Posted by: Maff
on Sep 25, 2011
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The mainstream media this week have been reporting on events that effectively put the final nail in the coffin of the purported association between the XMRV retrovirus and myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Here in the UK the BBC ran a major article in the health section of their hugely popular website titled Virus link to ME called into question (read here).
Those of you keeping track of the XMRV story will remember that in May of this year following multiple studies failing to replicate the original findings of the Whittemore Peterson Institute (WPI) including investigations led by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) aand Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the journal Science, which published the original WPI study back in 2009, issued an editorial "expression of concern" over the validity of those original findings. Such a move is a rarity in the world of medical journals.
Posted by: Bushi
on Sep 25, 2011
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INTERNATIONAL air passengers would be forced to drink a sachet of probiotic formula before landing in Australia under a proposal by one of the state's leading gastroenterologists aimed at preventing an outbreak of a deadly bug ravaging North America.
Posted by: ESPA Research
on Sep 18, 2011
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In a previous post, I discussed how environment is finally, in 2011, receiving some recognition in relation to some cases of autism spectrum conditions (ASCs). It has been a slow process but nevertheless progress has been made moving away from autism being some kind of 'genetics only' condition (where the lion's share of research funding has been committed over the past few years) to one where genes and environment share centre-stage. I might add that I give credit to the notion that autism is not autism but rather autisms as a consequence of the huge heterogeneity and various comorbidities potentially present and that the relative contributions of genes and environment might not be the same for everyone who has autism.
Friday 16th September 2011 is another date for the autism research diary. The reason is the publication of a paper by Brent Williams and colleagues in PLoS ONE (open-access here) and the peer-reviewed revelation that in a small group of children with autism, factors such as gastrointestinal problems, abnormal carbohydrate metabolism and dysbiosis are real and might just be linked.
Posted by: TheStache
on Sep 16, 2011
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Interesting article on a possible correlation between chronic fatigue and acute giardiasis. This is apropos to my own case history, as many of my health issues (including CFS and IBS) cropped up after being diagnosed and treated with Giardia.
Posted by: Bushi
on Sep 15, 2011
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Overview
Glutamine is one type of amino acid, the building blocks that make up proteins. As the most common amino acid in the body, glutamine plays important roles in many organs, including the lining of the digestive tract. Recent evidence has raised the possibility that treatment with glutamine may decrease the symptoms of certain digestive disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, although additional research is needed to confirm these findings. As with all healthe supplements, you should ask your doctor before taking glutamine.
Glutamine Levels in IBS
Recently, researchers have discovered that people with a particular type of IBS characterized by chronic diarrhea often have low levels of glutamine, reports a study published in the June 2010 issue of the medical journal "Gut." In this study, researchers found that some patients with IBS had lower levels of glutamine than normal, which leads to increases in permeability in the intestinal lining. The authors theorize that the increased permeability of the intestinal lining allowed more toxins and bacteria to leak into the intestines, which irritates nerves and causes some of the symptoms of IBS.
Posted by: Bushi
on Sep 13, 2011
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protein isolated from beneficial bacteria found in yogurt and dairy products could offer a new, oral therapeutic option for inflammatory bowel disorders, suggests a study led by Vanderbilt University Medical Center researcher Fang Yan.
The study, published May 23 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, shows that the protein, called p40, was effective as an intervention in animal models of colitis (colon inflammation). The investigators demonstrated that the protein supports intestinal epithelial cell growth and function, and reduces inflammatory responses that can cause intestinal cells to die. Importantly, the investigators showed that oral consumption of p40 by mice in a protective delivery system prevents and treats colitis in multiple models of the disease.
Posted by: Bushi
on Sep 11, 2011
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September 02, 2011|By Tom Avril, Inquirer Staff Writer
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