Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3516/1410036
Endobronchial Lipoma in a Never-Smoker
Li Wang, Meenakshi Bansal and Guang-Qian Xiao
Article Type: Case Report | First Published: December 22, 2015
Endobronchial lipomas, usually found in the obese and in smokers, can cause patients significant distress with chronic cough, chest pain, dyspnea, and increased infection risk. Here we present a case of a 61 year-old obese, never-smoker gentleman who initially presented with chronic productive cough, hemoptysis, chills and night sweats; and was later found to have a right upper lobe lung parenchymal lesion. Biopsy demonstrated a picture consistent with obstructive endobronchial lipoma....
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3516/1410035
Important Considerations for Providers Regarding the Use of Electronic Cigarettes
Lucinda England, Joseph G. Lisko and R. Steven Pappas
Article Type: Editorial | First Published: November 01, 2015
The use of electronic nicotine delivery systems such as electronic cigarettes has increased considerably in recent years among youth and adults. While the majority of adult electronic cigarette users are current conventional cigarette smokers, an increasing number of adolescents who have not previously smoked are using use electronic cigarettes. Despite these trends, many health care providers report feeling uninformed about the health risks associated with the use of these products. For example...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3516/1410034
An Unusual Case of Left-Sided Massive Biliothorax
Maria Jose Soler-Sempere, Nuria Vicente-Ibarra and Laura Heredia-Oliva
Article Type: Case Report | First Published: October 31, 2015
Biliothorax and pleurobiliary fistula are rare complications secondary to biliary tree diseases. We report the case of a patient with left massive pleural effusion secondary to biliothorax without fistula or ascites. To our knowledge, this is the first case to be described with left side biliothorax....
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3516/1410033
Distinct Sex-Specific Gene Expression Changes in the Placenta in Association with Childhood Allergy
Astrud R Tuck,Luke E Grzeskowiak, Annette Osei-Kumah, Zarqa Saif, Suzanne M Edwards, Andrew Tai, Susan L Prescott, MeriTulic, Richard Saffery and Vicki L Clifton
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: October 29, 2015
The prevalence of allergic disease has risen significantly during recent years. A major component of the susceptibility to allergic disease is determined in prenatal life, when the placenta plays a central role in fetal growth and development. In this study, we aimed to identify the patterns of gene expression in the placenta that may program early immune function to increase susceptibility to allergy....
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3516/1410032
Iatrogenic Tracheal Rupture - The Role of a Thoracic Surgeon
Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, Mohamed. A Gulamhussein, Davide Patrini, Rajeev Shukla, Martin Lees, Martin Hayward, Shyamsunder Kolvekar and David Lawrence
Article Type: Case Report | First Published: October 28, 2015
Iatrogenic tracheal rupture following intubation is a rare, but potentially lethal complication. Usually patients present with the classical symptoms of mediastinal subcutaneous emphysema and respiratory distress. However, the timing or the onset of these symptoms is quite variable and differs between patients....
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3516/1410031
Genetics and its Associated Pathways of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Rui Fan, Daniel Penny and Yuxin Fan
Article Type: Review Article | First Published: October 23, 2015
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating disease with significantly reduced survival. To date, no tested therapies have demonstrated an ability to reverse or cure the disease. The etiology of PAH is heterogeneous and incompletely understood. Genetics plays an important role in idiopathic and heritable PAH. Many germline gene mutations have been described as promoters of PAH and include mutations in the gene coding BMPR2, which has been identified in at least 50% of familial and 10-...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3516/1410030
A Pain in the Neck: A Pott's Disease Case Study
Caitlin Naureckas, Jonathan Movson and E Jane Carter
Article Type: Case Report | First Published: October 20, 2015
A 21-year-old Guatemalan male presented with six months of headaches and neck pain. MRI of the cervical spine demonstrated multiple inflammatory processes, both within the paraspinal soft tissue as well as within the bone itself, including the appearance of total destruction of C1. Microbiologic confirmation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was made by fine needle aspiration. The patient was treated medically with appropriate anti-tuberculosis therapy coupled with aggressive pain control and carefu...
