Method of pedicle division during laparoscopic right hemicolectomy affects lymph node yield and short-term outcomes.

Background: Several ways of performing laparoscopic right hemicolectomy (RHC) have evolved. The vascular pedicle can be divided into extracorporeal (RHC-EC) or intracorporeal (RHC-IC). It is not known whether vessel ligation during RHC-EC is as central as during RHC-IC.

Canonical Wnt signals combined with suppressed TGFβ/BMP pathways promote renewal of the native human colonic epithelium.

Background: A defining characteristic of the human intestinal epithelium is that it is the most rapidly renewing tissue in the body. However, the processes underlying tissue renewal and the mechanisms that govern their coordination have proved difficult to study in the human gut.

Objective: To investigate the regulation of stem cell-driven tissue renewal by canonical Wnt and TGFβ/bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathways in the native human colonic epithelium.

Sessional GPs: support needed to provide the evidence required for appraisal and revalidation.

Background: This study set out to evaluate evidence submitted by GPs for appraisal, and to explore how a model of appraisal can be developed which meets the needs of revalidation while remaining developmental and formative. This paper focuses on comparing evidence submitted by principal and sessional GPs, following previous work demonstrating problems facing the latter group.

Methods: A checklist devised by one author was used by appraisers in one PCT to record evidence submitted for appraisal.

Reliability of the Lode Excalibur Sport Ergometer and applicability to Computrainer electromagnetically braked cycling training device.

New technology allows cyclists to train via power output (PO) in addition to heart rate (HR). For those athletes undertaking seasonal laboratory testing (e.g.

Clearance of circulating tumor cells after excision of primary colorectal cancer.

Objective: To establish whether the prevalence of positive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results decreased during the first 3 months after colorectal cancer excision, and to assess whether persistence of RT-PCR positivity after primary colorectal cancer excision was related to tumor stage or locally advanced and metastatic disease.

Methods: Systemic venous blood was collected from patients with colorectal cancer before and at intervals up to 12 weeks after surgery. RNA was extracted from the mononuclear cell fraction of the blood samples and subjected to RT-PCR using specific primers for carcinoembryonic antigen mRNA and cytokeratin-20 mRNA.