Many spider orb-webs are exposed to sunlight and the potentially damaging effects of ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. We examined the effect of UVB on the viscoelastic glycoprotein core of glue droplets deposited on the prey capture threads of these webs, hypothesizing that webs built by species that occupy sunny habitats are less susceptible to UVB damage than are webs built by species that pref...

Most studies on ecological impact of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation generally focus on plants. However, UV radiation can also affect organisms at other trophic levels. Protection against mortality induced by solar UV has, therefore, been hypothesized as one of the reasons why Typhlodromalus aripo hides in the apex of cassava plants during the day and comes out at night to prey on spider mites...

Climate change and water extraction may result in increased exposition of the biota to ultraviolet-B radiation (UVB) in high-altitude Andean lakes. Although exposition to lethal doses in these lakes is unlikely, sub-lethal UVB doses may have strong impacts in key compartments such as zooplankton. Here, we aimed at determining the effect of sub-lethal UVB doses on filtration rates of two cladoce...

[1] Field studies show that photosynthesis by Antarctic phytoplankton is inhibited by the increased ultraviolet radiation (UVR) resulting from springtime stratospheric ozone (O3) depletion. To extend previous observations, a numerical model utilizing satellitederived distributions of O3, clouds, sea ice, surface temperature, and phytoplankton biomass was developed to study the hemispheric-scale...

Ultraviolet B (UVB) damage is recognized as the most important etiological factor in the development of skin cancer. Human papillomaviruses (HPV) have also been implicated in the disease, although the mechanism of action of these viruses remains unknown. We present evidence here that Bak protein is involved in signaling apoptosis in the skin in response to UVB damage, and that cutaneous HPV E6 ...

Ultraviolet-B radiation (UVB) reaching the earth's surface has increased due to human-caused stratospheric ozone depletion. Whereas the harmful effects of UVB on aquatic organisms are well studied at the molecular and cellular level, recent studies have also begun to address behavioural changes caused by sublethal amounts of UVB. However, the behavioural consequences of long-term exposure to ec...

Solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) can reduce the photosynthesis and growth of benthic diatom communities in shallow freshwater. Nevertheless, greater amounts of algae accumulate in UVR-exposed habitats than in UVR-protected environments. Near-ultraviolet (UVA wavelengths of 320 to 400 nanometers) and mid-ultraviolet (UVB, wavelengths of 280 to 320 nanometers) radiation also inhibit algal consum...

Ultraviolet B (UVB) phototherapy is a safe and effective treatment for moderate to severe psoriasis. UVB treatment typically requires patients to visit an outpatient clinic two to three times per week during business hours, a schedule which can be impractical for some individuals. Depending on a patient's insurance coverage, outpatient phototherapy can be expensive. In these situations, home UV...

The sensitivity of coastal marine bacterioplankton to natural photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, 400-700 nm) and ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 280-400 nm) was evaluated in five experiments over a seasonal cycle in the Blanes Bay, NW Mediterranean Sea. Exposure to natural solar radiation generally inhibited bulk bacterial activities or damaged membrane integrity when irradiances were high (...

Ultraviolet radiation (UV) wavelength and dose dependence has been demonstrated for a number of cutaneous endpoints such as erythema, pigment darkening, DNA damage, and photocarcinogenesis. More recently, a number of in-vitro and in-vivo models of UV immunosuppression have implicated UVA (320-400 nm) in immune protection as well as immune suppression. While the wavelength dependencies for immun...