THURSDAY, June 29, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers say they've come closer to pinpointing genes linked with inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's and ulcerative colitis. For the study, the investigators examined the genomes of nearly 68,000 people. Of the regions of the genome associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), 18 could be traced to a single genetic variant with more than 95 percent certainty. "We have taken the biggest ever data set for IBD and applied careful statistics to narrow down to the individual genetic variants involved," said study co-author Dr. Jeffrey Barrett, from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in the United Kingdom. "Now we have a clearer picture of which genes do and do not play a role in the disease. We are zooming in on the genetic culprits of IBD," he said in an institute news release. The findings could lead to improved effectiveness of current treatments for IBD, as well as the discovery of new drug targets, the study authors said. In diseases such as Crohn's and ulcerative colitis, the body's immune system attacks parts of the digestive tract. Symptoms can include abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, rectal bleeding and extreme fatigue. The causes of the disease … Continue reading →

Theres no doubt that inflammatory bowel disease is horrible. Its consequences, all sorts of gastrointestinal distress, can be downright debilitating. But treating it is full of uncertaintyfolks with the same symptoms might respond in wildly different ways. Thats why scientists are trying to pinpoint its cause, among all the genetic complexities that can contribute. A team of researchers have made some fairly major progress in understanding, and hopefully treating, IBDs underlying causes, like Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis. They say theyve identified just a few dozen DNA base pairs, the As, Cs, Ts and Gs that spell out your genetic code, that could be responsible for causing the illness. Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, is a disease with at least 1.4 million American sufferers that consists of a few underlying causes, like Crohns disease or ulcerative colitis, leading to inflammation in the digestive tract. It can lead to diarrhea and abdominal pain, as well as other unseen symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic. The complex disease is probably not related to diet, but could be autoimmune. Within IBD, there are common subtypes, study author Jeffrey Barrett from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute told Gizmodo. Some people respond to front line … Continue reading →

For even accomplished athletes, the concept is overwhelming. The idea of doing a 2.4-mile open-water swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run, back-to-back-to-back is almost unthinkable. Its official name Ironman Triathlon, almost seems to trivialize the accomplishment. But imagine trying to complete one while coping with a digestive disease. Meet Portville native Ryan Hunt. Hunt, a sales representative for Universal Plant Services, which supplies equipment to the oil and gas industry, was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis a chronic condition of the large intestine some eight years ago. He controls the disease, in part, with medication, but mostly via diet eating gluten-free and whole foods and minimizing his intake of dairy products. Its pretty much what the medical field recommends for everybody, said Hunt, who graduated with a degree in mathematics from Alfred University. But his physique has changed. Back when I was doing a lot of (weight) lifting, I weighed just short of 200 pounds, he said. Now Im a lean 152. Part of the reason, of course, is that he and a friend have been working out and have already competed in three half-Ironman events: 1.2- mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run. But they decided to take … Continue reading →

Probably every investor interested in biotech knows all of the challenges facing Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD). Its once high-flying stock has been beaten down over the last couple of years as sales plunged for its hepatitis C franchise. However, over the last month, Gilead stock has begun a tentative but distinct rebound. Is now the time to buy Gilead Sciences stock? These three charts show why the answer is "yes." Image source: Getty Images. It's one thing to look at Gilead's impressive cash stockpile, but it's even better to look at the biotech's cash and its free cash flow. This shows just how solid of a position the company is in financially. Data source: Gilead Sciences 10-K filing. Chart by author. Even though Gilead's revenue and earnings have fallen, the company is in better place when it comes to its cash position than it's ever been. Gilead has also been able to improve its cash position while paying out an attractive dividend with a current yield of 2.94%. The last time Gilead spent billions of dollars to buy another company, it purchased Pharmasset. That $11 billion deal gave Gilead the drug Sovaldi, which led to Harvoni and to Epclusa. Over … Continue reading →