BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of pulmonary function impairment (PFI) and coronary artery calcification (CAC) by multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT), and the effect of pneumoconiosis on CAC or PFI. METHODS Seventy-six subjects exposed to inorganic dusts underwent coronary artery calcium scoring by MDCT, spirometry, laboratory tests, and a standardi...

OBJECTIVES This study, the first to document the prevalence of pneumoconiosis among a living South African coal mining cohort, describes dose-response relationships between coal workers' pneumoconiosis and respirable dust exposure, and relationships between pneumoconiosis and both lung function deterioration and respiratory symptoms. METHODS A total of 684 current miners and 188 ex-miners fro...

BACKGROUND In an earlier study of gold miners men with silicosis were found to have abnormal lung function, including airflow obstruction and reduced diffusing capacity. In a follow up study a sample of these men was examined by computed tomography to determine whether emphysema accounted for these abnormalities, which are associated with silicosis in this working population. METHODS A sample...

OBJECTIVES Epidemiological reports since 2000 have documented increased prevalence and rapid progression of pneumoconiosis among underground coal miners in the United States. To investigate a possible role of silica exposure in the increase, we examined chest x-rays (CXRs) for specific abnormalities (r-type small opacities) known to be associated with silicosis lung pathology. METHODS Undergr...

Abstract Here we report the discovery of a high-temperature hydrothermal vent field on Woodlark Ridge, using ship-borne multibeam echosounding and Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) exploration. La Scala Vent Field comprises two main active areas several inactive zones dominated by variably altered basaltic rocks, indicating that an stable circulation has been maintained over long period time. The...

Perovskite oxide type materials exhibit a great profusion of unique functional properties and for this reason they have been named inorganic chameleon. Nevertheless, their actual applications require the availability these systems in thin-film form synthesized through simple, scalable, straightforward technique. Metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) has shown to be an outstanding proc...

The widespread implementation of content and language integrated learning (CLIL) across school settings in Europe as an innovative effective means improving Foreign Language teaching, has triggered a profusion academic research on its tenets rewards. focus been theoretical discussions CLIL’s ins outs few empirical studies key players’ views regarding efficacy. A consistent outcome the latter ca...