Natural blood group antibodies in human sera were fractionated by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography and eluted immunoglobulins were divided into three fractions composing respectively : 0.01 M initial potassium phosphate buffer, Fraction 1 (F 1); 0.125 M NaCl, Fraction 2 (F 2) and 0.25 M NaCl, Fraction 3 (F 3). The reaction of the fractions with anti-immunoglobulin sera in agar gel diffusion test revealed that F 1 contained IgG, F 2 IgA and a part of IgG, and F 3 IgM and traces of IgG and IgA. Agglutinations with red cells were tested before and after 2-mercaptoethanol treatment by saline and papain cells, and the anti-globulin method.
1) The natural anti-A and anti-B antibodies of groups B and A sera were of IgM molecular type and in some cases, eventually IgG and IgA, contrasting with the anti-A B of group O sera which contained higher titer of IgG. The results of Protein A-Sepharose CL-4B affinity chromatography showed that the IgG subclass of F 1 and F 2 belong to IgG 1. IgM and IgG anti-H antibodies were detected in serum from Bombay phenotype. Anti-A₁ activity in group B serum belonged to IgM and IgA, and anti-A, antibody in group A₂ serum constituted only by IgM class.
2) Natural anti-Lea antibodies of Le (a-b-) individuals belonged exclusively to the IgM class and some sera contained IgA class. The agglutination of natural anti-Le^a antibodies was enhanced by papain treated red cells.
3) The fact that the activity of anti-P from group P^K and anti-P₁+P+P^K of group p persons are found in IgG class is able to explain that the antibodies pass the placenta early in pregnancy and cause groups P^K and p mothers to the consecutive miscarriages.

View full abstract

1) Maternal sera which had antibody titers more than 256 folds against husband's papain treated red cells after absorption of anti-A and anti-B natural antibodies with blood group substances, were selected as immune antibodies of ABO incompatibility between mother and fetus. Sixty two out of 632 mother's serum samples which reacted with husband's papain treated red cells after absorption of natural antibodies were attributed to ABO incompatibility cases. The distribution of the blood groups of the mothers with the immune antibody was higher in group O than in group A and B. The cases of anti-B antibody production in the group O mothers were higher than that of anti-A antibody production.
2) It was confirmed that natural and immune IgG anti-P was thought to be a cause of abortion early in pregnancy of group Ph mother.
3) Anti-M immune antibody reacted by the indirect antiglobulin method did not absorb on DEAE-cellulose and was found to be IgG class. Anti-Rho of incomplete type worked with the enzyme treated red cells and by the antiglobulin test belonged to IgG class, while the complete type antiserum which reacted with Rh positive saline red cells contained IgM and IgG antibodies. Subclasses of the immune IgG antibodies produced in the maternal sera were mainly IgG1 and IgG3 which pass from mother to fetus through placenta.
4) The immunoglobulin class of anti-H (E) antibody found in the serum of fibrosarcoma patient was IgM and IgA, and anti-e (hr″) from the patient of preleukemic stage belonged to IgM class.

View full abstract

1) Frequency of Lewis blood groups was studied in bloods from nonpregnant controls (male adults) and from pregnant women. Incidence of groups Le (a+b-), Le (a-b+) and Le (a-b-) among 1058 nonpregnants was 22.8%, 70.8% and 6.4%, whereas that among 1072 pregnant women was 20.3%, 54.6% and 25.1% respectively. The increased incidence of group Le (a-b-) and the decreased incidence of group Le (a-b+) among pregnant women were demonstrated.
2) Lewis active glycolipid was eluted from red cells after the incubation with pH 5.0 buffered saline. The supernatant of hemolyzed red cells had stronger Lewis activity than the red cell ghost.
3) Lewis active glycolipid which was extracted from red cells and plasma, and was fractionated by silicic acid column chromatography showed slower mobility on thin layer chomatography than those from red cells obtained by the elution at pH 5.0 and from plasma glycolipid treated at pH 5.0. The Lewis active glycolipid extracted from red cells and plasma may be complex of glycolipid and lipid or glycolipid and protein. The conversion of red cells of group Le (a-b-) into groups Le (a+b-) and Le (a-b+) were demonstrated by incubation of red cells with the Lewis active glycolipid, while the transformation did not occur by incubation of red cells with intact plasma from groups Le (a+b-) and Le (a-b+).
4) Absorption of the Lewis active glycolopid on red cells was inhibited by the presence of lipoprotein of plasma. It is probable that the failure of the conversion of Lewis negative red cells into Lewis positive cells by the intact plasma is depending on the quantity of plasma lipoprotein in Japanese which is higher level that in Caucasians.

