Identical Light Conditions Research Articles

II. Evaluation of the impact of alternative light technology on male broiler chicken stress

This study evaluates the impact of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs), and incandescent lamps on broiler welfare in response to recent interest in the agriculture industry to transition to more energy-efficient lighting technologies. Male Ross 708 broilers (n = 672) were raised to 6 wk age in 8 light-tight modified large colony houses under identical intermittent lighting conditions using 4 unique types of lamps, which were gradually dimmed throughout the study. Incandescent lamps served as the control; experimental technologies tested were a CCFL, and 2 different LED lamps. Each technology was tested in duplicate for each of the 4 trials (8 replications total per technology) conducted across the course of one year to account for seasonal variance. Birds were removed from each house at days 7, 14, 35, and 42 to be humanely euthanized and weighed for necropsy evaluation and comparison of body mass. Blood collection via cardiac puncture was performed to obtain heterophil to lymphocyte (H:L) ratios for evaluation of environmental stress. Birds raised under CCFLs had significantly lower body weights (2,871 g ± 53) than the control (3,000 ± 33 g) by 42 d. Birds raised under CCFLs additionally had significantly higher H:L ratios (0.68 ± 0.06) than the control (0.53 ± 0.03), indicating that these birds may have been chronically stressed (P = 0.03). There were not significant differences in the H:L ratio between LED technologies at α = 0.05. A significant age and seasonal correlation in H:L ratios was observed across all technologies, along with significant differences among birds raised under the experimental technologies. This study indicates that variation in broiler body weight and stress may be attributed in part to lighting technologies implemented in broiler houses.

I. Evaluation of the impact of alternative light technology on male broiler chicken growth, feed conversion, and allometric characteristics

This study evaluates the impact of light-emitting diode (LED), cold cathode fluorescent (CCFL), and incandescent lamps on broiler performance. Male Ross 708 broilers (n = 672) were raised to 6 wk age in 8 black-out modified large colony houses, under identical intermittent lighting conditions using 4 unique types of lamps, which were gradually dimmed throughout the study. Incandescent lamps served as the control; experimental technologies tested included CCFL and 2 different LED lamps. Each technology was tested in duplicate for each of 4 trials (8 replications total per technology) conducted across the course of one year to account for seasonal variance. Live performance for each technology was evaluated using live broiler body weight (BW), weight gain, feed conversion, and mortality. Birds were removed from each house at 7, 14, 35, and 42 d to be humanely euthanized, weighed, and necropsied for allometric tissue sample analysis. Relative to the technologies tested, results indicate that birds raised under incandescent lamps had significantly higher BW by 42 d, compared to birds raised under CCFL lamps, which had poorer BW performance (P = 0.03). Birds raised under both LED technologies grew to final BWs similar to those raised under incandescent light, with significant differences in neither feed conversion nor mortality.

Biogeochemical implications of comparative growth rates of <i>Emiliania huxleyi</i> and <i>Coccolithus</i> species

Abstract. Coccolithophores, a diverse group of phytoplankton, make important contributions to pelagic calcite production and export, yet the comparative biogeochemical role of species other than the ubiquitous Emiliania huxleyi is poorly understood. The contribution of different coccolithophore species to total calcite production is controlled by inter-species differences in cellular calcite, growth rate and relative abundance within a mixed community. In this study we examined the relative importance of E. huxleyi and two Coccolithus species in terms of daily calcite production. Culture experiments compared growth rates and cellular calcite content of E. huxleyi (Arctic and temperate strains), Coccolithus pelagicus (novel Arctic strain) and Coccolithus braarudii (temperate strain). Despite assumptions that E. huxleyi is a fast-growing species, growth rates between the three species were broadly comparable (0.16–0.85 d−1) under identical temperature and light conditions. Emiliania huxleyi grew only 12% faster on average than C. pelagicus, and 28% faster than C. braarudii. As the cellular calcite content of C. pelagicus and C. braarudii is typically 30–80 times greater than E. huxleyi, comparable growth rates suggest that Coccolithus species have the potential to be major calcite producers in mixed populations. To further explore these results we devised a simplistic model comparing daily calcite production from Coccolithus and E. huxleyi across a realistic range of relative abundances and a wide range of relative growth rates. Using the relative differences in growth rates from our culture studies, we found that C. pelagicus would be a larger source of calcite if abundances of E. huxleyi to C. pelagicus were below 34:1. Relative abundance data collected from North Atlantic field samples (spring and summer 2010) suggest that, with a relative growth rate of 88%, C. pelagicus dominated calcite production at 69% of the sites sampled. With a more extreme difference in growth rates, where C. pelagicus grows at 1/10th of the rate of E. huxleyi, C. pelagicus still dominated calcite production in 14% of the field. These results demonstrate the necessity of considering interactions between inter-species differences in growth rates, cellular calcite and relative abundances when evaluating the contribution of different coccolithophores to pelagic calcite production. In the case of C. pelagicus, we find that there is strong potential for this species to make major contributions to calcite production in the North Atlantic, although estimates of relative growth rates from the field are needed to confirm our conclusions.

