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Latest Research : Gastroenterology
  Last Updated: Apr 7, 2008 - 8:44:29 AM

Healthcare : India Healthcare
India unveils zinc tablet to control diarrhoea
New Delhi, April 7 - India Monday unveiled a zinc dispersible tablet to control diarrhoea, a disease that kills nearly 500,000 children in the country every year.

Apr 7, 2008 - 7:55:20 PM

Latest Research
What change does prokineticin 2/Bv8 have in human hepatocellular carcinoma?
Liver hepatocarcinoma is a highly vascularized cancer, and more and more research is focused on the molecules controlling angiogenesis. In 2001, two novel peptides, known as prokineticin 1/EG-VEGF (PK1/EG-VEGF) and prokineticin 2/Bv8 (PK2/Bv8), were identified, as having potent angiogenic activities. The angiogenic potential of these two peptides during human hepatocellular carcinoma progression was evaluated. These findings show, that only, PK2/Bv8 is expressed in liver and -- surprisingly -- that its expression decreases during hepatocellular carcinoma. Furthermore, these results show that PK2/Bv8 expression is restricted specifically to liver resident macrophages, thus suggesting a role in Kuppfer cell physiology.
Mar 18, 2008 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Alcohol consumption and polymorphisms of cytochromes P4502E1 are high risks for ESCC
Heavier alcohol consumption increases the risk of ESCC. There are synergetic interactions among alcohol drinking and ALDH2, ADH1B, CYP2E1 genotypes. The risk of ESCC in moderate-to-heavy drinkers, ALDH2 (1/2) combined with the ADH1B (1/1) genotype; ALDH2 (1/2) combined with the CYP2E1 (c1/c1) genotype; leads to synergetic interactions, higher than drinkers with ALDH2 (1/1) + ADH1B (1/2 + 2/2); ALDH2 (1/1) + CYP2E1 (c1/c2 + c2/c2).
Mar 13, 2008 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Scientists successfully treat new mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease
March 6, 2008 -- Researchers trying to improve cancer immune therapy have made an unexpected find: They've produced the most accurate mouse model to date of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a cluster of conditions that afflict approximately 1.4 million Americans with abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea.
Mar 6, 2008 - 5:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Type 2 diabetes may be caused by intestinal dysfunction
NEW YORK (March 5, 2008) -- Growing evidence shows that surgery may effectively cure Type 2 diabetes -- an approach that not only may change the way the disease is treated, but that introduces a new way of thinking about diabetes.
Mar 5, 2008 - 5:00:00 AM

Latest Research : Gastroenterology : Inflammatory Bowel Disease : Crohn's Disease
Crohn's disease or gastrointestinal endometriosis?
Crohn's disease may mimic gastrointestinal endometriosis in its clinical presentation.A case report published on January 7, 2008 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology describes such a patient.


Feb 22, 2008 - 8:03:09 AM

Latest Research : Gastroenterology : Liver
small intestinal bacteria overgrowthplays a role in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease?
An article recently published in the January 14 issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology has great significance for NASH. This article will undoubtedly bring about new pathogenesis and treatment of NASH.
Feb 22, 2008 - 7:09:07 AM

Latest Research : Gastroenterology : Inflammatory Bowel Disease : Crohn's Disease
Alternative strategy better for Crohn's Disease
An international research study, published in The Lancet, has thrown into question the current method of treating Crohn’s disease – opening the door to a safer and more effective treatment option for sufferers of the chronic disease.
Feb 22, 2008 - 6:52:59 AM

