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1.Zinc as a contributing factor to short stature Zinc is an essential trace element and is a cofactor for many metalloenzymes that are involved in bone formation, tissue growth and development.Zinc deficiency might cause growth disturbance.Rapidly growing infants and children who have diets with low zinc bioavailability, are more prone to zinc deficiency.Several studies have shown that oral zinc supplementation was effective in short stature with growth hormone deficient (GHD) and non-GHD children.Imamoglu et al.(J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 18:2005) suggested that zinc supplementation increased basal IGF-Ⅰ,IGFBP-3, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and growth in prepubertal children with idiopathic short stature.However controversy still remains about the effect of zinc on growth and the GH-IGF system.The mechanism of this effect has not been well characterized.We also studied zinc levels in children with short stature, and intended to estimate the efficacy of oral zinc supplementation on growth in short children.2.Taurine administration: effect on fatty liver in children We observed the effect of taurine on the fatty livers of children (Obinata et al.: Adv Exp Med Bio1403:1996).Taurine was administered orally to 10 children with fatty liver due to simple obesity.During taurine administration, the CT numbers of the liver, which were low in the beginning, increased.Serum ALT levels improved, especially in those children whose weight was well controlled.Even in those who failed to control their weight, serum ALT levels recovered slightly.Ratios of glycine/taurine-conjugated bile acids were decreased.Thus, taurine was effective in treating fatty livers of children with simple obesity, regardless of the success or failure of weight control, with no adverse effects.Taurine administration is considered to be useful as an adjunctive therapy for fatty liver in children.