@article{KoenigWolfHeisenberg2016,
  author    = {Koenig, Sebastian and Wolf, Reinhard and Heisenberg, Martin},
  title     = {Vision in Flies: Measuring the Attention Span},
  series = {PLoS ONE},
  volume    = {11},
  journal   = {PLoS ONE},
  number    = {2},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0148208},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-179947},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {A visual stimulus at a particular location of the visual field may elicit a behavior while at the same time equally salient stimuli in other parts do not. This property of visual systems is known as selective visual attention (SVA). The animal is said to have a focus of attention (FoA) which it has shifted to a particular location. Visual attention normally involves an attention span at the location to which the FoA has been shifted. Here the attention span is measured in Drosophila. The fly is tethered and hence has its eyes fixed in space. It can shift its FoA internally. This shift is revealed using two simultaneous test stimuli with characteristic responses at their particular locations. In tethered flight a wild type fly keeps its FoA at a certain location for up to 4s. Flies with a mutation in the radish gene, that has been suggested to be involved in attention-like mechanisms, display a reduced attention span of only 1s.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{KopfDreslerReichertsetal.2013,
  author    = {Kopf, Juliane and Dresler, Thomas and Reicherts, Philipp and Herrmann, Martin J. and Reif, Andreas},
  title     = {The Effect of Emotional Content on Brain Activation and the Late Positive Potential in a Word n-back Task},
  series = {PLoS ONE},
  journal   = {PLoS ONE},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0075598},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-96687},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {Introduction There is mounting evidence for the influence of emotional content on working memory performance. This is particularly important in light of the emotion processing that needs to take place when emotional content interferes with executive functions. In this study, we used emotional words of different valence but with similar arousal levels in an n-back task. Methods We examined the effects on activation in the prefrontal cortex by means of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and on the late positive potential (LPP). FNIRS and LPP data were examined in 30 healthy subjects. Results Behavioral results show an influence of valence on the error rate depending on the difficulty of the task: more errors were made when the valence was negative and the task difficult. Brain activation was dependent both on the difficulty of the task and on the valence: negative valence of a word diminished the increase in activation, whereas positive valence did not influence the increase in activation, while difficulty levels increased. The LPP also differentiated between the different valences, and in addition was influenced by the task difficulty, the more difficult the task, the less differentiation could be observed. Conclusions Summarized, this study shows the influence of valence on a verbal working memory task. When a word contained a negative valence, the emotional content seemed to take precedence in contrast to words containing a positive valence. Working memory and emotion processing sites seemed to overlap and compete for resources even when words are carriers of the emotional content.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{StreinzerBrockmannNagarajaetal.2013,
  author    = {Streinzer, Martin and Brockmann, Axel and Nagaraja, Narayanappa and Spaethe, Johannes},
  title     = {Sex and Caste-Specific Variation in Compound Eye Morphology of Five Honeybee Species},
  series = {PLoS ONE},
  journal   = {PLoS ONE},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0057702},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-96412},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {Ranging from dwarfs to giants, the species of honeybees show remarkable differences in body size that have placed evolutionary constrains on the size of sensory organs and the brain. Colonies comprise three adult phenotypes, drones and two female castes, the reproductive queen and sterile workers. The phenotypes differ with respect to tasks and thus selection pressures which additionally constrain the shape of sensory systems. In a first step to explore the variability and interaction between species size-limitations and sex and caste-specific selection pressures in sensory and neural structures in honeybees, we compared eye size, ommatidia number and distribution of facet lens diameters in drones, queens and workers of five species (Apis andreniformis, A. florea, A. dorsata, A. mellifera, A. cerana). In these species, male and female eyes show a consistent sex-specific organization with respect to eye size and regional specialization of facet diameters. Drones possess distinctly enlarged eyes with large dorsal facets. Aside from these general patterns, we found signs of unique adaptations in eyes of A. florea and A. dorsata drones. In both species, drone eyes are disproportionately enlarged. In A. dorsata the increased eye size results from enlarged facets, a likely adaptation to crepuscular mating flights. In contrast, the relative enlargement of A. florea drone eyes results from an increase in ommatidia number, suggesting strong selection for high spatial resolution. Comparison of eye morphology and published mating flight times indicates a correlation between overall light sensitivity and species-specific mating flight times. The correlation suggests an important role of ambient light intensities in the regulation of species-specific mating flight times and the evolution of the visual system. Our study further deepens insights into visual adaptations within the genus Apis and opens up future perspectives for research to better understand the timing mechanisms and sensory physiology of mating related signals.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{LangMessmerGeerlingetal.2015,
  author    = {Lang, Stefan J. and Messmer, Elisabeth M. and Geerling, Gerd and Mackert, Marc J. and Brunner, Tobias and Dollak, Sylvia and Kutchoukov, Borislav and B{\"o}hringer, Daniel and Reinhard, Thomas and Maier, Philip},
  title     = {Prospective, randomized, double-blind trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of corneal cross-linking to halt the progression of keratoconus},
