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ZusammenfassungAsthma und COPD sind die häufigsten obstruktiven Atemwegserkrankungen. Die chronische Inflammation bedingt eine Induktion von proinflammatorischen Zytokinkaskaden. Neben der systemischen Inflammation tragen Hypoxämie, Hyperkapnie, eine katabole Stoffwechsellage, eine gonadale oder eine Schilddrüsendysfunktion, eine muskuloskelettale Dysfunktion und Inaktivität sowie Vitamin D‑Mangel zu einem erhöhten Knochenbruchrisiko bei. Iatrogene Ursachen der Osteoporose sind die zum Teil langjährigen Anwendungen von inhalativen oder systemischen Glukokortikoiden (GC). Die inhalative GC Applikation bei Asthma ist oft schon im Kindes- und Jugendalter indiziert, aber auch interstitielle Lungenerkrankungen wie die chronisch organisierende Pneumonie, die Sarkoidose oder rheumatische Erkrankungen mit Lungenbeteiligung werden mit inhalativen oder oralen GC behandelt. Bei PatientInnen mit zystischer Fibrose kommt es durch die Malabsorption im Rahmen der Pankreasinsuffizienz, durch Hypogonadismus und chronische Inflammation mit erhöhter Knochenresorption zu einer Abnahme der Knochenstruktur. Nach Lungentransplantation ist die Immunsuppression mit GC ein Risikofaktor.Die pneumologischen Grunderkrankungen führen zu einer Veränderung der trabekulären und kortikalen Mikroarchitektur des Knochens und zu einer Verminderung von osteologischen Formations- und Resorptionsmarkern. Hyperkapnie, Azidose und Vitamin D‑Mangel können diesen Prozess beschleunigen und somit das individuelle Risiko für osteoporotische Fragilitätsfrakturen erhöhen.Eine Knochendichtemessung mit einem T‑Score −2,5 auf. Eine niedrig-traumatische Fraktur in der Anamnese indiziert eine osteologische Therapie.Neben der Optimierung des Vitamin D‑Spiegels sind sämtliche in Österreich zur Behandlung der Osteoporose zugelassenen antiresorptiv oder anabol wirksamen Medikamente auch bei pneumologischen PatientInnen mit einem erhöhten Knochenbruchrisiko entsprechend der nationalen Erstattungskriterien indiziert.

Spezifisches Atemmuskeltraining (IMT) ist in der Lage, die Funktion der Atemmuskulatur zu verbessern. Anhand der Studienlage und klinischen Praxis haben sich 3 Methoden etabliert: 1.) kontrollierte Stenoseatmung („resisitive load“), 2.) „threshold load“ und 3.) normokapnische Hyperpnoe. Die jeweiligen Methoden und zugehorigen Trainingsgerate weisen spezifische Charakteristika auf. Die Einleitung eines IMT erfordert eine vorausgehende Diagnostik der Atemmuskelfunktion und eine detaillierte individualisierte Trainingseinweisung und -anleitung. Ziel dieser Ubersichtsarbeit ist es, anhand der aktuell verfugbaren Literatur die unterschiedlichen IMT-Methoden bei den wichtigsten Indikationsgebieten zu beleuchten und kritisch zu diskutieren. Bei den neuromuskularen Erkrankungen werden Muskeldystrophien, spinale Muskelatrophien, amyotrophe Lateralsklerose, Phrenicusparese und Verletzungen des Ruckenmarks dargestellt. Zudem werden die Bereiche interstitielle Lungenerkrankungen, Sarkoidose, Linksherzinsuffizienz, pulmonal-arterielle Hypertonie, Kyphoskoliose und Adipositas beleuchtet. Bei den obstruktiven Atemwegs- und Lungenerkrankungen werden COPD, Asthma, Mukoviszidose und „Non-CF-Bronchiektasen“ aufgearbeitet. Abschliesend finden sich Ausarbeitungen fur den Bereich Weaning vom Respirator und im Zusammenhang mit korperlicher Aktivitat.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a complex intervention with growing evidence, effective and without side effects, which led to a wide acceptance in the last years. Its history is young, in the 1960s and 1970s clinicians started to establish a comprehensive program for pulmonary patients. This article is a very subjective and brief description of the history of pulmonary rehabilitation and an attempt to picture the status quo 2015 in Austria.

