Danger Dust

Because there are typically no symptoms until the first fracture occurs, osteoporosis is considered a silent disease. Some call it a silent killer.

Osteoporosis is a bone disease characterized by decreased bone density and strength, leading to fragile, brittle bones that increase the risk of fractures, especially in the spine, hips and wrists.

The ancient scourge of tuberculosis for years was the deadliest infectious disease. Then SARS-CoV-2 came along and grabbed the notorious title of #1 killer: In 2020, COVID-19 was responsible for 3.5 million deaths worldwide vs 1.5 million for TB.The 2024 Global Tuberculosis Report, published last week by the World Health Organization, puts TB back in the top slot with 1.25 million deaths in 2023 compared to 320,000 COVID-19 deaths. There's also been an increase of hundreds of thousands of new TB cases in 2023 compared to the year prior.

The 1.25 million TB deaths in 2023 is down from 2022’s number of 1.32 million (which that year was second to the COVID toll). But it's still indefensibly high, say public health leaders.

Scientists confirm 'disgusting' composition of mysterious tar balls that surfaced on Sydney beaches

The black balls which shut down beaches in Sydney last month and stumped authorities are "disgusting" lumps of human faeces, drugs and PFAS chemicals, according to detailed analysis by researchers.

Initial reports suggested they were made of tar and could have come from an oil spill or waste from a ship, but a plethora of tests have revealed they are more similar to "fatbergs", commonly found in sewage systems.

Traditionally, kidney health has been monitored by measuring blood creatinine levels, which indicate muscle breakdown. High creatinine levels can suggest that the kidneys are not filtering waste efficiently. However, creatinine levels can be affected by a person's muscle mass and only rise significantly after more than 75% of kidney function is lost.

As an alternative, SDMA, a byproduct of protein breakdown, has emerged as a more reliable indicator of kidney function. SDMA accumulates in the bloodstream because it cannot be metabolized and is primarily excreted by the kidneys. Measuring SDMA in urine provides a more accurate indicator of kidney health. Unlike creatinine, SDMA levels increase even with mild kidney impairment (25–40% loss) and are not significantly influenced by muscle mass.

People breathe out many gases, such as water vapor and carbon dioxide, as well as other airborne compounds. Researchers have determined that declines in one exhaled chemical—isoprene—can indicate the presence of lung cancer. However, to detect such small shifts, a sensor would need to be highly sensitive, capable of detecting isoprene levels in the parts-per-billion (ppb) range. It would also need to differentiate isoprene from other volatile chemicals and withstand breath's natural humidity.

On Tuesday, the level of PM2.5 particles—the smallest and most harmful, which can enter the bloodstream—topped 278 micrograms per cubic metre, according to monitoring firm IQAir.

That is 18 times the daily maximum recommended by the World Health Organization.

On the worst days, levels can shoot up as high as 30 times the daily maximum.

Piecemeal government efforts to mitigate the smog, such as a public campaign encouraging drivers to turn off their engines at traffic lights, have failed to make an impact.

A study in The Lancet medical journal attributed 1.67 million premature deaths to air pollution in the world's most populous country in 2019.

The widows of two stonemasons who died from a lung condition contracted during their work have warned of the dangers of "new asbestos".

Paul Gray and Stuart Johnson, who worked for the same stone production companies in Bradford and Leeds, were diagnosed with silicosis caused by silica dust.

The Health and Safety Executive has described silica dust found in stone as the "single biggest risk to construction workers" after the notoriously toxic asbestos.

The families of Mr Gray and Mr Johnson have called on employers to do more to protect workers, as both men had told their solicitors that they had not been warned about the dangers they faced or given protective equipment.

Those most at risk of developing silicosis have inhaled large amounts of silica dust over a period of years.

The death of a stonemason diagnosed with silicosis after cutting kitchen worktops has seen a coroner demand “urgent action” from the Government and the workplace safety watchdog in order to protect workers.

Wessam al Jundi, 28, died in May 2024, five days after being admitted to hospital for a lung transplant following his diagnosis with a severe form of the deadly lung disease, according to a Prevention of Future Death (PFD) report 

The Senior Coroner for west London, Lydia Brown, has written to the Department of Health, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) demanding a “timetable for action” to tackle the dangers of cutting engineered stone.

Ms Brown wrote: “Wessam had been working with artificial stone products which contain a very high percentage of crystalline silica content.

“During the course of the investigation my inquiries revealed matters giving rise to concern.

“In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken.

This evidence of child involvement was found on Greek import and Egyptian figurines. Interestingly, children were found never to make figurines by themselves; those of older individuals always accompanied their fingerprints. Children were likely tasked with pressing the clay sheets into the molds, a task more suited to a child's smaller hands.

Thereafter, the older supervising adult would remove the clay and fix the two halves; if not done correctly, this could ruin the figurine.

