[A case of liver abscess caused by Fusobacterium nucleatum in a patient with recurrent periodontal diseases].

Fusobacteria are anaerobic gram-negative, non-spore forming bacilli found in normal flora of the oral cavity, urogenital tract, and gastrointestinal tract. Fusobacterium nucleatum has been seldom reported as a cause of liver abscess, particularly in immunocompetent hosts. A 55-year-old man with frequent periodontal disease visited our hospital with intermittent fever and headache for 2 months. Abdominal CT scan revealed an 8.2 × 6 cm mass in the right hepatic lobe with central low density. Abscess culture revealed F. nucleatum as the causative organism. Percutaneous abscess drainage and intravenous administration of antibiotics for 4 weeks improved symptoms and decreased the abscess size. We report a rare case of liver abscess due to F. nucleatum in an immunocompetent man with periodontal disease.

Extracts of Magnoliae flos inhibit inducible nitric oxide synthase via ERK in human respiratory epithelial cells.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a marker of pulmonary inflammation. In asthma, the levels of exhaled NO are elevated and the source of this increased NO is inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) within airway epithelial cells. Epimagnolin and fargesin are compounds isolated from the ethanol extract of Magnoliae flos, the seed of the Magnolia plant and are used to treat nasal congestion, headache and sinusitis in Asian countries. This study investigated whether epimagnolin and fargesin inhibit extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation and decrease iNOS expression and NO production in stimulated human respiratory epithelial cells. An immortal Type II alveolar cell line of human origin (A549) was stimulated by cytomix (CM), composed of IL-1beta, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma, with or without concurrent exposure to M. flos extract (epimagnolin or fargesin). CM-induced levels of NO production, iNOS expression and ERK activation were evaluated. A549 cells stimulated with CM showed increases in iNOS mRNA and protein expression, and NO synthesis. However, treatment with epimagnolin or fargesin decreased levels of iNOS mRNA and protein expression, and NO synthesis. CM stimulated a rapid increase in the activity of ERK, whereas epimagnolin and fargesin inhibited ERK phosphorylation. Epimagnolin and fargesin inhibit iNOS expression and decrease production of NO via ERK pathway in cytokine-stimulated human respiratory epithelial cells.

A case of scar sarcoidosis.

Infiltration of sarcoid granuloma in old cutaneous scars is one of the uncommon cutaneous manifestations of sarcoidosis. Here, we report the case of a 47-year-old female who presented with swelling and irritation in 5 old scars. She had acquired these scars 9 years ago in a traffic accident. An incisional scar biopsy revealed noncaseating granulomas consistent with sarcoidosis. High-resolution CT (HRCT) revealed right paratracheal, both hilar, paraaortic, and subcarinal lymphadenopathy without any nodular densities in both lung fields. Successful regression of cutaneous inflammation was achieved using a short course of oral steroids.

A case of pulmonary carcinosarcoma with persistent mild fever.

Carcinosarcoma is defined as a malignant tumor with an admixture of carcinoma and sarcoma. Pulmonary carcinosarcoma accounts for about 0.27 percent of all lung neoplasms. It occurs frequently in males, particularly in smokers between 50 and 80 years of age. Preoperative diagnostic tests, such as sputum cytology, percutaneous fine needle biopsy and bronchoscopy, have a low yield in detection of pulmonary carcinosarcoma. The diagnosis is verified by postoperative pathologic findings and by immunohistochemical investigations in many cases. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice. As the metastasis to regional lymph nodes and distant organ is common at diagnosed time, the prognosis is quite poor. We report a case of pulmonary carcinosarcoma presented with persistent mild fever and blood-tinged sputum in a 66-year-old male.