Gastrointestinal Tract News and Research

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Composition, function of intestinal bacteria could predict response to biologic drugs in IBD patients

Analysis of a patient's gut microbiome - the microbial population of the gastrointestinal tract - may be able to predict the likelihood of successful treatment for inflammatory bowel disease with biologic drugs that target immune system activity.

16 May 2017

Study findings may help shed light on cause of systemic sclerosis

Americans and Norwegians with systemic sclerosis had higher levels of bacteria that can cause inflammation and lower levels of bacteria that are believed to protect against inflammation compared with healthy people, according to a new study by researchers from UCLA and Oslo University.

12 May 2017

Study shows how probiotic improves integrity of the GI epithelial cell wall in HIV patients

A newly released study published in the Journal of Immunity, Inflammation and Disease and conducted by the Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, found a multi-strain, high concentration, probiotic formulation that helped reconstitute the physical and immunological integrity of the gastrointestinal lining in HIV-1-positive patients on antiretroviral therapy.

3 May 2017

Experts highlight need for further research on differences between milk proteins

New knowledge on milk composition and quality is of essential importance to consumers as well as the industry. There are therefore considerable research efforts in milk worldwide.

28 Apr 2017

Researchers explore link between gut microbiome and nutrition in autism spectrum disorder

Over the last decade, research has revealed more about the human gut microbiome—the environment within the gastrointestinal tract—where microbes, especially bacteria, reside. Recently, more has become known about the function of those microbes and the microbiome's connection with health and disease.

28 Apr 2017

New study makes wireless medical electronics for treating the GI tract one step closer to reality

Imagers, gastric pacemakers and other diagnostic and therapeutic tools could someday transform the way diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are measured and treated. But in order for these electronic devices to work, they need a power source.

27 Apr 2017

Researchers develop new approach to protect stem cell recipients from graft-versus-host disease

Stem cell transplants can save lives, for example in patients with leukemia. However, these treatments are not free of risks. One complication that may occur is graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), basically donor-derived immune cells attacking the recipient’s body.

21 Apr 2017

Antimicrobial protein reduces creamy white lesions linked to oral thrush in mouse models

An antimicrobial protein caused a dramatic reduction in the creamy white lesions associated with oral thrush in a preclinical study, report microbiologists with McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

11 Apr 2017

Combination of NSAIDs and gastric protection can lead to inflammation in small intestine

Patients with inflammatory diseases are often prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They are also often recommended to use a proton pump inhibitor to protect their stomach.

11 Apr 2017

BodyCap wins medical CE mark for ingestible connected pill e-Celsius

BodyCap, a company specialized in miniaturized wireless monitoring devices for e-health applications, today announces that it has obtained the medical CE mark for e-Celsius from the LNE Gmed certifying organization.

13 Mar 2017

Mice study shows role of yeast in aggravating IBD symptoms

During the past decade, the gut has experienced a renaissance as investigations focus on the role of the microbiome on human health.

8 Mar 2017

Dental plaque DNA of Neandertals provides insights into behaviour, diet and medication

Ancient DNA found in the dental plaque of Neandertals - our nearest extinct relative - has provided remarkable new insights into their behaviour, diet and evolutionary history, including their use of plant-based medicine to treat pain and illness.

8 Mar 2017

Scientists reveal new ‘threshold theory’ of how Parkinson's disease spreads

The toxic protein behind Parkinson's disease may not spread like an infection from nerve cell to nerve, according to a new theory by Technion and Harvard University scientists.

2 Mar 2017

New research pinpoints how immigrant microbes get to the lungs

They traveled a huge distance, evaded a protective barrier, and found themselves in a strange and unwelcoming land.

23 Feb 2017

UAB to bring advanced cancer-fighting radiation technology to Alabama

The University of Alabama at Birmingham will partner with Proton International to bring proton therapy, one of the most technically advanced forms of cancer-killing radiation, to Alabama.

17 Feb 2017

New ‘MAGIC algorithm’ can predict transplant patient’s risk of developing graft-versus-host disease

Researchers at Mount Sinai Health System have discovered a way to predict whether blood cancer patients who received a bone marrow transplant will develop graft-versus-host disease, a common and often lethal complication, according to a study published in JCI Insight.

9 Feb 2017

Study could provide novel therapeutic approach for preventing severe jaundice in newborn babies

For many newborn babies, an enzyme that breaks down the molecule bilirubin doesn't activate right away. The resulting bilirubin buildup can lead to jaundice, a typically harmless condition that causes a baby's skin to temporarily appear yellow.

6 Feb 2017

Researchers develop ingestible devices that derive long-term power from stomach and small intestine

A research team led by scientists from Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has developed a set of ingestible devices that draw energy from fluids in the stomach and the small intestine, and can provide power for nearly a week.

6 Feb 2017

Changes in astronaut's gut microbes linked to spaceflight

Northwestern University researchers studying the gut bacteria of Scott and Mark Kelly, NASA astronauts and identical twin brothers, as part of a unique human study have found that changes to certain gut "bugs" occur in space.

3 Feb 2017

UT Southwestern scientists discover gene that protects gut from IBD

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have identified a gene that protects the gut from inflammatory bowel disease.

2 Feb 2017