This issue of Thoracic Surgery Clinics covers the screening for and diagnosis and staging of lung cancer. Expert authors review the most current information available about fluorescence and navigational bronchoscopy, integrated PET/CT for mediastinal nodal staging, contraindications to pulmonary resection, approach to patients with multiple lung nodules, and more. Keep up-to-the-minute with the latest developments in this important aspect of thoracic surgery practice.

This volume details our current understanding of the architecture and signaling capabilities of known canonical and non-canonical inflammasome complexes and highlights their action, in particular in response to infection with important bacterial model organisms and the corresponding disease pathologies. The first chapters review new insights into the assembly and structures of inflammasome components and emphasize general strategies of up- and downstream signaling events. In addition, the authors specifically discuss the composition and activity of inflammasomes during infection with various gut pathogens (Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia, Listeria and Helicobacter), respiratory pathogens (Mycobacterium, Legionella, Burkholderia and Streptococcus) as well as skin and soft tissue pathogens (Francisella and Staphylococcus). The discoveries presented provide a better understanding of the cellular and molecular biology of inflammasomes, which will pinpoint important new therapeutic targets for the treatment and prevention of multiple infectious diseases in the future. It is a valuable resource for students, scientists and clinicians, providing up-to-date information on this emerging research topic.

This issue of Clinics in Chest Medicine is Guest Edited by Jon Puchalski, MD, from Yale and will focus on Pleural Disease. Article topics include Obtaining Pleural Fluid, Analyzing Pleural Fluid, Pleural Interventions and Genetic Therapy and Biomarkers.

This issue of Immunology and Allergy Clinics provides the latest essential updates in interstitial lung diseases and autoimmune lung diseases. This comprehensive issue covers causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

1. Gene Therapy.- Asthma.- 2. Genetics of Asthma.- 3. Transcription Factors and Inflammatory Lung Disease.- 4. Regulation of the Cytokine Gene Cluster on Chromosome 5q.- 5. Cytokine Expression in Asthma.- 6. ?-Adrenoceptors.- 7. Regulation of Eosinophil Migration.- 8. Proteinase Allergens of House Dust Mites: Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Possible Functional Significance of Their Enzyme Activity.- Cancer.- 9. Gene Expression in Lung Cancer.- 10. Gene Therapy for Cancer: Prospects for the Treatment of Lung Tumours.

The Human Respiratory System combines emerging ideas from biology and mathematics to show the reader how to produce models for the development of biomedical engineering applications associated with the lungs and airways. Mathematically mature but in its infancy as far as engineering uses are concerned, fractional calculus is the basis of the methods chosen for system analysis and modelling. This reflects two decades' worth of conceptual development which is now suitable for bringing to bear in biomedical engineering. The text reveals the latest trends in modelling and identification of human respiratory parameters with a view to developing diagnosis and monitoring technologies. Of special interest is the notion of fractal structure which is indicative of the large-scale biological efficiency of the pulmonary system. The related idea of fractal dimension represents the adaptations in fractal structure caused by environmental factors, notably including disease. These basics are linked to model the dynamical patterns of breathing as a whole. The ideas presented in the book are validated using real data generated from healthy subjects and respiratory patients and rest on non-invasive measurement methods. The Human Respiratory System will be of interest to applied mathematicians studying the modelling of biological systems, to clinicians with interests outside the traditional borders of medicine, and to engineers working with technologies of either direct medical significance or for mitigating changes in the respiratory system caused by, for example, high-altitude or deep-sea environments.

This issue of Clinics in Chest Medicine, Guest Edited by Carrie A. Redlich, MD, MPH, Paul Blanc, MD, MSPH, Mridu Gulati, MD, and Ware Kuschner, MD, will focus on Occupational and Environmental Lung Diseases, with article topics including: asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and other immune-mediated lung disease; Work-exacerbated asthma; Occupational COPD; Indoor fuel exposure and the lung in both the developed and developing worlds; New (and newly recognized) occupational and environmental causes of selected chronic parenchymal and terminal airway diseases; Occupational rhinitis and other work-related upper respiratory tract conditions; Military service and lung disease; Ambient air pollution; Protecting the lungs from microbes, particles and other inhalational exposures; and Exhaled breath and induce sputum analysis in assessing the effects of occupational and environmental exposures.