Effects of housing conditions and season on the activity rhythm of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) kept under natural conditions within their distributional range in Central Mexico

The timing and pattern of mammalian behavioral activities are regulated by an evolutionary optimized interplay of the genetically based biological (circadian) clock located in the brain’s suprachiasmatic nuclei and direct responses to environmental factors that superimpose and thus mask the clock-mediated effects, the most important of which is the photically induced phase-setting (synchronization) of the circadian rhythmicity to the 24-hour solar day. In wild and captive animals living under the natural conditions prevailing in their habitat, to date, only a few attempts have been made to analyze the role of these two regulatory mechanisms in the species’ adaptation to the time structure prevailing in their habitat. We studied the impact of housing conditions and season on the daily timing and pattern of activity in Mexican spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). To this end, we carried out long-term activity recordings with Actiwatch® AW4 accelerometer/data-logger devices in 11 adult Ateles living under identical natural lighting and climatic conditions in either a large wire netting cage or a 0.25 ha forest enclosure in the primatological field station of Veracruz State University near Catemaco, Mexico. In a gravid female in the forest enclosure, we obtained first-hand information on the effect of late pregnancy and parturition on the monkey’s activity rhythm. The Ateles behaved strictly diurnal and undertook about 90% of daily total activity during this activity time. Due to a higher second activity peak in late afternoon, the bimodal activity pattern was more pronounced in monkeys living in the forest enclosure. Although the spider monkeys kept there had an earlier activity onset and morning activity peak than their conspecifics in the cage, no consistent differences were found in the parameters characterizing the phase-setting of the circadian system to the environmental 24-h periodicity, either by comparison or correlation with the external time markers of sunrise (SR) and sunset (SS). The most obvious effect of late pregnancy, parturition and lactation was a distinct reduction of the activity level during the week of parturition and the next. Seasonal variations in the form of significant differences between the long-day summer half year and the short-day winter half year were established in the phase-angle differences of the morning activity peak to SR, in the evening activity peak and activity offset to SS, as well as in the activity time and the peak-to-peak interval, but not in the phase position of activity onset to SR or in the height of the morning and evening activity peak. These findings in combination with a high variability of the phase angle differences indicate that in A. geoffroyi, a relatively weak circadian component and strong masking direct effects of environmental factors are involved in the regulation of the daily activity rhythm.

A human-computer collaborative workflow for the acquisition and analysis of terrestrial insect movement in behavioral field studies

The study of insect behavior from video sequences poses many challenges. Despite the advances in image processing techniques, the current generation of insect tracking tools is only effective in controlled lab environments and under ideal lighting conditions. Very few tools are capable of tracking insects in outdoor environments where the insects normally operate. Furthermore, the majority of tools focus on the first stage of the analysis workflow, namely the acquisition of movement trajectories from video sequences. Far less effort has gone into developing specialized techniques to characterize insect movement patterns once acquired from videos. In this paper, we present a human-computer collaborative workflow for the acquisition and analysis of insect behavior from field-recorded videos. We employ a human-guided video processing method to identify and track insects from noisy videos with dynamic lighting conditions and unpredictable visual scenes, improving tracking precision by 20% to 44% compared to traditional automated methods. The workflow also incorporates a novel visualization tool for the large-scale exploratory analysis of insect trajectories. We also provide a number of quantitative methods for statistical hypothesis testing. Together, the various components of the workflow provide end-to-end quantitative and qualitative methods for the study of insect behavior from field-recorded videos. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed workflow with a field study on the navigational strategies of Kenyan seed harvester ants.

