Alveolar crystal burden in stone workers with artificial stone silicosis.

Background And Objective: An epidemic of silicosis has emerged due to a failure to control risks associated with exposure to high-silica content respirable dust generated while working with artificial stone products. Methods for quantification of alveolar crystal burden are needed to advance our understanding of the pathobiology of silica-related lung injury as well as assisting in the diagnosis, clinical management and prognostication of affected workers. The objective of this study was to develop and validate novel methods to quantify alveolar crystal burden in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from patients with artificial stone silicosis.

Airway Telomere Length in Lung Transplant Recipients.

Introduction: Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) represents the major impediment to long term survival following lung transplantation. Donor and recipient telomere length have been shown to associate with lung transplant outcomes, including CLAD. In this study we aimed to measure the telomere lengths of bronchial and bronchiolar airway cells in lung allografts early after transplantation and to investigate associations with CLAD and all-cause mortality.

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis after lung transplantation.

We report the case of a 69-year-old man five-month post double lung transplant for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) who presented with progressive breathlessness, loss of lung function, and diffuse ground glass shadowing on the chest computed tomography. Transbronchial lung biopsy revealed foamy macrophages, hyperplasia of type II pneumocytes, and eosinophilic material in the alveolar space. Video thoracic lung biopsy was performed, and histology confirmed pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

MicroRNA-34c is associated with emphysema severity and modulates SERPINE1 expression.

Background: MicroRNAs (MiRNA) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression. The aim of this study was to identify miRNAs differentially expressed between mild and moderately emphysematous lung, as well as their functional target mRNAs. Resected lung from patients with COPD undergoing lung cancer surgery was profiled using miRNA (Agilent Human miRNA profiler G4470 V1.

Reestablishment of recipient-associated microbiota in the lung allograft is linked to reduced risk of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome.

Rationale: Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) is the primary limiting factor for long-term survival after lung transplantation, and has previously been associated with microbial infections.

Objectives: To cross-sectionally and longitudinally characterize microbial communities in allografts from transplant recipients with and without BOS using a culture-independent method based on high-throughput sequencing.

Methods: Allografts were sampled by bronchoalveolar lavage, and microbial communities were profiled using 16S rRNA gene amplicon pyrosequencing.

Peripheral compartment innate immune response to Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

Alterations in innate immunity that predispose to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations are poorly understood. We examined innate immunity gene expression in peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and monocytes stimulated by Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Thirty COPD patients (15 rapid and 15 non-rapid lung function decliners) and 15 smokers without COPD were studied.

MS4A1 dysregulation in asbestos-related lung squamous cell carcinoma is due to CD20 stromal lymphocyte expression.

Asbestos-related lung cancer accounts for 4-12% of lung cancers worldwide. We have previously identified ADAM28 as a putative oncogene involved in asbestos-related lung adenocarcinoma (ARLC-AC). We hypothesised that similarly gene expression profiling of asbestos-related lung squamous cell carcinomas (ARLC-SCC) may identify candidate oncogenes for ARLC-SCC.

ADAM28: a potential oncogene involved in asbestos-related lung adenocarcinomas.

Asbestos-related lung cancer accounts for 4-12% of all lung cancers worldwide. Since putative mechanisms of carcinogenesis differ between asbestos and tobacco induced lung cancers, tumors induced by the two agents may be genetically distinct. To identify gene expression biomarkers associated with asbestos-related lung tumorigenicity we performed gene expression array analysis on tumors of 36 patients with primary lung adenocarcinoma, comparing 12 patients with lung asbestos body counts above levels associated with urban dwelling (ARLC-AC: asbestos-related lung cancer-adenocarcinoma) with 24 patients with no asbestos bodies (NARLC-AC: non-asbestos related lung cancer-adenocarcinoma).

Lung asbestos content in lungs resected for primary lung cancer.

Introduction: The majority of Australia's burden of lung cancer occurs in current or former tobacco smokers. To determine the possible contribution of asbestos exposure in Australians presenting with primary lung cancer, we measured lung asbestos content in cases resected consecutively at a single cardio-thoracic hospital.

Methods: Asbestos bodies were quantified by lung tissue digestion, filtration, and light microscopy, and were correlated with exposure questionnaires and clinicopathological features.

Secretory phospholipase A2 deposition on contact lenses and its effect on bacterial adhesion.

Purpose: Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) is a potent antibacterial enzyme in tears and has been found to kill Staphylococcus aureus rapidly in vitro. The purpose was to determine whether sPLA2 deposition is associated with contact lens (CL) type, if sPLA2 remains active on CLs, and if this has an effect on bacterial adhesion.

Methods: Ionic (etafilcon A) and nonionic (Polymacon) high-water, soft CLs were used.