This volume provides protocols that expand on the latest alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) research. The chapters in this book are divided in to three sections: Part I is dedicated to patient-oriented research; part II discusses animal models; and Part III focuses on in vitro studies. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and authoritative, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for researchers, students, and clinican-scientists interested in AAT deficiency, as well as anyone working in the fields of pulmonology and hepatology.

Lung function testing has evolved over the years from a tool purely used for research and is now a commonly utilised form of clinical investigation. This new book is clear, concise and easy to read, providing both the essential scientific information as well as focusing on the practical aspects of lung function testing. The book is designed so that different chapters can be read as stand-alone sections, but cross-referencing to the other chapters completes the picture for the interested reader. The book begins with an outline of lung structure and anatomy, and then proceeds to basic functional considerations before discussing the tests themselves. Particular attention is given to spirometry and lung volume measurements. The text covers the functional assessment of exercise capacity, respiratory muscle strength and concludes with preoperative evaluation and recommendations. The text emphasises practical problems, including controversies associated with lung function testing. Boxes emphasise important topics throughout the text. Highlighted questions can be used for short tutorials or problem-based learning

This book contains the refereed contributions from the 41st annual meeting of ISOTT. The annual meetings of ISOTT bring together scientists from various fields (medicine, physiology, mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, etc.) in a unique international forum. Traditionally, ISOTT conferences are a place, where an atmosphere of interaction is created, where many questions are asked after each presentation and lively discussions occur at a high scientific level. This vivid interaction is the main motivation for members to participate and gain new ideas and knowledge in the broad field of oxygen transport to tissue. The papers in this volume summarize some of the outstanding contributions from the 41st annual meeting. Special features in this volume include invited presentations from senior members of ISOTT for the theme "the wisdom of ISOTT" in which founders, past presidents and prize winners from previous meetings provided both cutting edge new knowledge and integrated overviews of critical aspects of the field. The presentations and manuscripts also include those provided by the special opportunity provided by having part of the ISOTT meeting overlap with the EPR-2013 meeting where both focused on preclinical and clinical measurements of oxygen, with a particular emphasis on cancer. Chapters 22, 24, 25 and 26 are open access under a CC BY 4.0 license via link.springer.com.

Bronchoscopy and Central Airway Disorders provides the guidance you need to plan and implement the most effective bronchoscopy procedure for every patient. Through specifically-designed case scenarios with correlating review questions and videos, this practical respiratory medicine reference leads you through the decision-making process and execution of these sometimes complex procedures, as well as the optimal long-term management of your patients. Master various bronchoscopic approaches and techniques necessary to treat a variety of malignancies that may occur in the trachea or lungs. Consider the rationale and weigh the consequences of each approach. Case resolutions at the end of each chapter --with commentary and alternative approaches from 36 key experts in interventional bronchoscopy -- illustrate the decision-making process from patient evaluation through long-term management. Reinforce learning by correlating key concepts and practice through study questions related to each clinical scenario. See exactly how to proceed with high-quality videos online that capture crucial teaching moments and provide a walkthrough of sometimes complex procedures including the placement of airway stents via bronchoscopy for a variety of diseases and complications, such as airway collapse due to COPD. Systematically think through diagnostic and interventional (therapeutic) bronchoscopic procedures using Dr. Colt's unique "Four Box" approach: Initial Evaluation; Procedural Techniques and Results; Procedural Strategies; and Long-term Management Plan. Access the full text online at www.expertconsult.com, along with image and video libraries, review questions, and more! The case-based guidance you need to work through the decision-making process behind bronchoscopy and ultimately improve patient care.

