[Experimental basis for possible tumors induction in descendants after placental transmission of chrysotile asbestos fibers].

Experiments on white outbred rats helped to establish placental transmission of chrysotile asbestos fibers from mother to fetus with reliable increased incidence of neoplasma in first generation, mainly of respiratory malignancies. Chronic exposure to chrysotile asbestos damaged peripheral lymphocytes and did not affect red bone marrow. Extrapolating the experimental data on placental transmission of chrysotile asbestos to children requires epidemiologic research.

[Logical characteristics of specimens of the lung resected for tuberculosis].

The specimens of the lung resected for tuberculosis in 173 patients (10 with infiltrates, 133 with tuberculomas, and 30 with caverns) show its active forms with preponderance of decay, foci of dissemination, and a wide caseous and necrotic layer in the cavernous walls. Tissue responses reflect mainly immediate type hypersensitivity and they are followed by a slight development of epithelio-cellular granulomas.

Evaluation of carcinogenic risk in friction product workers.

Mortality rates of two cohorts of asbestos friction product (FP) workers were studied in comparison with the population of the adjoining towns over periods of 20 and 40 years respectively. The second cohort was subdivided into 3 subcohorts exposed to chrysotile asbestos (CA), vulcanization and/or polymerization vapours and gases (VPGV) and asbestos bakelite (AB) or asbestos rubber (AR) dusts. In the first cohort no deaths from lung cancer were recorded, even though the total tumour mortality was higher than in the general population. In the second cohort an excess tumour mortality was observed in the first subcohort for stomach cancer only. In the other two subcohorts the expected rates were higher for all the tumour sites. Following intraperitoneal injection of CA, AB and AR dusts, malignant tumours developed in 31.5% of the rats which received CA, and in about 10% of the rats which were injected with AB and AR dusts. Also, the mean longevity of CA-treated animals was significantly lower than in the other two groups. Thus, the carcinogenic risk was real in the group of FP production workers with significant CA exposure only.

[Morphological changes in the lungs in asbestosis]. / Morfologicheskie izmeneniia legkikh pri asbestoze.

Basing on the autopsy material from 23 deceased with occupational exposure to asbestos dust, morphologic features of asbestosis, as well as changes in the respiratory system were revealed and their role in thanatogenesis elucidated. Asbestosis is a fibrosing alveolitis of occupational nature. Two forms of asbestosis are distinguished and the diagnostic criteria defined.

[Hyalinizing intravascular bronchioloalveolar tumor--a rare form of diffuse lung lesions]. / Gialiniziruiushchaia vnutrisosudistaia "bronkhioloal'veoliarnaia" opukhol'--redkaia forma diffuznykh porazhenii legkikh.

A rare, badly known diffuse pulmonary lesion--multifocal hyalinizing intravascular "bronchiolo-alveolar" tumour in a woman of 22, is described. The lesion was revealed at fluorography, diagnosed by means of mediastinopleuroscopy, in lung biopsy; there were no clinical manifestations. A hyalinized compact and branching node, poor in cells, intruding at the periphery into the alveolar septa in the form of micropolyps was found histologically.