‘Pseudopneumothorax’—Hold that chest tube!

We report a case of herniation of abdominal contents into the left hemithorax in a patient with a history of vague left-sided thoracoabdominal trauma 18 days previous to admission and who also had a recent 1-week history of upper respiratory symptoms, including cough, and then presented with dyspnoea and fever for 3 days. There was no preceding cardiorespiratory pathology of note. We also discuss the epidemiology, pathogenesis and management of blunt-traumatic diaphragmatic rupture.     

Work related symptoms, sensitisation, and estimated exposure in workers not previously exposed to flour.

Findings are presented from the initial cross sectional phase of a cohort study of employees exposed to flour in bakeries or mills. Of 401 eligible workers in seven sites 344 (86%) were surveyed; symptoms assessed by self completed questionnaire, and sensitisation measured by the response to skin prick tests, were related to intensity of exposure both to total dust and to flour aeroallergen. Among 264 subjects without previous occupational exposure to flour, work related symptoms which started after first employment at the site were related to exposure intensity, especially when exposure was expressed in terms of flour aeroallergen. The relations with eye/nose and skin symptoms were independent of atopic status and cigarette smoking. Positive skin test responses to mixed flour and to alpha amylase were also more frequent with increasing exposure intensity, although this was confounded by atopic status. There was only a weak association between symptoms and specific sensitisation.     

Increased Solubility and Bioavailability of Hydroxy-Cr(III) Precipitates in the Presence of Hydroxamate Siderophores

Siderophores are a diverse group of low molecular weight biogenic metallophores with a particular affinity for Fe(III) but they also have potential to complex a number of other polyvalent metal cations, including Cr(III). Here we show that two hydroxamate siderophores, desferrioxamine B and rhodotorulic acid, at environmentally relevant concentrations, facilitate the dissolution of hydroxy-Cr(III) precipitates from a common layer silicate. Desferrioxamine B and rhodotorulic acid induced maximum initial Cr dissolution rates of 11.3?±?1.7?×?10^??4  and 9.03?±?0.68?×?10^??4 µmol m^??2 h^??1, respectively, yielding maximum solution Cr concentrations of 0.26?±?0.01 and 0.20?±?0.02 µmol m^??2, respectively. These data demonstrate that hydroxamate siderophores may play an important role increasing the dispersal of Cr in natural environments, thus facilitating greater bioavailability of this potential toxin.     

Outcomes of Stage I and II Breast Cancer with Nodal Micrometastases Treated with Mastectomy without Axillary Therapy

Breast Cancer Research and Treatment - Studies that report equivalent oncologic outcomes of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) alone versus axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for T1-2N1mi breast...