Obamacare users await repeal, potential replacement with dread, hope

Julie Mansfield could go blind without Obamacare, but Kevin McCarthy has paid more for worse coverage

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obamacare-users-await-repeal-and-replacement-with-dread-anticipation/

Landmark report released on marijuana's health benefits, hazards

A landmark report released Thursday found solid evidence that marijuana is effective in relieving multiple ailments, but it also has potentially harmful side effects. Dr. Jon LaPook reports.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/landmark-report-released-on-marijuanas-health-benefits-hazards/

Obamacare users react to GOP's repeal effort

The Senate voted 51 to 48 on Thursday to fast-track the repeal of Obamacare. As Don Dahler reports, Americans are still divided on the law nearly seven years after its passage.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/obamacare-users-react-to-gops-repeal-effort/

Sushi lovers, beware: Tapeworm now found in U.S. salmon

Though risk of infection is low, consumers should still be aware that it exists, experts say

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/sushi-lovers-beware-tapeworm-now-found-in-us-salmon/

How Concerned Should You Be About Medical Mistakes?

Learn how to keep you and your loved ones safe.

From: http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/medical-mistakes-what-you-should-know?src=RSS_PUBLIC

The good, bad, and unknown about marijuana's health effects

Federal advisory panel releases report reviewing scientific evidence on health benefits and risks of marijuana

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/marijuanas-health-effects-good-bad-unknown/

Rural Americans at higher risk from five leading causes of death

Many of these deaths are preventable, according to a new government report

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/rural-americans-at-higher-risk-of-five-leading-causes-of-death/

U.S. Report Cites the Good and Bad on Marijuana

Pot shown to help chronic pain, chemo-related nausea and muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis, but researchers cite risks, too

From: http://www.webmd.com/news/20170112/us-report-cites-the-good-and-bad-on-marijuana?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Scientists Create Dengue-Resistant Mosquitoes

Hope is to eventually make the bugs fend off multiple infections, including Zika

From: http://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20170112/scientists-create-mosquitoes-resistant-to-dengue-virus?src=RSS_PUBLIC

CVS Cuts Price of Generic Competitor to EpiPen

CVS Cuts Price of Generic Competitor to EpiPen

From: http://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20170112/cvs-price-epipen-generic?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Can you sing? Play a musical instrument?

Medical Musical Group, a chorale and symphony orchestra, is looking for talented health care professionals, students and family members who can sing or play musical instruments.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/january/can-you-sing-play-a-musical-instrument

Share your GKAS photos with us

Give Kids A Smile program coordinators are encouraged to have their cameras ready to capture the festivities of their events.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/january/share-your-gkas-photos-with-us

Dentists regain top spot in best jobs list of 2017

For the third year in a row, dental professionals topped the U.S. News & World Report's annual list ranking the best jobs of the year.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/january/dentists-regain-top-spot-in-best-jobs-list-of-2017

Toll-free number available to connect children and volunteers to GKAS

The ADA Foundation is debuting a new toll-free number for its Give Kids A Smile program that will help caregivers as well as volunteers determine whether there is a GKAS event in their community.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/january/toll-free-number-available-to-connect-children-and-volunteers-to-gkas

Sushi Lovers: Tapeworm Now Found in U.S. Salmon

But risk of infection is low, infectious disease doctor says

From: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/news/20170112/sushi-lovers-beware-tapeworm-now-found-in-us-salmon?src=RSS_PUBLIC

First Case of Local Zika in Pregnancy Described

Baby shows no signs of brain abnormalities, but report urges doctors to be alert

From: http://www.webmd.com/news/20170112/doctors-describe-first-us-case-of-locally-acquired-zika-in-pregnancy?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Senate Starts Obamacare Repeal Process

Measure sets Jan. 27 deadline for draft of repeal legislation, avoids possibility of filibuster by Democrats

From: http://www.webmd.com/health-insurance/20170112/senate-starts-obamacare-repeal-process?src=RSS_PUBLIC

FDA warns on repeated, lengthy use of general anesthesia drugs

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/january/fda-warns-on-repeated-lengthy-use-of-general-anesthesia-drugs

