Activity

A 78-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a fever and left chest pain. Computed tomography showed multiple lung nodules, narrowing of the right bronchus intermedius with mediastinal lymphadenopathy, and an osteolytic lesion. Bronchoscopic findings showed rapid progression of multiple polypoid lesions and the bronchial stenosis. A biopsy of the endobronchial lesions revealed non-necrotizing granulomatous inflammation, and a tissue culture identified Mycobacterium avium. An anti-human immunodeficiency virus antibody was negative. Finally, anti-interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) autoantibodies were detected, and the patient was diagnosed with disseminated nontuberculous mycobacterium infection with anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies. Antimycobacterial therapy was effective, and radiographic findings, including the endobronchial lesions, were resolved.Objective Central nervous system dysfunction associated with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) has been suggested to be the main cause of chronic fatigue syndrome. In animal models of chronic fatigue, minocycline was reported to act as a suppressor of neural inflammation. Minocycline may thus exert favorable therapeutic effects in patients with ME. Methods Oral minocycline (100 mg ×2 on the first day, followed by 100 mg/day for 41 days) was administered to 100 patients with ME. The performance status score (0-9), orthostatic intolerance during the 10-min standing test, neurologic disequilibrium, and neuropathic pain were compared before and after treatment. Results After therapy completion, favorable effects were observed with a decrease in the performance status score of ≥2 points in 27 patients (27%). Before treatment, 6 of the 27 patients had orthostatic intolerance with an inability to complete the 10-min standing test; after treatment, this symptom resolved in 4 and improved in 2 patients. In addition, after treatment, postural orthostatic tachycardia resolved in five of eight patients, disequilibrium resolved in five of eight patients, and fibromyalgia or neuropathic pain was attenuated in four of five patients. The favorable effects appeared dependent on a shorter disease duration, primarily for a duration of less than three years and most frequently within six months of the disease onset. Sitravatinib However, acute adverse effects with nausea and/or dizziness caused 38 patients (38%) to discontinue treatment in the first few days. Conclusion Oral minocycline therapy may be an effective treatment option for patients with ME, especially in the initial stage of the disease.We experienced a patient who presented with lung abscess one month after aspirating barium during a gastric cancer screening examination. The patient had no subjective symptoms suggesting a swallowing disorder. Rigorous history taking under suspicion of aspiration and a further assessment of the cause of aspiration revealed hypopharyngeal cancer. Lung abscess and hypopharyngeal cancer, both treatable but potentially fatal conditions, were not diagnosed until one month after the aspiration. This highlights the need for guidance for patients and physicians to follow in the event of barium aspiration, as it is the most common complication of a barium examination. A health checkup for one condition (gastric cancer) may also be an opportunity to diagnose another underlying condition.Objective Although multiple non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) species can be isolated from the same patient, little has been reported on co-isolation. We clarified the trends and characteristics of the co-isolation of multiple NTM species. Methods To collect data on multiple NTM isolation, we first extracted all patients who visited our hospital from 2006 through 2015 with a diagnosis of NTM lung diseases other than Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and then reviewed their medical records to evaluate the co-isolation of multiple NTM species. Results Of 213 patients with non-MAC lung disease, the most common NTM species was M. gordonae (32%), followed by M. kansasii (20%) and M. abscessus (14%). Non-MAC NTM lung disease tended to be associated with middle age with a low body mass index and male predominance. Multiple NTM species were isolated from 55 (26%) of the 213 patients. The clinical characteristics associated with multiple NTM species isolation included female predominance, never smokers and the absence of cavity lesions in the lungs. The highest co-isolation rate was observed in patients with M. gordonae isolation (30%), followed by M. furtuitum isolation (26%) and M. abscessus isolation (20%). Only MAC was isolated when co-isolated with M. abscessus. Among M. szulgai, M. peregrinum and M. terrae isolation, no other NTM species were detected. Conclusion Co-isolation of multiple NTM species was not uncommon, with 26% of patients with non-MAC NTM lung diseases showing co-isolation with multiple NTM species. Each NTM species had distinct characteristics in terms of co-isolation.

Work-related fatigue can cause disruption in mental and physical activities of the workers. Considering the importance of recovery from fatigue in emergency services, as seen in firefighting duties, the preparation and validation of the Need For Recovery Scale (NFRS) questionnaire can be useful and effective.

This study assessed the reliability and validity of the Persian version of Need For Recovery Scale among industrial firefighters.

Need for recovery scale contains 11 questions. First, a questionnaire was translated using backward-forward method. Then, for measuring validity of the questionnaire, the opinions of 10 experts in related fields were obtained. Content Validity Index (CVI) and Content Validity Ratio (CVR) were calculated. The reliability was determined through 107 questionnaires completed by the industrial firefighters.

The average age of the firefighters in this study was 37.5 years and they had an average of 10 years of work experience. The mean Need For Recovery Index from fatigue was 33.03 for the study population. Of the first 11 questions, 9 questions in the original NFRS showed a satisfactory level of CVR. The Content Validity Index and Cronbach’s α were 0.89 and 0.77 respectively.

Based on the results, the Need For Recovery Scale is a reliable tool for assessing fatigue and revealed an acceptable level of validity and reliability that makes it usable for fatigue assessment in the industrial firefighters.

Based on the results, the Need For Recovery Scale is a reliable tool for assessing fatigue and revealed an acceptable level of validity and reliability that makes it usable for fatigue assessment in the industrial firefighters.