||Last Updated: Nov 17th, 2006 - 22:35:04
British scientists create artificial stomach
British scientists have created the world's first artificial stomach that may allow us to understand what happens in the gut and help develop healthier foods to manipulate the digestive process.
Nov 12, 2006, 17:50
Researchers find a gene variant that protects against development of IBD
The discovery by a six-member Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Genetics Consortium of a genetic risk factor for IBD has been reported in Science Express, the online publication of the journal Science.
Oct 27, 2006, 16:51
MR Elastography may help in early diagnosis of liver fibrosis
Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a new technique for using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to accurately measure the hardness or elasticity of the liver. First tests show this technology -- called MR Elastography (MRE) -- holds great promise for detecting liver fibrosis, a common condition that can lead to incurable cirrhosis if not treated in time.
Sep 8, 2006, 17:11
Lactose intolerance does not mean total avoidance of dairy foods
A new American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) report1 released today in Pediatrics recommends children with lactose intolerance* include dairy foods as part of a healthy diet in order to get enough calcium, vitamin D, protein and other nutrients essential for bone health and overall growth. The report cautions that lactose intolerance should not require total avoidance of dairy foods.
Sep 5, 2006, 17:53
Why does prolonged IV feeding damage the liver?
Children who cannot eat on their own because of intestinal failure must rely on parenteral nutrition (PN), an intravenous method of feeding. Unfortunately, long-term PN can cause life-threatening liver disease, especially in infants, for reasons that have been unknown. Many infants who develop this complication die within a year of diagnosis, unless they can be weaned off PN or receive a liver/small intestine transplant. In the July issue of Pediatrics, researchers at Children's Hospital Boston report saving two babies' lives – with one able to come off a liver-transplant list – simply by changing the type of fat used in the PN solution.
Jul 3, 2006, 23:20
Oral enzyme therapy for celiac sprue may mean less dietary restrictions
Scientists have discovered what may be a successful non-dietary therapy for celiac sprue, an inherited inflammatory disorder of the small intestine that impacts an estimated 1 in 200 people around the world. Two research studies, published in the June issue of Chemistry and Biology, pave the way for clinical testing with an oral enzyme therapy that may prevent the many symptoms and complications of this widespread disease.
Jun 24, 2006, 16:16
Coffee may reduce risk of alcoholic cirrhosis
Drinking coffee may be related to a reduced risk of developing the liver disease alcoholic cirrhosis, according to a report in the June 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Cirrhosis progressively destroys healthy liver tissue and replaces it with scar tissue. Viruses such as hepatitis C can cause cirrhosis, but long-term, heavy alcohol use is the most common cause of the disease in developed countries, according to background information in the article. Most alcohol drinkers, however, never develop cirrhosis; other factors that may play a role include genetics, diet and nutrition, smoking and the interaction of alcohol with other toxins that damage the liver.
Jun 13, 2006, 13:33
Benefits of Polyflex Esophageal Stents For Treating Refractory Benign Esophageal Strictures
Boston Scientific Corporation on 23 May announced the results of two studies on the use of its Polyflex® Esophageal Stent, a fully covered, self-expanding, silicone-coated temporary stent designed for use in patients with refractory benign or malignant esophageal strictures. The results of these studies were presented at the Digestive Disease Week® (DDW®) meeting in Los Angeles.
May 25, 2006, 12:59
Novel visualization by SpyGlass System may reduce repeat ERCP procedures
ERCP is a specialized endoscopic procedure that is performed with fluoroscopy and contrast injection to examine and treat conditions of the bile ducts and pancreas, such as removing gallstones, opening obstructed bile ducts, and obtaining biopsies in suspected tumors. Conventional ERCP is hindered by the flat, two-dimensional, black and white image rendered by fluoroscopy, which can make it difficult to determine where to obtain tissue samples and potentially lead to an inaccurate or inconclusive clinical diagnosis. As a result, gastrointestinal endoscopists may need to conduct additional testing or even repeat the entire ERCP procedure. Data shows that up to 30 percent of diagnostic ERCPs are inconclusive, potentially creating the need for additional testing.
