Digestion News and Research

RSS

Digestion is the mechanical and chemical breaking down of food into smaller components, to a form that can be absorbed, for instance, into a blood stream. Digestion is a form of catabolism; a break-down of macro food molecules to smaller ones.

Discovery of novel mechanism in the gut microbiome has implications for people with IBD

Many people associate the word "bacteria" with something dirty and disgusting. Dr. Pere Santamaria disagrees. Called the microbiome, the bacteria in our bodies have all kinds of positive effects on our health, Santamaria says. "The bacteria we have in our gut actually have many beneficial functions. They help in our digestion, prevent infection by pathogens and educate our immune system on what to fight."

23 Oct 2017

C-section kids could be at greater risk of being overweight due to differences in their gut bacteria

Researchers from NYU School of Medicine studied the effects of Caesarean section on the weights of the offspring in laboratory mice and found that they are more at risk of becoming overweight and obese.

12 Oct 2017

Prescription drug linked to marked slowing of stomach emptying and weight loss

Liraglutide injection, a prescription medication used to treat type-2 diabetes and obesity is associated with marked slowing of stomach emptying and is an effective weight loss therapy. These are the findings of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study by Mayo Clinic researchers published today in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology.

26 Sep 2017

Combination of anti-malarial drug and photosensitizer could effectively kill cancer cells

Artemisinin, a potent anti-malarial drug, has been widely hailed as a promising alternative cancer treatment. Scientists from the National University of Singapore recently showed that its anti-cancer properties could be enhanced by 10 folds when used in combination with Aminolaevulinic acid, a photosensitizer or a drug which, upon exposure to light, leads to generation of free radicals that can kill cells.

18 Sep 2017

Novel, ultra-rare damaging genetic variants may contribute to eating disorders

By combining whole exome sequencing, machine learning, and network analysis, researchers have identified new, ultra-rare gene mutations within specific biological pathways that may contribute to eating disorders.

5 Sep 2017

Genetics of digestion stayed remarkably the same from fishes to humans, research shows

Scientists have discovered a network of genes and genetic regulatory elements in the lining of the intestines that has stayed remarkably the same from fishes to humans. Many of these genes are linked to human illnesses, such as inflammatory bowel diseases, diabetes and obesity.

30 Aug 2017

FDA grants accelerated approval to new treatment for children with Chagas disease

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today granted accelerated approval to benznidazole for use in children ages 2 to 12 years old with Chagas disease. It is the first treatment approved in the United States for the treatment of Chagas disease.

29 Aug 2017

Mammal embryos discard paternal mitochondria within days of fertilization, new study shows

Mammal embryos shed paternal mitochondria within days of fertilization, perhaps to ensure the offspring a healthy life, a new study shows.

29 Aug 2017

Counteracting premature aging

Aging is the continuing process of such stress exposures, and with advancing age (normal aging), we must carry lots of senescent cells within our bodies. Senescent cells also often provide some ‘bad influences’ to surrounding healthy cells; such as chronic inflammation and tumorigenesis

14 Aug 2017

New research uncovers how dietary fiber helps intestinal cells maintain gut health

UC Davis Health researchers have discovered how by-products of the digestion of dietary fiber by gut microbes act as the right fuel to help intestinal cells maintain gut health.

10 Aug 2017

Scientists discover how CD44s molecule gives brain cancer cells a survival advantage

Understanding the mechanisms that give cancer cells the ability to survive and grow opens the possibility of developing improved treatments to control or cure the disease.

19 Jul 2017

Diabetes leads to increase in autonomic and small fiber neuropathy

Autonomic and small fiber neuropathy used to be considered rare conditions. But with approximately 30 million Americans affected by diabetes – one of the main underlying causes for these diseases – it's an emerging problem.

13 Jul 2017

Modified skin biopsy could provide faster and better diagnosis of inherited, fatal nerve disease

Johns Hopkins physicians report success in a small study of a modified skin biopsy that hastens the earlier diagnosis of an inherited and progressively fatal nerve disease and seems to offer a clearer view of the disorder's severity and progression.

11 Jul 2017

Novel technique to monitor nerve function could transform the way doctors perform surgeries

In a first-of-its-kind study, Mount Sinai researchers have discovered a novel technique to monitor laryngeal and vagus nerve function while patients are under anesthesia during otolaryngology and neurosurgery procedures.

3 Jul 2017

Researchers discover biological link between gut bacteria metabolism and obesity

Cleveland Clinic researchers have uncovered a biological link between gut bacteria metabolism and obesity.

30 Jun 2017

New algorithm shortens drug discovery times from years to months

An algorithm developed at the Hebrew University cuts through the immense number of possible solutions to shorten drug discovery times from years to months.

22 Jun 2017

Gut bacteria play key role in regulating abdominal pain, mice study finds

Scientists at the Science Foundation Ireland-funded APC Microbiome Institute at University College Cork, Ireland, have shown that, at least in mice, gut bacteria play a key role in regulating abdominal pain and its associated changes in the brain and spinal cord.

21 Jun 2017

Digestion News and Research

Further Reading