Explainable Artificial Intelligence(XAI)has an advanced feature to enhance the decision-making feature and improve the rule-based technique by using more advanced Machine Learning(ML)and Deep Learning(DL)based algorit...Explainable Artificial Intelligence(XAI)has an advanced feature to enhance the decision-making feature and improve the rule-based technique by using more advanced Machine Learning(ML)and Deep Learning(DL)based algorithms.In this paper,we chose e-healthcare systems for efficient decision-making and data classification,especially in data security,data handling,diagnostics,laboratories,and decision-making.Federated Machine Learning(FML)is a new and advanced technology that helps to maintain privacy for Personal Health Records(PHR)and handle a large amount of medical data effectively.In this context,XAI,along with FML,increases efficiency and improves the security of e-healthcare systems.The experiments show efficient system performance by implementing a federated averaging algorithm on an open-source Federated Learning(FL)platform.The experimental evaluation demonstrates the accuracy rate by taking epochs size 5,batch size 16,and the number of clients 5,which shows a higher accuracy rate(19,104).We conclude the paper by discussing the existing gaps and future work in an e-healthcare system.展开更多
The world’s coral reefs are threatened by the cumulative impacts of global climate change and local stressors.Driven largely by a desire to understand the interactions between corals and their symbiotic microorganism...The world’s coral reefs are threatened by the cumulative impacts of global climate change and local stressors.Driven largely by a desire to understand the interactions between corals and their symbiotic microorganisms,and to use this knowledge to eventually improve coral health,interest in coral microbiology and the coral microbiome has increased in recent years.In this review,we summarize the role of the coral microbiome in maintaining a healthy metaorganism by providing nutrients,support for growth and development,protection against pathogens,and mitigation of environmental stressors.We explore the concept of coral microbiome engineering,that is,precise and controlled manipulation of the coral microbiome to aid and enhance coral resilience and tolerance in the changing oceans.Although coral microbiome engineering is clearly in its infancy,several recent breakthroughs indicate that such engineering is an effective tool for restoration and preservation of these valuable ecosystems.To assist with identifying future research targets,we have reviewed the common principles of microbiome engineering and its applications in improving human health and agricultural productivity,drawing parallels to where coral microbiome engineering can advance in the not-too-distant future.Finally,we end by discussing the challenges faced by researchers and practitioners in the application of microbiome engineering in coral reefs and provide recommendations for future work.展开更多
The inability of traditional privacy-preserving models to protect multiple datasets based on sensitive attributes has prompted researchers to propose models such as SLOMS,SLAMSA,(p,k)-Angelization,and(p,l)-Angelizatio...The inability of traditional privacy-preserving models to protect multiple datasets based on sensitive attributes has prompted researchers to propose models such as SLOMS,SLAMSA,(p,k)-Angelization,and(p,l)-Angelization,but these were found to be insufficient in terms of robust privacy and performance.(p,l)-Angelization was successful against different privacy disclosures,but it was not efficient.To the best of our knowledge,no robust privacy model based on fuzzy logic has been proposed to protect the privacy of sensitive attributes with multiple records.In this paper,we suggest an improved version of(p,l)-Angelization based on a hybrid AI approach and privacy-preserving approach like Generalization.Fuzz-classification(p,l)-Angel uses artificial intelligence based fuzzy logic for classification,a high-dimensional segmentation technique for segmenting quasi-identifiers and multiple sensitive attributes.We demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed solution by modelling and analyzing privacy violations using High-Level Petri Nets.The results of the experiment demonstrate that the proposed approach produces better results in terms of efficiency and utility.展开更多
