Changes in Levels of Nerve Growth Factor in Nasal Secretions after Capsaicin Inhalation in Patients with Airway Symptoms from Scents and Chemicals

Patients complaining of upper and lower airway symptoms caused by scents and chemicals have previously been shown to have increased cough sensitivity to inhaled capsaicin, but the precise mechanisms behind this reaction are unknown. Hypothesizing that a neurochemical alteration related to sensory hyperreactivity (SHR) of the airway mucosa occurs, we measured levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) in nasal lavage fluid (NAL) before and after capsaicin inhalation provocations and related the capsaicin cough sensitivity to the NGF levels. Thirteen patients with SHR and 14 control subjects were provoked with capsaicin inhalation at three different doses. We measured NGF in NAL before and after provocation and recorded cough and capsaicin-induced symptoms. All subjects demonstrated a dose-dependent cough response to capsaicin inhalation, with a more pronounced effect in patients than in controls. Basal levels of NGF were significantly lower in the patient group than in the control subjects (p < 0.01). After capsaicin provocation, the patients showed a significant increase in NGF (p < 0.01), which was related to capsaicin cough sensitivity. The findings demonstrate that, in patients with airway symptoms induced by scents and chemicals, SHR is real and measurable, demonstrating a pathophysiology in the airways of these patients compared to healthy subjects

Health-related quality of life, utility, and productivity outcomes instruments: ease of completion by subjects with COPD

An important outcome of any clinical intervention is the change in the subject's own perceived state of health. This can be categorized as health-related quality of life (HRQL), utility (preference-based health state), and daily life performance. 174 Swedish subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (mean age 64.3 ± 12 years) completed five self-administered questionnaires: Short Form 36 (SF-36), St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D), Health States-COPD (HS-COPD), and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire for COPD (WPAI-COPD). The subjects scored these outcomes instruments for ease of completion using a 5-point scale. The time taken to complete them was noted and the administrators' opinion of the subjects' comprehension of the questionnaires recorded using a 4-point scale. A score of 1–3 ("very easy" to "acceptable") was recorded by 92% of subjects for the SF-36, 90% for SGRQ, 80% for EQ-5D, 83% for WPAI-COPD, and 53% for HS-COPD. The HS-COPD was graded "very difficult" to complete by 21% of subjects compared with 3–5% of subjects for the other questionnaires. The mean time taken to complete all questionnaires was 39 minutes, and the large majority of subjects scored "good" for understanding by the administrator. Age correlated significantly with the degree of the subject's opinion of the ease of completion of five outcomes instruments, while the influence of gender, socio-economic status and disease severity was not statistically significant

Health-related quality of life is related to COPD disease severity

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between health-related quality of life (HRQL) and disease severity using lung function measures. METHODS: A survey was performed in subjects with COPD in Sweden. 168 subjects (70 women, mean age 64.3 years) completed the generic HRQL questionnaire, the Short Form 36 (SF-36), the disease-specific HRQL questionnaire; the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), and the utility measure, the EQ-5D. The subjects were divided into four severity groups according to FEV(1 )per cent of predicted normal using two clinical guidelines: GOLD and BTS. Age, gender, smoking status and socio-economic group were regarded as confounders. RESULTS: The COPD severity grades affected the SGRQ Total scores, varying from 25 to 53 (GOLD p = 0.0005) and from 25 to 45 (BTS p = 0.0023). The scores for SF-36 Physical were significantly associated with COPD severity (GOLD p = 0.0059, BTS p = 0.032). No significant association were noticed for the SF-36, Mental Component Summary scores and COPD severity. Scores for EQ-5D VAS varied from 73 to 37 (GOLD I-IV p = 0.0001) and from 73 to 50 (BTS 0-III p = 0.0007). The SGRQ Total score was significant between age groups (p = 0.0047). No significant differences in HRQL with regard to gender, smoking status or socio-economic group were noticed. CONCLUSION: The results show that HRQL in COPD deteriorates with disease severity and with age. These data show a relationship between HRQL and disease severity obtained by lung function

The Crystal Structure of Sb0.92V0.92O4, Determined by Neutron and Dual Wavelength X-ray Powder Diffraction

A phase of approximate composition SbVO4 has been reported in the literature as a key component in new catalysts for the ammoxidation of propane to acrylonitrile. Sb0.92V0.92O4 was prepared by heating equimolar amounts of Sb2O3 and V2O5 in air at 1073 K for 2 hr. The chemical composition was determined by thermogravimetry and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis. The crystal structure at 293 K was determined, from three powder diffraction data sets recorded with CuKα1, MoKα, and 1.040(1)-Å neutron radiation, using the Rietveld method. Crystal data: Sb0.92V0.92O4, Z = 1, a = 4.625(4), c = 3.040(2) Å, tetragonal space group P 42/mnm, Mr = 222.87, Dcalc = 5.69 g/cm3. All three data sets yield a cation deficient rutile structure and final profile R-values of 3.5, 6.3, and 3.5%. Bond valence sums, calculated from the experimentally determined bond lengths, indicate the oxidation states to be Sb5+ and V3+/V4+, leading to the formula Sb5+0.92V3+0.28V4+0.64□0.16O4 (the square denotes metal ion vacancies). Bond valence calculations also suggest that OSb2□ is the most favorable configuration for an oxygen associated with a metal vacancy

