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Mediators of Inflammation 2011Oxidants such as superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, and myeloperoxidase from activated inflammatory cells in the lower respiratory tract contribute to inflammation and... (Review)
Review
Oxidants such as superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, and myeloperoxidase from activated inflammatory cells in the lower respiratory tract contribute to inflammation and injury. Etiologic agents include inorganic particulates such as asbestos, silica, or coal mine dust or mixtures of inorganic dust and combustion materials found in World Trade Center dust and smoke. These etiologic agents are phagocytosed by alveolar macrophages or bronchial epithelial cells and release chemotactic factors that recruit inflammatory cells to the lung. Chemotactic factors attract and activate neutrophils, eosinophils, mast cells, and lymphocytes and further activate macrophages to release more oxidants. Inorganic dusts target alveolar macrophages, World Trade Center dust targets bronchial epithelial cells, and eosinophils characterize tropical pulmonary eosinophilia (TPE) caused by filarial organisms. The technique of bronchoalveolar lavage in humans has recovered alveolar macrophages (AMs) in dust diseases and eosinophils in TPE that release increased amounts of oxidants in vitro. Interestingly, TPE has massively increased eosinophils in the acute form and after treatment can still have ongoing eosinophilic inflammation. A course of prednisone for one week can reduce the oxidant burden and attendant inflammation and may be a strategy to prevent chronic TPE and interstitial lung disease.
Topics: Animals; Bronchiolitis Obliterans; Dust; Humans; Lung Diseases, Interstitial; Oxidants; Pneumoconiosis; Pulmonary Eosinophilia
PubMed: 22131646
DOI: 10.1155/2011/407657 -
American Journal of Industrial Medicine Jun 2019This study summarized the mass concentration and quartz mass percent of respirable coal mine dust samples (annually, by district, and by occupation) from underground...
BACKGROUND
This study summarized the mass concentration and quartz mass percent of respirable coal mine dust samples (annually, by district, and by occupation) from underground coal mines during 1982-2017.
METHODS
Respirable dust and quartz data collected and analyzed by Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) were summarized by year, coal mining occupation, and geographical area. The older (before August 2016) 2.0 mg/m respirable dust MSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) was used across all years for comparative purposes. For respirable dust and quartz, geometric mean and percent of samples exceeding the respirable dust PEL (2.0 mg/m or a reduced standard for samples with >5% quartz content) were calculated. For quartz samples, the average percent quartz content was also calculated.
RESULTS
The overall geometric mean concentration for 681 497 respirable dust samples was 0.55 mg/m and 5.5% of the samples exceeded the 2.0 mg/m PEL. The overall respirable quartz geometric mean concentration for 210 944 samples was 0.038 mg/m and 18.7% of these samples exceeded the applicable standard. There was a decline over time in the percent of respirable dust samples exceeding 2.0 mg/m . The respirable dust geometric mean concentration was lower in central Appalachia compared to the rest of the United States. However, the respirable quartz geometric mean concentration and the mean percent quartz content were higher in central Appalachia.
CONCLUSION
This study summarizes respirable dust and quartz concentrations from coal mine inspector samples and may provide an insight into differences in the prevalence of pneumoconiosis by region and occupation.
Topics: Appalachian Region; Coal Mining; Dust; Environmental Monitoring; Humans; Inhalation Exposure; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Health; Pneumoconiosis; Quartz; Retrospective Studies; Risk Assessment; United States
PubMed: 31033017
DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22974 -
Genetics and Molecular Research : GMR Mar 2015This study investigated the incidence and development of pneumoconiosis in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and cases reported by the Urumqi Railway Bureau to...
