Spirometry
- It is a common and relatively easy, test used to measure pulmonary function - how well the lungs are working 

- It is used to help diagnose and monitor patients with CF 

- The test involved a person breathing into a small device, called a spirometer

- Airways that are obstructed by the thick mucous produced in CF patients, means the speed at which air can be exhaled is reduced

- In CF patients, the restrictive results can be caused due to scarring (fibrosis) in the lungs

- Many CF patients can show combined obstructive/restrictive patterns. These results demonstrate a poorer lung capacity combined with a reduction in exhale speed. 

What is Two-Photon Microscopy and How is it used? 
-TPM is a fluorescence imaging technology that uses special microscopes that emit photons (particle of light) to penetrate samples of biological tissue, up to 1millimeter in depth. 

-TPM uses fluorescent lights. 

-TPM produces a three-dimensional image of cells in the body without having to physically extract a sample. 

-This technology gives information about cell structure and reveals how biochemical processes take place in living cells. 

-For example; TPM has been used to observe how different drugs applied to the skin absorbed and used by the tissues. 

-TPM is also used to explore, locate, and analyze rare types of cancerous cells. 

 
Advantages 

-Two- Photon excitation microscopy usually uses near-infrared excitation light which can excite fluorescent dyes. Using the infrared light minimizes scattering in the tissue. This technology can be a superior alternative to confocal microscopy due to the deeper tissue penetration, efficient light detection, and reduced photobleaching; loss of colour by a pigment such as chlorophyll or rhodopsin when illuminated. 

-TPM reduces phototoxicity due to the beam exciting a single focal point at a time. 

-TPM has been utilized to image the murine lung. As immune responses in the lung differ from those in other non-lymphoid tissues, TPM holds promise to advance our knowledge in biology that underlies wide spectrums of diseases. 

-TPM is mainly used for pulmonary diseases but can be used to study the immune responses when facing a disease such as pneumonia. 

-The lungs constitute one of the first lines of defense against antigens, TPM can greatly increase our knowledge and understanding about the lungs and more preventions against pneumonia. 

Emphysema can also be treated with corticosteroids. This type of drug belongs to a group of inhalable steroids. Similarly to the drugs that treat Asthma, corticosteroids help relieve shortness of breath.

Although there are available treatments, Emphysema is most often incurable. In most cases, this progressive disease becomes more severe and can eventually become fatal.  For most cases, while progress can be halted, it can never be reversed.

Due to its incurability, it is most vital to prevent the disease before it ever begins.  A person's "best bet" would to avoid smoking and second hand smoke, especially when that person has a pre-existing COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) such as refractory asthma and chronic bronchitis.


Blood Gas

Red blood cells transport oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the body. These are known as blood gases. Imbalances in the oxygen, carbon dioxide, and pH levels of your blood can indicate the presence of certain medical conditions and determine how well your lungs are able to move oxygen into the blood and remove carbon dioxide. Levels must be monitored to insure healthy respiration and organs. As discussed in the awesome Everest video, oxygen saturation is just one example of this. Before their trek, the climbers were told and warned about the oxygen levels in their blood, and this became one of their main research points. Normal blood oxygen levels are considered 95-100 percent, but as we see the climber’s drop down to even 20 percent in one instance it’s clear that blood gases can lead to danger if not maintained at the needed level. Low oxygen levels in the blood can also effect the brain a great deal. Blood gases would be tested if there was a concern with lungs, heart or kidneys, asthma, chemical poisoning, and even drug overdose. It is said that analysis of blood gases is the most accurate representation of a patients clinical status. It is imperative that they stay at constant levels. According to the National Institute of Health, typical normal values are:
pH: 7.35-7.45
Partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2): 75 to 100 mmHg
Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2): 35-45 mmHg
Bicarbonate (HCO3): 22-26 mEq/L
Oxygen saturation (O2 Sat): 94-100%

 
CONS

 
WHY WERE THEY INVENTED?
Vapes were invented with hopes to help smokers quit smoking. The first 'vape' was developed in America, in 1963, by Herbert A. Gilbert, where he also applied for a patent. In 1965, he was granted the patent. However, there was no commercial interest up until doctors began to warn people about the health concerns that came along with smoking. However, there were technical problems with Gilbert's design, leading to his concept to sink in obscurity for 40 years. Popped up again in 2001, by Hon Lik. Who himself was a heavy smoker, inspired by the death of his father who had lung cancer. Hon started experimenting with a vaporisation system, testing various liquids to find one that could replicate the inhaling of tobacco smoke. Hon Lik and Herbert A. Gilbert share the credit for the basic design of the modern vape device. However, a lot of other inventions have gone into the products that are available to consumers today.

Most cases of tonsillitis are caused by infection with a common virus, but bacterial infections also may cause tonsillitis.

Because appropriate treatment for tonsillitis depends on the cause, it's important to get a prompt and accurate diagnosis. Surgery to remove tonsils, once a common procedure to treat tonsillitis, is usually performed only when bacterial tonsillitis occurs frequently, doesn't respond to other treatments or causes serious complications. This surgical procedure is known as a tonsillectomy. 

Tonsillitis is most often caused by common viruses, but bacterial infections can also be the cause.

The most common bacterium causing tonsillitis is Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus), the bacterium that causes strep throat. Other strains of strep and other bacteria also may cause tonsillitis.

The tonsils are the immune system's first line of defense against bacteria and viruses that enter your mouth. This function may make the tonsils particularly vulnerable to infection and inflammation. However, the tonsil's immune system function declines after puberty — a factor that may account for the rare cases of tonsillitis in adults.

If tonsillitis caused by group A streptococcus or another strain of streptococcal bacteria isn't treated, or if antibiotic treatment is incomplete, There is an increased risk of rare disorders such as:

Poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, an inflammatory disorder of the kidneys that results in inadequate removal of waste and excess fluids from blood

CAT/spiral CT

CAT stands for Computerized Axial Tomography and CT just stands for Computerized Tomography

There are many uses for the CAT scan, but for the most part the CAT scan is to diagnose and monitor diseases and check for internal bleeding.

How does a CAT scan work? 

The CAT scan emits radio waves that pass through the skin, rotating at thousands of revolutions per minute, before the procedure, radiologists use a special dye that absorbs the radio waves that are emitted by the machine. All of this creates multiple images of bone and soft tissue in the body that the doctor can easily use to help diagnose the patient and what might be going wrong in their body, which a computer creates a 3D render of the selected area.

The main reason why the CAT scan is better than the X-Ray is mostly due to the fact that the CAT scanner uses less intense radio waves, which as we all know can damage the genes in the body, making the patient have a higher risk in developing cancer. Another reason why a CAT scan is much better is because CAT scans take multiple images of the area, making doctors have a better understanding of what is causing the issue.