Changes in Respiration Rate

The respiration rate is affected by the development stage of the fruit. A rise in respiration rate occurs with growth. This is followed by a slow decrease in respiration rate until the fruit is fully ripe. In a number of fruits ripening is associated with a renewed rise in respiration rate, which is often denoted as a climacteric rise. Maximal CO2 production occurs in the climacteric stage. De- 

Ripening of fruit involves highly complex changes in physical and chemical properties. 

The climacteric respiration rise is so specific that fruits can be divided into  

It should be emphasized that nonclimacteric fruits generally ripen on the plants and contain no starch. The differing effects of ethylene on the two types of fruits are covered in Section 18.1.4.2. 

Fruits can also be classified according to respiration behavior after harvesting. Three fruit types are distinguished  

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Figure 6.3 Aerenchyma development and changes in respiration rate along the length of maize roots grown in anoxic media (adapted from Armstrong et al., 1991a). Reproduced by permission of Backhuys publishers...

Barois I. and Lavelle P. (1986) Changes in respiration rate and some physicochemical properties of a tropical soil during transit through Pontoscolex corethrums (Glossoscolecidae, OUgochaeta). Soil Biol. Biochem. 18(5), 539-542. 

In the past, it has been claimed that almost all of the excess energy expenditure associated with hyperthyroidism is due to increased ATP turnover by Na-K-ATPase. It appears that alterations in the activity of the Na-K-ATPase are important in terms of the changes in respiration rate during hyperthyroidism (Harper et al. 1997). 

High levels of carbon dioxide in the blood lower the pH (i.e. increase the acidity). By responding to fluctuations in pH, the carotid body coordinates reflex changes in respiration rate. 

Ikeda, T. (1977). The effect of the laboratory conditions on the extrapolation of experimental measurements to the ecology of marine zooplankton. IV. Changes in respiration and excretion rates of boreal zooplankton species maintained under fed and starved conditions. Mar. Biol. 41, 241-252. 

In a recent evaluation of pediatric poisoning from trimedoxime and atropine-containing autoinjectors in Israel, no serious side effects were associated with exposure to the oxime. Twenty two children who inadvertently injected more than the recommended, age-adjusted dose (1 mg atropine and 40 mg trimedoxime for children 3-8 years or double that dose for persons > 8 years) did not develop severe adverse reactions, nor did they require medical intervention (Kozer et al, 2005). HI 6 dichloride was tested in a double-blind, placebo controlled, ascending dose-tolerance study (HI 6 + 2 mg atropine sulfate) in 24 healthy male volunteers (Clement and Erhardt, 1994). Doses from 62.5 up to 500 mg were well tolerated by the subjects without serious complaints. There were no clinically significant changes in heart rate or ECG, respiration or blood pressure or visual and mental acuity... 

HEALTH SYMPTOMS inhalation (headache nausea, weakness, irritates skin, eyes and respiratory tract) contact (irritates skin and eyes, burning sensation) ingestion (change in heart rate, coma, convulsions, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, gastroenteric distress, somnolence, respirator depression, injury to the liver and kidney, dysphagia). 

Nevertheless, the sequence of events in the uteri of estrogen-stimulated animals argues against a primary effect of the hormone on the bioenergetic pathway because the changes in the increase in the rate of biosynthesis—especially that of proteins—usually precede the changes in the rate of respiration. An alternative hypothesis suggests that the primary effect of the steroid hormone is on protein biosynthesis. 

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