Publications by authors named "Angela D Franko"

Context.—: The pathology of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) and its most severe form-progressive massive fibrosis (PMF)-in US coal miners has changed in recent years. Severe disease is occurring in younger miners and has been linked to an increase in silica dust exposure.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Pneumoconiosis among coal miners in the USA has been resurgent over the past two decades, despite modern dust controls and regulatory standards. Previously published studies have suggested that respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is a contributor to this disease resurgence. However, evidence has been primarily indirect, in the form of radiographic features.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study aims to evaluate a new method, quantitative microscopy-particulate matter (QM-PM), for analyzing lung dust in coal miners with progressive massive fibrosis, addressing limitations of existing methods.
  • QM-PM was found to produce results comparable to pathologists' assessments and scanning electron microscopy analyses, revealing higher mineral density in contemporary miners compared to historical miners and controls.
  • This automated technique offers a reliable, efficient way to characterize lung dust and could enhance understanding of occupational lung diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The reasons for resurgent coal workers' pneumoconiosis and its most severe forms, rapidly progressive pneumoconiosis and progressive massive fibrosis (PMF), in the United States are not yet fully understood. To compare the pathologic and mineralogic features of contemporary coal miners with severe pneumoconiosis with those of their historical counterparts. Lung pathology specimens from 85 coal miners with PMF were included for evaluation and analysis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * Human and environmental microbiota were analyzed, finding a significant microbial similarity between MWF and affected workers' lung tissues, especially in those from the machine shop area.
  • * The study suggests that exposure to MWF may cause harmful health effects, evidenced by increased B-cell proliferation in lab mice and the presence of harmful microbes in affected workers, indicating a public health concern.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: A cluster of severe lung disease occurred at a manufacturing facility making industrial machines. We aimed to describe disease features and workplace exposures.

Methods: Clinical, functional, radiologic, and histopathologic features were characterized.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) is a high-impact multidisciplinary medical journal. We have observed instances in which a pathology diagnosis, documented with gross or microscopic images, forms an integral part of a CMAJ article, but a pathologist is neither an author nor acknowledged as a contributor. To examine the hypothesis that pathologist contributions are underrecognized and/or underdocumented, we reviewed all CMAJ articles over a 6-year period (September 2003-2009), and correlated the use of pathology images with pathologist authorship or contribution.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF