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Mesothelioma Injury Settlement – The Best Way To Handle It - Have you been recently diagnosed with mesothelioma? Are you worried about the medical fees involved? Are you worried that the medical fees will deplete your life’s savings? Are you worried about your family’s future? If this is the case, you must know the best way to handle a mesothelioma injury settlement.

This disease is an enduring illness to go through. It is a rare type of cancer that affects the inner lining of the internal organs especially the lungs. The only way to contract the disease is through years and years of exposure to asbestos.

Apparently, there are a lot of industries who are in constant need of this mineral fiber. They are used in textiles, construction, engineering, manufacturing, and many more. This is why there are a lot of people who are in constant exposure to this mineral.

Asbestos is a highly useful mineral. It is mainly used as a preventive measure to fires or in fire control. It is impervious to flames. This is why there are a lot of fabrics made from this mineral. They are used mainly by the fire department. They are also used in our interiors just in case of fires. They act as a firewall to keep us safe from the flames.

Despite being useful, there are a number of people who have fallen victim to the rare type of cancer. In these cases, you must file for a mesothelioma injury settlement. However, depending on the state, there is a certain amount of time allotted for filing these cases.

Upon diagnosis, you have to seek assistance from a lawyer that specializes in these types of claims. Timing is everything. There are a lot of corporations that file for bankruptcy when they are sued for these types of injuries. This is another reason why you should immediately file for mesothelioma injury settlement.

Once you get a good lawyer, getting your claim will be smooth flowing. You never have to worry about the expensive medical expenses. No longer do you need to worry about spending all of your life’s savings. You do not need to worry about securing a future for your family in case you lose the fight to cancer.

There are a number of people who are going through this disease. Sadly, they were not able to file for claims. It is either they filed for their claims too late, or they simply did not know who was responsible for their situation. There are a lot of cases like this. Do not allow yourself to be part of the statistic.

These settlements are designed to make treatment easier for you. They make sure that the companies responsible pay the price for your predicament. You should not let these corporations get away with what you are going through. This is the way to do it.

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Growth Factors And Cognate Receptors For Mesothelioma - One interesting study is called, "Characterization of Platelet-derived Growth Factor and Platelet-derived Growth Factor Receptor Expression in Asbestos-induced Rat Mesothelioma" – Cancer Res January 15, 1992 52; 301 by Cheryl Walker, Edilberto Bermudez, Wendy Stewart, James Bonner, Christopher J. Molloy, and Jeffrey Everitt. Here is an excerpt: "Abstract – Although altered expression of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is a hallmark of human mesothelioma, expression of PDGF receptors has not been characterized in this cell type. In addition, the expression of this growth factor and its cognate receptor in rodent mesothelioma has not been investigated. In this study, examination of transformed mesothelial cells derived from asbestos-induced rat mesotheliomas revealed that these cells expressed high affinity PDGF receptors (Kd = 0.5 nm) and receptor number was 1.6 105/cell. Western analysis using antibodies specific for either the "-type or "-type PDGF receptor and Northern analysis using probes specific for "- and "-type receptor RNA transcripts indicated that these cells expressed "-type PDGF receptors but that "-type receptors could not be detected. However, when the mesothelioma-derived cells were examined for the expression of PDGF, no expression of this growth factor could be detected. The transformed cells expressed no detectable A- or B-chain PDGF RNA transcripts; and using a competitive enzyme immunoassay specific for isoforms containing the B chain of PDGF and a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay specific for A-chain-containing isoforms, neither AA, nor AB, nor BB isoforms of this growth factor could be detected in medium conditioned by these cells. The absence of alterations in PDGF expression in rat mesothelioma, in contrast to the data for the human disease, suggests that the production of this growth factor by transformed mesothelial cells may be species specific."

Another interesting study is called, "Leaching of Constituents of Chrysotile Asbestos in vivo" – Nature 215, 441 – 442 (22 July 1967); by A. Holmes & A. Morgan – Health Physics and Medical Division, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell, Didcot, Berkshire. Here is an excerpt: "IN recent years, Wagner1 and Selikoff et al. 2 have shown that a rare tumour, the diffuse mesothelioma of the pleura and peritoneum, is associated with past exposure to asbestos. It appears that the amount of asbestos required to produce these tumours is small and that the latent period is very long. The connexion between exposure to asbestos and the production of mesotheliomas is being studied in a number of laboratories, and the possibility that trace metal constituents or contaminating oils may have a role has been suggested3. As yet, little is known about the fate of inhaled asbestos fibres and in particular about their movement out of the lung into other organs. The experiment described here was planned to assess the possibility of using radioactivity, induced in asbestos fibres by neutron irradiation, to trace their translocation in rats after administration by intrapleural injection."

