Gastroenterology News and Research

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Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine where the digestive system and its disorders are studied.

Research provides pathway toward creation of first broad-spectrum antiviral drug

By studying the rare person -- about one in a million -- who can fight off viral infections more effectively than everyone else, investigators at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have developed a strategy to help the rest of us achieve this enhanced anti-viral state.

21 May 2016

Inflammatory response prompted by secretion of cytokines causes acid reflux damage in GERD patients

The "acid" in "acid reflux" may not be the direct cause of damage to the esophagus as previously suspected, according to researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Dallas VA Medical Center.

18 May 2016

Clinical study shows sitagliptin drug not effective in treating NAFLD

A diabetes medication described in some studies as an effective treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) works no better than a placebo, report researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, after conducting the first randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial of sitagliptin, an oral antihyperglycemic marketed by Merck & Co. under the name Januvia.

13 May 2016

Celiac disease more common among Americans with Punjabi ancestry, study shows

About 1.8 million Americans have celiac disease, an immune-based condition brought on by the consumption of gluten in genetically susceptible patients. Among patients diagnosed with celiac disease by small intestinal biopsy in the U.S., those from the Punjab region of India have the highest rates of disease, according to new research published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology,1 the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.

10 May 2016

Medicare policy puts low-income Americans at increased risk for colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is the second highest cause of cancer death in the United States, expected to claim the lives of an estimated 49,190 people in 2016. The Affordable Care Act aimed to increase access to CRC screening by not holding patients responsible for all costs of the procedure, yet current Medicare insurance beneficiaries lacking supplemental insurance may not be able to afford colon cancer screening and treatment.

9 May 2016

Serum biomarkers can help predict risk of IBD development and complications

Years before inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is diagnosed and symptoms exist, biomarkers are already circulating that can help predict risk not only of disease development but also of complications, according to research published online last week, which will also appear in the June 15th print issue of Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics.

6 May 2016

Experimental drug ozanimod moderately effective in treatment of ulcerative colitis

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have shown that ozanimod (RPC1063), a novel drug molecule, is moderately effective in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Results of the Phase II clinical trial will appear in the May 5 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

5 May 2016

Certain sugars in the body play key role in colitis, colon cancer development

An Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist has discovered that certain sugars produced by the body play an important role in the development of colitis and, ultimately, colon cancer. The new finding could potentially lead to therapies for ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and colon cancer.

5 May 2016

MII-pH can help doctors confirm diagnosis of GERD in newborns before treatment

Millions of Americans currently use medication for their indigestion and reflux, so it may come as no surprise that parents and doctors also prescribe medicine for newborns with reflux. However, according to a new study, newborns are likely being over treated the majority of the time with interventions - including surgery - that have risks for the infant.

3 May 2016

Novel gene therapy can treat pulmonary hypertension linked with heart failure

Scientists have used a novel gene therapy to halt the progression of pulmonary hypertension, a form of high blood pressure in the lung blood vessels that is linked to heart failure, according to a study led by Roger J. Hajjar, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Cardiovascular Research Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

30 Apr 2016

CMGH study offers insight into future interventions for Crohn's disease, chronic pancreatitis

Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology is committed to publishing impactful digestive biology research covering a broad spectrum of themes in GI, hepatology and pancreatology. We wanted to share two new CMGH articles, which both offer important insight into future interventions for chronic conditions.

30 Apr 2016

Additional water or milk intake changes dietary pattern in overweight children

New research by Andersen et al, published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, may have an impact on the sugar tax debate. The research team observed overall changes in dietary patterns in overweight children, including a decrease in consumption of sugary drinks, when additional water or milk is added to their diet.

30 Apr 2016

Gut bacteria linked to risk of bloodstream infections after chemotherapy

A new study led by researchers at the University of Minnesota and Nantes University Hospital in France shows that the bacteria in people's gut may predict their risk of life-threatening blood infections following high-dose chemotherapy.