HINTERGRUND: Ziel unserer Studie war es, den Effekt von einem Jahr ambulanter wohnortnaher Rehabilitation auf funktionelle Parameter sowie auf die Lebensqualitat und Exazerbationsrate bei Patienten mit COPD zu untersuchen. METHODIK: Wir inkludierten 100 Patienten in ein multidisziplinares Rehabilitationsprogramm, welches sowohl Ausdauer-, Kraft- und inspiratorisches Atemmuskeltraining beinhaltet. Wir fuhrten folgende Messungen vor der Rehabilitation sowie nach sechs und 12 Monaten durch: Spiroergometrie, modifizierter Bruce Test, Kraft der Arme und Beine sowie inspiratorische Atemmuskelkraft. Zusatzlich wurde der Saint Georges Respiratory Questionnaire und die Exazerbationstage ein Jahr vor sowie wahrend der Rehabilitation erhoben. ERGEBNISSE: 100 Patienten (42 f/58 m) mit COPD (COPD IV – N = 36, COPD III – N = 42, COPD II – N = 22), einem mittleren Alter von 60,5 ± 9,6 Jahren, einem BMI von 25,8 ± 6,0 begannen ein pneumologisches Rehabilitationsprogramm uber einen Zeitraum von einem Jahr. Die Spiroergometrie (VO2max von 1,1 auf 1,3 l/Min, P < 0.05), der modifizierte Bruce Test (von 13 ± 7 Min auf 18 ± 9 Min; P < 0.001), die Kraft der Arme (von 39,9 ± 3 auf 52,9 ± 8 kg; P < 0.001) und Beine verbesserten sich (von 85,3 ± 45 auf 131,5 ± 57 kg; P < 0.001). Der Maximal inspiratorische Druck stieg von 81,1 auf 108,8 mbar (P < 0.0001). Es kam zu keinen Veranderungen in der FEV1 oder FEV1/FVC, jedoch der Saint Georges Respiratory Questionnaire (Gesamtscore) verbesserte sich von 37,2 ± 3,6 auf 26,5 ± 2,8; P < 0.001. Auch kam es zu einer Reduktion der Exazerbationsraten von 2,8 im Jahr vor der Rehabilitation auf 0,8; P = 0.006) sowie der Hospitalisationstage (von 27,3 auf 3,3, P < 0.001). FOLGERUNGEN: Ein Jahr ambulanter pneumologischer Rehabilitation fuhrt zu einer deutlichen Verbesserung der korperlichen Leistungsfahigkeit und der gesundheitsbezogenen Lebensqualitat, weiters konnen die Anzahl der Exazerbationen sowie die Hospitalisationstage reduziert werden.

Objectives: There is still little information about the cardiorespiratory effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in patients undergoing all-day physical activity. This study aimed to assess the effects of CRT on ventilatory perfusion coupling during submaximal exercise. Methods: Metabolic and hemodynamic parameters were obtained during treadmill exercise testing as well as during rest for each single-right (RV), -left (LV) and biventricular (BiV) pacing mode as well as during intrinsic conduction (VVI 30) in 37 patients. Only responders to CRT (>10% increase in cardiac output (CO) during BiV pacing; n = 27) were included into the evaluation. Results: LV and BiV pacing increased systolic (144 ± 25 and 142 ± 28 vs. 118 ± 29 mm Hg, p < 0.05) and mean blood pressure (108 ± 19 and 109 ± 19 vs. 94 ± 25 mm Hg, p < 0.05) as well as CO (7.0 ± 0.6 and 7.2 ± 0.8 vs. 6.0 ± 0.6 l/min, p < 0.05 and p < 0.01) during exercise as compared to VVI 30. Simultaneously, LV and BiV pacing decreased dead space ventilation (18 ± 3 and 17 ± 3 vs. 20 ± 4, p < 0.01) and the ventilatory equivalent for oxygen (31 ± 4 and 31 ± 5 vs. 36 ± 6; p < 0.05) compared to intrinsic conduction. Conclusion: The improvement in ventilatory efficacy during CRT, which is demonstrated by the decrease in the ventilatory equivalent for oxygen, results from an increase in CO and thus from a reduction in the ventilatory perfusion mismatch.