Another study is called, "Ferruginous bodies in sputa of former asbestos workers." By Farley ML, Greenberg SD, Shuford EH Jr, Hurst GA, Spivey CG, Christianson CS – Acta Cytol. 1977 Sep-Oct; 21(5):693-700. Here is an excerpt: "Abstract – Routine cytopathologic examinations were performed at six-month intervals on sputum specimens from 628 former asbestos workers and 138 control patients. The occurrence of ferruginous bodies in sputa is found to increase as a logarithmic function of the length of occupational exposure to asbestos in workdays. No significant association is found between the occurrence of ferruginous bodies and the worker’s age, smoking history, degree of cellular epithelial atypia, or time since last exposure. We conclude that the presence of ferruginous bodies in sputa is evidence of probable significant occupational exposure to asbestos dust. Their absence does not indicate lack of exposure. We can also conclude that routine cytopathology procedures are sufficient for the detection of ferruginous bodies in sputa."

If you found any of these excerpts interesting, please read the studies in their entirety. We all owe a debt of gratitude to these fine researchers.

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One interesting study is called, "Radiological abnormalities and asbestos exposure among custodians of the New York City Board of Education" by Levin, S.M.; Selikoff, I.J. – Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences; (United States); Journal Volume: 643. Here is an excerpt: "Six hundred sixty custodians employed by the New York City Board of Education underwent examination from 1985 through 1987 for asbestos-related disease and other general medical conditions by the clinical staff of the Division of Environmental and Occupational Medicine of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine of the City University of New York. Two-thirds of the men (no women were examined) were 20 or more years from onset of any custodial work, with 44% having had at least 20 years of employment as custodial workers in New York City Board of Education schools. Twenty-four percent had begun custodial work in buildings 30 or more years earlier. Findings among them were of particular interest since asbestos-related disease might forecast what might be expected among school custodians with less seniority. Since the Board of Education, in selecting custodians for examination, had chosen only custodians currently employed, the study group comprised men still working in the school system. These, then, represented a survivor population’. Although a considerable amount of clinical information was obtained, abnormalities on chest X-ray consistent with asbestos-induced scarring were used as the key index of disease resulting from exposure to asbestos. Since scarring of the lung tissue may be present but undetectable on standard chest radiographs (a relatively insensitive diagnostic technique), the prevalence of abnormality on X-ray film represents a conservative estimate of the actual burden of scarring lung disease in the group. Such changes are indicative of previous asbestos exposure, however, and provide evidence of an increased risk of later asbestos-related malignancy. Overall, abnormalities on chest X-ray consistent with asbestos-related scarring were found in 28% of the men examined."

Another study is called, "Magnetic lung measurements in relation to occupational exposure in asbestos miners and millers of Quebec" – Environmental Research Volume 26, Issue 2, December 1981, Pages 535-550 by David Cohen, Thomas S. Crowther1Graham W. Gibbs2 and Margaret R. Becklake. Here is an excerpt: "Abstract – Fe3O4 particles (ferrimagnetic) are usually attached to asbestos fibers (nonferrimagnetic) in the chrysotile asbestos mining and milling industries; therefore, a magnetic measurement of Fe3O4 in the lungs of workers in these industries could help determine the amount of asbestos which has been inhaled and retained in their lungs. As a first assessment of this method, magnetic measurements were made of Fe3O4 in the lungs of 115 miners and millers in Quebec. These measurements at an industrial site were found to be feasible and practical; however, the amount of Fe3O4 seen in the lungs of those with welding exposure was large enough to mask the Fe3O4 contributed by asbestos, and this subgroup was considered separately. For the remainder (nonwelders), the amount of Fe3O4 was plotted against a total dust exposure index (asbestos and other dust) estimated for each worker. Although the correlation between these quantities was not high, it was statistically significant at the 1% level. Because retained asbestos is likely to increase with increasing exposure to total dust, this correlation suggests that a magnetic lung measurement of a chrysotile miner or a miller does reflect, to some extent, the amount of asbestos in his lung. There was considerable scatter in the data, partly due to individual variations in deposition and clearance, to which this method is sensitive. When the data of only the nonsmokers were plotted, the amount of Fe3O4 was greater than for the total group of nonwelders. This is consistent with previous findings that less dust is deeply deposited in the lungs of smokers, due to constriction of small airways."

