A carefully curated list from today's mainstream media

Do you know the origin of Blue Monday and why it was created in 2005 by a travel agent? Read on to find out why!

Alt: a woman says it 's your decision. She has brown hair and a blue top an is looking to a person we cannot see

Alt: a cat laying on top of a stack of books with the number 3 on the spine of the book

Background Recurrent common bile duct (CBD) stones after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a significant clinical issue. While the association between serum lipid levels and gallstones has been established, its impact on recurrent CBD stone is less clear. This study aims to investigate the association between serum lipid levels and recurrent CBD stone, further subclassified into different subgroups. We also try to explore effective drugs to decrease the occurrence of recurrent CBD stone. Materials and Methods This multi-institutional study acquired patients’ data from Chang Gung Memorial Hospitals using Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD) from 2002/1/1 to 2020/12/31. We analyzed the association between metabolic risk factors and recurrent CBD stone after ERCP using propensity score matching and then subclassified these patients into cholecystectomy, cirrhosis, and hyperlipidemia. Additionally, medications aimed at controlling serum lipid levels were investigated for their potential to reduce the recurrence rate of CBD stones. Results Totally, 5132 patients were enrolled. Our results showed that higher cholesterol level and HbA1C above 6.5% are risk factors of CBD stone recurrence after ERCP when using propensity score matching. However, triglyceride (TG) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were presented as protective factors. These metabolic factors may be variable in different subgroups. Additionally, statin and aspirin might be effective drugs to reduce CBD stone recurrence rate. Conclusions Serum lipid level and HbA1C were found to be associated with recurrent CBD stone after ERCP but variable in different subgroups. Statin and aspirin might reduce the risk of CBD stone recurrence.

Library use is dwindling, with less than a third of the UK population using the service in the last year. But with community (and the latest hardbacks) on offer, Lydia Spencer-Elliott argues that memb...

The UK’s four chief nurses have paid tribute to the contributions of nurses and midwives during 2025, highlighting another tough year.

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Objectives To identify the time required to achieve optimal palatability of a cup of tea without risk of harm (oral scalding) using the resources available in a standard hospital staff room, and to id...

Jamie Hayes and colleagues describe the history and sometimes personal significance of a go-to reference point for healthcare professionals in the UK and beyond Everyone has a favourite edition of th...

Aim To determine the perceptions and readiness of nurses regarding the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into healthcare services. Design A descriptive cross-sectional study. Methods D...