Screening by coral green fluorescent protein (GFP)-like chromoproteins supports a role in photoprotection of zooxanthellae

Green fluorescent protein (GFP)-like pigments are responsible for the vivid colouration of many reef-building corals and have been proposed to act as photoprotectants. Their role remains controversial because the functional mechanism has not been elucidated. We provide direct evidence to support a photoprotective role of the non-fluorescent chromoproteins (CPs) that form a biochemically and photophysically distinct group of GFP-like proteins. Based on observations of Acropora nobilis from the Great Barrier Reef, we explored the photoprotective role of CPs by analysing five coral species under controlled conditions. In vitro and in hospite analyses of chlorophyll excitation demonstrate that screening by CPs leads to a reduction in chlorophyll excitation corresponding to the spectral properties of the specific CPs present in the coral tissues. Between 562 and 586 nm, the CPs maximal absorption range, there was an up to 50 % reduction of chlorophyll excitation. The screening was consistent for established and regenerating tissue and amongst symbiont clades A, C and D. Moreover, among two differently pigmented morphs of Acropora valida grown under identical light conditions and hosting subclade type C3 symbionts, high CP expression correlated with reduced photodamage under acute light stress.

Study of Lighting Solutions in Machine Vision Applications for Automated Assembly Operations

The application of machine vision techniques represents an invaluable aid in many fields of manufacturing, from part inspection to metrology, robot guidance and assembly operations in general. An effective illumination of the working area constitutes a crucial aspect for optimising the performance of such techniques but unfortunately ideal light conditions are rarely available, especially if the vision system has to work within small areas, possibly close to metallic surfaces with high reflectivity. This work aims to investigate which factors mostly affect the accuracy in a typical feature recognition and measurement application. A first screening of a set of six factors was carried out by testing three different light sources, according to a two-level fractional factorial design of experiments (DOE), a Pareto analysis was performed in order to establish which parameters were the most significant. Once the key factors were identified, a second series of the experiments were carried out on a single light source, in order to optimise the key parameters and to provide useful guidelines on how to minimise measurement errors in different scenarios.

Use of Digital Image Modeling for Evaluation of Concrete Pavement Macrotexture and Wear

Modeling of the pavement image formation process by using reflection properties of macrotexture showed that digital images of concrete pavements can be used to monitor pavement wear. The specific optical characteristics of images and the optimum camera settings that can be used for this purpose were determined by theoretically formulating the Bidirectional Reflection Distribution Function (BRDF) of surface texture with uniform color. In the analytical phase of the study, desired levels of pavement texture were generated by combining a series of 3D sine surfaces of varying wavelengths and amplitudes. The optimum specular settings of the overhead point light source and the digital area-scan camera for effective highlighting of the imaged wheel path macrotexture were determined with an analytical formulation on the basis of a simplistic and physically meaningful BRDF model. It was also shown that the images obtained by the theoretical formulation closely resemble those captured from a similarly textured experimental surface under identical lighting and imaging conditions. In particular, the pavement image formation model revealed that quantifiable changes in the brightness of images do occur because of changes in texture depth and spacing (wavelength). In the next phase of the study, the traffic-induced pavement wearing process was simulated by gradual smoothening of the modeled surfaces, and then images corresponding to each wearing stage were generated. The theoretically predicted variation of the image brightness resulting from wear was experimentally verified by using images from a gradually worn-out concrete specimen. Finally, it was illustrated how the brightness evaluation of wheel path images has the potential to be a screening tool to monitor the degradation of macrotexture and, hence, the skid-resistance of pavements at the network-level.

Northward invasion of the parasitic deer ked (Lipoptena cervi), is there geographical variation in pupal size and development duration?

The deer ked (Lipoptena cervi) is a common ectoparasite of cervids. During the last decades the species has rapidly invaded in northern Europe, especially in Finland, towards the north and increased its prevalence on the moose population. Consequently, during this rapid invasion the deer ked has faced more severe climatic conditions. We studied whether pupal size (measured as pupal weight) and pupal development duration of the deer ked varies along historical invasion zones and temperature zones towards north in Finland. Moreover, we explored possible size- and gender-dependent variation in pupal development duration. We divided wild-collected pupae in respect to their origin in two ways: (1) temperature zones (from south-west to colder north-east) and (2) invasion history (from early to late establishment). We reared pupae in the controlled laboratory conditions in identical temperature and light conditions. Pupal size decreased towards north and the smaller pupae developed faster. However, the results do not show differences in pupal size or developmental characteristics between the invasion zones. This supports the idea of rapid developmental plasticity of the deer ked and that not the invasion history but the current temperature regime determines the life history of the deer ked when invading towards a colder environment.