The Frequent Image Frames Enhanced Digital Orthorectified Mapping (FIFEDOM) camera was designed to provide a cost-effective remote-sensing method for accurate acquisition of forest information, such as spatial distributions of individual tree species and tree structures for forest monitoring and management. Compared with existing regular digital cameras, the FIFEDOM camera has several unique features as follows: (1) it can collect data not only in the visible bands (550 and 670 nm) but also in the near-infrared band (800 nm); (2) it has a frame rate of up to 3 frames/s with a frame size of 3500 times 2300; and (3) it has a wide angular field view with 150deg along track and 78.8deg across track. Its high frame rate and wide angular field view allow it to obtain a sequence of images that oversample ground target areas. The multiangle database and bidirectional reflectance signatures of forest canopies can be generated from the oversampled image data, which can be used to identify forest species and estimate tree structures. In addition, the multiframe highly overlapped FIFEDOM data can also be used to generate a very dense, high-quality, and reliable digital surface model. Effective methods for radiometric and geometric calibration of the FIFEDOM camera were developed in this paper. A data-acquisition campaign was carried out in 2004 over the Algoma boreal forest, Ontario, Canada. The FIFEDOM data were validated using the data acquired by the Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager instrument, which was flown together with the FIFEDOM camera.

Adjustable maintenance dosing with either budesonide/formoterol or budesonide was compared in asthma patients. This double-blind trial randomized 133 patients (mean forced expiratory volume in 1s 66% predicted) to receive 2 inhalations twice daily of budesonide/formoterol 160/4.5 microg (640/18 microg/day) or budesonide 320 microg (1280 microg/day) for 4 weeks. The study drug was adjusted in both groups according to symptoms to 2-4 inhalations daily during Weeks 5-8 and 1-4 inhalations daily during Weeks 9-20. Asthma was well controlled in both groups, with minimal levels of treatment failure (5 budesonide/formoterol vs. 2 budesonide patients; P=NS) and minimal use of reliever therapy. Clinically important improvements in health-related quality of life (HRQL) occurred in the physical functioning and emotional role functioning domains (both P

To deal with the extremely high data rate and huge data volume generated on‐board a hyperspectral satellite, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has developed two fast on‐board data compression techniques for hyperspectral imagery. The CSA is planning to place a data compressor on‐board a proposed Canadian hyperspectral satellite using these techniques to reduce the requirement for on‐board storage and provide a better match to available downlink capacity. Since the compression techniques are lossy, it is essential to assess the usability of the compressed data and the impact on remote sensing applications. In this paper, 11 hyperspectral data users covering a wide range of application areas and a variety of hyperspectral sensors assessed the usability of the compressed data using their well understood datasets and predefined evaluation criteria. Double blind testing was adopted to eliminate bias in the evaluation. Four users had ground truth available. They qualitatively and quantitatively compared the produ...

Analysis of shape began to emerge as a useful method in medical image computing with the potential to improve the accuracy of medical diagnosis as well as the understanding of processes behind growth and disease. Our work aims at investigating the suitability of the medial representation method (m-reps) to model and analyze shape and shape differences between healthy and diseased hearts. For this experimental study we used MRI short axis scans of 16 male subjects, 11 healthy volunteers (age: 50 ± 10) and 5 patients (age: 57 ± 11) with dilatative cardiomyopathy (CMP, EF: 22 ± 10%). Controlled semi-automated segmentation using the level set method provided labels, which were used for the modeling process. To evaluate the model to image quality the similarity index (SI) was calculated. The SI for the left ventricle was 0.93, and for the right ventricle SI = 0.9. Applying extended Principal Component Analysis (PCA) on all 16 subjects revealed the distribution of the individual shapes, showing discrimination between healthy and diseased ventricles. The first two main components of the PCA, mainly responsible for discrimination, cover more than 40% of the whole shape space. Applying the medial based approach and using shape statistics using component analysis for the left and right ventricle is feasible. This preliminary work promises to discriminate at least globally based on shape differences between healthy and diseased hearts. The resulting question however is, if this approach is good enough to detect early structural changes leading to diseased hearts.

