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In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between out-of-hospital natural death (OHND) and ambient temperature and examine the seriousness of the impact of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on this relationship. We used data from the Osaka Prefectural Office of Medical Examiners between 2018 and 2022 and performed a retrospective observational study. A Poisson regression model was applied to examine the relationship between OHND and temperature in Osaka City. The relative risk of OHND at 5 °C and 32 °C compared to the minimum mortality temperature increased from 1.81 in the pre-COVID-19 period to 2.03 in the post-COVID-19 period at 5 °C and from 1.29 in the pre-COVID-19 period to 1.60 in the post-COVID-19 period at 32 °C. The increase in relative risk per 1 °C increase from the pre- to post-COVID-19 period was 1.0551 (rate ratio [RR], p = 0.003) in the hot environment and 1.0233 (RR, p = 0.013) in the cold environment, which was larger than that in the hot environment. Although the risk of OHND increased at both temperatures, the change in OHND risk during post-COVID-19 was larger in the hot environment than in the cold environment, implicating the effect of pandemics in the current scenario of global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wada N, Zaki M A A, Hori Y, Hashimoto K, Tsukaguchi M, Tatsumi Y, Ishikawa J, Tominaga N, Sakoda H, Take H, Tsudo M, Kuwayama M, Morii E & Aozasa K (2012) Histopathology 60, 313-319 Tumour-associated macrophages in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a study of the Osaka Lymphoma Study Group Aims: To evaluate the role of tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) of the M1 and M2 types in the behaviour of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Methods and results: Double immunohistochemical staining of HLA-DR/CD68 (M1) or CD163/CD68 (M2) was performed in 101 cases of DLBCL. CD68+ cells represent the total number of TAMs. The average number of double-positive cells was counted, and the cut-off value was set at the mean number of counts, i.e. 30.7 and 27.0 for M1 TAMs and M2 TAMs, respectively. That for total TAMs was set at the 90th percentile number of total counts, i.e. 132.3. Cases were categorized into three pairs: high (34 cases) and low (67 cases) M1 TAM groups, high (39 cases) and low (62 cases) M2 TAM groups, and high (10 cases) and low (91 cases) total TAM groups. The difference in overall survival rates was statistically significant between the high and low M2 TAM groups ( P < 0.01) and between the high and low total TAM groups ( P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of a bulky mass and a higher number of M2 TAMs were significant factors for poor prognosis ( P < 0.05). Conclusions: Estimation of specific type of macrophages, of the M1 and M2 types, is superior to the estimation of TAMs as a whole (CD68+ cells) for prediction of the prognosis of DLBCL patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: An intraoperative diagnosis in cases with primary and metastatic ovarian carcinomas is important for adequate treatment. The aim of the present study was to find a reliable method to discriminate primary from metastatic mucinous adenocarcinomas (MACs) of the ovary intraoperatively. Methods: Clinical features of all primary and metastatic mucinous ovarian carcinomas diagnosed from 1994 to 2008 at the Osaka University and Osaka Rosai Hospitals, Osaka, Japan, were reviewed retrospectively. Results: Among the 73 MACs, 51 (70%) and 22 cases (30%) were diagnosed as primary and metastatic ovarian carcinomas, respectively. The distributions of tumor size, patient age, and serum CA125 level were significantly different between primary and metastatic cases. Our algorithm that categorizes patients ≥50 years whose tumor size was <10 cm into metastatic cases, and patients <50 years, or the ones whose tumor size was ≥10 cm, into primary tumors, provided an 84% accuracy in our population. Conclusions: A more reliable method to discriminate primary from metastatic MACs of the ovary by patient age and serum tumor markers was derived from our study population. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) involving spinal epidural space (SEDLBCL) is relatively rare, constituting 1.8% of DLBCLs in Osaka, Japan. The aim of this study was to analyze SEDLBCL cases for their clinical and histopathologic findings, including an association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and immunohistochemical characteristics. We analyzed the clinicopathologic findings of 27 SEDLBCL cases. They consisted of 16 males and 11 females, their age ranging from 37–86 years (median 64 years). Eight patients had stage I disease, 3 had stage II, 5 had stage III, and 11 had stage IV. Based on the staining pattern for anti-CD10, bcl-6, and MUM-1, the cases were categorized into 17 cases of the germinal center B-cell (GCB) type and nine of the non-GCB type. There was a 4%-positive rate for EBV in the tumor cells. When compared to nodal DLBCL, the frequency of patients with a high performance status (PS) is higher in SEDLBCL. Compared to the DLBCL of the central nervous system (CNS), the frequency of cases with high stage, 2 or more extranodal lesions, high international prognostic index (IPI), and GCB-type is higher in SEDLBCL. There were no significant differences in the histologic features between SEDLBCL and nodal/CNS DLBCL. Univariate analysis revealed that advanced stage was an unfavorable factor for overall survival (P=0.060). SEDLBCL is different from nodal and CNS DLBCL, but an association with EBV is unlikely in every group. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]