Empiric nasogastric decompression after pancreaticoduodenectomy is not necessary.

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of routine NGT decompression after PD on postoperative outcomes in the era of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective review of all patients undergoing PD between January 2015 and October 2017 at our institution was performed comparing routine post-operative NGT decompression versus omission. The incidence of delayed gastric emptying, post-operative pancreatic fistula, hospital length of stay, operative time, 30-day readmission rate as well the time to first oral intake were evaluated.

The diagnosis and management of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas: has progress been made?

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) of the pancreas are premalignant mucin-producing epithelial tumors that arise from the pancreatic ductal system. These cystic tumors represent 15-30% of cystic lesions of the pancreas [Basturk et al. in Am J Surg Pathol 39(12):1730-1741, 1; Ferrone et al.

Neuroendocrine carcinomas of the gallbladder: Lessons learnt from cases at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Neuroendocrine tumors are the rarest tumors of gallbladder. The most aggressive variant is neuroendocrine carcinoma which represents about 0.5% of all gallbladder carcinomas and 0.

Vinylation of Aryl Ether (Lignin β-O-4 Linkage) and Epoxides with Calcium Carbide through C-O Bond Cleavage.

Calcium carbide has been increasingly used as a sustainable, easy-to-handle, and low-cost feedstock in organic synthesis. Currently, methodologies of using calcium carbide as "solid acetylene" in synthesis are strictly limited to activation and reaction with X-H (X=C, N, O, S) bonds. Herein, a mild and transition-metal-free protocol was developed for the vinylation of epoxides and aryl ether linkage (β-O-4 lignin model compound) with calcium carbide through C-O bond cleavage, forming valuable vinyl ether products.

Transcranial random noise stimulation and cognitive training to improve learning and cognition of the atypically developing brain: A pilot study.

Learning disabilities that affect about 10% of human population are linked to atypical neurodevelopment, but predominantly treated by behavioural interventions. Behavioural interventions alone have shown little efficacy, indicating limited success in modulating neuroplasticity, especially in brains with neural atypicalities. Even in healthy adults, weeks of cognitive training alone led to inconsistent generalisable training gains, or "transfer effects" to non-trained materials.

Distinct microenvironmental cues stimulate divergent TLR4-mediated signaling pathways in macrophages.

Macrophages exhibit a phenotypic plasticity that enables them to orchestrate specific immune responses to distinct threats. The microbial product lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the extracellular matrix glycoprotein tenascin-C are released during bacterial infection and tissue injury, respectively, and both activate Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). We found that these two TLR4 ligands stimulated distinct signaling pathways in macrophages, resulting in cells with divergent phenotypes.

Isolation and Reactivity of 1,4,2-Diazaborole.

An isolable 1,4,2-diazaborole derivative was synthesized and structurally characterized. X-ray diffraction analysis and computational studies revealed a delocalization of 6π-electrons over the BC2N2 five-membered ring, which thus indicates the aromatic property. The reactivity toward electrophiles such as MeOTf and selectfluor was also investigated.

Endoscopy training in Canadian general surgery residency programs.

Currently, general surgeons provide about 50% of endoscopy services across Canada and an even greater proportion outside large urban centres. It is essential that endoscopy remain a core component of general surgery practice and a core competency of general surgery residency training. The Canadian Association of General Surgeons Residents Committee supports the position that quality endoscopy training for all Canadian general surgery residents is in the best interest of the Canadian public.

Late preterm delivery in women with preterm prelabour rupture of membranes.

Objective: To estimate maternal and neonatal outcomes in women with preterm prelabour rupture of membranes (PPROM) who delivered at 34+0 to 36+6 weeks' gestation, particularly in those who had an obstetrically indicated delivery.

Methods: We conducted a population-based study of late preterm singleton births complicated by PPROM, using data from the Nova Scotia Atlee Perinatal Database from 1988 to 2006. The study cohort was categorized by type of labour (spontaneous, induced, no labour), and each group's characteristics prior to delivery, and their outcomes were compared after accounting for potential confounding variables.

The effect of universal influenza immunization on mortality and health care use.

Background: In 2000, Ontario, Canada, initiated a universal influenza immunization program (UIIP) to provide free influenza vaccines for the entire population aged 6 mo or older. Influenza immunization increased more rapidly in younger age groups in Ontario compared to other Canadian provinces, which all maintained targeted immunization programs. We evaluated the effect of Ontario's UIIP on influenza-associated mortality, hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) use, and visits to doctors' offices.

How many people have had a myocardial infarction? Prevalence estimated using historical hospital data.

Background: Health administrative data are increasingly used to examine disease occurrence. However, health administrative data are typically available for a limited number of years - posing challenges for estimating disease prevalence and incidence. The objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of people previously hospitalized with an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) using 17 years of hospital data and to create a registry of people with myocardial infarction.

Effectiveness and efficiency of different guidelines on statin treatment for preventing deaths from coronary heart disease: modelling study.

Objective: To examine the potential effectiveness and efficiency of different guidelines for statin treatment to reduce deaths from coronary heart disease in the Canadian population.

Design: Modelled outcomes of screening and treatment recommendations of six national or international guidelines--from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, joint British societies, and European societies.

Setting: Canada.

Revisiting Rose: strategies for reducing coronary heart disease.

The way we assess risk of coronary heart disease has become more accurate in recent years. How does this affect the efficacy of primary and secondary prevention strategies?

Gender differences in the blood volume of conscious Sprague-Dawley rats.

Reference values of blood volume (BV) and plasma volume (PV) of animal species are given as functions of body weight and gender specification generally is not given. Considering the common observation of a decreased hematocrit (Hct) in the females of many species, the BV, the PV, or both must differ between genders. The present study was performed to determine the magnitude of those differences.