|
Coleman, G., Gigg, J., & Canal, M. M. (2016). Postnatal light alters hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function and induces a depressive-like phenotype in adult mice. Eur J Neurosci, 44(10), 2807–2817.
Abstract: The postnatal light environment that a mouse experiences during the critical first 3 postnatal weeks has long-term effects on both its circadian rhythm output and clock gene expression. Furthermore, data from our lab suggest that postnatal light may also impact the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is a key regulator of stress. To test the effect of postnatal light exposure on adult stress responses and circadian rhythmicity, we raised mice under either 24-h light-dark cycles (LD), constant light (LL) or constant dark (DD) during the first 3 postnatal weeks. After weaning we then exposed all animals to LD cycles (basal conditions), followed by LL (stressed conditions) environments. We examined brain neuropeptide and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression, plasma corticosterone concentration rhythm and body temperature rhythm, together with depression- and anxiety-related behaviour. Results showed that LL- and DD-raised mice exhibited decreased GR expression in the hippocampus, increased plasma corticosterone concentration at the onset of the dark phase and a depressive phenotype when exposed to LD cycles later in life. Furthermore, LL-raised mice showed increased corticotrophin-releasing hormone mRNA expression in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. When exposed to LL as adults, LL-raised mice showed a significant circadian rhythm of plasma corticosterone concentration, together with a shorter period and stronger circadian rhythm of body temperature compared to DD-raised mice. Taken together, these data suggest that altered postnatal light environments have long-term effects on the HPA axis and the circadian system, which can lead to altered stress responses and a depressive phenotype in adulthood. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
|
|
|
Watson, M. J., Wilson, D. R., & Mennill, D. J. (2016). Anthropogenic light is associated with increased vocal activity by nocturnally migrating birds. The Condor, 118(2), 338–344.
Abstract: Anthropogenic modifications to the natural environment have profound effects on wild animals, through structural changes to natural ecosystems as well as anthropogenic disturbances such as light and noise. For animals that migrate nocturnally, anthropogenic light can interfere with migration routes, flight altitudes, and social activities that accompany migration, such as acoustic communication. We investigated the effect of anthropogenic light on nocturnal migration of birds through the Great Lakes ecosystem. Specifically, we recorded the vocal activity of migrating birds and compared the number of nocturnal flight calls produced above rural areas with ground-level artificial lights compared to nearby areas without lights. We show that more nocturnal flight calls are detected over artificially lit areas. The median number of nocturnal flight calls recorded at sites with artificial lights (31 per night, interquartile range: 15â135) was 3 times higher than at nearby sites without artificial lights (11 per night, interquartile range: 4â39). By contrast, the number of species detected at lit and unlit sites did not differ significantly (artificially lit sites: 6.5 per night, interquartile range: 5.0â8.8; unlit sites: 4.5 per night, interquartile range: 2.0â7.0). We conclude that artificial lighting changes the behavior of nocturnally migrating birds. The increased detections could be a result of ground-level light sources altering bird behavior during migration. For example, birds might have changed their migratory route to pass over lit areas, flown at lower altitudes over lit areas, increased their calling rate over lit areas, or remained longer over lit areas. Our results for ground-level lights correspond to previous findings demonstrating that migratory birds are influenced by lights on tall structures.
|
|
|
Costin, K. J., & Boulton, A. M. (2016). A Field Experiment on the Effect of Introduced Light Pollution on Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) in the Piedmont Region of Maryland. The Coleopterists Bulletin, 70(1), 84–86.
|
|
|
Pacheco, Y. M., Martin, G. J., & Bybee, S. M. (2016). On the Phototactic Response of RwandanDiaphanesMotschulsky (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) to a Trap with a 630Nm Red Light. The Coleopterists Bulletin, 70(3), 559–561.