May 25, 2006, 12:53
Endoscopic clips useful in patients on coumadin anticoagulation therapy undergoing colonoscopy
Endoscopists traditionally achieve endoscopic hemostasis with a combination of injection therapy and electrocautery. However, electrocautery is often associated with risks and complications, such as recurrent bleeding and delayed ulcer healing. Alternatively, endoscopic hemostasis can be achieved with mechanical clips - a method that is less widely known or employed compared to electrocautery.
The hemostasis study, led by Sri Komanduri, M.D., of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, analyzed the use of the Resolution Clip as an alternative to electrocautery as the primary mechanism of hemostasis after epinephrine injection. The results of the 10-patient study demonstrated that adequate endoscopic hemostasis was achieved with the use of Resolution Clip instead of electrocautery in combination with injection therapy in all patients. None of the cases in the study required electrocautery and none of the patients had clinical or laboratory evidence of rebleeding.
May 25, 2006, 12:46
Chronic hepatitis in pediatric liver transplant patients
A new study on the long-term outcome of children undergoing liver transplants found that chronic hepatitis (CH) was common and that it was not detectible using standard blood tests. The presence of autoantibodies (antibodies that attack the body's own tissues) in these patients indicates that although not fully understood, CH may be related to the immune response.
May 3, 2006, 01:22
Camera pill to look at stomach problems
West Virginia University (WVU) Hospitals in the US has implemented "camera pill technology" that allows doctors to look inside the small intestine and diagnose problems.
May 2, 2006, 22:43
Novel mechanism of action of lubiprostone provides effective and predictable relief in chronic idiopathic constipation
Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc., announced today that AMITIZA (lubiprostone), 24-mcg soft-gel capsules, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in January 2006, is now available by prescription in pharmacies across the United States for the treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation in adults. AMITIZA (pronounced ahm-e-TEASE-a) is the first selective chloride channel activator approved for therapeutic use in chronic idiopathic constipation, a condition that affects both men and women and affects patients over the age of 65 more frequently.
Apr 25, 2006, 21:01
Nanoparticles may pose threat to hepatocytes
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh are to study the effects of nanoparticles on the liver. In a UK first, the scientists will assess whether nanoparticles –already found in pollution from traffic exhaust, but also used in making household goods such as paint, sunblock, food, cosmetics and clothes– can cause damage to the cells of the liver.
Apr 5, 2006, 14:08
Treatment reduces gastric ulcers in at-risk patients using long-term NSAIDS
Results from two clinical trials, to be published in the April 2006 edition of the American Journal of Gastroenterology, indicate that esomeprazole magnesium can reduce the incidence of gastric (stomach) ulcers in patients at risk of developing gastric ulcers and who regularly take either non-selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or COX-2-selective NSAIDs.
Mar 30, 2006, 15:08
How coffee can reduce the risk of alcohol-induced pancreatitis.
Scientists have known for some time that coffee can reduce the risk of alcoholic pancreatitis, but have been unable to determine how. Researchers at the University have now discovered that caffeine can partially close special channels within cells, reducing to some extent the damaging effects of alcohol products on the pancreas.
Mar 13, 2006, 20:35
Vaccinating Infants of Hepatitis B Mothers Prevents Infection - Systematic Review
Immunising newborn infants of mothers with hepatitis B prevents infection being transmitted from mother to child, finds a study published online by the BMJ.
Jan 31, 2006, 19:00
Need for treatment modification in older hepatitis C patients
A new study in Japan examining the effects of combination therapy on older patients with hepatitis C found more adverse effects necessitating discontinuation of treatment, lowering of dosages, and lower long-term benefits in this age group.
Jan 6, 2006, 03:35
Why smokers rarely suffer from ulcerative colitis
Doctors have long known that smokers rarely suffer from a common form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) called ulcerative colitis, but they didn't know why. A new study in the December 19 issue of The Journal of Experimental Medicine might help explain this apparent resistance. Scott Plevy and his colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh now show that carbon monoxide (CO), a component of cigarette smoke, helps shut down the intestinal inflammation that causes ulcerative colitis.