There has been considerable debate as to the main drivers of disease severity and prevalence amongst workers fabricating ES benchtops.

Early studies considered fabrication practices (e.g., wet versus dry cutting) , dust exposure levels and the high level of crystalline silica in many of the slabs (unfinished products) on the market.

However, more recent studies have shown that the situation is more nuanced than this with evidence that fabrication of ES finished products leads to the emission of vapours (e.g., volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and airborne particulate matter other than silica that pose a threat to respiratory health.

In addition, the over-representation of immigrant workers amongst silicosis cases suggests that there are non-material-related factors contributing to disease risk.

Silicosis due to artificial stone (AS) has emerged over the last decade as an increasing global issue.

We report the first eight UK cases. All were men; median age was 34 years (range 27-56) and median stone dust exposure was 12.5 years (range 4-40) but in 4 cases was 4-8 years. One is deceased; two were referred for lung transplant assessment.

All cases were dry cutting and polishing AS worktops with inadequate safety measures.

Clinical features of silicosis can closely mimic sarcoidosis.

UK cases are likely to increase, with urgent action needed to identify cases and enforce regulations.

Conclusion: The proportion of workers with detectable ANAs or ENAs was considerably higher than the 5%-9% expected in the general population. Some of the antibodies detected (eg, Scl-70, CENPB) have high sensitivity and specificity for systemic sclerosis. Long-term follow-up will be needed to estimate incidence. Rheumatologists should explore occupational history in new cases of autoimmune disease. Screening for autoimmune disease is indicated in workers exposed to RCS as these individuals need specialised management and may be entitled to compensation.

Silica dust exposure is one of the earliest recognized causes of lung disease. Hippocrates first recognized silica's effect on respiratory function in 430 B.C.

In the 1550s, Georgius Agricola wrote about men dying of pulmonary disease after working in the mining industry in Central Europe.

In 1770, Italian physician Bernardino Ramazzini identified silicotic nodules in the lungs of stone cutters. In the mid to late 1800s, mechanization in the mining industry resulted in rapidly increasing levels of silica exposure and cases of silicosis.

Silicosis was first recognized as a chronic disease that occurred primarily in miners and stone workers after at least 10 years of exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust.

Several diseases are associated with silicosis, which also can complicate the diagnosis. Studies have shown that silica dust exposure is associated with emphysema in smokers and nonsmokers alike. Thus, silicosis should not be ruled out in patients with obstructive pulmonary symptoms.

Silica exposure also is associated with an increased risk for TB.Silica and silicosis are risk factors for developing mycobacterial lung infections

Silicosis is associated with an increased risk of developing autoimmune diseases and lung cancer. Specific autoantibodies have not been identified, but studies have demonstrated an association between silica exposure and systemic sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-related vasculitis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Silica dust is believed to promote or accelerate disease development, break immune tolerance, initiate autoimmunity, or magnify autoimmune vulnerability.

Respirable crystalline silica was recognized as early as 1997 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a human carcinogen, and its carcinogenicity was reconfirmed in a 2009 report

Yet another strain of the virus that causes mpox might be readily spreading from person to person, according to an analysis of the pathogen’s genome. This development could further complicate efforts to halt the spread of the disease in Central Africa, which has seen a surge in infections over the past year. And it has left researchers scratching their heads over what is currently driving this surge.

Air pollution in Pakistan's second biggest city Lahore soared on Saturday, with an official calling it a record high for the smog-choked mega city.

For days, the city of 14 million people has been enveloped by smog, a mix of fog and pollutants caused by low-grade diesel fumes, smoke from seasonal agricultural burning and winter cooling.

The air quality index, which measures a range of pollutants, spiked at 1,067—well above the level of 300 considered 'dangerous'—according to data from IQAir.

"We have never reached a level of 1,000," Jahangir Anwar, a senior environmental protection official in Lahore told AFP.

The fastest animal on land is the cheetah, capable of reaching top speeds of 104 kilometres per hour. In the water, the fastest animals are yellowfin tuna and wahoo, which can reach speeds of 75 and 77 km per hour respectively. In the air, the title of the fastest level flight (excluding diving) goes to the white-throated needletail swift, at more than 112 km per hour.

What do all of these speedy creatures have in common? None of them are particularly big, nor particularly small for the group of animals they represent. In fact, they are all intermediately sized.

The reason for this is a bit of a mystery. As animals increase in mass, several biological features change as well. For example, in general leg length steadily increases. But clearly long legs are not the answer, since the largest land animals, like elephants, are not the fastest.

Based on the team's analysis, the lime clasts in their samples are not consistent with this method. Rather, Roman concrete was probably made by mixing the quicklime directly with the pozzolana and water at extremely high temperatures, by itself or in addition to slaked lime, a process the team calls "hot mixing" that results in the lime clasts.