Smart home devices are vulnerable to a variety of attacks.The matter gets more complicated when a number of devices collaborate to launch a colluding attack(e.g.,Distributed-Denial-of-Service(DDoS))in a network(e.g.,S...Smart home devices are vulnerable to a variety of attacks.The matter gets more complicated when a number of devices collaborate to launch a colluding attack(e.g.,Distributed-Denial-of-Service(DDoS))in a network(e.g.,Smart home).To handle these attacks,most studies have hitherto proposed authentication protocols that cannot necessarily be implemented in devices,especially during Device-to-Device(D2D)interactions.Tapping into the potential of Ethereum blockchain and smart contracts,this work proposes a lightweight authentication mechanism that enables safe D2D interactions in a smart home.The Ethereum blockchain enables the implementation of a decentralized prototype as well as a peer-to-peer distributed ledger system.The work also uses a single server queuing system model and the authentication mechanism to curtail DDoS attacks by controlling the number of service requests in the system.The simulation was conducted twenty times,each with varying number of devices chosen at random(ranging from 1 to 30).Each requester device sends an arbitrary request with a unique resource requirement at a time.This is done to measure the system's consistency across a variety of device capabilities.The experimental results show that the proposed protocol not only prevents colluding attacks,but also outperforms the benchmark protocols in terms of computational cost,message processing,and response times.展开更多
BACKGROUND Paraduodenal pancreatitis(PP)represents a diagnostic challenge,especially in non-referral centers,given its potential imaging overlap with pancreatic cancer.There are two main histological variants of PP,th...BACKGROUND Paraduodenal pancreatitis(PP)represents a diagnostic challenge,especially in non-referral centers,given its potential imaging overlap with pancreatic cancer.There are two main histological variants of PP,the cystic and the solid,with slightly different imaging appearances.Moreover,imaging findings in PP may change over time because of disease progression and/or as an effect of its risk factors exposition,namely alcohol intake and smoking.AIM To describe multimodality imaging findings in patients affected by PP to help clinicians in the differential diagnosis with pancreatic cancer.METHODS The systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses 2009 guidelines.A Literature search was performed on PubMed,Embase and Cochrane Library using(groove pancreatitis[Title/Abstract])OR(PP[Title/Abstract])as key words.A total of 593 articles were considered for inclusion.After eliminating duplicates,and title and abstract screening,53 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility.Eligibility criteria were:Original studies including 8 or more patients,fully written in English,describing imaging findings in PP,with pathological confirmation or clinical-radiological follow-up as the gold standard.Finally,14 studies were included in our systematic review.RESULTS Computed tomography(CT)findings were described in 292 patients,magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)findings in 231 and endoscopic ultrasound(EUS)findings in 115.Duodenal wall thickening was observed in 88.8%of the cases:Detection rate was 96.5%at EUS,91.0%at MRI and 84.1%at CT.Second duodenal portion increased enhancement was recognizable in 76.3%of the cases:Detection rate was 84.4%at MRI and 72.1%at CT.Cysts within the duodenal wall were detected in 82.6%of the cases:Detection rate was 94.4%at EUS,81.9%at MRI and 75.7%at CT.A solid mass in the groove region was described in 40.9%of the cases;in 78.3%of the cases,it showed patchy enhancement in the portal venous phase,and in 100%appeared iso/hyperintense during delayed phase imaging.Only 3.6%of the lesions showed restricted diffusion.The prevalence of radiological signs of chronic obstructive pancreatitis,namely main pancreatic duct dilatation,pancreatic calcifications,and pancreatic cysts,was extremely variable in the different articles.CONCLUSION PP has peculiar imaging findings.MRI is the best radiological imaging modality for diagnosing PP,but EUS is more accurate than MRI in depicting duodenal wall alterations.展开更多
提出利用GPS参考网估计电离层延迟、卫星相位偏差的算法,用于实现区域内精密单点定位(Precise Point Positioning,PPP)的整周模糊度快速固定.利用站间距约为100～200km的参考网进行实验,结果表明:电离层延迟的内插和外推精度均优于1dm,...提出利用GPS参考网估计电离层延迟、卫星相位偏差的算法,用于实现区域内精密单点定位(Precise Point Positioning,PPP)的整周模糊度快速固定.利用站间距约为100～200km的参考网进行实验,结果表明:电离层延迟的内插和外推精度均优于1dm,卫星相位偏差估值的日内变化不超过0.2周;此外,单天内不同时刻始,固定PPP整周模糊度所需时长最多不超过10min,且当模糊度成功固定后,三维位置解较之相应浮点解的精度改善优于80%.新算法可望解决PPP普遍存在的收敛时间过长问题,增强了PPP技术的实用性.展开更多