Crafoord Prize given to researchers pushing envelope on autoimmune disease

The annual science award is given to honor achievements sometimes overlooked by the more famous Nobels

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/crafoord-prize-awarded-to-researchers-pushing-the-envelope-on-autoimmune-disease/

Here's how stress in your brain may cause heart troubles

A new brain-scan study helps pinpoint a neurological link between anxiety and cardiovascular disease

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/heres-how-stress-in-your-brain-may-cause-heart-troubles/

Making Mayo's Recipes Banana Pecan Compote

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvOgQDy52-c

Can Brain Scans Aid Doctors in Epilepsy Surgery?

Imaging offers less invasive way to protect regions involved in language and memory, researchers say

From: http://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/news/20170111/can-brain-scans-help-doctors-navigate-epilepsy-surgery?src=RSS_PUBLIC

High Blood Pressure Often Undiagnosed, Untreated

Half of mobile clinic patients with the condition said they didn't know they had it, study finds

From: http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/news/20170111/high-blood-pressure-often-undiagnosed-untreated?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Migraine Linked to Higher Post-Surgery Stroke Risk

The risk is small, but concerning, researchers say

From: http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/news/20170111/migraine-linked-to-higher-stroke-risk-after-surgery?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Want to Leave Dinner Feeling Full? Try Beans

Vegetable patties make diners feel fuller than meat so they eat less, Danish study finds

From: http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20170111/want-to-leave-dinner-feeling-full-bring-on-the-beans?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Mayo Clinic Minute: Kids and screen time

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UKUWDh78W0

Preventing and treating colds: The evidence and the anecdotes

Oh, who doesn’t hate colds. You’re miserable, achy, tired, congested, and coughing. You may need to miss work, or go to the doctor. But it seems that no one really feels sorry for the person with a cold because colds are so common. “It’s just a virus, it’ll get better on its own,” says your doctor. “There’s no cure.”

Well, colds cost the U.S. an estimated 40 billion dollars per year considering lost financial productivity, plus spending on medical care, pharmaceuticals, and supplements (and that estimate is from 2003)!¹ It’s just a virus? There’s got to be more we can do to effectively prevent and treat this veritable scourge on society.

As a primary care doc, here’s what I do for colds in my family (including me) … and the scientific evidence (or lack thereof) behind these recommendations.

How to keep colds from happening in the first place

There are several basic and effective methods that can help you avoid colds altogether.² These are really obvious, but obviously not practiced enough.

1. Stay home when you’re sick (and keep your kids home when they’re sick, too). Yup, the first step in prevention is to not go out when you’re spewing viral particles, and that will help prevent other people’s Can’t get time off of work? Stay far away from others, sneeze into a tissue or your elbow, and wash your hands to avoid contaminating surfaces (see below).
2. Wash, wash, wash your hands. Seriously, this is not an old wives’ tale. Handwashing is incredibly well-studied and extremely effective.³ The trick is, you have to wash your hands correctly. The CDC has a tutorial video on this.⁴ I’ll break it down for you: Soap up. Lather well. Scrub while singing “Wash, wash, wash the germs, gently down the drain, thoroughly, thoroughly, thoroughly, thoroughly, This is such a pain.” Now rinse. Then dry, and use the paper towel to open the door. That doorknob is infested with germs. No towel? Use your sleeve.
3. Don’t touch your face. It only takes a few virus particles to infiltrate your mucous membranes and make you sick. What are mucous membranes? The soft, moist, folds of your eyes (don’t rub your eyes!), nose (don’t pick your nose!) and mouth (don’t bite your nails/pick your teeth/lick your fingers!).

If everyone did these three things, I have no doubt that multiple hours of misery could be avoided and billions of dollars could be saved.

There have been multiple variable-quality studies of all sorts of other potential preventives. Looking the available data, there is weak evidence to support regular probiotics and zinc, but really no consistent evidence to support the use of vitamins C and D, echinacea, and ginseng.^5,6,7,8,9,10 I’ll be honest, in my family we do not make any effort to take any of these things regularly. We all eat yogurt daily by habit, and my husband and I occasionally drop one of those fizzy “immune-boosting” supplements into water and down it. The citrus-y fizziness tastes good, but the science says, if there is any benefit at all, it’s probably from the hydration.

