• 월간산업보건
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• s.340
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• pp.33-46
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• 2016

본 연구 결과, 한국의 대표적 시멘트 5개 회사에서 10년 이상 근무한 근로자 1,083명(94명 제외)들의 흉부엑스선 판독결과 진폐증이나 진폐증의증자들은 발견되지 않았다. 이들이 근무한 부서의 과거 총분진 평균 농도는 $1mg/m^3$ 미만으로 진폐 발생 분진농도에 휠씬 미치지 않는 것으로 조사되었으며, 시멘트 분진내 진폐발생물질인 결정형 실리카는 1% 미만으로 국내 시멘트 공장 근무자들은 포틀랜드시멘트 분진노출에 의한 진폐증 발병가능성은 매우 낮은 것으로 사료된다. 그럼에도 불구하고 2009년부터 지속되고 있는 시멘트분진과 COPD 및 진폐증 관련성 주장은 언론 보도는 물론이고 일부 학자들에서 조차 시멘트분진 구성성분에 진폐증이나 폐암발생 물질인 실리카(결정형 실리카)가 다량(20%)으로 포함되어 있다고 잘못 인식한 큰 이유로 생각된다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.945-953
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• 1996

Background : Many acute and chronic lung diseases including pneumoconiosis are characterized by the presence of increased numbers of activated macrophages. These macrophages generate several inflammatory cell chemoattractants, by which neutrophil migrate from vascular compartment to the alveolar space. Recruited neutrophils secrete toxic oxygen radicals or proteolytic enzymes and induce inflammatory response. Continuing inflammatory response results in alteration of the pulmonary structure and irreversible fibrosis. Recently, a polypeptide with specific neutrophil chemotactic activity, interleukin-8(IL-8), has been cloned and isolated from a number of cells including : monocytes, macrophages and fibroblasts. IL-1 and/or TNF-${\alpha}$ preceded for the synthesis of IL-8, and we already observed high level of IL-1 and TNF-${\alpha}$ in the pneumoconioses. So we hypothesized that IL-8 may be a central role in the pathogenesis of pneumoconiosis. In order to evaluate the clinical utility of IL-8 as a biomarker in the early diagnosis of pneumoconiosis, we investigated the increase of IL-8 in the pneumoconiotic patient and the correlation between IL-8 level and progression of pneumoconiosis. Method : We measured IL-8 in the serum of 48 patients with pneumoconiosis and 16 persons without dust exposure history as a control group. Pneumoconiotic cases were divided into 3 groups according to ILO Classification : suspicious group(n=16), small opacity group(n=16) and large opacity group(n=16). IL-8 was measured by a sandwich enzytne immunoassay technique. All data were expressed as the $mean{\pm}standard$ deviation. Results: 1) The mean value of age was higher in the small opacity and large opacity group than comparison group, but smoking history was even. Duration of dust exposure was not different among 3 pneumoconiosis groups. 2) IL-8 level was $70.50{\pm}53.63pg/m{\ell}$ in the suspicious group, $107.50{\pm}45.88pg/m{\ell}$ in the small opacity group, $132.50{\pm}73.47pg/m{\ell}$ in the large opacity group and $17.85{\pm}33.85pg/m{\ell}$ in the comparison group. IL-8 concentration in all pneumoconiosis group was significant higher than that in the comparison group(p<0.001). 3) IL-8 level tended to increase with the progression of pneumoconiosis. Multiple comparison test using Anova/Scheffe analysis showed a significant difference between suspicious group and large opacity group(p<0.05). 4) The level of IL-8 was correlated with the progression of pneumoconiosis(r=0.4199, p<0.05). Conclusion : IL-8 is thought to be a good biomarker for the early diagnosis of pneumoconiosis.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.305-314
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to compare the findings on the chest low-dose CT (LDCT) images between the negative and positive groups for pneumoconiosis in the group exposed to inorganic dust. From May 30, 2007 to August 31, 2008, total 328 subjects were examined by a LDCT. LDCT images were read by a chest radiologist who has much experience for reading of pneumoconiosis. All subjects were classified into two groups based on digital images after consensus reading of two radiologists according to the ILO 2000 guidelines; negative group (87, 26.5%) without pneumoconiosis and positive group (241, 73.5%). Statistical analysis was performed using a SPSS 14.0. There were significant differences in age (60.9 vs. 65.0, p<0.001), and in dust expose duration (17.0 vs. 19.2, p=0.024) between two groups, but no significant difference in smoking (p=0.784). Of the 328 subjects, 13 diagnosis were extracted from 245 subjects (74.7%). Coronary artery calcification (CAC) was significantly higher in positive group than that in negative group (36.9% vs. 25.3%, p=0.049). Honeycombing showed higher frequency in positive group than in negative group (6.2% vs. 1.2%, p=0.079). Pneumoconiosis findings caused by inorganic dusts exposure showed the significant relation with CAC on LDCT images. Future studies need to prove that pneumoconiosis finding is independent risk factor for CAC using a coronary artery angiography.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.76-83
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• 2001

