Psycho-social and health predictors of loneliness in older primary care patients and mediating mechanisms linking comorbidities and loneliness.

Background: Aging is associated with many personal, social, and environmental challenges that increase the risk of loneliness. Loneliness is a painful emotional experience associated with a perceived lack of connection and intimacy. Loneliness accelerates health deterioration, but the presence of chronic health conditions (comorbidities) in older individuals may potentiate the feeling of loneliness.

Bronchoscopic treatment of pediatric atelectasis: A modified segmental insufflation-surfactant instillation technique.

Background: Atelectasis is a condition characterized by the collapse and nonaeration of lung regions and is considered a manifestation of an underlying disease process. The goal of atelectasis treatment is the restoration of volume loss. In the range of different treatment options, chest physiotherapy is often used as a first-line approach, and some cases require bronchoscopic interventions.