BACKGROUND To reduce colorectal cancer mortality, positive fecal blood tests must be followed by colonoscopy. METHODS We identified 62,384 individuals ages 50 to 89 years with a positive fecal blood test between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2012 in four health care systems within the Population-Based Research Optimizing Screening through Personalized Regimens (PROSPR) consortium. We estim...

Fecal seeding by livestock may be an effective, low-cost means of rangeland restoration. We compared recruitment of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) from seed fed to cattle and deposited in dung to that of broadcast-seeded plots receiving a comparable number of unfed seed. Although germinability of seed passed through livestock (52 to 62%) was reduced relative to that of broadcast seed (85 to ...

Improving the microbiological quality of coastal and river waters relies on the development of reliable markers that are capable of determining sources of fecal pollution. Recently, a principal component analysis (PCA) method based on six stanol compounds (i.e. 5β-cholestan-3β-ol (coprostanol), 5β-cholestan-3α-ol (epicoprostanol), 24-methyl-5α-cholestan-3β-ol (campestanol), 24-ethyl-5α-cholesta...

Risk Factor or Consequence of Poor Outcomes After Rehabilitation? To the Editor: We have read with interest the study written by Harari et al1 regarding the evolution of patients suffering from new-onset fecal incontinence after stroke. These authors observe the long-term fluctuating nature of such condition, the negative impact on mortality and institutionalization, as well as its narrow relat...

INTRODUCTION Data suggest dietary modification can improve clinical responses in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The goal of this study was to determine the efficacy of an autoimmune protocol diet in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. METHODS We enrolled adults with active IBD (Harvey-Bradshaw index ≥ 5 or partial Mayo score ≥3 and erosions on endoscopy and/or elevated fe...

The Crohn’s disease (CD) activity index (CDAI) has formed the basis for all the major clinic trials in CD over the years since its publication in 1976 [1]. It is, however, beset with problems namely the requirement for a patient symptom diary, the fact that subjective criteria account for 40% of the score and, moreover, the fact that it does not correlate with the inflammatory burden in CD. Thu...

Editorial Fecal calprotectin: towards a standardized use for inflammatory bowel disease management in routine practice. The measurement of fecal calprotectin has now been studied in clinical research for more than 10 years. Its ability to differentiate Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients and to predict clinical relapse in patients with Crohn's disease o...

BACKGROUND Ingestion of AndoSanTM, based on the mushroom Agaricus blazei Murill, has previously shown an anti-inflammatory effect through reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines in healthy individuals and patients with Crohn's disease (CD). In this randomized single-blinded placebo-controlled study we examined whether intake of AndoSanTM also resulted in clinical effects. METHODS AND FINDINGS...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Ficolin-2 is an acute phase reactant produced by the liver and targeted to recognize N-acetyl-glucosamine which is present in bacterial and fungal cell walls. We recently showed that ficolin-2 serum levels were significantly higher in CD patients compared to healthy controls. We aimed to evaluate serum ficolin-2 concentrations in CD patients regarding their correlation with ...

BACKGROUND Zinc oxide (ZnO), commonly used to control post-weaning diarrhea in piglets, has been highlighted as of potential concern from an environmental perspective. The aim of this field trial was to examine effects of different sources and levels of ZnO added to peat on average daily weight gain (ADG), fecal score in pens and serum and tissue zinc (Zn) levels around time of weaning in order...