View full abstract

Brace treatment for Idiopathic scoliosis was advanced and established with Milwaukee Brace by Dr. Blount in 1960's. Retently long term following up was reported, in which effect and horizon of Milwaukee Brace was clearly identified. The most defective point of Milwaukee Brace is psycologically very suppressive for the patients who wear it. Drop out ratio from treatment schedule is so high. So I thought that Uncer Arm Brace is relatively effective to reduce numbers of drop out patients.
In Gunma University Hospital, we prescribed O.M.C. Brace for 81 idiopathic scoliosis patients, 102 curves, not only lumbar curves but thoracic curves; male 6 cases, female 75 cases; age 4r 9mo to 15yr 11mo, average 12yr 10mo; fitting term lmo to 4yr llmo, average 1yr 7mo; Cobb Angle (scoliosis angle) 19° to 50°, average 27°; thoracic curve 31 cases, double major curve 28 cases, thoracolumbar curve 16 cases, lumbar curve 6 cases; drop out ratio, 14%;.
Initial correction ratios are thoracic 40%, double major curve upper 40%, lower 44%, thoracolumbar 57%, lumbar 45%.
These correction ratios are acceptable in comparison with other reports. O.M.C. Brace is effective for the treatment of major cases of idiopathic scoliosis.

View full abstract

Due to increase in population of the aged, there have been upward tendencies that the fractures of femoral neck occur frequently. Studies were carried out on 27 cases treated at the Shibukawa National Hospital from June 1, 1980 to May 31, 1982, with respect to such problems as types of fracture, operation methods depending on systemic conditions, post-treatment methods, complications etc.
Ages of patients were from 54 & 89 years old, on the average of 70.4 years old; ratio of male to female was 5 : 22. This ratio reflected larger population of the aged female and further that among them post-menopausal bone atrophy and osteoporosis were apt to be considerably developed. Types of fracture were at the ratio of 6 intracapsular type to 21 peritrochanteric type. Most of injuries were resulted fror “falling”, in which 10 cases were of fractures of paralyzed side during treatment for hemiplegia due te cerebro vascular disorder in rehabilitation center or convalescing at home. From these circumstances, medical facility employees including attendants are required to pay careful attention to the patients.
The primary objectives are to hold getting-up and sitting position and to ensure leaving-bed as earlier as posible. For intracapsular type fractures, usable methods are artificial femoral head replacement and total hip joint replacement with minimum operative stress kept in mind; and for the patients with severe anamnesis, cancellous screw and percutaneous multiple pinning methods are also effective. For the peritrochanteric type fractures, the Ender pin method seems to be effective for earlier rehabilitation.
The prognoses seem to be poor in such cases as dementia, morale depression and athymia due to cerebro vascular disorder.

View full abstract

There were 26 cases of fracture of femoral neck which were treated at my clinic in the past 4 years.
Almost all these patients were an advanced age.
24 cases were performed surgical treatment.
All operated cases without severe complications were good recovered.

View full abstract

An anomalous case of the right subclavian artery which passed behind the esophagus was encountered in a female japanease cadaver of 67 years old. From the aortic arch in normal position and course the following branches arose in turn. They were 1) the right common carotid, 2) the left common carotid, 3) the left subclavian and 4) the right subclavian arteries. The right subclavian artery arose from the postero-superior wall of aortic arch, as the last branching, and then ran transversally behind esophagus toward right. This case belongs to type G of Adachi's classification of aortic arch variations, and also does to type G of Williams-Nakagawa's or type VI of Liechty et al.
In this cadaver, in addition, the internal thoracic artery arose from the subclavian artery just lateral to the anterior scalenus muscle. Then the artery acrossed ventral of this muscle to medial and strided over the 1st rib to approach the internal thoracic wall. This condition was a rare case in its starting position and course in dissection of japanese cadavers. In our case this anomaly was found in bilaterally. The right and left anterior scalenus muscles were normal in their origins, courses and insertions.

View full abstract

We reported here 5 cases of stress fracture in the pelvis. These patients were all older women, two of them had rheumatoid arthritis, but they all had no history of trauma or operation. They came to us complaining of pain in their right or left groin. The onset was insidious, and could not related to any traumatic incident. The examination revealed marked tenderness close to the pubic bone.
Roentogenograms were taken and revealed fractures in both of the superior and inferior pubic rami. Meurman reported that in all of the stress fractures in military recruits, eight per cent occurred in the pubic ramus. But none of his cases was there a fracture in the superior pubic ramus, and all of his patients were young recruits (range 18-29 years old).
The etiology of this fracture is unknown. Distracting movements of antagonistic muscles in the ischio-pubic junction, postmenopausal osteoporosis and stress of weight-bearing may be the contributing factors.
We experienced these 5 cases during 2 years and 6 months, and we had an impression that stress fracture of the pelvis is not so uncommon. When a person of advanced age, especially an older woman, complains of pain in the groin and difficulty during walking, it may be due to stress fracture of the pelvis, and we must not overlook linear fracture in the pubic rami.

View full abstract

The data on 158 cases of lung cancer treated with radiotherapy at three hospitals (Hospital of School of Med., Gunma Univ., National Takasaki Hospital and Gunma Cancer Center Hospital) were analized.
1. Seventy one cases (44.9%) of all patients were more than 70 years old. As the histological type, epidermoid carcinoma was recognized in 44% of male patients, and adenocarcinoma in 51.5% of female. The number of patients with epidermoid carcinoma tended to increase with age.
2. Gunma Cancer Center was different from other hospitals in that half of the female patients (6/12) were stage I, adenocarcinoma.
3. The dwelling area of patients in Gunma Cancer Center Hospital distributed over towns and counties at the east district in Gunma prefecture, whereas in other hospitals concentrated in Maebashi and Takasaki cities.

View full abstract