Development of infrared single-mode fibers for 2 wavelength bands of the Darwin mission: test results of prototypes

Various space telescope array systems are being considered to investigate other terrestrial planets orbiting around nearby stars in order to find extra-terrestrial life. One of them is the DARWIN mission of the European Space Agency (ESA). The required technology is the nulling interferometer. The challenge of nulling is making the null in the interferometric signal sufficiently deep to cancel the light from the bright star during the collection of light from its surrounding planets. The performance of the nulling is limited by the wavefront quality of the beams. The wavefront error can be reduced by filtering using a single mode fiber. For the DARWIN mission, the operational wavelength range is 6.5-20μm. Within the current ESA project, this is covered by a dual-band fiber system. A chalcogenide glass fiber based on the Te-As-Se (TAS) composition is selected to be used for the short wavelength band. For the long wavelength band up to 20 μm, Tellurium based glass is proposed. Different samples of various composition based on Te glass are manufactured and tested. The fibers are designed by TNO and different prototypes have been manufactured by the University of Rennes. Test setups are developed to demonstrate/investigate the single mode operation. Cladding modes are found to disturb the single mode operation. The effect of cladding modes is modeled. Solutions to eliminate the cladding modes are investigated and tested. © 2009 SPIE

Respostas morfológicas e produtivas do capim-marandu adubado com doses combinadas de nitrogênio e enxofre Morphological and productive responses of marandugrass to combined rates of nitrogen and sulphur

Avaliaram-se os efeitos de combinações de doses de nitrogênio com doses de enxofre nas respostas morfológicas e produtivas de Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu cultivada em solução nutritiva, utilizando-se sílica como substrato, em um experimento em casa de vegetação no período da primavera. Utilizou-se o esquema fatorial 5² fracionado, com 13 combinações para nitrogênio e enxofre na solução nutritiva, em mg L-1: 14 e 3,2; 14 e 32; 14 e 80; 126 e 12,8; 126 e 64; 210 e 3,2; 210 e 32; 210 e 80; 336 e 12,8; 336 e 64; 462 e 3,2; 462 e 32; e 462 e 80, as quais foram distribuídas segundo o delineamento estatístico de blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições. As avaliações foram realizadas em dois estádios de crescimento das plantas. Os resultados demonstraram que o fornecimento de enxofre é fundamental quando se aplica o nitrogênio. Para a maximização do número de perfilhos e de folhas, da produção de massa seca de folhas, de colmos+bainhas e da parte aérea, da área foliar e da taxa de aparecimento de folhas do capim-marandu, a combinação deve ser, no mínimo, de 358 mg L-1 para nitrogênio com 56 mg L-1 de enxofre. A taxa máxima de aparecimento de folhas para o capim-marandu ocorreu na dose de enxofre de 42 mg L-1.<br>This experiment was carried out in a greenhouse during the spring to study combinations of nitrogen and sulphur rates on Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu growing in nutrient solution and using ground quartz as substrate. It was set in a fractionated 5² factorial arrangement, with five rates of nitrogen and five rates of sulphur. The resulting 13 combinations were, in mg L-1: 14 and 3.2, 14 and 32, 14 and 80, 126 and 12.8, 126 and 64, 210 and 3.2, 210 and 32, 210 and 80, 336 and 12.8, 336 and 64, 462 and 3.2, 462 and 32, and 462 and 80. The experimental units were set in randomized blocks design, with four replications. Plants had two growth periods. The results showed that high availability of sulphur is required when nitrogen is supplied for total tiller number, leaf number, leaf dry matter yield, stems plus sheaths and plant tops, leaf area and leaf appearance rate. In order to maximize these variables for the marandugrass, it is necessary the minimum combination of 358 mg L-1 of nitrogen with 56 mg L-1 of sulphur. The highest leaf appearance rate for marandugrass occurred in the sulphur rate of 42 mg L-1

