Pancreatitis is one of the most frequent complications of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The placement of a prophylactic pancreatic stent after ERCP can help prevent post-ERCP ...pancreatitis (PEP). We aimed to provide an up-to-date meta-analysis regarding pancreatic stent placement for prevention of PEP and review the immediate adverse events associated with pancreatic stent placement.
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) considering pancreatic stent placement and the subsequent incidence of PEP. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of PEP. We also did a meta-analysis of RCTs and observational studies that reported on immediate adverse events, in order to estimate their incidence.
Eight studies, involving 680 patients, were included in the meta-analysis; 336 patients had pancreatic stent placement, and 344 patients formed the control group. Pancreatic stent placement was associated with a statistically significant reduction in PEP (relative risk RR 0.32, 95 % confidence interval CI 0.19 - 0.52; P<0.001). Subgroup analysis with stratification according to PEP severity showed that pancreatic stenting was beneficial in patients with mild to moderate PEP (RR 0.36, 95 %CI 0.22 -0.60; P<0.001) and in patients with severe PEP (RR 0.23, 95 %CI 0.06 - 0.91; P=0.04). Subgroup analysis according to patient selection demonstrated that pancreatic stenting was effective for both high risk and mixed-case groups. Weighted pooled estimates from between one and 17 studies for incidences of immediate adverse events were: overall complications 4.4 %; any infection 3.0 %; bleeding 2.5 %; cholangitis or cholecystitis 3.1 %; necrosis 0.4 %; pancreatic stent migration 4.9 % and occlusion 7.9 %; perforation 0.8 %; pseudocysts 3.0 %; and retroperitoneal perforation 1.2 %.
The meta-analysis shows that pancreatic stent placement after ERCP reduces the risk of PEP.
In recent years, it has become important in forestry and forest research to accurately calculate tree stem traits from point clouds captured using the terrestrial laser scanner. However, it is ...difficult to accurately align a large number of trees in a forest over a large area. Therefore, the reliability of traits calculated from point clouds has been problematic. In this paper, we propose a method to automatically correct misaligned point-clouds and calculate accurate tree stem traits. In our method, a different registration matrix is calculated for each tree to correct the misalignment. When the target tree is specified, point-clouds measured in the vicinity of the target tree and points of the neighbor trees are selected for multi-view registration, and a registration matrix suitable for the target tree is calculated. The experimental results show that the proposed method is effective in correcting misalignment and precisely calculating tree stem traits.
We have experimentally studied a magnetopiezoelectric effect predicted recently for magnetic metals with low crystal symmetries. In EuMnBi2 with antiferromagnetic Mn moments at 77 K, dynamic ...displacements emerge along the a direction upon application of ac electric fields in the c direction and increase in proportion to the applied electric fields. Such displacements are not observed along the c direction of EuMnBi2 or EuZnBi2 with nonmagnetic Zn ions. As temperature increases from 77 K, the displacement signals decrease and disappear at about 200 K, above which electric conduction changes from coherent to incoherent. These results demonstrate the emergence of the magnetopiezoelectric effect in a magnetic metal lacking inversion and time-reversal symmetries.
The high-temperature deformation mechanism of the FeCrAl-ODS ferritic steel was investigated at 1000 °C for the creep loading perpendicular to the elongated and aligned grains. The strain rate was ...varied in the range from the order of 10−2 to 10−7s−1. With decreasing strain rate from 10−2 to 10−5s−1, creep mechanism shifts from conventional dislocation creep pinned by oxide particles to grain boundary sliding (GBS) assisted concomitantly by diffusional creep. With further decreasing strain rate to 10−7s−1, deformation mechanism is drastically changed; group of three grains can move cooperatively, and cooperative GBS (CGBS) was originally recognized. The threshold stress for onset of CGBS was designated as σthI(CGBS). Rate limiting process of CGBS is dominated by dislocation movement over the oxide particles so as to relieve the stress accumulation due to CGBS. The σthI(CGBS) for CGBS corresponds to one third of the conventional threshold stress for dislocation creep.
•Creep deformation mechanism was studied for FeCrAl-ODS ferritic steels.•At the strain rate of 10−7s−1, cooperative grain boundary sliding (GCGBS) was discovered.•CGBS is dominated by dislocation movement over the oxide particles.•The threshold stress for CGBS was found to be one third of the conventional threshold stress for dislocation creep.
The isolation of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) derived from bone marrow (BM) was an outstanding event in the recognition of 'de novo vessel formation' in adults occurring as physiological and ...pathological responses. The finding that EPCs home to sites of neovascularization and differentiate into endothelial cells (ECs) in situ is consistent with 'vasculogenesis', a critical paradigm well described for embryonic neovascularization, but proposed recently in adults in which a reservoir of stem or progenitor cells contributes to vascular organogenesis. EPCs have also been considered as therapeutic agents to supply the potent origin of neovascularization under pathological conditions. This review provides an update of EPC biology as well as highlighting their potential use for therapeutic regeneration.