High Temperature-Mediated Adaptations in Plant Architecture Require the bHLH Transcription Factor PIF4

Exposure of Arabidopsis plants to high temperature (28 degrees C) results in a dramatic change in plant development. Responses to high temperature include rapid extension of plant axes, leaf hyponasty, and early flowering. These phenotypes parallel plant responses to the threat of vegetational shade and have been shown to involve the hormone auxin. In this work, we demonstrate that high temperature-induced architectural adaptations are mediated through the bHLH transcriptional regulator PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4). Roles for PIF4 have previously been established in both light and gibberellin (GA) signaling, through interactions with phytochromes and DELLA proteins, respectively. Mutants deficient in PIF4 do not display elongation responses or leaf hyponasty upon transfer to high temperature. High temperature-mediated induction of the auxin-responsive gene IAA29 is also abolished in these plants. An early flowering response to high temperature is maintained in pif4 mutants, suggesting that architectural and flowering responses operate via separate signaling pathways. The role of PIF4 in temperature signaling does not, however, appear to operate through interaction with either phytochrome or DELLA proteins, suggesting the existence of a novel regulatory mechanism. We conclude that PIF4 is an important component of plant high temperature signaling and integrates multiple environmental cues during plant development.

A LIVE PANORAMIC VIEW CREATION ON VIDEOS USING FIRST ORDER STATISTICS

The automatic construction of panoramic view for video is an active area of research in computer vision and it plays an important role in video surveillance, large aerial and satellite videos. More recent applications include scene stabilization, video indexing and increasing the field of view. In this paper a novel video stitching algorithm has been proposed. This algorithm is tested on three types of datasets. First dataset comprises of overlapping videos having identical lighting conditions. Second dataset consists of different lighting conditions. Third dataset consists of videos of various overlapping conditions. The proposed algorithm gives better results compared to the existing algorithms. It also is capable of handling different lightness conditions and time synchronization of input video sequences. However, under rotation and transformation the algorithm fails to produce a good panoramic view.

A dynamic model of darkness tolerance for phytoplankton: model description

To analyze various effects of prolonged darkness on phytoplankton population dynamics, we developed a dynamic model of darkness tolerance for phytoplankton and investigated its characteristics. To construct the basic concepts of the model, we categorized various changes in abundance of phytoplankton both during prolonged darkness and after reillumination into several patterns, and then considered the physiological processes producing these patterns. The nature of darkness tolerance was considered to incorporate previously experienced light conditions, including darkness, as a physiological activity, and members of the same phytoplankton species exhibit different dynamics even in identical light conditions due to such career effects. Taking this into consideration, we developed a cell quota model in relation to darkness tolerance. State variables for abundance were indicated by cell numbers, and physiological condition by three intracellular carbon pools with different physiological functions. Using our model, we analyzed the various changes in abundance of phytoplankton in relation to exposure to prolonged darkness. Various responses in terms of phytoplankton abundance to prolonged darkness and after reillumination were successfully reproduced by the model that simply assumed that deterioration of physiological mechanics, such as photosynthetic functions, was due to a prolonged dark condition. On the basis of the results of calculation and assumptions for the model, we discuss the limitations, problems, and effectiveness of the model.

Circadian phase and intertrial interval interfere with social recognition memory

A modified version of the social habituation/dis-habituation paradigm was employed to examine social recognition memory in Wistar rats during two opposing (active and inactive) circadian phases, using different intertrial intervals (30 and 60 min). Wheel-running activity was monitored continuously to identify circadian phase. To avoid possible masking effects of the light–dark cycle, the rats were synchronized to a skeleton photoperiod, which allowed testing during different circadian phases under identical lighting conditions. In each trial, an infantile intruder was introduced into an adult's home-cage for a 5-minute interaction session, and social behaviors were registered. Rats were exposed to 5 trials per day for 4 consecutive days: on days 1 and 2, each resident was exposed to the same intruder; on days 3 and 4, each resident was exposed to a different intruder in each trial. The resident's social investigatory behavior was more intense when different intruders were presented compared to repeated presentation of the same intruder, suggesting social recognition memory. This effect was stronger when the rats were tested during the inactive phase and when the intertrial interval was 60 min. These findings suggest that social recognition memory, as evaluated in this modified habituation/dis-habituation paradigm, is influenced by the circadian rhythm phase during which testing is performed, and by intertrial interval.

