Heart function as measured by ECHO and invasive left heart catheterization for FXN KO and controls at ages 30, 45 and 65 days.

<p>Heart function as measured by ECHO and invasive left heart catheterization for FXN KO and controls at ages 30, 45 and 65 days.</p

Abnormal cardiac mitochondria ultrastructure is accompanied by respiratory inhibition in FXN KO hearts.

<p>(a) Representative images from electron micrographs of cardiomyocytes viewed at 11,000x. Mitochondrial ultrastructure abnormalities were apparent in FXN KO sections and progressed from days 30 to 65. Findings included matrix density loss, mitochondrial-to-sarcomere disarrangement, and accumulation and clumping of mitochondria. FXN KO day 65 mitochondria demonstrate cristae collapse and dissolution, and hyperdense inclusions. Arrowhead = collapsed cristae; arrow = electron-dense intramitochondrial inclusions. (b) Myofibril:mitochondria area ratios were significantly decreased at day 65 in FXN KO compared to controls (n = 3–8 micrographs per strain at each age). (c) Mitochondrial functional assays demonstrated significantly decreased respiratory control ratios in FXN KO compared to controls. There were 2–4 assay runs on pooled mitochondria from FXN KO (n = 8–12 hearts), or pooled mitochondria from controls (n = 4–6 hearts), with 2–3 pooled hearts per run.</p

FXN KO hearts exhibit features of maladaptive ventricular remodeling.

<p>(a) Cardiac fibrosis is progressive in the FXN KO heart. Ventricular tissue was stained using Masson’s Trichrome to detect blue-staining fibrous tissue. (b) Percent area collagen was significantly increased in FXN KO hearts at postnatal day 65 compared to controls. (c) Evidence of cardiomyocyte degeneration in the FXN KO at day 65 is demonstrated by vacuolation on H&E staining.</p

Study schema: Mumbai Worksite Tobacco Control Study.

<p>Study schema: Mumbai Worksite Tobacco Control Study.</p

Characteristics of the worksites assigned to the intervention condition: Mumbai Worksite Tobacco Control Study.

<p>Characteristics of the worksites assigned to the intervention condition: Mumbai Worksite Tobacco Control Study.</p

Adaptation process: Core steps for translation.

<p>Adaptation process: Core steps for translation.</p

Exposures and Cross-shift Lung Function Declines in Wildland Firefighters

<div><p>Respiratory problems are common among wildland firefighters. However, there are few studies directly linking occupational exposures to respiratory effects in this population. Our objective was to characterize wildland fire fighting occupational exposures and assess their associations with cross-shift changes in lung function. We studied 17 members of the Alpine Interagency Hotshot Crew with environmental sampling and pulmonary function testing during a large wildfire. We characterized particles by examining size distribution and mass concentration, and conducting elemental and morphological analyses. We examined associations between cross-shift lung function change and various analytes, including levoglucosan, an indicator of wood smoke from burning biomass. The levoglucosan component of the wildfire aerosol showed a predominantly bimodal size distribution: a coarse particle mode with a mass median aerodynamic diameter about 12 μm and a fine particle mode with a mass median aerodynamic diameter < 0.5 μm. Levoglucosan was found mainly in the respirable fraction and its concentration was higher for fire line construction operations than for mop-up operations. Larger cross-shift declines in forced expiratory volume in one second were associated with exposure to higher concentrations of respirable levoglucosan (p < 0.05). Paired analyses of real-time personal air sampling measurements indicated that higher carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations were correlated with higher particulate concentrations when examined by mean values, but not by individual data points. However, low CO concentrations did not provide reliable assurance of concomitantly low particulate concentrations. We conclude that inhalation of fine smoke particles is associated with acute lung function decline in some wildland firefighters. Based on short-term findings, it appears important to address possible long-term respiratory health issues for wildland firefighters. [Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of <i>Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene</i> for the following free supplemental resources: a file containing additional information on historical studies of wildland fire exposures, a file containing the daily-exposure-severity questionnaire completed by wildland firefighter participants at the end of each day, and a file containing additional details of the investigation of correlations between carbon monoxide concentrations and other measured exposure factors in the current study.]</p></div