Acute myocarditis may result in severe hemodynamic compromise with fatal outcome. Furthermore, recent studies suggest myocarditis as a major cause of sudden unexpected death. A variety of cardiotropic viral, rickettsial, and bacterial infectious agents have been identified to date. Parvovirus B19 (PVB19) is usually benign in childhood, but it may also cause death due to myocarditis. We present here the case of an adult female who presented with fatigue, dyspnea on exertion, and orthostatic dizziness 8 months after successful liver transplantation. Cardiologic work-up, including left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy, revealed acute myocarditis secondary to PVB19. Since no specific therapy for this virus is available, the patient was treated symptomatically with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor plus beta-blocker and diuretics. After a period of stabilization, new-onset rapid atrial fibrillation caused acute low-output syndrome within 14 days after hospital admission. The patient eventually died because of refractory cardiogenic shock. In conclusion, to our knowledge this is the first report of PVB19-induced myocarditis confirmed by detection of viral genome in myocardium in a liver transplant recipient.

death plays a pathogenic role in a rat model of heart failure. Int J Cardiol 2009;134:82–90. [6] Matsui Y, Takagi H, Qu X, et al. Distinct roles of autophagy in the heart during ischemia and reperfusion: roles of AMP-activated protein kinase and Beclin 1 in mediating autophagy. Circ Res 2007;100:914–22. [7] Asanuma K, Tanida I, Shirato I, et al. MAP-LC3, a promising autophagosomal marker, is processed during the differentiation and recovery of podocytes from PAN nephrosis. FASEB J 2003;17:1165–7. [8] Shewan LG, Coats AJ. Ethics in the authorship and publishing of scientific articles. Int J Cardiol 2010;144:1–2.

This paper evaluates lossy vector quantization-based hyperspectral data compression algorithms, using red-edge indices as end-products. Three compact airborne spectrographic imager (CASI) data sets and one airborne visible/infrared imaging spectrometer (AVIRIS) data set from vegetated areas were tested. A basic compression system for hyperspectral data called the "reference" system, and three-speed improved compression systems called systems 1, 2, and 3, respectively, were examined. Five red-edge products representing the near infrared (NIR) reflectance shoulder (Vog 1), the NIR reflectance maximum (Red rs), the difference between the reflectance maximum and the minimum (Red rd), the wavelength of the reflectance maximum (Red lo), and the wavelength of the point of inflection of the NIR vegetation reflectance curve (Red lp) were retrieved from each original data set and from their decompressed data sets. The experiments show that the reference system induces the smallest product errors of the four compression systems. System 1 and 2 perform fairly closely to the reference system. They are the recommended compression systems since they compress a data set hundreds of times faster than the reference system. System 3 performs similarly to the reference system at high compression ratios. Product errors increase with the increase of compression ratio. The overall product errors are dominated by Vog 1, Red rs, and Red rd, since the amplitude of product error for these products is over one order of magnitude greater than those for the Red-lo and Red lp products. The difference between the overall error from the reference and that from system 1 or 2 is below 0.5% at all compression ratios. The overall product error induced by system 1 or 2 is below 3.0% and 2.0% for CASI and AVIRIS data sets, respectively, when the compression ratio is 100 and below. Spatial patterns of the product errors were examined for tha AVRIS data set. For all products, the errors are uniformly distributed in vegetated areas. Errors are relatively high in nonvegeted and mixed-pixel areas.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the factors that may contribute to the sensitization to flour in baker's apprentices, and to predict this type of sensitization with a stepwise logistic regression model. Of the total of 258 baker's apprentices, 54 (20.9%) exhibited specific IgE development against flour allergens (wheat, rye, and/or barley). Allergologic variables, such as the total IgE level and IgE specific to grass pollen, tree pollen, weed pollen, molds, and animal dander, were found to correlate strongly with the sensitization to flour. However, the correlation between the presence of other manifest allergies and the sensitization to flour was weak. The presence of shadowing of the paranasal sinuses on the radiograph (mucosal thickening, opacity, air/fluid levels, and/or polypous shadowing) correlated with flour sensitization as well as with the leukocyte and lymphocyte counts in peripheral blood. Of the lung function data, only total lung capacity (in percentage of the predicted values) weakly correlated with the sensitization to flour. We were able to predict flour sensitization with a sensitivity of 63%, a specificity of 90%, and an efficiency of 84% by using the parameters that allow for the presence or absence of IgE specific to grass pollen and tree pollen, the presence or absence of radiographic shadowing, and total lung capacity in percentage of the predicted values.

