Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Latest Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

UGA researchers discover SERS method to identify rotavirus strains, genotypes

Using nanotechnology and a patented signal enhancing technique developed at the University of Georgia, UGA researchers have discovered a rapid, sensitive and cost-effective method to detect and identify a number of rotavirus strains and genotypes in less than one minute with greater than 96 percent accuracy.

14 May 2010

Merit Medical Systems to acquire BioSphere Medical

Merit Medical Systems, Inc. today announced that it has signed a definitive merger agreement to acquire BioSphere Medical, Inc. in an all cash transaction valued at approximately $96 million, inclusive of all common equity and Series A Preferred preferences.

14 May 2010

Research article focuses on how IECs respond to probiotic strain B. lactis HN019

Probiotics are a group of live microorganisms administered in adequate amounts which confer a beneficial health effect on the host. This bacterial community plays a pivotal role in human nutrition and health by promoting the supply of nutrients, preventing pathogen colonization and shaping and maintaining normal mucosal immunity.

13 May 2010

Increased IR associated with HCC development in chronic HCV-infected patients

Recent studies have demonstrated that type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Insulin resistance (IR), which correlates inversely with circulating adiponectin concentration, is a consistent finding in patients with type 2 DM.

13 May 2010

Research investigates MDR in human HCC

Hepatocellular carcinoma responds poorly to chemotherapy owing to MDR. Recent studies have shown the tumors derived from the colon, kidney, or adrenal cortex, and HCC exhibited overexpression of MDR1/P-gp. This overexpression results in a primary MDR phenotype of these cancers.

13 May 2010

Rapid responders in novel behavior treatment for IBS maintain improvement at 3-month follow-up

Nearly one-third of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who underwent a novel behavior treatment developed by a University at Buffalo behavioral scientist achieved significant relief within four weeks of beginning treatment.

13 May 2010

RYGB surgery increases insulin activity in diabetes mellitus patients

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease resulted from, either decreased production of insulin or increased resistance to it from peripheral tissues or both factors combined together. While medical treatment remains the mainstay of treatment for diabetes, some surgical procedures, such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, have demonstrated some potential to be a treatment option for diabetes.

13 May 2010

Four caged xanthones can inhibit growth of CCA cell lines: Research article

Cholangiocarcinoma is a malignant tumor, characterized by a poor prognosis and unresponsive to conventional chemotherapeutic agents. Therefore, searching for novel and effective therapeutic agents for CCA is necessary. In previous studies, several caged xanthones from G. hanburyi have been reported to be potent antiproliferatives as well as having anticancer and anti-tumor activities and they induce apoptosis in various cancer cell lines.

13 May 2010

Study compares outcome of popular esophageal stents in patients with dysphagia

Less than 50% of patients with esophageal carcinoma are suitable for surgery at the time of diagnosis. Most of these patients present with locally advanced or metastatic disease and/or significant comorbidities. In such circumstances, the only therapeutic option is palliative care to treat dysphagia and prevent respiratory complications secondary to aspiration. Self-expanding metal stents have been proven effective for palliation of dysphagia in patients with esophageal carcinoma, tracheo-esophageal fistulas or anastomotic leaks.

13 May 2010

Report describes imaging features of superior mesenteric artery aneurysm

A recent case report published on May 14, 2010 in World Journal of Gastroenterology describes the imaging features of a ruptured superior mesenteric artery aneurysm,which created a giant hematoma and mimicked a pancreatic mass, with mild dilatation of main pancreatic duct.

13 May 2010

New case report addresses diagnostic significance of CT and MRI for DCF

Duodenocaval fistula is an uncommon but lethal clinical entity. The high mortality has been attributed to the difficulty of diagnosis before attempts at definitive therapy.

13 May 2010

Study evaluates cost-utility of MARS treatment in ALF patients

Numerous studies have documented the favorable effects of MARS albumin dialysis treatment on clinical and laboratory parameters and survival in liver failure patients. However, to ensure that limited resources are utilized in an ethical manner, the subjective feelings of the patient in terms of health-related quality of life and costs should also be taken into account.

13 May 2010

Risk of venous thromboembolism is low after hepatic resection in cirrhotic patients: Researchers

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common primary neoplasm of the liver and often arises in the context of a chronic liver disease that impairs coagulative function. Surgical resection is the best option to cure HCC, however, surgery on cirrhotic liver may increase the risk of bleeding.

12 May 2010

Australian TGA approves Acetadote for treatment of paracetamol poisoning

Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Phebra Pty Ltd. today announced that Acetadote® (acetylcysteine) Injection has been granted regulatory approval for marketing and sale in Australia. Acetadote, an injectable drug used to treat acetaminophen (paracetamol) overdose, was approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the government agency responsible for regulating drugs and medical devices in Australia.

12 May 2010

$Proton pump inhibitor use associated with fracture risk in postmenopausal women$

Proton pump inhibitor use associated with fracture risk in postmenopausal women

Proton pump inhibitors, medications that suppress acid in the stomach, appear to be associated with fractures in postmenopausal women and bacterial infections in many patients, and higher doses do not appear any more beneficial for treating bleeding ulcers, according to a series of reports in the May 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

11 May 2010

Sucampo presents phase 3 trial results of lubiprostone in non-cancer pain patients with OBD at DDW 2010

Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the presentation of results from a phase 3 clinical trial investigating the use of lubiprostone in non-cancer pain patients with Opioid-induced Bowel Dysfunction (OBD). These results were the subject of an oral presentation at the Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2010 conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, on May 5, 2010.

11 May 2010

Sucampo reports $0.3M net loss, $14.8M total revenue for first-quarter 2010

Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported its consolidated financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2010.

11 May 2010

CVS calls on FDA to suspend use of contaminated rotavirus vaccines

On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) convened a panel of experts to review recent findings that rotavirus vaccines given to infants in the U.S., Rotateq, produced by Merck Pharmaceuticals and Rotarix produced by GlaxoSmithKline, are contaminated with DNA from pig viruses PCV1 and PCV2. On March 22nd the FDA Commissioner asked doctors to suspend use of the Rotarix vaccine due to the contamination. Upon additional testing, Rotateq was also found to be contaminated.

10 May 2010

Ferring to acquire global rights to Xanodyne Pharmaceutical's LYSTEDA

Ferring Pharmaceuticals today announced an agreement that will expand its Women's Health product portfolio with the acquisition of the global rights to Xanodyne Pharmaceutical's LYSTEDA™ (tranexamic acid), a first-in-class, non-hormonal therapy indicated specifically for treatment of women with cyclic heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB).

10 May 2010

European patent strengthens Soligenix' topically active steroid intellectual property portfolio

Soligenix, Inc., a late-stage biotechnology company, announced today that the European Patent Office granted patent EP 1392321 "Method of Treating Inflammatory Disorders of the Gastrointestinal Tract using Topically Active Corticosteroids." The new patent's main claims cover the use of topically active corticosteroids in orally administered dosage forms that act concurrently in the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract.

10 May 2010