A Case of Paragonimus westermani Infection by Eating Imperfectly Cooked Wild Boar Flesh

A 19 year old woman was admitted because of abnormal chest X-ray showing smoothly outlined cystic lesion. The eggs of Paragonimus westermani was identified in the broncho-alveolar lavage fluid. Anti-Paragonimus westermani antibody was positive in the serum by the ELISA method. Six eggs were observed in one gram of feces before the administration of praziquantel. Praziquantel (75mg/kg) was administered for two day, the egg of Paragonimus westermani disappeared in the feces and the size of cystic lesion in the chest X-ray decreased

Fatal Asthma with Rhabdomyolysis Induced by Hair Dye

Hair dyes have been reported to cause exacerbation of asthma in hairdressers through occupational exposure. We report a 54-year-old housewife who developed a fatal asthma attack following the use of a hair dye at home. She was admitted semiconscious with multiple organ failure. Laboratory findings were indicative of rhabdomyolysis. Skin prick and interdermal tests with hair dyes were performed. Hair dyes can be nonspecific stimuli that cause an asthma attack. But in our case, we cannot deny the possibility that the attack resulted from antigen-antibody reaction by the hair dye. We should warn that hair dyes can cause an asthma attack not only through occupational exposure but also through occasional domestic use

Small Colonic Cancer with Invasion of the Subserosal Layer. Report of a Case

Small, flat-type advanced colonic adenocarcinomas are rare. We present a case of small colonic carcinoma invading the subserosal layer. A 61-year-old asymptomatic man was admitted for further examination of positive occult blood test. Barium enema and endoscopic examination revealed a small (10 mm in diameter) flat lesion with elevated margins and a central depression, in the transverse colon. Biopsy specimen taken from the tumor showed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Based on radiologic and endoscopic evaluation, a provisional diagnosis was made of colonic tumor with invasion of the deep submucosal layer. Surgical resection of the transverse colon was performed. The tumor was macroscopically a type IIa + IIc lesion measuring 10 mm in diameter. Histological examination showed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma infiltrating the subserosal layer. Awareness of this type of tumor should allow early diagnosis and treatment, resulting in improved prognosis

Biological mechanism and clinical effect of protein-bound polysaccharide K (KRESTIN®): review of development and future perspectives

The mechanism of action of protein-bound polysaccharide K (PSK; KRESTIN®) involves the following actions: (1) recovery from immunosuppression induced by humoral factors such as transforming growth factor (TGF)-β or as a result of surgery and chemotherapy; (2) activation of antitumor immune responses including maturation of dendritic cells, correction of Th1/Th2 imbalance, and promotion of interleukin-15 production by monocytes; and (3) enhancement of the antitumor effect of chemotherapy by induction of apoptosis and inhibition of metastasis through direct actions on tumor cells. The clinical effectiveness of PSK has been demonstrated for various cancers. In patients with gastric or colorectal cancer, combined use of PSK with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy prolongs survival, and this effect has been confirmed in multiple meta-analyses. For small-cell lung carcinoma, PSK in conjunction with chemotherapy prolongs the remission period. In addition, PSK has been shown to be effective against various other cancers, reduce the adverse effects of chemotherapy, and improve quality of life. Future studies should examine the effects of PSK under different host immune conditions and tumor properties, elucidate the mechanism of action exhibited in each situation, and identify biomarkers

Phenotype classification using the combination of lung sound analysis and fractional exhaled nitric oxide for evaluating asthma treatment

Background: We report the utility of combining lung sound analysis and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) for phenotype classification of airway inflammation in patients with bronchial asthma.We investigated the usefulness of the combination of the expiration-to-inspiration sound power ratio in the mid-frequency range (E/I MF) of 200–400 Hz and FeNO for comprehensively classifying disease type and evaluating asthma treatment. Methods: A total of 233 patients with bronchial asthma were included. The cutoff values of FeNO and E/I MF were set to 38 ppb and 0.36, respectively, according to a previous study. The patients were divided into 4 subgroups based on the FeNO and E/I MF cutoff values. Respiratory function, the percentages of sputum eosinophils and neutrophils, and patient background characteristics were compared among groups. Results: Respiratory function was well controlled in the FeNO low/E/I MF low group (good control). Sputum neutrophil was higher and FEV1,%pred was lower in the FeNO low/E/I MF high group (poor control). History of childhood asthma and atopic asthma were associated with the FeNO high/E/I MF low group (insufficient control). The FeNO high/E/I MF high group corresponded to a longer disease duration, increased blood or sputum eosinophils, and lower FEV1/FVC (poor control). Conclusions: The combination of FeNO and E/I MF assessed by lung sound analysis allows the condition of airway narrowing and the degree of airway inflammation to be assessed in patients with asthma and is useful for evaluating bronchial asthma treatments. Keywords: Bronchial asthma, E/I MF, FeNO, Lung sound analysis, Phenotyp

Fatal Asthma with Rhabdomyolysis Induced by Hair Dye

Hair dyes have been reported to cause exacerbation of asthma in hairdressers through occupational exposure. We report a 54-year-old housewife who developed a fatal asthma attack following the use of a hair dye at home. She was admitted semiconscious with multiple organ failure. Laboratory findings were indicative of rhabdomyolysis. Skin prick and interdermal tests with hair dyes were performed. Hair dyes can be nonspecific stimuli that cause an asthma attack. But in our case, we cannot deny the possibility that the attack resulted from antigen-antibody reaction by the hair dye. We should warn that hair dyes can cause an asthma attack not only through occupational exposure but also through occasional domestic use