Synergistic effect of independent risk factors for post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis: a multicenter retrospective study in Japan.

Background/aims: This study aimed to examine the synergistic effect of independent risk factors on post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP).

Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 1,273 patients with native papillae who underwent ERCP for bile duct stones in Japan. Independent PEP risk factors were identified using univariate and multivariate analyses.

Comparison of Outcomes between a Basket Catheter and a Balloon Catheter for Endoscopic Common Bile Duct Stone Removal.

Introduction: Evidence for the outcomes of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) between a basket catheter and a balloon catheter for endoscopic common bile duct stone (CBDS) removal is lacking. This study aimed to compare ERCP outcomes using a basket catheter and a balloon catheter for endoscopic CBDS removal.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 904 consecutive patients with native papilla who underwent endoscopic stone removal for CBDS ≤10 mm using a basket catheter and/or a balloon catheter at three institutions in Japan.

Post-endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Pancreatitis after Conservative Treatment for Symptomatic Bile Duct Stones.

Introduction: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for asymptomatic common bile duct stones (CBDS) has been associated with an increased risk of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP). Patients with asymptomatic CBDS at the time of ERCP include those with incidentally discovered CBDS (group A) and previously symptomatic patients with CBDS who became asymptomatic after conservative treatment for symptomatic CBDS, including obstructive jaundice or acute cholangitis (group B). In this study, we aimed to examine PEP risk in group B by comparing PEP risks between groups A, B, and currently symptomatic patients (group C).

Unnecessary endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography associated with the spontaneous passage of common bile duct stones into the duodenum: a multicenter retrospective study.

Background: Unnecessary endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) after spontaneous passage of common bile duct stones (CBDSs) should be avoided. This study aimed to examine the cumulative diagnosis rate and the predictive factors of spontaneous CBDS passage during the interval between the imaging diagnosis and ERCP.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 1260 consecutive patients with native papilla diagnosed with CBDSs using imaging modalities.

Low Detection Rates of Bile Duct Stones During Endoscopic Treatment for Highly Suspected Bile Duct Stones with No Imaging Evidence of Stones.

Background: The revised American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) guideline 2019 provides the high-risk criteria for suspected common bile duct stones (CBDSs).

Aims: To evaluate CBDS detection rates during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in high-risk patients with suspected CBDSs based on the ASGE guideline 2019.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 1100 consecutive patients who underwent ERCP for suspected CBDSs with any high-risk criteria based on the revised ASGE guideline 2019: Criterion 1, CBDSs on imaging; Criterion 2, clinical ascending cholangitis; and Criterion 3, total bilirubin exceeding 4 mg/dL and dilated common bile duct on imaging.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography-related complications for bile duct stones in asymptomatic and symptomatic patients.

Background And Aim: Current guidelines recommend the removal of common bile duct (CBD) stones by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for both asymptomatic and symptomatic patients. We conducted this study because of the limited research comparing the risks of ERCP-related complications between these two groups.

Methods: This retrospective study involved 1491 patients with native major duodenal papilla diagnosed with choledocholithiasis at three institutions in Japan.

Factors Predicting Difficult Biliary Cannulation during Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography for Common Bile Duct Stones.

Background/aims: Difficult biliary cannulation is an important risk factor for post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP). Therefore, this study aimed to identify the factors that predict difficult cannulation for common bile duct stones (CBDS) to reduce the risk for PEP.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 1,406 consecutive patients with native papillae who underwent ERCP for CBDS.

Increased post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis for choledocholithiasis without acute cholangitis.

Background And Aim: Choledocholithiasis is the most common indication for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Identifying risk factors for post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) is important for reducing the risk of developing PEP after common bile duct (CBD) stone removal. However, studies examining the risk factors for PEP for CBD stones are scarce.

Remaining issues of recommended management in current guidelines for asymptomatic common bile duct stones.

Current guidelines for treating asymptomatic common bile duct stones (CBDS) recommend stone removal, with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) being the first treatment choice. When deciding on ERCP treatment for asymptomatic CBDS, the risk of ERCP-related complications and outcome of natural history of asymptomatic CBDS should be compared. The incidence rate of ERCP-related complications, particularly of post-ERCP pancreatitis for asymptomatic CBDS, was reportedly higher than that of symptomatic CBDS, increasing the risk of ERCP-related complications for asymptomatic CBDS compared with that previously reported for biliopancreatic diseases.

Disease-Based Risk Stratification of Postendoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Pancreatitis for Common Bile Duct Stones.

Background: Risk stratification of postendoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP) for common bile duct (CBD) stones is needed for clinicians to adequately explain to patients regarding the risk of PEP in advance of ERCP and to proactively take preventive measures in high-risk patients.

Aims: To stratify the risk of PEP for CBD stones based on CBD-related diseases.

Methods: A total of 1551 patients with naïve papilla who underwent ERCP for CBD stones were divided into three groups: Group A: asymptomatic CBD stones, Group B: obstructive jaundice and elevated liver test values without cholangitis, and Group C: mild, moderate, and severe cholangitis.

Detection and identification of adhesins involved in adhesion of Campylobacter jejuni to chicken skin.

Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of bacterial food poisoning worldwide. Chickens are considered to be one of the major reservoirs of Campylobacter infection in humans due to colonization of their intestinal tract. When the chickens are slaughtered and processed, the entire skin of the carcass becomes contaminated with campylobacters.

Therapeutic Effects of Diagonal-Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Functional Recovery in Acute Stroke: A Pilot Study.

Background: Peak neurologic recovery from acute stroke occurs within the first 3 months, and continues at a slower pace for 6 months.

