Search results for " Air"

Cardiovascular effects of occupational exposure to urban airborne pollution on a group of newsagents in the city of Palermo

2014

Aims: To verify the possible correlation between exposure to airborne particulate matter the average size less than 10 μm (PM 10) of a group of newsagents working in kiosks in Palermo and evidence of carotid intimal thickening. Materials and methods: data were collected relating to environmental monitoring of airborne pollutants. We have selected a sample of newsagents, who were submitted to some clinical investigations, including the carotid echo-color doppler examination. Results: The results show no correlation between the location of the kiosks, and the presence of intimal thickening. Conclusion: Exposition to urban pollutants in Palermo is likely homogenous in the different areas and c…

Neck and Shoulder Muscle Activation Among Experienced and Inexperienced Pilots in +Gz Exposure

2017

Background The aim of the present study was to compare differences in electromyography (EMG) activation of the neck and shoulder muscles between groups of inexperienced and experienced pilots during controlled +Gz exposure in a centrifuge. Methods The subjects were volunteer cadets (inexperienced group) and lieutenants (experienced group) undergoing their first centrifuge training. The first group did not have any high performance aircraft (HPA) experience, while the latter one had a 1-yr experience of intense flying of HPA. During the centrifuge run, EMG activity was recorded from the left and right shoulder, neck flexor, and neck extensor muscles. Results The pilots without HPA experience…

Probing the radio emission from air showers with polarization measurements

2014

The emission of radio waves from air showers has been attributed to the so-called geomagnetic emission process. At frequencies around 50 MHz this process leads to coherent radiation which can be observed with rather simple setups. The direction of the electric field induced by this emission process depends only on the local magnetic field vector and on the incoming direction of the air shower. We report on measurements of the electric field vector where, in addition to this geomagnetic component, another component has been observed which cannot be described by the geomagnetic emission process. The data provide strong evidence that the other electric field component is polarized radially wit…

Italian Association of Sleep Medicine (AIMS) position statement and guideline on the treatment of menopausal sleep disorders

2019

Insomnia, vasomotor symptoms (VMS) and depression often co-occur after the menopause, with consequent health problems and reductions in quality of life. The aim of this position statement is to provide evidence-based advice on the management of postmenopausal sleep disorders derived from a systematic review of the literature. The latter yielded results on VMS, insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and restless leg syndrome (RLS). Overall, the studies show that menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) improves VMS, insomnia, and mood. Several antidepressants can improve insomnia, either on their own or in association with MHT; these include selective serotonin reuptake …

Impact of an oral appliance on obstructive sleep apnea severity, quality of life, and biomarkers

2017

OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS To investigate outcomes including efficacy, quality of life, and levels of inflammatory markers of a mandibular advancement device (MAD) for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). STUDY DESIGN Case-control study. METHODS Patients with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 15/hr who only accepted MAD therapy (study group) or who refused any treatment (control group) were recruited. At baseline and at 6 months, polysomnography, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire (FOSQ), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 1β, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were assessed in both groups. RESULTS At baseline, the study group (n …

Exposure of heat-not-burn tobacco effect on the quality of air and expiratory plume

2021

Abstract The increasing interest to avoid the consumption of regular tobacco has lead in the development of several types of devices to decrease the effects of this practice on active and bystanders. In this work, the impact of the use of new heat-not-burn (HnB) devices has been evaluated and compared with that of regular cigarettes and electronic cigarettes (e-cigs). Portable monitoring devices were employed for CO, CO2, particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to evaluate the quality of indoor air and expiratory plume of both, active and passive, users during these practices. It can be noticed that the levels of VOCs in active HnB smokers expiratory air are five times…

Position paper on the management of patients with obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension: joint recommendations by the European Society of Hyperten…

2012

This article is aimed at addressing the current state of the art in epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic procedures and treatment options for appropriate management of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in cardiovascular (particularly hypertensive) patients, as well as for the management of cardiovascular diseases (particularly arterial hypertension) in OSA patients. The present document is the result of the work done by a panel of experts participating in the European Union COST (COoperation in Scientific and Technological research) ACTION B26 on OSA, with the endorsement of the European Respiratory Society (ERS) and the European Society of Hypertension (ESH). These recommendations are par…

Mean Interplanetary Magnetic Field Measurement Using the ARGO-YBJ Experiment

2011

The sun blocks cosmic ray particles from outside the solar system, forming a detectable shadow in the sky map of cosmic rays detected by the ARGO-YBJ experiment in Tibet. Because the cosmic ray particles are positive charged, the magnetic field between the sun and the earth deflects them from straight trajectories and results in a shift of the shadow from the true location of the sun. Here we show that the shift measures the intensity of the field which is transported by the solar wind from the sun to the earth.

A “Case Study” for the Estimation of Daily Solar Radiation from Measured Air Temperature Extremes in the Mid-Mediterranean Area

2012

Selection of sampling adsorbents and optimisation and validation of a GC-MS/MS method for airborne pesticides

2017

ABSTRACTA methodology for the sampling and determination of airborne pesticides has been developed. The trapping efficiency of three adsorbents, namely XAD-2,XAD-4 and a sandwich sorbent (PUF-XAD2-PUF), was tested for 34 pesticides and the latter was selected because it presented the highest retention capacity without breakthrough. Pesticides were determined by gas chromatography coupled to an ion trap mass spectrometer in tandem. The method showed recoveries ranging from 70% to 120% with limits of quantification in the range of 16.1–322.6 pg m−3 when 155 m3 were sampled. This analytical strategy was applied to 10 indoor air samples collected in dwellings from the Valencian Region. Six pest…