Another study is called, "The histopathology and ultrastructure of pleural mesotheliomas produced in the rat by injections of crocidolite asbestos." By Davis JM. – Br J Exp Pathol. 1979 Dec;60(6):642-52. Here is an excerpt: "Abstract – Primary tumours of the pleural cavity were produced in rats by the intrapleural injection of crocidolite asbestos. Their histological structure as seen with both light and electron microscopy was very variable and tumours frequently contained elements of both connective-tissue and epithelial type. In some instances the connective-tissue elements predominated from the start and the earliest tumour nodules consisted mainly of pleomorphic connective-tissue cells with only a few layers of cells more nearly epithelial in type on the surface. This pattern was largely retained when tumour nodules increased in size and coalesced, but in the deeper layers of advanced tumours the pleomorphic connective-tissue pattern was often replaced by a more uniform spindle-cell form. Other tumours were more predominantly epithelial in type, showing either a papillary pattern with rounded epithelial cells growing in solid columns, or a vesicular form in which large tissue spaces, often intracellular, were lined by very thin layers of extended cell cytoplasm. Whereas early tumours showed only one histological pattern, the more advanced stages often exhibited areas of all 3, so that there seemed to be some degree of histological mutability. The spindle-cell areas of advanced tumours frequently showed evidence of direct invasion of the surrounding tissue but this was never seen with the epithelial forms of rat mesothelioma."

If you found any of these excerpts interesting, please read the studies in their entirety. We all owe a debt of gratitude to these fine researchers.

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Two Simple Tests To Check for Kidney Disease

More than 26 million Americans-one in nine adults-have kidney disease. Millions more are at increased risk for getting it, and most don't know it. Kidney disease can be found and treated early to prevent more serious kidney disease and other complications.

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) recommends two simple tests to check for kidney disease:

Urinalysis. A urinalysis is a test that checks a sample of your urine for the amount of protein, blood (red blood cells and white blood cells) and other things. Protein and red and white blood cells are not normally found in the urine, so having too much of any of these may mean kidney disease. Having protein in the urine is one of the earliest signs of kidney disease especially in people with diabetes. Several other tests can be done to check for protein in urine. One of the tests is called the protein to creatinine ratio. It is the most accurate way to measure protein in the urine. A value of 200 mg/gm or less per day is normal. A value higher than 200 mg/gm is too high. Another test, called the albumin to creatinine ratio, is good for people at increased risk for kidney disease — people with diabetes, high blood pressure, or family history of diabetes, high blood pressure or kidney failure. A value of less than 30 mg/gm per day is normal for the albumin to creatinine ratio; a value of 30 mg/gm per day or higher is high and may be a sign of early kidney disease. With either of these tests, you don't need to collect a 24-hour urine sample, which may be hard to collect. For more on albumin in the urine read on http://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/albuminuria.cfm.

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR). GFR is estimated from results of a serum (or blood)creatinine test. The GFR tells how well your kidneys are working to remove wastes from your blood. It is the best way to check kidney function. A serum (or blood) creatinine test alone should not be used to check kidney function. GFR is calculated using the serum creatinine and other factors such as age and gender. In the early stages of kidney disease GFR may be normal. A value of 60 or higher is normal (GFR decreases with age). A GFR number of less than 60 is low and may mean that you have kidney disease. Check with your doctor about having the GFR test. If you are at increased risk for kidney disease (have diabetes, high blood pressure, or family history of diabetes, high blood pressure or kidney failure), you should find out if you have kidney disease. Ask your doctor about these two simple tests. They should be done at least once a year so that if you have early kidney disease, it can be treated right away. Early kidney disease can and should be treated to keep it from getting worse! To learn more about GFR read on http://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/gfr.cfm.