A teаm оf IT mаnаgers is implementing different types оf encryptiоn technology for use in its organization’s data processing. Select from the option list provided the encryption method that best fits each description below. Each choice may be used once, more than once, or not at all. Description Encryption Method Data files created by trusted third parties called certificate authorities. A means of authenticating an electronic document such as a purchase order. In a pair of mathematically related keys, one is made public, and the other is kept secret. A means of authenticating an electronic document such as acceptance of a contract. The communicating parties agree on a single private key for use in that session. Authorities include GoDaddy, Thawte, and Verisign. Standards for this type of encryption include WEP, WPA, WPA2, and WPA3. Also known as public-key encryption.
Reаgаn Lоcke: Initiаl Pоst оn Bronchitis Bronchitis Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubules, which is what carries air to and from the lungs. Inflammation in these tubules causes swelling and a bunch of mucus build up, which leads to coughing, shortness of breath, and chest pain. Bronchitis is either diagnosed as an acute or chronic sickness. The form of acute bronchitis usually comes from a viral infection like a cold and typically is gone in a few weeks. On the other hand, chronic bronchitis is a long term condition that is a form of COPD and has consistent inflammation and coughing for a long time. Recent clinical data shows that bronchitis is a common cause of healthcare visits because of its effects on the respiratory function and quality of life. (Cleveland Clinic. 2023) Etiology and Genetic Risk There are different forms of bronchitis that range from acute to chronic bronchitis. Acute bronchitis is the most common and is usually caused by viral infections like influenza A or B, rhinovirus, RSV, and Covid. It can be caused by bacterial infections but this is not as common. Chronic bronchitis is usually caused from a long-term inflammation of the airways. This usually comes from smoking cigarettes or even second hand smoke. The environment can also make these symptoms arise from things such as pollution, dust, and gas smells. This is not particularly a genetic problem but some inherited conditions such as the protein, alpha 1, can increase a person's risk of developing chronic bronchitis. (Cleveland Clinic. 2023) Physical Assessment/ Clinical Manifestations Signs and symptoms of bronchitis depend on whether it is acute or chronic bronchitis. Common symptoms of bronchitis consist of an ongoing cough, mucus, shortness of breath, chest pain, fatigue, and sometimes a low grade fever. When going for a physical assessment, the doctor will listen to your breathing and ask about smoking history. Symptoms usually improve within a couple of weeks if it is acute bronchitis. (Singh et al., 2024) Chronic bronchitis symptoms usually last at least 3 months and even can go as long as two years. Symptoms with chronic bronchitis may even worsen over time and can even affect the everyday living of an individual. It can be as bad as affecting the quality of life somebody has left. Treatment of Bronchitis Treatment of bronchitis depends on the type of bronchitis the person has. Acute bronchitis is treated by slowing down and usually clears up in a few weeks. The treatment consists of self-care, such as, rest, hydration, and medications to help with fever and mucus breakdown. (Singh et al., 2024) Medication is not usually provided unless it is diagnosed as a bacterial infection. Chronic bronchitis treatment is there just to control the symptoms and hopefully ease the pain that comes from it. In more severe cases of chronic bronchitis, a person may receive breathing treatments. The main key, if a smoker, is to completely opt out of smoking so your lungs can try to improve from all the chemicals they were inhaling. Prevention of Bronchitis Ways to prevent bronchitis is to reduce the exposure to the upper respiratory infections and the bad environmental pollution in the air. Some ways to prevent acute bronchitis include washing your hands, staying away from the sick, and staying up to date on vaccines. Avoiding smoking and second hand smoke inhalation is the best way to prevent you from getting chronic bronchitis.(Cleveland Clinic. 2023) People who work around dusty areas and chemical toxins need to find ways to use protective equipment to keep their lungs healthy. The main takeaway is to keep up a very healthy lifestyle and avoid areas that are bad for inhalation to reduce the risk of getting bronchitis. Summary In conclusion, bronchitis is just a common respiratory infection that can either be considered acute or chronic. Acute bronchitis is caused by viral infections and usually better in just a few weeks, while chronic bronchitis is a much longer recovery that can last up to two years. Chronic bronchitis is most commonly attained by cigarette smoke and even secondhand inhalation of the smoke. Common symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, mucus, fatigue, and even a low grade fever. Keeping a healthy lifestyle after being diagnosed with bronchitis can be a make or break for what type and how fast you can recover from bronchitis. Making sure you keep your lungs in good condition and good environments is really important to be able to avoid ever getting bronchitis. References Cleveland Clinic. (2022, September 8). Bronchitis symptoms & treatment. Cleveland Clinic; Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/3993-bronchitisLinks to an external site. Cleveland Clinic. (2023, January 24). Chronic bronchitis. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24645-chronic-bronchitisLinks to an external site. Singh, A., Avula, A., & Zahn, E. (2024). Acute Bronchitis. Nih.gov; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448067/Links to an external site.
