68Ga-PSMA-Ligand PET/CT Uptake in Anthracosilicosis.

This interesting image illustrates a case of biopsy-proven pulmonary anthracosilicosis, a mixed dust pneumoconiosis, associated with Ga-PSMA-ligand uptake. Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is an emerging imaging biomarker, with clinical application in evaluation of prostate cancer using Ga-PSMA-ligand PET/CT. Contrary to its name, PSMA is expressed in a number of other normal tissues and pathological states. Prostate-specific membrane antigen expression has been linked to tumor angiogenesis in various other epithelial neoplasms, as well as neovasculature associated with tissue regeneration and repair. Awareness of nonneoplastic inflammatory conditions associated with Ga-PSMA-ligand uptake aids in patient assessment and management.

[Specificity of cellular response to various occupational toxicants].

The article covers study concerning influence of coal rock dust and high fluorine concentrations on energy metabolism and oxidation-reduction reactions in blood WBC of experimental rats. The authors demonstrated that the cells vary in response to long action of coal rock dust and high fluorine concentrations.

[Clinical and experimental studies of metabolic response to chronic exposure to coal dust].

In miners anthracosilicosis is caused by chronic exposure to coal dust and is characterized by progressive development of the inflammatory process, the expressed disorders of lipid metabolism, and immunodeficiency. In the experiment we revealed the stages of anthracosilicosis development according to which adequate measures of prevention and correction of the disorders caused by long exposure of an organism to coal dust are recommended.

[Serum phospholipids in anthracosilicosis associated with vibration disease].

The authors studied serum phospholipid subunits in patients with anthracosilicosis associated with vibration disease. Findings are significantly higher detergent fraction of phospholipids--lysophosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, sphingomyelin, lower phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphoinositides--that suggests increased transmissivity of biologic membranes and activated inosite mechanism of transmembrane signal transmission. Aeroionization appeared to have positive influence, normalizing serum phospholipids level.

A case report of anthracosilicotic spindle-cell pseudotumor of mediastinal lymph node: cytologic diagnosis by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration.

Pigmented spindle-cell tumors of the lymph nodes have a broad differential diagnosis, including both benign and malignant neoplasms. Here, we report a case of a pigmented spindle-cell lesion in a mediastinal lymph node mimicking a spindle-cell melanoma on fine-needle aspiration cytology. Smears showed atypical polygonal and spindle cells with bland nuclear features and abundant cytoplasmic anthracotic pigment. Immunohistochemistry was negative for melanoma markers, but showed positivity for histiocyte markers. Polarization microscopy revealed minute birefringent intracellular crystals consistent with silica. Electron microscopy was confirmatory and a diagnosis of anthracosilicotic spindle-cell pseudotumor was made. To the best of our knowledge, fine-needle aspiration cytology findings of this lesion have not been reported.

Anthracotic and anthracosilicotic spindle cell pseudotumors of mediastinal lymph nodes: report of five cases of a reactive lesion that stimulates malignancy.

We report five cases of reactive mediastinal spindle cell proliferations associated with anthracosis and anthracosilicosis that simulated a malignant process both on clinical and morphological grounds. Clinically, the lesions formed radiographically evident masses or were infiltrative. Microscopically, a prominent storiform pattern of intertwining spindle cells was found in four cases. This proliferation extended outside of the lymph node capsule in three cases and surrounded nerves in two. Because of this combination of features, the submitted diagnoses included a malignant neoplasm in four cases. The spindle cells were immunoreactive for histiocytic markers and focally contained fine anthracotic pigment. All cases featured nodular hyaline scars and contained polarizable material suggestive of silica, although a history of industrial exposure was obtained in only two cases. No lesion has enlarged or otherwise progressed during follow-up ranging from 6 to 48 months. The differential diagnosis includes a variety of spindle cell neoplasms, including malignant fibrous histiocytoma, follicular dendritic cell tumor, spindle cell melanoma, and Kaposi's sarcoma.

Pulmonary endocrine cells in anthracosilicotic lungs.

It has been suggested by some studies of human and animal lungs that the products of pulmonary endocrine cells, particularly gastrin-releasing peptide, might play a role in fibrogenesis, but more recent detailed studies of fibrotic human lungs have failed to confirm this. We have made a detailed quantitative examination of a series of fibrotic human lungs to see if we could determine whether there was any relationship between endocrine cells and fibrosis. Using immunocytochemistry, we investigated the morphology, content, distribution and number of pulmonary endocrine cells in 15 pairs of fibrotic lungs from coal miners, and compared their features with those of equivalent cells in age-matched controls. Proliferation of endocrine cells was seen in the lungs of just two miners, in which it was focal and associated with acute bronchitis and bronchopneumonia. There was no difference between the miners and controls in the appearance (mostly solitary cells), content (predominantly gastrin-releasing peptide and calcitonin), distribution (mainly in small bronchi and bronchioles), or number (4.5 vs 4.1 cells per 10,000 epithelial cells, respectively) of endocrine cells. It seems unlikely that the substances secreted by these cells play any role in stimulating fibrosis in human lungs, but rather that they have a function in the inflammatory response to pulmonary injury.

