Enhancing colorectal anastomotic safety with indocyanine green fluorescence angiography: An update.

Reducing anastomotic leak (AL) continues to be a main focus in colorectal research. Several new technologies have been developed with an aim to reduce this from mechanical devices to advanced imaging techniques. Fluorescence angiography (FA) with indocyanine green (ICG) in colorectal surgery is now a well-established technique and may have a role in reducing AL. By using FA, we are able to have a visual representation of perfusion which aids intraoperative decision making. The main impact is change in the level of bowel transection at the proximal side of an anastomosis and provide a more objective and confident assessment of bowel perfusion. Previous studies have shown that routine FA use is safe and reproducible. Recent results from randomized control trials and meta-analyses show that FA use reduces the rate of anastomotic leak. The main limitation of FA is its lack of ability to quantify perfusion. Novel technologies are being developed that will quantify tissue perfusion and oxygenation. Overall, FA is a safe and feasible technique which may have a role in reducing AL

A Time Variation of Proton-Electron Mass Ratio and Grand Unification

Astrophysical observations indicate a time variation of the proton-electron mass ratio and of the fine-structure constant. We discuss this phenomenon in models of Grand Unification. In these models a time variation of the fine-structure constant and of the proton mass are expected, if either the unified coupling constant or the scale of unification changes, or both change. We discuss in particular the change of the proton mass. Experiments in Quantum Optics could be done to check these ideas.Comment: 5 page

Indocyanine green fluorescence imaging in colorectal surgery: overview, applications, and future directions

Indocyanine green fluorescence imaging is a surgical tool with increasing applications in colorectal surgery. This tool has received acceptance in various surgical disciplines as a potential method to enhance surgical field visualisation, improve lymph node retrieval, and decrease the incidence of anastomotic leaks. In colorectal surgery specifically, small studies have shown that intraoperative fluorescence imaging is a safe and feasible method to assess anastomotic perfusion, and its use might affect the incidence of anastomotic leaks. Controlled trials are ongoing to validate these conclusions. The number of new indications for indocyanine green continues to increase, including innovative options for detecting and guiding management of colorectal metastasis to the liver. These advances could offer great value for surgeons and patients, by improving the accuracy and outcomes of oncological resections

Stability of Coalescence Hidden variable Fractal Interpolation Surfaces

In the present paper, the stability of Coalescence Hidden variable Fractal Interpolation Surfaces(CHFIS) is established. The estimates on error in approximation of the data generating function by CHFIS are found when there is a perturbation in independent, dependent and hidden variables. It is proved that any small perturbation in any of the variables of generalized interpolation data results in only small perturbation of CHFIS. Our results are likely to be useful in investigations of texture of surfaces arising from the simulation of surfaces of rocks, sea surfaces, clouds and similar natural objects wherein the generating function depends on more than one variable

EMC studies on systems with hybrid filter circuits for modern aircraft applications

In this contribution, a new approach for EMC-filter design is presented. Due to the increasing electrification of modern aircraft, as a result of the More Electric Aircraft concept, new strategies and approaches are required to fulfill the strict EMC aircraft standards (DO-160/ED-14 – Sec. 20). Consequently the weight and volume of the used filter components can be reduced. A promising approach could be a combination of passive and active filters. For the same attenuation effect, so-called hybrid filters achieve either savings in weight and volume, or can obtain an additional filtering effect with minimal weight increase of an existing system. In this paper, the underlying theory is explained in detail, carried out in a simulation tool and the gained insight is demonstrated with a sample measurement