This study investigated the incidence and development of pneumoconiosis in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and cases reported by the Urumqi Railway Bureau to provide a scientific basis for developing prevention and control measures against pneumoconiosis. Data from pneumoconiosis cases were input into Excel and analyzed by SPSS version 17.0. There were 13,165 cases of pneumoconiosis through 2010. Coal workers accounted for the largest proportion of cases. From July 2006 through 2010, a total of 1233 new cases of pneumoconiosis were reported in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region; most cases were reported in Urumqi. From 1981 to 2012, 3332 new cases of pneumoconiosis had been confirmed by the Urumqi Railway Bureau, including 77.73, 16.96, and 5.31% stage I, II, and III cases, respectively. In the last 30 years, the number of new pneumoconiosis cases peaked in 1986; most of them were silicosis cases. In addition, there were more than 200 cases of pneumoconiosis combined with pulmonary tuberculosis reported by the Urumqi Railway Bureau. The coal industry in Urumqi is the main industry in which occupational pneumoconiosis occurs in Xinjiang. Thus, substantial effort is still required to eliminate pneumoconiosis by 2030.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; China; Coal Industry; Female; Humans; Incidence; Male; Middle Aged; Pneumoconiosis; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary
PubMed: 25867304
DOI: 10.4238/2015.March.6.8 -
International Journal of Environmental... Aug 2014We have investigated newly reported pneumoconiosis cases in the province of Hubei, China from 2008 to 2013, to identify the major problems and challenges, and explore...
We have investigated newly reported pneumoconiosis cases in the province of Hubei, China from 2008 to 2013, to identify the major problems and challenges, and explore possible solutions for its prevention and control. We analyzed the data on new cases of pneumoconiosis from annual reports, including case distributions, patient ages, exposure duration, disease stages, and enterprise types. A total of 3665 new pneumoconiosis cases were reported between 2008 and 2013 in Hubei Province. Coal workers' pneumoconiosis and silicosis, which accounted for 97.19% of the total, were the most common types. The duration of exposure of 33.32% cases was less than 10 years. Most of the new pneumoconiosis cases worked in industries that produced coal, nonferrous metal, or building materials. About 42.46% of pneumoconiosis cases were from small and medium-sized enterprises. The proportion of cases with combined pneumoconiosis and tuberculosis was 6.6%, and the incidence of tuberculosis was highest in workers with silicosis. The current situation of pneumoconiosis in China is serious. Lack of attention to occupational health, inefficient surveillance, and weak occupational health services may have contributed to the increased new pneumoconiosis cases.
Topics: Adult; Aged; China; Coal Mining; Construction Industry; Female; Humans; Incidence; Male; Metallurgy; Middle Aged; Occupational Diseases; Pneumoconiosis; Prevalence
PubMed: 25158135
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph110908612 -
Sichuan Da Xue Xue Bao. Yi Xue Ban =... May 2021To investigate the status of infections caused by respiratory pathogens and the patterns of infections caused by pathogens in different seasons, age groups and stages of...
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the status of infections caused by respiratory pathogens and the patterns of infections caused by pathogens in different seasons, age groups and stages of pneumoconiosis so as to explore the pathogen spectrum of respiratory tract infections in pneumoconiosis patients.
METHODS
The sputum samples of 376 pneumoconiosis patients admitted to an occupational disease hospital in Chengdu between January, 2017 and October, 2019 were collected. Clinical information of the patients was collected and lab tests were conducted to check for 23 kinds of common respiratory viruses, bacteria and fungi in the sputum. The relationship between seasons, ages, and different stages of pneumoconiosis and the pathogen detection rate was analyzed.
RESULTS
In the 376 sputum samples, the detection rates of pathogens, viruses, bacteria and fungi were 42.29% (159/376), 32.98% (124/376), 9.57% (36/376) and 6.12% (23/376), respectively. The six pathogens with the highest detection rates were parainfluenza virus, rhinovirus, influenza virus, , and . The severity of respiratory tract infection did not show significant difference in different seasons, age groups, and pneumoconiosis stages.
CONCLUSION
The pathogen spectrum of respiratory tract infections in patients with pneumoconiosis is complicated and the proportion of viral infection is high. However, the severity of the infection is not associated with age, seasonal, or pneumoconiosis staging differences.