"The benefits of hot mixing are twofold," Masic said.

"First, when the overall concrete is heated to high temperatures, it allows chemistries that are not possible if you only used slaked lime, producing high-temperature-associated compounds that would not otherwise form. Second, this increased temperature significantly reduces curing and setting times since all the reactions are accelerated, allowing for much faster construction."

And it has another benefit: The lime clasts give the concrete remarkable self-healing abilities.

When cracks form in the concrete, they preferentially travel to the lime clasts, which have a higher surface area than other particles in the matrix. When water gets into the crack, it reacts with the lime to form a solution rich in calcium that dries and hardens as calcium carbonate, gluing the crack back together and preventing it from spreading further.

Using a decade of wind, fire and health data from satellites and surveys from the Demographic and Health Surveys Program, we show that crop burning responds to bureaucrat incentives: fires increase by 15% when wind is most likely to direct pollution to neighbouring jurisdictions, and decrease by 14.5% when it pollutes their own.

These effects intensify with stronger bureaucratic incentives and capacity. We also find that bureaucrat action against burning deters future polluters, further reducing fires by 13%.

Finally, using an atmospheric model, we estimate that one log increase in in utero exposure to pollution from burning raises child mortality by 30–36 deaths per 1,000 births, underscoring the importance of bureaucrat action.

Marek Marzec is a Polish stonemason who came to this country in search of work 13 years ago.

He found it – in the cutting rooms of kitchen worktop suppliers.

Now he’s lying in a hospital bed and dying – his lungs ravaged by fatal silicosis caused by the dust he breathed in whilst he shaped lengths of engineered stone to order.

His case is far from the only one. It’s thought hundreds of workers are at risk as many suppliers fail to install proper protective measures.

The increase in cases of silicosis has raised alarms in Spain, with 96 new diagnoses including several workers exposed to construction materials containing crystalline silica. Silicosis is a serious lung condition caused by prolonged inhalation of silica dust, which has been on the rise in countries like Australia, the United States, and now in Spain as well. In the month of June, the number of registered cases reached 355. In the peninsula, artificial stone countertops have been identified as a possible cause due to their high silica content.

Few autoimmune disorders are more challenging for patients than multiple sclerosis, a progressive condition that can affect vision, impair the ability to walk, cause extreme bouts of neuropathic pain, and tends to strike women at three times the rate of men.

New findings from a large team of researchers in Germany involving twins may provide the clearest insight to date illuminating the role of cytotoxic T cells—CD8+ T cells—in the progression of multiple sclerosis, also simply referred to as MS.

The disorder is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system characterized by the immune system's assault on the protective myelin sheaths of nerves. Irrevocable demyelination—loss of the fatty insulation surrounding nerves—interferes with the conveyance of nerve impulses between brain and body. Medicines can help control the disease, slowing progression and easing pain, but there is no cure.

In children, exposure is responsible for an annual loss of some 765 million IQ points in children globally. Low-level lead poisoning is a risk factor for adults, which can result in chronic kidney failure, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Lead accounted for 5.5 million deaths annually from cardiovascular disease.

Marine animals like jellyfish, corals and sea anemones often live with algae inside their cells in a symbiotic relationship. The animals give the algae nutrients and a place to live; in return, algae give the animals some of the food they make from sunlight via photosynthesis.

While this food production seems great for the jellyfish, the algae can also change its host animal's immunity, similar to the changes made by human pathogens, like parasites that cause malaria. This side effect of the partnership weakens the jellyfish's immune system, making them worse at fighting off infections.

Source :

Trade-off between photosymbiosis and innate immunity influences cnidarian’s response to pathogenic bacteria

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2024.0428#d1e1971

A stone worker in hospital with terminal silicosis says he developed the disease after inhaling dust while cutting engineered stone kitchen worktops in unsafe working conditions.

Marek Marzec, a 48-year-old father of three originally from Poland but living in London, has worked for several engineered stone producers in north London and Hertfordshire since 2012. He was diagnosed with silicosis in April this year. Since then, his condition has rapidly deteriorated and he has been told by doctors he has only weeks to live.

So far in this series, we’ve talked about man-made byproducts — Fordite, which is built-up layers of cured car enamel, and Trinitite, which was created during the first nuclear bomb test.

But not all byproducts are man-made, and not all of them are basically untouchable. Some are created by Mother Nature, but are nonetheless dangerous. I’m talking about fulgurites, which can form whenever lightning discharges into the Earth.

It’s likely that even if you’ve seen a fulgurite, you likely had no idea what it was. So what are they, exactly? Basically, they are natural tubes of glass that are formed by a fusion of silica sand or rock during a lightning strike.

Much like Lichtenberg figures appear across wood, the resulting shape mimics the path of the lightning bolt as it discharged into the ground. And yes, people make jewelry out of fulgurites.