Activity among long-term stroke survivors. A study based on an ICF-oriented analysis of two established ADL and social activity instruments

Purpose: To describe activity in different aspects of daily life among long-term stroke survivors, and conceptualise the content of the Barthel Index (BI) and the Swedish extended and modified Frenchay Activities Index (mFAI) using the ICF framework.Method: Assessments were performed by means of the BI and the mFAI at a 10-year follow-up of 145 consecutive stroke survivors from Lund Stroke Register, Sweden. After linking the two instruments to the ICF core set for stroke, data were analysed and presented in terms of activity specific domain-scores for the total sample and sub-groups according to gender and age.Results: Together the two instruments covered 69% of the Activities and participation component of the ICF core set for stroke. Two activity-specific domains were identified within the BI and six within the mFAI. Most participants reported a high overall activity level. Inactivity was most common among those >= 80 years. Men and women participated in different types of activities and used different modes of transport.Conclusions: Long-term stroke survivors have a high activity level in daily life, though individual variation is considerable. The structure provided by linking instruments to the ICF core set for stroke can be used for more fine-tuned descriptions of activity

On the Non-Stoichiometry in Rutile-Type »SbVO4

Heating equimolar mixtures of Sb2O3 and V2O5 at 800 degrees C in flowing gas with varying O-2/N-2 ratios produces a continuous nonstoichiometric series of rutile type, i.e., Sb(0.9)V(0.9+x)square(0.2-x)O(4), 0 < x < 0.2, and varying amounts of alpha-Sb2O4. Oxidized Sb(0.9)V(0.9)square(0.2)O(4), a = 4.63, c = 3.03 Angstrom (X ray powder data, XRD), is formed in pure oxygen and exhibits a modulated structure with an approximate supercell: 2 root 2a, 2 root 2b, 4c (electron diffraction, ED). In pure nitrogen, reduced Sb0.9V1.1O4, a = 4.60, c = 3.08 Angstrom (XRD), with the supercell root 2a, root 2b, 2c (ED), is produced. Heating at intermediate partial pressures of oxygen give phases with the basic rutile cell a = b, c (XRD, ED). The formulation of this series is supported by data obtained by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Under reducing conditions (in pure nitrogen), a solid solution series of Sb0.9V1.1O4 and VO2 is observed, i.e., Sb0.9-yV1.1+yO4, 0 < y < 0.7. Vanadium-rich Sb0.2V1.8O4, with a = 4.55, c = 2.99 Angstrom (XRD), exhibits a basic rutile lattice with diffuse intensity between Bragg spots (ED). (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc

Stroke survivors’ preferences regarding study participation in rehabilitation research

Background: To pursue high quality research, successful participant recruitment is essential, but recruitment rates are often low. This is specifically true in target populations with impairments, for instance, among stroke survivors. Previous studies focusing on recruitment have mainly relied on information from professionals, and there is therefore a need to contribute with new methodological insights to how potential rehabilitation research participants describe their interest and preferences to participate in research. The purpose of this study was to generate knowledge about stroke survivors’ interest in participating in rehabilitation research, reasons for being interested or not, and preferred forms and foci of rehabilitation interventions. An additional aim was to describe preferences regarding survey administration modes and processes for recruitment to studies. Method: This cross-sectional study recruited Swedish residents who had sustained a stroke, initially by using advertisement on the National Stroke Association’s website, flyers posted at local occupational and physical therapy offices and at local stroke/senior organization meetings. Secondly, participants were recruited through a local stroke register. The survey, administered either in a paper form returned by postal mail; online or as a phone interview with 128 stroke survivors. Results: Most of the participants were interested in participating in rehabilitation research, particularly younger persons (p = 0.001) and those closer to stroke onset (p = 0.047). Contribution to research, possibility to try new rehabilitation interventions and meeting others in the same situation were reasons that attracted an interest to participate. Other important aspects were related to motivation, individual needs, as well as how skilled the people who provided the intervention were. Participants preferred group-based programs, and programs focusing on regaining lost functions were highly requested. A majority wanted to be contacted through postal mail (70%) and most of them (90%) used the paper form to respond to the survey. Conclusions: A range of personal and external aspects, including challenges related to digitized administration modes, should be considered to achieve high participation rates in rehabilitation research targeting stroke survivors. The importance of addressing individual needs and prerequisites in an individualized manner should not be underestimated and might be a useful strategy to recruitment success