Intestinal maturation: the effect of glucocorticoids on in vivo net magnesium and calcium transport in the rat.

We investigated with an in vivo single pass perfusion technique, the effect of glucocorticoids on net magnesium and calcium absorption from the small and large intestine of suckling and adolescent rats. In control rats, rates of net magnesium and calcium absorption were several fold greater in both small and large intestinal segments of suckling rats compared to corresponding rates in segments of adolescent rats. Methylprednisolone 30 mg/kg body weight daily for three days, suppressed significantly net magnesium and calcium absorption from the small and large intestinal segments of suckling rats only.

The effect of lactose on the intestinal absorption of calcium and zinc in the rat during maturation.

Lactose facilitates the intestinal absorption of several minerals and trace elements in postweanling rats. There is no information in the literature on the effect of lactose on the process of absorption in suckling rats. Because soy and elemental formulas are nonlactose-containing diets, the role of lactose in facilitating the intestinal absorption of minerals is of considerable nutritional importance.

Fetal alcohol syndrome: inhibition of placental zinc transport as a potential mechanism for fetal growth retardation in the rat.

Growth retardation is one of the principal features of fetal alcohol syndrome. The cause of this growth retardation is unknown. Because of the clinical similarities between fetal alcohol syndrome and prenatal zinc deficiency, we studied in vivo the effect of short-term and long-term ethanol ingestion during pregnancy on placental transport of zinc in pair-fed rats.

Secretory diarrhea in ulcerative colitis.

Severe secretory diarrhea developed in a 15-year-old girl with ulcerative colitis restricted to the distal 30 cm of the colon. No known hormonal or pathologic cause for the secretory diarrhea was discovered. Since the diarrhea subsided after colectomy, it appeared to be secondary to a factor(s) in the inflamed bowel.

Intestinal maturation: in vivo magnesium transport.

We investigated with an in vivo single pass perfusion technique net transport of magnesium in the jejunum, ileum and colon segments of suckling, weanling and adolescent rats. The concentration of magnesium in the isotonic sodium chloride solution perfused through the intestinal segments was either below (0 and 0.5 mmoles/liter) or above (1, 2.

In vivo intestinal zinc transport in rats: normal and growth retarded.

We compared the in vivo transport of zinc in segments of jejunum, ileum, and colon of 2-week-old (suckling) and 6-week-old (adolescent) rats. In normal rats, net absorption and lumen to mucosa flux of zinc, normalized for differences in size of the intestine (mumol/h/g dry weight) were significantly greater in all perfused segments of the suckling compared with corresponding segments of the adolescent rats (p less than 0.05).

Intestinal calcium transport: effect of cimetidine.

Recently cimetidine (Tagamet), a widely used drug for peptic ulcer disease, was found to decrease serum levels of calcium and immunoreactive parathyroid hormone in patients with hyperparathyroidism. Since parathyroid hormone action is closely related to calcium homeostasis, we studied the effect of cimetidine on intestinal calcium transport. An in vivo perfusion technique was used for the study of net transport and lumen to mucosa flux of 45calcium.

Regression of hepatic adenomas in type Ia glycogen storage disease with dietary therapy.

Individuals with type Ia glycogen storage disease (glucose-6-phosphatase deficiency) frequently develop hepatic adenomas. Potential complications involving these adenomas include malignant transformation and hemorrhage. Five of 9 patients with this disease had evidence of hepatic filling defects on radionucleotide liver scan when first evaluated at our hospital.

Intestinal maturation: effect of luminal osmolality on net mineral secretion.

We investigated with an in vivo single-pass perfusion technique net secretion of calcium, magnesium, and zinc from proximal and distal small intestinal segments and from the cecum plus colon segments of suckling, weanling, and adolescent rats during perfusion with either isotonic (300 mOsm/kg) or hypertonic (500 mOsm/kg) mineral-free solutions. There was not secretion of calcium, magnesium, and zinc in all segments perfused at all age periods. During isotonic perfusion, rates of net secretion of calcium and zinc were severalfold greater in the proximal and distal segments of the suckling rats compared with the corresponding segments of the adolescent rats.

Intestinal function in infant rats: effect of maternal chronic ethanol ingestion.

Postnatal growth retardation is one of the principle features of fetal alcohol syndrome. The cause of this growth retardation is not known. Therefore the intestinal transport of an amino acid marker, L-valine-14C, was studied in vivo in small intestinal segments of 2-week-old infant rats born to mothers fed chronically ethanol during pregnancy.

Congenital hepatic fibrosis: a disease with diverse manifestations.

We present four pediatric patients with histologically proven congenital hepatic fibrosis. The patients had diverse manifestations. The first two patients were seven-year old identical twins who presented with hepatosplenomegaly and were found to have portal hypertension with esophageal varices.

Recurrent pancreatitis induced by valproic acid. A case report and review of the literature.

Valproic acid represents a new class of anticonvulsants that are widely employed in the management of many types of seizure disorders. Compared with other anticonvulsants, it has been considered relatively free of adverse effects. Recently, acute hepatic failure has been ascribed to valproic acid.

Fibrosing pancreatitis--an obscure causes of painless obstructive jaundice: a case report and review of the literature.

We report a 3-year-old asymptomatic patient who had obstructive jaundice. Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram showed total obstruction of the distal common bile duct. At laparotomy, fibrosing pancreatitis was found.

Hepatic fatty metamorphosis in latent exoerythrocytic malaria.

We report a child with asymptomatic latent exoerythrocytic Plasmodium vivax malaria whose initial presentation was only hepatomegaly and elevated serum lipids. Histology of the liver showed severe fatty metamorphosis. Liver size and the severe fatty metamorphosis decreased markedly with the return of serum lipids to normal after successful treatment of P.

Rectosigmoidal colitis in common variable immunodeficiency disease.

A patient with common variable immunodeficiency disease is described with severe colitis confined to the rectosigmoid region. Inflammation was extensive in the regions involved and exhibited a character that we believe is most unusual. Inflammation was transmural in the regions involved.

Maturation of calcium transport in the rat small and large intestine.

Using an in vivo perfusion technique we compared transport of calcium in segments of the proximal (duodenum + jejunum) and distal (ileum) small intestine and in the cecum + colon of suckling (2-week old), weanling (3-week-old) and adolescent (6-week-old) rats. The concentration of calcium (Ca) in the isotonic sodium chloride solution perfused through the intestinal segments was either below (0.4 and 1.

The evolving nature of "infantile obstructive cholangiopathy".

We report four patients with neonatal conjugated hyperbilirubinemia in whom the nature of the disease varied from that predicted by the initial diagnostic work-up. In two the initial liver biopsy showed paucity of the intrahepatic bile ducts; one cleared her conjugated hyperbilirubinemia and appeared normal at 3 years, but the other proved to have extrahepatic biliary atresia. The initial liver biopsy in two additional patients showed bile duct proliferation; both patients had a paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts later in the course of their disease.

Pyloric stenosis and direct hyperbilirubinemia with alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.

The occurrence of unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in infants with pyloric stenosis is common. We report an infant who presented with projectile vomiting secondary to pyloric stenosis. In addition, he had conjugated hyperbilirubinemia which proved to be due to alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency of PiZZ phenotype.

Chronic diarrhea of infancy: nonbeta islet cell hyperplasia.

The case of an infant who developed refractory watery diarrhea at the age of 2 weeks is described. Diarrhea was secretory in type, stool weight on no oral intake was 400 to 600 gm daily. A vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-producing tumor was suspected.