Topics: Bacteria; Humans; Infant; Inpatients; Pneumoconiosis; Respiratory Tract Infections; Seasons
PubMed: 34018366
DOI: 10.12182/20210560504 -
Annals of the American Thoracic Society Apr 2024Indigenous populations in the United States face numerous health disparities, but the health of Indigenous workers is less well understood. In a recent surveillance...
Indigenous populations in the United States face numerous health disparities, but the health of Indigenous workers is less well understood. In a recent surveillance study of active Indigenous coal miners, 3% had coal workers' pneumoconiosis/black lung, and 9% had respiratory impairment. However, occupational lung disease prevalence among Indigenous coal miners has not been directly compared with that among other race/ethnicity groups. Coal miners who are totally disabled from black lung may qualify for U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) compensation benefits, but it is unclear how current federal spirometry criteria affect qualification for Indigenous coal miners. To compare findings of pneumoconiosis and respiratory impairment in Indigenous and non-Indigenous coal miners in the western United States and assess federal compensation qualification for Indigenous miners using different spirometry standards. We used voluntary medical surveillance data from 2002 to 2023 to compare the adjusted odds of pneumoconiosis and respiratory impairment between Indigenous/non-Indigenous coal miners. We examined the proportion of Indigenous miners meeting DOL criteria for federal compensation using different spirometry standards. We identified 691 western U.S. coal miners with at least one year of coal mining employment, 289 Indigenous and 402 non-Indigenous (96% White/Hispanic). Indigenous miners had a greater odds ratio for pneumoconiosis for each additional decade of life (2.47 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.66-3.68]) compared with non-Indigenous coal miners (1.48 [95% CI, 1.19-1.85]). For each decade, Indigenous coal miners also had a greater adjusted odds ratio for respiratory impairment (1.67 [95% CI, 1.25-2.24]) than non-Indigenous miners (1.06 [95% CI, 0.90-1.25]). Indigenous miners had an additional decline of 71 ml (95% CI, 6-136 ml) in forced expiratory volume in 1 second for each decade of life compared with non-Indigenous coal miners. Using the DOL-mandated Knudson (1976) spirometry standard rather than an Indigenous-specific standard, 6 of 18 (33%) Indigenous miners would not qualify for federal compensation. Indigenous coal miners experience greater adjusted odds for pneumoconiosis and respiratory impairment per decade of life and greater decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second despite lower smoking rates. Structural inequities exist in federal spirometry requirements for Indigenous miners seeking DOL black lung benefits. Regulatory reform is needed to address barriers to compensation for these underrepresented workers.
Topics: United States; Humans; Race Factors; Pneumoconiosis; Coal Mining; Anthracosis; Respiratory Insufficiency; Coal
PubMed: 37916934
DOI: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.202305-496OC -
Biomedical Engineering Online Oct 2014To diagnose pneumoconiosis using a computer-aided diagnosis system based on digital chest radiographs.
PURPOSE
To diagnose pneumoconiosis using a computer-aided diagnosis system based on digital chest radiographs.
METHODS
Lung fields were first extracted by combining the traditional Otsu-threshold method with a morphological reconstruction on digital radiographs (DRs), and then subdivided into six non-overlapping regions (region (a-f)). Twenty-two wavelet-based energy texture features were calculated exclusively from each region and selected using a decision tree algorithm. A support vector machine (SVM) with a linear kernel was trained using samples with texture features to classify an individual region of a healthy subject or a pneumoconiosis patient. The final classification results were obtained by integrating these individual classifiers with the weighted voting method. All models were developed on a dataset of 85 healthy controls and 40 stage I or II pneumoconiosis patients and validated by using the bootstrap resampling with replacement method.
RESULTS
The areas under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) of regions (c) and (f) were 0.688 and 0.563, which were worse than those of the other four regions. Region (c) and (f) were both excluded from the individual classifiers that were going to be assembled further. When built on the selected texture features, each individual SVM showed a higher diagnostic performance for the training set and the test set. The classification performance after an ensemble was 0.997 and 0.961 of the AUC value for the training and test sets, respectively. The final results were 0.974 ± 0.018 for AUC value and 0.929 ± 0.018 for accuracy.
