The Experts below are selected from a list of 291 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Dennis Shusterman - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Occupational Irritant and Allergic Rhinitis
Current Allergy and Asthma Reports, 2014Co-Authors: Dennis ShustermanAbstract:The upper airway (extending from the nares to larynx) fulfills essential physiologic functions, including sensation, air conditioning, filtration, and communication. As the portal of entry for the respiratory tract, the upper airway’s sentinel function is performed by the olfactory and trigeminal nerves. Sensory (eye, nose and Throat) Irritation figures prominently in symptom reporting in so-called "problem buildings," as well as in industrial exposures to irritant gases, vapors, and smokes. Both irritants and allergens can alter function in the upper airway, leading to loss of air conditioning and filtering due to airflow obstruction and hypersecretion. Increasing evidence points to a “unified airway” model of pathogenesis (in which rhinitis may precede the development of asthma). The spectrum of occupational irritant- and allergen-related upper airway health effects—including sensory Irritation, olfactory dysfunction, rhinitis, sinusitis, nasal septal perforation, and sinonasal cancer—is reviewed in this article.
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Differences in nasal irritant sensitivity by age, gender, and allergic rhinitis status
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 2003Co-Authors: Dennis Shusterman, Mary Alice Murphy, John BalmesAbstract:Objectives Sensory (eye, nose, and Throat) Irritation is an important component of non-specific building-related illness ("sick-building syndrome"). Inter-individual variability in susceptibility to upper airway/mucous membrane irritants is suspected epidemiologically, but has been neglected experimentally. We wished to document population variability in nasal irritant sensitivity, as indexed by threshold measurements of sensory acuity. We hypothesized that younger subjects, women, and allergic rhinitis sufferers would display lower sensory thresholds than would older subjects, men, and rhinitis non-sufferers. Methods We evaluated Sixty human subjects (stratified by age, gender, and seasonal allergy status), using two different test systems: (1) carbon dioxide (detection) and (2) n -propanol (localization). We obtained carbon dioxide (CO_2) detection thresholds using an ascending concentration series, presenting 3-s pulses of CO_2, paired with air in random order, by nasal cannula. Localization thresholds were obtained by the simultaneous presentation of n -propanol vapor (ascending concentrations in air) and blanks (saturated water vapor in air) to opposite nostrils, with laterality randomized. Threshold data were log-transformed to satisfy normality and analyzed by population marker via ANOVA and linear regression. Results Test–retest variability was greater for volatile organic compound (VOC) localization than for CO_2 detection (r=0.50 and 0.75, respectively); the two measurements were, however, positively correlated (r=0.48; P
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Potential Health Effects of Odor from Animal Operations, Wastewater Treatment, and Recycling of Byproducts
Journal of Agromedicine, 2000Co-Authors: S. S. Schiffman, Dennis Shusterman, J. M. Walker, P. Dalton, T. S. Lorig, J. H. Raymer, C. M. WilliamsAbstract:ABSTRACT Complaints of health symptoms from ambient odors have become more frequent in communities with confined animal facilities, wastewater treatment plants, and biosolids recycling operations. The most frequently reported health complaints include eye, nose, and Throat Irritation, headache, nausea, diarrhea, hoarseness, sore Throat, cough, chest tightness, nasal congestion, palpitations, shortness of breath, stress, drowsiness, and alterations in mood. Typically, these symptoms occur at the time of exposure and remit after a short period of time. However, for sensitive individuals such as asthmatic patients, exposure to odors may induce health symptoms that persist for longer periods of time as well as aggravate existing medical conditions. A workshop was held at Duke University on April 16-17, 1998 cosponsored by Duke University, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) to assess the current state of knowledge regarding th...
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Dose-Response Assessment of Airborne Methyl Isothiocyanate (MITC) Following a Metam Sodium Spill
Risk Analysis, 1994Co-Authors: George V. Alexeeff, Dennis Shusterman, Robert A. Howd, Richard J. JacksonAbstract:A tank car derailment in northern California in 1991 spilled metam sodium into the Sacramento River, and released its breakdown product, methyl isothiocyanate (MITC), into the air. This paper describes the risk evaluation process used. Over 240 individuals reported symptoms such as eye and Throat Irritation, dizziness, and shortness of breath. Reference exposure levels (RELs) for 1 hr were developed for MITC and compared to exposure concentrations. Ocular Irritation in cats was the most sensitive endpoint reported. The no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL), divided by an uncertainty factor (UF) of 100, produced an REL of 0.5 ppb of MITC in air to prevent discomfort. An REL to prevent disability was estimated to be 40 ppb. An REL to prevent life†threatening injury was estimated to be 150 ppb. Measured MITC levels ranged from 0.2†37 ppb and estimated peak levels ranged from 140†1600 ppb. The usefulness of RELs for emergency planning is discussed.
