change.

The Role of Brassinosteroids and Nano-Encapsulated Brassinosteroids in Capsicum Pepper Growth and Physiological Adaptations to High-Temperature Stress

The Role of Brassinosteroids and Nano-Encapsulated Brassinosteroids in Capsicum Pepper Growth and Physiological Adaptations to High-Temperature Stress

The respiratory system and associated disorders

This series of three articles will explore the fundamentals related to anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology in relation to three important topics: the cardiac system, the respiratory system and the endocrine system. This series is intended to provide an informative and evidence-based summary of each topic for both students and clinicians. This second article explores the maternal respiratory system, outlining the key physiological adaptations in pregnancy and summarises the key pathophysiological conditions that may occur.

Physiological and Performance Adaptations to Varying Rest Distributions During Short Sprint Interval Training Trials in Female Volleyball Players: A Comparative Analysis of Interindividual Variability.

This study aimed to examine the impact of different rest periods between short sprint interval training (SSIT) trials on the physiological and performance adaptations of female volleyball players. Twenty-four trained collegeathletes volunteered to participate in this study and were randomly assigned to 3 SSIT groups with different work-to-rest ratios (1:2 [5-s run:10-s rest], 1:4 [5-s run:20-s rest], and 1:6 [5-s work:30-s rest]). Before and after 6-week training, physiological parameters (maximum oxygen uptake, first and second ventilatory thresholds, and peak and mean power output) and physical performance measures (ie,countermovement vertical jump, 10-m sprint, and T-test change-of-direction speed) were evaluated. After the training period, all groups improved (P = .001) their sport-related performance and physiological parameters, ranging from moderate to very large effect sizes. Comparative analysis of the magnitude of training effects indicated thatthe 1:6 SSIT group had in a significantly greater change in countermovement vertical jump (P = .007), 10-m sprint (P = .014), peak power output (P = .019), and mean power output (P = .05) compared with 1:2 SSIT group. By contrast, the 1:2 SSIT group demonstrated significantly (P = .022) greater changes in maximum oxygen uptake than the 1:6 SSIT group. However, the change-of-direction speed and changes infirst and second ventilatory thresholds were the same among the groups (P > .05). When performing SSIT, longer rest intervals are suitable for physical and anaerobic performance, and shorter rest periods are appropriate for enhancing the cardiorespiratory fitness of female volleyball players' performance.

Setting Treadmill Intensity for Rat Aerobic Training Using Lactate and Gas Exchange Thresholds.

To open up new horizons of translational research, we studied the lactate threshold (LT)-dependent physiological responses and adaptations to exercise in rats, highlighting the importance of intensity-specific studies for optimizing exercise prescriptions. LT is physiologically related to the non-invasive gas exchange threshold (GET), and both thresholds are moderate-heavy-intensity boundary indices in determining an effective intensity of aerobic training in humans. While their practical utility is presumed to extend to rats, the actual existence of GET, the thresholds' relations to maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), and whether aerobic adaptations by training differ around the LT intensity remain uncertain. This study sought to identify the GET using our previously established rat LT-model by combining the use of a metabolic chamber and the V-slope method and to confirm the thresholds' relations to VO2max. We investigated changes in the thresholds and VO2max following 6 weeks of endurance training at below or above LT intensity. GET and LT were significantly correlated, and agreed with high precision, although with a fixed bias. Untrained rats exhibited GET and LT at 56% and 52% of their VO2max, respectively. Endurance training at supra-, but not below-, the LT intensity significantly improved VO2max and both thresholds; however, their %VO2max remained unaltered. GET in rats is identifiable as a threshold associated with LT using the V-slope method. Further, both thresholds can serve as moderate-heavy-intensity boundary indices for the aerobic training of rats. This study advances our understanding of exercise intensity regulation in rats, thereby contributing to the development of a more nuanced and effective model for exercise prescription, with implications for human health and fitness.

Insights into the spatial ecology of the world’s most ancient dog: high-altitude movements of New Guinea dingoes

Knowledge of an animal’s activity patterns, home range size and space use is fundamental to understanding their basic ecology, and obtaining spatial data is an important research priority for newly discovered species, data-deficient species of conservation concern, or species of great scientific or public interest. Here we report the first spatial data obtained from wild-living dingoes near Puncak Jaya, New Guinea. Based on information from four dingoes monitored with GPS tracking collars between 2018 and 2022, we report that dingo home range sizes can be up to 128km2, dingoes travel up to 56.8km per day, and they utilise rainforest and alpine habitats up to 4,630m above sea level. Dingoes at the site regularly traversed steep, rocky and barren alpine mountain crevasses to access more fertile areas at lower altitudes on the other side. These results imply that New Guinea dingoes may have physiological and genetic adaptations that enable them to live in high-altitude low-oxygen environments similar to Himalayan wolves, Ethiopian wolves, and other canids found in high-altitude areas. As the first domesticated animal and the world’s most ancient dog, and given their historic and current cultural significance, their illusiveness in the wild, and their trophic position as the largest terrestrial predators on the second-largest island in the world, we believe that further research on the ecology of New Guinea dingoes will continue to reveal important insights valuable for our understanding of human and animal ecology in this global biodiversity hotspot.

