Gastrointestinal Diseases from Animals

Integrative health services that combine Eastern and Western traditions gain traction By Ross Boissoneau | March 30, 2019 Used to be that things like yoga and acupuncture were considered unconventional, — even downright weird, with no proven benefits. Today, those and other alternative therapies might not quite be mainstream, but they’re regarded as legitimate means of treating or preventing diseases or conditions. As a result, a growing number of places are integrating them into, and alongside, more traditional Western approaches.   As the holistic health trend continues to gather steam, options to enable oneself to feel better and attain better health are increasing across the region. That’s true whether it’s dropping a few pounds, increasing energy or flexibility, or revitalizing all aspects of the body and mind.   At the Holistic Spa in Gaylord, practitioners offer everything from acupuncture, ionic foot detox, even sound therapy. Owner Linda Durant, who specialize...

Healio Gastroenterology and Liver Disease compiled a list of the top five stories posted in March. Our readers were most interested in updated ACG ulcerative colitis guidelines and updates on the diagnosis and treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis. Updated ACG ulcerative colitis guidelines provide ‘practical’ management approach The American College of Gastroenterology has released updated guidelines on the diagnosis and management of patients with mildly and moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. The guidelines also address the prevention of colorectal cancer in patients with ulcerative colitis, as well as patients hospitalized with the disease. READ MORE . Budesonide tablets effective for EoE induction A recent placebo-controlled trial revealed that patients who received budesonide orodispersible tablets as induction therapy for eosinophilic esophagitis achieved better rates of clinical and histologic remission. Alfredo J. Lucendo , MD, PhD, FEBGH, from the d...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Advanced Endoscopy—Part I    Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News Is advanced biliary endoscopy a separate practice from advanced luminal endoscopy? Should advanced endoscopy fellowships and surgical endoscopy ... https://ift.tt/2Wy3T0P

The Surma river in Sylhet is on the verge of becoming another Buriganga, environmentalists fear. [embedded content] Although the local office of the Department of Environment claims that indicators regarding the river's health were acceptable, people living by it are saying that the water is so polluted that some are suffering from skin and stomach diseases. More than 7.5km of the river flows through Sylhet metropolitan areas. During a recent visit, this correspondent saw plastic bottles, polythene bags and other household wastes floating at several points. Filthy and sluggish flow of water was seen at Sheikhghat, Kazirbazar, Topkhana Chadnighat, Kalighat, Machimpur, Kadamtali, Kushighat, and Technical Road. Residents of these areas use the water of the Surma for bathing and various household purposes. Ananda Das, a resident of Topkhana, said, “This is the only source of water for household chores and bathing. We have been using it for generations but it has turned opaque ov...

Update:  Blair has since taken down the original photo of her in a wheelchair. In a follow-up Instagram post , she explained that, since she didn’t take the photo, she could potentially be sued. In her new post, she wrote: So, I posted a picture with Sarah cruising my butt around Disney. It resonated with people and was kind of sad about taking down but it was kindly brought to my attention that i don’t own the photo and could be sued. And I can’t take that hassle. So I took down. Not because I was ashamed or embarrassed, but because it isn’t my picture. I am not giving up on having some recovery. Or at least getting stabilized. I am oddly grateful for the new insight I have into a chronically unpredictable body. And I found my friends to be more generous and kinder than I could have imagined… @sarahmgellar @jaime_king   @constancezimmer @janeylopatypr   @karenzambos  and the list goes on and on. This friend, made sure my kid had the best spring break memory with a...