This issue gives the general radiologist a solid overview of lung cancer imaging techniques. CT screening for lung cancer is discussed, and the evaluation and management of indeterminate pulmonary nodules is reviewed. Revised TNM lung cancer staging, as well as the optimal imaging protocols for lung cancer staging (CT, MR and PET) are thoroughly examined. A multidisciplinary approach to tissue sampling and updated histopathologic classification of lung cancer are discussed. Image-guided ablative therapies for lung cancer are reviewed. Finally, future trends in lung cancer diagnosis and staging and genetics are reviewed, as well as novel biomarkers for lung cancer detection.

This issue of Clinics in Chest Medicine, Guest Edited by Pascal Chanez MD PhD, will focus on Asthma, with article topics including: Compliance ; Epidemics in asthma ; Genotypes of asthma ; diagnose and phenotype asthma ; Unbiased biomarkers in asthma ; Asthma as a chronic infectious disease ; Childhood Asthma Management ; Occupational Asthma ; Corticosteroid Treatments ; Airway Smooth Muscle ; Resolution of Inflammation ; and Immunological Therapeutic Interventions in Asthma.

Top authors were selected to write clinical review articles devoted to Advances in Respiratory Care of the Newborn. Articles are devoted to: Effects of chorioamnionitis on lung function and growth; Delivery room respiratory management of the term and preterm infant; CPAP or INSURE for initial respiratory support; Which CPAP is best?; Non-invasive respiratory support; Volume limited and volume targeted ventilation; Weaning from mechanical ventilation; Predictors of bronchopulmonary dysplasia; Brain Injury in Chronically Ventilated Preterm Neonates: Collateral Damage Related to Ventilation Strategy; The Pulmonary Circulation in Respiratory Failure; Novel methods for assessment of right heart structure and function in pulmonary hypertension; Control of oxygenation; Non-invasive monitoring by photoplethysmography; Cell-based strategies to reconstitute lung function in infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia; Permissive Hypercapnea; Prevention of BPD with Nitric Oxide; and Aero-digestive pulmonary disorders in the neonate.

This issue of Critical Care Nursing Clinics will include articles on the following topics: Non-invasive ventilation; Modes of mechanical ventilation; Mechanical ventilation effect on heart/lung interactions; Effect of ventilation on the lungs; VAP; Liberation/weaning & Sedation/pain control; Self/unplanned extubation; Communication; recovery and rehab post ICU; Airway protection with aging; home ventilation; monitoring of the mechanical vent patient; and Dyspnea.

From acute respiratory diseases to chronic lung conditions, pulmonology is a vital area of clinical medicine. Due to a wide array of respiratory diseases, clinical presentation of pulmonary conditions can be complex and oftentimes challenging. In addition to recognizing common characteristics of lung diseases, identifying unusual clinical presentation of pulmonary conditions remains an important educational experience. This concise and easy-to-read title provides that experience in practical context, using a case-based system of learning where a unique case is presented and discussed and questions are provided to challenge the learner and reinforce the transmission of knowledge. Challenging Cases in Pulmonology is not an exhaustive review but rather focuses on common and important problems, with emphasis on evaluation and treatment. The book offers 16 chapters consisting of two or more cases followed by five to ten multiple choice questions. A valuable resource for pulmonologists, allergists, primary care physicians, internal medicine, fellows in allergy and pulmonology, and residents in training, this practical title will also be of interest to nurses, physician assistants, and medical students studying pulmonology. Challenging Cases in Pulmonology complements two previously published case-based titles edited by Dr. Mahmoudi: Challenging Cases in Allergy and Immunology (Humana Press, 2009) and Challenging Cases in Allergic and Immunologic Diseases of the Skin (Springer, 2010).

This issue of Medical Clinics of North America provides the latest essential updates on COPD.? The following topics are covered: pathobiological mechanisms; genes and the disease (alpha-l-antitrypsin); the environment, phenotype, and comorbidity; the role and potential of imaging; pulmonary function and its importance; exercise in testing and therapy; patients' perception and quality of life; exacerbations, causes, prevention, and treatment; an integrated approach to the medical treatment; meducal pneumoplasty, surgical resection, or lung transplant; and smoking cessation and environmental hygiene.

