Noise characterization of “effective quiet” areas on a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier

The purpose of this investigation was to characterize noise levels in spaces designated as “effective quiet” areas on a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier. Noise dosimetry samples were collected in 15 designated spaces, representing 15 noise measurements, while at-sea during airwing carrier qualifications. Equivalent sound level (L_eq) measurements were collected during flight operations (L_{eq (flt ops)}), non-flight operations (L_{eq (non-flt ops)}), and over 24-hr periods (L_{eq (24-hr)}). These data were compared to the 70 dBA American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH^®) Threshold Limit Value (TLV^®) for “effective quiet” areas intended for temporary threshold shift recovery when personnel live and work in a potentially noise hazardous environment for periods greater than 24?hr. The monitored areas were selected based on personnel occupancy/use during off-duty time periods. Areas were classified by either (1) leisure areas that included mess (eating areas), gyms, lounges, an internet cafe, and the fantail social area or (2) berthing (sleeping) areas. The L_eq measurements in decibels “A” weighted (dBA) were compared to determine significant differences between L_{eq (flt ops)}, L_{eq (non-flt ops)}, and L_{eq (24-hr)} and were compared between leisure area and berthing area. Measured noise levels according to time period ranged as follows: (1) L_{eq (24-hr)}: 70.8–105.4 dBA; (2) L_{eq (flt ops)}: 70–101.2 dBA; and (3) L_{eq (non-flt ops)}: 39.4–104.6 dBA. All area measurements over the 24-hr period and during flight operations and 46.7% of the areas during the non-flight operation time period exceeded the “effective quiet” 70 dBA ACGIH TLV. Mean L_eqs were 15 dBA higher during flight operations compared to non-flight operations in “effective quiet” areas (p?=?0.001). The L_eqs in leisure areas were significantly higher than berthing areas by approximately 21 dBA during non-flight operation periods (p?=?0.001). Results suggest noise levels in “effective quiet” areas frequented by aircraft carrier personnel during off-duty hours when at-sea may inhibit auditory recovery from occupational noise exposures that occur on-duty.     

Phonological disorders in children: changes in phonological process use during treatment

Unintelligible speech in childhood is often characterised by the use of unusual or deviant (i.e. non-developmental) phonological processes, e.g. initial consonant deletion. These processes are reported to appear at speech onset and to undergo little spontaneous change during the preschool years. The study reported here documents the changes that occurred in the phonological systems of seven phonologically disordered children during remediation that targeted unusual phonological processes. Qualitative changes in phonological process use were observed for all children. Six of the children made quantitative improvement in terms of the percentage consonants produced correctly in spontaneous speech. Individual differences in phonological learning strategy use are described.     

Epithelial tumors of the ovary in women less than 40 years old

From Jan 1, 1978 through Dec 31, 1983, 64 patients with epithelial ovarian tumors, frankly malignant or borderline, were managed at one institution. Nineteen patients (29.7%) were under age 40. The youngest patient was 19 years old. Nulliparity was present in 32% of this group of patients. Of these young patients, 58% had borderline epithelial tumors, compared to 13% of patients over 40 years of age. Twenty-one percent of the young patients were initially managed by unilateral adnexal surgery. The overall cumulative actuarial survival rate of all young patients was 93%. Young patients with epithelial ovarian tumors tend to have earlier grades of epithelial neoplasms, and survival is better than that reported for older patients with similar tumors.     

Plasma endothelin correlates with the extent of pulmonary hypertension in patients with chronic congestive heart failure.

BACKGROUND. Endothelin is a family of potent vasoconstrictor peptides of vascular endothelial origin. Although it has been proposed that the vasoconstrictor effects of endothelin are produced at the local vascular level, increased plasma concentration of endothelin has been identified in cardiovascular disorders. METHODS AND RESULTS. We tested whether immunoreactive endothelin-1 could be detected by radioimmunoassay in plasma of congestive heart failure patients and whether levels correlated with hemodynamic characteristics. Twenty congestive heart failure patients (New York Heart Association class II-IV) were sampled in the morning after an overnight fast, before medication. Cardiac index was decreased to 2.14 +/- 0.45 l/m/m2, and pulmonary wedge pressure was increased to 22 +/- 7 mm Hg. The ranges of pulmonary pressures were: systolic, 22-100 mm Hg, mean, 13-61 mm Hg, and diastolic, 8-42 mm Hg. The endothelin-1 level was 9.07 +/- 4.13 pg/ml (range, 4-19 pg/ml), which was increased compared with 12 normals (3.7 +/- 0.6 pg/ml; range, 2.8-4.7 pg/ml); the difference was statistically significant (p less than 0.0001). Endothelin-1 significantly correlated with pulmonary pressures (systolic, r = 0.78; mean, r = 0.80; diastolic, r = 0.77; all p less than 0.003) and pulmonary vascular resistance (r = 0.65, p less than 0.01). Endothelin-1 strongly correlated with the resistance ratio (pulmonary vascular resistance/systemic vascular resistance) (r = 0.88, p less than 0.0001). Stepwise multiple regression analysis confirmed the significance of these observations. CONCLUSIONS. Elevated immunoreactive endothelin-1 specifically correlated with the extent of pulmonary hypertension in congestive heart failure patients. Whether endothelin-1 is a regional mediator of pulmonary hypertension or a marker for its occurrence requires additional evaluation.     

