American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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The pathogenesis of pulmonary diseases is often complex and characterized by multiple cellular events, including inflammation, cell death, and cell proliferation. The mechanisms by which these events are regulated in pulmonary diseases remain poorly understood. Autophagy is an essential process for cellular homeostasis and stress adaptation in eukaryotic cells. ⋯ Emerging studies have identified that autophagy plays important roles in the pathogenesis of various lung diseases. In addition, autophagy has been shown to selectively degrade subcellular targets, including proteins, organelles, and pathogens. Here, we highlight the recent advances in the molecular regulation and function of autophagy in lung diseases.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Nov 2016
ReviewLaryngeal Dysfunction - Assessment and Management for the Clinician.
The larynx is one of the most highly innervated organs in humans and serves a number of vitally important, complex, and highly evolved biological functions. On a day-to-day basis, the larynx functions autonomously, addressing several roles including airway protection, swallowing, and phonation. In some situations the larynx appears to adopt a functional state that could be considered maladaptive or "dysfunctional." This laryngeal dysfunction can underpin and account for a number of respiratory symptoms that otherwise appear incongruous with a clinical disease state and/or contribute to the development of symptoms that appear "refractory" to treatment. ⋯ Recognition of laryngeal dysfunction is important to deliver targeted treatment and failure to recognize the condition can lead to repeated use of inappropriate treatment. Diagnosis is not straightforward, however, and many patients appear to present with symptoms attributable to laryngeal dysfunction, but in whom the diagnosis has been overlooked in clinical work-up for some time. This review provides an overview of the current state of knowledge in the field of laryngeal dysfunction, with a focus on pragmatic clinical assessment and management.