Intestinal Obstruction Syndromes in Cystic Fibrosis: Meconium Ileus, Distal Intestinal Obstruction Syndrome, and Constipation

Meconium ileus at birth, distal intestinal obstruction syndrome (DIOS), and constipation are an interrelated group of intestinal obstruction syndromes with a variable severity of obstruction that occurs in cystic fibrosis patients. Long-term follow-up studies show that today meconium ileus is not a risk factor for impaired nutritional status, pulmonary function, or survival. DIOS and constipation are frequently seen in cystic fibrosis patients, especially later in life; genetic, dietary, and other associations have been explored. Diagnosis of DIOS is based on suggestive symptoms, with a right lower quadrant mass confirmed on abdominal radiography, whereas symptoms of constipation are milder and of longer standing. In DIOS, early aggressive laxative treatment with oral laxatives (polyethylene glycol) or intestinal lavage with balanced osmotic electrolyte solution and rehydration is required, which now makes the need for surgical interventions rare. Constipation can generally be well controlled with polyethylene glycol maintenance treatment

Induction of Swimming in Stomphia (Anthozoa: Actiniaria) by Imbricatine, a Metabolite of the Asteroid Dermasterias imbricata

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Isolation of xestosterol esters of brominated acetylenic fatty acids from the marine sponge Xestospongia testudinaria

The CH2Cl2 extract of the marine sponge Xestospongia testudinaria inhibited [H-3]DPCPX binding to rat-brain adenosine Al receptors. Bioassay-guided fractionation led to the isolation of a known brominated acetylenic fatty acid 1 as the active component. Also isolated were two novel sterol esters 2 and 3. All structures were determined on the basis of their spectroscopic data

REPEATABILITY OF THE SUGAR ABSORPTION TEST, USING LACTULOSE AND MANNITOL, FOR MEASURING INTESTINAL PERMEABILITY FOR SUGARS

Differential sugar-absorption tests for measuring intestinal permeability for sugars have been studied in a variety of gastrointestinal diseases. Their use in general practice has been hampered by a lack of data on reference values and repeatability of the test and the laboratory assay. In this study, we determined the reference values of the sugar-absorption test, using lactulose and mannitol as probe molecules, for children and adults. The repeatability of the test is good; linear relationship: slope, 0.825 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.571, 1.152); intercept, 0.005 (95% CI, -0.004, 0.010). The repeatability of the laboratory assay for the sugar-absorption test is excellent; linear relationship: slope, 1.014 (95% CI, 0.870, 1.094); intercept, 0.002 (95% CI, -0.005, 0.010). The validation of the sugar-absorption test makes the test useful as a simple, noninvasive, reliable intestinal permeability test for sugars, which can be of use for clinical practice. Taking possible interfering factors into account, the sugar-absorption test can be used as a diagnostic test for enteropathy of different etiologies and evaluation of therapeutic interventions in both children and adults. Studies with the sugar-absorption test may clarify the role of intestinal permeability in the pathophysiology of a variety of gastrointestinal disease