China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Integrative Allergy and Asthma for Traditional Practice
Published in Pudupakkam K Vedanthan, Harold S Nelson, Shripad N Agashe, PA Mahesh, Rohit Katial, Textbook of Allergy for the Clinician, 2021
William S Silvers, Heidi Bailey
Indoor air may be improved by using clean burning fuels. There are several studies that link an increased incidence of asthma and breathing symptoms with indoor cooking utilizing combustible biomass fuels (Aggarwal et al. 2006, Po et al. 2011, Barry et al. 2010, Mishra 2003). Smoke is an irritant and smoking, in any form, should be avoided for both prevention and treatment of asthma (Aggarwal et al. 2006, Diette et al. 2008, Clapp and Jaspers 2017). High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters may also useful for removing indoor air pollutants. There is some controversy on their effectiveness on impacting allergy and asthma symptoms (Reisman 2001, Sublett 2011, Warburton et al. 1994, Sulser et al. 2009, Wood et al. 1998). The cleaning of indoor surfaces with a dilute bleach solution can decrease mold and bacteria, denature allergenic proteins in dust, and was associated with improved quality of life scores in children with asthma (Barnes et al. 2008). The humidity of indoor environments would ideally be maintained at less than 50% (Evans 1992, German and Harper 2002).
Prevention of Microbial Contamination during Manufacturing
Published in Philip A. Geis, Cosmetic Microbiology, 2020
Some HVAC systems will use 100% makeup or fresh air from outside of the facility. However, many facility HVAC systems will use either re-circulated air or will add a portion of fresh air to the re-circulated air. In either case, it is important that the air intake ducts be located far away from the facility exhaust air ducts or loading dock in which either facility exhaust air or truck fumes can be drawn into the air supply. For those facilities that have a Quality Control Analytical Laboratory, it is also important for those air exhaust ducts to be located away from the air intake ducts to prevent chemical vapors from re-entering the facility. If the air is being re-circulated, and depending on the airborne contamination, a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter may need to be installed in the air stream for the removal of contaminants. These HEPA filters should have an EN1822 classification of H13 (3).
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection
Published in Botros Rizk, Ashok Agarwal, Edmund S. Sabanegh, Male Infertility in Reproductive Medicine, 2019
Emad Fakhry, Medhat Amer, Botros Rizk
Laboratory quality measures: Air quality, light, and temperature in the IVF laboratory can affect embryo development. Air quality, for example, is important as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate materials are detrimental for the embryo. Highly filtered air flushed through high-efficiency particle air (HEPA) filters under positive pressure can significantly minimize those harmful factors [62,63].
Childhood asthma and household exposures to nitrogen dioxide and fine particles: a triple-crossover randomized intervention trial
Published in Journal of Asthma, 2023
Janneane F. Gent, Theodore R. Holford, Michael B. Bracken, Julie M. Plano, Lisa A. McKay, Keli M. Sorrentino, Petros Koutrakis, Brian P. Leaderer
Along with NO2, household exposure to fine particles is another important trigger for asthma exacerbation and has been examined in intervention studies enrolling urban asthmatic children with socioeconomic characteristics similar to our study subjects (20,21,23). Although funding constraints precluded inclusion of particle measurements in our study, previous studies demonstrate that air cleaners with HEPA filters are effective at significantly reducing levels of fine particles (20,21,23). All three trials reported significant health benefits: fewer clinic visits in the HEPA air cleaner group (23); reduction in daytime symptoms (21); and a 1.36 day increase in symptom-free days in a 14-day period for the HEPA intervention compared to control (20). We observed a similar result. In the analysis controlling for NO2 concentration (Table 6), during the final 14 days of treatment there was a statistically non-significant 1.8 day reduction in symptom-days in particle-reduction compared to control treatment.
Resumption of pulmonary function testing during the COVID-19 pandemic
Published in Canadian Journal of Respiratory, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, 2022
Sanja Stanojevic, François Beaucage, Vikram Comondore, Marie Faughnan, Tom Kovesi, Carolyn McCoy, Colm McParland, David Pawluski, Farzad Refahi, Jeremy Road, Micah Kooperberg
Maintaining adequate ventilation is an effective way to reduce aerosol transmission of SARS- CoV-2.9–12 The use of HEPA filters may further reduce the risk of viral transmission. This precaution is especially relevant when PFTs are conducted in the primary care setting or independent laboratory settings, when AER are not known or when adequate ventilation cannot be assured. Where possible, laboratory staff should consult with building engineers and local infection prevention and control to determine appropriate protocols and policies to ensure adequate ventilation. AER should be re-checked whenever there are significant changes to ventilation systems. These measures are not only relevant to reduce transmission of SARS- CoV-2 but may also help to reduce the transmission of other pathogens.9
Adapting a secondary hospital into a makeshift COVID-19 hospital: A strategic roadmap to the impending crisis
Published in International Journal of Healthcare Management, 2020
Brayal D’souza, Avinash Shetty, Nikita Apuri, Joaquim Paulo Moreira
Personal protective equipment and sufficient resting time is the need of the hour [17]. Front-line health-care workers were at increased risk for reporting a positive COVID-19 test adequacy of PPE, clinical setting, and ethnic background are important factors that should be considered [18]. China’s National Health Commission identified that more than 3300 health-care workers were infected until March while local media had already reported 22 deaths by the end of February. Italy revealed that 20% of health workers were infected with COVID-19, and 14% in Spain; in China more than 3,300 were infected as of early March 2019 [19]. Several medical professionals have stated physical exertion and mental trauma at the complex decisions of triaging, deaths, and the pain of seeing colleagues get infected while catering to patients. This needs an urgent response in terms of protection for health-care workers [20]. Another area of concern is aerosol-generating procedures which lead to droplet transmission and pose a greater risk to caregivers. Hence guidelines recommend avoidance of Bag valve mask, BiPAP or CPAP and that patient needing support should be directly connected to a ventilator irrespective of the time available to the treating Anesthesiologists [19]. One measure is to increase the ventilation rates to as high as the system can withstand. This will ensure that the infected air is quickly removed out of the system minimizing the exposure to healthcare personnel working in COVID zones; Instead, identifying a makeshift hospital and use of HEPA filters at exit level will greatly reduce risks [20].