Fariborz Haghighat - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Indoor-air quality and ocular discomfort.
Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1999Co-Authors: Henry Backman, Fariborz HaghighatAbstract:BACKGROUND: Almost 25 million workers in 1.2 million commercial buildings in the United States have symptoms of sick building syndrome (SBS). It is a source of ocular discomfort and may exacerbate the successful wear of contact lenses. This study examines the relationship between SBS and oculovisual discomfort. METHODS: Measurements of carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, temperature, and humidity were performed in 12 public office buildings that contained a total of 877 occupants. A questionnaire survey of the occupants was also performed. RESULTS: Thirty-five percent of the occupants of the buildings were dissatisfied with the indoor-air quality. Twenty-nine percent of the office building occupants reported ocular discomfort. CONCLUSION: There was a significant correlation between eye Irritation, Throat Irritation, and symptoms of blurred near vision. Ocular discomfort could be an indicator of poor indoor-air quality and a sick building syndrome.
Carol Rice - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Indoor Air Quality Investigation: Experience with a Questionnaire Survey Instrument
Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 1992Co-Authors: John Lund, Carol RiceAbstract:Abstract Industrial hygienists are increasingly being called upon to evaluate indoor air quality concerns. NIOSH has developed an initial assessment protocol that includes a worker survey questionnaire, a building characterization, and a walk-through survey. This initial assessment may be followed by environmental monitoring. The results of administering the NIOSH worker survey questionnaire at a midwestern community-college building are reported. The instrument was administered to 104 nonsupervisory workers and 74 were returned. Data are reported on environmental concerns and health symptoms by building area. Air dryness and lack of air circulation appear to be the top problems. Headaches were reported by nearly 30 percent of respondents, followed by Throat Irritation (16.2 percent), dry skin, and dry eyes. Building characterization, walk-through surveys, and environmental monitoring were not conducted here. Uses of these data are illustrated, including cross-tabulation of environmental concerns and eval...
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Indoor Air Quality Investigation: Experience with a Questionnaire Survey Instrument
Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 1992Co-Authors: John Lund, Carol RiceAbstract:Industrial hygienists are increasingly being called upon to evaluate indoor air quality concerns. NIOSH has developed an initial assessment protocol that includes a worker survey questionnaire, a building characterization, and a walk-through survey. This initial assessment may be followed by environmental monitoring. The results of administering the NIOSH worker survey questionnaire at a midwestern community-college building are reported. The instrument was administered to 104 nonsupervisory workers and 74 were returned. Data are reported on environmental concerns and health symptoms by building area. Air dryness and lack of air circulation appear to be the top problems. Headaches were reported by nearly 30 percent of respondents, followed by Throat Irritation (16.2 percent), dry skin, and dry eyes. Building characterization, walk-through surveys, and environmental monitoring were not conducted here. Uses of these data are illustrated, including cross-tabulation of environmental concerns and evaluation of reported symptoms by work area. Suggested minor changes in the instrument include narrower focus on air quality when appropriate, changing binary responses to scaled responses, and rewording several items to elicit more specific information about magnitude and duration of perceived concerns and health effects. © 1992 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Mika Sillanpää - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Sniff-testing for indoor air contaminants from new buildings environment detecting by aspiration-type ion mobility spectrometry
International Journal for Ion Mobility Spectrometry, 2016Co-Authors: Yonsuang Arnanthigo, Osmo Anttalainen, Zahra Safaei, Mika SillanpääAbstract:New construction materials, building and car interiors, and furnishings typically cause air pollution by means of emitting toxic chemical substances indoors. The level of health hazard to the occupants depends on the emission rate of the pollutants, the period of occupant exposure to the pollutants and the concentration of the emitted toxic substances. Typical health effects induced by the indoor air contaminants include symptoms such as dizziness, light-headedness, concentration trouble, nausea, epistaxis, eyes, nose and Throat Irritation, dryness of nose and Throat, and decreased mucous flow rate. Traditional offline indoor air detection techniques, namely, mass spectrometry (MS), gas chromatography (GC) and UV spectroscopy involve collection of indoor air samples from the field followed by laboratory analysis. Because these techniques are slow and time consuming, online indoor air detection and monitoring techniques which are fast, reliable and accurate enough to trigger more extensive analysis are required. In this paper, ion mobility spectrometry for an alternative indoor air detection technique is studied. An aspiration-type ion mobility spectrometer (IMS), in the form of a portable and handheld unit, is employed for the online detection of indoor air contaminants. By means of sniff tests performed on the 62 most commonly occurring indoor air contaminants, the sensitivity of aspiration-type IMS technique towards the indoor air contaminants and hence its suitability for indoor air quality detection is evaluated and demonstrated.
