Ecotoxicological evaluation of surface waters in Northern Namibia.

The increasing pressure on freshwater systems due to intensive anthropogenic use is a big challenge in central-northern Namibia and its catchment areas, the Kunene and the Kavango Rivers, and the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin, that provide water for more than 1 million people. So far, there is no comprehensive knowledge about the ecological status and only few knowledge about the water quality. Therefore, it is crucial to learn about the state of the ecosystem and the ecological effects of pollutants to ensure the safe use of these resources.

Water and sediment pollution of intensively used surface waters during a drought period - a case study in Central Northern Namibia.

Semiarid regions are often affected by water scarcity and poor water quality. Seasonal changes in precipitation and drought events increase the pressure of use on water bodies and their pollution. In Central Northern Namibia, a high seasonal intra- and inter-annual variability of precipitation caused a 5-year lasting drought period.

Lighting as an aid for recovery in hospitalized psychiatric patients: a randomized controlled effectiveness trial.

Artificial indoor lighting can disturb sleep and increase depressive symptoms; both common complaints in psychiatric inpatients. In this trial we aimed to improve sleep in psychiatric inpatients using a circadian lighting environment. Investigator-blinded parallel-group randomised controlled effectiveness trial in an inpatient psychiatric ward with adjustable lighting.

Immunoadsorption in steroid-refractory multiple sclerosis: clinical experience in 60 patients.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common autoimmune inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system with a frequently relapsing or progressive course. For steroid-resistant relapse, plasma exchange (PE) has been established as guidelines-recommended treatment option. While PE is a non-selective extracorporeal blood purification process with elimination of plasma and subsequent substitution, immunoadsorption (IA) is a selective technique for the removal of autoantibodies and immune complexes with less adverse effects.

Lipoprotein apheresis standard for apheresis competence centers--an updated synthesis and amendment to pre-existing standards.

With several techniques of selective apheresis treatment, some of which have been established for over 30 years, severe and pharmacologically unmanageable dyslipidemia can be treated successfully. The long-term lowering of LDL cholesterol and lipoprotein(a) by 60-80 percent, together with pleiotropic effects, allow for significant risk reduction in otherwise progressive chronic atherosclerotic disease, i.e.