Insufficient Evidence of Purported Lunar Effect on Pollination in Ephedra.

Moonlight pollination in the gymnosperm Ephedra (Gnetales).

Most gymnosperms are wind-pollinated, but some are insect-pollinated, and in Ephedra (Gnetales), both wind pollination and insect pollination occur. Little is, however, known about mechanisms and evolution of pollination syndromes in gymnosperms. Based on four seasons of field studies, we show an unexpected correlation between pollination and the phases of the moon in one of our studied species...

No Evidence of Purported Lunar Effect on Hospital Admission Rates or Birth Rates

BACKGROUND Studies indicate that a fraction of nursing professionals believe in a "lunar effect"-a purported correlation between the phases of the Earth's moon and human affairs, such as birth rates, blood loss, or fertility. PURPOSE This article addresses some of the methodological errors and cognitive biases that can explain the human tendency of perceiving a lunar effect where there is non...

Pollen and Pollination in Ephedra (gnetales)

P-87: Nicotine and Caffeine Intake in Relation to Purported Decline of SemenQuality and Ovulatory Disorder Infertility

Background: Reproductive function and fertility are thought to be compromised by behaviors such as cigarette smoking, substance abuse, and caffeine consumption; however, the strength of these associations are uncertain. Many studies have examined whether caffeine and nicotine containing these affect fertility in men and women. Materials and Methods: In this study we evaluate the literature conc...

Protective Effect of Ephedra nebrodensis on Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Rats

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an anthracycline antibiotic with broad spectrum anti-tumour activity. Its effectiveness has been limited by the occurrence of dose-related myocardial and bone marrow toxicity. As oxidative stress is the main factor in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, we presumed that agents which enhance endogenous antioxidants can prevent DOX induced cardiotoxicity. Animals received either DOX ...