Methods: Literature searches of electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, selleckchem Cochrane Library Ovid, and Web of Science databases) and manual searches up to December 30, 2011 were performed. Comparative clinical trials were eligible if they reported perioperative outcomes for RG and LG for gastric cancer. Fixed and random effects models were used. The RevMan 5.1 was used for pooled estimates.

Results: Three NRCTs enrolling 918 patients (268 in the RG group and 650 in the LG group) were included in the meta-analysis.

RG for gastric cancer was associated with a significantly longer operative time (WMD: 68.77, 95% CI: 35.09-102.45; P < 0.0001), but significantly less intraoperative blood loss (WMD: -41.88, 95% CI: -71.62 to -12.14; P = 0.006). We found no significant differences in the number of lymph nodes (WMD: -0.71, 95% CI: -6.78 to 5.36; P = 0.82), overall morbidity (WMD: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.47 to 1.16; P = 0.19),

perioperative mortality rates (WMD: 1.80, 95% CI: 0.30 to 10.89; P = 0.52) and length of hospital stay (WMD: 0.42, 95% CI: -1.87 to 0.79; P = 0.42) between the two groups.

Conclusions: It may be concluded that RG is a safe and effective alternative to LG and is justifiable under the setting of clinical trials. Additional RCTs that compare RG and LG and investigate the long-term oncological outcomes are required to determine potential advantages or disadvantages of RG. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. AZD6738 purchase All rights reserved.”
“Lower respiratory tract infections associated

with wheezing are not uncommon in infants and young children. Among the wheezing-associated disorders, allergic etiologies are more commonly encountered than anatomic anomalies. We present a 3-year-old girl with a sudden attack of asthmatic symptoms including dyspnea, cyanosis and diffuse wheezing. Based on a history of choking, and atelectasis in the right upper lobe detected by chest films, flexible tracheobronchoscopy was arranged and incidentally CAL-101 ic50 detected a stenotic orifice in the right upper lobe bronchus. Multidetector-row spiral computed tomography and pulmonary scintigraphy subsequently also disclosed the focal stenosis. She suffered from recurrent wheezing, pneumonia and lung atelectasis during 1 year of follow-up. We emphasize the diagnosis, clinical course and management of focal stenosis in the right upper lobe bronchus.”
“The effect of process parameters and of aging on the atmospheric air-plasma treatment of polyethylene terephtalate (PET) woven fabric were studied using surface analysis methods: wettability/capillarity method as well as tapping mode atomic force microscopy imaging. Treatment time and plasma power have significant effect on the variation in fabric capillary weight, surface water contact angle and surface topography.