[The role of pulmonary surfactant in the atherogenesis process in patients with dust-induced respiratory organ diseases]. / Rol' surfaktanta legkikh v protsesse aterogeneza u bol'nykh pylevymi zabolevaniiami organov dykhaniia.

There have been established opposite reactions in the cardiovascular system during formation of dust-induced pathology of lungs: a common finding in patients with pneumoconiosis is alterations in the left heart, while in chronic dust bronchitis the same is true of the right heart. In the authors' opinion, different states of pulmonary surfactant in the above conditions account for this observation. Inhibition of synthesis of the pulmonary surfactant associated with the development of the blood and tissue phospholipid deficiency makes for the evolution of atherosclerosis in patients with pneumoconiosis while enhancement of the phospholipid production by the lungs accompanied by elevation of their blood content is an important factor inhibiting the processes of atherogenesis in patients with dust bronchitis.

[Pathological observations on massive fibrosis of coal-mine pneumoconiosis].

Morphological studies on massive pulmonary fibrosis due to pneumoconiosis in 42 cases were performed. The cases were divided into two types: the coalescence of fibrotic nodules type and the progressive massive fibrosis type. The former includes fusion of simple silica or coal-silica nodules and coalescence of mainly coal-silico-tubercle nodules. When pneumoconiosis is complicated by tuberculosis, the coal-silico-tubercle is the pathological change caused by the combination of dust and inflammation. The resulting conglomerate mass can be classified as progressive massive fibrosis. A comparison of micro-element content between non-massive fibrosis and massive fibrosis was made, and only the silicon content showed a significant difference (P < 0.05). The morphology, pathogenesis and formation of progressive massive fibrosis are discussed.

[Comparative analysis of biological aggressiveness of dusts from different coal mines for determining the risk of development of pneumoconiosis among miners]. / Porównawcza analiza agresywnosci biologicznej pylów kopalnianych pochodzacych z róznych kopalni wegla w celu okreslenia ryzyka powstawania pylic pluc u górników.

The aim of the study was to determine the changes in the respiratory system of animals administered intratracheally settled dusts sampled from the following coal mines: "Debiensko" in Leszczyny, "Zabrze" in Zabrze, "Gliwice" in Gliwice, "Janina" in Libiaz and "Victoria" in Walbrzych. Total dustiness in those mines in 1985-1988 was found to be as follows: "Debiensko"--1.39 mg/m3-22.3 mg/m3, "Zabrze"--7.6 mg/m3-16.8 mg/m3, "Janina"--16.0 mg/m3-34.0 mg/m3, "Victoria"--3.7 mg/m3-15.6 mg/m3. In the examined dusts the content of crystalline silica determined using the Polezajev's method amounted to 3.5%-9.4% in "Debiensko", 2%-10% in "Zabrze", 3.8% in "Gliwice", 3.6%-8.4% in "Janina" and 3.7%-11% in "Victoria". The biological aggressiveness of the mine dusts was determined using intraperitoneal, lung and hemolitic tests. The biochemical determinations of hydroxyproline level were made using the Stegemann's method modified by Hurych and Chvapil. The obtained results of biochemical analyses were examined statistically using the t-Student's test. The lung sections for histopathological examination were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Collagen fibres were stained according to the Van Giesan's method. Certain discrepancies were found between epidemiological analysis concerning the incidence of pneumoconiosis and animal experiments focusing on the fibrogenic activity of the dusts from particular mines. The measurements of fibrogenic activity of dusts based on animal experiments and the determination of SiO2 content in dusts cannot be used for estimating the risk of pneumoconiosis. Therefore, biological exposure should be assessed on the basis of the monitoring of occupational environment.

[Evaluation of the effect of the detergent Rokafenol N-8 on the development and course of experimental pneumoconiosis caused by coal mine dust]. / Ocena wplywu detergentu rokafenol n-8 na rozwój i przebieg doswiadczalnej pylicy wywolanej pylami kopalnianymi.

