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Biomedical subjects

K Kern

Publications and source records attributed to K Kern.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Helicobacter pylori in dyspeptic patients in Kuwait.

Two hundred and four patients, mainly Arabs, attending for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at the gastroenterology clinic in Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Kuwait, were examined for evidence of infection with Helicobacter pylori and associated inflammation. Biopsy specimens of antrum, body, and duodenum; gastric juice; and antral mucosal brushings were investigated by microbiological, cytological, and histopathological methods. Clinical conditions diagnosed at endoscopy included gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenitis and duodenal ulcer, but half the patients had endoscopically normal gastric and duodenal mucosae. H pylori was detected by one or more of the procedures in at least one specimen from 197 (96.6%) of the patients. Histological and cytological analysis showed equal sensitivity, but bacteriological culture was less reliable. The proportion of positive cases was high, compared with other reported series, which may have been accounted for by the variety of diagnostic techniques used in this study, the selected population (all with gastrointestinal symptoms) or genetic or environmental predisposing factors peculiar to the sample population.

Adolescent↗

Evidence for regulation of peptide-YY release by the proximal gut.

Peptide-YY (PYY) is a novel enteric peptide that is structurally related to pancreatic polypeptide and neuropeptide-Y. The objectives of the present experiments were to characterize the following aspects of PYY metabolism: the distribution of PYY in the canine gastrointestinal tract, the release of PYY in response to oral ingestion of a mixed meal or intraduodenal (ID) administration of oleic acid, the effect of ileocolectomy on the release of PYY in response to ID administration of oleic acid when transit of chyme to the distal ileum and colon is prevented, the effect of interruption of intramural neural pathways of the small bowel on the release of PYY, and the effect of iv cholecystokinin on the release of PYY. The results of these experiments demonstrate that PYY immunoreactivity is distributed primarily in the terminal ileum, colon, and rectum. Circulating levels of PYY increase significantly (P less than 0.05) within 10-30 min after ingestion of a meal or to ID administration of a fatty acid. Complete interruption of the flow of chyme to the site of PYY-containing cells (i.e. ileum-colon) did not block the release of PYY; however, ileocolectomy abolished the release of PYY in response to ID administration of oleic acid. Severance of intramural neural pathways along the small bowel did not alter the release of PYY in response to an oral meal. Intravenous administration of graded doses of cholecystokinin stimulated the release of PYY in a dose-related manner. The results of these experiments indicate that the release of PYY from the distal ileum and colon is controlled, at least in part, by an extramural neural, endocrine, or a combination of both types of mechanisms which originate in the foregut.

Animals↗

[Geographical variations in mortality due to diseases amenable to medical intervention in Europe--Commission of European Communities: atlas of avoidable deaths].

The urgent need to develop measures of the outcome of health-care services has led to the collaboration of 10 countries of the European Community in the production of the European Community atlas of avoidable death (1974-1978). Seventeen disease groups were chosen for which it was considered that death within specified age groups should be either wholly or substantially avoidable when appropriate medical care is sought and provided in good time. Mortality from these causes was compared across 360 health-service administrative areas in the participating countries. For all diseases there was considerable variation in mortality both within and between the countries of the European Community and it is suggested that high levels of mortality from these causes should be viewed by health authorities as warning signals of potential failures of health-care services. Work is in progress on a further edition of the Atlas for the years 1980-1984. Changes in avoidable mortality over time could indicate which health authorities have persistent problems and which authorities are succeeding in reducing avoidable mortality.

Adolescent↗

Malignant pseudomyxoma peritonei of colonic origin. Natural history and presentation of a curative approach to treatment.

Pseudomyxoma peritonei is an unusual malignancy arising from the goblet cells of the large bowel or appendix. Its characteristic clinical features are low histologic grade of malignancy and widespread dissemination throughout the abdominal cavity. In a clinical study of 14 patients, the most common initial symptoms were abdominal distention or right lower quadrant pain suggestive of appendicitis. All patients underwent radical procedures in an attempt to surgically remove all gross disease from the abdomen. Six patients had small-bowel obstruction and five of these had bowel function restored. All of eight patients had relief from bulky intra-abdominal tumors. Six cycles of intraperitoneal 5-FU and three doses of mitomycin C were used following cytoreductive surgery in seven patients. Five of these seven patients are disease free following staging by celiotomy with two- to four-year follow-up. This new treatment strategy, designed to cure some patients with pseudomyxoma peritonei, has given favorable results in a disease that previously had a uniformly lethal outcome.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