Latest Research
May inflammatory bowel disease mimic gynecological disorders in its clinical presentation
Endometriosis is a condition of unknown etiology in which endometrial tissue occurs at extra-uterine sites, including ovaries, fallopian tubes, and gastrointestinal tract. It usually occurs between 30 and 40 years of age. Four to 17% of menstruating women develop endometriosis. When the disease involves the small bowel, it usually has a benign course, but in rare circumstances, it may present as abdominal emergency. Invasive bowel endometriosis can present as bowel obstruction. The major cause of obstruction is stricture formation and adhesions, which occasionally mimic Crohn's disease or a malignancy in its clinical presentation.
Feb 22, 2008 - 5:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Do patients with inflammatory bowel disease receive optimal care?
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic recurrent gastrointestinal disease. The disease has a relatively higher morbidity in young adults, in whom growth, education, employment and wellbeing all are adversely influenced. A number of guidelines for management of inflammatory bowel disease are available for bringing evidence-based medicine into full play to improve IBD patient care. What about the actual quality of care for patients with IBD in China?
Feb 22, 2008 - 5:00:00 AM

Latest Research
University of Sydney researchers find new evidence linking kava to liver damage
In recent years, serious concerns about the dangers of kava and the effects on the liver have resulted in regulatory agencies, such as the US Food and Drug Administration and Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration, banning or restricting the sale of kava and kava products.
Feb 22, 2008 - 5:00:00 AM

Latest Research
A strange case of upper obstructive syndrome
Aorto-duodenal fistulae (ADF) are the most frequent aorto-enteric fistulae (80%) and the most frequent presenting sign of ADF is upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGI). A 59-year-old male patient, who underwent an aortic-bi-femoral bypass five years ago, was admitted to the Emergency Room after five days of persistent occlusive syndrome with dyspepsia and biliary vomiting. Computed tomography (CT) scan showed in the third duodenal segment the presence of an area with the characteristics of inflammatory tissue, including air bubbles between the duodenum and aortic-bi-femoral prosthesis adherent to the third duodenal portion (pcomma signq) (Figure 1). Microbiological cultures and scintigraphy were unremarkable. Esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy showed the aortic prosthesis crossing the third segment of duodenal wall occluding the intestinal lumen (Figure 2). At laparotomy, after viscerolisis, the prosthesis was detached from duodenal wall and the intestine failed to close transversely (Figure 3). To protect the intestinal wall, a pediculated fragment of the greater omentum was placed between the duodenum and aortic bypass. Furthermore, a gastrojejunal Roux anastomosis was employed. The prosthesis was not changed because there were no local or systemic signs of infection. The post-operative course was uneventful.
Feb 22, 2008 - 5:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Scientists using laser light to detect potential diseases via breath samples, says new study
By blasting a person's breath with laser light, scientists from the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the University of Colorado at Boulder have shown that they can detect molecules that may be markers for diseases like asthma or cancer.
Feb 18, 2008 - 5:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Europe's most common genetic disease is a liver disorder
Much less widely known than the dangerous consequences of iron deficiencies is the fact that too much iron can also cause problems. The exact origin of the genetic iron overload disorder hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) has remained elusive. In a joint effort, researchers from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the University of Heidelberg, Germany, have now discovered that HH is a liver disease. They report in the current issue of Cell Metabolism that the disorder develops when a crucial gene is lacking in liver cells.

Feb 6, 2008 - 8:55:00 PM

Latest Research
Camera in a pill offers cheaper, easier window on your insides
What if swallowing a pill with a camera could detect the earliest signs of cancer? The tiny camera is designed to take high-quality, color pictures in confined spaces. Such a device could find warning signs of esophageal cancer, the fastest growing cancer in the United States.
Jan 24, 2008 - 5:00:00 AM

Latest Research : Gastroenterology : Liver
Ginsenosaide Rb1 (R1)- chinese medicine ingredient found to protect liver
A study by Han Jing-Yan et al discovered Ginsenosaide Rb1 (R1) is able to prevent hepatic microcirculatory disturbance and subsequent liver injury in mice induced by intestine ischemia and reperfusion (I/R). R1 is one of the major effective ingredients of Panax notoginseng (PN), a traditional Chinese herb medicine frequently included in various compound Chinese medicines for treatment of liver injury and numerous other diseases in China and other Asian countries.


