Observer variation in spirometry.
The intra-observer and inter-observer variation associated with clinical spirometry was statistically analyzed. The technical errors for the MEFR and MMF measurements were large enough to question their clinical reliability, especially in borderline instances. Measurement differences between two observers, as in this study, are statistically significant. This observation has special meaning for groups engaged in epidemiologic studies. Significant inter-individual variation will diminish the quality of pooled results.
Influence of cigarette smoking on the spirometric evaluation of employees of a large insurance company.
SUMMARy _ Forced expiratory spirograms were performed on 1,059 healthy employees of a large insurance company coincident with their routine, periodic, health evaluation. Reliable prediction equations for forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second, based on multiple regression analysis, were derived for this healthy population representative of white-collar workers residing and working in a large metropolitan area. Cigarette smoking among men was associated with lower forced vital capacity and forced expira­ tory volume in one second, and the level of cigarette smoking was related to the impairment of spirometric function. The data suggested reversibility of this impairment on cessation of cigarette smoking. Among women, there was little difference in forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second between current cigarette smokers and those who had never smoked cigarettes. The younger, female ex-smokers exhibited greater forced vital capacities and forced expiratory volumes in one second than those of younger, female nonsmokers; however, these differences disappeared rapidly with advancing age.
Wireless temperature logging technology for the fishing industry
A system for autonomous temperature logging of fish catches is described. The system is completely wireless and is comprised of a number of loggers, in individual fish boxes, and a base station, assigned to a particular trawler. The temperature of the fish is monitored by the loggers, which contain a thermistor and RF transmitter circuitry. The data is sent at fixed intervals (usually 5 minutes) to the base station. Through a GSM modem, the base station communicates the collected data to the shore where a server uploads the temperature-time information to a database. The database and controlling software are completely Web-based and can be accessed by an Internet-enabled PC, laptop or PDA. This allows remote initiation and control of the system, in addition to querying of the database. To date, successful trials have been conducted for salmon, mackerel and whelk fishing off the Irish coast.