This comprehensive volume on the blood-gas barrier (BGB) among vertebrates covers its structure and composition along with aspects of evolution, bioengineering, and morphometry. The book also discusses the embryological development of the BGB, including chronology of events and molecular control in vertebrates; modulation of the barrier function, including cyclic stretch-induced increases in alveolar epithelial permeability; mechanisms of lung vascular/epithelial permeability; transport mechanisms of the BGB, including sodium transport channels; factors affecting trans-barrier traffic of fluids, such as chronic elevation of pulmonary microvascular pressure; stress failure; regulation and repair in acute lung injury; chronic lung disease; and lung transportation. Ten authoritative chapters approach the blood-gas barrier holistically, from basic structure and development to pathology and treatment. Properties of the BGB are discussed in the earlier chapters, followed by prenatal and post-natal development and mechanisms of the healthy BGB. The latter half of the book delves into the pathology of the BGB, analyzing common afflictions and exploring options for treatment, including its alterations during lung transplantation. Intuitively structured and comprehensive, The Vertebrate Blood-Gas Barrier in Health and Disease is ideal for researchers and clinicians interested in pneumology and angiology.

This major work, complete with 150 illustrations, many of them in color, bridges the gap between clinical pulmonary pathology and basic molecular science. Through a highly visual approach that features an abundance of tables and diagrams, the book offers a practical disease-based overview. The first two sections of the volume provide the reader with general concepts, terminology and procedures in molecular pathology. The remainder of the volume is subdivided into neoplastic and non-neoplastic lung diseases with detailed chapters covering the current molecular pathology of specific diseases. The book will be essential reading for pathologists, pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons and other health care providers interested in lung disease.

The impairment of lung function caused by environmental exposure to pollutants and toxicants is a rising health problem, particularly in highly industrialized parts of the world. The problem is urgently calling for the development of new methodologies to assess both the level of elemental exposure and the effects for quality of health and longevity. This volume provides state-of-the-art information about the recent advances in occupational and non-occupational pollutant-related disorders of the respiratory tract, and the assessment of a threat they pose for the health-span. Heavy traffic-related air pollution, unnoticeable but salient health detriment, is dealt with at length.

This book consists of 23 essays about prominent people and events in the history of respiratory physiology. It provides a first-hand chronicle of the advancements made in respiratory physiology starting with Galen and the beginnings of Western physiology. The volume covers every aspect of the evolution of this important area of knowledge: pulmonary circulation, Boyle's Law, pulmonary capillaries and alveoli, morphology, gas exchange and blood flow, mechanics, control of ventilation, and comparative physiology. The book emphasizes societal and philosophical aspects of the history of science. Although it concentrates on physiology, it also describes how cultural movements, such as The Enlightenment, shaped the researchers discussed. This book is published on behalf of the American Physiological Society by Springer. Access to APS books published with Springer is free to APS members.

This book presents a concise, evidence-based review of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) for adult diseases. It describes the use of ECLS with patients who are experiencing severe hypoxemic respiratory failure (ARDS and pneumonia), ventilatory failure (status asthmaticus and COPD), cardiogenic shock and circulatory or gas exchange failure following complications in cardiothoracic surgery, as well as its use as a bridge to lung transplant. Historically, clinicians have used ECLS as a last resort; however, this text details the technological improvements, evidence of improved outcomes and adverse consequences of alternative treatments that are causing this modality to be more commonly adopted. Topics include a description of the complex physiology and technology underlying ECLS; the evidence base for its use in specific clinical conditions; vascular access techniques; daily management of the circuit and patient; guidance regarding the weaning and decannulation process and recommendations for crisis management and rehabilitation related to ECLS. Extracorporeal Life Support for Adults is ideal reading for practicing physicians, nurses, perfusion specialists, therapists and critical care trainees who are considering whether to refer their patients for ECLS or are already providing ECLS and are seeking a practical reference to best practices and updated information.

