BACKGROUND & AIMS Diseases of the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract are often accompanied by diarrhea with profound alterations in the GI microbiota termed dysbiosis. Whether dysbiosis is due to the disease itself or to the accompanying diarrhea remains elusive. With this study we characterized the net effects of osmotic diarrhea on the composition of the GI microbiota in the absence of disease...

Hedgehog (Hh) proteins are members of a family of secreted signaling factors that orchestrate the development of many organs and tissues including those of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The requirement for Hh activity is not limited to early development but underlies the homeostasis of a number of tissues, and abnormal activity of the Hh pathway is associated with several GI malignancies. Un...

Vomiting can be the presenting symptom of a variety of disorders, ranging from self-limited diseases to life-threatening diseases. The causes of vomiting vary with age of presentation, and pediatricians should develop the skill to identify serious conditions at the earliest stage based on the age of presentation. Bilious emesis at any age is a sign of intestinal obstruction until proven otherwi...

Background Gastrointestinal (GI) obstruction is one of the most important surgical emergencies in neonates. Surgeons should select between conservative and invasive strategies. Imaging modalities are important in proper diagnosis. This study evaluates the sensitivity of abdominal radiographies (with or without contrast) in detection of neonatal GI obstruction. Materials and Methods A cross-sect...

Bacterial agents engineered to diagnose or treat gastrointestinal (GI) diseases have limited ability colonize specific regions of the GI tract. In article number 2007473, Mikhail G. Shapiro and co-workers show that a composite biomagnetic material comprising microscale magnetic particles probiotic bacteria can be used, in conjunction with external magnets, improve bacterial agents' localize ins...

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are a recently appreciated immune cell population that is constitutively found in the healthy mammalian gastrointestinal (GI) tract and associated lymphoid tissues. Translational studies have revealed that alterations in ILC populations are associated with GI disease in patients, such as inflammatory bowel disease, HIV infection and colon cancer, suggesting a potent...

The glycemic index (GI) is a physiological assessment of a food’s carbohydrate content through its effect on postprandial blood glucose concentrations. Evidence from trials and observational studies suggests that this physiological classification may have relevance to those chronic Western diseases associated with overconsumption and inactivity leading to central obesity and insulin resistance....