Influence of photoluminophore-modified agro textile spunbond on growth and photosynthesis of cabbage and lettuce plants.

Light-converting polypropylene spunbond was first used in the study of the key physiological parameters of plants. A comparative study of the functioning of the photosynthetic apparatus and the dynamics of growth in late cabbage plants (Olga variety) and leaf lettuce (Emerald variety) was conducted using the ordinary nonwoven polypropylene fabric (spunbond) (density 30 g·m-2) and the spunbond containing a photoluminophore (PL) (1.6% yttrium oxysulfide doped with europium). The plants were grown in a glass greenhouse without spunbond and under the spunbond containing and not containing the PL that transforms a part of UV-radiation into red light radiation. The use of the spunbond led to a decrease in the rate of photosynthesis, activity of the photosystem 2, and the accumulation of plant biomass and to an increase in the stomatal conductance. By contrast to unmodified spunbond, the application of the spunbond containing the PL led to an increase in the rate of photosynthesis, the water-use efficiency (WUE), and the accumulation of the total biomass of plants by 30-50% but to a decrease in the transpiration rate and the stomatal conductance. It is assumed that the positive effect of the PL is associated with an increase in the fraction of fluorescent red light, which enhances photosynthetic activity and accelerates plant growth.

Hypothalamic effects of millimeter wave irradiation depend on location of exposed acupuncture zones in unanesthetized rabbits.

On nine unanesthetized male rabbits, the frequency spectra of hypothalamic electrogram (EEG) were studied during low intensity (10 mW/cm2) millimeter wave (55-75 GHz) exposure to various acupuncture points (zone): auricular, cranial and corporal. The chances of occurrence of significant (p < 0.05) changes in the EEG spectra during irradiation versus, sham experiments were equal to 31, 21 and 5%, respectively. Exposure to auricular zone reduced the EEG power in narrow bands with central frequencies of 5.3, 15.9 Hz and increased ones of 2.6, 3.2, 6.9, 7.9, 11.5 and 25.6 Hz. The main effect of exposure to cranial zone was similar--changes at 15.9 and 25.6 Hz only. The data obtained demonstrate that the responsiveness of the central nervous system to low intensity millimeter wave radiation may depend on the location of the exposed acupuncture zone.