Written by Eric Oliver | March 28, 2019 | Print  | Email Zachary, La.-based Lane Gastroenterology celebrated its ribbon cutting March 19, The Advocate reports. What you should know: 1. Gastroenterologist Krunal Patel, MD, cut the ribbon at a ceremony. 2. The practice is a Baton Rouge, La.-based Lane Regional Medical Center affiliate. 3. Lane Gastroenterology treats an array of conditions including heartburn, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation and hepatitis. 4. Dr. Patel earned his medical degree at Mumbai, India-based Topiwala National Medical College. He completed a residency at Tucson-based University of Arizona and a fellowship at Shreveport-based Louisiana State University Health Science Center. More articles on gastroenterology: CalvertHealth clinicians join North American Partners in Anesthesia — 3 insights A timeline of CRH Medical's $27.5M anesthesia acquisitions in 2018 The trends to know about pain management in ASCs: 4 Qs with ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Top News in Gastroenterology March 29 2019 (4 of 4)    MD Linx Food is, generally speaking, a good thing. In addition to being quite tasty, it is also necessary for survival. That's why animals have evolved robust physiological ... https://ift.tt/2HZkmqJ

C arolynne Jones was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 48. She came from a heritage that didn’t ask God why bad things happen. By Chris Slone reporternd@countrymedia.net t @crslone “We were born with guilt so it’s all just a matter of time,” Jones said. “But seriously, it was hard to digest those words.” Jones first reaction was “good night sweetheart, well it’s time to go.” However, one kind word — one glimmer of hope from the doctor — and her thinking changed. Maybe she could live, everybody doesn’t die from this disease. “In fact, the dying part didn’t scare me as much as the getting there,” Jones said. “I was afraid to be a burden on my family and wither away in front of their eyes.   But that didn’t happen.” Jones had been ill prior to her diagnoses. According to Jones, ovarian cancer has such quiet and misleading symptoms. Jones had been treated from different illnesses, including a trip to Bismarck to asses her for possible lung issues or asthma. Once tho...

Written by Eric Oliver | March 27, 2019 | Print  | Email Columbus-based Ohio Gastroenterology Group is moving into a 42,000-square-foot medical office building and opening an endoscopy center, Columbus Business First reports. What you should know: 1. OGG is one of four practices moving into the still-under-development medical office building. 2. All four practices will own shares in the building. OGG will own the largest share and the most square footage. 3. OGG has seven locations in Ohio. 4. Group COO Frank Chapman explained the rationale for OGG's multiple locations saying, "Instead of building one very large surgery center and expecting patients to come to us, we're actually moving out to where the patients live. We spend a great deal of time looking at population trends. We're definitely going to have additional sites in the future." More articles on surgery centers: Florida hospital closes ASC due to lack of specialists; may reopen in the fall: ...

Last year’s move to lower the colonoscopy screening age for colorectal cancer to 45 years appeared both beneficial and cost-effective. However, researchers from Stanford University found that focusing resources on capturing more unscreened patients who are older could have an even greater benefit. “This is one of the most important changes to guidelines that has occurred in the colorectal cancer screening world recently, and it was very controversial,” Uri Ladabaum , MD, MS, of the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at Stanford University School of Medicine, said in a press release. “Our aim was to do a traditional cost-effectiveness analysis, but then also look at the potential tradeoffs and national impact. We wanted to crystalize the qualitative issues into tangible numbers, so people could then have a productive debate about these very issues.” In a study published in Gastroenterology , researchers compared different screening strategies and alternative resource allo...

SINGAPORE - A caterer has been suspended after an outbreak of gastroenteritis across several PCF Sparkletots outlets, which led to at least 109 people falling ill, with 15 taken to hospital. This is the third case of gastroenteritis in pre-schools in recent months. A Feb 1 lunch at PCF's Toa Payoh outlet left 14 children vomiting and having diarrhoea . And, on Feb 26, the authorities announced that 31 people developed gastroenteritis at Tanglin MindChamps pre-school . On Wednesday morning (March 27), the Ministry of Health (MOH), National Environment Agency (NEA) and Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) told The Straits Times that they are investigating the incident. The outbreak of gastroenteritis, which as of Wednesday had developed across four Sparkletots pre-schools, was traced to the consumption of food prepared by caterer Kate’s Catering. When contacted by ST, a spokesman for Kate's Catering said that it was working with the respective authori...

