A total of 7 experimentally induced nervous system tumors, which had been kept up by serial subcutaneous transplantation or by tissue culture, were studied in cultures with Gelfoam used as a substrate. Three of 7 tumors examined were MNU (methylnitrosourea) -induced rat nerve tumors, 1 was MC (methylcholanthrene) -induced mouse glioma and 3 were Ad-12 (Adenovirus type 12) -induced rat brain tumors.
Of 7 tumors 5 examples were maintained in vitro for more than one week and 3 of them were succesfully maintained for 30 to 60 days. The original tumors and the cultures were observed in light and electron microscopy, and studied by PAP immunoperoxidase method for GFA and S-100 proteins.
An experimental nerve tumor induced in rat by MNU was maintained in vitro up to 40 days. The original tumor was made up of fibroblast-like spindle-shaped cells and the ultrastructure was characterised by the presence of well-developed granular endoplasmic reticulums. After 33 days in vitro, the explants demonstrated numerous micropinocytotic vesicles, increase of microtubules, devolopment of incomplete basement membrane and occasional junctional apparatus, which were characteristic of perineurial sheath cells. The production of S-100 protein was detected in cultured cells.
An experimental glioma induced in mouse by MC was maintained on Gelfoam up to 65 days. The original tumor was composed of polygonal cells of undifferentiated appearance which stained positive for S-100 protein. After 22 days in vitro, the production of a large number of virus-like particles were seen by EM with some budding configuration. Those found in extracellular space, which measured 100-130mμ in diameter, containing an electron dense core, appeared to be of type C virus particle, whereas those in cisterns of granular endoplasmic reticulum were dougnut-shaped, and measured 80-90mμ in diameter, rasembling intracisternal type A virus particle. It seems that this observation represents an elevated indigenous virus activity in organ culture environment. An increase in number of cytoplasmic filaments measuring 4-9 mμ in diameter was demonstrated in some cultured cells after 30 to 55 days in vitro. It is considered that these filaments represent so-called “stress fibers” which are known to occur in a broad spectrum of cell types in older culures, since GFA protein remained negative throughout the period of cultivation.
Viable cultures up to 40 days were obtained from 1 of 3 Ad-12 induced rat brain tumors. Active penetration of undifferentiated tumor cells into the supporting matrix was able to be observed. Cellular differentiation toward glial or neuronal cell, however, was not evidenced by EM at any stage of cultivation.
The present findings indicate the Gelfoam organ culture method is of advantage for the study of experimental nervous system neoplasms, because it permits the reproduction of original in vivo tissue organization and cellular features, and because in some examples it favors morphological differentiation.

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A large number of Charcot-Böttcher crystalloids were observed in tesicular Sertoli cells of a 24 year-old man. The crystalloids were stained positively with coupled tetrazonium method and with Coomassie brilliant blue. However, histochemical methods for lipids, polysaccarides and nucleic acids failed to stain the structure. The crystalloids consisted of closely packed Parallel arreys of dense filaments 9-11 nm wide. These filaments were frequently continuous with cytoplanmic intermediate filaments. An association of filamentous elements and a pair of rough endoplasmic reticulum was occasionally found in perikaryal cytoplasm of the Sertoli cells. It is suggested that the crystalloids are proteinaceous in nature and are formed by the aggregation of intermediate filaments.

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Twenty-four patients with abdominal aneurysms were hospitalized and eighteen of them underwent radical operations for past five years. Only one patient who was 77-years-old male, died in three days after the operation. The operative mortality in this series was 5.5%.
The background factors of the patients having abdominal aneurysm showed that the patients with cerebrovascular disorders was dominant in the group over 70 years of age, but the patients with cardiac diseases were in almost equal proportion between the both age-groups over and under 70 years of age. In the decision of the indication for operation, cerebral disorders were thought as a exclusive factor, but cardiac diseases were as a risk factor. Therefore, the coronary angiography was performed as a necessary check measures in treatment of the patients with cardiovascular diseases.
Three patients having obstructive coronary diseases were treated with special care in the perioperative period, and were cured without any troubles,
The following conclusions are obtained in this series. The abdominal aneurysm should be considered as partial disorder of general arteriosclerotic diseases, and ischemic heart diseases are seemed to act as a serious risk factor. Therefore, special care should be taken about the cardio-vascular system in the perioperative period.

