Stomach News and Research

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Vitamin A's paradoxical role in influencing symmetry during embryonic development revealed

In this week's journal Nature, scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies report that they have solved one of the "holy grail" puzzles of developmental biology: the existence of a mechanism that insures that the exterior of our bodies is symmetrical while inner organs are arranged asymmetrically.

11 May 2005

Nutritious cranberries good for the heart as well

Researchers say that cranberries improve the health of pigs’ hearts and may do the same for humans.

8 May 2005

Lower vaccination rates put children at risk

A study done in part by the University of Alberta shows that children treated with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) have lower vaccination rates than the general population, exposing them to added risk from preventable illnesses such as mumps and measles.

1 May 2005

$Taking extra vitamin D and calcium will not prevent fractures in seniors$

Taking extra vitamin D and calcium will not prevent fractures in seniors

Surprising new research has found that taking vitamin D or calcium does not help prevent repeat fractures in elderly people. In two studies by teams at Aberdeen and York universities, researchers looked at people who had already had a fracture due to osteoporosis, a condition which increases a person's risk of bone fractures.

28 Apr 2005

Research offers hope for treatment of age-related blindness

Rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with anti-inflammatory drugs are 10 times less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common form of blindness in people over 55, researchers at the University of British Columbia and University of Saskatchewan have found.

27 Apr 2005

Children do well with shorter fast before surgery

Children facing surgery can be made more comfortable with little risk by allowing them to have certain liquids up to two hours before the operation, a new review of recent studies has found.

27 Apr 2005

Hereditary colorectal cancer risk lowered in those without certain gene defect

Families with a certain type of hereditary colorectal cancer have a reduced cancer risk if they do not have a gene defect found in many with this type of cancer risk, according to a study in the April 27 issue of JAMA.

26 Apr 2005

Color doppler sonography speeds detection of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants

Measuring blood flow to a newborn's intestines using a special form of ultrasound can help radiologists identify a life-threatening complication in a serious bowel disease, according to a study in the May issue of the journal Radiology.

26 Apr 2005

Hospitalized babies with severe breathing problems may benefit from lying on their stomachs

Infants who are hospitalized with severe breathing problems may benefit from being placed on their stomachs rather than their backs, according to a new review of recent studies.

19 Apr 2005

NSAIDs okay for tonsillectomy, new study finds

When children have their tonsils removed, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used for pain relief with no significant increase in bleeding and with less nausea and vomiting, according to a systematic review of current evidence.

19 Apr 2005

Combination chemotherapy shows small survival benefit in advanced stomach cancer

Patients with advanced stomach cancer have the best chance of prolonging their survival with a combination of chemotherapies instead of just one, according to a new review of previous studies.

19 Apr 2005

Canadian cancer crisis due to aging population

According to a report by the Canadian Cancer Society, Canada's aging baby-boomers and the growing population are creating a cancer crisis, and while survival rates for many major cancers continue to improve, the Society projects that there will be 149,000 new cases of cancer diagnosed this year and 69,500 people will die of the disease, 3,500 more new cases and 1,200 deaths over last year.

12 Apr 2005

Ontario issues warning against unpasteurized milk

Dr. Sheela Basrur, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health, has warned the public not to consume unpasteurized milk.

12 Apr 2005

Bextra withdrawn from market, strong warnings on popular painkillers

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warnings that most popular painkillers can hurt the heart, stomach and skin, and they have told pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to withdraw Bextra a top selling painkiller.

10 Apr 2005

Attacks on WHO staff - progress on Marburg epidemic halted

The World Health Organization (WHO) has suspended its efforts to contain the outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus in Angola, in the northern province of Uige, after staff in their mobile surveillance vehicles have been attacked.

10 Apr 2005

Pfizer withdraws Bextra from market

Despite an expert panel stating last month that the three COX-2 drugs Vioxx, Bextra and Celebrex were safe enough to be marketed, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has this week told drug manufacturer Pfizer to remove the drug Bextra from the market and a statement by Pfizer confirms that the European Union regulators have done the same.

7 Apr 2005

Chronic inflammation caused by too little stomach acid leads to gastric cancer

When it comes to gastric cancer, too little stomach acid can be just as dangerous as too much, according to scientists at the University of Michigan Medical School. Both extremes create inflammatory changes in the stomach lining and a condition called chronic atrophic gastritis, which over time often leads to cancer.

4 Apr 2005

CDC experts sent to Angola to help with Marburg epidemic

In an effort to control the Marburg virus outbreak in Angola, Health officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta will assist the World Health Organization by going to Angola to help with outbreak investigation, infection control and laboratory diagnosis of the disease.

30 Mar 2005

Live laparoscopic banding surgery to be broadcast over the World Wide Web

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) will broadcast its first real-time live surgery over the World Wide Web on April 5, 2005 at 12:00pm (CDT) 1:00pm (EDT). The surgery, called laparoscopic banding, is a relatively new treatment for obesity. The Webcast is part of UAB's continuing effort to familiarize doctors with the latest surgical techniques, and allows the public a real-time look at medical advances.

29 Mar 2005

Calcium crucial to benefits of osteoporosis drugs

Although an increasing number of people are taking powerful new prescription drugs to treat osteoporosis, chances are the majority of patients are not getting the greatest effect from these medicines because they do not have an adequate calcium and vitamin D intake, according to a paper published in the March 2005 issue of The Journal of Women's Health.

23 Mar 2005