[Efficacy and safety of sitafloxacin for lower respiratory tract infections].

We investigated the efficacy and safety of sitafloxacin (STFX) in patients with mild to moderate community-acquired pneumonia or secondary infections of chronic respiratory tract diseases. The results showed that the efficacy rate was 96.5% (111/115) in patients analyzed for efficacy.

[Trends in antibiotic susceptibility and genetic beta-lactam resistance patterns among Haemophilus influenzae cases isolated from adult patients with respiratory tract infection].

Haemophilus influenzae, a major respiratory tract pathogen, is becoming increasingly resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics. Studying annual trends in antibiotic susceptibility and genetic patterns of H. influenzae beta-lactam resistance, we isolated 122 strains from the adult respiratory tract in 2007, determined MIC for different antibiotics, and analyzed TEM-1 beta-lactamase resistant genes and ftsI encoding PBP3 mutation compared to results in 2005 and 2007.

[A case of pulmonary Mycobacterium avium infection presenting multiple nodules with substantial difference in 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake].

A 56-year-old man presented with a chief complaint of chronic cough due to bronchial asthma and pulmonary emphysema in 2001, without any abnormal findings on chest CT. His symptoms improved with high-dose inhaled corticosteroid. In February 2004, multiple nodules without bronchiectasis appeared in the chest CT.

[Usefulness of monitoring plasma voriconazole concentration in patients with chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis].

We investigated the significance and the usefulness of monitoring plasma voriconazole levels in patients with chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis associated with underlying chronic respiratory diseases. The average trough level was 2.2 microg/ml and there was no correlation between trough levels and voriconazole doses.

Regulation of cardiac regeneration by ACE inhibition following donor heart myocardial infarction after heterotopic transplantation in Tg mice.

Background: Experimental and clinical evidence have recently shown that pluripotent stem cells can be mobilized using granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (GCSF) and may enhance myocardial regeneration after acute myocardial infarction (MI). The present study investigated the pharmacological role of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition on cardiac regeneration after MI using a mouse model of heterotopic cardiac transplantation and coronary ligation.

Methods And Results: Isogenic heterotopic cardiac transplantations and simultaneous coronary ligations were performed in green fluorescent protein (GFP) mice to produce MI in the donor heart.