Atlas of Chronomes

Within the scope of this project, charts are built to summarize characteristics of non-random changes as a function of time in medicine and biology more generally. These charts typically consist of maps of periods and/or phases of major periodicities characterizing most biological variables, shown with their 95% confidence intervals. Circadian (about daily), circaseptan (about-weekly), circatidal (about tidal or 12.4-hourly), and circannual (about-yearly) charts provide information about times within a day, week, lunar cycle and year when high and low values can be expected to occur. These components have a well-defined environmental counterpart, serving as synchronizers. Compiling information for a host of variables determined in blood, urine, and/or saliva in humans and/or different animal species provides information about chains of physiological events. When phase charts report results for one or several variables separately for males and females or different age groups, important gender differences and changes as a function of age come readily to the fore. Similar charts may summarize times when different diseases are more or less likely to occur, their usefulness consisting of knowing when to implement protective measures to shield at-risk individuals, to initiate any needed protective action, and to assure sufficient staffing in clinics and emergency rooms. Charts can also be prepared to list times of peak susceptibility or resistance to different medications.

An atlas of chronomes encompasses all the above charts. It also includes information about the notoriously wobbly non-photic environmental cycles, which also influences biota. In view of the non-stationary nature of the non-photic environmental cycles, focus is placed on the periods of the cycles, to be estimated with their uncertainties.