  series = {BMC Ophthalmology},
  volume    = {15},
  journal   = {BMC Ophthalmology},
  number    = {78},
  doi       = {10.1186/s12886-015-0070-7},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-151498},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Background: Corneal cross-linking is widely used to treat keratoconus. However, to date, only limited data from randomized trials support its efficacy. Methods: The efficacy and safety of corneal cross-linking for halting progression of keratoconus were investigated in a prospective, randomized, blinded, placebo controlled, multicentre trial. Twenty-nine keratoconus patients were randomized in three trial centres. The mean age at inclusion was 28 years. Longitudinal changes in corneal refraction were assessed by linear regression. The best corrected visual acuity, surface defects and corneal inflammation were also assessed. These data were analysed with a multifactorial linear regression model. Results: A total of 15 eyes were randomized to the treatment and 14 to the control group. Follow-up averaged 1098 days. Corneal refractive power decreased on average (+/-standard deviation) by 0.35 +/- 0.58 dioptres/year in the treatment group. The controls showed an increase of 0.11 +/- 0.61 dioptres/year. This difference was statistically significant (p = 0.02). Conclusions: Our data suggest that corneal cross-linking is an effective treatment for some patients to halt the progression of keratoconus. However, some of the treated patients still progressed, whereas some untreated controls improved. Therefore, further investigations are necessary to decide which patients require treatment and which do not.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{HoehneHolzStaigerSaelzeretal.2014,
  author    = {H{\"o}hne, Johannes and Holz, Elisa and Staiger-S{\"a}lzer, Pit and M{\"u}ller, Klaus-Robert and K{\"u}bler, Andrea and Tangermann, Michael},
  title     = {Motor Imagery for Severely Motor-Impaired Patients: Evidence for Brain-Computer Interfacing as Superior Control Solution},
  series = {PLoS ONE},
  volume    = {9},
  journal   = {PLoS ONE},
  number    = {8},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0104854},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-119331},
  pages     = {e104854},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) strive to decode brain signals into control commands for severely handicapped people with no means of muscular control. These potential users of noninvasive BCIs display a large range of physical and mental conditions. Prior studies have shown the general applicability of BCI with patients, with the conflict of either using many training sessions or studying only moderately restricted patients. We present a BCI system designed to establish external control for severely motor-impaired patients within a very short time. Within only six experimental sessions, three out of four patients were able to gain significant control over the BCI, which was based on motor imagery or attempted execution. For the most affected patient, we found evidence that the BCI could outperform the best assistive technology (AT) of the patient in terms of control accuracy, reaction time and information transfer rate. We credit this success to the applied user-centered design approach and to a highly flexible technical setup. State-of-the art machine learning methods allowed the exploitation and combination of multiple relevant features contained in the EEG, which rapidly enabled the patients to gain substantial BCI control. Thus, we could show the feasibility of a flexible and tailorable BCI application in severely disabled users. This can be considered a significant success for two reasons: Firstly, the results were obtained within a short period of time, matching the tight clinical requirements. Secondly, the participating patients showed, compared to most other studies, very severe communication deficits. They were dependent on everyday use of AT and two patients were in a locked-in state. For the most affected patient a reliable communication was rarely possible with existing AT.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GrassmannFritscheKeilhaueretal.2012,
  author    = {Grassmann, Felix and Fritsche, Lars G. and Keilhauer, Claudia N. and Heid, Iris M. and Weber, Bernhard H. F.},
  title     = {Modelling the Genetic Risk in Age-Related Macular Degeneration},
  series = {PLoS One},
  volume    = {7},
  journal   = {PLoS One},
  number    = {5},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0037979},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-131315},
  pages     = {e37979},
  year      = {2012},
  abstract  = {Late-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common sight-threatening disease of the central retina affecting approximately 1 in 30 Caucasians. Besides age and smoking, genetic variants from several gene loci have reproducibly been associated with this condition and likely explain a large proportion of disease. Here, we developed a genetic risk score (GRS) for AMD based on 13 risk variants from eight gene loci. The model exhibited good discriminative accuracy, area-under-curve (AUC) of the receiver-operating characteristic of 0.820, which was confirmed in a cross-validation approach. Noteworthy, younger AMD patients aged below 75 had a significantly higher mean GRS (1.87, 95\% CI: 1.69-2.05) than patients aged 75 and above (1.45, 95\% CI: 1.36-1.54). Based on five equally sized GRS intervals, we present a risk classification with a relative AMD risk of 64.0 (95\% CI: 14.11-1131.96) for individuals in the highest category (GRS 3.44-5.18, 0.5\% of the general population) compared to subjects with the most common genetic background (GRS -0.05-1.70, 40.2\% of general population). The highest GRS category identifies AMD patients with a sensitivity of 7.9\% and a specificity of 99.9\% when compared to the four lower categories. Modeling a general population around 85 years of age, 87.4\% of individuals in the highest GRS category would be expected to develop AMD by that age. In contrast, only 2.2\% of individuals in the two lowest GRS categories which represent almost 50\% of the general population are expected to manifest AMD. Our findings underscore the large proportion of AMD cases explained by genetics particularly for younger AMD patients. The five-category risk classification could be useful for therapeutic stratification or for diagnostic testing purposes once preventive treatment is available.},
  language  = {en}
}