BACKGROUND: Significant bile leak as an uncommon complication after biliary tract surgery may constitute a serious and difficult management problem. Surgical management of biliary fistulae is associated with high morb...BACKGROUND: Significant bile leak as an uncommon complication after biliary tract surgery may constitute a serious and difficult management problem. Surgical management of biliary fistulae is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Biliary endoscopic procedures have become the treatment of choice for management of biliary Gstulae. METHODS: Ninety patients presented with bile leaks after cholecystectomy ( open cholecystectomy in 45 patients, cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration in 20 and laparoscopic cholecystectomy in 25). The presence of bile leaks was confirmed by ERCP and the appearance of bile in percutaneous drainage of abdominal collections. Of the 90 patients with postoperative bile leaks, 18 patients had complete transaction of the common bile duct by ERCP and were subjected to bilioenteric anastomosis. In the remaining patients after cholangiography and localization of the site of bile leaks. therapeutic procedures like sphinctero-tomy, biliary stenting and nasobiliary drainage ( NBD ) were performed. If residual stones were seen in the common bile duct, sphincterotomy was followed by stone extraction using dormia basket. Nasobiliary drain or stents of 7F size were placed according to the standard techniques. The NBD was removed when bile leak stopped and closure of the fistula confirmed cholangiographically. The stents were removed after an interval of 6-8 weeks. RESULTS: Bile leaks in 72 patients occurred in the cystic duct (38 patients), the common bile duct (30 ), and the right hepatic duct (4). Of the 72 patients with post-operative bile leak, 24 had associated retained common bile duct stones and 1 had ascaris in common bile duct. All the 72 patients were subjected to therapeutic procedures including sphincterotomy with stone extraction followed by biliary stenting (24 patients), removal of ascaris and biliary stenting (1), sphincterotomy with biliary stenting (18), sphincterotomy with NBD (12), biliary stenting alone (12), and NBD alone (5). Bile leaks stopped in all patients at a median interval of 3 days (range 3-16 days) after endoscopic in- terventions. No difference was observed in efficacy and in time for the treatment of bile leak by sphincterotomy with endoprosthesis or endoprosthesis alone in patients with bile leak after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Post-cholecystectomy bile leaks occur most commonly in the cystic duct and associated common bile duct stones are found in one-third of cases. Endoscopic therapy is safe and effective in the management of bile leaks and fistulae after surgery. Sphincterotomy with endoprosthesis or endoprosthesis alone is equally effective in the management of postoperative bile leak.展开更多
AIM: To evaluate clinical presentation, etiology, compli-cations and response to treatment in elderly patients with acute cholangitis.METHODS: Demographics, etiology of biliary obstruc-tion, clinical features, complic...AIM: To evaluate clinical presentation, etiology, compli-cations and response to treatment in elderly patients with acute cholangitis.METHODS: Demographics, etiology of biliary obstruc-tion, clinical features, complications and associated systemic diseases of 175 patients with acute cholangitis were recorded. Endoscopic biliary drainage was performed using nasobiliary drain or stent. The complications related to ERCP, success of biliary drainage, morbidity, mortality and length of hospital stay were evaluated. RESULTS: Of 175 patients, 52 aged ≥ 60 years (groupⅠ, age < 60 years; group Ⅱ, age ≥ 60 years) and 105 were men. Fever was present in 38 of 52 patients of group Ⅱ compared to 120 of 123 in groupⅠ. High fever (fever ≥ 38.0℃) was more common in groupⅠ(118/120 vs 18/38). Hypotension (5/123 vs 13/52), altered sensorium (3/123 vs 19/52), peritonism (22/123 vs 14/52), renal failure (5/123 vs 14/52) and associated comorbid diseases (4/123 vs 21/52) were more common in group Ⅱ. Biliopancreatic malignancy was a common cause of biliary obstruction in group Ⅱ (n = 34) and benign diseases in groupⅠ(n = 120). Indications for biliary drainage were any one