Immune Imbalance in the Gut May Trigger Celiac Disease

Source:

HospiMedica International staff writers

http://www.hospimedica.com/?option=com_article&Itemid=294733577&cat=Critical+Care&ui=1960149838&vrf=3ef5d7cad7e81077c42186fce74ceed6&end=%2520

A new study claims that people who have high levels of Interleukin-15 may be primed to develop celiac disease (CD), a digestive disorder that keeps sufferers from eating foods like cereal, pasta, cookies, and beer.

New Endoscopic Device Detects Esophageal Cancer

Source:

http://www.hospimedica.com/critical_care/articles/294732895/new_endoscopic_device_detects_esophageal_cancer.html

HospiMedica International staff writers

Posted on 12 Jan 2011

Image: Biomedical engineers Neil Terry (left) and Adam Wax look over the endoscope a/LCI device (photo courtesy Duke Photography).

An innovative device holds the promise of being a less invasive method for testing patients suspected of having Barrett's esophagus (BE), a change in the lining of the esophagus due to acid reflux. 

Researchers at Duke University (Durham, NC, USA) developed the new device, which is based on an endoscope with a miniature light source and sensors at its end. Physicians shine short bursts from the light source at locations of suspected disease, and the sensors capture and analyze the light as it is reflected back. The devices is based on angle-resolved low coherence interferometry (a/LCI), a technique capable of separating unique patterns of the cell nucleus from the other parts of the cell, and provide representations of its changes in shape in real time. By detecting characteristic changes within the layer of the epithelial lining of the esophagus, BE can be detected and treated earlier.

Therapeutic Acetaminophen Not Linked to Liver Injury in Children

Source:

News Author: Laurie Barclay, MD

CME Author: Penny Murata, MD

http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/733235?src=cmenews

December 1, 2010 — More and more children are developing eating disorders, particularly children younger than 12 years, males, and minority populations, according to a report released today by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

One reason may be the "increased focus on weight management and dieting related to increased rates of obesity," the report's lead author David S. Rosen, MD, MPH, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and the AAP Committee on Adolescence, told Medscape Medical News.

Is "Fat Bias" Making You Ineffective?

Source:

Marilyn W. Edmunds, PhD, CRNP

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/732609?src=mp&spon=24

Obesity Stigma: A Newly Recognized Barrier to Comprehensive and Effective Type 2 Diabetes Management

Teixeira EM, Budd GE.

J Am Acad Nurse Pract. 2010;22:527-533

Article Summary

Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are interrelated healthcare epidemics. Obesity (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2) affects 34% of the adult population and is associated with multiple chronic diseases. Diabetes affects 23.6 million people in the United States, and more than twice that many people have prediabetes. Obesity coexisting with T2DM is of great concern, because it accelerates the cardiovascular and diabetic processes that may result in higher morbidity and mortality. Previous research has demonstrated the benefits of lifestyle modification in reducing T2DM-associated morbidity and mortality. However, lifestyle modification can be difficult to implement when obese patients with T2DM face the antifat social attitudes common in Western culture, even from their healthcare providers.

Gastroenteritis-Related Seizures in Kids Unlikely to Recur

Source:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/733289

Steven Fox

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Nov 29 - Children whose first seizure is related to acute gastroenteritis have a good prognosis and low risk of seizure recurrence, according to data from Seattle Children's Hospital.

The findings, published online November 22nd in Pediatrics, don't mean a child with a first-time seizure and a GI infection should be treated less aggressively. But they do show that clinicians should consider the acute illness that accompanies a first seizure when predicting the risk of subsequent seizures, said senior author Dr. Danielle Zerr.