The mechanistic basis of chronic inflammation remains unclear. The research sheds new light on the immune cells expressing the activation markers HLA-DR and regulatory T cells (Tregs) and the cells expressing Siglec receptors as being key players in the immune system responsiveness to antigens and thus in lung tissue damage of chronic inflammation. The results help understand the mechanisms of action of common drugs used in COPD, such as formoterol, tiotropium, or corticosteroids, and point to novel drug targets. The chapters also deal with brain damaging effects, by far unrecognized, of inhaled corticosteroid therapy, a time-proven management of chronic inflammatory airway conditions; asthma being a case in point. Novel methods, likely less producing side effects, of macrolide antibiotics administration by inhalation are discussed, emphasizing not only bacteriostatic but also anti-inflammatory action.

Lung cancer and autoimmune diseases are complex entities in that they involve gene disturbance, gene polymorphism, and impaired gene repair mechanisms. The volume focuses on altered gene expression in tumor processes and in chronic autoimmune disorders. The chapters discuss the biological rationale for novel disease protein markers, present relevant clinical results, and give some diagnostic and therapeutic tips.

This multidisciplinary book covers all aspects of oxygen delivery to tissue, including blood flow and its regulation as well as oxygen metabolism as discussed at the 33rd Annual Meeting of the International Society on Oxygen Transport to Tissue (ISOTT) held in Australia in 2005. Special attention is paid to methods of oxygen measurement in living tissue and the application of these technologies to understanding the physiological and biochemical basis for pathology related to tissue oxygenation.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been in clinical use for some 40 years, but it is only in the past decade that its application in the treatment of life-threatening circulatory and respiratory failure has truly flourished. This book presents a comprehensive overview of both pathophysiological and practical aspects of circulatory and respiratory extracorporeal support. The basics of ECMO, including its history, the "ECMO team", cannulation, materials, and blood-surface interactions, are first discussed. The various indications for and particular characteristics of circulatory and respiratory extracorporeal life support are then described in detail in the main part of the book. Patient care during ECMO and monitoring of the ECMO patient are also carefully covered, with explanation of the management of technical and clinical complications and transport-related problems. Further topics include long-term therapy options beyond ECMO, such as ventricular assist devices and transplants, outcome, the new frontiers of ECMO for organ procurement and future challenges. The authors are well-known experts in the field whose authoritative contributions and attention to practical aspects will be invaluable for novices and experienced practitioners alike.

Respiratory allergy is constantly encountered and is sharply on the rise, particularly in the two most vulnerable age-groups: young children and seniors. Allergy results in airway hyperactivity and increased airway resistance, with all inflammatory sequelae being ensued. The chapters show how respiratory allergy research is interconnected with other disciplines by discussing neurotransmitter, membrane receptor, and ionic channel mechanisms of allergy and by giving diagnostic and pharmacological cues on desensitization and therapy.

Pulmonary Sarcoidosis: A Guide for the Practicing Clinician is a valuable resource for clinicians of varied disciplines concerning the care of the sarcoidosis patient. Sarcoidosis is a multi-system disorder and represents a major challenge to physicians. Although any organ may be involved with sarcoidosis, the lung is the most common organ affected. Chapters are written by distinguished authors who have extensive experience in caring for these patients. Detailed figures and tables are provided to guide the practicing clinician through all aspects of the condition, from clinical manifestations to treatment options. Pulmonary Sarcoidosis: A Guide for the Practicing Clinician is fully comprehensive and evidence-based and will be an essential addition to the bookshelves of all whose practice involves the care and treatment of patients with sarcoidosis.

This volume provides a modern look on the age-old influenza infection and the preventive role of anti-influenza shots. Influenza pandemic outbreaks are unrelenting despite the growing understanding of the molecular basis of viral infection and its spreads. A leap in medical technologies has revolutionized the design of new influenza vaccines. The chapters cover vaccination strategies in various age-groups of people and provide the extensive amount of knowledge on the immune response to influenza vaccination in a spectrum of disease conditions.