Jan 16, 2008 - 1:48:31 PM

Latest Research
Indian medicinal plant Acanthus ilicifolius may combat liver cancer
Liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the world with a poor prognosis. About three quarters of the cases of liver cancer are found in Southeast Asia, including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, India, and Japan. The frequency of liver cancer in Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa is greater than 20 cases per 100,000 population. Moreover, recent data show the frequency of liver cancer in the U.S. overall is rising.
Jan 16, 2008 - 5:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Eltrombopag effective for hepatitis C patients with low blood-platelet counts
NEW YORK (Dec. 28, 2007) -- For patients with hepatitis C, having a low blood platelet count is a frequent complication associated with advanced disease. This problem is compounded by the fact that standard antiviral treatment for the disease can further reduce platelet numbers to dangerously low levels, effectively denying these patients the treatment they urgently need. Now, research published in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that a new drug, eltrombopag, appears to significantly boost platelet counts, opening the door to effective treatment.
Dec 28, 2007 - 5:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Breath test can discriminate between a bacterial overgrowth and IBS
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is colonized by bacteria immediately after birth; Escherichia coli, Streptococci and Clostridi are the first bacteria harboured by the colon, followed by anaerobic Enterococci, Lattobacilli and Bacteroidi. These commensal bacteria inhabiting the human intestine (i.e., intestinal microflora) participate in the development and maintenance of gut sensory and motor functions, including the promotion of intestinal propulsive activity; on the other hand, intestinal motility represents one of the major control systems of gut microflora, though the sweeping of excessive bacteria from the lumen. There is emerging evidence indicating that changes in this bi-directional interplay contribute to the pathogenesis of gut diseases, such as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
Dec 19, 2007 - 5:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Who is the arch-criminal in the development of hepatopulmonary syndrome?
The hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) develops when an arterial oxygenation deficiency occurs due to intra-pulmonary vascular dilatations that are often associated with severe hepatic disease. HPS occurs in 15-20% of patients with liver cirrhosis undergoing evaluation for orthotopic liver transplantation. Recent studies support that the presence of HPS significantly increases mortality in cirrhosis, particularly in those with decompensated liver disease.
Dec 19, 2007 - 5:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Research reveals secrets of alcohol's effect on brain cells
NEW YORK (Dec. 7, 2007) -- Alcohol triggers the activation of a variety of genes that can influence the health and activity of brain cells, and new research from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City sheds light on how that process occurs.
Dec 7, 2007 - 5:00:00 AM