Summary
Recombinant thrombomodulin (rTM) has pleiotrophic properties, including anti‐coagulation and anti‐inflammation; however, its effectiveness as a treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) has not ...been evaluated fully. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and proinflammatory cytokines, working as inflammatory mediators, are reportedly involved in the inflammatory pathogenesis of MS. The aim of this study was to determine whether rTM can be a potential therapeutic agent for experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). EAE mice received rTM treatment (1 mg or 0·1 mg/kg/day) from days 11 to 15 after immunization. The clinical variables, plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines and HMGB1 and pathological findings in EAE were evaluated. rTM administration ameliorated the clinical and pathological severity of EAE. An immunohistochemical study of the spinal cord showed weaker cytoplasmic HMGB1 staining in the rTM‐treated EAE mice than in the untreated EAE mice. Plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines and HMGB1 were suppressed by rTM treatment. In conclusion, rTM down‐regulated inflammatory mediators in the peripheral circulation and prevented HMGB1 release from nuclei in the central nervous system, suppressing EAE‐related inflammation. rTM could have a novel therapeutic potential for patients with MS.
Recombinant thrombomodulin down‐regulated inflammatory mediators in the peripheral circulation and prevented HMGB1 release from nuclei in the central nervous system, suppressing EAE‐related inflammation. Recombinant thrombomodulin could have a novel therapeutic potential for patients with multiple sclerosis.
Subtypes defined by hormonal receptor (HR) and HER2 status have not been well studied in inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). We characterized clinical parameters and long-term outcomes, and compared ...pathological complete response (pCR) rates by HR/HER2 subtype in a large IBC patient population. We also compared disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) between IBC patients who received targeted therapies (anti-hormonal, anti-HER2) and those who did not.
We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients diagnosed with IBC and treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center from January 1989 to January 2011. Of those, 527 patients had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and had available information on estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and HER2 status. HR status was considered positive if either ER or PR status was positive. Using the Kaplan–Meier method, we estimated median DFS and OS durations from the time of definitive surgery. Using the Cox proportional hazards regression model, we determined the effect of prognostic factors on DFS and OS. Results were compared by subtype.
The overall pCR rate in stage III IBC was 15.2%, with the HR-positive/HER2-negative subtype showing the lowest rate (7.5%) and the HR-negative/HER2-positive subtype, the highest (30.6%). The HR-negative, HER2-negative subtype (triple-negative breast cancer, TNBC) had the worst survival rate. HR-positive disease, irrespective of HER2 status, had poor prognosis that did not differ from that of the HR-negative/HER2-positive subtype with regard to OS or DFS. Achieving pCR, no evidence of vascular invasion, non-TNBC, adjuvant hormonal therapy, and radiotherapy were associated with longer DFS and OS.
Hormone receptor and HER2 molecular subtypes had limited predictive and prognostic power in our IBC population. All molecular subtypes of IBC had a poor prognosis. HR-positive status did not necessarily confer a good prognosis. For all IBC subtypes, novel, specific treatment strategies are needed in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings.
Peroxiredoxin 5 and peroxiredoxin 6 may play a role in the pathogeneses of multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica
Summary
Peroxiredoxins (PRXs) are intracellular anti‐oxidative enzymes but work ...as inflammatory amplifiers under the extracellular condition. To date, the function of PRXs in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether PRXs play a role in the pathogenesis of MS and NMOSD. We analyzed levels of PRXs (PRX1, PRX5 and PRX6) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum of 16 patients with MS, 16 patients with NMOSD and 15 patients with other neurological disorders (ONDs). We identified potential correlations between significantly elevated PRXs levels and the clinical variables in patients with MS and NMOSD. Additionally, pathological analyses of PRXs (PRX1‐6) in the central nervous system (CNS) were performed using the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), animal model of MS. We found that serum levels of PRX5 and PRX6 in patients with MS and NMOSD were higher compared with those in patients with ONDs (P < 0·05). Furthermore, high levels of PRX5 and PRX6 were partly associated with blood–brain barrier dysfunction and disease duration in NMOSD patients. No significant elevation was found in CSF PRXs levels of MS and NMOSD. Spinal cords from EAE mice showed remarkable PRX5 staining, especially in CD45+ infiltrating cells. In conclusion, PRX5 and PRX6 may play a role in the pathogeneses of MS and NMOSD.
Mobile Mapping System (MMS) equipped with a high-density LiDAR scanner is widely used for mapping. Various automatic mapping methods have been proposed for point clouds measured by the high-density ...LiDAR scanner on the MMS. However, careful parameter tuning is often required according to measurement conditions. In this paper, we propose a method to generate normalized scanlines from point clouds captured using the MMS. Normalized scanlines are useful to avoid parameter tuning depending on the measurement conditions. In order to evaluate the validity of our method, we extracted road boundaries with the same parameters from two point clouds measured under different conditions. In our evaluation, our method could detect almost the same road boundaries from the two point clouds using the same parameter settings.
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