The rectum ampulla acts as a temporary storage facility for feces. As the rectal walls expand due to the materials filling it from within, stretch receptors from the nervous system located in the rectal walls stimulate the desire to defecate. If the urge is not acted upon, the material in the rectum is often returned to the colon where more water is absorbed. If defecation is delayed for a prolonged period constipation and hardened feces results. When the rectum is full the increase in intrarectal pressure forces the walls of the anal ...

See also:

Rectum, Rectum - Medical procedures, Rectum - The rectum in human defecation, Rectum - Sexual stimuli

Read more here: » Rectum: Encyclopedia II - Rectum - The rectum in human defecation

Aromatic: Taste which stimulates the gastrointestinal tract.

(See also: Aromatic, Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Dictionary, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

For the diagnosis of certain ailments, a rectal exam may be done. Suppositories may be inserted into the rectum as a route of administration for medicine. colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy. Body temperature can also be taken in the rectum. Rectal temperature can be taken by inserting a mercury thermometer for 3 to 5 minutes, or a digital thermometer until it "beeps", not more than 25 mm (1 inch) into the rectum via the anus. Due to recent concerns related to mercury poisoning, the use of mercury thermometers is now discouraged. Normal rectal ...

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Rectum, Rectum - Medical procedures, Rectum - The rectum in human defecation, Rectum - Sexual stimuli

Read more here: » Rectum: Encyclopedia II - Rectum - Medical procedures

Fecal occult blood testing - as its name implies - can provide clues as to subtle blood loss in the gastrointestinal tract, anywhere from the mouth to the colon. Positive tests ("positive stool") warrant further investigation for peptic ulcers or a malignancy (such as colorectal cancer or gastric cancer). In the event of a positive fecal occult blood test, the next step in the workup is a form of visualization of the gastrointestinal tract (ie: en ...

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Fecal occult blood, Fecal occult blood - Uses, Fecal occult blood - Methodology, Fecal occult blood - Interpretation, Fecal occult blood - Results, Fecal occult blood - Sources

Read more here: » Fecal occult blood: Encyclopedia II - Fecal occult blood - Uses

Hydromorphone, a semi-synthetic μ-opioid agonist, is a hydrogenated ketone of morphine and shares the pharmacologic properties typical of opioid analgesics. Hydromorphone and related opioids produce their major effects on the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. These include analgesia, drowsiness, mental clouding, changes in mood, euphoria or dysphoria, respiratory depression, cough suppression, decreased gastrointestinal motility, nausea, vomiting, increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure, increased biliary pressure, pinpoint constriction of the pupils, increased parasympathe ...

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Hydromorphone, Hydromorphone - Overview, Hydromorphone - Details, Hydromorphone - Side Effects, Hydromorphone - Notes

Read more here: » Hydromorphone: Encyclopedia II - Hydromorphone - Details

Co-trimoxazole is more effective than either of its components individually in treating bacterial infections. However the degree of benefit for the additonal of the Sulfonamide, was in most cases marginal, but reponsible for its high association will allergic responses (see below). Its widespread use has been restricted in many countries to very specific circumstances where its improved efficacy is demonstrated. It may be effective in a variety of upper and lower respiratory tract infections, renal and urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal tract infections, skin and wound infections, septicaem ...

See also:

Co-trimoxazole, Co-trimoxazole - Synergistic action, Co-trimoxazole - Clinical indications, Co-trimoxazole - Safety

Read more here: » Co-trimoxazole: Encyclopedia II - Co-trimoxazole - Clinical indications

section references: [1] Acetyl-L-carnitine or ALCAR, is an acetylated form of L-carnitine. ALCAR is far superior to normal L-carnitine in terms of bioavailability in that it is absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract, enters cells and crosses the blood-brain b ...

See also:

Carnitine, Carnitine - Role in fatty acid metabolism, Carnitine - Natural sources, Carnitine - Acetyl-L-carnitine

Read more here: » Carnitine: Encyclopedia II - Carnitine - Acetyl-L-carnitine

Most of the iron in the body is hoarded and recycled by the reticuloendothelial system which breaks down aged red blood cells. However, people lose a small but steady amount by sweating and by shedding cells of the skin and the mucosal lining of the gastrointestinal tract. The total amount of loss for healthy people in the developed world amounts to an estimated average of 1 mg a day for men, and 1.5-2 mg a day for women with regular menstrual periods. People in developing countries with gastrointestinal parasitic infections often lose more. ^{See also:}