Background : Coal workers' pneumoconiosis is a fibrotic lung disease resulting from chronic inhalation of coal dust. The precise mechanism of lung fibrosis in coal workers' pneumoconiosis is uncertain. However, a relationship between the stimulation of fibroblast proliferation and collagen production by mediators released from in flammatory and resident lung cells is thought to be a major factor. The transforming growth factor-$\beta$(TGF-$\beta$), a multifunctional cytokine and growth factor, plays a key role in the scarring and fibrotic processes due to its ability to induce extracellular matrix proteins and modulate the growth and immune function of many cell types. To determine the involvement of TGF-$\beta$ in the development of lung fibrosis in coal workers' pneumoconiosis, the TGF-${\beta}_1$ level in plasma was measured in patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis. Methods : Plasma was collected from 40 patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis (20 with simple coal workers' pneumoconiosis and 20 with complicated coal workers' pneumoconiosis) and from 10 normal controls. The ELISA method was used to measure the plasma TGF-${\beta}_1$ concentration. Results : Compared to the control group ($0.63{\pm}01.8$ ng/mL), there was no significant difference in the plasma TGF-${\beta}_1$ level in patients with simple coal workers' pneumoconiosis ($0.64{\pm}0.17$ ng/mL) (p>0.05). However, in patients with complicated coal workers' pneumoconiosis the plasma TGF-${\beta}_1$ level ($0.79{\pm}0.18$ ng/mL) was significantly higher than in patients with simple coal workers' pneumoconiosis and the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion : The data suggests that TGF-${\beta}_1$ has some influence in the development of lung fibrosis in coal workers' pneumoconiosis.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.85-91
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• 2010

Digital radiography has been replacing rapidly the analog radiography for diagnosis of pneumoconiosis. The purpose of this study is to compare quality control of digital radiography (DR) and analog radiography (AR) for chest radiography in medical institution for pneumoconiosis (MIP) For the first time, we visited MIP to evaluate the chest radiography which is used for patients with pneumoconiosis, including equipment, technical parameters and reading environment. There were 33 institutions. DR and AR were installed in 24 and 9 institutions, respectively. Between DR and AR, we compared the radiological technique (RT), image quality (IQ) and reading environment (RE) to use the guideline published by Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute (OSHRI). The image quality was rated by two experienced chest radiologists for pneumoconiosis with certified from OSHRI. The chest radiography equipment was not significantly difference between AR and DR, but there were significantly difference in tube voltage and grid ratio used for chest radiography except to tube current, exposure time. Statistically, DR is significantly higher in RT(70.3 vs. 43.8, p = 0.009), RE(77.7 vs. 33.3, p = 0.004) than AR, but it's not significantly difference in IQ (65.6 vs. 52.8, p = 0.050). AR and DR in RT were passed 33.3%, 75.0% respectively (p = 0.044) and 44.4%, 79.2% (p = 0.090) in IQ and 44.4%, 91.7% (p = 0.009) in RE. In MIP, DR needs to replace AR in diagnosis of pneumoconiosis.

• The Safety technology
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• no.34
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• pp.52-53
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• 2000

• 월간산업보건
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• s.216
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• pp.40-41
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• 2006

• The Safety technology
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• no.24
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• pp.52-61
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• 1999

• 산업보건소식
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• no.23
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• pp.12-17
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• 1985

• 산업보건소식
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• no.25
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• pp.19-21
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• 1986