of the following either singly or in combination: a fever of ≥ 38.0℃ (n = 136), hypotension (n = 18), peritonism (n = 36), altered sensorium (n = 22), and failure to improve within 72 h of conservative management (n = 22). High grade fever was more common indication of biliary drainage in groupⅠand hypotension, altered sensorium, peritonism and failure to improve within 72 h of conservative management were more common indications in group Ⅱ. Endoscopic biliary drainage was achieved in 172 patients (nasobiliary drain: 56 groupⅠ, 24 group Ⅱ, stent: 64 groupⅠ, 28 group Ⅱ) without any significant age related difference in the success rate. Abdominalpain, fever, jaundice, hypotension, altered sensorium, peritonism and renal failure improved after median time of 5 d in 120 patients in groupⅠ(2-15 d) compared to 10 d in 47 patients of group Ⅱ (3-20 d). Normalization of leucocyte count was seen after a median time of 7 d (3-20 d) in 120 patients in groupⅠcompared to 15 d (5-26 d) in 47 patients in group Ⅱ. There were no ERCP related complications in either group. Five patients (carcinoma gallbladder n = 3, CBD stones n = 2) died in group Ⅱ and they had undergone biliary drainage after failure of response to conservative management for 72 h. There was a higher mortality in patients in group Ⅱ despite successful biliary drainage (0/120 vs 5 /52). Length of hospital stay was longer in group Ⅱ patients (16.4 ± 5.6, 7-30 d) than in groupⅠpatients (8.2 ± 2.4, 7-20 d).CONCLUSION: Elderly patients with acute cholangitis have a high incidence of severe cholangitis, concomitant medical illnesses, hypotension, altered sensorium, peritonism, renal failure and higher mortality even after successful biliary drainage.展开更多
Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is characterized by obstructive jaundice, a dramatic clinical response to steroids and pathologically by a lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, with or without a pancreatic mass. Type 1 AIP is t...Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is characterized by obstructive jaundice, a dramatic clinical response to steroids and pathologically by a lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, with or without a pancreatic mass. Type 1 AIP is the pancreatic manifestation of an IgG4-related systemic disease and is characterized by elevated IgG4 serum levels, infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells and extrapancreatic lesions. Type 2 AIP usually has none or very few IgG4-positive plasma cells, no serum IgG4 elevation and appears to be a pancreas-specific disorder without extrapancreatic involvement. AIP is diagnosed in approximately 2%-6% of patients that undergo pancreatic resection for suspected pancreatic cancer. There are three patterns of autoimmune pancreatitis: diffuse disease is the most common type, with a diffuse, “sausage-like” pancreatic enlargement with sharp margins and loss of the lobular contours; focal disease is less common and manifests as a focal mass, often within the pancreatic head, mimicking a pancreatic malignancy. Multifocal involvement can also occur. In this paper we describe the features of AIP at ultrasonography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance and positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging, focusing on diagnosis and differential diagnosis with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. It is of utmost importance to make an early correct differential diagnosis between these two diseases in order to identify the optimal therapeutic strategy and to avoid unnecessary laparotomy or pancreatic resection in AIP patients. Non-invasive imaging plays also an important role in therapy monitoring, in follow-up and in early identification of disease recurrence.展开更多
In the last decade,intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms(IPMNs) have become commonly diagnosed.From a morphological standpoint,they are classified in main-duct IPMNs(MD-IPMNs) and branch-duct IPMNs(BD-IPMNs),depend...In the last decade,intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms(IPMNs) have become commonly diagnosed.From a morphological standpoint,they are classified in main-duct IPMNs(MD-IPMNs) and branch-duct IPMNs(BD-IPMNs),depending on the type of involvement of the pancreatic ductal system by the neoplasm.Despite the fact that our understanding of their natural history is still incomplete,recent data indicate that MD-IPMNs and BD-IPMNs show significant differences in terms of biological behaviour with MD-IPMNs at higher risk of malignant degeneration.In the present paper,clinical and epidemiological characteristics,rates of malignancy and the natural history of MD-IPMNs and BD-IPMNs are analyzed.The profile of IPMNs involving both the main pancreatic duct and its side branches(combined-IPMNs) are also discussed.Finally,general recommendations for management based on these differences are given.展开更多
