Biodynamic lighting conditions preserve nocturnal melatonin production in pregnant women during hospitalization: A randomized prospective pilot study.

Background And Purpose: Maternal circadian rhythms are important for maintaining maternal and fetal homeostasis. The maternal circadian system coordinates the internal clock of the fetus with environmental lighting conditions the melatonin signal. The intensity and wavelength of daylight influence nocturnal melatonin production.

Spectral dependency of the human pupillary light reflex. Influences of pre-adaptation and chronotype.

Non-visual photoreceptors (ipRGCs) and rods both exert a strong influence on the human pupil, yet pupil models regularly use cone-derived sensitivity as their basis. This inconsistency is further exacerbated by the fact that circadian effects can modulate the wavelength sensitivity. We assessed the pupillary reaction to narrowband light stimuli in the mesopic range.

Influence of common lighting conditions and time-of-day on the effort-related cardiac response.

Melanopic stimuli trigger diverse non-image-forming effects. However, evidence of a melanopic contribution to acute effects on alertness and performance is inconclusive, especially under common lighting situations. Effects on cognitive performance are likely mediated by effort-related physiological changes.

Pupillary light reflex and circadian synchronization in the elderly.

Most elderly lack a synchronized circadian rhythm and often cannot benefit from light therapy. Non-visual effects of light are mediated through intrinsic photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs). With chromatic pupillometry, the functionality of ipRGCs and their functional circuit in the brain can be tested.

Older adults' performance in technology-based tasks: cognitive ability and beyond.

Considering both demographic and technological changes in society, the potential of technology to support older adults has recently attracted much attention. For physically frail individuals with cognitive impairment, user-friendly technologies may facilitate activities of daily living. The current study assessed the performance of older adults without cognitive impairment (n = 27) and with mild cognitive impairment (n = 26) using three types of technology.

Impact of ABCC2 genotype on antiepileptic drug response in Caucasian patients with childhood epilepsy.

Background: Antiepileptic treatment response has been suggested to be modulated by genetic polymorphisms of drug efflux transporters, in particular ABCB1. Recently, we found a significant association of ABCC2 -24C>T with nonresponse, primarily in the context of generalized epilepsy. Moreover, ABCC2 1249G>A was reported to alter transmembranal carbamazepine transport.

Ambient Assistive Technologies (AAT): socio-technology as a powerful tool for facing the inevitable sociodemographic challenges?

Due to the socio-demographic change in most developed western countries, elderly populations have been continuously increasing. Therefore, preventive and assistive systems that allow elderly people to independently live in their own homes as long as possible will become an economical if not ethical necessity. These respective technologies are being developed under the term "Ambient Assistive Technologies" (AAT).

Investigating disease susceptibility and the negative correlation of schizophrenia and rheumatoid arthritis focusing on MIF and CD14 gene polymorphisms.

Schizophrenia and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are both chronic diseases with an estimated genetic component of 60%. While RA is a well-known autoimmune inflammatory joint disease, recent data point to an active immune process also being involved in schizophrenia. Several studies confirmed the negative association between schizophrenia and RA, indicating genetic factors that predispose to the one disorder, while protecting from the other.

Association of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies, anti-citrullin antibodies, and IgM and IgA rheumatoid factors with serological parameters of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis.

We evaluated the association of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody titers with serological markers of disease activity. We also compared three different anti-CCP antibody ELISAs with an anti-citrullin ELISA and the IgM and the IgA rheumatoid factor (RF) in their performance of discriminating between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other rheumatic diseases. Sera from 333 consecutive patients of the Rheumaeinheit der Medizinischen Poliklinik Munchen, an outpatient clinic for rheumatic diseases, were collected and tested.