”Natural” cold remedies

So now you’ve got a cold. What treatments are effective? If you want to go all-natural, then there is weak evidence showing that honey, just a tablespoon of plain old honey, can help with the cough associated with the common cold, especially in children.^11,12,13,14 The physiologic mechanism for this is unclear, but it may explain why we get temporary relief from sugary cough drops. (Note: Never give honey to children under a year of age due to risk of botulism.)

There is inconsistent evidence showing that zinc lozenges can slightly shorten the duration of a cold by a day or two, though only in adults, and many people will hate the taste or get nauseated from these.^5,7 Zinc nasal swabs have been associated with sudden loss of the sense of smell, and so cannot be recommended at all. Despite many studies, there is no consistent evidence showing that vitamin C, echinacea, nasal saline irrigation, garlic, or humidifiers help at all.^5,8,10,15

If you want to try more traditional treatments

As far as the items in the “cough and cold” aisle of your local pharmacy, decongestants (such as phenylephrine or pseudoephedrine) as well as decongestant-antihistamine combos have been shown to alleviate cold symptoms.^{5, 16,17,18} Of note, an ever-popular nighttime cold and cough formulation contains the decongestant phenylephrine plus an older, particularly sedating antihistamine called doxylamine, which is why I believe it helps people with colds to sleep. Ditto with the prescription cough medicines that contain codeine or hydrocodone. One other prescription product of iffy effectiveness is nasal ipratropium, which has some effect on nasal runniness, but not on congestion. So, you’d be wiping your nose less, but still stuffy.¹⁹ Probably not worth the copay. And nasal steroids don’t help here at all.²⁰

What else might work? One thing that we use a lot in our family but has not been extensively studied is those menthol- or camphor-based rubs and inhalants. You know, like your mother used to slather all over your throat and chest and made you and your entire room smell like a eucalyptus tree. There’s been exactly one study on this, involving only 138 children, but there was a significant improvement of symptoms and quality of sleep.²¹ That’s not enough to make any sweeping statements, but hey, it seems to work for us, so I’m throwing it in here.

In the end, prevention is king, and the treatments for colds are basic.

References

1. The Burden of Non–Influenza-Related Viral Respiratory Tract Infection in the United States Mark Fendrick, MD; Arnold S. Monto, MD; Brian Nightengale, PhD; et al Matthew Sarnes, PharmD, Archives of Internal Medicine 2003.
2. cdc.gov/Features/Rhinoviruses/
3. cdc.gov/handwashing/publications-data-stats.html
4. cdc.gov/handwashing/index.html
5. Prevention and treatment of the common cold: making sense of the evidence. Allan GM, Arroll B. Canadian Medical Association Journal, February 18, 2014.
6. Probiotics for preventing acute upper respiratory tract infections. Hao Q, Dong BR, Wu T. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. February 3, 2015.
7. Zinc for the common cold. Singh M, Das. RR Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, February 16, 2011.
8. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Douglas RM, Hemilä H, Chalker E, Treacy B. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, July 18, 2007.
9. Effect of vitamin D₃ supplementation on upper respiratory tract infections in healthy adults: the VIDARIS randomized controlled trial. Murdoch DR, Slow S, Chambers ST, Jennings LC, Stewart AW, Priest PC, Florkowski CM, Livesey JH, Camargo CA, Scragg R. Journal of the American Medical Association, October 3, 2012.
10. Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold. Karsch-Völk M, Barrett B, Kiefer D, Bauer R, Ardjomand-Woelkart K, Linde K. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. February 20, 2014.
11. Effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and no treatment on nocturnal cough and sleep quality for coughing children and their parents. Paul IM, Beiler J, McMonagle A, et al. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
12. A comparison of the effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and diphenhydramine on nightly cough and sleep quality in children and their parents. Shadkam MN, Mozaffari-Khosravi H, Mozayan MR. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
13. Effect of honey on nocturnal cough and sleep quality: double-blind a. randomized, placebo-controlled study. Cohen HA, Rozen J, Kristal H, et al. Pediatrics, September 2012.
14. Honey for acute cough in children. Oduwole O, Meremikwu MM, Oyo-Ita A, Udoh EE. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, December 23, 2014.
15. Garlic for the common cold. Lissiman E, Bhasale AL, Cohen M. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, November 11, 2014.
16. Nasal decongestants in monotherapy for the common cold. Deckx L, De Sutter AI, Guo L, Mir NA, van Driel ML. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, October 17, 2016.
17. Treatment of the common cold in children and adults. Fashner J, Ericson K, Werner S. American Family Physician, July 15, 2012.
18. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications for acute cough in children and adults in community settings. Smith SM, Schroeder K, Fahey T. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, November 24, 2014.
19. Intranasal ipratropium bromide for the common cold. AlBalawi ZH, Othman SS, Alfaleh K. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, June 19, 2013.
20. Corticosteroids for the common cold. Hayward G, Thompson MJ, Perera R, Del Mar CB, Glasziou PP, Heneghan CJ. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, October 13, 2015.
21. Vapor rub, petrolatum, and no treatment for children with nocturnal cough and cold symptoms. Paul IM, Beiler JS, King TS, Clapp ER, Vallati J, Berlin CM Jr, Pediatrics, December 2010.

