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Biomedical subjects

P J Kennedy

Publications and source records attributed to P J Kennedy.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

The role of large-scale spatially explicit and small-scale localized processes on the population dynamics of cereal aphids.

A field-scale study of the spatially explicit interaction between the carabid Poecilus cupreus Linnaeus, and two common aphid species (Sitobion avenae (Fabricius) and Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker)) in winter wheat was conducted. All three species showed considerable spatial pattern at the field scale. Activity-density of P. cupreus was an order of magnitude higher in the central part of the field compared to its periphery. Where P. cupreus activity-density was highest, S. avenae and M. dirhodum population peaks were delayed. Additionally, in the case of M. dirhodum, lower maximum counts were evident where P. cupreus activity-density was highest. An analysis of the movement of individual P. cupreus using release-recapture indicated that those beetles within the centre of the field exhibited reduced displacement, which may have caused the generation or maintenance of spatial pattern. Crop density was also measured throughout the field. Although crop density had no large-scale spatial pattern, its variability at the small-scale was consistent with an influence on aphid population dynamics. This study demonstrates empirically that both large-scale spatially explicit and small-scale localized processes influenced aphid population dynamics simultaneously.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Clinical manifestations and outcomes in 17 cases of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.

The clinical features and outcomes of 17 patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) or toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) were retrospectively reviewed. There were 11 males and six females with an average age of 61.5 years. Ten patients with SJS (seven males, three females) and seven patients with TEN (four males, three females) were identified. Antibiotics, mainly beta-lactams, were the most common cause of SJS/TEN in this series. The mean skin loss in TEN was 45.7% total body surface area in contrast to the lesser skin loss (< 10%) observed in three patients with SJS. Complications included septicaemia, pneumonia and multi-organ failure, mainly in the TEN group. Two patients died from TEN-related complications and one patient with SJS died from unrelated causes. Ocular involvement and skin pigmentary changes represented the most significant long-term sequelae.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Clinical management and treatment outcomes of Merkel cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), first described in 1972, is an uncommon, highly malignant tumour of skin. Its aetiology is unknown although the tumour occurs most frequently in sun-exposed sites. This skin cancer is characterized by a high incidence of metastases, local and regional recurrence and has a high mortality. Few survival data beyond 3 years are available. Treatment strategies include wide local excision of the primary and lymph node dissection, as indicated together with adjuvant radiotherapy. The tumour has also been shown to be chemosensitive. Definitive treatment is inconclusive due to the relative rarity of this malignancy. METHODS: A retrospective study was undertaken between the years 1985 and 1996 of 33 patients with MCC at Concord Repatriation General Hospital (CRGH). Demographic details were noted, together with the site and appearance of the primary lesion and the sites and date of metastases. The response and outcome to various modalities of treatment were documented. RESULTS: There were 27 men and six women with an average age of 80 years (range: 60-86 years). The primary lesion in the present series most often resembled a basal cell carcinoma (BCC), with 53% occurring in the head and neck region. Twenty-seven patients (82%) developed metastatic disease, with an average interval of 13.4 months between diagnosis of the primary lesion and the development of metastases. The incidence of locoregional recurrence in the present series was 42%. Radiation combined with surgery achieved locoregional control in 15 of 19 patients with primary, regional or recurrent locoregional disease. Fourteen patients died of MCC and five others from unrelated causes. The 14 survivors have a mean survival of 54 months with six patients surviving more than 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Local excision together with regional lymph node clearance as indicated, combined with adjuvant radiation treatment was associated with an improved survival. The role of chemotherapy remains unclear.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

An extraskeletal chondrosarcoma arising in the brachial plexus.

A case of extraskeletal chondrosarcoma of the left brachial plexus is described with emphasis on the diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties of this site. With combination therapy the patient survived 6 years. Recurrent disease in the plexus region and adjacent spinal cord resulted in a painful, flail limb.

Brachial Plexus↗
PubMed1992

Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin of the trunk and limbs: the incidence of metastases and their outcome.

The incidence and outcome of metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is poorly documented. This study, undertaken in a population accessible to long-term follow-up, documents the metastatic aspects of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin of the trunk and limbs. In a review of 695 cases, metastases occurred in 34 cases, with a metastatic rate of 4.9%, an overall mortality of 3.4%, and a 70.6% mortality in the metastatic group. Forty-six per cent of overall mortality was associated with inoperable or recurrent regional disease without evidence of distant metastases. The risk factor associated with the development of metastatic disease were; delayed presentation; large neglected lesions; misdiagnosis; and multiple treatments to the primary lesions. In this series no correlation was found between the histological degree of differentiation of the primary tumour and the development of metastases. The mean latent period between treatment of the primary and the diagnosis of metastases was 11 months. Histopathological review of the regional lymph nodes in the operable group showed that adverse pathology such as multiple nodes, extracapsular spread, vascular and perineural invasion, were associated with regional recurrence and short survival. Twenty-one patients with operable metastases had a mean survival of 53.8 months. This was compared with 13 patients with inoperable disease, in whom the mean survival was 12.2 months (P less than 0.05).