This book presents a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of the organization of endogenous lung stem and progenitor cell compartments during fetal lung development, postnatal lung growth and in adulthood. Progressing stage by stage, the chapters on fetal lung development emphasize the integrated role of epithelial, stromal, vascular and neural cell elements in building a functional lung, while the subsequent chapters on adult lung regeneration describe the nature and properties of adult lung stem/progenitor cells distributed along the proximal-distal axis of the airway tree. The chapters on regulation of lung regeneration and repair discuss how regenerative cells interact with their niche microenvironment and how regulation of lung regeneration and repair in the steady state and following injury recapitulates ontogeny. And, lastly, the chapters on cellular therapies for lung disease and bioengineering the lung focus on promising emerging therapies and approaches in lung regenerative medicine. The scope of this volume of the Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine series focuses on exploring the topic of building and rebuilding the lung from a cellular rather than a molecular perspective. Thus, the section on cellular therapies does not include extensive coverage of each of the numerous lung diseases, including cancer, which could be amenable to stem cell-based therapies, although the final chapter does include some discussion on the future prospects and challenges. All of the contributors are working on the cutting edge of the lung stem cell field, making this book essential reading for those with an interest in the field of lung stem cell biology and the potential role of cellular therapies and tissue bioengineering approaches in lung regenerative medicine, including biomedical scientists, graduate students, post-graduate researchers and respiratory clinicians.

Nutrition in Pediatric Pulmonary Disease is a much needed resource for practitioners that provides a basic understanding of nutrition and nutritional supplements; their impact on physiologic function and how this can be applied for general health maintenance as well as a supplemental treatment for pulmonary diseases. This book provides information on (1) basics of nutrition, supplements and herbs and how they influence physiology (2) their application and potential use for various pulmonary diseases along with evidence regarding efficacy and safety. Also examined are (3) how diet, dietary supplements and herbs are integrated together for treatment and prevention of pulmonary disease. Finally (4) several health promoting diets and their potential benefits to patients with pulmonary diseases will be discussed. Nutrition in Pediatric Pulmonary Disease is an excellent new resource for practicing physicians who are interested in incorporating more nutritional approaches to treating their patients.

This book comprehensively summarizes the adverse effects of tobacco smoking on human health. The current second edition has integrated a large set of new data that have been published in numerous scientifc studies and meta-analyses over the past few years. Unfortunately, the harmful sequelae of tobacco smoking are played down by the ind- try and politicians in many industrialized countries. However, about 800,000 people/year in the EU die from the immediate consequences of smoking. The particularly insidious feature of tobacco consumption is that smoking-attributable harmful effects on health do not generally become apparent until three or four decades after smoking initiation. Although some positive changes in the legislative handling of tobacco have appeared in the past fve years, we still need to form a pact, sealed by politicians, the medical prof- sionals, teachers and the media, to target the problem across nations. In this respect, a minority of countries, including the US and the UK, have given positive examples. There are four areas that need to be improved in future: (1) strict bans on tobacco adv- tisement on a global level, (2) better measures to protect against side-stream (passive) smoke exposure, (3) establishment of prevention programs, especially for children and (4) tre- ment of tobacco addiction.

Diagnostic imaging is an essential component in the evaluation of the patient with known or suspected respiratory tract disease. While chest radiography continues to serve as the primary tool for imaging the chest, advances in computed tomography (CT) have led to a variety of applications such as high-resolution CT (HRCT), advanced 3-D airway imaging, and image-guided procedures. The aim of this book is to deliver a clinically-oriented approach to pulmonary imaging. Each chapter of the book will provide an organized approach to the different facets of imaging of specific clinical scenarios, focusing on strengths and weaknesses of available imaging tests. High quality examples of typical imaging findings of specific conditions will supplement the text. The target readers include practicing internists, pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons, and primary care practitioners. Other readers will include respiratory care therapists and medical students. The proposed cohort of authors represents experts in the field of thoracic radiology. These authors have experience in thoracic radiology and medical writing, each will deliver a high-quality chapter meeting the aims and scope of this book while addressing the target audience. Aside from the first three chapters, which are introductory materials, each author will be invited to select a clinician with whom they work closely to serve as a co-author in order to provide a chapter that maintains the clinical orientation of this book.

While specialists often guide the care to lung cancer patients, it is often a general radiologist who is left to interpret studies that impact patient care and management. Lung Cancer Imaging provides a comprehensive guide to the diagnosis, staging and overview of the management of lung cancer relevant to practicing radiologists so that they can better understand the decision making issues and provide more directed and useful communication to the treating physicians. It Primary Care physicians will also find this book valuable to understand the relevant issues that they face when one of their patients is being treated for lung cancer.