文摘Explainable Artificial Intelligence(XAI)has an advanced feature to enhance the decision-making feature and improve the rule-based technique by using more advanced Machine Learning(ML)and Deep Learning(DL)based algorithms.In this paper,we chose e-healthcare systems for efficient decision-making and data classification,especially in data security,data handling,diagnostics,laboratories,and decision-making.Federated Machine Learning(FML)is a new and advanced technology that helps to maintain privacy for Personal Health Records(PHR)and handle a large amount of medical data effectively.In this context,XAI,along with FML,increases efficiency and improves the security of e-healthcare systems.The experiments show efficient system performance by implementing a federated averaging algorithm on an open-source Federated Learning(FL)platform.The experimental evaluation demonstrates the accuracy rate by taking epochs size 5,batch size 16,and the number of clients 5,which shows a higher accuracy rate(19,104).We conclude the paper by discussing the existing gaps and future work in an e-healthcare system.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42122045,41890853,and 42106197)the Key Special Project for Introduced Talents Team of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory(Guangzhou)(GML2019ZD0401 and GML2019ZD0402)Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDA13020300).
文摘The world’s coral reefs are threatened by the cumulative impacts of global climate change and local stressors.Driven largely by a desire to understand the interactions between corals and their symbiotic microorganisms,and to use this knowledge to eventually improve coral health,interest in coral microbiology and the coral microbiome has increased in recent years.In this review,we summarize the role of the coral microbiome in maintaining a healthy metaorganism by providing nutrients,support for growth and development,protection against pathogens,and mitigation of environmental stressors.We explore the concept of coral microbiome engineering,that is,precise and controlled manipulation of the coral microbiome to aid and enhance coral resilience and tolerance in the changing oceans.Although coral microbiome engineering is clearly in its infancy,several recent breakthroughs indicate that such engineering is an effective tool for restoration and preservation of these valuable ecosystems.To assist with identifying future research targets,we have reviewed the common principles of microbiome engineering and its applications in improving human health and agricultural productivity,drawing parallels to where coral microbiome engineering can advance in the not-too-distant future.Finally,we end by discussing the challenges faced by researchers and practitioners in the application of microbiome engineering in coral reefs and provide recommendations for future work.
文摘The inability of traditional privacy-preserving models to protect multiple datasets based on sensitive attributes has prompted researchers to propose models such as SLOMS,SLAMSA,(p,k)-Angelization,and(p,l)-Angelization,but these were found to be insufficient in terms of robust privacy and performance.(p,l)-Angelization was successful against different privacy disclosures,but it was not efficient.To the best of our knowledge,no robust privacy model based on fuzzy logic has been proposed to protect the privacy of sensitive attributes with multiple records.In this paper,we suggest an improved version of(p,l)-Angelization based on a hybrid AI approach and privacy-preserving approach like Generalization.Fuzz-classification(p,l)-Angel uses artificial intelligence based fuzzy logic for classification,a high-dimensional segmentation technique for segmenting quasi-identifiers and multiple sensitive attributes.We demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed solution by modelling and analyzing privacy violations using High-Level Petri Nets.The results of the experiment demonstrate that the proposed approach produces better results in terms of efficiency and utility.