Latest Research
The most important candidate genes for pancreatic stone formation
Stone formation is an important feature of chronic pancreatitis, especially tropical calcific pancreatitis (TCP), where the stones are large in size, highly irregular in shape and cause enormous tissue destruction. The exact mechanism of stone formation is not well-understood. It is very important to understand the initial event so that stone formation can be controlled before it causes obstruction and damage to the pancreatic tissue. One such study was recently reported in the November 28 issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology because of its significance in pancreatic diseases.
Nov 13, 2007 - 5:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Antegrade bowel intussusception can cause recurrent, chronic postoperative intestinal obstruction
Several complications can be seen after pancreatic surgery, most notably bleeding, infections and anastomotic dehiscence. Bowel obstruction can also be seen due to internal hernias or anastomotic strictures. A more unusual etiology for bowel obstruction in this setting is intussusception.
Nov 13, 2007 - 5:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Hepatitis C treatment reduces the virus but serious liver problems may progress
Patients with chronic hepatitis C and advanced liver disease who did not respond to previous standard therapy experienced significant decreases in their liver enzymes, viral levels, and liver inflammation following treatment with long-term pegylated interferon. However, the treatment did not slow or prevent the progression of serious liver disease. These findings come from the clinical trial, Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) and were reported at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease in Boston on November 5, 2007. HALT-C is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with additional support from Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.
Nov 6, 2007 - 5:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Endosonography-guided biliary drainage is useful in cases with failed endoscopic biliary stenting
The role of endosonography (ES) in digestive diseases is expanding gradually from diagnostic applications to therapeutic ones. The feasibility of ES-guided cholangiopancreatography was first reported by Harada et al. (pancreatography) and Wiersema et al. (cholangiography) in 1995 and 1996, respectively. Several reports on the application of ESBD for a therapeutic purpose have been published since 2001. However, there have been no reports as to the influence of this technique on the gut wall, the bile duct, and the intervening tissues. A research article published on November 7 issue 41 of World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses one answer to this question in a case report form.
Nov 2, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
24-week course of interferon-alpha therapy prolongs survival in patients hepatitis C virus
Patients with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) have a risk of frequent recurrence and deterioration of liver function, even after curative treatment for the primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This unfavorable prognosis is associated with a sustained HCV infection. Thus, both the prevention of HCC recurrence and the preservation of liver function are high priorities when trying to improve the prognosis of patients with HCV-related HCC. Antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C (HCV) after treatment for primary HCC is the essential factor required for an improved prognosis.
Nov 2, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Does neural cell adhesion molecule-180 predict survival in colorectal cancer?
When a person learns they are suffering from cancer, the first question in their mind is always: How much time do I have? Unfortunately, this is a question to which the researchers have long been seeking an absolute answer. Tumor progression to local invasion and metastasis are the most relevant processes for prognosis, and predictive factors for survival are sometimes the only hope for cancer patients. Tumor suppressors and adhesion molecules represent one of the primary challenges in cancer therapy.
Nov 2, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Exclusion of common bile duct stones prior to gallstone operations
CBDS occur in 7-20% of all patients undergoing a gallstone operation and may complicate the course of surgery. Although intraoperative x-ray investigation was routinely performed to diagnose CBDS in the pre-laparoscopic era, its use during the laparoscopic era has been debated. Consequently, other techniques for diagnosing CBDS have been introduced. For example, preoperative liver function test (LFT; s-bilirubin and s-ALP) results, if abnormal, might be diagnostic for CBDS. However, some patients might have normal LFT despite coexisting CBDS. Ultrasonography is the major diagnostic modality used to diagnose gallstones, but is less helpful for diagnosing CBDS. Computed tomography is rarely useful for diagnosing gallstones. Magnetic-resonance-cholangio-pancreatography (MRCP) has high specificity and sensitivity, with accuracy similar to that of ERCP (Endoscopic-Retrograde-Cholangio-Pancreatography), but its accuracy depends on the size and anatomical location of a gallstone. In addition, MRCP is not widely available, and unlike ERCP, does not allow the endoscopic extraction of stones. ERCP is the most common technique used for both the diagnosis and treatment of CBDS. It is, however, expensive, invasive, technically demanding and associated with small but significant morbidity.
Oct 30, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Attenuation of NASH by stimulation of free fatty acid metabolism
Medically-complicated obesity is a societal problem that needs to be solved. Liver disease, specifically non-alcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH, is just one of the many complications of increased body weight. Treatment options for NASH are limited, and therefore there is an unmet need for pharmacologic treatment of this liver disease. A recent article in World Journal of Gastroenterology by Dr. Baski-Bey et al. offers a helping hand to potentially aid in abolishing the occurrence of NASH in the population. The article describes how administration of a constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) agonist (TCPOBOP) can induce genes involved in fatty acid microsomal omega-oxidation and beta-oxidation pathways, resulting in a reduction in the occurrence of NASH in mice fed the methionine choline deficient (MCD) diet. The MCD diet, when fed to rodents, rapidly produces hepatic steatosis and steatohepatitis by blocking fatty acid oxidation.
