[Efficacy of preventive measures for reducing professional disorders due to pumice powder]. / Efficacia degli interventi di prevenzione nella riduzione delle malattie professionali da polvere di pomice.

The analysis of the incidence of pumice pneumoconiosis in the period 1970-2002 allows to evaluate the positive effects, particularly on the deadly forms of the disease, of the technical interventions aimed at reducing dusts. The main interventions in the field of the workmanship of pumice were made at the beginning of 70s, with the introduction of electrofilters in the working cycle and the change of the pumice desiccation system, from plate ovens to closed-cycle rotating ovens. This eliminated the need for manual shedding of pumice stones on oven plates. That duty had caused, between 70s and 80s, an high incidence of deadly forms of pneumoconiosis, which dramatically decreased with the reduction of workers exposed to the above risk. A comparison between the period 1970-75 (before preventive technical interventions) and the period 1976-2002 clearly shows an evident decrease both of deadly forms of pneumoconiosis and of acceptance of appeals for professional silicosis.

Computed tomography features of liparitosis: a pneumoconiosis due to amorphous silica.

The purpose of this study was to describe the radiological features of pleural, parenchymal and mediastinal damage due to occupational inhalation of pumice. In total, 31 workers were evaluated for annual follow-up. Spiral computed tomography (CT) was obtained in the three patients with evident parenchymal abnormalities at chest radiograph. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) was performed in the remaining 28 subjects with no radiographical evidence of pleuropulmonary damage or evidence of pleural plaques, in order to exclude parenchymal involvement. Pumice samples were analysed by radiograph diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Spiral CT showed parahilar conglomerate masses containing fine reticular calcifications in three of 31 (9.7%) patients. HRCT showed several bilateral pleural plaques, without any parenchymal lesion in eight of 28 (28.6%) cases. Statistical analysis indicated correlation between CT findings and pulmonary function, as well as exposure to pumice. The analysis of pumice excluded the presence of asbestos. The findings from this study suggest that pleural plaque may be the only sign of disease in patients with a history of pumice inhalation. However, conglomerate parahilar masses are probably due to exposure to massive amounts of heated pumice, and seem to have different pathogenesis and histopathological characteristics to silicosis.

Early events of experimental exposure to amorphous and crystalline silica in the rat: time course of surfactant protein D.

Pneumoconioses determined by chronic inhalation of different kinds of silica present with peculiar clinical and histopathological features. Silicosis, caused by crystalline silica, is characterized by typical fibrous parenchymal nodules. Less defined are pneumoconioses due to amorphous silica. Aim of current experimental research on silicosis is to investigate the early events that lead to nodular fibrosis of the lung. A secretory component of the pulmonary environment, surfactant, seems to be involved in silica toxicity; surfactant protein D is a protein constituent, apparently involved in the homeostasis of the phospholipid component. We studied the behaviour of SP-D 2, 12 and 24 hours after treatment with 200 mg/kg crystalline silica or pumice powder suspended in 400 microl/kg saline solution and instiled intratracheally to rats. Both immunohistochemical localization and immunoblotting quantification demonstrated a sensible increase in intracellular SP-D, localized in alveolar type II cells and some bronchiolar epithelial cells, 2 hours after treatment. Increment appears less marked 12 hours after administration, reaching again levels comparable to control at 24 hours. The behaviour of SP-D after pumice instilation is similar, but with a significantly minor increment at 2 hours. These results indicate crystalline silica as responsible for a stronger acute injury of pulmonary tissue.

[Trawl-fishing: assessment of accidents at the largest Italian marine]. / La pesca a strascico: valutazione del fenomeno infortunistico nella più grande marineria italiana.

UNLABELLED: Fishing is a work with high accidents risk. The results of European Community Safety Commission show that in the fishermans the fatal injures are highest than in the manufacturing factory. The authors report the data of working accidents in the fishermans of Mazara del Vallo during the years 1989-98. The study shows 1. an increase the number of accidents in the last years with high incidence of accidents in the extracommunity population of fisherman, 2. the most incidence of injures is concentrated on arms. CONCLUSION: the authors shows that the working organization and the mediocre vocational training are the most reason of the accidents.