Comparison of visual function in pigmented and albino rats by electroretinography and visual evoked potentials

To check differences in visual function between Wistar (albino) and Long-Evans (pigmented) rats. The animals were born in our facilities and reared under identical light conditions avoiding bright light. Visual electrophysiology was performed at the ages of 1.5, 4, 7 and 10 months (electroretinography, ERG) and at 1.5 and 7 months (visual evoked potentials, VEP). ERG measurements showed that: 1) The amplitudes of both scotopic and photopic b-waves were markedly larger in Long-Evans rats than in Wistar rats, and also the amplitudes of scotopic oscillatory potentials and photopic 30 Hz Flicker amplitudes, 2) scotopic a-wave amplitudes were larger in Wistar rats at low light intensities, whereas they were smaller in bright light, 3) both a-wave and b-wave latencies were shorter in Wistar rats, 4) the maximum response Rm(P3) was larger in Long-Evans rats, 5) the sensitivity parameter S was larger in Wistar rats, and 6) the post-receptoral response of cones was smaller in Wistar rats. In the VEP measurements, amplitudes of both photopic and scotopic visual evoked potentials of Long-Evans rats were only slightly larger than those of Wistar rats. ERG b-wave amplitudes are markedly decreased in Wistar rats, which requires further investigation. As the b/a and OP/a ratios were also decreased in Wistar rats, it can be suggested that post-receptoral processing, in particular, is impaired in albino animals.

Endpoint ‘floating leaves’ of Potamogeton natans: A new method to evaluate the development of macrophytes in pond mesocosms

One of the advantages of long-term mesocosm experiments as compared to short-term standard toxicity tests in the laboratory is the potential for detecting secondary effects due to the interaction of species and recovery with biomass of macrophytes being an important endpoint. However, generating biomass data by harvesting is often laborious, time-consuming, costly and restricted to the end of the experiment. Moreover, valuable information may get lost, in particular in single application studies, since maximal primary effects and secondary effects or recovery occur per se at different times. Potamogeton natans was used as an example in order to test whether number and area of floating leaves can be reliably measured and be used as intermediate and final end-points in mesocosm effect studies. Digital photos, which were taken of the water surface in the course of an indoor pond mesocosm study on herbicide effects, were subjected to image analysis. The results were compared to wet weight and ash-free dry weight of Potamogeton at the end of the herbicide study. Both number and area of floating leaves indicated the same herbicide effects as wet weight and ash-free dry weight of Potamogeton. Error introduced by the different work steps is small and can be further minimised by a number of method improvements. In indoor mesocosm studies, errors due to the perspective adjustment may be circumvented by taking the photos perpendicular to the water surface. Correction for lens aberration, identical light conditions and the use of fluorescence images are considered promising. Field applications are proposed.

Comparative analysis of biochemical properties of mesophyll and bundle sheath chloroplasts from various subtypes of C4 plants grown at moderate irradiance.

The photochemical characteristics of mesophyll and bundle sheath chloroplasts isolated from the leaves of C4 species were investigated in Zea mays (NADP-ME type), Panicum miliaceum (NAD-ME type) and Panicum maximum (PEP-CK type) plants. The aim of this work was to gain information about selected photochemical properties of mesophyll and bundle sheath chloroplasts isolated from C4 plants grown in the same moderate light conditions. Enzymatic as well as mechanical methods were applied for the isolation of bundle sheath chloroplasts. In the case of Z. mays and P. maximum the enzymatic isolation resulted in the loss of some thylakoid polypeptides. It was found that the PSI and PSII activities of mesophyll and bundle sheath chloroplasts of all species studied differed significantly and the differences correlated with the composition of pigment-protein complexes, photophosphorylation efficiency and fluorescence emission characteristic of these chloroplasts. This is the first report showing differences in the photochemical activities between mesophyll chloroplasts of C4 subtypes. Our results also demonstrate that mesophyll and bundle sheath chloroplasts of C4 plants grown in identical light conditions differ significantly with respect to the activity of main thylakoid complexes, suggesting a role of factor(s) other than light in the development of photochemical activity in C4 subtypes.