|
|
|
Morag, I., & Ohlsson, A. (2016). Cycled light in the intensive care unit for preterm and low birth weight infants. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 8, Cd006982.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Potential benefits and harms of different lighting in neonatal units have not been quantified. OBJECTIVES: * To determine effectiveness and safety of cycled light (CL) (approximately 12 hours of light on and 12 hours of light off) for growth in preterm infants at three and six months' corrected age (CA).* In separate analyses, to compare effects of CL with those of irregularly dimmed light (DL) or near darkness (ND), and effects of CL with those of continuous bright light (CBL), on growth in preterm infants at three and six months' CA.* To assess, in subgroup analyses, the effectiveness and safety of CL (vs control interventions (DL, ND and CBL)) introduced at different postmenstrual ages (PMAs) – before 32 weeks', at 32 weeks' and from 36 weeks' PMA – and to compare effectiveness and safety of CL for small for gestational age (GA) infants versus appropriately grown infants. SEARCH METHODS: We used the standard search strategy of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group to search the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2016, Issue 12), MEDLINE via PubMed (1966 to January 2016), Embase (1980 to January 2016) and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL; 1982 to January 2016). We searched clinical trials databases, conference proceedings and reference lists of retrieved articles for randomised controlled trials and quasi-randomised trials. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised or quasi-randomised trials of CL versus ND or CBL in preterm and low birth weight infants. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We performed data collection and analyses according to the methods of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group. We used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to assess the quality of evidence. MAIN RESULTS: We identified one additional study enrolling 38 participants for inclusion in this update, for a total of nine studies reporting on 544 infants. In general, the quality of the studies was low, mainly owing to lack of blinding and small sample sizes.Six studies enrolling 424 infants compared CL versus ND. No study reported on weight at three or six months. One study (n = 40) found no statistically significant difference in weight at four months between CL and ND groups. In another study (n = 62), the ratio of day-night activity before discharge favoured the CL group (mean difference (MD) 0.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.17 to 0.19), indicating 18% more activity during the day than during the night in the CL group compared with the ND group. Two studies (n = 189) reported on retinopathy of prematurity (stage >/= 3) and reported no statistically significant differences between CL and ND groups (typical risk ratio (RR) 0.53, 95% CI 0.25 to 1.11, I2 = 0%; typical risk difference (RD) -0.09, 95% CI -0.19 to 0.01, I2 = 0%). Two studies (n = 77) reported length of hospital stay (days) and noted a significant reduction in length of stay between CL and ND groups favouring the CL group (weighted mean difference (WMD) -13 days, 95% CI -23 to -2, I2 = 0%; no heterogeneity). The quality of the evidence according to GRADE was low for this outcome. One study (n = 37) reported less crying at 11 weeks' corrected age (CA) in the CL group compared with the ND group (MD -0.57 hours/24 h, 95% CI -1.09 to -0.05). Tests for heterogeneity were not applicable.Three studies enrolling 120 infants compared CL versus CBL. Two studies (n = 79) reported significantly shorter length of stay in the CL group compared with the CBL group (WMD -16.5 days, 95% CI -26.2 to -6.8, I2 = 0%; no heterogeneity). The quality of the evidence according to GRADE was low for this outcome. One study (n = 41) reported higher mean weight at three months' CA among infants cared for in the CL nursery (P value < 0.02) and a lower mean number of hours spent awake in 24 hours at three months of age (P value < 0.005). Data could not be entered into RevMan or GRADE. One study (n = 41) reported shorter time on the ventilator in the CL compared with the CBL group (MD -18.2 days, 95% CI -31.40 to -5.0). One study (n = 41) reported a shorter time to first oral feeding in the CL group (MD -6.8 days, 95% CI -13.29 to -0.31). We identified no safety issues. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Trials assessing the effects of CL have enrolled 544 infants. No study reported on our primary outcome of weight at three or six months. Results from one additional study strengthen our findings that CL versus CBL shortens length of stay, as does CL versus ND. The quality of the evidence on both comparisons for this outcome according to GRADE was low. Future research should focus on comparing CL versus ND.
|
|