Response of nitrifiers to gradually increasing pH conditions in a membrane nitrification bioreactor: Microbial dynamics and alkali-resistant mechanism

Nitrification and nitrifiers are pH-sensitive especially under the alkaline environment in the activated sludge system. However, it is unclear how nitrifiers and nitrification respond to long-term alkaline environment. This study employed a continuous flow membrane nitrification bioreactor to investigate the dynamics of nitrification efficiency and microbial community adaptation under a 320-day alkaline operation. Results showed that activated sludge adapted remarkably to a progressive increase in pH from 7.5 to 10.0, achieving robust nitrification with average ammonia removal efficiencies of 96.6 ± 2.2%. Subsequently, an integrated alkali-resistant mechanism of nitrifiers was proposed. Specifically, under the long-term operation of pH 10.0, certain bacteria secreted enhanced extracellular acidic polysaccharides (i.e., up to 10.95 ± 0.27 mg·g−1 MLVSS in soluble extracellular polymeric substances (EPS)) and acidic organic compounds (e.g., humic acids increased by 1.47-fold in tightly bounded EPS) to neutralize external alkalinity. Moreover, significant enrichments in both the ammonia oxidizing bacteria Nitrosomonas (by 1.3%) and the nitrite oxidizing bacteria Nitrospira (by 5.4%) were observed in a 170-day operation of pH 10.0 condition. Meanwhile, norank_f__JG30-KF-CM45 (2.0%) and Rhodobacter (0.9%) also contributed to ammonia removal at pH 10.0. On the cellular-level, bacteria enabled to maintain intracellular pH stabilization primarily through cation/proton antiporters, evidenced by significant increases in NhaA, TrkA and KefB activities by 98.0%, 151.7% and 115.2%, respectively. A 43.1% increase in carbonic anhydrase activity also facilitated consumption of aqueous OH− ions through biomineralization, leading to CaCO3 deposition on microbial surface. These findings further enhanced understandings of physiological adaptation of nitrifiers in the long-term alkaline activated sludge system.

Reduced ligninase‐cellulase ratio enhances soil carbon sequestration following afforestation of agricultural land

AbstractIntroductionAfforestation of agricultural land is one of the most essential approaches to mitigate climate change by enhancing the sequestration of atmospheric carbon (C) into the soil. C‐degrading extracellular enzymes produced by soil microbes regulated the decomposition and fate of sequestrated soil organic carbon (SOC), with potential divergent variations following afforestation across different ecosystem scales. However, the feedbacks of different C‐degrading enzymes and their relationships with SOC following afforestation of agricultural land remain unclear.Materials and MethodsWe investigated the changes in enzyme activity and their relationships with SOC in soil aggregates across two typical climatic vegetation restoration regions in China, and explored the mechanisms through which changes in enzyme activity contribute to SOC sequestration following afforestation of agricultural land.ResultsAfforestation of agricultural land generally decreased ligninase activity and increased cellulase activity across various aggregate fractions, compared to the adjacent croplands in both subtropic (Danjiangkou Reservoir, DJK) and temperate (Maoershan, MES) region. Additionally, the ratio of ligninase to cellulase (L:C) was lower in afforested lands than in the croplands, with L:C as the major factor explaining the variations of SOC sequestration following afforestation. Specifically, ligninase and L:C were negatively correlated with SOC, whereas cellulase showed positive correlations with SOC. Further analyses suggested that microbial biomass C and nitrogen (MBC and MBN) and the ratio of SOC and total nitrogen (SOC:TN) were important factors influencing L:C and subsequently regulating SOC. These results suggest that shifts in microbial enzyme production from ligninase to cellulase following afforestation, reduced the decomposition of recalcitrant C, thus contributing to SOC sequestration.ConclusionOur work underscores the critical role of reduced L:C in enhancing SOC sequestration following the restoration of croplands to afforested lands. These findings advance the understanding of the influence of microbial community physiological adaptations on C sequestration across different land use types.

Response of Circulating Free Cellular DNA to Repeated Exercise in Men with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Intense exercise leads to neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation, which triggers cell disintegration. NET, as well as other processes of apoptosis, necrosis, and spontaneous secretion, result in increased levels of cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) in the circulation. An increment of cf-DNA is also observed in autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Repeated exhaustive exercises are an impulse for physiological adaptation; therefore, in this case–control study, we compared the exercise-induced increase in cf-DNA in men with T1DM and healthy controls to determine the development of the tolerance to exercise. Methods: Volunteers performed a treadmill run to exhaustion at a speed matching 70% of their personal VO2 max at three consecutive visits, separated by a 72 h resting period. Blood was collected before and after exercise for the determination of plasma cell-free nuclear and mitochondrial DNA (cf n-DNA, cf mt-DNA) by real-time PCR, blood cell count and metabolic markers. Results: Each bout of exhaustive exercise induced a great elevation of cf n-DNA levels. An increase in cf mt-DNA was observed after each run. However, the significance of the increase was noted only after the second bout in T1DM participants (p &lt; 0.02). Changes in cf-DNA concentration were transient and returned to baseline values during 72 h of resting. The exercise-induced increment in circulating cf n-DNA and cf mt-DNA was not significantly different between the studied groups (p &gt; 0.05). Conclusions: Cf-DNA appears to be a sensitive marker of inflammation, with a lower post-exercise increase in individuals with T1DM than in healthy men.