BACKGROUND Cataracts are one of the major public health problems worldwide. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is one of the risk factors for cataract development. We analyzed the relationship between disability-adjusted life year (DALY) rates of cataracts and UVR exposure in China. METHODS DALY rates of cataracts and UVR exposure in 31 regions of China were calculated based on data from the Second ...

The role of vitamin D in curtailing the development of obesity and comorbidities such as the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes has received much attention recently. However, clinical trials have failed to conclusively demonstrate the benefits of vitamin D supplementation. In most studies, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] decreases with increasing BMI above normal weight. These lo...

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) damages most biota, yet little evidence exists for its long-term effects on natural ecosystems. We used paleoecological techniques at three low-elevation lakes to show that algal abundance in lakes was depressed 10-fold by UVR during the first millennium of lake existence. Likewise, analysis of data from a lake near treeline showed that algal biomass declined 10–25-f...

Dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 PUFAs) protect against photocarcinogenesis in animals, but prospective human studies are scarce. The mechanism(s) underlying the photoprotection are uncertain, although omega-3 PUFAs may influence oxidative stress. We examined the effect of supplementation on a range of indicators of ultraviolet radiation (UVR)-induced DNA damage in humans, a...

PURPOSE To localize p53 protein and active caspase-3 in the albino rat lens and to compare p53 mRNA and active caspase-3 expression in ultraviolet radiation (UVR) 300 nm exposed lenses and their contralateral nonexposed controls. METHODS Ten Sprague-Dawley albino rats were unilaterally exposed to 8 kJ/m(2) UVR, and the contralateral eyes were left nonexposed. In total, four exposed lenses and...

PURPOSE To introduce a model for the time evolution of active caspase-3 protein expression in albino rat lens up to 24 hours after in vivo exposure to low dose UVR in the 300 nm wavelength region (UVR-300 nm). METHODS Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were unilaterally exposed in vivo to 1 kJ/m2 UVR-300 nm for 15 minutes. At 0.5, 8, 16, and 24 hours after the UVR exposure, the exposed and contralater...

Cutaneous Melanoma (CM) is a leading cause of cancer deaths, with reports indicating a rising trend in the incidence rate of melanoma among Hispanics in certain U.S. states. The level of melanin pigmentation in the skin is suggested to render photoprotection from the DNA-damaging effects of Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR). UVR-induced DNA damage leads to cytogenetic defects visualized as the format...

Two naturally occurring colonies of Millepora alcicornis were monitored during 1997 and 1998, both years in which this species bleached in the Mexican Caribbean. One colony (HL) was naturally exposed to a high light environment and another nearby colony (LL) was exposed to 5.9 times lower light levels due to shadowing by a pier. For 10 days in August 1997, seawater temperatures in the surroundi...

BACKGROUND Skin cancer is a major public health concern, and the majority of cases are caused by solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure, which suppresses skin immunity. Omega-3 (n-3) PUFAs protect against photoimmunosuppression and skin cancer in mice, but the impact in humans is unknown. OBJECTIVES We hypothesized that EPA-rich n-3 PUFA would abrogate photoimmunosuppression in humans. Th...

UV irradiance at the earth’s surface is intimately related to stratospheric ozone. This gas tends to be concentrated in the lower stratosphere (hence the notion of an ozone layer) and is primarily responsible for the absorption of solar UV radiation (UVR). UVR has been recognised for many years (e.g. Worrest, Dyke & Thomson, 1978; Worrest et al., 1981; Calkins, 1982) as a potential stress for o...