The Food Safety Division, Udupi district, has urged the people not to consume ice candy which had no names of manufacturers and which had no expiry date mentioned on it. This move comes after many people fell sick in some villages in the district after consuming ice candy three or four days ago. In a press release issued here on Tuesday, the Food Safety Division said that all food manufacturing units should have registration number and permission from FSSAI. If people noticed any illegal food manufacturing units, they should immediately bring it to the notice of Senior Food Safety Officer or the Health Officer in Udupi or Karkala. Gastroenteritis Meanwhile, the District Health Surveillance Office said that people had consumed ice candy sold by vendors on motorcycle three or four days ago. After consuming the ice candy, there were cases of gastroenteritis reported in some places. The gastroenteritis cases were reported from Primary Health Centres at Belve comprising Hengavalli, Bidka...

The month of March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month - a time to raise awareness and educate people on the importance of getting screened.  Dr. Tuyyab Hassan is from Holyoke Medical Center Gastroenterology and he is here to shed some light on the subject.  Holyoke Medical Center Gastroenterology 11 Hospital DriveHolyoke 413.540.5048 www.holyokehealth.com Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the US (breast, prostate and lung are ahead), and a leading cause of cancer death. It affects men and women of all racial and ethnic groups, and is most often found in people 50 years or older.           However despite general decrease in colorectal cancer in those over 50 (thought to be due to screening interventions) incidence in those younger than 50 is on the rise with 10% of colorectal cancers now in this group, and some experts recommend screening should actually be starting from the age of 45. This disease takes the li...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Study Finds Changes in Colonoscopy Providers Over Time    Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News A new study has identified substantial changes in the types of physicians and facilities performing colonoscopy in South Carolina that may indicate national ... https://ift.tt/2FBmmUL

Written by Eric Oliver | March 25, 2019 | Print  | Email Although Exact Sciences' Cologuard completed its 2 millionth test, the multitarget stool DNA test remains a topic of contention in the gastroenterology space. Touting 92 percent sensitivity and 87 percent specificity rates for detecting all stages of colorectal cancer, the test remains a popular alternative for a patient who won't undergo a colonoscopy. Despite the rising prominence of alternatives, colonoscopy is still viewed as the gold standard for CRC detection, according to these specialists, and is a first-line recommend treatment. Here, four gastroenterologists share their thoughts on Cologuard. Note: Responses were edited for clarity and style. Michael Bass, MD, gastroenterologist, Newark, N.J.-based GI Specialists of Delaware I feel most gastroenterologists would agree Cologuard is a potent weapon in the armamentarium against colon cancer. The 92 percent sensitivity for CRC, and 69 percent sensit...

Advertisement Because hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence is the strongest survival-limiting factor after liver transplantation (LT) in HCC patients, researchers have been studying the phenomenon of HCC recurrence after LT in a European transplantation centre over the past 20 years. Data were prospectively recorded from 304 HCC patients who had LT. After LT, 51 patients (16.8%) had a recurrence of HCC. More frequently, patients who exceeded the Milan criteria developed HCC recurrence. The time point of recurrence after recurrence did not affect survival. Furthermore, no difference was found between intra- and extrahepatic recurrence patients in survival. Patients with recurrence due to needle tract seeding, however, had a significantly better result than patients with other recurrence sites. The data supported a restrictive use of patient selection criteria to help identify patients with increased risk of HCC recurrence after LT, and highlighted the need to improve patient se...

Advertisement Using data from a prospectively maintained database of the Polish Colonoscopy Screening Program, researchers ascertained if the stage of colorectal cancer (CRC) detected in overweight and obese individuals differs from normal body mass index (BMI) individuals, as well as whether overweight and obesity influence overall CRC survival. In this cross-sectional analysis involving 163,129 people, compared to non-obese, obese screenings present with less advanced disease. In addition, clinically stratified survival does not appear to be influenced by the category of BMI. Consequently, a higher proportion of early diagnosed cancers in this group can potentially create a survival benefit. Read the full article on United European Gastroenterology Journal https://ift.tt/2TEerJU

Advertisement Via retrospectively identifying patients switching from infliximab to vedolizumab, researchers analyzed the impact of two different wash-out periods [defined as the time between the discontinuation of one biologic and the initiation of a second biologic] on the pharmacokinetics of vedolizumab and infliximab. According to wash-out period, the population was divided into two groups: <6 weeks or >6 weeks. There were a total of 71 patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The presence of residual infliximab does not appear to influence the pharmacokinetics of vedolizumab. No differences in efficacy were observed, suggesting that prior switching from infliximab to vedolizumab may not be taken into account for the wash-out period. No significant safety differences were observed, but a higher number of infections in the event of a shorter wash-out period suggests that other safety-dedicated studies are needed. Overall, the investigators suggested that when switching in...

