China
Africa
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Breathomics and its Application for Disease Diagnosis: A Review of Analytical Techniques and Approaches
Published in Raquel Cumeras, Xavier Correig, Volatile organic compound analysis in biomedical diagnosis applications, 2018
David J. Beale, Oliver A. H. Jones, Avinash V. Karpe, Ding Y. Oh, Iain R. White, Konstantinos A. Kouremenos, Enzo A. Palombo
Asthma is a widespread disease with estimates suggesting as many as 334 million people are affected globally. Asthma causes significant socioeconomic impacts with growing direct health-related costs of treating and managing affected people and indirect costs relating to lost productivity (absence from school and work) (Soriano et al., 2017). Current approaches used to diagnose and monitor asthma include a physical examination and a range of lung function tests, allergy testing, exhaled nitric oxide (ENO) tests, imaging, sputum eosinophils [count of white blood cells in sputum (saliva and mucus)], and provocative testing (exercise and cold-induced asthma). The time for diagnosis can be rather drawn out and, as such, metabolomics provides a unique opportunity where molecular determinants can be used to rapidly diagnose asthma and other respiratory illnesses (Dahlin et al., 2015; Luxon, 2014). To date, medical metabolomics studies have been limited in size and scope, with a large proportion of research focused on quantifying the small biochemicals in plasma and tissue samples in order to identify biomarkers that may serve as therapeutic targets (Comhair et al., 2015). In more recent times, the focus for metabolomics-based research has been on using breath samples, amongst other non-invasive sample matrices, to diagnose asthma from other respiratory illnesses amongst children (Adamko et al., 2012).
Multidisciplinary efforts in combating nonadherence to medication and health care interventions: Opportunities and challenges for operations researchers
Published in IISE Transactions on Healthcare Systems Engineering, 2021
Aditya M. Prakash, Carlos Vega, Vakaramoko Diaby, Xiang Zhong
Therapy-related interventions incorporate solutions using new technology to monitor adherence behaviors. For example, to manage patients with respiratory diseases, smart inhalers or inhaler add-ons, and other devices to monitor patients’ physiological parameters are on the rise. Some of the examples include Bluetooth devices that measure peak flow, fractional exhaled nitric oxide, physical activity, and ambient pollution (Blakey et al., 2018). These technology innovations enabled telemedicine, which employs remote monitoring, internet-of-things (IoT), and wearable sensors, and offers the means to intervene patients. In the early stages of adoption, telemedicine faces a lot of legal challenges (Ambrosino et al., 2016). Presently, the cost-effectiveness of telemedicine has not reached a consensus among researchers (Stoddart et al., 2015), although it was reported as effective in improving health outcomes in some studies (Cruz et al., 2014). Due to COVID-19, telemedicine services have been sagging under the weight of an unprecedented surge in patients as hospitals scramble to shift routine care online in response to the pandemic. Rapidly expanding the use of telemedicine may be a challenge for providers, especially those who do not already have telemedicine programs. The crisis is stressing major telemedicine providers’ technical infrastructure and the supply of physicians and pharmacists prepared to provide online services, and demanding training on best practices, and education of patients about telemedicine (Hollander & Carr, 2020).
Effects of plant features on symptoms and airway inflammation in compost workers followed over 18 months
Published in Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health, 2020
Valérie Demange, Coralie Barrera, Audrey Laboissière, Philippe Duquenne, Xavier Simon, Laurence Millon, Gabriel Reboux, Michel Grzebyk
Irritation symptoms of the respiratory tract,8–10 eyes,8,9,11 digestive tract,9 and skin8,9 have been reported in compost workers (CWs). In a 5-year study8 and then a 13-year follow-up,3 a higher risk of chronic cough and phlegm was observed in CWs compared to nonexposed workers from the same cohort. While no statistically significant difference in the longitudinal decline of lung function was observed among the CWs and nonexposed controls from the same cohort, a FEV1/FVC ratio cross-shift decrease was observed in a recent cross-sectional study of CWs.12 Several studies have reported increases in inflammatory markers measured in different biological liquids among these workers.13–17 The level of a surrogate for airway eosinophilic inflammation,18 the fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), has been found to be positively associated with employment duration.15 In some cross-sectional studies,19,20 higher levels of IgG have been observed in CWs compared to nonexposed workers, while no significant changes in levels of IgG were observed in a study with a 13-year follow-up.3 Two recent literature reviews on health effects of bioaerosols concluded that there was no evidence for a dose–response relationship between exposure and health effects in general population21 or in CWs.1 However, studies have shown that exposure to bioaerosols is greater in indoor plants than in outdoor plants.22,23
Asthma, body mass and aerobic fitness, the relationship in adolescents: The exercise for asthma with commando Joe’s® (X4ACJ) trial
Published in Journal of Sports Sciences, 2020
Charles O.N. Winn, Kelly A. Mackintosh, William T.B. Eddolls, Gareth Stratton, Andrew M. Wilson, Gwyneth A. Davies, Melitta A. McNarry
Participants with asthma were asked to perform a Fraction Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) test, a marker of airway inflammation in asthma, prior to spirometric testing. The FeNO test was performed in a seated position and in accordance with the American Thoracic Society guidelines (Dweik et al., 2011). Participants were asked to exhale away from the device (NIOX MINO, Aerocrine AB, Solna, Sweden) and then inhale to total lung capacity through the device before immediately exhaling for 10 seconds at 50 ± 5 ml·sec−1. Visual and audio cues were provided by the computer software throughout. One test was completed and the final three seconds of exhalation were evaluated.