Why Is Cardiac Morbidity and Mortality Greater Around Christmas, New Year’s, Monday Mornings and in the Morning Hours: Potential Roles of Unrecognized Ionized Hypomagnesemia and Release of Ceramides?

The following is the introduction to this article: There is a growing incidence of lethal cardiac events around Christmas, New Year’s and in the morning hours from 4:00 to 10:00 a.m. which is well-established in the USA and in The Southern Hemisphere [1-7]. In addition, many cardiac deaths often occur on Mondays with no satisfactory explanation [2,3]. Many of these deaths are, for the most part, unexplained and listed as “death from “natural causes”. Although in the USA, the deaths which occur around Christmas and New Years happen in the cold –winter months, this does not account for many cardiac incidences which occur throughout the year in the early a.m. hours or on Mondays. A number of explanations have been offered to explain the higher morbidities and mortalities at these special times of the year, morning hours and on Mondays, such as emotional stresses, too much ingestion of alcoholic beverages, improper medical facilities, diet, and/or changes in the physical environments [1-7]

A rare case of endobronchial mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the lung presenting as non-resolving pneumonia

Background: Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is the most common malignant salivary gland tumor, and MECs of the lung are rare, accounting for 0.1–0.2% of malignant lung tumors. Pulmonary MECs are commonly found in the segmental or lobar bronchi, rarely presenting as endobronchial lesions. Case presentation: Here we describe the case of a 21-year-old female with no comorbid conditions who presented at the emergency room with a cough, yellow phlegm, pleuritic chest pain, and a subjective fever. These symptoms had been present for approximately one week prior to the patient's arrival at the hospital. A chest X-ray revealed right lower lobe alveolar infiltrate and computed tomography of the chest showed dense consolidation of the right lower lobe with ovoid intraluminal density in the right main stem bronchus. Upon fiber optic bronchoscopy, an endobronchial lesion was found in the right main stem sparing the right upper lobe uptake. Endobronchial biopsy results was consistent with MEC of the lung. The patient underwent a bilobectomy with complete resection of the tumor. Conclusion: Endobronchial MEC is a rare type of salivary gland tumor. Patients with low-grade MECs have a good prognosis, whereas those with high-grade MECs, which are aggressive and associated with metastatic disease, have a poor prognosis. However, early identification and surgical resection can result in a good prognosis. Keywords: Mucoepidermoid carcinoma, Endobronchial lesio

Recurrent intrathoracic dedifferentiated liposarcoma: A case report and literature review

Background: Liposarcoma (LPS) is the second most common type of soft tissue sarcoma, accounting for approximately 15–20% of all the sarcomas. Primary intrathoracic LPS, however, is quite rare. LPS is a malignant mesenchymal tumor, comprised of lipogenic tissue with varying degrees of atypia. It can be subclassified into well-differentiated LPS (WDLPS), myxoid LPS (MLPS)/round cell LPS, pleomorphic LPS (PLPs), and dedifferentiated LPS (DDLPS), based on the histology. Case presentation: A 76-year-old male patient initially presented to the emergency room with a complaint of precordial chest pain for one month. Computed tomography (CT) of his chest showed a large, 8 cm × 8 cm x 10 cm, supradiaphragmatic, complex solid mass in the lower left hemithorax, along the anterior chest wall. Chest wall mass excision revealed dedifferentiated LPS, with excision of margins. Positron emission tomography (PET) scan did not show metastatic disease. Seven months later, he presented with shortness of breath, and CT of the chest showed large, left pleural-based masses, causing compression of surrounding structures. He was not a candidate for surgical resection. This patient subsequently failed chemotherapy and opted for hospice. Conclusion: Intrathoracic LPS is a rare tumor. Recurrence is higher with dedifferentiated histology forms. Radical surgery with excision of margins is the primary recommended treatment. Keywords: Liposarcoma, Intrathoracic tumors, Soft tissue sarcom

Solar Decathlon Africa: Team Oculus

The goal of this project was to create an active outreaching social media platform to meet the requirements of the Solar Decathlon Africa competition in addition to informing the general public about Team Oculus’ progress