Protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2)-mediated signalling pathway has been implicated in most of the biological activities induced by Alternaria (Alt), an allergen associated with allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma. Using both in vivo and in vitro models, we have demonstrated that Alt-induced airway inflammation and epithelial cytokine expression were independent of PAR2 signalling.

RNA sequencing screening and two independent validation studies consistently revealed that the expression of miRNA-4508 in peripheral blood lymphocytes was significantly lower in silica-related pulmonary fibrosis (SPF) cases than in healthy controls. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that miRNA-4508 could distinguish SPF cases from healthy controls with high sensitivity and specificity.

High silica content of artificial stone and uncontrolled dry cutting and grinding presents as a high risk of developing accelerated silicosis. Compared to natural stone-associated silicosis, artificial stone-associated silicosis was characterized by short latency, rapid radiological progression, accelerated decline in lung function and high mortality in this study.

This study reveals that all forms of fibrotic interstitial lung diseases (FILD) are at risk of acute exacerbations (AE) and have similar outcomes to AE of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF). Clinicians are recommended to consider all forms of FILD to be at risk of AE.

Lung ultrasound (LUS) provided a useful diagnostic workup of respiratory disease, either by directly identifying pathological findings or by detecting indirect signs of illness, as in lung cancer. Overall, LUS was not inferior to chest radiography and routine use in medical wards or in emergency department settings is beneficial.

Hospitalized adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) have low prevalence of Enterobacteriaceae (EB, 6%) and multidrug-resistant (MDR)-EB (1.2%), respectively. Specific risk factors, such as prior extended-spectrum beta-lactamase infection and being underweight, should raise the clinical suspicion for EB and MDR-EB in patients hospitalized with CAP.

Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome (BHDS) is a rare autosomal dominant inherited disorder characterized by fibrofolliculomas, renal tumours, lung cysts, and pneumothorax. This report described a familial case of BHDS complicated with various types of cancer (i.e. bladder, ureter, and lung).

We report a case of IgG4-related disease mimicking lung cancer with pleural dissemination.

We present a case of a 51-year-old Japanese woman diagnosed with eosinophilic granulomatous polyangiitis (EGPA), a rare vasculitis that can occur in patients with eosinophilia and history of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis, with immunoglobulin (Ig) G4 hypergammaglobulinaemia and salivary gland swelling.

Here, we report a case involving a middle-aged man who developed a peripheral pulmonary hamartoma with haemoptysis from the non-adjacent bronchus and exhibited resolution of the haemoptysis after tumour enucleation.

An oesophageal fully covered self-expanding metallic stent was inserted in a patient with advanced lung adenocarcinoma. After administration of pembrolizumab, he was hospitalized with septic shock caused by oesophagobronchial perforations. Owing to a drainage surgery and insertion of additional stents, he was recovered and pembrolizumab administration was re-initiated with complete resolution.

Most cases of lymph node enlargement after completing tuberculosis (TB) treatment are due to paradoxical reaction (PR), not relapse, and therefore, do not require re-treatment. We herein report a case of a 28-year-old man who had developed cervical TB lymphadenitis and exhibited re-enlargement of the same lymph nodes one month after completing effective TB chemotherapy, which was microbiologically proven as relapse.

Immunocompromised patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis show various computed tomography (CT) findings, and consolidation is frequently observed. Superimposed pulmonary cryptococcosis infection should be considered in cases of steroid-refractory cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP).

We report a case of a 66-year-old man with drug-induced eosinophilic pneumonia secondary to tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil (TS-1) treatment for adenocarcinoma of the gastro-oesophageal junction.