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed on 70 RA patients, 28 without extra-articular manifestations, nine with pulmonary involvement, 13 with sicca-syndrome, 20 with other extra-articular manifestations such as renal involvement, cutaneous vasculitis and rheumatoid nodules. Fifteen patients without rheumatic or pulmonary disease served as the control group. Compared with the control group RA patients showed a statistically significant increase of lymphocytes, especially of activated (DR+)T(CD3+)-helper (CD4+) cells, resulting in a significantly diminished percentage of alveolar macrophages, B(CD21+)-lymphocytes, T-suppressor (CD8+) cells and an increased CD4/CD8 ratio. This cell distribution pattern was more pronounced in RA patients with lung involvement with significant differences to the other RA patients with regard to lymphocytes, DR positive cells and CD4 positive/DR positive cells. It is concluded that these results indicate an altered balance of immunocompetent cells not only in the joints but also in the lung. The changes are more distinct if local manifestations can be diagnosed clinically.

We investigated the incidence of allergic sensitization and the risk factors underlying sensitization in 214 urban children exposed to horse chestnut pollen. By means of the Phadezym RAST, we found IgE specific to horse chestnut pollen in 12.6% of the urban children, whereas it occurred in only 1.9% of control subjects recruited from a rural area. Reports of allergic symptoms in spring during the horse chestnut pollen load coincided with the presence of specific IgE in 5.1% of the urban group as against 1.4% of the recruited from the rural area. Environmental factors other than those related to urban living and higher horse chestnut pollen counts had no significant impact on allergic sensitization. Increased total IgE levels (greater than 100 kU/l), however, and the sensitization to pollen of other species significantly raised the odds for sensitization to chestnut pollen. They were highest in highly atopic children with sensitization to pollen, especially to that of plane trees (OR = 73.9). These results suggest the relevance of horse chestnut pollen because of the high allergic sensitization rate among urban children, and they should also be borne in mind when it comes to the planting of trees in urban areas.

Sensitization to mould spores was investigated in six patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis, eight patients with idiopathic lung fibrosis, and six healthy controls by immunodiffusion and immunofluorescent testing of personal spore samples. The new technique of personal spore sampling with the Burkard personal volumetric air sampler and indirect immunofluorescent test for detection of spore-specific IgG and IgM confirmed that five patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis and four with lung fibrosis were actually exposed and sensitized to moulds. Personal spore sampling and subsequent immunofluorescent tests represent sensitive tools for detection of individual mould sensitization and air quality control.

The simulation of powder compaction for Nd–Fe–B, Sm–Co, and barium ferrite shows the influence of different static field strengths and different mold filling on particle misalignment. The final magnetization differs up to 20%. The processing determines the pressure activated processes in which the particle overcomes a volume barrier, characterized by elastic energy fluctuations. Isostatic compaction shows less pressure activated processes as compared to uniaxial mold pressing. However, an improved magnetization of about 10% owing to isostatic pressing was observed only for spherical particles. The pressure activated processes determine particle density defects such as cracks and pores, misalignment of c axes at the punch side, at corners and at particle density defects, and internal stress areas with cold plastic flow.