The first issue of Clinics in Chest Medicine to be published with this focus, this issue reviews bronchiectasis from numerous angles to provide comprehensive coverage on this important subject.? Epidemiology, airway defense mechanisms, pathogenesis, imaging and genetic causes of bronchiectasis are discussed.? Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis is addressed, as well as non-tuberculous mycobacteria as a cause of bronchiectasis.? Authors examine how to evaluate the success of therapy for bronchiectasis (what endpoints to use) and then discuss a variety of therapy options: inhaled and systemic antibiotic treatment, chest physiotherapy, pharmacologic agents for mucous clearance, antipinflammatory therapy and macrolides.? Pulmonary resection and lung transplantation for bronchiectasis are reviewed. Recent advances in Cystic Fibrosis are also discussed.

The Year Book of Pulmonary Disease brings you abstracts of the articles that reported the year's breakthrough developments in pulmonary disease carefully selected from more than 500 journals worldwide. Expert commentaries evaluate the clinical importance of each article and discuss its application to your practice. Topics such as Asthma and Cystic Fibrosis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Lung Cancer, Community-Acquired Pneumonia, Lung Transplantation, Sleep Disorders, and Critical Care Medicine are represented highlighting the most current and relevant articles in the field.

The guest editors for this issue, Talmadge King, Harold Collard, celebrated pulmonary specialists from UCSF, and Luca Richeldi, renowned visiting professor to UCSF from University of Modena, Italy, bring together a state-of-the-art issue on the important topic of Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILD).? This comprehensive issue reviews the approach to diagnosis of ILD, radiology if ILD, pathology of ILD.? Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is discussed, including phenotypes and comorbidities, acute exacerbation and accelerated decline, management, and pathobiology of novel approaches to therapy.? Connective Tissue ILD, Chronic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis, familial ILD and smoking-related ILD, and non-specific interstitial pneumonia are reviewed.? In the final article, lung transplantation is discussed.

Carcinoma of the lung is one of the most prevalent and aggressive types of cancer, and rates of lung cancer are on the rise.? This issue gives a comprehesive review of the most recent advances in Lung Cancer.? Epidemiology, etiology, and prevention of lung cancer is first discussed, followed by articles on pre-invasive evaluation and management, screening, pathology and molecular biology.? There is an article on the approach to the ground glass nodule.? Of great importance is the revised staging classification of Lung Cancer, which is discussed here in detail.? Articles on PET imaging, interventional pulmonary, and functional evaluation before Lung Resection are also included.? The issue then focuses on advances in treatment for early stage lung cancer, hgih risk patients with early stage lung cancer, advances in the treatment of Advanced Stage Lung Cancer, Small Cell Lung Cancer, and gene therapy for lung neoplasms.

In this issue of Surgical Oncology Clinics of North America, Guest Editor Mark Krasna and colleagues discuss a wide range of topics devoted to lung cancer.? Articles focus on pathology; updated staging systems; epidemiology of lung cancer - smoking, second hand smoke, and genetics; molecular markers for incidence, prognosis, and response to therapy; screening; diagnostic work-up; non-invasive staging techniques; surgical resection; the role of surgery following induction therapy for stage III NSCLC; the role of adjuvant chemotherapy in NSCLC (stages I-III); and much more.

This issue of Medical Clinics of North America provides general internists with the most essential timely information for the diagnosis and treatment of the pulmonary diseases that they see regularly. Topics covered include lung cancer, pleural diseases, interstitial lung disease, interventional pulmonology, asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, community-acquired pneumonia, eosinophilic lung diseases, hypoventilation syndromes, pulmonary embolism and pulmonary hypertension, and sarcoidosis.

This issue provides fully updated information on respiratory infections, including healthcare associated pneumonia, new diagnostic tests for pneumonia, epidemic viral pneumonia and other emerging pathogens, biomarkers to optimize antibiotic therapy for pneumonia, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics to improve management of penumonia.? Nosocomial tracheobronchitis and bronchiectasis are also discussed.? Articles on CAP and VAP, including an examination of the impact of guidelines on outcomes, de-escalation therapy, inhaled antibiotic therapy and prevention of VAP are also included.