Search

OBJECTIVE: To assess the current state of asthma management in Austria and evaluate improvement of symptoms and quality of life (QoL) in asthma patients by adding the controller substance montelukast to existing therapy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Office-based pneumologists across Austria were invited to participate in an open-label, multicenter observational study. Male and female patients aged from 12-50 years with mild or moderate persistent asthma according to GINA guidelines and FEV(1) > 70% predicted were included if they were on concurrent asthma treatment, but still had persistent symptoms and reduced quality of life. Asthma control was assessed at time of patient anamnesis and subsequent follow-up visits. In addition, a physical examination was performed, lung function (FEV(1)) was measured and two types of validated QoL questionnaires were used: the Juniper Asthma Control Questionnaire was evaluated and documented by the physicians at each study visit and the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire was completed by the patients following each visit. RESULTS: A total of 851 patients (343 males, 508 females) were included and 328 patients were eligible for evaluation 3-5 months after completing at least two study visits. QoL rating by patients was available for 263 at baseline and for 216 patients after 3-5 months. The physicians' rating of asthma-related QoL showed improvements between 6.66 and 11.80% in the categories: nocturnal awakening, morning asthma symptoms, reduction of daily activities, wheezing and dyspnoea, but no reduction in the use of short acting ss(2)-agonists (SABA). The QoL judged by the patients by means of the QoL-Q showed statistically significant improvements in 13 of 15 parameters of QoL. The categories: response to cigarette smoke and response to air pollution showed positive trends (not significant) while the improvement of shortness of breath, response to dust, frustration, cough, anxiety, chest pressure, sleep quality, worries about asthma, wheezing, symptoms at heavy and moderate exercise and impairment of daily activities and activities at work reached statistical significance. CONCLUSION: This open-label, multicenter observational study shows significant improvement in six QoL parameters evaluated by the physicians and in 13 out of 15 QoL categories judged by the patients 3-5 months after adding montelukast to the ongoing asthma treatment in patients with mild or moderate persistent asthma. Limitations to these conclusions are the lack of a placebo control group (as this was an open-label study) and the continuing basal asthma therapy, which might contribute to improvement of asthma control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present studies examined the feasibility and acute alerting effects of additional in-vehicle lighting within a passenger car. These factors were examined during morning driving (Study 1) and evening driving (Study 2). In a balanced within-subjects design, 37 participants drove a test car two times in the morning or in the evening. The test vehicle was equipped with either a daylight-supplementing interior lighting system or a placebo system, which participants were told would refresh the air. Both studies used identical protocols, and participants participated either in Study 1 (n = 18) or Study 2 (n = 19). In both studies, corneal illuminance levels were recorded while driving. Feasibility of the systems was assessed using subjective ratings. Efficacy outcomes were spindle rates in the alpha bandwidth of electroencephalogram recordings, performance on a psychomotor vigilance task and subjective sleepiness ratings. In both studies, daylight-supplementing significantly increased corneal illuminances while driving and did not cause any negative visual side-effects. Study 1 revealed lower spindle rates while driving under daylight-supplementing lighting, indicating that drivers had higher physiological alertness when exposed to additional light in the morning. This alerting effect of daylight-supplementing lighting, however, was not observed in Study 2. In both studies, performance on the psychomotor vigilance task as well as subjective sleepiness ratings did not significantly differ between the experimental conditions. The present studies provide novel evidence for the feasibility and positive impact of daylight-supplementing in-vehicle lighting systems on the physiological alertness of drivers under naturalistic driving conditions. Further studies are warranted to evaluate carry-over effects of increased alertness on road safety measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study summarizes weight development, plasma glucose concentrations and reproductive parameters in lactating (n=46) and non-lactating Lipizzaner mares (n=11) throughout the breeding season. It was the aim of the study to analyse if an energy deficit with possible effects on reproductive functions occurs at any time during the first 4 months of gestation. Mean gestation length was 334.3±7.3 days. Gestation of foals born in