Full moonlight-induced circadian clock entrainment in Coffea arabica.

BACKGROUND: It is now well documented that moonlight affects the life cycle of invertebrates, birds, reptiles, and mammals. The lunisolar tide is also well-known to alter plant growth and development. However, although plants are known to be very photosensitive, few studies have been undertaken to explore the effect of moonlight on plant physiology. RESULTS: Here for the first time we report a massive transcriptional modification in Coffea arabica genes under full moonlight conditions, particularly at full moon zenith and 3 h later. Among the 3387 deregulated genes found in our study, the main core clock genes were affected. CONCLUSIONS: Moonlight also negatively influenced many genes involved in photosynthesis, chlorophyll biosynthesis and chloroplast machinery at the end of the night, suggesting that the full moon has a negative effect on primary photosynthetic machinery at dawn. Moreover, full moonlight promotes the transcription of major rhythmic redox genes and many heat shock proteins, suggesting that moonlight is perceived as stress. We confirmed this huge impact of weak light (less than 6 lx) on the transcription of circadian clock genes in controlled conditions mimicking full moonlight.

An automated method for evaluation of the thyroid uptake of 99mTc-pertechnetate.

A method for evaluating the thyroid uptake function, based on the work of De Garreta, Williams, Glass, Atkins, Higgins et al., was developed using 99mTc-pertechnetate and a scintillation camera connected to a minicomputer system. The method has the advantages of a single visit, a low-dose examination, and the reliability of a full automated technique. The clinical results of the studies performed to date are in close correlation with those obtained from the radioactive iodine uptake test, and in good agreement with the findings of the above-mentioned authors.