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Biomedical subjects

J W Kerr

Publications and source records attributed to J W Kerr.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Self-report of right-left confusion in college men and women.

Self-report questionnaires of difficulty in right-left discrimination and handedness were given to 575 male and 607 female undergraduates. Significantly more men and lefthanders reported having right-left confusion frequently or all the time. The validity of such self-report measures in predicting actual performance on right-left discrimination tasks is questioned since the results, at least as a function of handedness, depended on the question asked.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Embolic mesenteric infarction: a unique initial manifestation of renal cell carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma is an unpredictable tumor that often has already metastasized when first seen. It can affect many organs before the primary tumor is found. We describe a unique example of renal cell carcinoma first seen as repeated episodes of small-bowel infarction caused by tumor emboli from a metastasis in the left ventricle. Although intestinal ischemia caused by emboli is not uncommon, intestinal ischemia resulting from metastatic tumor emboli occurs in only a small percentage of cases. We suggest that surgeons include the possibility of tumor emboli in the differential diagnosis for mesenteric or peripheral ischemia that cannot be attributed to more common causes.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1987

Hyposensitisation.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Desensitization, Immunologic↗
PubMed1984

Circadian variation in number and affinity of beta 2-adrenoceptors in lymphocytes of asthmatic patients.

To determine whether circadian variation in adrenoceptor function might underlie the 'morning dip' in peak expiratory flow (PEF) rate and its abolition by salbutamol we measured indices of beta-adrenoceptor function (Bmax. and Kd), the ratio FEV1/FVC, and plasma cortisol at 08.00 and 18.00 hours on and off salbutamol (4 mg given orally every 4 h) in five extrinsic asthmatic patients and five normal volunteers. There was a significant circadian variation in receptor numbers (Bmax.) in both the control and asthmatic groups which was not abolished on treatment with salbutamol. Both groups appeared to compensate for loss of receptor number induced by salbutamol administration by increasing receptor affinity. For comparable combinations of drug/time, there was no significant difference between the control and asthmatic groups. We conclude that the 'morning dip' observed in asthmatic patients cannot simply be explained by changes in cell receptor number or affinity, as our results suggest that both groups have intact beta-adrenoceptor function. Nevertheless, our observations of the normal circadian rhythm has important implications for future studies of beta-adrenoceptors in asthmatic patients.

Albuterol↗
PubMed1984

The dose-duration effect of sodium cromoglycate in exercise-induced asthma.

Eight patients with exercise-induced asthma participated in a single blind dose-duration study comparing the protective effect of inhaled sodium cromoglycate (SCG) in increasing concentrations from 2 to 40 g/l. Saline was used as a control. Effects were assessed from the mean maximal fall in forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) after running on a treadmill for 8 min at 20, 150 and 270 min after drug administration. There was no significant difference between the mean baseline values of FEV1, before and after inhalation of saline and SCG on 4 days of exercise testing. In addition, the maximal percentage falls in FEV1 in the three control exercise tests carried out at 20, 150 and 270 min after inhalation of saline were also comparable. The mean percentage fall in FEV1 (s.e.m.) after saline, SCG 2 g/l, SCG 20 g/l and SCG 40 g/l were 29.3 (4.4), 11.7 (4.5), 8.3 (3.1) and 9.4 (2.3) respectively in the first test at 20 min and 24.5 (5.1), 14.9 (4.2), 13.1 (2.5) and 13.7 (2.8) respectively in the second test at 150 after treatment. The inhibitory effect of SCG was statistically significant at all the concentrations used and the protection offered by the three concentrations of SCG was comparable. In the third exercise test at 270 min after treatment, the mean maximum percentage change after saline, SCG 2 g/l, SCG 20 g/l and SCG 40 g/l were 26.1 (4.8), 23.0 (6.1), 16.6 (5.0) and 15.8 (4.7) respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

A comparison of the clinical and immunological effects of an alum-precipitated five-grass extract with a conjugated two-grass extract in the desensitization of hay fever.