May/June was shorter (P<0.01) than for foals born in March/April. Out of the 46 lactating mares, 44 ovulated between Days 8 and 18 postpartum and two mares ovulated on days 30 and 145, respectively. Pregnant mares were significantly (P<0.001) heavier (600.1±5.3 kg) than non-pregnant mares (521.8±10.0 kg) at the beginning of the study. Birth resulted in weight reduction of 64.8±2.4 kg. During the first 2 weeks postpartum mares lost on average 3.0±1.8 kg and in the following 2 weeks gained 3.6±1.4 kg of weight. Thereafter, weight increased slightly but continuously (P<0.01). At no time after foaling, weight differed significantly between groups. Weight of the foals three days after birth varied between 29 and 67 kg (53.7±1.1 kg). Average daily weight gain of foals was relatively constant throughout the study period (1.15±0.17 kg). Although lactation at no time was associated with a major weight loss, it had clear effects on energy metabolism as shown by constantly lower plasma glucose concentrations in lactating mares. Glucose concentrations decreased after foaling and were significantly lower in lactating mares from Weeks 3 to 16 after foaling than at corresponding times in non-lactating mares (P<0.01). However, glucose concentrations were still within the physiological range. Mares seem to be able to compensate energy losses during lactation mainly by increasing feed intake and not by mobilisation of body fat. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study we employ a road tunnel model to simulate the crossing in a car at variable speeds using running LED-lights. Different lighting situations were created, namely symmetric-, counterbeam- and probeam lighting and were measured using a luminance camera. The results show that probeam lighting yields a much better object illumination than counter-beam- and symmetric-lighting while consuming the same amount of power as symmetric- and counterbeam lighting due to use of LED-technology. Based on this we argue that probeam lighting is a viable alternative to the commonly used counterbeam lighting in the interior zone of road tunnels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Daily inspiratory muscle strength and endurance training (IMT) was performed in a 44-year-old patient with idiopathic bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis (BDP) in addition to nocturnal non-invasive ventilation (NIV). After 4 months of training inspiratory muscle function improved satisfactorily whereas phrenic nerve latency remained pathological. Due to the improvement of inspiratory muscle capacity nocturnal NIV could be stopped without inducing nocturnal respiratory insufficiency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An artificial skylight has been developed which aims at creating an impression of a daylight opening in the ceiling by means of an artificial sunspot and a blue sky with perceived infinite depth. It is the goal of this work to compare and quantify the perceived room atmosphere created by this artificial system with that created by a conventional lighting system. A total of 100 subjects participated in a randomized controlled study within which the short-term effects on room lighting- and room atmosphere-appearance were determined. Both the artificial skylight and the resulting room atmosphere were perceived as very natural and attractive. Thus, the first strong evidence for the expected positive effects of this artificial skylight was determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permanent morning shift workers often suffer from impaired sleep and complain about increased fatigue during the day due to an early rising time in the morning. A controlled field investigation with female permanent morning shift workers was conducted, which evaluated the acute, monthly and seasonal psycho-physiological and productivity-related impacts of a dynamic ambient lighting scenario. Dynamic lighting had an acute psycho-physiological calming effect and positively influenced sleep latency and anxiety/depression ratings. Finally, productivity (decreased mean relative handling time) was increased during the winter. This field study contributes to the growing knowledge about biological lighting impacts during shift work. Furthermore it indicates lighting effects on productivity-related and subjective measures for a sleep-deprived working population. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: This paper presents the development of a method to control the light output from a prototype hybrid lighting system. This system transports daylight from a heliostat with a concentrating fresnel lens to a luminaire in a windowless room, via a large core liquid fiber optic. The main artificial lighting system is located outside of the building without the possibility for dimming due to the lamp type chosen. Consequently a control strategy is needed in order to minimize the switching cycles of the lamps (severe reduction in lamp life) while at the same time maintain the lighting levels in the interior. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]