Short Telomere Syndrome presenting with pulmonary fibrosis, liver cirrhosis and hepatopulmonary syndrome: a case report.

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is thought to result from aberrant post-injury activation of epithelial cells leading to fibroblast proliferation and activation. A number of genetic aetiologies have been implicated in this disease process, including, among others, the short telomere syndromes. Short telomere syndromes follow an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance resulting in shortened telomere length, which consequently leads to accelerated cell death.

Patient and physician factors associated with symptomatic undiagnosed asthma or COPD.

Background: It remains unclear why some symptomatic individuals with asthma or COPD remain undiagnosed. Here, we compare patient and physician characteristics between symptomatic individuals with obstructive lung disease (OLD) who are undiagnosed and individuals with physician-diagnosed OLD.

Methods: Using random-digit dialling and population-based case finding, we recruited 451 participants with symptomatic undiagnosed OLD and 205 symptomatic control participants with physician-diagnosed OLD.

Meta-analytic Techniques to Assess the Association Between N-acetylcysteine and Acute Kidney Injury After Contrast Administration: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: The most suitable analytic method to systematically analyze numerous trials with contradictory results is unclear. Multiple trials assessing the use of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) for prevention of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) have had contradictory results with recent trials confirming a lack of benefit.

Objective: To systematically review the literature on NAC for the prevention of CI-AKI, and to explore the heterogeneity, publication bias, and small-study effect to determine the most suitable analytic method in a setting where the literature is contradictory.

Challenges of Immunotherapy in Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Treatment for metastatic non-small-cell lung carcinoma has seen important advances in recent years with the introduction of targeted therapies and immunotherapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, which target the programmed death 1 receptor and programmed death ligand-1, alone or in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy, have become standard of care in the first-line setting for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung carcinoma without targetable driver mutations. However, several clinical questions have now since emerged.

Would you do it again? A qualitative study of student and supervisor perceptions of an intercalated MBChB/PhD programme.

Background: Several studies have warned about the diminishing physician-scientist breed. Limited studies, however, have attempted to assess what factors (if any) enhanced or hindered the experience of trainee physician-scientists and their supervisors. Using Vroom's expectancy theory as a conceptual framework, we explored the highlights, motivations and barriers of an intercalated MBChB/PhD programme as experienced by students of the programme and their supervisors.

Publication rates of, and attitudes toward, summer research projects: 10-year experience from a single institution in New Zealand.

Research is increasingly being emphasized from an early stage in medical students' careers. Medical student involvement in research and authorship of peer-reviewed manuscripts have been shown to enhance their academic performance-both in the short term and long term. The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes and motivations of the summer studentship research program at our institution, using Vroom's expectancy theory as a conceptual framework.