Jln Sastry - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Clinical validation of efficacy and safety of herbal cough formulation "Honitus syrup" for symptomatic relief of acute non-productive cough and Throat Irritation.
Ayu, 2020Co-Authors: Arun Gupta, Vaijayanti Gaikwad, Satyendra Kumar, Ruchi Srivastava, Jln SastryAbstract:Acute cough represents the most common illness evaluated in the outpatient settings. Available remedies for its management are generally allopathic combinations of antihistamines and decongestants that achieve antitussive activity, but often with unpleasant side effects prompting the need to explore safer and effective options. Honitus is an Ayurvedic proprietary herbal cough syrup with benefits of honey, intended to provide relief in acute nonproductive cough and Throat Irritation without causing drowsiness. This study investigated the safety and efficacy of Honitus in reducing acute nonproductive cough and Throat Irritation in comparison to a standard marketed allopathic cough syrup intended for use in similar conditions. This was a randomized double-blind study conducted in 105 individuals who received orally 2 tsp (10 ml) of either Honitus or marketed cough syrup (MCS) four times a day for 3 days. Response to treatment was evaluated from baseline to the end of treatment period on the basis of changes in day and night frequencies of cough, Throat Irritation and development of adverse events (AEs). Honitus was found safe and effective in reducing symptoms of acute nonproductive cough, Throat Irritation, and comparable to MCS in reducing day and night frequencies of cough, the time to relief from cough and Throat Irritation and the Physician's Global Assessment of cough. Honitus showed comparably better results than MCS on Throat Irritation, the duration of relief from cough and Throat Irritation without causing drowsiness. No AEs related to study or study products were reported. Honitus Syrup is safe and effective in reducing the symptoms of acute nonproductive cough and Throat Irritation without causing drowsiness.
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clinical validation of efficacy and safety of herbal cough formulation honitus syrup for symptomatic relief of acute non productive cough and Throat Irritation
Ayu (an International Quarterly Journal of Research in Ayurveda), 2016Co-Authors: Arun Gupta, Vaijayanti Gaikwad, Satyendra Kumar, R K Srivastava, Jln SastryAbstract:Background: Acute cough represents the most common illness evaluated in the outpatient settings. Available remedies for its management are generally allopathic combinations of antihistamines and decongestants that achieve antitussive activity, but often with unpleasant side effects prompting the need to explore safer and effective options. Honitus is an Ayurvedic proprietary herbal cough syrup with benefits of honey, intended to provide relief in acute nonproductive cough and Throat Irritation without causing drowsiness. This study investigated the safety and efficacy of Honitus in reducing acute nonproductive cough and Throat Irritation in comparison to a standard marketed allopathic cough syrup intended for use in similar conditions. Materials and Methods: This was a randomized double-blind study conducted in 105 individuals who received orally 2 tsp (10 ml) of either Honitus or marketed cough syrup (MCS) four times a day for 3 days. Response to treatment was evaluated from baseline to the end of treatment period on the basis of changes in day and night frequencies of cough, Throat Irritation and development of adverse events (AEs). Results: Honitus was found safe and effective in reducing symptoms of acute nonproductive cough, Throat Irritation, and comparable to MCS in reducing day and night frequencies of cough, the time to relief from cough and Throat Irritation and the Physician's Global Assessment of cough. Honitus showed comparably better results than MCS on Throat Irritation, the duration of relief from cough and Throat Irritation without causing drowsiness. No AEs related to study or study products were reported. Conclusion: Honitus Syrup is safe and effective in reducing the symptoms of acute nonproductive cough and Throat Irritation without causing drowsiness.
