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Gastroenterology news

Gut-derived bacterial molecule may drive severe liver disease

Researchers at the University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, together with international collaborators, have discovered that a small molecule made exclusively by gut bacteria can actively drive disease in the bile ...

C. difficile colonization in infants reshapes gut development, challenging a long-held assumption

Since its discovery, the highly contagious bacterium Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile or C. diff) has been reported not to cause symptoms in infants, leading to the assumption that colonization was not a serious health ...

Are petting zoos safe?

A 3-year-old girl has died from a rare illness after visiting a petting zoo in Victoria. She developed brain damage and kidney failure after spending weeks in intensive care.

Mini-tumors reveal new drug combinations for liver cancer

Liver cancer is difficult to treat because tumors vary greatly from patient to patient. Researchers at the University of Basel have captured this diversity by creating a collection of mini-tumors, which they use to systematically ...

Supplement plus chemotherapy boosts pancreatic cancer survival

When added to standard chemotherapy, a clinical version of the dietary supplement L-glutamine improved survival in an early-phase trial of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. The study, led by Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences ...

Gut bacterium and its metabolite found to delay aging

A new study published in Nature Aging on Aug. 25 reports that a single gut bacterium—Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum (BP)—together with a small molecule it produces, 5-aminovaleric acid betaine (5-AVAB), can alleviate multiple ...

How culture, stress, and social life may shape gut health

Abdominal pain before an important exam, nausea during intense stress, or sudden intestinal problems following difficult life experiences—many people regard such symptoms as a temporary bodily reaction. However, a growing ...

Study on circulating tumor DNA shows clear benefits

After surgery for colon cancer, many patients face the question of whether follow-up chemotherapy is necessary to prevent a possible relapse. The decision is particularly difficult in so-called Stage II, the intermediate-risk ...

Muscle loss in liver disease varies by underlying cause

Different types of liver disease are leading to distinct signatures of muscle loss, according to a new study that could help pave the way for more personalized treatments for sarcopenia in people with end-stage liver disease. ...