文摘Smart home devices are vulnerable to a variety of attacks.The matter gets more complicated when a number of devices collaborate to launch a colluding attack(e.g.,Distributed-Denial-of-Service(DDoS))in a network(e.g.,Smart home).To handle these attacks,most studies have hitherto proposed authentication protocols that cannot necessarily be implemented in devices,especially during Device-to-Device(D2D)interactions.Tapping into the potential of Ethereum blockchain and smart contracts,this work proposes a lightweight authentication mechanism that enables safe D2D interactions in a smart home.The Ethereum blockchain enables the implementation of a decentralized prototype as well as a peer-to-peer distributed ledger system.The work also uses a single server queuing system model and the authentication mechanism to curtail DDoS attacks by controlling the number of service requests in the system.The simulation was conducted twenty times,each with varying number of devices chosen at random(ranging from 1 to 30).Each requester device sends an arbitrary request with a unique resource requirement at a time.This is done to measure the system's consistency across a variety of device capabilities.The experimental results show that the proposed protocol not only prevents colluding attacks,but also outperforms the benchmark protocols in terms of computational cost,message processing,and response times.
文摘BACKGROUND Paraduodenal pancreatitis(PP)represents a diagnostic challenge,especially in non-referral centers,given its potential imaging overlap with pancreatic cancer.There are two main histological variants of PP,the cystic and the solid,with slightly different imaging appearances.Moreover,imaging findings in PP may change over time because of disease progression and/or as an effect of its risk factors exposition,namely alcohol intake and smoking.AIM To describe multimodality imaging findings in patients affected by PP to help clinicians in the differential diagnosis with pancreatic cancer.METHODS The systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses 2009 guidelines.A Literature search was performed on PubMed,Embase and Cochrane Library using(groove pancreatitis[Title/Abstract])OR(PP[Title/Abstract])as key words.A total of 593 articles were considered for inclusion.After eliminating duplicates,and title and abstract screening,53 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility.Eligibility criteria were:Original studies including 8 or more patients,fully written in English,describing imaging findings in PP,with pathological confirmation or clinical-radiological follow-up as the gold standard.Finally,14 studies were included in our systematic review.RESULTS Computed tomography(CT)findings were described in 292 patients,magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)findings in 231 and endoscopic ultrasound(EUS)findings in 115.Duodenal wall thickening was observed in 88.8%of the cases:Detection rate was 96.5%at EUS,91.0%at MRI and 84.1%at CT.Second duodenal portion increased enhancement was recognizable in 76.3%of the cases:Detection rate was 84.4%at MRI and 72.1%at CT.Cysts within the duodenal wall were detected in 82.6%of the cases:Detection rate was 94.4%at EUS,81.9%at MRI and 75.7%at CT.A solid mass in the groove region was described in 40.9%of the cases;in 78.3%of the cases,it showed patchy enhancement in the portal venous phase,and in 100%appeared iso/hyperintense during delayed phase imaging.Only 3.6%of the lesions showed restricted diffusion.The prevalence of radiological signs of chronic obstructive pancreatitis,namely main pancreatic duct dilatation,pancreatic calcifications,and pancreatic cysts,was extremely variable in the different articles.CONCLUSION PP has peculiar imaging findings.MRI is the best radiological imaging modality for diagnosing PP,but EUS is more accurate than MRI in depicting duodenal wall alterations.
