Three out of 20 scopes used to examine GI tracts and colons improperly cleaned
Three out of 20 flexible gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopes used for screening were found to harbor unacceptable levels of "bio dirt"– cells and matter from a patient's body that could pose potential...
View ArticleBiologists identify mechanism by which beneficial bacteria reside and thrive...
(Medical Xpress)—The human body is full of tiny microorganisms—hundreds to thousands of species of bacteria collectively called the microbiome, which are believed to contribute to a healthy existence....
View ArticleArticle examines fecal microbiota transplantation
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has emerged as a highly effective treatment for recurrent Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection, with very early experience suggesting that it may also...
View ArticleScientists discover new routes for immune cells to tackle infections of the gut
An international collaboration between scientists in Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (MSSM) New York has led to novel discoveries involving new routes of...
View ArticleSource of chlamydia reinfections may be GI tract
The current standard of care treatment for chlamydia sometimes fails to eradicate the disease, according to a review published ahead of print in Infection and Immunity, and the culprit may be in the gut.
View ArticleGrowing human GI cells may lead to personalized treatments
(Medical Xpress)—A method of growing human cells from tissue removed from a patient's gastrointestinal (GI) tract eventually may help scientists develop tailor-made therapies for inflammatory bowel...
View ArticlePill coated with tiny needles can deliver drugs directly into the lining of...
Given a choice, most patients would prefer to take a drug orally instead of getting an injection. Unfortunately, many drugs, especially those made from large proteins, cannot be given as a pill because...
View ArticleNovel computational modeling, GI tract microorganisms
Dr. Arul Jayaraman, professor of chemical engineering at Texas A&M University and holder of the Ray B. Nesbitt Professorship, has collaborated with researchers from Tufts University School of...
View Article'Molecular truck' could deliver new treatment
University of Arizona researchers have developed a novel drug and delivery system to treat inflammation and ulcerations in the colon.
View ArticleBreastfeeding, other factors help shape immune system early in life
Henry Ford Hospital researchers say that breastfeeding and other factors influence a baby's immune system development and susceptibility to allergies and asthma by what's in their gut.
View ArticleThe tadpole endoscope—new diagnostic device in the fight against cancer
Engineers have developed a new medical device aimed at improving diagnostic procedures for various cancers: the tadpole endoscope (TE).
View ArticleEverolimus improves progression-free survival for patients with advanced,...
In an international Phase III randomized study, everolimus, an inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), has shown to dramatically improve progression-free survival for patients with...
View ArticleUsing ultrasound to improve drug delivery
Using ultrasound waves, researchers from MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have found a way to enable ultra-rapid delivery of drugs to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This approach could...
View ArticleIntestinal microbes may speed progression from HIV to AIDS
The advent of antiretroviral therapy—a combination of medications used to slow the progression of HIV—has allowed many people infected with the virus to live long, productive lives. But the therapy...
View ArticleGenetic switch turned on during fasting helps stop inflammation
A molecular pathway that is activated in the brain during fasting helps halt the spread of intestinal bacteria into the bloodstream, according to a new study by a team of researchers at the Salk...
View ArticleSensory neurons detect fullness and nutrients in the GI tract in surprising ways
After eating a meal, you can thank your vagus nerve for sensing and signaling that feeling of fullness to your brain. That same nerve also detects nutrients and controls digestion.
View ArticleResearchers identify new drug target for gastrointestinal stromal tumors
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Mayo Clinic provide the first evidence that the Hedgehog signaling pathway is central to the formation of gastrointestinal...
View ArticleProbiotics improve cognition in Alzheimer's patients
For the first time, scientists have shown that probiotics—beneficial live bacteria and yeasts taken as dietary supplements—can improve cognitive function in humans. In a new clinical trial, scientists...
View ArticleA gastroenterologist sheds light on Crohn's
When Garth Swanson's patients learn they have been diagnosed with Crohn's disease, one of the first things they tend to do is seek out others who have it too—friends, family members, people online.
View ArticleInfectious diseases A-Z: infants, babies and germs
It's important to provide a safe and healthy environment for children, especially infants. You should always try to protect children from cigarette smoke, chemical irritants and others hazards, and...
View ArticleUltrasound waves propel rapid delivery of RNA to treat colon inflammation
MIT and Brigham and Women's Hospital researchers have demonstrated that they can deliver strands of RNA efficiently to colon cells, using bursts of ultrasound waves that propel the RNA into the cells....
View ArticleFood and antibiotics may change microorganisms in gut, causing IBS
A recent review of research suggests that changes to the microorganisms (microbiota) in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract may be a cause of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The review article is published...
View ArticleGiardiasis may be a disease of the ecology of the GI tract
Colonization by the human and animal parasite, Giardia, changed the species composition of the mouse microbiome in a way that might be harmful. The research is published in Infection and Immunity, a...
View ArticleFirst-ever autonomously controlled 'capsule robot' explores colon
New research shows that an 18-mm magnetized capsule colonoscope, which can be paired with standard medical instruments, successfully performed intricate maneuvers inside the colon while guided by an...
View ArticleLab grown human colons change study of GI disease
Scientists used human pluripotent stem cells to generate human embryonic colons in a laboratory that function much like natural human tissues when transplanted into mice, according to research...
View ArticleProtein associated with Parkinson's disease linked to human upper GI tract...
Acute and chronic infections in a person's upper gastrointestinal tract appear to be linked to Parkinson's disease, say scientists at Georgetown University Medical Center and their collaborators at the...
View ArticleIt's not just what you eat, it's what's eating you
Restricting how much you eat without starving has been shown to robustly extend lifespan in more than 20 species of animals including primates. How this works is still unclear. In a new study published...
View ArticleLower levels of antioxidants may lessen damage from colitis
A new study finds that lowering the levels of an antioxidant in the colon has an unexpectedly positive effect on gastrointestinal (GI) inflammation. The paper is published ahead of print in the...
View ArticleAntifungals and probiotics may play a key role in the development of...
Scientists have determined that fungus may play a key role in chronic intestinal inflammation disorders. They found that patients with Crohn's disease tend to have much higher levels of the fungus...
View ArticleStudy: Site of first chlamydia exposure makes big difference
Exposing the gut to chlamydia protects against subsequent infection in the genital tract and other tissues, researchers from UT Health San Antonio discovered. Chlamydia is the nation's most common...
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