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - March 30th marks an international day of awareness for Multiple Sclerosis.  The disease has made headlines internationally lately, gaining awareness when famous actress Selma Blair announced her fight.  Here in the Mahoning Valley, cases of multiple sclerosis are particularly high.  "Unfortunately, M.S. is quite common in the Valley," says Jesse McClain, a Doctor of Nursing Practice, APRN in Mercy Health's neurology department. "It's more common amongst women, 3-to-1 over men. It's more common in Northern European populations which is a hotbed in the Youngstown area. And research has shown that its most popular above the thirty-seventh parallel above the equator across the world, and Youngstown sits right in that." "Youngstown is a huge hotbed of MS activity, and we have a number of patients here," McClain said.  For many with Multiple Sclerosis, a major part of the disease is understanding wellness management and jugg...

Stomach bugs are making the rounds in the Sooner State, bringing with them nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping and general misery. Many refer to this type of illness as “stomach flu,” but is it really the flu? “No,” said Dr. Hal Scofield, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation immunologist. “Although some may call it stomach ‘flu,’ it actually has nothing to do with the influenza virus.” More accurately called gastroenteritis, contagious stomach illness most is often caused by two viruses, rotavirus or norovirus. Diarrhea and vomiting, the most common symptoms, typically last for about 24 hours. Influenza, on the other hand, affects the respiratory system. “Flu causes cough, sore throat and runny nose, as well as severe body aches and fever, often over 101 degrees,” said Dr. Eliza Chakravarty, OMRF immunologist. “The stomach flu has none of those except maybe a fever, but it will be low-grade.” Gastroenteritis is generally not as serious as influenza, which kills tens...

Three persons, including two children, died and 68 fell ill following outbreak of gastroenteritis at Komalancha, Galibpur and Magdoompur villages in the mandal. The affected, mostly school students, were being treated at health camps set up at the villages. The diseased were identified as Rishitha (4), daughter of Choudagari Sangameswar, Satyanarayana (7) of Annaram Kalan in Pitlam mandal and Gajula Sunitha (32) of Bujarampet in Koudipally mandal of Medak district. Rishitha and Satyanarayana died while undergoing treatment at Niloufer Hospital in Hyderabad and Government General Hospital in Nizamabad respectively. Sunitha breathed her last at Area Hospital at Banswada. According to District Medical and Health Officer Chandrasekhar, primary reports indicated that the villagers consumed contaminated water and ice cream and food made using the same water. They suffered vomiting and loose motions after eating food at a feast held at Yellammagudi on Sunday night. Sunitha, who died at Bans...

Electronic medical records (EMRs) are a veritable treasure trove for data scientists, including those architecting AI to predict disease incidence, responses to treatment, and other patient outcomes. But EMRs are often distributed across geographic locations, which somewhat complicates analyses because the data sets must first be transmitted to the machine (or machines) on which the AI system resides. Fortunately, researchers at MIT CSAIL, Harvard University Medical School, and Tsinghua University’s Academy of Arts and Design have developed what they believe to be one of the first federated — that is, decentralized — approaches to EMR model training. In a newly published paper (“ Patient Clustering Improves Efficiency of Federated Machine Learning to predict mortality and hospital stay time using distributed Electronic Medical Records “) on the preprint server Arxiv.org, they describe an architecture that sources data from local hospitals, learns a model for each community, and aggr...

