Gastrointestinal Tract News and Research

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Endoscopic imaging: an interview with Len Farris, Vice President of Marketing, Americas, PENTAX Medical

The impact of endoscopic imaging on patient care has been enormous since the first fiber optic systems were introduced more than 50 years ago. Today, high resolution and high definition systems are used to provide clinicians and patients unprecedented images from inside the body.

From PENTAX Medical Company 3 Jul 2013

Research suggests new models for study of Barrett's esophagus

Research focused on the regulation of the adult stem cells that line the gastrointestinal tract of Drosophila suggests new models for the study of Barrett's esophagus.

28 Jun 2013

Researchers identify structures that may help develop human intestinal immune system

The trillions of harmful bacteria that populate the human gut represent a continuous threat to our health. Proper intestinal immune function creates a protective barrier between us and the extensive microbial ecosystem in our intestines. Now, researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine have identified the structures that serve as the foundation for the development of the human intestinal immune system.

21 Jun 2013

Oral probiotic supplement increases vitamin D levels in blood, says study

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism is the first report of an oral probiotic supplement significantly increasing circulating vitamin D levels in the blood.

20 Jun 2013

Mother's exposure to triclocarban while nursing her babies shortens life of female offspring

A mother's exposure to triclocarban, a common antibacterial chemical, while nursing her babies shortens the life of her female offspring, a new study in rats finds. The results were presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

18 Jun 2013

Certain gastrointestinal types of GVHD are associated with worsened quality of life and death

Joseph Pidala, M.D., M.S., assistant member of the Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant and Immunology programs at Moffitt Cancer Center, and colleagues from the Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease Consortium have determined that certain gastrointestinal and liver-related types of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) are associated with worsened quality of life and death.

18 Jun 2013

NGM, MedImmune partner to develop novel therapeutics for treatment of diabetes and obesity

NGM Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. and MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca, announced today that they have entered into an exclusive agreement to discover, develop and commercialize novel therapeutics from NGM's enteroendocrine cell program for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity.

17 Jun 2013

Home treatment improves chronic constipation in children

Home treatment with a simple, battery-operated system that applies four sticky electrode patches to the mid-section allowed a group of children with the most difficult-to-treat, possibly congenital, constipation to reduce soiling and improve elimination, according to results presented today at the 11th World Congress of the International Neuromodulation Society.

12 Jun 2013

Countrywide study in Germany deems PRRT as life-prolonging treatment for patients with NETs

Peptide-receptor radionuclide therapy has been a subject of growing research on neuroendocrine tumors, which take up residence in a variety of organs replete with nerve cells that respond to hormone signaling.

12 Jun 2013

Popular artificial sweetener can modify how the body handles sugar, find researchers

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that a popular artificial sweetener can modify how the body handles sugar.

30 May 2013

Immune system attacks beneficial bacteria in several chronic human diseases

The human gut is loaded with commensal bacteria - "good" microbes that, among other functions, help the body digest food. The gastrointestinal tract contains literally trillions of such cells, and yet the immune system seemingly turns a blind eye. However, in several chronic human diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, HIV/AIDS, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, the immune system attacks these normally beneficial bacteria, resulting in chronic inflammation and contributing to disease progression.

23 May 2013

HI VISION™ Preirus™ ultrasound scanner released by PENTAX Medical

PENTAX Medical Company, a healthcare industry leader in endoscopic imaging, recently announced the release of the HI VISION™ Preirus™ ultrasound scanner. PENTAX Medical, in collaboration with Hitachi-Aloka, has had a rich history of introducing ultrasound scanners to the gastroenterology and pulmonary markets that present new possibilities in imaging capabilities. The new, state-of-the-art HI VISION™ Preirus will continue this tradition, enabling better patient care.

From PENTAX Medical Company 22 May 2013

PENTAX Medical, Hitachi-Aloka Medical to continue development of Endoscopic Ultrasound Systems

PENTAX Medical, a healthcare industry leader in endoscopic imaging, and Hitachi-Aloka Medical, a global leader in ultrasound imaging, recently announced renewed collaborative efforts between the two global companies to enable further innovation in the development of Endoscopic Ultrasound Systems.

From PENTAX Medical Company 18 May 2013

UCSF researchers create first functioning human thymus tissue from embryonic stem cells

Raising hopes for cell-based therapies, UC San Francisco researchers have created the first functioning human thymus tissue from embryonic stem cells, in the laboratory. The researchers showed that, in mice, the tissue can be used to foster the development of white blood cells the body needs to mount healthy immune responses and to prevent harmful autoimmune reactions.

17 May 2013

Changes in specific proteins contribute to 'leaky-gut' wall

Scientists at Trinity College Dublin have made an important advance in understanding the biological factors that keep the lining of the gut wall intact. Associate Professor, Maria O'Sullivan at Trinity's School of Medicine and St James's Hospital and colleagues, showed that changes in specific proteins may contribute to a 'leaky-gut' wall which may have important implications for common chronic digestive diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.

17 May 2013

Implications for manipulating immune response for some inflammatory disorders

Cytokines are molecules produced by immune cells that induce the migration of other cells to sites of infection or injury, promote the production of anti-microbial agents, and signal the production of inflammatory mediators.

14 May 2013

NeuroDerm enrolls patients for Phase IIa clinical trial of ND0612

NeuroDerm, Ltd. announced today that enrollment of patients is ongoing in its Phase IIa clinical trial of ND0612, a novel drug formulation for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

16 Apr 2013

Updated clinical data from phase I study of Ensituximab presented at AACR meeting

Precision Biologics announced today that in conjunction with researchers from Precsion Biologics , Johns Hopkins Medical Center and Duke University Medical Center presented updated clinical data from the phase I study of Ensituximab, a novel therapeutic antibody to treat pancreas and colorectal cancers

11 Apr 2013

Finding avoids needless exposure to potentially toxic treatment

Systemic sclerosis, also known as scleroderma, is a rare autoimmune connective tissue disorder that's difficult to treat. However, thanks to new research at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine, doctors may be able to treat some patients more effectively.