Horst K.A. Schirmer

Telecobalt therapy for prostatic cancer: rationale, results, and future considerations

External supervoltage radiation is now an accepted form of treatment for adenocarcinoma of the prostate but the tumor response cannot be predicted. We hope in the future that accurate clinical staging coupled with a biological staging of the tumor cells with catalase activity will enable us to predict this response. Ionizing radiations act by producing active radicals, hence the rationale of studying the tissue catalase activity in conjunction with the histological grading may provide a more accurate index of patients who would gain the most benefit from radiotherapy. (auth)

The effect of intermittent and prolonged renal artery occlusion upon respiration and anaerobic glycolysis of dog kidney.

Temporary occlusion of the renal vascular pedicle frequently is necessary for provision of a bloodless field during operative procedures on the kidney. Empirically, periods of pedicle occlusion ranging between 10 and 30 minutes had been suggested.1 • 2 More recently Yoho and associates were able to show that intermittent clamping of the renal vascular pedicle produced less damage to renal tissue than was observed with continuous occlusion of the renal blood supply.3 They also called attention to the presence of a mechanism of protection against additional periods of renal ischemia. The purpose of the present investigation was to examine this mechanism of protection by measuring the changes in the metabolism of the renal parenchyma and their extent following varied periods of renal ischemia.

Studies of alcaptonuria: Kinetics of homogentisic acid autoxidation☆

Abstract Rates of oxygen uptake of homogentisic acid preparations have been studied manometrically. Commercially available tyrosinase preparations were found to be enzymically active but to have a negligible, if any, effect on homogentisic acid in 0.1 M phosphate buffers, pH 6.85. Homogentisic acid autoxidation did not demonstrate simple reaction kinetics, but appeared rather to be described by a higher order equation of the type y = 0.71 x0.64. The reaction was inhibited at low enzyme to substrate concentrations and accelerated only minimally at high concentrations. It is suggested that the mechanism of pigment formation in the alcaptonuria syndrome is probably not due to the effects of tyrosinase on homogentisic acid, but is better explained by the likely necessity of other physicochemical phenomena.

Trifurcation of the Urethra: A Case Report

Abstract We report a case of trifurcation of the prostatic urethra with congenital absence of the right kidney and testicle.

Renal Metabolism in Obstructive Uropathy

Many of our present concepts in obstructive uropathy are based on Hinman’s observations with respect to hydronephrotic atrophy subsequent to complete obstruction of the flow of urine and the existence of a renal counterbalance where an anatomical and functional readjustment between the less injured or uninjured portion and the more injured portion in terms of performance takes place(1). Together with Hepler, he introduced the concept of ischemia as possible cause for a hastening of dilatation and atrophy of the kidney with obstructed urine flow(2).