Acceleration of newborn rats' development with the use of photobiomodulation and the near possibility of application in human premature babies

Photobiomodulation was explored to find evidence of stimulation during the development of newborn rats. A light chamber device was used, and rat pups were divided into groups after birth. Investigation of the process' security was performed before the full experiment. Following a protocol of alternating illumination and mother's presence during the first 13 days, we observed that, in the group that received photobiomodulation, the pups opened their eyes faster, indicating earlier achievement of maturity. The rate of weight gain also indicates faster metabolic activity in the group that was photostimulated. This study is the first step toward the use of photobiomodulation for premature newborn human babies.

Caenorhabditis elegans as a model to study the impact of exposure to light emitting diode (LED) domestic lighting

This study aimed to investigate the biological impact of exposure on domestic light emitting diodes (LED) lighting using the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model. Nematodes were separately exposed to white LED light covering the range of 380-750 nm, blue light at 450 nm and black light at 380-420 nm for one life cycle (egg to adult) with dark exposure as the control. Each light range induced stress to the nematode C. elegans such as reducing the number of the hatched eggs and/or delayed the maturation of the hatched eggs to the adult stage. In addition, it lowered or prevented the ability of adults to lay eggs and impaired the locomotion in the exposed worms. The observed type of biological stress was also associated with the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as compared to nematodes grown in the dark. It is concluded that the blue light component of white LED light may cause health problems, and further investigation is required to test commercial brands of white LEDs that emit different amounts of blue light.

Influence of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on growth performance, innate immune response, biochemical parameters and disease resistance in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

The effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on rainbow trout growth performance, innate immunity and biochemical parameters were studied. Rainbow trout (17-18 g) were exposed to electromagnetic fields (15 Hz) at 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 5 and 50 µT, for 1 h daily over period of 60 days. Growth performance of fish improved in different treatment groups, especially at 0.1, 0.5, 5 and 50 µT. Immunological parameters, specifically hemagglutinating titer, total antiprotease and α1-antiprotease levels in treatment groups, were also enhanced. Total protein and globulin contents in the serum of fish exposed to 0.1, 0.5, 5 and 50 µT were significantly higher than those in the control group. No significant differences were found in serum enzyme activities, namely aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase of fish in all treatment groups. Conversely, alkaline phosphatase level decreased in fish exposed to 0.01 and 50 µT electromagnetic fields. Meanwhile, electromagnetic induction at 0.1, 0.5, 5 and 50 µT enhanced fish protection against Yersinia ruckeri. These results indicated that these specific electromagnetic fields had possible effects on growth performance, nonspecific immunity and disease resistance of rainbow trout.

Ninth Annual Warren K. Sinclair Keynote Address: effects of childhood radiation exposure: an issue from computed tomography scans to Fukushima

The acute and chronic effects of radiation on children have been and will continue to be of great social, public health, scientific, and clinical importance. The focus of interest on ionizing radiation and children has been clear for over half a century and ranges from the effects of fallout from nuclear weapons testing to exposures from accidents, natural radiation, and medical procedures. There is a loosely stated notion that "children are three to five times more sensitive to radiation than adults." Is this really true? In fact, children are at greater risk for some health effects, but not all. For a few sequelae, children may be more resistant than adults. Which are those effects? How and why do they occur? While there are clear instances of increased risk of some radiation-induced tumors in children compared to adults, there are other tumor types in which there appears to be little or no difference in risk by age at exposure and some in which published models that assume the same relative increase in risks for child compared to adult exposures apply to nearly all tumor types are not supported by the scientific data. The United Nations Scientific Committee on Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) has a task group producing a comprehensive report on the subject. The factors to be considered include relevant radiation sources; developmental anatomy and physiology; dosimetry; and stochastic, deterministic, and hereditary effects.

Long-term effects of elevated UV-B radiation on photosynthesis and ultrastructure of Eriophorum russeolum and Warnstorfia exannulata

The depletion of stratospheric ozone above the Arctic regions may increase the amount of UV-B radiation to which the northern ecosystems are exposed. In this paper, we examine the hypothesis that supplemental UV-B radiation may affect the growth rate and photosynthesis of boreal peatland plants and could thereby affect the carbon uptake of these ecosystems. In this study, we report the effects of 3-year exposure to elevated UV-B radiation (46% above ambient) on the photosynthetic performance and ultrastructure of a boreal sedge Eriophorum russeolum and a moss Warnstorfia exannulata. The experiment was conducted on a natural fen ecosystem at Sodankylä in northern Finland. The effects of UV-B radiation on the light response of E. russeolum CO(2) assimilation and the maximal photochemical efficiency of photosystem II in a dark-adapted state (F(v)/F(m)) were measured in the field. In addition, the effect of supplemental UV-B radiation on organelles of photosynthetic cells was studied by electron microscopy. The UV-B treatment had no effect on the CO(2) assimilation rate of either species, nor did it affect the structure of the cell organelles. On chlorophyll fluorescence, the UV-B exposure had only a temporary effect during the third exposure year. Our results suggested that in a natural ecosystem, even long-term exposure to reasonably elevated UV-B radiation levels does not affect the photosynthesis of peatland plants.