Continuous Monitoring of Heart Rate Variability in Free-Living Conditions Using Wearable Sensors: Exploratory Observational Study.

Background: Wearable physiological monitoring devices are promising tools for remote monitoring and early detection of potential health changes of interest. The widespread adoption of such an approach across communities and over long periods of time will require an automated data platform for collecting, processing, and analyzing relevant health information.

Objective: In this study, we explore prospective monitoring of individual health through an automated data collection, metrics extraction, and health anomaly analysis pipeline in free-living conditions over a continuous monitoring period of several months with a focus on viral respiratory infections, such as influenza or COVID-19.

Pregnant Women's Exposure to Household Air Pollution in Rural Bangladesh: A Feasibility Study for Poriborton: The CHANge Trial.

The use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking is a strategy to reduce household air pollution (HAP) exposure and improve health. We conducted this feasibility study to evaluate personal exposure measurement methods to representatively assess reductions in HAP exposure. We enrolled 30 pregnant women to wear a MicroPEM for 24 h to assess their HAP exposure when cooking with a traditional stove (baseline) and with an LPG stove (intervention).

Commuter types identified using clustering and their associations with source-specific PM.

Traffic-related fine particulate matter air pollution (tr-PM) has been associated with adverse health outcomes such as cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality, with in-vehicle tr-PM exposure contributing to total personal pollution exposure. Trip characteristics, including time of day, day of the week, and traffic congestion, are associated with in-vehicle PM exposures. We hypothesized that some commuter characteristics, such as whether commuters travel primarily during rush hour, would also be associated with increased tr-PM exposures.

Estimating exposure to traffic-related PM for women commuters using vehicle and personal monitoring.

Exposure to traffic-related fine particulate matter air pollution (tr-PM) has been associated with adverse health outcomes including preterm birth and low birthweight. In-vehicle exposure to tr-PM can contribute substantially to total tr-PM exposure. Because average commuting habits of women differ from men, a research gap is estimating in-vehicle tr-PM exposures for women commuters.

Exposure to Potentially Harmful E-Cigarette Emissions via Vape Tricks: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Study.

Background: The number of adolescents and adults using e-cigarettes, referred to as vaping, has dramatically increased. E-cigarettes can be used to perform vape tricks by inhaling and exhaling the e-cigarette aerosol in patterns to create visual effects or large clouds. To create these effects, the puffing patterns associated with vape tricks may be different than standard ad-lib e-cigarette usage.

Pesticide exposures to migrant farmworkers in Eastern NC: detection of metabolites in farmworker urine associated with housing violations and camp characteristics.

Background: The purpose of this paper is to present and evaluate descriptively bivariate associations between urinary metabolites of pesticides and herbicides and migrant camp conditions, violations, and personal worker behaviors at home for farmworkers who do not apply pesticides.

Methods: We studied 183 migrant farmworker camps in eastern North Carolina in 2010. Data and urine samples were collected from 371 men.

Dietary intakes of pesticides based on community duplicate diet samples.

The calculation of dietary intake of selected pesticides was accomplished using food samples collected from individual representatives of a defined demographic community using a community duplicate diet approach. A community of nine participants was identified in Apopka, FL from which intake assessments of organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid pesticides were made. From these nine participants, sixty-seven individual samples were collected and subsequently analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Development and preparation of lead-containing paint films and diagnostic test materials.

Lead in paint continues to be a threat to children's health in cities across the United States, which means there is an ongoing need for testing and analysis of paint. This ongoing analytical effort and especially development of new methods continue to drive the need for diagnostic testing materials that provide the analytical challenges of real-world paints. To this end, 31 different types of paint test materials were developed and prepared.

Community duplicate diet methodology: a new tool for estimating dietary exposures to pesticides.

An observational field study was conducted to assess the feasibility of a community duplicate diet collection method; a dietary monitoring tool that is population-based. The purpose was to establish an alternative procedure to duplicate diet sampling that would be more efficient for a large, defined population, e.g.

Field turbidity method for the determination of lead in acid extracts of dried paint.

Lead, which can be found in old paint, soil, and dust, has been clearly shown to have adverse health effects on the neurological systems of both children and adults. As part of an ongoing effort to reduce childhood lead poisoning, the US Environmental Protection Agency promulgated the Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting Program (RRP) rule requiring that paint in target housing built prior to 1978 be tested for lead before any renovation, repair, or painting activities are initiated. This rule has led to a need for a rapid, relatively easy, and an inexpensive method for measuring lead in paint.