The post Preventing and treating colds: The evidence and the anecdotes appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Monique Tello, MD, MPH http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/preventing-and-treating-colds-the-evidence-and-the-anecdotes-2017011210972

Making Mayo's Recipes: Cream of chicken and wild rice chowder

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6sajwbCgy0

Brain 'Stress Ball' May Be Key to Heart Risks

New brain-scan study helps pinpoint a neurological link between anxiety, cardiovascular disease

From: http://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20170111/stress-ball-in-your-brain-may-be-key-to-heart-risks?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Your New Year’s resolution: A gym membership?

If getting in shape tops your list of New Year’s resolutions, you’re in good company. During the first few months of the year, signups at fitness centers and health clubs tend to trend upward. While these memberships can be costly, you may be able to find more affordable options or take advantage of certain discounts. But no matter what you pay, shelling out a monthly fee may be an incentive to use the gym regularly to get your money’s worth.

Gyms offer a variety of options

If you do, your heart (and the rest of your body) will likely reap the rewards. “The main advantage to joining a gym is to have access to a wide variety of exercise equipment,” says Alex Petruska, a senior physical therapist at the Sports Medicine Center of Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. That includes machines for a cardiovascular workout, such as treadmills, elliptical trainers, stationary bikes, and stair-steppers, as well as a range of different weight machines.

Access to all these diverse choices means you’re less likely to get bored, since you can try different machines and routines. In addition, you’ll likely find it easier to meet the recommended physical activity guidelines, which include aerobic exercise as well as strength training.

If you’re among the many people with ankle, knee, hip, or back problems, exercising on an elliptical machine or stationary bike is a better choice than walking because it’s much easier on your joints. Likewise, using weight machines rather than free weights (dumbbells) offers greater control and is less likely to lead to injuries.

If these advantages resonate for you, a gym membership may be a worthwhile investment. To find the right one, pay attention to safety, and consider your specific needs and budget.

Your gym should have well-trained staff

Make sure the gym you choose has staff with expertise in teaching people how to use all the available equipment. Many gyms have personal trainers — exercise professionals who can teach you to work out safely and maintain good form, introduce you to new equipment, and design and update an exercise program to keep you motivated. For an additional fee, you can hire them for a series of one-on-one appointments or short-term overhauls of your routine.

Always ask about credentials and experience. Certification from the American College of Sports Medicine is a good sign. Find out how often the person works with people of your age, abilities, and overall health. Also, ask whether staff members can perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if necessary. Is a defibrillator available, and do staff members know how to use it?

Make sure the membership meets your needs and budget

At least one nationwide fitness center chain offers monthly memberships as low as $10 per month. More pricey clubs typically offer more amenities, such as group classes, swimming pools, sports courts, and even indoor running tracks. Other possible perks include saunas, steam rooms, and whirlpools that can serve as a nice post-workout reward.