The risk factors for sensitization to pets was investigated in 169 male pupils. A recent or former contact with cats, dogs, and guinea pigs in own home was reported in 52 (30.8%), 42 (24.9%), and 20 (11.8%) study subjects, respectively. Clinically manifested allergy was found in two probands to cats and in two others to guinea pigs, three of them had formerly had pets and one proband with allergic rhinitis to cats had never had any pet. Sensitization to animals and aeroallergens was investigated with Phadezym-RAST. Only owners of cats had a higher incidence of cat sensitization than probands without direct contact (26.9% versus 10.3%, P less than 0.01). No statistically significant difference in sensitization to dogs and guinea pigs was found in groups with and without these pets. A strong correlation existed between sensitization to pets and other aeroallergens (house dust mite: P less than 0.025, birch pollen: P less than 0.0001, mugwort: P less than 0.0001, and grass pollens: P less than 0.0001). No association was found between sensitization to pets and smoking history, bronchial hyperreactivity to methacholine or radiological findings of the paranasal sinus.

The energy demand during physical exercise causes an increased oxygen uptake and supply to active tissues, which may increase the rate of free oxygen radical production and thereby affect the capacity of endogenous cellular defense systems. This could result in DNA base modifications, among which 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8OHdG) is one of the most important and has widely been used as a biomarker of in vivo oxidative lesions. Therefore, we examined the effect of regular running exercise on the urinary levels of 8OHdG in 32 long-distance runners and in a group of untrained healthy subjects. The range of 8OHdG in urine was 0.12-6.45 mumol/mol creatinine in both groups, and no significant difference in the mean excretion levels between runners and control probands was observed. This gives no reason to believe that physical exercise in trained individuals may induce a disturbance of the oxidant-to-antioxidant balance.

The impact of autonomic neuropathy (common in patients on haemodialysis) on ventilatory response to hypercapnia has been studied. We investigated cardiac reflex tests in 20 patients on chronic haemodialysis (8 patients were found with and 12 without neuropathy of the autonomic nervous system). Using the hyperoxic CO2-rebreathing method (according to Read), we tested the above-mentioned two groups of patients and compared them with 14 healthy control subjects. Accumulation of CO2 in blood with hyperoxic CO2 rebreathing stimulates central chemoreceptors, and therefore causes a progressive rise in minute ventilation. In patients with autonomic neuropathy (n = 8), ventilatory response to increasing pCO2 was significantly lower than that in the controls (1.7 +/- 0.3 versus 3.2 +/- 0.5 l/min/mmHg, P0.001). On the other hand ventilatory response in patients without autonomic damage (n = 12) showed no significant difference when compared to controls (3.1 +/- 0.8 l/min/mmHg). There were no differences in lung function, arterial blood gas analysis, blood chemistry, duration on dialysis, and demographic data when comparing the patients with and those without autonomic damage. Our analysis shows different patterns of ventilatory response to increasing pCO2 in patients on haemodialysis. Autonomic neuropathy has to be considered when rebreathing tests are interpreted. The clinical relevance of these findings needs further investigation.

In order to investigate pulmonary gas exchange and cardiopulmonary performance in Type 1 diabetes, 36 patients underwent a progressive incremental exercise test on a cycle ergometer. Cardiopulmonary variables were measured, and arterial blood gases determined on samples obtained from an indwelling catheter in the radial artery. The results were compared with those from 40 control subjects. In the patients, the maximum power (Wmax) and maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) were lower than in the control subjects (Wmax 186 +/- 52 (+/- SD) vs 233 +/- 48 W, p less than 0.05; VO2max 2.56 +/- 0.71 vs 3.17 + 0.77 l min-1, p less than 0.05). At comparable levels of power output, however, no significant abnormality was observed in the difference between alveolar and arterial oxygen pressure (P(A-a)O2), and the ratio of physiological dead space to tidal volume (VD/VT ratio). These data indicate that in Type 1 diabetic patients, despite their reduced maximum oxygen uptake, gas transfer during exercise is not limited and thus does not contribute to the impairment of exercise capacity.