文摘提出利用GPS参考网估计电离层延迟、卫星相位偏差的算法,用于实现区域内精密单点定位(Precise Point Positioning,PPP)的整周模糊度快速固定.利用站间距约为100～200km的参考网进行实验,结果表明:电离层延迟的内插和外推精度均优于1dm,卫星相位偏差估值的日内变化不超过0.2周;此外,单天内不同时刻始,固定PPP整周模糊度所需时长最多不超过10min,且当模糊度成功固定后,三维位置解较之相应浮点解的精度改善优于80%.新算法可望解决PPP普遍存在的收敛时间过长问题,增强了PPP技术的实用性.
文摘BACKGROUND: Significant bile leak as an uncommon complication after biliary tract surgery may constitute a serious and difficult management problem. Surgical management of biliary fistulae is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Biliary endoscopic procedures have become the treatment of choice for management of biliary Gstulae. METHODS: Ninety patients presented with bile leaks after cholecystectomy ( open cholecystectomy in 45 patients, cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration in 20 and laparoscopic cholecystectomy in 25). The presence of bile leaks was confirmed by ERCP and the appearance of bile in percutaneous drainage of abdominal collections. Of the 90 patients with postoperative bile leaks, 18 patients had complete transaction of the common bile duct by ERCP and were subjected to bilioenteric anastomosis. In the remaining patients after cholangiography and localization of the site of bile leaks. therapeutic procedures like sphinctero-tomy, biliary stenting and nasobiliary drainage ( NBD ) were performed. If residual stones were seen in the common bile duct, sphincterotomy was followed by stone extraction using dormia basket. Nasobiliary drain or stents of 7F size were placed according to the standard techniques. The NBD was removed when bile leak stopped and closure of the fistula confirmed cholangiographically. The stents were removed after an interval of 6-8 weeks. RESULTS: Bile leaks in 72 patients occurred in the cystic duct (38 patients), the common bile duct (30 ), and the right hepatic duct (4). Of the 72 patients with post-operative bile leak, 24 had associated retained common bile duct stones and 1 had ascaris in common bile duct. All the 72 patients were subjected to therapeutic procedures including sphincterotomy with stone extraction followed by biliary stenting (24 patients), removal of ascaris and biliary stenting (1), sphincterotomy with biliary stenting (18), sphincterotomy with NBD (12), biliary stenting alone (12), and NBD alone (5). Bile leaks stopped in all patients at a median interval of 3 days (range 3-16 days) after endoscopic in- terventions. No difference was observed in efficacy and in time for the treatment of bile leak by sphincterotomy with endoprosthesis or endoprosthesis alone in patients with bile leak after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Post-cholecystectomy bile leaks occur most commonly in the cystic duct and associated common bile duct stones are found in one-third of cases. Endoscopic therapy is safe and effective in the management of bile leaks and fistulae after surgery. Sphincterotomy with endoprosthesis or endoprosthesis alone is equally effective in the management of postoperative bile leak.
文摘AIM: To evaluate clinical presentation, etiology, compli-cations and response to treatment in elderly patients with acute cholangitis.METHODS: Demographics, etiology of biliary obstruc-tion, clinical features, complications and associated systemic diseases of 175 patients with acute cholangitis were recorded. Endoscopic biliary drainage was performed using nasobiliary drain or stent. The complications related to ERCP, success of biliary drainage, morbidity, mortality and length of hospital stay were evaluated. RESULTS: Of 175 patients, 52 aged ≥ 60 years (groupⅠ, age < 60 years; group Ⅱ, age ≥ 60 years) and 105 were men. Fever was present in 38 of 52 patients of group Ⅱ compared to 120 of 123 in groupⅠ. High fever (fever ≥ 38.0℃) was more common in groupⅠ(118/120 vs 18/38). Hypotension (5/123 vs 13/52), altered sensorium (3/123 vs 19/52), peritonism (22/123 vs 14/52), renal failure (5/123 vs 14/52) and associated comorbid diseases (4/123 vs 21/52) were more common in group Ⅱ. Biliopancreatic malignancy was a common cause of biliary obstruction in group Ⅱ (n = 34) and benign diseases in groupⅠ(n = 120). Indications for biliary drainage were any one of the following either singly or in combination: a fever of ≥ 38.0℃ (n = 136), hypotension (n = 18), peritonism (n = 36), altered