Effective Therapies For Asbestos Inhalation And Disease Development
Inhalation of asbestos fibers can be deadly. Many have dedicated themselves to better understanding asbestos related disease. One interesting study is called, Influence of Metal Ions on Flavonoid Protection against Asbestos-Induced Cell Injury by V. A. Kostyuka, 1, A. I. Potapovicha, E. N. Vladykovskayaa, L. G. Korkinab and I. B. A. Afanas’evc – Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics – Volume 385, Issue 1, 1 January 2001, Pages 129-137. Here is an excerpt: Abstract – Influence of metal ions (Fe2+, Fe3+, Cu2+, Zn2+) on the protective effect of rutin, dihydroquercetin, and green tea epicatechins against in vitro asbestos-induced cell injury was studied. Metals have been found to increase the capacity of rutin and dihydroquercetin to protect peritoneal macrophages against chrysotile asbestos-induced injury. The data presented here show that this effect is due to the formation of flavonoid metal complexes, which turned out to be more effective radical scavengers than uncomplexed flavonoids. At the same time epicatechins and their metal complexes have similar antiradical properties and protective capacities against the asbestos induced injury of macrophages. Metal complexes of all flavonoids were found to be considerably more potent than parent flavonoids in protecting red blood cells against asbestos-induced injury. It was also found that the metal complexes of all flavonoids were absorbed by chrysotile asbestos fibers considerably better than uncomplexed compounds and probably for this reason flavonoid metal complexes have better protective properties against asbestos induced hemolysis. Thus, the results of the present study show that flavonoid metal complexes may be effective therapy for the inflammatory response associated with the inhalation of asbestos fiber. The advantage of their application could be the strong increase in ROS scavenging by flavonoids and finally a better cell protection under the conditions of cellular oxidative stress.
Another interesting study is called, The Interrelationships of Selected Asbestos Exposure Indices by Jeremiah R. Lynch; Howard E. Ayer; Douglas L. Johnson – American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal, Volume 31, Issue 5 September 1970 , pages 598 604. Here is an excerpt: Abstract – Based on the assumption that the biological effect of asbestos is related to the concentration of respirable fibers, an index was developed which yields the concentration in numbers of asbestos fibers visible under 430 X phase-contrast illumination. Data are presented relating this index to overall dustiness as measured by impinger counts and to absolute fiber concentration and distribution as measured by electron microscopy. The relation between count estimates and gravimetric measures of total dust and chrysotile asbestos deduced from magnesium analyses are given for gross and respirable samples. These relations are developed for use in operations in the manufacture of asbestos textile, friction, cement, and insulation products. The most convenient, practical, and direct index of asbestos fiber exposure proved to be the concentration of fibers longer than 5 microns counted on membrane filters at 430 X phase-contrast illumination.
Another interesting study is called, Movement of Selected Metals, Asbestos, and Cyanide in Soil: Applications to Waste Disposal Problems by Fuller, W H Here is an excerpt: This report presents information on movement of selected hazardous substances in soil which can be applied to problems of selecting and operating land disposal sites for wastes containing arsenic, asbestos, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, copper, cyanide, iron, lead, mercury, selenium, and zinc. The information is based on a literature review, laboratory studies of movement of hazardous substances through soil in municipal landfill leachate, and the author’s experience in soil science and waste disposal. In addition to a discussion of the soil and waste-related factors to be considered in selecting and managing disposal sites for minimum migration hazard, the report also presents general information on soils and geological materials and specific information on the chemistry of the selected hazardous substances which is relevant to an understanding of their migration in soil.
We all owe a debt of gratitude to these researchers. If you found any of these excerpts interesting, please read the studies in their entirety.
About the Author:
Monty Wrobleski is the author of this article, for more information please visit the following links Mesothelioma Lawsuit New York
Mesothelioma Lawsuit California
Chrysotile Properties And The Mesothelioma Plague
Mesothelioma has taken the lives of thousands, and continued research is the only hope of finding a cure. One interesting study is called, Variation of properties of chrysotile asbestos subjected to milling by A. M. Langera; M. S. Wolffa; A. N. Rohla; and I. J. Selikoffa – a Environmental Sciences Laboratory of the Department of Community Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, City University of New York, New York, New York – Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, Volume 4, Issue 1 1978 , pages 173 188. Here is an excerpt: Abstract – Mechanical milling is commonly used to produce short chrysotile asbestos for experimental purposes. Such manipulation also decreases fiber crystallinity, alters Si-O and Mg-O interlayer bonding, induces coordination changes in the brucite layer, diminishes the ability of fiber to reduce specific free radicals and physisorb organic molecules, and decreases hemolytic potency and antagonist sorption capabilities. The degree of alteration is related to the time of milling. Results of biological experimentation with these materials must be interpreted with caution. Interaction mechanisms in the biological setting are suggested for chrysotile fiber.