Experimental investigation was conducted in order to evaluate the impact of the Rokafenol N-8 detergent upon the development and course of experimental pneumoconiosis caused by mine dusts. albino rats were used for the experiment. Methodological assumptions were elaborated based on the analogy with the conditions observed at the workplaces, where means of dustiness control are used. Following experiments constituted the basis for the evaluation of the influence of Rokafenol N-8 detergent upon the development of pneumoconiotic and reactive changes in the lungs of experimental animals: following the introduction of the dust suspended in Rokafenol N-8 solution into the lungs, and following the intratracheal dust introduction--the animals were exposed to Rokafenol N-8 aerosol. After the close of the experimental period (3 and 6 months respectively), histopathological investigation of the lungs and mediastinal lymph nodes, and the hydroxyproline (collagen) levels in the pulmonary tissue were determined. On the basis of the investigation results obtained it has been established that Rokafenol N-8 does not eliminate coniotic changes caused by mine dusts, and additionally, it presents an impact detrimental for the organism. Rokafenol N-8 administered both intratracheally and through inhalation causes a significant increase in the hydroxyproline (collagen) level in the pulmonary tissue.

[Biological attestation of the fibrogenic effect of dust from selected coal mines on the lung tissue]. / Biologiczny atest zwlókniajacego dzialania pylu na tkanke plucna wybranych kopaln wegla kamiennego.

The studies aimed at determining the changes in respiratory system of animals after intratracheal administration of settled dusts sampled from seams 116 and 188 in Janina colliery and seams 314 and 317 in Victoria colliery. For comparison, dusts sampled gravimetrically from a/m seams in Janina and Victoria collieries were intratracheally administered to animals. Crystalline silica concentrations determined by Polezajew method in dusts from Janina and Victoria collieries were 2.4% to 8.1% and 1.6% to 2.8%, respectively. Biological aggressiveness of mine dusts was examined using intraperitoneal, pulmonary and hemolytic tests. Hydroxyproline concentration was determined by Stegemann method using the modification of Hurych and Chvapil (2). The results of biochemical analysis were subjected to a statistical analysis by t-Student's test. Specimens from lungs for histopathological examination were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, while collagen fibres were stained by Van Gieson method. A single intratracheal administration of dust collected gravimetrically from 116 seam and settled dust from seam 118 in Janina colciery caused, after six months, a hypro-increase by more than three times comparing with the control group. No correlations were found between higher hypro-levels in lungs and histological changes. It seems probable that higher hypro-levels in lungs can be caused mainly by SiO2 whose concentration in dusts was 8%. Similar concentrations of aluminium and ferrous compounds may suggest that their influence on the biological activity of silica is mutually eliminated. After a six-month intratracheal administration of dusts from Victoria colliery in Walbrzych, a hypro-decrease was observed compared to a three-month period of administration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Cytochemical indices in initial manifestations of anthracosilicosis]. / Tsitokhimicheskie pokazateli pri nachal'nykh proiavleniiakh antrakosilikoza.

57 coal miners aged 40-58 years were examined in three groups. Group 1 included 12 practically healthy miners who no contact with industrial dusts. Group 2 consisted of 15 healthy miners (index O) and Group 3-30 miners affected with anthracosilicosis (index 0-1). The phagocytic activities of the alveolar neutrophils and macrophages were studied along with that of the peripheral blood neutrophils. Cytochemical techniques were applied to study the content of general protein, phospholipids, glycogen and the acid phosphatase activity. In Group 2, cellular reactions were marked by a relative content growth of neutrophils and macrophages, and viable cells, against a statistically reliable increase of acid phosphatase activity and phospholipids' content, with concomitant decrease in content of general protein and glycogen. The studies helped to reveal the latent forms of anthracosilicosis at early stages, when morphologic changes could not be traced with ordinary X-ray techniques.

The influence of dust originated in different coal mines on pneumoconiotic changes in white rats.

In experiments on white rats, three different types of dust of equal dispersion, coming from coal mines, were examined. The dusts exhibited different content of free silica and certain metals, such as: nickel, chromium and vanadium. The animals intratracheally administered with 50 mg of the mentioned dusts had hydroxyproline determined. After six months of experiment, histopathological examination of lungs was carried out. It was found that different SiO2 content (5 and 11%) with the same content of trace metals and different content of trace metals with the same SiO2 content (5%) does not affect hydroxyproline content in lungs. A significant increase in hydroxyproline level in rats' lungs was found in a group that obtained dust of the highest SiO2 content (11%) with more trace metals. Findings of histopathological examinations confirmed the data obtained from hydroxyproline levels measurements. It seems that compounds of certain metals, such as: nickel, chromium, vanadium, at a specific SiO2 level in the dust may increase its fibrogenic properties in lungs.