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Changes of the serum iron (SI) and serum ferritin (SFt) after an onset of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were investigated in 16 cases of AMI, consisting of 13 men and 3 women, 56 to 83 years old.
SI and SFt were determined with Serum Iron/TIBC analyzer (FerroChem™ model 3050) and SPAC ferritin kit, respectively.
The results obtained were as follws.
1) A decrease in SI was observed within three days after an onset of AMI in all cases but only one, while neither an increase in TIBC nor a remakable decrease in transferrin saturation (Tf Sat) was noted in these cases.
2) SFt levels were elevated at slight to moderate degree within the normal range of SFt in most of cases. Abnormal elevation of SFt was observed in only two cases.
3) Normalization in SI and/or SFt was observed within eight days after an onset of AMI in seven cases which evidently showed a lowering of SI or an elevation of SFt.
Finally an iron metabolism in AMI was briefly discussed from the results above described.

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In these several years, endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) of the papilla of Vater has become an alternative to transduodenal surgery for the treatment biliary tract stones especially residual or recurrent choledocholithiasis.
In our series since 1977, EST was performed in 24 patients and stones were compltely removed in 21 patients. The size of stones ranged 4mm to 27mm in diameter. Complications we have seen are less, both in frequency and severity, than those reported in other papers. Bleeding occurred in 4 cases after EST but conservative treatment were sufficient to control these comlications.
Endoscopic sphincterotomy and stone extraction, therefore, is relatively safe and is effective in treatment extrahepatic obstructive jaundice due to gallstone and papillary stenosis.

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A 57-year-old woman first visited our hospital with a chief complaint of precordial discomfort. A chest x-ray film showed a marked enlargement of cardiac shadow, while an electrocardiogram showed low voltage. An echocardiographic study showed pericardial effusiton. The patient was not seen until Feb. 16, 1981, when she was admitted to the hospital because of orthopnea and anasarca and died 3 hours later.
At autopsy, a massive bloody pericardial effusion, 1400 ml, was demonstrated. A tumor measuring 15 × 10 × 2.5 cm was seen in the right anterior mediastinum. The apparentyly encapsulated tumor was free of the lung, but was adherent to the anterior pericardium. There were several focal areas of hemorrhage within the tumor. Histological study revealed mixed type thymoma. Massive bleeding from the tumor into the pericardial cavity was postulated to the cause of cardiac tamponade death in this case.

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The association between human leucocyte antigen (HLA) and myasthenia gravis has been often reported. HLA B-8 and B-12 were implicated in the pathogenesis of mysthenia gravis in Caucasians and Japanese respectively.
HLA was examined in familial myasthenia gravis of generalized type occurring in a mother and her daughter. HLA of the mother showed A2, AW24, B40 and BW48. Her daughter's HLA was A2, AW33, BW44 and BW48. HLA common to both was A2 and BW48. These were different from HLA typings (B8 and B12) which were often reported to be observed in mysthenic patients among Caucasians and Japanese.
High acetylcholine receptor titer, negative antiskeletal muscle antibody, positivity of antinuclear antibody and antiDNA antibody, and thymic hyperplasia, which was suggested by computed tomography of the chest, were characteristic in both patients.
Besides, pseudo-internuclear ophthalmoplegia were recognized in the mother.
When genetic aspects of myasthenia gravis is taken into account, familial study and analysis of its HLA were considered to be important.

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Four cases of vastus type of quadriceps contracture (operative two cases, untreated two cases) were reported.
The preservation of rectus femoris muscle, severance of vastus intermedius muscle, this operative method can be improved is contracture of knee, when muscle weakness of rectus femoris muscle is prevented.
Prognosis of vastus type is worse as time goes by because of bad influence to articular surfaces of knee joint, so operation should be considered for some cases getting the bony changes of knee joint.
Post operative treatment was carried out with using the dynamic brace of rectus type which is able to release the section of stump, and is able to do muscle strengthning exercise after operation, thus raising the application of good and satisfactory results to vastus type.
We applied the vastus type of quadriceps contracture for non-treatment two cases which was advanced in contracture of knee, deformity of patella, flattening of femoral condyles, and functional disorder of extremity.

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