Thirty-nine patients with pollen hay fever were randomly allocated to receive either an alum-precipitated five-grass extract (Allpyral) or a two-grass conjugated extract (Conjuvac) prior to the 1982 pollen season. Efficacy was assessed by means of symptom scores, drug usage and specific IgE and IgG antibody response. Both nasal and eye symptom scores were significantly higher during the pollen season in those patients receiving Allpyral. Specific IgE and IgG measured after the pollen season showed similar rises in each group. Seven patients showed a marked elevation in specific IgE and nine a marked elevation in specific IgG, but no patient showed both. Those with a high specific IgE level tended to be younger. Symptom scores bore no relation to either specific IgE or IgG antibodies. Side-effects were mainly local and were equal in both groups.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

The effect of inhaled verapamil on allergen-induced bronchoconstriction.

In eight patients with extrinsic bronchial asthma the effect of inhaled verapamil (3 and 6 mg) was compared with saline on bronchial challenge with extracts of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. There was no significant difference in the baseline FEV1 before and after inhalation of saline or verapamil 2.5 mg/ml. However, verapamil at a higher concentration (5 mg/ml) caused bronchoconstriction in four patients who had to be excluded from the part of the study. Verapamil at both these concentrations failed to have an effect on the allergen-induced bronchoconstriction. These findings suggest that verapamil given by inhalation does not prevent mediator release from the lung mast cells following specific allergen challenge.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Tiaramide--a new oral drug for the treatment of asthma.

1 TIaramide, an anti-inflammatory drug, inhibits the action of mediators released from mast cells and has direct smooth muscle relaxant properties. It may therefore have a beneficial effect in asthma. 2 A double-blind crossover trial comparing the bronchodilator activity of tiaramide and placebo over 16 days was undertaken in 13 patients with asthma. 3 Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was recorded on three separate occasions every day and frequency of salbutamol aerosol usage was noted on a diary card. 4 During treatment with tiaramide the mean mid-morning PEFR (362 1/min) was higher than mean PEFR on placebo (328) (P less than 0.001) as was the evening PEFR (378) compared with placebo (388) (P less than 0.001). 5 There was a significant reduction in daily use of the salbutamol inhaler whilst on tiaramide (1.8) compared with placebo (2.3) (P less than 0.05). 6. Tiaramide may be a useful addition to existing prophylactic treatment for asthma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Dose-response study of sodium cromoglycate in exercise-induced asthma.

Ten patients with exercise-induced asthma participated in a single-blind dose-response study comparing the protective effect of inhaled sodium cromoglycate in increasing concentrations from 2 to 40 mg/ml. Saline was used as a control. Effects were assessed from the mean maximal percentage fall in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) after the patients had run on a treadmill for eight minutes. There was slight bronchodilation evident from the increase in baseline FEV1 after inhalation of sodium cromoglycate, the difference reaching statistical significance with the highest concentration (5.7%, p less than 0.05). After exercise the maximal percentage falls in FEV1 (means and SEM) after saline and after sodium cromoglycate at 2, 10, 20, and 40 mg/ml were 37.3 +/- 4.7, 17.3 +/- 4.1, 10 +/- 3.3, 7.6 +/- 2.4, and 12 +/- 2.9. Sodium cromoglycate inhibited the exercise-induced fall in FEV1 at all the concentrations used in the study (p less than 0.001) and its inhibitory effect increased from 2 to 20 mg/ml. The mean FEV1 returned to baseline values within 15 minutes at higher concentrations of sodium cromoglycate (20 and 40 mg/ml) and a small bronchodilator effect was noted at 30 minutes. The findings suggest that the protective effect of sodium cromoglycate in exercise asthma is dose related. At higher concentration the drug suppresses chemical mediator release from the lung mast cells and may also modify the bronchial reactivity to release mediators.

Adolescent↗