A methodology to objectively assess the performance of sound field amplification systems demonstrated using 50 physical simulations of classroom conditions.

INTRODUCTION: The effect of a sound reinforcement system, in terms of speech intelligibility, has been systematically determined under realistic conditions. Different combinations of ambient and reverberant conditions representative of a classroom environment have been investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: By comparing the measured speech transmission index metric with and without the system in the same space under different room acoustics conditions, it was possible to determine when the system was most effective. A new simple criterion, equivalent noise reduction (ENR), was introduced to determine the effectiveness of the sound reinforcement system which can be used to predict the speech transmission index based on the ambient sound pressure and reverberation time with and without amplification. RESULTS: This criterion had a correlation, R2 > 0.97. It was found that sound reinforcement provided no benefit if the competing noise level was less than 40 dBA. However, the maximum benefit of such a system was equivalent to a 7.7 dBA noise reduction. CONCLUSION: Using the ENR model, it would be possible to determine the suitability of implementing sound reinforcement systems in any room, thus providing a tool to determine if natural acoustic treatment or sound field amplification would be of most benefit to the occupants of any particular room.

Efectos adversos por el uso de la biomodulina T y la corticotropina en pacientes con esclerosis múltiple / Adverse effects due to the usage of T biomodulina and corticotropin in patients suffering from Multiple Sclerosis

Fundamento: La biomodulina T es unproducto natural tímico con acción antinflamatoria y acción inmunomoduladora. La corticotropina es un esteroide utilizado también en el tratamiento de la esclerosis múltiple. Objetivo: Comparar el comportamiento de efectos adversos de la biomodulina y la corticotropina en el tratamiento de la esclerosis múltiple. Métodos: Ensayo clínico fase II, abierto, aleatorizado y controlado, sobre 17 pacientes con esclerosis múltiple a los que se les aplicó el siguiente tratamiento: a un grupo se le suministró 100 miligramos por vía endovenosa de biomodulina por 10 días, 20 miligramos los siguientes 20 días; al otro grupo 1 miligramo de corticotropina por 10 días, seguido de 0, 5 mg por los restantes 20 días. Se evaluaron los eventos adversos a los 10 y 30 días, clasificando su intensidad como ausentes, ligeros, moderados, severos, muy severos, así como duración y tipo de evento. Resultados: Se evaluó la seguridad en 8 pacientes con biomodulina y 7 con corticotropina. Ocurrieron 40 eventos adversos: 24 con corticotropina y 16 con biomodulina (80 y 53,3 por ciento respectivamente). Fueron más frecuentes los eventos ligeros con biomodulina que con corticotropina (56 y 18 por ciento respectivamente), mientras fueron más frecuentes los moderados con corticotropina. Fue más corto el tiempo de duración de los eventos producidos por biomodulina. Conclusiones: La biomodulina fue segura en el tratamiento de la esclerosis múltiples pues sus efectos adversos fueron menos intensos y de menor duración(AU)

Background: T biomodulina is a thymic natural product with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulator action. Corticotropin is a steroid which is also used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Objetives: To compare the adverse effects of the biomodulina and corticotroprin in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Methods: Phase II clinical trial, open, randomized and controlled on 17 patients suffering from multiple sclerosis to whom the following treatment was applied: group one, 100mg IV biomodulina during 10 days, 20 mg the following 20 days; group two: 1 mg of corticotroprin during 10 days followed by 0,5 mg the very next 20 days. The adverse events were evaluated from the 10th day up to the 30th day classifying its intensity as absent, mild, moderate, severe, very severe. The duration and the type of event were also classified. Results: Safeness on 8 patients treated with biomodulina and 7 patients treated with cortcotropin were assessed. 40 adverse events took place: 24 patients in whose corticotropin was used, 16 in the treatment with biomodulina (80 and 53, 3 percent respectively), while the moderate adverse reactions in the usage of corticotropin were more frequent. The shorter period of time of the events was produced by biomodulina. Conclusions: The usage of biomodulina was safer in the treatment of multiple sclerosis because the adverse events as well as the period of time were less intense(AU)

Granulomatosis de Wegener con manifestaciones neurológicas. A propósito de 1 caso / Wegener's granulomatosis with neurological manifestations. Apropos of a case

Se presentó el caso de un paciente con cefalea hemicraneal que se hizo muy persistente; apareció secreción nasal serosa, manifestaciones oculares, fiebre, signos focales y, con posterioridad, las manifestaciones de vasculitis en miembros superiores e inferiores. Se investigaron los anticuerpos antineutrófilos citoplasmático (cANCA) con valores de 1:160, y biopsia de mucosa nasal donde se encontró vasculitis necrotizante. Se impuso tratamiento, con ciclofosfamida y prednisona. Se logró remisión total y desaparición de los títulos de cANCA en 8 meses. Se observó, en nuestro paciente, correlación entre la mejoría clínica y los valores de cANCA