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Perineural spread of cutaneous head and neck cancer. Its orbital and central neurologic complications.

The ability of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the face to cause ophthalmoplegia or central nervous system dysfunction via perineural spread is not well recognized. Five patients presenting to a general neurology unit are described in whom partial or complete ophthalmoplegia developed following fifth and seventh cranial nerve involvement by cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Two patients subsequently developed a contralateral hemiparesis; and one, multiple cranial nerve palsies as the tumor spread centrally. Normal radiologic findings or complete healing of the primary skin lesion caused delay in the diagnosis in three of the patients. When ophthalmoplegia or central nervous system dysfunction develops as a consequence of perineural spread of cutaneous facial cancer, management is palliative.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Excision of the submandibular gland: minimizing the risk of nerve damage.

Surgical texts do not clearly advise whether the ramus mandibularis should be identified in excision of the submandibular salivary gland for benign disease. An analysis of 74 patients was undertaken to assess the subsequent nerve function after submandibular salivary gland excision. Both glands were removed in two patients, making the total number of glands excised 76. In five cases the nerve was identified, in five patients the operative record did not clearly state whether the nerve was identified, and in the remaining 66 a non-identification technique was used. The subsequent analysis was unable to follow-up six patients fully. Seven patients had mild to moderate weakness in the early postoperative period, but all recovered, some taking up to 3 months to do so. Other complications were minor, except for two patients who had postoperative haemorrhage, one requiring a tracheostomy. As the majority of these patients had a non-identification technique, and because searching for the nerve is tedious and time-consuming, the former approach is recommended when operating for benign disease of the submandibular salivary gland.

Facial Nerve↗
PubMed1987

Transplantation of cultured autologous epidermis to a patient with burns.

Explant-derived cultured autologous epidermis was used as a graft in a 41-year-old female patient with burns, the first subject in a clinical trial of the technique. A small full-thickness biopsy specimen which was taken on Day 2 of the hospital admission was used to initiate epidermal cultures, four of which were grafted onto the patient's back and right leg 29 and 35 days later. Three of these epidermal cultures engrafted successfully, in spite of infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which resulted in the loss of some of the conventional, split-thickness meshed autografts that were applied concurrently. The fourth graft, which may have been oriented incorrectly onto the graft bed, was largely unsuccessful, and only small islets of epithelial cells remained after 10 days. The successful grafts produced full-thickness, epidermal coverage with a good cosmetic result and little evidence of contraction during a six-months' follow-up.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

The extended deep inferior epigastric flap: a case report.

The extended deep inferior epigastric flap, described by Taylor et al. (1983), 1984), offers a versatile and reliable technique for covering defects in the lower limb. A case of shark bite is described in which extensive soft tissue loss in the thigh resulted in a denuded femoral shaft which was successfully treated using such a flap.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Metastatic tumours of the parotid region.

Metastatic disease in the parotid gland and its associated lymph nodes is generally thought to be uncommon. A review of 121 cases was undertaken to study the incidence, histology and prognosis of secondary malignancy in the parotid region. Forty-two per cent of the cases were secondary malignancies. The majority of these were squamous cell carcinoma, and in this group the prognosis was poor.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

Micro-lymphatic bypass in the treatment of obstructive lymphoedema of the arm: case report of a new technique.

A report is presented of a case of secondary lymphoedema of the upper limb successfully treated by microlymphatic bypass with a composite graft containing three lymphocollectors from the lower limb to bypass the ablated portion of the pathway. To ensure success the surgery must be carried out before the peripheral lymphatics have been damaged or destroyed by increasing pressure and recurrent infection. Pre-operative lymphangiography is mandatory to assess suitability for the bypass procedure. Other methods of treatment are reviewed.

Arm↗
PubMed1979

Isolation and restriction mapping of plasmids containing ribosomal DNA sequences from the rrn B cistron of E. coli.

Recombinant plasmids containing the entire 16S RNA gene from the rrn B cistron of E. coli inserted in Col E1 and pBR322 plasmid vectors have been constructed. These plasmids have been mapped using several restriction endonucleases as well as by DNA-RNA hybridization. These maps reveal previously undetected restriction sites in the rrn B cistron and in Col E1 plasmid DNA.

DNA Restriction Enzymes↗
PubMed1978

Complete nucleotide sequence of a 16S ribosomal RNA gene from Escherichia coli.

The complete nucleotide sequence of the 16S RNA gene from the rrnB cistron of Escherichia coli has been determined by using three rapid DNA sequencing methods. Nearly all of the structure has been confirmed by two to six independent sequence determinations on both DNA strands. The length of the 16S rRNA chain inferred from the DNA sequence is 1541 nucleotides, in close agreement with previous estimates. We note discrepancies between this sequence and the most recent version of it reported from direct RNA sequencing [Ehresmann, C., Stiegler, P., Carbon, P. & Ebel, J.P. (1977) FEBS Lett. 84, 337-341]. A few of these may be explained by heterogeneity among 16S rRNA sequences from different cistrons. No nucleotide sequences were found in the 16S rRNA gene that cannot be reconciled with RNase digestion products of mature 16S rRNA.

Base Sequence↗