Oct 26, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
The largest colonic lipoma to date
Colonic lipomas have been found in related literature. One extremely rare case was recently reported in the November 14 issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology because of its maximum diameter of 8.5 cm. The article discussed age and sex factors, clinical and histopathological findings, diagnostic methods and treatment by reviewing the present case and previously available literature.
Oct 26, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
LIALDA demonstrates prolonged release of mesalamine in an in vitro study using a simulated colon
Philadelphia, PA – October 17, 2007 – According to a study using a dynamic in vitro gastrointestinal tract system, Shire plc's (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY, TSX: SHQ) ulcerative colitis drug LIALDA™ (mesalamine) demonstrated a delivery system where the majority of the drug’s active ingredient, 5-aminosalicyclic acid (5-ASA), is released over a prolonged period in the simulated colon. The colon is the site of inflammation in ulcerative colitis. In this in vitro model, after the LIALDA tablet passed through the simulated stomach, small intestine and colon compartments, the majority of 5-ASA within each tablet was released in the simulated colon (nearly 90 percent in simulated fasted state and 81 percent in the simulated fed state). Less than 1 percent of the 5-ASA was released from the tablet in the simulated stomach and small intestine. The study used the TNO Gastrointestinal Model, or TIM, which simulates a human stomach, small intestine and colon. The findings were published in the July/August issue of Advances in Therapy.
Oct 17, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Patients may have sweet and effective way to prepare for upper GI endoscopy: an anesthetic lollipop
OAK BROOK, Ill. – October 16, 2007 – Researchers at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) in Lebanon have found that administering a lidocaine lollipop as a single-agent anesthetic to patients undergoing an upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy procedure eliminated the need for sedation in the majority of patients. The research appears in the October issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
Oct 16, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Is the spleen able to prohibit tumor cell proliferation?
Primary and metastatic tumors of the spleen are described as unusual, excluding involvement by lymphoma. Indeed, isolated splenic metastasis from colorectal carcinoma is not a common occurrence. Its rareness has been hypothetically explained by several characteristics of the spleen, such as anatomical, histological and immunological features.
Oct 16, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
First colonoscopy with removal of polyps linked to reduction in colon cancer death
Philadelphia, PA, October 15, 2007 – Using a model to predict reductions in death from colorectal cancer, epidemiologists and clinical researchers from Memorial Sloan-Kettering looked at the relative effect of an initial screening colonoscopy which clears pre-cancerous polyps from the colon versus surveillance follow-up colonoscopy. Ann G. Zauber, Ph.D., Sidney J. Winawer, M.D., MACG and colleagues presented their findings at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology.
Oct 15, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
New studies reveal that night-time acid reflux can impact sleep
Philadelphia, PA, October 15, 2007— According to results of a survey presented at the 72nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology, nighttime acid reflux, along with some of the less typical manifestations or symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is associated with significant sleep impairment.
Oct 15, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Researchers warn that gastric bypass surgery may cause post-op nutrient deficiencies
Philadelphia, PA, October 15, 2007— Two studies by a group of researchers at Washington Hospital Center highlight potential postoperative nutritional deficiencies among patients who undergo gastric bypass surgery to treat obesity. Research presented at the 72nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology by Dr. Frederick Finelli and Dr. Timothy Koch suggests that a potentially serious condition can emerge after gastric bypass surgery known as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth that has an impact on absorption of vitamins, minerals and micronutrients such as calcium and zinc.
Oct 15, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
2 studies highlight the risks and significant health-care costs of NSAIDs injury
Philadelphia, PA, October 15, 2007 – Patients underreported their use of common but potentially dangerous over-the-counter pain medications known as NSAIDs, according to research presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology. “This is a serious issue given what we know about the significant risk of injury and bleeding in the GI tract in patients using NSAIDs,” said David Johnson, M.D., FACG, one of the researchers and President of the America College of Gastroenterology.
Oct 15, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Portal vein thrombosis is common in extraportal vein obstruction
Among the 118 patients with portal vein thrombosis, noncirrhotic and nontumoral extrahepatic portal vein obstruction are young and present with well tolerated bleed. Cirrhosis and tumor related portal vein thrombosis patients are older and have grim prognoses. Hypercoagulable state as a cause of portal vein thrombosis is less common. The idiopathic group comprises the second largest number of patients.
Oct 12, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
18F-DG PET/CT can highly increase the detection of colorectal cancer
