Primary Tracheal Malignant Lymphoma Detected during a Regular Checkup in an Asbestos Dust-Exposed Smoker

Primary tracheal malignant lymphoma is a rare disease;only 30 cases have been reported to date. A 73-year-old Japanese man with a history of asbestos exposure was undergoing biannual chest computed tomography (CT) twice a year as a routine procedure for those previously exposed to asbestos. He had been smoking since the age of 32. In September 2010, chest CT during this regular checkup revealed a polypoid lesion in his trachea and pleural plaques, which were suspected to be caused by asbestos. Bronchoscopy performed in October revealed a polypoid lesion with granules and nodules in the trachea. A diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and extranodal marginal-zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) was confirmed by histological analysis of the biopsy specimens. To our knowledge, this is the first case of primary tracheal lymphoma associated with a history of asbestos exposure. Several reports have documented no correlation between asbestos and malignant lymphoma. In addition, the correlation between smoking and NHL is weak. Although we cannot exclude the possibility of a simple coincidence of asbestos, smoking, and tracheal lymphoma, this case suggests that asbestos and smoking might have multiplicative effects in the development or progression of tracheal lymphoma

Effects of mask fitness and worker education on the prevention of occupational dust exposure

To decrease the incidence of pneumoconiosis, we examined dust protective mask performance and its relation to pulmonary function as well as the effects of worker education on the proper wearing of masks. One hundred and seventy-eight workers from 15 factories subject to dust exposure participated in this study. All participants were interviewed to obtain relevant personal information and underwent both a mask leakage and a pulmonary function test. The mask leakage was expressed as a percentage, with under 10% leakage indicating that the dust protective mask worked efficiently. In addition, 23 workers from 2 factories were educated on how to wear masks properly. The average mask leakage was 24.3%, and 58% of workers wore ineffective masks. Though pulmonary function was almost normal, the percent vital capacity (%VC) tended to be lower depending on the mask leakage. Mask education, which was very easy and took only a short time, dramatically decreased average mask leakage from 32.1% to 10.5% (p0.001). Educating workers to wear masks properly might prevent the worsening of pulmonary function in response to dust exposure. Appropriate mask fitness by education could be useful in preventing the development of pneumoconiosis.</p

The current state of workers' pneumoconiosis in relationship to dusty working environments in Okayama Prefecture, Japan.

This study involved the examination of 1,006 chest x-ray films of workers from the industries devoted to shipyard welding, stone grinding, and refractory crushing in southern Okayama prefecture. Of the reviewed films, analysis was focused on subjects with a profusion rate of 0/1 as well as pneumoconiotic subjects (exhibiting profusion rates of 1/0 or greater) in order to discover cases in the beginning stages. One-hundred-and-seventy-four films illustrated a profusion rate of 0/1 or greater, and the proportion of this profusion rate was revealed to be highest in shipyard welders. Even some workers under 40 years of age were found to have already developed pneumoconiosis. Of these 1,006 subjects, 30 volunteers permitted us to measure their personal dust exposure concentrations. The measured concentration of the shipyard welders' dust exposure (respirable dust; 3.3 86.3 mg/m3, total dust; 7.5-117.0 mg/m3) was higher than those of the other 2 industries. Statistical differences among the industries were observed in the respirable dust concentrations. A statistically significant positive correlation was demonstrated between the working duration in dusty environments and the rate of profusion. The present findings suggest the need for taking adequate measures in Okayama in order to prevent workers from developing, or to help retard the progression of, pneumoconiosis.</p

Pharmacologic characterization of TBP1901, a prodrug form of aglycone curcumin, and CRISPR-Cas9 screen for therapeutic targets of aglycone curcumin

プロドラッグ型クルクミン注射製剤の抗腫瘍効果及び治療標的の包括的な解析 --安全性の高い抗がん薬としての開発に期待--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-10-21.Curcumin (aglycone curcumin) has antitumor properties in a variety of malignancies via the alteration of multiple cancer-related biological pathways; however, its clinical application has been hampered due to its poor bioavailability. To overcome this limitation, we have developed a synthesized curcumin β-D-glucuronide sodium salt (TBP1901), a prodrug form of aglycone curcumin. In this study, we aimed to clarify the pharmacologic characteristics of TBP1901. In β-glucuronidase (GUSB)-proficient mice, both curcumin β-D-glucuronide and its active metabolite, aglycone curcumin, were detected in the blood after TBP1901 injection, whereas only curcumin β-D-glucuronide was detected in GUSB-impaired mice, suggesting that GUSB plays a pivotal role in the conversion of TBP1901 into aglycone curcumin in vivo. TBP1901 itself had minimal antitumor effects in vitro, whereas it demonstrated significant antitumor effects in vivo. Genome-wide clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 screen disclosed the genes associated with NF-κB signaling pathway and mitochondria were among the highest hit. In vitro, aglycone curcumin inhibited NF-kappa B signaling pathways whereas it caused production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS scavenger, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, partially reversed antitumor effects of aglycone curcumin. In summary, TBP1901 can exert antitumor effects as a prodrug of aglycone curcumin through GUSB-dependent activation