Safety and efficacy of atorvastatin in heart transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Pravastatin and simvastatin prolong survival and reduce transplant-related coronary vasculopathy, although low-density lipoprotein (LDL) lowering with these agents is only modest. The objective of this study was to assess the safety of moderate dose atorvastatin and its efficacy when prior treatment with another statin had failed to lower LDL to < 100 mg/dl. METHODS: Data from 185 patients were retrospectively evaluated for adverse events, duration of exposure (person-days), and the mean atorvastatin dose exposure. Changes in lipid parameters, and prednisone and cyclosporine doses were determined. RESULTS: Safety: 48 patients received atorvastatin for 24,240 person-days at a mean dose exposure of 21 +/- 10 mg. Rhabdomyolysis, myositis, myalgias, and hepatotoxicity occurred in 0, 2, 2, and 0 patients, respectively. All events occurred at the 10-mg dose, within the first 3 months, and were rapidly reversible with atorvastatin discontinuation. Efficacy: Thirty-four patients evaluable for efficacy analyses had a pre-atorvastatin LDL of 145 +/- 38 mg/dl on the following statins: pravastatin (n = 30, 40 +/- 0mg), fluvastatin (n = 3, 33 +/- 12 mg), simvastatin (n = 1, 40 mg). After atorvastatin (21 +/- 9 mg/day) for 133 +/- 67 days, LDL was reduced to 97 +/- 24 mg/dl (relative reduction 31 +/- 20%, p < 0.0001). At the end of the observation period (418 +/- 229 days, atorvastatin final dose 24 +/- 14 mg/day), LDL was further decreased to 88 +/- 23 mg (relative reduction 37 +/- 17%, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Atorvastatin, when used at moderate doses and with close biochemical and clinical monitoring, appears to be safe and is effective in aggressively lowering LDL in heart transplant recipients when treatment with other statins has failed to achieve LDL goals.     

Long-limb gastric bypass in the superobese. A prospective randomized study.

This study was designed to determine whether greater diversion of bile and pancreatic secretions away from the functional gastrointestinal tract would produce greater weight loss in superobese patients (greater than or equal to 200 pounds overweight) in comparison with conventional Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). During the past 7 years, two modifications of RYGB were prospectively compared in 45 superobese patients: RYGB-1, in which the length of defunctionalized jejunum measured 75 cm, and RYGB-2, in which the defunctionalized jejunum measured 150 cm. Respective mean preoperative weight/body mass indexes were 393 pounds/63.4 for 22 RYGB-1 patients and 404 pounds/61.6 for 23 RYGB-2 patients. Two patients (5%) had nonfatal early complications. There were six late incisional hernias. There were no cases of protein deficiency, hepatic dysfunction, or diarrhea after operation. Mean follow-up was 43 +/- 17 months. Postoperative weight loss in pounds and daily calorie intake were compared at 6-month intervals. Weight loss stabilized by 24 months at a mean 50% excess weight lost in RYGB-1 patients and 64% excess weight lost in RYGB-2 patients. Nineteen of 23 RYGB-2 patients achieved at least 50% excess weight lost versus 11 of 22 RYGB-1 patients (p less than or equal to 0.03). Weight loss was significantly greater at 24 through 36 months in RYGB-2 versus RYGB-1 patients (p less than 0.02). There was no significant difference in either calorie intake or incidence of iron and vitamin B-12 deficiency between the two groups. These data show that gastric restriction and biliopancreatic diversion without intestinal exclusion resulted in significantly greater weight loss than conventional RYGB but did not cause additional metabolic sequelae or diarrhea. This long-limb modification of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is a safe and effective procedure in patients who are 200 pounds or more overweight.