Rapid new methods for paint collection and lead extraction.

Chronic exposure of children to lead can result in permanent physiological impairment. In adults, it can cause irritability, poor muscle coordination, and nerve damage to the sense organs and nerves controlling the body. Surfaces coated with lead-containing paints are potential sources of exposure to lead.

Do mass media affect Medicare beneficiaries' use of diabetes services?

Background: Appropriate secondary preventive care for people with diabetes can reduce complications and premature death, yet many people with diabetes do not get these services. Mass media may influence individual health behavior.

Methods: In 1999, the West Virginia Medical Institute (WVMI) began a long-term radio and television campaign to educate West Virginia Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes about the importance of foot exams, eye exams, HbA1c testing, and influenza and pneumonia immunizations using messages with an "Ask your doctor about.

Influenza immunization and mortality among diabetic Medicare beneficiaries in West Virginia.

This study estimated the increased risk of death among Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes in West Virginia who do not receive influenza beneficiaries with diabetes. Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes who did not have claims for influenza vaccination had approximately a 1.7-fold risk of death during a subsequent influenza season, compared with those with a vaccination.

Stereotactic core-needle breast biopsy: a multi-institutional prospective trial.

Purpose: To assess the accuracy of stereotactic core-needle biopsy (CNB) of nonpalpable breast lesions within the context of clinically important parameters of anticipated tissue-sampling error and concordance with mammographic findings.

Materials And Methods: CNB was performed in 1,003 patients, with results validated at surgery or clinical and mammographic follow-up. Mammographic findings were scored according to the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System with a similar correlative scale for histopathologic samples obtained at either CNB or surgery.

Breast calcification and mass detection with mammographic anode-filter combinations of molybdenum, tungsten, and rhodium.

Purpose: To determine whether contrast loss on mammograms obtained with tungsten (W)-molybdenum (Mo), rhodium (Rh)-Rh, and W-Rh anode-filter units affects calcification and mass detection relative to that on mammograms obtained with Mo-Mo anode-filter units.

Materials And Methods: Three unfixed cadaveric breasts of 4.0-, 5.

An update on core needle biopsy for radiologically detected breast lesions.

Background: Traditionally, radiologically detected lesions of the breast have been evaluated by open surgical biopsy with wire localization. Recently, core needle biopsy has been introduced as an alternative to open surgical biopsy. The authors evaluated their own results with long term follow-up after core needle biopsy and reviewed the experience of other physicians with this new technique.

Using tissue texture surrounding calcification clusters to predict benign vs malignant outcomes.

The positive predictive value of mammography is between 20% and 25% for clustered microcalcifications. For very early cancers there is often a lack of concordance between mammographic signs and pathology. This study examines the usefulness of computer texture analysis to improve the accuracy of malignant diagnosis.

Mammography fixed grid versus reciprocating grid: evaluation using cadaveric breasts as test objects.

In this study we use unfixed cadaveric breasts to obtain mammography images with fixed and reciprocating grids. Sheets of acrylic, containing one or more clusters of simulated calcifications and masses, were superimposed on two fresh cadaveric breasts (3.4 and 6.

US-guided core biopsy of the breast with a coaxial system.

From July 1993 through June 1994, the authors performed 42 ultrasound (US)-guided core biopsies with use of a coaxial technique in which a 14- or 15-gauge core biopsy needle was passed through a 12-gauge introducer needle. This technique proved to be effective in all 42 biopsies. Use of the coaxial technique decreased the procedure time necessary for US-guided core biopsy and may be less traumatic than the standard core biopsy technique.

Silicone breast implant ruptures in an animal model: comparison of mammography, MR imaging, US, and CT.

Purpose: To determine the most accurate imaging modality for detection of silicone implant ruptures.

Materials And Methods: Forty single-lumen silicone implants were surgically placed in 20 rabbits. Each rabbit received one intact and one ruptured implant and was examined with mammography, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, ultrasound (US), and computed tomography (CT).

Biochemical studies on human ceruloplasmin.

Ceruloplasmin from nephrotic urine, ascites fluid and plasma has been partially characterized. All ceruloplasmin preparations were found to be comprised of two light and two heavy polypeptide subunits. Characterization of the purified subunits indicated that the alpha chain had a mol.