Monitoring of magmatic-hydrothermal system by noble gas and carbon isotopic compositions of fumarolic gases.

We repeatedly measured isotopic compositions of noble gases and CO in volcanic gases sampled at six fumaroles around the Kusatsu-Shirane volcano (Japan) between 2014 and 2021 to detect variations reflecting recent volcanic activity. The synchronous increases in He/He at some fumaroles suggest an increase in magmatic gas supply since 2018. The increase in magmatic gas supply is also supported by the temporal variations in He/CO ratios and carbon isotopic ratios of CO.

Using neodymium isotope ratio in Ruditapes philippinarum shells for tracking the geographical origin.

Geographical traceability of marine bivalves is becoming increasingly important to assure their quality and to defend the interest of consumers and producers. This study verifies the neodymium isotopic ratio (Nd/Nd) in Ruditapes philippinarum shells as a tracer of the geographic origin, based on the geochemical aspect that Nd/Nd of their habitats strongly depends on the geology of its catchment areas. The Nd/Nd ratios of clam shells from the Japanese and Chinese coastal areas displayed a heterogeneous pattern from local to international scales, reflecting the geological age of the catchment area.

[Relapsed primary intraocular lymphoma treated with intravitreal methotrexate and high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell rescue].

A 58-year-old woman with primary intraocular lymphoma (PIOL) of her right eye was treated with combination chemotherapy (methotrexate, procarbazine and vincristine) followed by irradiation to her brain and right eye. However, the disease recurred in the right eye four months later. She was treated with intravitreal injection of methotrexate and high-dose chemotherapy in combination with autologous stem cell transplantation after salvage therapy consisting of cytarabine, etoposide and rituximab.

Flow cytometric detection of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression in a subpopulation of bone marrow cells.

Telomerase activity has been found in most common cancers, thus indicating that telomerase detection may be a useful marker in cancer diagnosis. The telomeric amplification protocol (TRAP) assay and RT-PCR are customarily used to detect telomerase activity and the expression of the associated genes in cells. However, these methods do not provide any information about telomerase activation at an individual cell level.

[Chronic eosinophilic leukemia with symptoms resembling Budd-Chiari syndrome due to liver infiltration].

A 68-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with severe ascites, hepatomegaly and hypereosinophilia. We initially suspected Budd-Chiari Syndrome (BCS), but that was ruled out after confirming the presence of no obstruction in the major veins. A molecular biologic examination proved the clonality of the eosinophils and she was therefore diagnosed as having chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL).