The Luo are the second-largest ethnic group of Kenya, living in the LakeVictoria region and the Upper Bilevalley. In 1987 they numbered some 2,650,000. The Luo traditionally live by farming livestock. The Luo language is of the Nilo-Saharan (Nilotic) family. Research Luo
Bile is a yellow, bitter, liquor, secreted from the liver stored in the gall bladder. After secretion, bile is collected by the biliary ducts, which unite to form the hepatic duct, whence it passes into the duodenum, or by the cystic duct into the gall-bladder to be retained there until required for use. Research Bile
The celiac ganglia are large clusters of nerve fibres which are related to the sympathetic nervous system. They are located on either side of the aorta, near where the celiac artery begins. Nerves extend from the sympathetic trunk to the celiac ganglia and from there to the stomach, gall bladder, bile ducts, adrenal glands, and further to the inferior and superior mesenteric ganglia, which innervate the intestines. Research Celiac Ganglia
Colic (named from colon, a portion of the large intestine), is a painful disorder of the bowels, usually of a spasmodic character, unaccompanied by diarrhoea, and presenting itself in various forms. When the pain is accompanied with a vomiting of bile or with obstinate costiveness it is called a bilious colic; if with windy distension, it takes the name of flatulent or windy colic; if with heat and inflammation, it takes the name of inflammatory colic, or enteritis. 'There are many other varieties of this complaint, some of which are peculiar to certain occupations or districts, as the painters colic and the Devonshire colic. Research Colic
The gall bladder serves the function of concentrating and storing bile, produced in dilute form by the liver, and secreting the bile through the cystic ducts into the duodenum where it can help in digestion. The gall bladder itself is a blue-green organ, about eight centimeters long, located on the underside of the liver. Bile is composed of cholesterol, bilesalts, and bile pigment. The
gall bladder is not critical to the survival of the human, and may be removed without severely adverse effects. The crystallization of the bilesalts in the gall bladder gives rise to gallstones, which often requires surgical correction. Research Gall Bladder
The hepatic ducts transport bile out of the liver. The main hepatic duct is formed by two smaller ducts and this leads to the cystic duct. Joining with the cystic duct (which connects with the gall bladder), the hepatic duct then forms the ductus communis choledochus, or common bile duct, which leads to the duodenum of the small intestine. Research Hepatic Ducts
The intestines are the convoluted membranous tube which extends from the stomach to the anus and which receives the ingested food from the stomach, mixes it with bile, pancreatic juice and intestinal secretions, gives origin to the chyle and delivers the indigestible products from the system. The intestines are divided into the small and large intestine (colon). The small intestine is further divided into three parts: the duodenum, the jejunum and the ileum. The large intestine is divided into the ascending colon, the tansverse colon, the descending colon and the rectum that terminates at the anus. Research Intestines
Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin, conjunctivae, and mucous membranes caused by excessive amounts of bile pigments in the blood tissues. These pigments, normally present in blood as a result of the breakdown of haemoglobin in red blood cells, are filtered through the liver and excreted. Excessive amounts of these pigments produce four types of jaundice. In haemolytic jaundice there is increased production of bile pigment because of red blood-cell damage. This damage can be caused by antibodies created by a mismatched blood transfusion. In infants the antibodies can be caused by prenatal mismatch between the Rhfactor in the infant' s blood and that of the mother. Newborns can also be jaundiced as a consequence of the condition known as hyperbilirubinemia. In these cases, there is a temporary defect in synthesis of the enzyme that breaks down bile to an excretable form. Hepatocellular jaundice occurs when liver cells are damaged either by viruses or by excessive intake of alcohol and lose the ability to filter pigment. Obstructive jaundice
follows physical obstruction of the ducts that transport pigment from the liver to the intestine. Blockage can be due to gallstones, tumour, or inflammation. Research Jaundice
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Luo
