The authors hypothesized that the increased use of visual display terminals and the prolonged FM wearing were the two main causes involved in the ocular discomfort development.10
When focusing on FMs, it has been suggested that the air blowing upward during breathing out, or the limited excursion of the lower eyelid promote an accelerated evaporation of tears and, thus, the onset or worsening of dry eye disease (DED)-related symptoms.10,11
However, to date, studies that objectively supported at cellular or molecular levels the hypothesized detrimental effects of the FM use on the ocular surface, or their impact on patient quality of life (QOL), are not available.
Allelopathy is a common biological phenomenon by which one organism produces biochemicals that influence the growth, survival, development, and reproduction of other organisms.
These biochemicals are known as allelochemicals and have beneficial or detrimental effects on target organisms. Plant allelopathy is one of the modes of interaction between receptor and donor plants and may exert either positive effects (e.g., for agricultural management, such as weed control, crop protection, or crop re-establishment) or negative effects (e.g., autotoxicity, soil sickness, or biological invasion).
To ensuresustainable agricultural development, it is important to exploit cultivation systems that take advantage of the stimulatory/inhibitory influence of allelopathic plants to regulate plant growth and development and to avoid allelopathic autotoxicity.
Allelochemicals can potentially be used as growth regulators, herbicides, insecticides, and antimicrobial crop protection products.
Here, we reviewed the plant allelopathy management practices applied in agriculture and the underlying allelopathic mechanisms described in the literature.
The major points addressed are as follows:
(1) Description of management practices related to allelopathy and allelochemicals in agriculture.
(2) Discussion of the progress regarding the mode of action of allelochemicals and the physiological mechanisms of allelopathy, consisting of the influence on cell micro- and ultra-structure, cell division and elongation, membrane permeability, oxidative and antioxidant systems, growth regulation systems, respiration, enzyme synthesis and metabolism, photosynthesis, mineral ion uptake, protein and nucleic acid synthesis.
(3) Evaluation of the effect of ecological mechanismsexerted by allelopathy on microorganismsand the ecological environment.
(4) Discussion of existing problems and proposal for future research directions in this field to provide a useful reference for future studies on plant allelopathy.
There are different ways to strengthen materials to make a stronger structure. We can do this by changing the shape of the material.You may think that the shape may not make that much of a difference, but let's have a look. Which shape is stronger?
ACTIVITY: Explore different ways to strengthen paper
MATERIALS: •
Up to 5 sheets of A4 paper for each group
• Pieces of sticky tape
• A number of identical or similar size books for each group
INSTRUCTIONS
1. In groups of 4, investigate different ways of using your paper sheets to balance a book. 2. Look at the pictures below for some ideas
3. Use a piece of sticky tape if you need it V
4. How many different ways can you find of balancing a book more than 10 cm above the desk or floor, using only 1 sheet of A4 paper? You can try this on your own or in a small group.
5. Once you think that you have found all the ways you can do it, choose a member of your group to report back to the rest of the class on the ways that you have found.
6. With your teacher's help, show each different method side-by-side on a table or on the floor at the front of the class.
What did we learn from doing this activity? Materials can be made stronger by changing their shape. An example is rolling the paper into pillars. Pillars can be circular, triangular or square. Which one do you think is the strongest?