29 Apr 2016

New model can increase active surveillance for low-risk prostate cancer patients

Urologists at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Genesis Healthcare Partners have tested a new model of care for patients with low-risk prostate cancer. The evidence-based approach uses best practices to appropriately select and follow patients to avoid disease overtreatment. Results of the three-year study are now published online in the journal of Urology.

28 Apr 2016

Under-expressed miR-9 gene may contribute to schizophrenia risk

By turning skin cells into brain neurons, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have identified that certain tiny molecules aiding in gene expression, known as microRNAs (miRNAs), are under-expressed in the brains of the 14 schizophrenia patients they studied. Their findings, published online today in the journal Cell Reports, show that one of these molecules, a miRNA known as miR-9, is a risk factor that controls the activity of hundreds of genes.

22 Apr 2016

Naturally-occurring molecule can cause immune cells to go into hyperactive state

Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital report that a fatty chemical naturally found in damaged tissues can induce an unexpected kind of immune response, causing immune cells to go into a "hyperactive" state that is highly effective at rallying infection-fighting T-cells. The findings, published online by Science on April 21, could enhance vaccines and make them much more effective.

22 Apr 2016

Bacteria-derived gut metabolites can affect brain’s myelin content and induce depression-like symptoms

Specific combinations of gut bacteria produce substances that affect myelin content and cause social avoidance behaviors in mice, according to a study conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published today in the medical journal eLife. This research suggests that targeting intestinal bacteria, or their metabolites, could be one way to treat debilitating psychiatric disorders and demyelinating diseases, like multiple sclerosis.

21 Apr 2016

Non-invasive test to diagnose EoE could replace need for repeated endoscopy

A non-invasive test to diagnose and monitor an inflammatory disease that injures the esophagus - called eosinophilic esophagitis or EoE - would replace the need for repeated endoscopy for a growing number of children and adults with this relatively new condition.

21 Apr 2016

New therapy strategy for liver disease shows initial measureable success with norUrso

The new therapy strategy for primary sclerosing cholangitis, a liver disease that at present still cannot be cured with medication, shows initial measureable success with the nor-ursodeoxycholic acid (norUrso).

19 Apr 2016

New study to explore outcomes of pregnancy in Brazilian women with Zika virus

An observational study of pregnant women in Brazil to further understand Zika virus and its impact on reproductive health and fetus development have been launched. William Britt, M.D., professor of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, leads the study, which complements his current research in Brazil on cytomegalovirus infection during pregnancy.

18 Apr 2016

Gastroenterology News and Research

Further Reading

Research provides pathway toward creation of first broad-spectrum antiviral drug

Inflammatory response prompted by secretion of cytokines causes acid reflux damage in GERD patients

Clinical study shows sitagliptin drug not effective in treating NAFLD

Celiac disease more common among Americans with Punjabi ancestry, study shows

Medicare policy puts low-income Americans at increased risk for colorectal cancer

Serum biomarkers can help predict risk of IBD development and complications

Experimental drug ozanimod moderately effective in treatment of ulcerative colitis

Certain sugars in the body play key role in colitis, colon cancer development

MII-pH can help doctors confirm diagnosis of GERD in newborns before treatment

Novel gene therapy can treat pulmonary hypertension linked with heart failure

CMGH study offers insight into future interventions for Crohn's disease, chronic pancreatitis

Additional water or milk intake changes dietary pattern in overweight children

Gut bacteria linked to risk of bloodstream infections after chemotherapy

New model can increase active surveillance for low-risk prostate cancer patients

Under-expressed miR-9 gene may contribute to schizophrenia risk

Naturally-occurring molecule can cause immune cells to go into hyperactive state

Bacteria-derived gut metabolites can affect brain’s myelin content and induce depression-like symptoms

Non-invasive test to diagnose EoE could replace need for repeated endoscopy

New therapy strategy for liver disease shows initial measureable success with norUrso

New study to explore outcomes of pregnancy in Brazilian women with Zika virus

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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