The influence of some different factors on the accuracy of shade selection.

The purpose of this study was to elucidate some of the factors on which accurate shade taking depends. Custom shade tabs (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mm porcelain thickness) were fabricated from selected Vita and Shofu porcelains. Four main factors were investigated, namely, the difference between the two types of porcelain used, the effect of light quality, the effect of porcelain thickness and the experience of the observer. The chi-square test for independence at a probability level of P <0.05 was used to analyse the results. The results indicated that in ideal light there was no difference between the two porcelains (P=0.58). The experienced observers proved better than the novice observers in ideal light conditions (P=0.003). Thickness was also significant in the overall results (P=0.0001), in that thicker samples gave more accurate results. The results indicate that in adverse light, there was an overall difference between the two porcelains (P=0.046), but no difference between the experienced and novice observers. The thickness made no difference to the experienced or the novice observer in adverse light. These results indicate that the most influential factor on shade taking was the light quality (P <0.0001); better results were obtained overall for the ideal light situation. In ideal light thicker samples gave better results (P=0.0001).

Measuring the subjective response to interior lighting: paired comparisons and semantic differential scaling

Paired comparisons and semantic differential (SD) scales were used as part of a larger study assessing subjective responses to linear fluorescent direct/indirect lighting systems. Two experiments were performed under identical lighting conditions, one with each technique, yielding independent subjective response data sets for the same light settings. This article compares independent multidimensional scaling solutions from the two datasets and describes an intercorrelation analysis of the SD scaling responses. These analyses highlight strengths and weaknesses of the two psychometric techniques. Guidance is offered for applying paired comparisons and SD scales in future lighting research.

Standardizing digital photography: it's not all in the eye of the beholder.

Advances in digital photography have made it an efficient and economically appealing alternative to conventional photography. Nevertheless, as objective observers and clinical photographers, we must realize that all digital cameras are not created equal. Different digital cameras frequently used in plastic surgery practices (Olympus 600DL, Olympus 2500, Sony DSC-D700, Nikon Coolpix 950, and Nikon D1) were evaluated, using a subject photographed with each camera in the identical lighting conditions, to determine inherent differences in quality, color, and contrast of the resultant photographs. Three different lighting conditions were examined: single soft-box lighting, dual studio flash boxes, and operating room lighting with on-camera flash. The same digital settings (program mode, ISO camera default setting, high quality setting with JPEG compression) were used. Each camera was digitally color balanced using an 18 percent gray card. Raw and color-balanced images were viewed side-by-side. The macro-image capabilities of each camera were also examined. Conventional 35-mm photographs using a 105 macro-lens on Kodachrome and Ektachrome slide film were obtained for comparison. All of the digital cameras performed with noticeable differences, but they maintained consistency in the three different lighting conditions. Digital photographs differed most greatly with respect to quality and contrast, which was especially obvious once color balancing was performed. Marked differences in quality and ability were observed with respect to macro-image capabilities. Inherent differences in features among digital cameras produce dramatically different photographic results with regard to color, contrast, focus, and overall quality. With the increasing use of digital photography in plastic surgery journals and presentations, it must be recognized that digital cameras do not all display photographs of similar quality, especially when used to evaluate skin appearance. To standardize digital photography, the surgeon must realize that switching digital cameras is akin to switching film types. Standardization of digital photographs should include image resolution between 1.5 and 2.7 million pixels, ISO default setting, color balancing with an 18 percent gray card and software, consistency in focal distance, JPEG compression of medium-to-high quality, and backgrounds of medium blue or 18 percent gray.

Light induced shifts of ferroelectric mesophase transitions

Several series of recently synthesized chiral azobenzene liquid crystals exhibit transitions driven by both illumination and temperature: some compounds can be 'melted' from the SmC* phase to the isotropic phase by increasing illumination only; according to the phase sequences, SmA, TGBA, N*, and blue phases are also involved in such behaviour. The observed phenomena are reversible and transition temperatures are reproducible in identical light conditions. Some specific transitions have been studied. Their temperatures can be lowered to 10 degrees below the dark transition values by increasing the illumination of samples. Under illumination, those transitions exhibit first order behaviour.