Human iron metabolism, Human iron metabolism - Importance of iron regulation, Human iron metabolism - Body iron stores, Human iron metabolism - How the body gets its iron, Human iron metabolism - Absorbing iron from the diet, Human iron metabolism - Reasons for iron deficiency, Human iron metabolism - The possibility of too much iron, Human iron metabolism - How cells get their iron from the body, Human iron metabolism - Regulation of circulating iron levels, Human iron metabolism - Diseases of iron regulation

Read more here: » Human iron metabolism: Encyclopedia II - Human iron metabolism - How the body gets its iron

The rationale behind the use of a prodrug is generally for ADME optimization. Prodrugs are usually designed to improve oral bioavailability - poor absorption from the gastrointestinal tract is usually the limiting factor, and is often due to the chemical properties of the drug. In rational drug design, the knowledge of chemical properties likely to improve absorption and the major metabolic pathways in the body allows the modification of the structure of new chemical entities for improved bioavailability. However, sometimes the use of ...

See also:

Prodrug, Prodrug - Rationale, Prodrug - Selected examples

Read more here: » Prodrug: Encyclopedia II - Prodrug - Rationale

For the alleviation of flatulence, an antifoaming agent such as simethicone may be taken orally. This agent will coalesce the smalller gas bubbles into larger bubbles, thereby easing the release of gas within the gastrointestinal tract via burping or flatulence. For the prevention of flatulence, an enzyme-based dietary supplement may be helpful. Substances indigestible by humans are usually present in foods associated with flatulence. When these substances reach the large intestine intact, they may be fermented by intest ...

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Antiflatulent, Antiflatulent - Mechanisms of Action, Antiflatulent - Members, Antiflatulent - Antifoaming Agents, Antiflatulent - Enzyme-based Dietary Supplements

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This CD molecule is the membrane receptor for stem cell factor (SCF), also known as "steel factor" or "c-kit ligand". Steel factor is a polypeptide that activates bone marrow precursors of a number of blood cells, but its receptor is also present on other cells. C-kit mutations in the interstitial cells of Cajal in the digestive tract are probably the key to gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), and explain the efficacy of ...

See also:

Tyrosine kinase, Tyrosine kinase - General properties, Tyrosine kinase - Abl, Tyrosine kinase - c-kit CD117, Tyrosine kinase - Sources

Read more here: » Tyrosine kinase: Encyclopedia II - Tyrosine kinase - c-kit CD117

See: Gastrointestinal tract In humans, digestion begins in the mouth where food is chewed with the teeth. The process stimulates exocrine glands in the mouth to release digestive enzymes such as salivary amylase, which aid in the breakdown of food, particularly carbohydrates. Chewing also causes the release of saliva, which helps condense food into a bolus that can be easily passed through the esophagus to the stomach. In the stomach, food is churned and thoroughly mixed with acid and other digestive enzymes with digestive flui ...

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Digestion, Digestion - Human digestion, Digestion - Digestive organs, Digestion - Digestive hormones, Digestion - Digestion in plants and fungi

Read more here: » Digestion: Encyclopedia II - Digestion - Human digestion

As mentioned above the absolute bioavailability of a drug, when administered by an extravascular route, is usually less than one. This means that there are factors at work which reduce the availability of the drug prior to it entering the systemic circulation. Such factors may include, but are not limited to: poor absorption from the gastrointestinal tract hepatic first-pass effect ...

See also:

Bioavailability, Bioavailability - Definition, Bioavailability - Absolute bioavailability, Bioavailability - Relative bioavailability, Bioavailability - Factors influencing bioavailability

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A jejunostomy tube is similar to a gastric tube, though generally has a finer bore and smaller diameter, and is surgically inserted into the jejunum rather than the stomach. They are used when the upper gastrointestinal tract must be bypassed completely, and can be used as soon as 12 hours after surgery. Feeding through these tubes are generally commercially prepared to provide adequate nutrition and to not result in clog ...

See also:

Feeding tube, Feeding tube - Nasogastric tube, Feeding tube - Esophagostomy tube, Feeding tube - Gastric feeding tube, Feeding tube - Jejunostomy tube, Feeding tube - Withdrawal

Read more here: » Feeding tube: Encyclopedia II - Feeding tube - Jejunostomy tube

The regulation of appetite has been the subject of much research in the last decade. Breakthroughs included the discovery, in 1995, of leptin, a hormone that appeared to provide negative feedback. Later studies showed that appetite regulation is an immensely complex process involving the gastrointestinal tract, many hormones, and both the central and autonomic nervous systems. Appetite - Effector. The hypothalamus, a part of the brain, is the main regulatory organ for appetite. The neurones that regulate a ...

