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Lima, R. C., da Cunhac, J. P., & Peixinho, N. (2016). Light Pollution: Assessment of Sky Glow on two Dark Sky Regions of Portugal. J Toxicol Environm Health, 79(7), 307–319.
Abstract: Artificial light at night (ALAN), producing light pollution (LP), is not a matter restricted to astronomy anymore. Light is part of modern societies and, as a consequence, the natural cycle day–night (bright–dark) has been interrupted in a large segment of the global population. There is increasing evidence that exposure to certain types of light at night and beyond threshold levels may produce hazardous effects to humans and the environment. The concept of “dark skies reserves†is a step forward in order to preserve the night sky and a means of enhancing public awareness of the problem of spread of light pollution worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess the skyglow at two sites in Portugal, the Peneda-Gerês National Park (PNPG) and the region now known as Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve. The latter site was classified as a “Starlight Tourism Destination“ by the Starlight Foundation (the first in the world to achieve this classification) following a series of night sky measurements in situ described herein. The measurements at PNPG also contributed to the new set of regulations concerning light pollution at this national park. This study presents the first in situ systematic measurements of night sky brightness, showing that at the two sites the skies are mostly in levels 3 to 4 of the Bortle 9-level scale (with level 1 being the best achievable). The results indicate that the sources of light pollution and skyglow can be attributed predominantly to contamination from nearby urban regions.
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Versteeg, R. I., Stenvers, D. J., Kalsbeek, A., Bisschop, P. H., Serlie, M. J., & la Fleur, S. E. (2016). Nutrition in the spotlight: metabolic effects of environmental light. Proc Nutr Soc, 75(4), 451–463.
Abstract: Use of artificial light resulted in relative independence from the natural light-dark (LD) cycle, allowing human subjects to shift the timing of food intake and work to convenient times. However, the increase in artificial light exposure parallels the increase in obesity prevalence. Light is the dominant Zeitgeber for the central circadian clock, which resides within the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus, and coordinates daily rhythm in feeding behaviour and metabolism. Eating during inappropriate light conditions may result in metabolic disease via changes in the biological clock. In this review, we describe the physiological role of light in the circadian timing system and explore the interaction between the circadian timing system and metabolism. Furthermore, we discuss the acute and chronic effects of artificial light exposure on food intake and energy metabolism in animals and human subjects. We propose that living in synchrony with the natural daily LD cycle promotes metabolic health and increased exposure to artificial light at inappropriate times of day has adverse effects on metabolism, feeding behaviour and body weight regulation. Reducing the negative side effects of the extensive use of artificial light in human subjects might be useful in the prevention of metabolic disease.
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Rybnikova, N. A., Haim, A., & Portnova, B. A. (2016). Is Prostate Cancer Incidence Worldwide Linked to Artificial Light at Night Exposures? Earlier Findings' Revisit and Current Trends' Analysis. Arch Environ Occup Health, 72(2), 111–122.
Abstract: Widespread use of artificial light at night (ALAN) might contribute to the global burden of hormone-dependent cancers. However, previous attempts to verify this association in population-level studies have been sparse. Using the GLOBOCAN, US-DMSP and World Bank's 2010-2012 databases, we studied the association between ALAN and prostate cancer (PC) incidence in 180 countries worldwide, controlling for several country-level confounders. As our analysis indicates, the PC-ALAN association emerged marginally significant when year-2012 PC age-standardized rate data were compared with ALAN levels (t = 1.886, P<0.1); while this association emerged as more significant (t>2.7; P<0.01) when only 110 countries with well-maintained cancer registries were analyzed. Along with other variables, ALAN explains up to 79% of PC ASRs variability. PC-ALAN association appears to vary regionally, with the greatest deviations in Central Africa, Small Island Developing States, South East Asia and Gulf States.
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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.
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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.
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