Another interesting study is called, Patterns of inflammation, cell proliferation, and related gene expression in lung after inhalation of chrysotile asbestos. By T. R. Quinlan, K. A. BruB, J. P. Marsh, Y. M. Janssen, P. Taishi, K. O. Leslie, D. Hemenway, P. T. O’Shaughnessy, P. Vacek, and B. T. Mossman – Am J Pathol. 1995 September; 147(3): 728739. Here is an excerpt: Abstract – Biochemical and molecular markers of inflammation, cell proliferation, and pulmonary fibrosis were studied in lungs and bronchoalveolar lavage preparations from Fischer 344 rats at time periods from 3 to 20 days after inhalation of two airborne concentrations (0.18 and 8.2 mg/m3 air) of chrysotile asbestos. Additional groups of animals were examined for lung histopathology and cell proliferation with an antibody to 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine after exposure to asbestos for 5 and 20 days and after 20 days of exposure followed by an additional 20 days in room air. Exposure to chrysotile at the higher concentration caused protracted increases in steady-state mRNA levels of manganese-containing superoxide dismutase and elevation in glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase mRNA at 3 days, but levels of mRNAs encoding copper-zinc-containing superoxide dismutase, ornithine decarboxylase, and the proto-oncogene, c-jun were not statistically elevated from levels occurring in lung homogenates from sham control rats. Differential cell counts in bronchoalveolar lavage revealed an early infiltration of neutrophils that correlated with focal areas of increased cellularity and fibrosis in rat lungs at the higher concentrations of asbestos. However, elevations in lung hydroxyproline were not observed. Significant increases in epithelial cells of the bronchi, the interstitial compartment of the lung, and mesothelial cells incorporating 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine, an indication of DNA synthesis, were noted in the higher chrysotile group at 5 days, but labeling in all cell compartments was comparable with that occurring in sham controls at later time points. Indicators of inflammation, increased cell proliferation, and pulmonary fibrosis were not observed in the lungs of rats exposed to the lower concentration of chrysotile. Thus, results indicate that cellular and molecular markers of inflammation and proliferation in lung are dose-related and indicative of the histopathological development of asbestosis.
A third study is called, Malignant mesothelioma in south east England: clinicopathological experience of 272 cases. By D H Yates, B Corrin, P N Stidolph, K Browne – Thorax 1997;52:507-512. Here is an excerpt: Abstract – BACKGROUND: Malignant mesothelioma is a rare pleural tumour associated with asbestos exposure. The proportion of malignant mesothelioma unrelated to asbestos exposure, and any differentiating features between exposed and unexposed cases, are not well described. This study describes occupational, clinical, and pathological features in a large cohort of cases of malignant mesothelioma from south east England. METHODS: All 272 cases from this region were studied, either in life or after death when necropsy examination suggested malignant mesothelioma. Detailed information was gathered regarding the occupational history, clinical course, and mode of death. Necropsies were performed in 98% of cases. Lung tissue was examined histologically to confirm the diagnosis, subtype of tumour, presence or absence of asbestosis and asbestos bodies. RESULTS: Exposure to asbestos was documented in 87% of cases, while in the remainder, no asbestos exposure was found nor were asbestos bodies seen; 94.5% were pleural, 5.1% peritoneal, and 0.4% pericardial. Right sided tumours were more common than left sided tumours (ratio 1.6:1). Patients usually presented with breathlessness and chest pain, but 33% presented with pleural effusion in the absence of chest pain. The mean (SD) time from first exposure to asbestos to symptoms was 40 (12) years with a median (interquartile range (IQR) survival of 14 (12.5) months. The median (IQR) survival time in sarcomatous, epithelial, and mixed cell type malignant mesothelioma was 9.4 (10) months, 12.5 (18) months, and 11 (14) months, respectively, and was significantly greater in cases detected by chance. Clinical features were similar in asbestos related and non-asbestos related malignant mesothelioma. CONCLUSIONS: In south east England most cases of malignant mesothelioma are associated with asbestos exposure. Clinical features do not differentiate between asbestos related and non-asbestos related disease.
We all owe a debt of gratitude to these fine researchers for their hard work and dedication. If you found any of these excerpts interesting, please read the studies in their entirety.