Take advantage of the fact that many commercial gyms will let you try their facilities for a few days or a week before making a commitment. Look for a gym in a convenient location and make sure you feel comfortable exercising there during the hours you would normally go. Some facilities offer discounts if you work out only during non-peak hours (usually during the middle of the day). Also, some health insurance plans offer members discounted rates at specific gyms.

“The important thing is finding a place that you’ll feel comfortable going to consistently and will meet your needs over the long haul,” says Petruska.

The post Your New Year’s resolution: A gym membership? appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Julie Corliss http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/new-years-resolution-gym-membership-2017011110991

Alterations of colonic function in the Winnie mouse model of spontaneous chronic colitis

The Winnie mouse, carrying a missense mutation in Muc2, is a model for chronic intestinal inflammation demonstrating symptoms closely resembling inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Alterations to the immune environment, morphological structure, and innervation of Winnie mouse colon have been identified; however, analyses of intestinal transit and colonic functions have not been conducted. In this study, we investigated in vivo intestinal transit in radiographic studies and in vitro motility of the isolated colon in organ bath experiments. We compared neuromuscular transmission using conventional intracellular recording between distal colon of Winnie and C57BL/6 mice and smooth muscle contractions using force displacement transducers. Chronic inflammation in Winnie mice was confirmed by detection of lipocalin-2 in fecal samples over 4 wk and gross morphological damage to the colon. Colonic transit was faster in Winnie mice. Motility was altered including decreased frequency and increased speed of colonic migrating motor complexes and increased occurrence of short and fragmented contractions. The mechanisms underlying colon dysfunctions in Winnie mice included inhibition of excitatory and fast inhibitory junction potentials, diminished smooth muscle responses to cholinergic and nitrergic stimulation, and increased number of α-smooth muscle actin-immunoreactive cells. We conclude that diminished excitatory responses occur both prejunctionally and postjunctionally and reduced inhibitory purinergic responses are potentially a prejunctional event, while diminished nitrergic inhibitory responses are probably due to a postjunction mechanism in the Winnie mouse colon. Many of these changes are similar to disturbed motor functions in IBD patients indicating that the Winnie mouse is a model highly representative of human IBD.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to provide analyses of intestinal transit and whole colon motility in an animal model of spontaneous chronic colitis. We found that cholinergic and purinergic neuromuscular transmission, as well as the smooth muscle cell responses to cholinergic and nitrergic stimulation, is altered in the chronically inflamed Winnie mouse colon. The changes to intestinal transit and colonic function we identified in the Winnie mouse are similar to those seen in inflammatory bowel disease patients.

From: Robinson, A. M., Rahman, A. A., Carbone, S. E., Randall-Demllo, S., Filippone, R., Bornstein, J. C., Eri, R., Nurgali, K. http://ajpgi.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/312/1/G85?rss=1

Maturity and age influence chief cell ability to transdifferentiate into metaplasia

The plasticity of gastric chief cells is exemplified by their ability to transdifferentiate into spasmolytic polypeptide-expressing metaplasia (SPEM) after parietal cell loss. We sought to determine if chief cell maturity is a limiting factor in the capacity to transdifferentiate. Mist1^–/– mice, previously shown to form only immature chief cells, were treated with DMP-777 or L635 to study the capability of these immature chief cells to transdifferentiate into a proliferative metaplastic lineage after acute parietal cell loss. Mist1^–/– mice treated with DMP-777 showed fewer chief cell to SPEM transitions. Mist1^–/– mice treated with L635 demonstrated significantly fewer proliferative SPEM cells compared with control mice. Thus immature chief cells were unable to transdifferentiate efficiently into SPEM after acute parietal cell loss. To determine whether chief cell age affects transdifferentiation into SPEM, we used tamoxifen to induce YFP expression in chief cells of Mist1^CreER/+;Rosa^YFP mice and subsequently treated the cells with L635 to induce SPEM at 1 to 3.5 mo after tamoxifen treatment. After L635 treatment to induce acute parietal cell loss, 43% of all YFP-positive cells at 1 mo posttamoxifen were SPEM cells, of which 44% of these YFP-positive SPEM cells were proliferative. By 2 mo after tamoxifen induction, only 24% of marked SPEM cells were proliferating. However, by 3.5 mo after tamoxifen induction, only 12% of marked chief cells transdifferentiated into SPEM and none were proliferative. Thus, as chief cells age, they lose their ability to transdifferentiate into SPEM and proliferate. Therefore, both functional maturation and age limit chief cell plasticity.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Previous investigations have indicated that spasmolytic polypeptide-expressing metaplasia (SPEM) in the stomach arises from transdifferentiation of chief cells. Nevertheless, the intrinsic properties of chief cells that influence transdifferentiation have been largely unknown. We now report that the ability to transdifferentiate into SPEM is impaired in chief cells that lack full functional maturation, and as chief cells age, they lose their ability to transdifferentiate. Thus chief cell plasticity is dependent on both cell age and maturation.