Objective/hypothesis: The aim of this pilot study is to clarify the safety and feasibility of multiple diagonal-transcranial direct current stimulation (d-tDCS) sessions up to 3 months with electrodes placed diagonally over the lesional dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and contralesional primary motor cortex for upper limb hemiparesis in acute stroke.

Methods: Five patients with acute stroke (2 with intracerebral hemorrhage and 3 with cerebral infarction) with upper limb paresis participated.

Post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis in single-stage endoscopic common bile duct stone removal.

Background And Aims: Papillary treatment, such as endoscopic sphincterotomy or endoscopic papillary balloon dilation, and subsequent single-stage endoscopic stone removal are often performed for choledocholithiasis; however, the incidence of postendoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis (PEP) is unclear. This study aimed to compare the overall incidence of PEP between single- and two-stage stone removal groups and the incidence of PEP between these two groups based on cannulation time.

Methods: We included 897 patients with native papilla who underwent papillary treatment and stone removal for choledocholithiasis with no inflammation or mild-to-moderate acute cholangitis at three institutions between April 2012 and March 2018 in Japan.

Safety and Efficacy of Endoscopic Removal of Common Bile Duct Stones in Elderly Patients ≥90 Years of Age.

Objective We examined the safety and efficacy of endoscopic stone removal for choledocholithiasis in elderly patients ≥90 years of age with native papilla and compared the outcomes with those in patients 75-89 years of age. Methods This multicenter retrospective study included 569 patients 75-89 years of age and 126 patients ≥90 years of age who had native papilla and underwent therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for choledocholithiasis at 3 institutions in Japan between April 2012 and March 2018. The main outcomes assessed were the incidence of post-ERCP complications during hospitalization and outcomes of ERCP in patients ≥90 years of age.

Post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis in patients with asymptomatic common bile duct stones.

Background And Aim: For asymptomatic common bile duct (CBD) stones, removal by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is recommended in available guidelines. However, few studies have reported the risk of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP), which is the most common and serious ERCP-related complication for asymptomatic CBD stones. We performed a propensity score matching analysis to examine the risk of PEP in therapeutic ERCP for asymptomatic CBD stones.

The Incidence of Complications in Single-stage Endoscopic Stone Removal for Patients with Common Bile Duct Stones: A Propensity Score Analysis.

Objective Single-stage endoscopic stone removal for choledocholithiasis is an advantageous approach because it is associated with a shorter hospital stay; however, few studies have reported the incidence of complications related to this procedure in detail. The aim of this study was to examine the incidence of complications and efficacy of this procedure. Methods This retrospective study investigated the incidence of complications in 345 patients with naive papilla who underwent therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for choledocholithiasis at three institutions between April 2014 and March 2016 by a propensity score analysis.

Effect of morphological changes in feather follicles of chicken carcasses after defeathering and chilling on the degree of skin contamination by Campylobacter species.

Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli are the leading causes of enteric infections in many developed countries. Healthy chickens are considered to act as reservoirs of campylobacters, as the organisms colonize the intestinal tract.

Increased risk and severity of ERCP-related complications associated with asymptomatic common bile duct stones.

Background And Study Aims:  Endoscopic removal of asymptomatic common bile duct stones (CBDS) is generally recommended. Although many reports have described the risk of complications in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), no studies have addressed this problem in the context of asymptomatic CBDS. This study examines the risk of complications arising in ERCP for asymptomatic CBDS.

Aggregation Behavior of Fluorooctanols in Hydrocarbon Solvents.

The association behaviors of three 1-octanols (1-octanol:  C8OH; 1,1,2,2-tetrahydrotridecafluorooctanol:  TFC8OH; and 1,1-dihydropentadecafluorooctanol:  DFC8OH) in two hydrocarbon solvents (n-hexane and benzene) were examined by vibration spectroscopy from 288.15 to 318.15 K.

Magnetic circular dichroism of 3d5/2 --> 2p3/2 resonant inelastic X-ray scattering at the Ho L(III)-edge in Ho3Fe5O12.

Magnetic Circular Dichroism (MCD) of Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering (RIXS) of 3d(5/2) --> 2p(3/2) decay (Ho Lalpha1) was measured at the Ho L(III)-edge in Ho3Fe5O12. The MCD-RIXS, in which the intermediate state has the 2p4f(n+1) configuration due to the quadrupolar transition of 2p --> 4f, was also observed at the pre-edge region of the Ho L(III)-edge. The obvious superposition of two peaks, which comes from the high-energy off-resonant Raman scattering and the fluorescence, could be found in both the RIXS and the MCD-RIXS when the energy of the incoming X-ray was 7eV higher than the white line.

[Prognostic factors in unresectable lung cancer].

Seventy-seven prognostic factors influencing survival time in patients with unresectable lung cancer treated from 1964 to 1983 at Aichi Cancer Center Hospital were analyzed using univariate analysis by log rank test and multivariate analysis by proportional hazard model of Cox. Statistical significance using univariate analysis was identified in 19 factors in small cell lung cancer patients, and in 40 factors in non-small cell lung cancer patients. The string prognostic factors determined by multivariate analysis were, in the order of importance, serum LDH level, chest pain, peripheral lymphocyte count, bone marrow metastasis, brain metastasis, age, and performance status in small cell lung cancer patients.

[Cyclic alternating combination chemotherapy of small cell carcinoma of the lung].

Twenty-six consecutive previously untreated patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung were treated with cyclic alternating combination chemotherapy. COAM consists of cyclophosphamide 140 mg/m2 i.v.