Emmа Hаrtsfield: Initiаl Pоst оn Asthma Intrоduction “Asthma is characterized as a chronic inflammatory disease that is shown through hyperreactiveness of the airway, airflow obstruction, and persistence.” (Borrelli et al., 2025) The disease is reversible and affects millions of people worldwide, so it is important to understand it fully. Etiology and Genetic Risk Asthma has multiple etiologies and is deemed a multifactorial or heterogeneous disease, meaning it can fester in a variety of ways. (Capriotti, 2024) (O’Keefe, Connors, Ling, & Kim, 2025) “The most common etiology of asthma is allergy (also called atopy), which includes a variety of environmental hypersensitivities such as exhaust fumes, perfumes, pollen, grasses, flowers, dust, smoke, animal dander, molds, and spores.” Indoor allergens include animal dander and other parts of the animal, such as hair, saliva, and skin (which is widespread in children). Air pollution due to the urbanization of the Earth has contributed to the cause and development of asthma. The pollutants generally come from cars and other fossil fuels, where children of low income have shown a higher risk of these effects. Viral infections that occur in the lungs are common asthma triggers. Many asthma attacks in children are caused by viral infections. Additionally, asthma attacks can lead to acute bronchitis and bronchospasms in adults. “GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and AERD (aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease)” are also common triggers. Asthma can also be silent in some individuals and only show when they exercise. (Capriotti, 2024) Furthermore, asthma has several genetic components. “There are sex related differences in asthma; in females, the inflammatory response is amplified due to the X chromosome because it harbors immune-regulatory genes. Estrogen in females has been shown to enhance type 2 inflammation and contributes to increased asthma severity, whereas testosterone appears to have a more protective effect.” (Borrelli et al., 2025) There are genes that are associated with the development of asthma; on chromosome 17, the locus 17q21, contains several genes that associate with early onset/childhood asthma. (Capriotti, 2024) Clinical Presentation and Signs/Symptoms A doctor should assess the severity of asthma and be sure to get an adequate history of his or her asthma. Family history and a history of childhood asthma are important to know to determine the treatment for the patient. (Capriotti, 2024) The shortening of smooth muscle in the airway causes the airway to narrow, which in turn evokes wheezing, chest tightness, cough, and dyspnea. (McDuffie, Panettieri, & Scott, 2024) A patient's symptoms may vary depending on the severity of hyperresponsiveness or reversibility of whatever is obstructing the airway. Patients may not be able to get but one or two words out before having to take another breath. A patient may also go into respiratory failure, which is shown by inaudible breath sounds and a constant hacking cough. Rhonchi may be present, and when asthma is related to allergies, nasal edema, eczema, nasal polyps, and oropharyngeal erythema may be present. (Capriotti, 2024) Diagnosis “Asthma is based on both a clinical history, physical examination, laboratory findings, and PFTs;” there is no “gold standard test” to diagnose asthma. A physical exam can be done; however, since asthma is multifactorial, a physical finding may present when the patient is showing symptoms. Furthermore, the absence of symptoms rules out the patient having asthma. The most common finding is wheezing after auscultation (listening) of the lungs. “Spirometry (PFT) measures a patient’s forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV) and forced vital capacity (FVC) and determines the severity of the asthma.” In children 1-5 years of age, a documentation of wheezing and other airflow signs should be documented, and given corticosteroids and SABA (short-acting beta agonist: inhaler). In children over 6 years, a spirometry should be done, and a bronchodilator should be administered after, and both results should be documented to find out the severity. The diagnosis of asthma should be considered if there is an increase in FEV after a bronchodilator there is a greater than 12% in FEC. In patients 18 years or older, spirometry should be done, and a diagnosis is shown if there is an increase of FEC of 12% or more and at least 200mL after inhaling the SABA (Inhaler). In patients where a PT may not be able to be performed, the addition of fractional exhaled nitric oxide or FeNNO can also be used to diagnose asthma and “is an adjunct to the evaluation process.” (This test is typically done in people ages 5 years and older) (O’Keefe, Connors, Ling, & Kim, 2025) (Capriotti, 2024) Treatment/Management The goal when treating asthma is to control it and to reach the best possible outcomes for each individual. Asthma is typically treated or managed in a stepwise approach, meaning that each step of treatment should include educating the patient, controlling environmental factors, care of comorbidities (presence of more than one health condition), and medication. In the stepwise treatment, based on the results, the patient may move up a step, or they may move down a step as needed. It is important to determine the allergens that affect