See also:

Appetite, Appetite - Regulation, Appetite - Effector, Appetite - Sensor, Appetite - Role in disease, Appetite - Pharmacology

Read more here: » Appetite: Encyclopedia II - Appetite - Regulation

Coronaviruses primarily infect the upper respiratory and gastrointestinal tract. Four to five of total isolated strains of coronaviruses infect humans. The most publized human coronavirus, SARS-CoV, has a unique pathogenesis because it causes both upper and lower respiratory tract infections and can also cause gastroenteritis. Coronaviruses are believed to cause a significant percentage of all common colds in human adults. Coronaviruses cause colds in humans primarily in the winter and early spring seasons. The significance of coronaviruses ...

See also:

Coronavirus, Coronavirus - Diseases of coronavirus, Coronavirus - SARS, Coronavirus - Recent discoveries of novel human coronaviruses, Coronavirus - Species

Read more here: » Coronavirus: Encyclopedia II - Coronavirus - Diseases of coronavirus

At therapeutic doses, the drug acts centrally to elevate the threshold for coughing, without inhibiting ciliary activity. DXM is rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, and exerts its activity within 15 to 60 minutes of ingestion. The duration of action after oral administration is approximately three to six hours. Because administration of DXM can be accompanied by histamine release, its use in atopic children is very limited. The average dosage necessary for effective antitussive ther ...

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Dextromethorphan, Dextromethorphan - Chemistry, Dextromethorphan - Indications, Dextromethorphan - Pharmacodynamics, Dextromethorphan - Clinical pharmacology, Dextromethorphan - History

Read more here: » Dextromethorphan: Encyclopedia II - Dextromethorphan - Pharmacodynamics

In the small intestine, dietary fat (primarily triglycerides) is digested by enzymes such as pancreatic lipase into smaller molecules which can be absorbed through the wall of the small intestine and enter the circulation for metabolism and storage. As fat is a valuable nutrient, human feces normally contain very little undigested fat. However, a number of diseases of the pancreas and gastrointestinal tract ...

See also:

Fecal fat, Fecal fat - Background, Fecal fat - Microscopy, Fecal fat - Quantitative fecal fat test

Read more here: » Fecal fat: Encyclopedia II - Fecal fat - Background

Infection in humans typically occurs via exposure to animal excrement through the respiratory or gastrointestinal tracts. Inhalation of tiny particles of infective material (aerosol) is believed to be the most significant means of exposure. It is possible to acquire the infection through broken skin or mucous membranes that are directly exposed to infective material. Transmission from person to person has also been established, presenting a disease risk for healthcare workers. Frequency of transmission v ...

See also:

Lassa fever, Lassa fever - The virus and epidemiology, Lassa fever - The disease, Lassa fever - Virus Replication, Lassa fever - Lab tests, Lassa fever - Prevention, Lassa fever - Treatment, Lassa fever - Prognosis, Lassa fever - Lassa fever virus as a biological weapon

Read more here: » Lassa fever: Encyclopedia II - Lassa fever - The disease

Cyclospora cayetanensis is an apicomplexan, cyst-forming coccidian protozoan that causes a self-limiting diarrhea. Morphologically speaking, C. cayetanensis has spherical oocysts that are between 7.5 and 10 micrometers in diameter that also have a 50 nanometer thick wall with an outer threadlike coat that has been called a wrinkle by some researchers. The only hosts C. cayetanensis uses are humans. The protozoan lives out its lifecycle intracellularly within the host’s epithelial cells and gastrointestinal tract ...

See also:

Cyclospora cayetanensis, Cyclospora cayetanensis - Characterization, Cyclospora cayetanensis - Recognition, Cyclospora cayetanensis - Treatment

Read more here: » Cyclospora cayetanensis: Encyclopedia II - Cyclospora cayetanensis - Characterization

Most designs of bread clip consist of a single plastic part through which the neck of a plastic bag can be threaded. Because these bread clips are cheap, ubiquitous, and come in a variety of shapes and colors, some people collect them. Because this type of bread clip is small and comes attached to food packages, it is sometimes swallowed accidentally by the elderly, which can cause perforation or blockage of the gastrointestinal tract. In Canada, milk is often sold by the bag; the most common format is three 1.3-liter sealed ba ...

See also:

Bread clip, Bread clip - Simple bread clips, Bread clip - Mechanical bread clips, Bread clip - Alternatives to bread clips, Bread clip - History

Read more here: » Bread clip: Encyclopedia II - Bread clip - Simple bread clips