This book provides the framework for a singular reference in the field of pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary vascular disease is a complex and heterogeneous condition characterized by remodeling of distal pulmonary arterioles that increases pulmonary vascular resistance to affect cardiopulmonary hemodynamic and right ventricular function adversely, resulting in a clinical syndrome of diminished exercise tolerance, shortness of breath, and heart failure-associated morbidity and mortality. Owing to the availability of novel pulmonary circulation-selective pharmacotherapies over the previous decade, the number of pulmonary hypertension patients eligible for treatment has increased substantially. Despite this progress, under-awareness persists within the practicing pulmonary, cardiovascular, and general internal medicine communities. This is due, in part, to the complex array of molecular mechanisms implicated in the pathobiology of PH, as well as cutting-edge discoveries from translational scientific works that provide a new framework by which to understand pulmonary vascular-right ventricular coupling. Taken together, a key educational opportunity is exposed to bridge this knowledge gap through the synthesis of a contemporary text that emphasizes basic science, translational and clinical principles, and treatment strategies for understanding pulmonary hypertension.

Clinical research in critical care has exploded in the past several years and we now have a much better understanding of how to care for intensive care unit (ICU) patients in areas such as management of sepsis, fluid resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, antibiotic administration and sedation and analgesia. However, despite improved clinical care, many critically ill patients continue to experience complications of critical illness - some complications are iatrogenic and preventable, while others are simply a component of the natural history of critical illness. These complications lead to increased mortality, morbidity, cost and long-term chronic conditions. Non-Pulmonary Complications of Critical Care: A Clinical Guide is a valuable resource for trainees and clinicians who aim to better understand and improve the quality of critical care medicine. Armed with information about potential non-pulmonary complications of ICU care and strategies to minimize or prevent those complications, the critical care clinician will be able to help ICU patients potentially avoid much of the morbidity associated with critical illness. This book is organized by organ system such that it can be easily used as a bedside reference. Complications caused by pharmaceuticals are dispersed throughout every chapter and the concluding chapters provide a special emphasis on meticulous supportive care of the critically ill patient to allow the best chance for recovery.

This book thoroughly covers each subfield of respiratory mechanics: pulmonary mechanics, the respiratory pump, and flow. It presents the current understanding of the field and serves as a guide to the scientific literature from the golden age of respiratory mechanics, 1960 - 2010. Specific topics covered include the contributions of surface tension and tissue forces to lung recoil, the gravitational deformation of the lung, and the interdependence forces that act on pulmonary airways and blood vessels. The geometry and kinematics of the ribs is also covered in detail, as well as the respiratory action of the external and internal intercostal muscles, the mechanics of the diaphragm, and the quantitative compartmental models of the chest wall is also described. Additionally, flow in the airways is covered thoroughly, including the wave-speed and viscous expiratory flow-limiting mechanisms; convection, diffusion and the stationary front; and the distribution of ventilation. This is an ideal book for respiratory physiologists, pneumologists, exercise physiologists, and critical care physicians. This book also: Maximizes reader insights into current and landmark respiratory mechanics researchConcisely yet thoroughly explores the current research on pulmonary mechanics, the respiratory pump, and flow Serves as an invaluable guide for those entering the field, or those seeking to expand their knowledge of it

Does your heart rate increase when you are paged to the emergency department or ICU for emergency airway management? Would you know how to handle the unexpected arrival of a patient with a gunshot wound to the neck and worsening airway compromise? This guide to critical airway emergencies will prepare you to safely manage these high-pressure situations. Case-based discussions focus on specific scenarios and provide background on the relevant medical issues along with practical guidance and algorithms. This systematic approach gives quick access to vital clinical information. Multidisciplinary in approach and written by experts from a variety of specialties, the content covers both pediatric and adult patients, encompassing many of the challenging airway situations you could be faced with. Every healthcare practitioner involved with emergency airway management will benefit from this book.

