[Comparison between predicted equations obtained by standard Japanese values and present predicted equations for vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second].

Until recently, predicted values of vital capacity (VC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) have been calculated with Baldwin's equation (VC-B) and Berglund's equation (FEV1-B) respectively, in Japan. Due to several problems using these equations, new prediction equations of VC (VC-J) and FEV1 (FEV1-J), which were created using data from healthy Japanese, were provided by the Japanese Respiratory Society in 2001. In the present study, we studied the validity of these prediction equations.

Color auto-fluorescence from cancer lesions: improved detection of central type lung cancer.

A fluorescence endoscopic system, PDS-2000, enabled observation of color auto-fluorescence from the human body. We performed a clinical study to determine whether color auto-fluorescence bronchoscopy using PDS-2000 improved the accuracy of central type lung cancer diagnosis, as compared to white light bronchoscopy. White light bronchoscopy followed by auto-fluorescence bronchoscopy was performed in 71 subjects with either bronchogenic cancer, previous lung cancer, bloody sputum or who were at a high risk of developing lung cancer.

Alterations in penicillin binding protein gene of Streptococcus pneumoniae and their correlation with susceptibility patterns.

Penicillin binding protein (pbp) gene alterations of 328 clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae were examined for a correlation with their antibiotic-resistance. The frequency of penicillin G (PEN-G) resistance was determined to clarify susceptibility to several antibiotics, namely PEN-G, ampicillin, sulbactam/ampicillin, cefozopram, panipenem (PAPM), clarithromycin (CLR), azithromycin (AZM) and levofloxacin (LVX). Oligonucleotide primers for three pbp genes (pbp1a, pbp2x and pbp2b) were used to detect mutations in pbp.

[An adult case of tuberculous meningitis].

A 36-year-old man was referred to our hospital with complaints of high fever and headache. A diagnosis of miliary tuberculosis with tuberculous meningitis was made. He was treated with isoniazid (400 mg/day), rifampicin (300 mg/day), ethambutol (750 mg/day), pyrazinamide (1.

[A case of pulmonary hamartoma and sclerosing hemangioma in the same lung].

A 49-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because abnormal masses had been found in the left lung on chest radiography. This examination and CT scanning on admission both revealed a 12 x 8 mm mass in the left S5 and a 31 x 25 mm mass in the left S8. Calcification was not found in the tumors.

Analysis of chest CT in patients with Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease.

Background: The radiographic changes of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) pulmonary disease during therapy have not been studied well.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of antituberculous drug therapy against MAC pulmonary disease using computed tomography (CT).

Method: We analyzed chest CT scans before and after antituberculous therapy in 30 patients (21 women, 9 men) with MAC pulmonary disease.