Combined positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) is currently widely used in the clinical diagnosis of cancer to provide functional and morphological imaging. The value of PET/CT in detection of the recurrence and metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC) was recently confirmed in an article appearing in the October 7 issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology.
Oct 10, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Can liver cirrhosis be partially cured?
The diffusion of hepatitis C virus infection worldwide is astonishing. Liver cirrhosis is present in at least 10-20% of these infected patients, with highly increasing health care and emotional costs. In patients with compensated (early stage) hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis, antiviral combined therapy offers an interesting rate of response, ending in viral clearance. Unfortunately post-therapy data on different aspects of the illness, such as the residual liver function, measured as Total Overnight Salivary Caffeine Assessment (TOSCA, a liver test of microsomal function), and hepatic hemodynamics to indirectly evaluate the portal hypertension, measured as the Resistive Index of Splenic Artery (SARI) at Ultra Sound Doppler are still lacking, because to date only the survival rate and hepato-carcinoma appearance have been studied in depth.
Oct 10, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Interleukin-8, key marker for colorectal cancer treatment
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is currently one of the three most frequent malignancies in Western industrial nations. Although the 5-year survival rate for patients with early stage and local CRC approaches nearly 90%, survival is dramatically decreased by local recurrence and the development of distant metastases that primarily affect the liver, which are the predominant cause of CRC-related mortality.
Oct 9, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Stomach stem cell discovery could bring cancer insights
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Scientists have identified and described stem cells specific to several tissues and organs of the body — key master cells that give rise to the specialized cell types characteristic of that organ. But to date, it hasn’t been possible to pinpoint functioning stem cells in the stomach, either in laboratory animals or people.
Oct 3, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Married esophageal cancer patients fare worse in some quality of life aspects than single patients
Barcelona, Spain: In a surprising finding, American scientists have found that when battling oesophageal cancer, married patients don’t fare as well as their single counterparts in certain aspects of their quality of life.
Sep 26, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Study makes progress in zoning in on biomarkers for better colon cancer treatment
Barcelona, Spain: New research has yielded a clearer picture of which biomarkers could help doctors more precisely target the treatment of colon cancer, bringing closer the day when patients who will not benefit from chemotherapy are spared it, while those that will, get the more aggressive treatment they need.
Sep 26, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Capsule endoscopy diagnoses more Crohn's disease recurrence after surgery than colonoscopy
OAK BROOK, Ill. - September 26, 2007 – Research from La Fe University Hospital in Valencia, Spain shows that capsule endoscopy diagnoses more Crohn’s disease recurrence after surgery than colonoscopy. Capsule endoscopy led to changes in therapy for more than half of the patients studied. The research appears in the September issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
Sep 26, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Molecular profiling can accurately predict survival in colon cancer patients
Barcelona, Spain: Researchers in The Netherlands have developed a method of accurately predicting which patients with colon cancer are most likely to have their disease recur after surgery and who would, therefore, be likely to benefit from additional chemotherapy.
Sep 25, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Immune system modulation can halt liver failure in animals
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers have a developed a totally new approach to treating liver failure – manipulating the immune response. If the results of the animal study can be applied in human patients, the approach may be able to keep patients alive until donor organs become available or to support liver function until the organ can regenerate itself, eliminating the need for a transplant. The findings are being reported in the journal PLOS One.
Sep 25, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Common abdominal pain may be due to a potentially treatable newly recognized inflammatory reaction
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- As many as one in four people in westernized countries experience pain or discomfort in their upper abdomen, and physicians have almost nothing to offer except anti-acid medicines, which usually don’t work. Now, in a small but novel study, researchers have found evidence that an abnormal amount of inflammatory cells populates the upper intestine of affected individuals, which suggests a fresh way of understanding the common complaint.
Sep 19, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh psychiatrist receives prestigious NIH award
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC psychiatrist Eva M. Szigethy, MD, PhD, is among a select group of researchers who have been chosen by the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to receive a prestigious New Innovator Award.
Sep 19, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

Latest Research
New research may lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis in families
ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Mayo Clinic researchers have found that first-degree relatives (i.e., parents, siblings, children) of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) are more likely to have the biomarker of the disease in their blood. Armed with this new information, physicians could screen and assess first-degree relatives of PBC patients with a simple blood test, enabling them to diagnose and treat more patients before the disease causes irreversible liver damage. These findings were published in this month’s issue of Hepatology.
Sep 10, 2007 - 4:00:00 AM

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