About the Author:
Monty Wrobleski is the author of this article, for more information please visit the following links
Mesotheliomas Among Machinists And Other Railroad Workers
Asbestos exposure has been the culprit behind many deaths among blue collar workers. If we are ever going to find a cure, then we all must support the financing of continued research. One interesting study is called, Mesotheliomas due to asbestos used in railroads in Italy by Maltoni, C, Pinto, C, Mobiglia, A – Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences [ANN. N.Y. ACAD. SCI.]. Vol. 643, pp. 347-366. 1991. Here is an excerpt: The available knowledge of the oncogenic risks of asbestos, the presentation of some data on the uses of asbestos in railroads, with particular regard to the Italian State Railroads (Ferrovie dello Stato = FS), and the identification of groups at risk because of exposure to asbestos used in railroads are briefly reviewed. The available data in the literature on the pathologic effects of such exposure, and in particular on the onset of mesotheliomas among machinists and other railroad workers, are also summarized. Eighty-three cases, in various Italian regions, of mesothelioma (78 pleural, 4 peritoneal, and 1 pericardial) are reported that are related to the exposure to asbestos used in railroads. Twenty-six of these cases (among which 25 were reported in the Emilia-Romagna region) were submitted to a detailed study at the Bologna Institute of Oncology. Forty-nine cases of mesothelioma occurred among FS workers, in particular machinists.
Another interesting study is called, Dimensions of airborne asbestos fibres. By Gibbs GW, Hwang CY. – IARC Sci Publ. 1980;(30):69-78. Here is an excerpt: Abstract – Systematic measurements were made of the dimensions of fibres found in the air in mines and mills for crocidolite, amosite and chrysotile. Samples were collected on membrane filters and examined in light, transmission electron and scanning electron microscopes. The proportion of short fibres was shown to decrease with extent of processing, especially for amosite. No airborne fibres had a diameter greater than 3 micrometers, and all would therefore be capable of reaching the pulmonary alveoli. It was shown that for the same airborne mss of the different varieties of asbestos, fewer amosite fibres would be present than crocidolite or chrysotile fibres. Most of the fibres to which workers are exposed are short and thin. It was also shown that the choice of analytical method and the limits of fibre dimension that can be observed are critical. Thus, fibres greater than 5 micrometers which are visible in the light microscope represent only a small proportion of the total fibre count, and transmission electron microscopic methods can lead to under-reporting of long fibres.
A third study is called, The influence of asbestos dust on the oncogenic transformation of C3H10T 1/2 cells. By Brown RC, Poole A, Fleming GT. – Cancer Lett. 1983 Mar;18(2):221-7. Here is an excerpt: Abstract – The cell transforming ability of asbestos dust was investigated using C3H10T 1/2 murine fibroblasts. In a series of experiments both crocidolite and amosite caused no increase in the number of transformed foci over that seen in cultures from untreated cells. The dusts, were, however, capable of augmenting the oncogenic effect of benzo[a]pyrene (BP). This putative synergistic effect was evident when fibres and chemicals were added to cultures as simple mixtures and when BP was adsorbed to the surface of the fibres.
We all owe a debt of gratitude to these fine researchers for their important work. If you found any of these excerpts helpful, please read the studies in their entirety.
About the Author:
Monty Wrobleski is the author of this article, for more information please visit the following links
Medical Malpractice – Know Your Rights And Avail An Expert Assistance!
One cannot blame any medical institution or a doctor for the case of medical malpractice. No ordinary symptoms like sneezing after an operation count in the disasters of medical malpractice. Also, at times, doctor refutes to accept any disorder or complication after treatment as a cause of medical malpractice. So, for this it would be advisable if you consult a highly professional and experienced attorney dealing in such cases.
The plaintiff must be clear about the symptoms that may have been troubling him after the completion of treatment and should give a detailed overview of the entire case history to their attorney. A medical malpractice lawyer is an expert who knows what all symptoms and situations are countable in a medical malpractice or wrong diagnosis case. He will accordingly study your case and file your complaint against the medical institution in concern with your treatment.
The most important factor that needs to be under control is the time period for filing the litigation of medical malpractice. Since, every state has its own time limit to file such a case and delay of a year or so would not be considered into the medical malpractice rather an act of carelessness of patient. This, an expert medical malpractice attorney knows very well.
Medical malpractice as all of us know already is a legal term that specifies an act against wrong diagnosis or carelessness of the doctor. So far hundreds of such cases have been brought into the light in almost every state of US and had been handled successfully delivering relief to the patients family.
The medical malpractice law allows a patient to claim for the losses that have been incurred owing to wrong diagnosis, carelessness of medical staff, or the undiagnosed case. The loss can be financial, physical disability, mental trauma, and often death of the patient. All of these cases can be brought into the case with the help of a professional legal attorney and be claimed for the compensation. If the patient dies due to the negligence or wrong diagnosis of the doctor, then a case for wrongful death could be filed against the institution.
Some of the major cases that can be included into the wrong diagnosis or the medical malpractice symptoms include:
Chest pain or cardiac attack
Pain in abdomen
Resurfacing of lump in breasts (breast cancer)
Bleeding in colon or rectum (colorectal cancer)
Incessant coughing and sneezing (mesothelioma or may be along cancer left undiagnosed)
You can find an attorney suitable to your case in yellow pages and also on Internet database. Most of the medical malpractice lawyers have registered themselves on online portal for the convenience of people who are not living in big cities. This has made legal services accessible to larger proportion of mass.
