The diagnostic yield using ultrasound-guided needle-aspiration for subpleural primary lung cancer is not affected by the radiological properties of the lesions resulting from computed tomography.

Background: It is well known that ultrasound-guided needle-aspiration (USGNA) for intrapulmonary subpleural lesion in contact with the pleura is useful and safe, and its diagnostic yield is high. However, reports concerned with the analyses of cases with intrapulmonary subpleural lesion which could not be diagnosed using USGNA are limited. The objective of this study is to clarify the radiological properties of subpleural primary lung cancer which obstruct diagnosis by USGNA.

Do respiratory comorbidities limit the diagnostic usefulness of ultrasound-guided needle aspiration for subpleural lesions?

Background: The usefulness of ultrasound-guided needle aspiration for subpleural lesions has been reported. However, no reports have evaluated its usefulness and safety in patients with respiratory comorbidities such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and interstitial pneumonia (IP), which can increase the risk of iatrogenic pneumothorax. In this study, we evaluated the influence of chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) on the usefulness and safety of ultrasound-guided needle aspiration for subpleural lesions.

Solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura: ultrasonographic imaging findings of 3 cases.

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) of the pleura is a rare tumor of mesenchymal origin. Although radiographic findings of thoracic computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of SFTs of the pleura have been documented, the value of ultrasonography is uncertain. We presented the ultrasonographic findings of 3 pathologically proven cases of SFTs arising from the visceral pleura.

A case of diaphragmatic paralysis complicated by herpes-zoster virus infection.

Diaphragmatic paralysis is commonly caused by surgical and traumatic injuries, malignant neoplasm, and neurodegenerative disorders. However, in rare instances, diaphragmatic paralysis due to herpes-zoster virus infection has been reported. Here, we describe an 85-year-old woman who developed left hemidiaphragmatic paralysis within 19 days of the appearance of a typical herpes-zoster rash involving the C4-5 dermatome on the left side.

[Clinical analysis of mortality in elderly patients with community-acquired pneumonia].

Aim: Community-acquired pneumonia remains a common and serious disease for elderly persons. The incidence and mortality rates of pneumonia are higher in the elderly. We analyzed the mortality and prognostic factors in 200 elderly patients with community-acquired pneumonia.

Cyclospora infection in an immunocompetent patient in Japan.

Cyclospora cayetanensis is a coccidian protozoa that was newly recognized in 1979 in Papua New Guinea. We report the case of a 42-year-old French man who had visited Vietnam and presented with fever and watery diarrhea that had lasted for more than 2 weeks. The patient was diagnosed with C.

[Clinical study on lung disease caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis in the elderly].

Aim: This study was done to clarify the characteristics of elderly patients with nontuberculous mycobacteriosis.

Methods: We investigated the clinical features of 10 patients at an advanced age who had been given diagnosis of nontuberculous mycobacteriosis.

Results: Mycobacterium avium intracellulare complex (MAC) were detected in all cases.

Seroprevalence of IgG anti-toxoplasma antibodies in asymptomatic patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus in Japan.

The seroprevalence of IgG antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii was assessed in 56 non-hemophiliac human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected adult patients in Japan. Seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was only 5.

Clinical characteristics of 8 sporadic cases of community-acquired Legionella pneumonia in advanced age.

Legionella spp are well recognized as one of the etiologic factor in pneumonia, but it is difficult to distinguish the clinical features of Legionella infection from pneumonia due to other causes. The objective of the present study was to examine the clinical characteristics of community-acquired Legionella pneumonia in elderly patients. We reviewed the clinical, laboratory and radiographic findings in 8 patients diagnosed as having pneumonia caused by Legionella.

Susceptibility of medical students to vaccine-preventable viral diseases: a serological study.

As a measure for the prevention and control of nosocomial infections in medical school students, we examined the students' titers of antibodies to measles, rubella, varicella, and mumps viruses to determine whether vaccination was required. We also analyzed and discussed correlations among antibody titers to the viruses. Subjects were 363 Juntendo University students, ranging from freshmen to seniors.

[Usefulness of low-dose single-slice CT (SSCT) for mass screening to detect various thoracic diseases including lung cancer].

This study assessed the usefulness of SSCT for mass screening retrospectively in 8885 subjects (6781 men, 2104 women) who had received mass screening to detect thoracic disease by using SSCT from 1999 to 2003. In the 8885, 119 (1.3%) lesions were detected as active thoracic disease.

[Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus sepsis: a case report and review of the literatures in Japan].

We report a 32-year-old female with eating disorder whose body weight was only 20 kg. She was admitted to the hospital with severe low nutrition, low proteinemia, liver dysfunction, hypokalemia and hypoglycemia. On the third hospital day, she had a high fever and Campylobacter fetus subsp.

Pancoast's syndrome in a patient with B-cell lymphoma diagnosed and confirmed with immunoglobulin gene rearrangement.

Pancoast's syndrome due to malignant lymphoma is extremely rare. A case of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma presenting as Pancoast's syndrome is described. A 66-year-old man complained of pain and weakness of the right arm, and CXR revealed a right apical lung tumour.

CD4+ T cells in lung tissue predict responsiveness to cyclosporin A in interstitial pneumonia.

Objective: A limited number of case studies have demonstrated the steroid-sparing and disease stabilization effects of cyclosporin A (CsA) combined with corticosteroid in patients with chronic interstitial pneumonia (IP). Although CsA is known to inhibit the proliferation and function of CD4+ T cells, it is not clear what type of IP is responsive to CsA administration.

Methodology: In order to evaluate whether any lymphocyte subsets in alveolar tissue predict the responsiveness to CsA, morphometric analysis was performed on lung tissue obtained from six IP patients who were treated with a combination of CsA and steroid because the therapeutic effect of steroid alone had been limited.

Increased circulating CD16+ CD14dim monocytes in a patient with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is characterized by filling of the alveoli with a periodic acid-Schiff-positive proteinaceous material. Although the pathogenesis of primary or idiopathic PAP remains unknown, it has been proposed that a deficiency or loss of responsiveness of the monocyte/macrophage lineage to granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is involved in PAP. Secondary PAP is associated with haematological malignancies, especially in myeloid disorders.

Exogenous lipoid pneumonia following ingestion of liquid paraffin.

An asymptomatic patient with exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP) due to silent aspiration of liquid paraffin ingested as a lubricant was diagnosed by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). BAL fluid separated into oily upper phase and lower aqueous phase spontaneously. Microscopic analysis of BAL cells revealed the presence of lipid-laden alveolar macrophages.

Adenovirus vector-mediated transfer of 9 kDa granulysin induces DNA fragmentation in HuD antigen-expressing small cell lung cancer murine model cells.

Objective: Granulysin is a tumoricidal molecule secreted by cytotoxic T cells (CTL) and natural killer (NK) cells, that induces apoptotic cell death in tumour cells. It has been demonstrated that small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell lines are susceptible to NK cells and lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells, and HuD antigen is assumed to be a target molecule on SCLC cells for host cellular immunity.

Methodology: In order to understand the mechanism of sensitivity of SCLC to cellular immunity, we evaluated granulysin-induced apoptosis using mouse adenocarcinoma Colon 26 (Colon 26/HuD) cells transfected with the 9 kDa active form of granulysin using an adenovirus vector as a murine model of SCLC cells.