From: Weis, V. G., Petersen, C. P., Weis, J. A., Meyer, A. R., Choi, E., Mills, J. C., Goldenring, J. R. http://ajpgi.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/312/1/G67?rss=1

Expression of Cav1.3 calcium channel in the human and mouse colon: posttranscriptional inhibition by IFN{gamma}

It has been hypothesized that apically expressed L-type Ca²⁺ channel Ca_v1.3 (encoded by CACNA1D gene) contributes toward an alternative TRPV6-independent route of intestinal epithelial Ca²⁺ absorption, especially during digestion when high luminal concentration of Ca²⁺ and other nutrients limit TRPV6 contribution. We and others have implicated altered expression and activity of key mediators of intestinal and renal Ca²⁺ (re)absorption as contributors to negative systemic Ca²⁺ balance and bone loss in intestinal inflammation. Here, we investigated the effects of experimental colitis and related inflammatory mediators on colonic Ca_v1.3 expression. We confirmed Ca_v1.3 expression within the segments of the mouse and human gastrointestinal tract. Consistent with available microarray data (GEO database) from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, mouse colonic expression of Ca_v1.3 was significantly reduced in trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) colitis. In vitro, IFN most potently reduced Ca_v1.3 expression. We reproduced these findings in vivo with wild-type and Stat1^–/– mice injected with IFN. The observed effect in Stat1^–/– suggested a noncanonical transcriptional repression or a posttranscriptional mechanism. In support of the latter, we observed no effect on the cloned Ca_v1.3 gene promoter activity and accelerated Ca_v1.3 mRNA decay rate in IFN-treated HCT116 cells. While the relative contribution of Ca_v1.3 to intestinal Ca²⁺ absorption and its value as a therapeutic target remain to be established, we postulate that Ca_v1.3 downregulation in IBD may contribute to the negative systemic Ca²⁺ balance, to increased bone resorption, and to reduced bone mineral density in IBD patients.

From: Radhakrishnan, V. M., Gilpatrick, M. M., Parsa, N. A., Kiela, P. R., Ghishan, F. K. http://ajpgi.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/312/1/G77?rss=1

Irritable bowel syndrome: a gut microbiota-related disorder?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Despite its prevalence, the pathophysiology of IBS is not well understood although multiple peripheral and central factors are implicated. Recent studies suggest a role for alterations in gut microbiota in IBS. Significant advances in next-generation sequencing technology and bioinformatics and the declining cost have now allowed us to better investigate the role of gut microbiota in IBS. In the following review, we propose gut microbiota as a unifying factor in the pathophysiology of IBS. We first describe how gut microbiota can be influenced by factors predisposing individuals to IBS such as host genetics, stress, diet, antibiotics, and early life experiences. We then highlight the known effects of gut microbiota on mechanisms implicated in the pathophysiology of IBS including disrupted gut brain axis (GBA), visceral hypersensitivity (VH), altered GI motility, epithelial barrier dysfunction, and immune activation. While there are several gaps in the field that preclude us from connecting the dots to establish causation, we hope this overview will allow us to identify and fill in the voids.

From: Bhattarai, Y., Muniz Pedrogo, D. A., Kashyap, P. C. http://ajpgi.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/312/1/G52?rss=1