Make sure you negotiate on the legal fee beforehand so that you may not get further deep into any other mess. Generally, a legal fee is higher yet there are attorneys who take their fess when they win the compensation successfully. These attorneys claim certain percentage of the compensation as their fee which is a beneficial deal for both the lawyer and the client (patient).
About the Author:
George Turner gives advice to clients who are looking for attorneys to handle injury related cases. To know more about the services of medical malpractice, medical malpractice lawyer new york, medical malpractice lawyers new york, medical malpractice law firm, personal injury New York, medical malpractice New York visit www.nbrlawfirm.com
Fiber Analysis And The Asbestos Exposure Menace
Careful analysis of lung and mesothelial tissues must be done to determine the types of asbestos fibers associated with the mesothelioma One interesting study is called, Asbestos Fibers Contributing to the Induction of Human Malignant Mesothelioma by Yasunosuke Suzuki, Steven R. Yuen – Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences – Volume 982, Carcinogenesis Bioassays and Protecting Public Health: Commemorating The Lifework Of Cesare Maltoni And Colleagues pages 160176, December 2002. Here is an excerpt: Abstract: To elucidate the features of the asbestos fibers contributing to the induction of human malignant mesothelioma, we used high-resolution analytical electron microscopy to determine the type, number, and dimensions of asbestos fibers in lung and mesothelial tissues in 168 cases of mesothelioma. Results: 1. Asbestos fibers were present in almost all of the lung and mesothelial tissues from the mesothelioma cases. 2. The most common types of asbestos fibers in lung were either an admixture of chrysotile with amphiboles, amphibole alone, and occasionally chrysotile alone. In mesothelial tissues, most asbestos fibers were chrysotile. 3. In lung, amosite fibers were greatest in number followed by chrysotile, crocidolite, tremolite/actinolite, and anthophyllite. In mesothelial tissues, chrysotile fibers were 30.3 times more common than amphiboles. 4. In some mesothelioma cases, the only asbestos fibers detected in either lung or mesothelial tissue were chrysotile fibers. 5. The average number of asbestos fibers in both lung and mesothelial tissues was two orders of magnitude greater than the number found in the general population. 6. The majority of asbestos fibers in lung and mesothelial tissues were shorter than 5 m in length. Conclusions: 1) human malignant mesothelioma; 2) short, thin asbestos fibers should be included in the list of fiber types contributing to the induction of human malignant mesothelioma; 3) Results support the induction of human malignant mesothelioma by chrysotile.
Another interesting study is called, Asbestos-induced lung disease. By A. R. Brody – Laboratory of Pulmonary Pathobiology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 – Environ Health Perspect. 1993 April; 100: 2130. Here is an excerpt: Abstract – This review attempts to deal with two major questions concerning asbestos-induced lung disease: How does inhaled asbestos cause cell proliferation and fibrosis? and Will there continue to be risk from exposure to asbestos in schools and public buildings? The first is a scientific question that has spawned many interesting new experiments over the past 10 years, and there appear to be two hypothetical schemes which could explain, at least in part, the fibroproliferative effects of asbestos fibers. One supports the view that toxic oxygen radicals generated on fiber surfaces and/or intracellularly are the central mediators of disease. The second hypothesis is not mutually exclusive of the first, but, in my opinion, may be integral to it, i.e., the cellular injury induced by oxygen radicals stimulates the elaboration of multiple varieties of growth factors and cytokines that mediate the pathogenesis of asbestosis. There is increasing evidence that molecules such as platelet-derived growth factor and transforming growth factor beta, both synthesized and secreted by activated lung macrophages, are responsible, respectively, for the increased interstitial cell populations and extracellular matrix proteins that are the hallmarks of asbestos-induced fibrosis. The challenge today is to establish which combinations of the many factors released actually are playing a role in disease pathogenesis. The issue of continued risk currently is more a question of policy and perception than science because a sufficient database has not yet been established to allow full knowledge of the circumstances under which asbestos in buildings constitutes an ongoing health hazard. The litigious nature of this question does not help its resolution. In as much as public policy statements and risk assessment are not within my purview, I have focused on the state-of-the-art of asbestos as a complete carcinogen. It appears to be generally nongenotoxic, but all asbestos fiber types can induce chromosomal mutations and aneuploidy, perhaps through their ability to disrupt normal chromosome segregation.
We all owe a debt of gratitude to these fine researchers for their hard work and dedication. If you found any of these excerpts interesting, please read the studies in their entirety.
About the Author:
Monty Wrobleski is the author of this article, for more information please visit the following links