CONCLUSION
The integrated SVM model built on the selected feature set showed the highest diagnostic performance among all individual SVM models. The model has good potential in diagnosing pneumoconiosis based on digital chest radiographs.
Topics: Aged; Algorithms; Area Under Curve; Case-Control Studies; Decision Trees; Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; Humans; Linear Models; Lung; Male; Middle Aged; Pattern Recognition, Automated; Pneumoconiosis; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; Radiography, Thoracic; Support Vector Machine
PubMed: 25277489
DOI: 10.1186/1475-925X-13-141 -
Internal Medicine (Tokyo, Japan) Nov 1994We report two cases of intrapulmonary lymph nodes detected by a chest roentgenogram or CT scan. The first patient was a 61-year-old fisherman referred complaining of...
We report two cases of intrapulmonary lymph nodes detected by a chest roentgenogram or CT scan. The first patient was a 61-year-old fisherman referred complaining of cough and hemosputum. Chest roentgenogram showed a subpleural small nodular shadow at the superior segment of the right lower lobe. Thoracotomy showed a small anthracotic lymph node. The other case was a 68-year-old female patient admitted for further examination of a subpleural small nodular shadow at the latero-basal segment of the left lower lobe detected on a chest CT scan. Thoracoscopic surgery revealed that the black nodule was an anthracotic lymph node. The appearance of an intrapulmonary lymph node on radiological examination is rare, however, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a solitary or multiple peripheral pulmonary nodules in adults. A small nodular shadow should be resected if malignancy is suspected though not proven. Subpleural intrapulmonary lymph node warrants thoracoscopic surgery.
Topics: Aged; Female; Humans; Lung; Lymph Nodes; Male; Middle Aged; Pneumoconiosis; Solitary Pulmonary Nodule; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 7849392
DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.33.727 -
British Medical Journal (Clinical... May 1982
Topics: Adult; Coal Mining; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pneumoconiosis; Pulmonary Fibrosis; Quartz; United Kingdom
PubMed: 6805582
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.284.6328.1507 -
Sheng Wu Yi Xue Gong Cheng Xue Za Zhi =... Apr 2024Pneumoconiosis ranks first among the newly-emerged occupational diseases reported annually in China, and imaging diagnosis is still one of the main clinical diagnostic... (Review)
Review
Pneumoconiosis ranks first among the newly-emerged occupational diseases reported annually in China, and imaging diagnosis is still one of the main clinical diagnostic methods. However, manual reading of films requires high level of doctors, and it is difficult to discriminate the staged diagnosis of pneumoconiosis imaging, and due to the influence of uneven distribution of medical resources and other factors, it is easy to lead to misdiagnosis and omission of diagnosis in primary healthcare institutions. Computer-aided diagnosis system can realize rapid screening of pneumoconiosis in order to assist clinicians in identification and diagnosis, and improve diagnostic efficacy. As an important branch of deep learning, convolutional neural network (CNN) is good at dealing with various visual tasks such as image segmentation, image classification, target detection and so on because of its characteristics of local association and weight sharing, and has been widely used in the field of computer-aided diagnosis of pneumoconiosis in recent years. This paper was categorized into three parts according to the main applications of CNNs (VGG, U-Net, ResNet, DenseNet, CheXNet, Inception-V3, and ShuffleNet) in the imaging diagnosis of pneumoconiosis, including CNNs in pneumoconiosis screening diagnosis, CNNs in staging diagnosis of pneumoconiosis, and CNNs in segmentation of pneumoconiosis foci to conduct a literature review. It aims to summarize the methods, advantages and disadvantages, and optimization ideas of CNN applied to the images of pneumoconiosis, and to provide a reference for the research direction of further development of computer-aided diagnosis of pneumoconiosis.
Topics: Humans; Neural Networks, Computer; Pneumoconiosis; Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; Deep Learning; Occupational Diseases; China; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
PubMed: 38686425
DOI: 10.7507/1001-5515.202309079