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Key Clinical Message: ERCP is a safe and effective method for managing biliary obstruction in children. A case report illustrates successful removal of a bile duct stone in a 5‐year‐old child using ERCP. Pediatric ERCP is a viable option for treating biliary diseases in well‐equipped centers, alongside other approaches. We describe a 5‐year‐old child with extrahepatic biliary stone who successfully underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for stone removal. He suffered from persistent colicky abdominal pain accompanied by fever that confirmed biliary stone. ERCP along with other methods, can be considered a safe procedure for managing BD in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Lactobacillus fermentum ATCC 14931 as a probiotic to improve immune function and reduce the adverse effects of cadmium (Cd) in zebrafish. This study was performed for 60 days of feeding and 72 hours exposure to 7 g/L Cd. The study groups included C: Control, B: Feeding with a basal diet and exposure to cd, T1 and T3: feeding with probiotic diet in concentrations of 1.5×104 and 1.5×105 CFU ml-1 and exposure to cd, respectively. The biometrical index, mortality rate, Cd accumulation in tissue, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) were examined. According to the results, feeding with probiotics increased the length and weight growth of fish (P<0.05). The mortality rate in probiotic-fed groups was significantly reduced (P<0.05), while no significant difference was recorded in the cd accumulation rate of the gastrointestinal tract (P>0.05). Also, the SOD activity and MDA level decreased in T1 and T2 (P<0.05). Generally, the results showed that L. fermentum can be used as a suitable dietary supplement to prevent the adverse effects of acute Cd exposure in fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This meta-analysis evaluated the Efficacy and Effectiveness of several COVID-19 vaccines, including AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, Bharat, and Johnson & Johnson, to better estimate their immunogenicity, benefits, or side effects. Methods: Studies reporting the Efficacy and Effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines from November 2020 to April 2022 were included. The pooled Effectiveness/Efficacy with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) with Metaprop order was calculated. The results were presented in forest plots. Predefined subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were also performed. Results: A total of twenty articles were included in this meta-analysis. After the first dose of the vaccine, the total effectiveness of all COVID-19 vaccines in our study was 71% (95% CI 0.65, 0.78). The total effectiveness of vaccines after the second dose was 91% (95% CI 0.88, 0.94)). The total efficacy of vaccines after the first and second doses was 81% (95% CI 0.70, 0.91) and 71% (95% CI 0.62, 0.79), respectively. The effectiveness of the Moderna vaccine after the first and second dose was the highest among other studied vaccines ((74% (95% CI, 0.65, 0.83) and 93% (95% CI, 0.89, 0.97), respectively). The highest first dose overall effectiveness of the studied vaccines was against the Gamma variant (74% (95% CI, 0.73, 0.75)), and the highest effectiveness after the second dose was observed against the Beta variant (96% (95% CI, 0.96, 0.96)). The Efficacy for AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines after the first dose was 78% (95% CI, 0.62, 0.95) and 84% (95% CI, 0.77, 0.92), respectively. The second dose Efficacy for AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Bharat was 67% (95% CI, 0.54, 0.80), 93% (95% CI, 0.85, 1.00), and 71% (95% CI, 0.61, 0.82), respectively. The overall efficacy of first and second dose vaccination against the Alfa variant was 84% (95% CI, 0.84, 0.84) and 77% (95% CI, 0.57, 0.97), respectively, the highest among other variants. Conclusion: mRNA-based vaccines against COVID-19 showed the highest total efficacy and effectiveness than other vaccines. In general, administering the second dose produced a more reliable response and higher effectiveness than a single dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]