Metastatic breast cancer presenting as severe anemia, platelet reduction and abnormal cells in peripheral blood

　Worldwide, breast cancer accounts for 22.9% of all cancers excluding non-melanoma skin cancers in women. More than 80% of breast cancer cases are discovered when a woman discovers a lump that feels different from the rest of the breast tissue. We report the case of a 60-year-old woman who had been treated for one year at a psychiatric hospital for suspected schizophrenia, and was referred to our hospital on March 23, 2011 for consultation regarding complete blood count abnormalities: hemoglobin, 4.8g/㎗ ; Plt, 1.9×104/μl ; WBC, 12,700/μl with 18.5% abnormal cells. Computed tomography revealed an enhanced, irregular mass in her right breast as well as right axillary lymph node swelling, suggestive of breast cancer. BM biopsy confirmed the presence of abnormal, keratin-positive cells, suggesting metastasis to the bone. CA15-3 was 300U/㎖ (normal range ＜25). The patient died on April 11, 2011, post-admission day 20. We found a rare case of terminal breast cancer that presented with peripheral blood abnormality. Breast cancer in patients who do not notice breast abnormality can present with peripheral blood abnormality

Metastatic breast cancer presenting as severe anemia, platelet reduction and abnormal cells in peripheral blood

　Worldwide, breast cancer accounts for 22.9% of all cancers excluding non-melanoma skin cancers in women. More than 80% of breast cancer cases are discovered when a woman discovers a lump that feels different from the rest of the breast tissue. We report the case of a 60-year-old woman who had been treated for one year at a psychiatric hospital for suspected schizophrenia, and was referred to our hospital on March 23, 2011 for consultation regarding complete blood count abnormalities: hemoglobin, 4.8g/㎗ ; Plt, 1.9×104/μl ; WBC, 12,700/μl with 18.5% abnormal cells. Computed tomography revealed an enhanced, irregular mass in her right breast as well as right axillary lymph node swelling, suggestive of breast cancer. BM biopsy confirmed the presence of abnormal, keratin-positive cells, suggesting metastasis to the bone. CA15-3 was 300U/㎖ (normal range ＜25). The patient died on April 11, 2011, post-admission day 20. We found a rare case of terminal breast cancer that presented with peripheral blood abnormality. Breast cancer in patients who do not notice breast abnormality can present with peripheral blood abnormality

The Japanese space gravitational wave antenna; DECIGO

DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (DECIGO) is the future Japanese space gravitational wave antenna. DECIGO is expected to open a new window of observation for gravitational wave astronomy especially between 0.1 Hz and 10 Hz, revealing various mysteries of the universe such as dark energy, formation mechanism of supermassive black holes, and inflation of the universe. The pre-conceptual design of DECIGO consists of three drag-free spacecraft, whose relative displacements are measured by a differential Fabry– Perot Michelson interferometer. We plan to launch two missions, DECIGO pathfinder and pre- DECIGO first and finally DECIGO in 2024

DECIGO pathfinder

DECIGO pathfinder (DPF) is a milestone satellite mission for DECIGO (DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) which is a future space gravitational wave antenna. DECIGO is expected to provide us fruitful insights into the universe, in particular about dark energy, a formation mechanism of supermassive black holes, and the inflation of the universe. Since DECIGO will be an extremely large mission which will formed by three drag-free spacecraft with 1000m separation, it is significant to gain the technical feasibility of DECIGO before its planned launch in 2024. Thus, we are planning to launch two milestone missions: DPF and pre-DECIGO. The conceptual design and current status of the first milestone mission, DPF, are reviewed in this article

The status of DECIGO

DECIGO (DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) is the planned Japanese space gravitational wave antenna, aiming to detect gravitational waves from astrophysically and cosmologically significant sources mainly between 0.1 Hz and 10 Hz and thus to open a new window for gravitational wave astronomy and for the universe. DECIGO will consists of three drag-free spacecraft arranged in an equilateral triangle with 1000 km arm lengths whose relative displacements are measured by a differential Fabry-Perot interferometer, and four units of triangular Fabry-Perot interferometers are arranged on heliocentric orbit around the sun. DECIGO is vary ambitious mission, we plan to launch DECIGO in era of 2030s after precursor satellite mission, B-DECIGO. B-DECIGO is essentially smaller version of DECIGO: B-DECIGO consists of three spacecraft arranged in an triangle with 100 km arm lengths orbiting 2000 km above the surface of the earth. It is hoped that the launch date will be late 2020s for the present