Presentation of a branchial cleft anomaly in an adult.

ABSTRACT: Branchial cleft anomalies are the second most common type of congenital neck mass and typically are diagnosed in patients under age 5 years. This article describes a rare presentation of an adult with a branchial cleft anomaly.

Paroxysmal laryngospasm: Episodic closure of the upper airway.

Paroxysmal laryngospasm is an episodic event, resulting in complete closure of the larynx caused by hypersensitization of laryngeal tissue and protective laryngeal reflexes. This condition most often occurs secondary to laryngopharyngeal reflux. Prognosis generally is good after treatment is initiated; however, often because of a misunderstanding of the clinical course and potential causes, patients with paroxysmal laryngospasm can go untreated. This article describes paroxysmal laryngospasm, similarly presenting diseases, and treatment strategies.

Eye problems in a woman with Churg-Strauss syndrome.

Churg-Strauss syndrome is a rare, systemic vasculitis of unknown cause. Ocular involvement is a rare but established complication and can lead to vision damage or blindness if not treated promptly. Treatment of ocular manifestations corresponds with systemic treatment of the disease and consists primarily of corticosteroids.

HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) can infect the tonsillar tissues of the oropharynx and is associated with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. This article provides an overview to guide primary care providers in screening patients for oropharyngeal cancer and making appropriate referrals. The article also reviews available HPV vaccines and immunization adherence rates.

Managing acute invasive fungal sinusitis.

Acute invasive fungal sinusitis is the most aggressive form of fungal sinusitis and can be fatal, especially in patients who are immunosuppressed. Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial and potentially lifesaving, so primary care providers must maintain a high index of suspicion for this disease. Patients may need to be admitted to the hospital for IV antifungal therapy and surgical debridement.

Graphene-graphite oxide field-effect transistors.

Graphene's high mobility and two-dimensional nature make it an attractive material for field-effect transistors. Previous efforts in this area have used bulk gate dielectric materials such as SiO(2) or HfO(2). In contrast, we have studied the use of an ultrathin layered material, graphene's insulating analogue, graphite oxide. We have fabricated transistors comprising single or bilayer graphene channels, graphite oxide gate insulators, and metal top-gates. The graphite oxide layers show relatively minimal leakage at room temperature. The breakdown electric field of graphite oxide was found to be comparable to SiO(2), typically ~1-3 × 10(8) V/m, while its dielectric constant is slightly higher, κ ≈ 4.3.