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the US and is most often found in people 50 years or older. However incidence in those younger than 50 is on the rise. When it comes to colorectal cancer, early detection through prevention and screening is proven to dramatically reduce fatalities from this type of cancer. The fact is everyone is at risk. There are often no early signs of the disease until the cancer is advanced. Dr. Nathan Jaqua, Gastroenterologist with Rapid City Medical Center says, “If you are considered average risk, again you don’t have a family history of colon cancer, you’re not symptomatic … if this is just a screening exam, then the recommendation still is 50 according to the guidelines. And the gastroenterology guidelines do recommend African-Americans start at age 45, that’s been the guidelines for quite some time. The American Cancer Society recently made a recommendation to start at 45 for everyone, that’s because we’re seeing an increase in color ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Medicolegal Issues Hinder Adoption Of Resect–Discard for Polyps    Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News The fear of being sued deters many endoscopists from using the resect-and-discard strategy to manage diminutive polyps in the colon, a new survey has found. https://ift.tt/2HQg7hb

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Top News in Gastroenterology March 25 2019 (2 of 5)    MD Linx MedicalXpress Breaking News-and-Events | March 25, 2019. Drug therapy may effectively treat a potentially life-threatening condition associated with cirrhosis ... https://ift.tt/2TwSBrL

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Determinants of Bowel Preparation Quality For Colonoscopy    Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News Colonoscopy plays an integral role in the evaluation of the lower gastrointestinal tract by allowing for the complete visualization of the colonic mucosa. https://ift.tt/2U1kBZT

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common non-skin cancer in America and the second-leading cause of cancer deaths. But for many adults at average or low risk, colorectal cancer may be caught early and treated with positive outcomes, simply by following an appropriate screening regimen. Tune in Tuesday March 26, 2019 at 4:00 pm here on 6abc.com and get updates on new guidelines to get screened earlier and take advantage of a wider array of tests. Submit your question below, now! Raman Battish,MD Medical Director of Gastroenterology, CTCA Philadelphia Dr. Raman Battish is the Medical Director of Gastroenterology at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) in Philadelphia. Prior to joining CTCA, Dr. Battish worked as an interventional endoscopist at a hospital in Philadelphia, and as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Drexel University College of Medicine. Dr. Battish earned a medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. Following medical school, he completed an ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Top News in Gastroenterology March 25 2019 (5 of 5)    MD Linx Many people who use opioid medications long term do not produce enough testosterone or another important hormone, cortisol, according to a new study. https://ift.tt/2TYfMQU

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease who received their biologic medication in home infusions rather than at a hospital experienced more adverse outcomes, according to research published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology . Benjamin L. Cohen, MD, MAS, of The Susan and Leonard Feinstein IBD Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and colleagues wrote that although some intravenous infusions of drugs like Remicade (infliximab, Janssen) and Entyvio (vedolizumab, Takeda) have started to transition into patients’ homes, there is no clear guidance or recommendations on the practice. “Although [home infusion] of biologic medications is discouraged by the American College of Rheumatology, no clear guidelines exist in the gastroenterology literature,” they wrote. Researchers conducted a matched retrospective cohort study of patients treated with infliximab or vedolizumab with home infusion (n = 69) compared with hospital infusion at a large, tertiary care IBD c...

The March meeting of the KI Probus Club saw 28 members enjoying fellowship, food, fun and a learning experience at the Kingscote Bowling Club. After morning tea and a short general meeting, the AGM took place with all positions filled quickly and willingly. Erica Barratt takes over as the new president for the next 12 months, with Viv Willson as vice president. Jaffrey Drinkwater continues as secretary with Charles Bell continuing as treasurer. Two new committee members are Lenore Boxer and Robyn Barrett, with Leonie Bell and Ria Kendal (ex officio) continuing. Pam and Phil Lawton were welcomed as visitors. They accompanied their daughter Lisa Lawton, our guest speaker. Lisa is Health Co-ordinator for the Continence Foundation of Australia a non profit organisation. Lisa gave a most informative, fun and interesting talk with plenty of literature to take home to read. Lisa's vibrant personality soon had everyone relaxed and smiling as she spoke freely about these delicate...