Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Latest Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

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

Could worm infection counter IBD? An interview with Dr Loke and Dr Cadwell

The hygiene hypothesis refers to the idea that decreased exposure to certain infectious agents (because of better hygiene) is the reason why we have seen an increase in inflammatory diseases in the developed world.

17 May 2016

Rotavirus vaccine program reduces hospitalization rates by more than 70% in Ontario

Hospitalization for rotavirus infections decreased by > 70% following the introduction of a vaccine program in Ontario, Canada, according to a study published May 11, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Sarah Wilson from Public Health Ontario and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Canada, and colleagues.

13 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

Set of 16 different substances in the breath can help identify IBS patients

There is currently no specific diagnostic test for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but now researchers have identified a combination of 16 different substances in the breath that, when measured together, can accurately distinguish IBS patients from people without the condition.

11 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

Pathogen-selective approach to antibiotic development less disruptive to gut microbiome

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists report the first evidence that a pathogen-specific antibiotic was less disruptive to the gut microbiome than broad-spectrum antibiotics.

10 May 2016

NYUCD awarded $1.6M grant to explore biological and physiological effects of e-cig use on oral health

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, a division of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded NYU College of Dentistry Professors Deepak Saxena, MS, PhD, and Xin Li, PhD, a four-year $1.6M NIDCR grant to study the biological and physiological effects of electronic cigarette aerosol mixtures on oral health.

10 May 2016

Caltech researchers discover new potential cause for Crohn's disease

The community of beneficial bacteria that live in our intestines, known as the gut microbiome, are important for the development and function of the immune system. There has been growing evidence that certain probiotics--therapies that introduce beneficial bacteria into the gut--may help alleviate some of the symptoms of intestinal disorders such as Crohn's disease.

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

Genetic variations that prevent beneficial gut bacteria from working may lead to Crohn's disease

A major type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may be caused in part by genetic variants that prevent beneficial bacteria in the gut from doing their job, according to a new study published today in the journal Science.

6 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

Study highlights importance of routine osteoporosis screening for men

Screening women for osteoporosis is now routine, however, when it comes to men, most are never screened and therefore suffer the consequences of the disease. In the U.S., nearly 1.5 million men over 65 have osteoporosis, and another 3.5 million men are at risk for developing the disease.

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

Researchers develop computer model to reveal how antibiotic-resistant microbes develop and spread

Researchers from the Scientific Research Institute of Physical-Chemical Medicine, MIPT, the company M&S Decisions and the research department of Yandex have built a computer model of the interaction between different bacteria, and between bacteria and the gut wall.

5 May 2016

Human milk hormones may play vital role in shaping healthy infant microbiome

A new University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus study finds that hormones in breast milk may impact the development of healthy bacteria in infants' guts, potentially protecting them from intestinal inflammation, obesity and other diseases later in life.

5 May 2016

Candida yeast infections more common in men with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder

In a study prompted in part by suggestions from people with mental illness, Johns Hopkins researchers found that a history of Candida yeast infections was more common in a group of men with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder than in those without these disorders, and that women with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who tested positive for Candida performed worse on a standard memory test than women with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who had no evidence of past infection.

4 May 2016

Study shows syringe-like device acts as traffic cop directing bacteria to carry out infection

A study has found that a syringe-like device used to invade intestinal cells also acts as a traffic cop -- directing bacteria where to go and thereby enabling them to efficiently carry out infection.

4 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

Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Latest Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

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

Could worm infection counter IBD? An interview with Dr Loke and Dr Cadwell

Rotavirus vaccine program reduces hospitalization rates by more than 70% in Ontario

Clinical study shows sitagliptin drug not effective in treating NAFLD

Set of 16 different substances in the breath can help identify IBS patients

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

Pathogen-selective approach to antibiotic development less disruptive to gut microbiome

NYUCD awarded $1.6M grant to explore biological and physiological effects of e-cig use on oral health

Caltech researchers discover new potential cause for Crohn's disease

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

Genetic variations that prevent beneficial gut bacteria from working may lead to Crohn's disease

Serum biomarkers can help predict risk of IBD development and complications

Study highlights importance of routine osteoporosis screening for men

Experimental drug ozanimod moderately effective in treatment of ulcerative colitis

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

Researchers develop computer model to reveal how antibiotic-resistant microbes develop and spread

Human milk hormones may play vital role in shaping healthy infant microbiome

Candida yeast infections more common in men with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder

Study shows syringe-like device acts as traffic cop directing bacteria to carry out infection

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

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Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Latest Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Pittcon Keynote Speaker Highlights eBook

Synthetic Biology and the Pursuit of Living Diagnostics

Modular, Scalable, Intelligent: How n6 Is Rethinking NGS Library Prep

Evolving spectrophotometry for modern biopharma workflows

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