sensorium (n = 22), and failure to improve within 72 h of conservative management (n = 22). High grade fever was more common indication of biliary drainage in groupⅠand hypotension, altered sensorium, peritonism and failure to improve within 72 h of conservative management were more common indications in group Ⅱ. Endoscopic biliary drainage was achieved in 172 patients (nasobiliary drain: 56 groupⅠ, 24 group Ⅱ, stent: 64 groupⅠ, 28 group Ⅱ) without any significant age related difference in the success rate. Abdominalpain, fever, jaundice, hypotension, altered sensorium, peritonism and renal failure improved after median time of 5 d in 120 patients in groupⅠ(2-15 d) compared to 10 d in 47 patients of group Ⅱ (3-20 d). Normalization of leucocyte count was seen after a median time of 7 d (3-20 d) in 120 patients in groupⅠcompared to 15 d (5-26 d) in 47 patients in group Ⅱ. There were no ERCP related complications in either group. Five patients (carcinoma gallbladder n = 3, CBD stones n = 2) died in group Ⅱ and they had undergone biliary drainage after failure of response to conservative management for 72 h. There was a higher mortality in patients in group Ⅱ despite successful biliary drainage (0/120 vs 5 /52). Length of hospital stay was longer in group Ⅱ patients (16.4 ± 5.6, 7-30 d) than in groupⅠpatients (8.2 ± 2.4, 7-20 d).CONCLUSION: Elderly patients with acute cholangitis have a high incidence of severe cholangitis, concomitant medical illnesses, hypotension, altered sensorium, peritonism, renal failure and higher mortality even after successful biliary drainage.
文摘Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is characterized by obstructive jaundice, a dramatic clinical response to steroids and pathologically by a lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, with or without a pancreatic mass. Type 1 AIP is the pancreatic manifestation of an IgG4-related systemic disease and is characterized by elevated IgG4 serum levels, infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells and extrapancreatic lesions. Type 2 AIP usually has none or very few IgG4-positive plasma cells, no serum IgG4 elevation and appears to be a pancreas-specific disorder without extrapancreatic involvement. AIP is diagnosed in approximately 2%-6% of patients that undergo pancreatic resection for suspected pancreatic cancer. There are three patterns of autoimmune pancreatitis: diffuse disease is the most common type, with a diffuse, “sausage-like” pancreatic enlargement with sharp margins and loss of the lobular contours; focal disease is less common and manifests as a focal mass, often within the pancreatic head, mimicking a pancreatic malignancy. Multifocal involvement can also occur. In this paper we describe the features of AIP at ultrasonography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance and positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging, focusing on diagnosis and differential diagnosis with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. It is of utmost importance to make an early correct differential diagnosis between these two diseases in order to identify the optimal therapeutic strategy and to avoid unnecessary laparotomy or pancreatic resection in AIP patients. Non-invasive imaging plays also an important role in therapy monitoring, in follow-up and in early identification of disease recurrence.
文摘In the last decade,intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms(IPMNs) have become commonly diagnosed.From a morphological standpoint,they are classified in main-duct IPMNs(MD-IPMNs) and branch-duct IPMNs(BD-IPMNs),depending on the type of involvement of the pancreatic ductal system by the neoplasm.Despite the fact that our understanding of their natural history is still incomplete,recent data indicate that MD-IPMNs and BD-IPMNs show significant differences in terms of biological behaviour with MD-IPMNs at higher risk of malignant degeneration.In the present paper,clinical and epidemiological characteristics,rates of malignancy and the natural history of MD-IPMNs and BD-IPMNs are analyzed.The profile of IPMNs involving both the main pancreatic duct and its side branches(combined-IPMNs) are also discussed.Finally,general recommendations for management based on these differences are given.