The aim of our study was to examine the effect of posture on inspiratory muscle activity response to hypercapnia. Recent research has revealed that in normal subjects the activation of the rib cage muscles and of the diaphragm is actually greater in the upright than in the supine position during resting tidal breathing. In this study we examined whether the upright position necessarily entails a greater activation of the inspiratory muscles also under conditions of ventilatory stress. For this purpose we compared the responses to CO2-rebreathing in the supine and sitting positions in five volunteers, by simultaneously recording the electromyogram of the diaphragm (EMGdi) and the intercostal muscles (EMGint). The electromyogram was recorded by means of surface electrodes to measure the EMG amplitude. While the slopes of ventilatory (VE) response to increasing arterial CO2 tension (PaCO2) were similar in the two positions, both the EMGdi-VE and EMGint-VE relationship showed steeper slopes in the supine than in the sitting position. In each CO2 run the increases in EMGdi were linearly related to those in EMGint. This relationship was not affected by the body position. These results suggested that, in spite of similar ventilatory responses to CO2-rebreathing in the lying and sitting positions, the supine position, in humans, required a higher activation of the inspiratory muscles.

We investigated the influence of grass and birch pollen load on specific IgE response, skin prick test reactivity, and manifest allergic disorders of the eyes and respiratory tract. The study population was two groups of 200 children each, matched in sex and age, who were domiciled in areas with high and low pollen load, respectively. In the children from the area with high pollen load, the grass pollen load was 1.7 times higher than in the other and only specific IgE to grass pollen was found to be present more frequently (23.5% as against 12.5%; P less than 0.01). In the same area, the birch pollen load was 2.8 times higher, which caused specific IgE in 10.5% as against 3.5% of the other group (P less than 0.01) as well as positive skin prick test in 9.0% as against 3.5% (P less than 0.05). Reports of subjective complaints were rare among the group with high pollen load but the total number did not amount to a statistically significant increase. There was no difference between the two groups concerning sensitization and allergy to house dust mite. This suggests that the influence of the pollen load is strongest on the development of specific IgE, and less on skin test reactivity and manifest allergies.

Respiratory allergies and subclinical sensitization to aeroallergens were investigated in 129 rural and in 222 urban probands. The incidence of respiratory allergies was not significantly higher in the urban residents. Sensitization to aeroallergens was investigated with Phadezym RAST (house dust mite, Cladosporium, orchard grass, birch pollens) and the Phadiatop multi RAST and found to be significantly more frequent in polluted than in unpolluted areas. Allergen-specific IgE was detected n 37.8% of urban probands and in 25.6% of rural probands with Phadezym RAST (P less than 0.025) and a positive Phadiatop multi RAST was found in 43.7% versus 32.6 (P less than 0.05).

In a prospective study the occurrence of rye-specific IgG4 was investigated. We compared 17 bakers with clinical symptoms of bakers’ asthma and a more than 100% increase in specific airway resistance following rye dust provocation to 16 bakers who showed neither symptoms of asthma nor an increase in specific airway resistance following rye dust provocation. In the group of patients with allergic type I responses, specific IgG4 was found in 15 cases by an indirect immunofluorescent test on rye grains. In none of the asymptomatic bakers was rye-specific IgG4 detected. In 15 symptomatic subjects rye-specific IgE alone or together with rye-specific IgG4 was found. In 2 cases only rye-specific IgG4 – the so-called short-term sensitizing antibody – was demonstrated to explain the allergic bronchial response.

An airborne remote sensor named GASPILS (gas pipeline leak sensor) has been developed and tested to detect leaks from natural gas pipelines by monitoring the amount of methane in the atmosphere above the leak. The sensor is a passive electro‐optical system, with two independent channels, operating in a downward‐looking profiling mode. It is designed to detect increases in the low levels of methane concentration by sensing the infrared spectral radiance signatures using a nondispersive gas filter correlation technique. This technique involves the use of a gas cell as a matched spectral filter, and it combines a high degree of sensitivity to the target gas with a high degree of specificity.