Dec 20, 2005, 00:16
Large study pinpoints causes of primary biliary cirrhosis
A case-control study of more than 2000 people has identified a number of factors that may induce primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) in genetically susceptible individuals. These include a history of urinary tract infections, hormone replacement therapy, tobacco use, and nail polish use. The study is published in the November 2005 issue of Hepatology, the official journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).
Nov 2, 2005, 03:32
Stomach Can't Digest Lies
A study conducted by 16-year-old 'Trisha' and her dad Dr. P. Jay Pasricha, director of the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, shows the digestive tract is uniquely sensitive to mental stress. It also suggests that changes in gastric physiology perform better than standard polygraph methods in distinguishing between lying and telling the truth. The University of Texas study, released at the 70th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology, demonstrates a clear link between the act of lying and a significant increase in gastric arrhythmia.
Nov 1, 2005, 13:27
Nobel Medicine Prize for discovering cause of peptic ulcers
Australian gastroenterologist Barry Marshall and pathologist Robin Warren were awarded the 2005 Nobel Medicine Prize today for discovering that the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is responsible for stomach inflammation and ulcers. Each year, there are nearly half a million people newly diagnosed with ulcers in the U.S., an annual cost to the health care system of $2 billion.
Oct 4, 2005, 00:41
Obese mice are more susceptible to liver abnormalities
Mice that were fed diets high in fat and sugar developed immune system abnormalities in their livers, including reduced numbers of natural killer T (NKT) cells. These diet-related changes may contribute to obesity-related liver disease, according to a new study. The study is published in the October 2005 issue of Hepatology, the official journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).
Oct 4, 2005, 00:34
Exercise, eating right could ease IBS, diarrhea and constipation
Physical activity may help reduce gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in people who are obese. In a study published today in the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, researchers found that a high body mass index (BMI) and lack of physical activity were associated with an increase in GI symptoms such as stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Oct 4, 2005, 00:32
Dark chocolate helps diarrhea
A new study conducted by researchers at Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland is the first to discover that a chemical in cocoa beans can limit the development of fluids that cause diarrhea. Cocoa beans contain a large amount of chemicals called flavonoids. Scientists believe that these flavonoids can be used to create natural supplements to ease diarrhea symptoms. Dark chocolate contains high concentrations of cocoa and may offer mild relief.
Oct 2, 2005, 14:49
Budesonide Prolongs Remission of Crohn's Disease
In a study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology, researchers found that budesonide capsules are an effective treatment to prolong and maintain the period of remission of Crohn’s Disease. Previous studies have demonstrated that budesonide is effective for inducing remission of Crohn’s disease.
Sep 14, 2005, 01:59
Acupuncture Takes On Acid Reflux
Going in circles with hiatal hernia, and while H. pylori caused ulcers, did it protect against reflux?
Sep 4, 2005, 09:06
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) related sleep disorders trial results published
The first major multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial addressing therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) related sleep disorders is published in the September issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology. This study demonstrated that effective acid suppression therapy with a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), either 20 mgs or 40 mgs of esomeprazole, relieved nighttime heartburn symptoms and GERD-related sleep disturbances, which significantly improved sleep quality and thereby improved work productivity.
Sep 4, 2005, 08:22
Genome wide approach to pinpoint gene activations in IBD
In a paper published in PLoS Medicine researchers from the German Genome Research Network have analysed the expression of thousands of genes from patients with inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease) using a genome wide approach to produce a comprehensive picture of which genes are activated in these conditions.
Aug 23, 2005, 21:02
TWEAK Induces Liver Progenitor Cell Proliferation
Liver injury can occur as a result of alcohol toxicity, necrosis, or a host of other factors. When the liver is injured, it responds with progenitor cell (oval cell) proliferation in the remaining parts of the organ. The oval cells can become either liver cells or epithelial cells, and are vital for recovery from liver injury. But the regulation of oval cell expansion is not well understood.
Aug 19, 2005, 13:51