Comparisons of demographic characteristics and clinical manifestations among patients with different genospecies of ACB complex isolated from tracheal secretions.

<p>Comparisons of demographic characteristics and clinical manifestations among patients with different genospecies of ACB complex isolated from tracheal secretions.</p

Flowchart of the study enrollment.

<p>Flowchart of the study enrollment.</p

Comparison of antimicrobial susceptibility among different genospecies of ACB complex.

<p>Comparison of antimicrobial susceptibility among different genospecies of ACB complex.</p

Univariate and multiple variable logistic regression analyses of infection risk factors in patients with ACB complex isolated from tracheal secretions.

<p>Univariate and multiple variable logistic regression analyses of infection risk factors in patients with ACB complex isolated from tracheal secretions.</p

Adjusted odds ratios (ORs)^a for hypertension by the different types of stress.

<p>^aAdjusted for age, BMI, family history of hypertension, tobacco use, intake of fatty foods, intake of vegetables and fruits, blood biochemical indicators (fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), education, marital status, and physical activity.</p><p>^bAlso adjusted for gender.</p><p>Adjusted odds ratios (ORs)<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0129163#t003fn001" target="_blank">^a</a> for hypertension by the different types of stress.</p

Odds ratios of hypertension by types of stress and gender.

<p>This figure shows the interaction of gender and different types of stress on the risk of hypertension. Among women with stress at work and at home simultaneously, the odds of hypertension (OR = 1.370, 95% CI [1.074, 1.748]) concomitantly increased with change of stress type (P = 0.043 for linear trend). This trend was not significant for men (P = 0.38).</p

Demographic characteristics of participants by general stress.

<p>BMI: body mass index; SBP: systolic blood pressure; DBP: diastolic blood pressure; TG: triglycerides; HDL-C: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.</p><p>^aP-value of the comparison by general stress.</p><p>^bMedian values (Q1, Q3).</p><p>Demographic characteristics of participants by general stress.</p

The results of the sensitivity analysis for different datasets (odds ratios ^a).

<p>^aSame factors as in the main study were adjusted in the logistic regression analyses.</p><p>^b(n = 8331) whole population excluded participants who had missing stress data (from work or home) or data for one of the main demographic variables (age or gender).</p><p>^c(n = 7160) whole population excluded participants who had missing stress data (from work or home) or data for one of the main demographic variables (age or gender), or who had taken antihypertension/lipid-lowering agents regularly.</p><p>The results of the sensitivity analysis for different datasets (odds ratios <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0129163#t004fn001" target="_blank">^a</a>).</p

Lipopolysaccharides may aggravate apoptosis through accumulation of autophagosomes in alveolar macrophages of human silicosis

<p>Silica dust mainly attacks alveolar macrophages (AMs) and increases the apoptosis of AMs in silicosis patients. However, it is still unclear whether autophagy is affected. Autophagy mainly has defensive functions in response to stress, contributing to cell survival in adverse conditions, and conversely it has also been implicated in cell death. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces autophagy and apoptosis in macrophages. The role of LPS in autophagy and apoptosis in AMs of silicosis patients is unknown. In this study, we collected AMs from 53 male workers exposed to silica and divided them into an observer (control) group, and stage I, II and III patient groups. We found increased levels of LC3B, SQSTM1/p62 and BECN1，whereas the phosphorylation of MTOR，and levels of LAMP2, TLR4, MYD88, TICAM1, as well as the number of lysosomes decreased with the development of silicosis. LPS stimulation triggered autophagy and increased levels of SQSTM1 in AMs. The autophagy inhibitor, 3-methyladenine (3MA), inhibited LPS-induced apoptosis in the AMs of silicosis patients. Moreover, 3MA reversed the LPS-induced decrease in BCL2 and the increase in BAX and CASP3 levels in AMs. These results suggest that autophagosomes accumulate in AMs during silicosis progression. LPS can induce the formation of autophagosomes through a TLR4-dependent pathway, and LPS may exacerbate the apoptosis in AMs. Blockade of the formation of autophagosomes may inhibit LPS-induced apoptosis via the intrinsic apoptotic pathway in AMs. These findings describe novel mechanisms that may lead to new preventive and therapeutic strategies for pulmonary fibrosis.</p

Risk Identification and Prediction of Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis in Kailuan Colliery Group in China: A Historical Cohort Study

<div><p>Background</p><p>Prior to 1970, coal mining technology and prevention measures in China were poor. Mechanized coal mining equipment and advanced protection measures were continuously installed in the mines after 1970. All these improvements may have resulted in a change in the incidence of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP). Therefore, it is important to identify the characteristics of CWP today and trends for the incidence of CWP in the future.</p><p>Methodology/Principal Findings</p><p>A total of 17,023 coal workers from the Kailuan Colliery Group were studied. A life-table method was used to calculate the cumulative incidence rate of CWP and predict the number of new CWP patients in the future. The probability of developing CWP was estimated by a multilayer perceptron artificial neural network for each coal worker without CWP. The results showed that the cumulative incidence rates of CWP for tunneling, mining, combining, and helping workers were 31.8%, 27.5%, 24.2%, and 2.6%, respectively, during the same observation period of 40 years. It was estimated that there would be 844 new CWP cases among 16,185 coal workers without CWP within their life expectancy. There would be 273.1, 273.1, 227.6, and 69.9 new CWP patients in the next <10, 10-, 20-, and 30- years respectively in the study cohort within their life expectancy. It was identified that coal workers whose risk probabilities were over 0.2 were at high risk for CWP, and whose risk probabilities were under 0.1 were at low risk.</p><p>Conclusion/Significance</p><p>The present and future incidence trends of CWP remain high among coal workers. We suggest that coal workers at high risk of CWP undergo a physical examination for pneumoconiosis every year, and the coal workers at low risk of CWP be examined every 5 years.</p></div