Gastroesophageal Reflux and the Lung provides a comprehensive review of current knowledge concerning normal deglutition and foregut digestive processes and examines how abnormalities of swallowing or excessive/abnormal GER can lead to respiratory tract dysfunction and lung disease. In-depth Chapters deliver a concise review of the prevalence of GER in patients with lung disease and synthesize the current evidence regarding its diagnosis and management. Each chapter includes key points and a summary. In addition to outlining the current state of knowledge, each chapter provides a summary of ongoing research in the field and identifies the need for future research. Written by an international group of authors who are experts in their respective fields, Gastroesophageal Reflux and the Lung is a valuable resource for practicing clinicians, internists, pulmonologists and primary care personnel.

This concise, clinically focused handbook offers a complete overview of bacterial pneumonia and reviews the latest guidelines, treatment options, clinical trials, and management of this disease. The easily accessible text offers infectious disease specialists and other health care workers with an excellent quick reference tool, with full color tables and figures enhancing the text further. Pneumonia is a debilitating disease, and can also be a very serious complication of pre-existing lung conditions. Combined with influenza (a predisposing factor) it is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States, such there is a need for physicians to prevent pneumonia by vaccination and hygiene methods, as well as recognizing and treating early.

In a gripping, accessible narrative, a veteran science journalist lays out the shocking story of how the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic happened and how to make sure this never happens again

Over the last 30 years of epidemics and pandemics, we learned every lesson needed to stop this coronavirus outbreak in its tracks. We heeded almost none of them. The result is a pandemic on a scale never before seen in our lifetimes. In this captivating, authoritative, and eye-opening book, science journalist Debora MacKenzie lays out the full story of how and why it happened: the previous viruses that should have prepared us, the shocking public health failures that paved the way, the failure to contain the outbreak, and most importantly, what we must do to prevent future pandemics.

Debora MacKenzie has been reporting on emerging diseases for more than three decades, and she draws on that experience to explain how COVID-19 went from a potentially manageable outbreak to a global pandemic. Offering a compelling history of the most significant recent outbreaks, including SARS, MERS, H1N1, Zika, and Ebola, she gives a crash course in Epidemiology 101--how viruses spread and how pandemics end--and outlines the lessons we failed to learn from each past crisis. In vivid detail, she takes us through the arrival and spread of COVID-19, making clear the steps that governments knew they could have taken to prevent or at least prepare for this. Looking forward, MacKenzie makes a bold, optimistic argument: this pandemic might finally galvanize the world to take viruses seriously. Fighting this pandemic and preventing the next one will take political action of all kinds, globally, from governments, the scientific community, and individuals--but it is possible.

No one has yet brought together our knowledge of COVID-19 in a comprehensive, informative, and accessible way. But that story can already be told, and Debora MacKenzie's urgent telling is required reading for these times and beyond. It is too early to say where the COVID-19 pandemic will go, but it is past time to talk about what went wrong and how we can do better.

Many patients with pulmonary complaints fail to improve despite physicians' best efforts. Sometimes, we ascribe this failure to lack of adherence with therapy, or to the severity of the condition. What we often fail to appreciate, however, is that sometimes the lack of improvement can be explained by the patients' psychological states. The first section of Functional Respiratory Disorders: When Respiratory Symptoms Do Not Respond to Pulmonary Treatment will help clinicians recognize functional respiratory symptoms that can arise as a result of both organic and psychological causes. The second section of this book provides detailed discussions of such disorders, links to video examples of laryngoscopic evaluation of patients with vocal cord issues, case studies and quizzes. Examples and exercises that should strengthen the clinician's confidence in identifying and treating these functional conditions are also provided. Finally, the third section of the book will help the clinician differentiate the patients for whom referral to a mental health provider is mandatory from those for whom other approaches may be useful. For the latter group, the book teaches clinicians to empower themselves by learning how to incorporate various therapies for functional disorders into their practice, including biofeedback, breathing techniques, basic cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, and hypnosis. Links are provided to instructive video examples of biofeedback, hypnosis, and speech therapy. Practical strategies for obtaining training in these modalities are provided in the appendix. Functional Respiratory Disorders: When Respiratory Symptoms Do Not Respond to Pulmonary Treatment is an important new book that will help clinicians consider the possible impact of functional contributions to the clinical presentation of every patient with respiratory symptoms and identified respiratory disease.