individuals with allergy-induced asthma, so that whatever they are allergic to, they can avoid it, if possible. Allergen immunotherapy may also help with allergic asthma. Allergen immunotherapy, or AIT, involves a patient going to the doctor several times to administer minute amounts of their allergen by injection to “desensitize the individual” to their allergen. SLIT or sublingual immunotherapy is the same process but without injections. In the treatment of asthma, medications typically fall into two categories: controllers and relievers. Controllers are medications that are taken long-term or daily and typically have anti-inflammatory effects to control asthma. Relievers are medications that are used as-needed for quick relief of bronchoconstriction.” Inhalers are commonly prescribed, with many of them containing a combination of formoterol (LABA: long-acting adrenergic beta-2 agonist) and ICS (inhaled corticosteroids), which are used for maintenance therapy of asthma. In addition to stepwise treatment, the Global Initiative for Asthma recommends treatment in terms of two tracks. Track 1 is low-dose ICS-formoterol as the rescue and reliever medication (track 1 is generally the preferred route). Track 2 has SABA (as mentioned in the diagnosis section) as the rescue and reliever medication (not the preferred route). Track 2 is recommended when Track 1 is not possible, or the patient has good treatment results showing with their controller, and “has not had any exacerbations in the last 12 months.” SABA is not recommended because it has shown results leading to reduced bronchodilation response and increased allergic responses. As mentioned above, it is important to educate your patient so that they are using their inhalers efficiently and correctly (demonstration of the technique for using the inhaler is recommended). A spacer device is given to the patient to ensure proper delivery of the inhaler (especially in children). “In patients who have severe and persistent asthma that is not being helped with medication, bronchial thermoplasty, performed with a bronchoscope, uses a wire probe to deliver heat to the airway and decrease the smooth muscle that is constricting the patient's airway.” (O’Keefe, Connors, Ling, & Kim, 2025) (Capriotti, 2024) Complications Asthma is one of those diseases that can lead to several different complications (especially in the respiratory system). Status asthmaticus is an underlying condition that is defined by persistent bronchoconstriction that remains despite attempts to treat the attacks. “Pulmonary gas exchange is diminished by the uneven distribution of ventilation because of the bronchoconstriction…This can lead to a ventilation-perfusion mismatch; areas that are ventilated in the lung are not getting enough perfusion.” Thus, there is insufficient oxygenation to the bloodstream. On the other hand, there can be circulation but no ventilation; in this condition, if the bronchoconstriction is not relieved, the patient will become exhausted. The patient may also become dehydrated, and this can lead to total alveolar ventilation failure, and the patient may present with cyanosis (blue or purple discoloration of the skin showing signs of bad perfusion in the blood). This condition is life-threatening, so it is important to catch asthma in patients as soon as possible. (Capriotti, 2024) Conclusion “Asthma is a common disease that affects more than 300 million people worldwide, including 25 million Americans.” Patients will present with a persistent cough, wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath, and are generally diagnosed through PFT’s (spirometry). Allergy testing is also preferred for those with allergic-type asthma. In treating asthma, it can be controlled through stepwise treatments and medications (controller and reliever). Inhaled corticosteroids and formoterol are typically combined to help. When asthma is difficult to control, different tracks are recommended (track 1 being the most recommended), and combinations of certain inhalers and therapies are typically recommended to give additional control. If not assessed carefully and correctly, a patient can develop complications with asthma, such as status asthmaticus, which is threatening to life. Thus, management of asthma is critical to preventing any further severe outcomes. (O’Keefe, Connors, Ling, & Kim, 2025) (Capriotti, 2024). References McDuffie, E. L., Panettieri, R. A., & Scott, C. P. (2024). G12/13 signaling in asthma. Respiratory Research, 25(1), 295. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12931-024-02920-0Links to an external site. Borrelli, R., Brussino, L., Lo Sardo, L., Quinternetto, A., Vitali, I., Bagnasco, D., Boem, M., Corradi, F., Badiu, I., Negrini, S., & Nicola, S. (2025). Sex-Based Differences in Asthma: Pathophysiology, Hormonal Influence, and Genetic Mechanisms. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26115288Links to an external site. O’Keefe, A., Connors, L., Ling, L., & Kim, H. (2025). Asthma. Allergy, Asthma, and Clinical Immunology: Official Journal of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 20(Suppl 3), 81. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13223-025-00949-4Links to an external site. Capriotti, T. (2024). Davis Advantage For Pathophysiology: Introductory Concepts and Clinical Perspectives (3rd ed.). F.A. Davis Company