The genome of the organism that produces the world's most lethal toxin has been revealed. This toxin is the major weapon in the genome of Clostridium botulinum: less than two kg is enough to kill every person on the planet.
Tension pneumothorax: The most serious type of pneumothorax, this occurs when the pressure in the pleural space is greater than the atmospheric pressure, either because air becomes trapped in the pleural space or because the entering air is from a positive-pressure mechanical ventilator.
Pneumothorax is a condition in which air or gas collects in the pleural space or pleural cavity, which is the space between the lungs and the chest cavity. This can cause the lung to collapse. Normally, the lungs sit next to the inner surface of the chest wall. Thin membranes called pleura cover both the lungs and the chest wall. A pneumothorax occurs when air either escapes the lung or leaks in through the chest wall and builds up in the pleural space between them. This build-up of air can result in the collapse of the affected lung. There are different types of pneumothorax, and each one is defined by its cause.