Pooled analysis of WHO Surgical Safety Checklist use and mortality after emergency laparotomy

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist has fostered safe practice for 10 years, yet its place in emergency surgery has not been assessed on a global scale. The aim of this study was to evaluate reported checklist use in emergency settings and examine the relationship with perioperative mortality in patients who had emergency laparotomy. Methods: In two multinational cohort studies, adults undergoing emergency laparotomy were compared with those having elective gastrointestinal surgery. Relationships between reported checklist use and mortality were determined using multivariable logistic regression and bootstrapped simulation. Results: Of 12 296 patients included from 76 countries, 4843 underwent emergency laparotomy. After adjusting for patient and disease factors, checklist use before emergency laparotomy was more common in countries with a high Human Development Index (HDI) (2455 of 2741, 89·6 per cent) compared with that in countries with a middle (753 of 1242, 60·6 per cent; odds ratio (OR) 0·17, 95 per cent c.i. 0·14 to 0·21, P < 0·001) or low (363 of 860, 42·2 per cent; OR 0·08, 0·07 to 0·10, P < 0·001) HDI. Checklist use was less common in elective surgery than for emergency laparotomy in high-HDI countries (risk difference -9·4 (95 per cent c.i. -11·9 to -6·9) per cent; P < 0·001), but the relationship was reversed in low-HDI countries (+12·1 (+7·0 to +17·3) per cent; P < 0·001). In multivariable models, checklist use was associated with a lower 30-day perioperative mortality (OR 0·60, 0·50 to 0·73; P < 0·001). The greatest absolute benefit was seen for emergency surgery in low- and middle-HDI countries. Conclusion: Checklist use in emergency laparotomy was associated with a significantly lower perioperative mortality rate. Checklist use in low-HDI countries was half that in high-HDI countries

Global variation in anastomosis and end colostomy formation following left-sided colorectal resection

Background: End colostomy rates following colorectal resection vary across institutions in high-income settings, being influenced by patient, disease, surgeon and system factors. This study aimed to assess global variation in end colostomy rates after left-sided colorectal resection. Methods: This study comprised an analysis of GlobalSurg-1 and-2 international, prospective, observational cohort studies (2014, 2016), including consecutive adult patients undergoing elective or emergency left-sided colorectal resection within discrete 2-week windows. Countries were grouped into high-, middle-and low-income tertiles according to the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI). Factors associated with colostomy formation versus primary anastomosis were explored using a multilevel, multivariable logistic regression model. Results: In total, 1635 patients from 242 hospitals in 57 countries undergoing left-sided colorectal resection were included: 113 (6·9 per cent) from low-HDI, 254 (15·5 per cent) from middle-HDI and 1268 (77·6 percent) from high-HDI countries. There was a higher proportion of patients with perforated disease (57·5, 40·9 and 35·4 per cent; P &lt; 0·001) and subsequent use of end colostomy (52·2, 24·8 and 18·9 per cent; P &lt; 0·001) in low-compared with middle-and high-HDI settings. The association with colostomy use in low-HDI settings persisted (odds ratio (OR) 3·20, 95 per cent c.i. 1·35 to 7·57; P = 0·008) after risk adjustment for malignant disease (OR 2·34, 1·65 to 3·32; P &lt; 0·001), emergency surgery (OR 4·08, 2·73 to 6·10; P &lt; 0·001), time to operation at least 48 h (OR 1·99, 1·28 to 3·09; P = 0·002) and disease perforation (OR 4·00, 2·81 to 5·69; P &lt; 0·001). Conclusion: Global differences existed in the proportion of patients receiving end stomas after left-sided colorectal resection based on income, which went beyond case mix alone

Global variation in anastomosis and end colostomy formation following left-sided colorectal resection

Background: End colostomy rates following colorectal resection vary across institutions in high-income settings, being influenced by patient, disease, surgeon and system factors. This study aimed to assess global variation in end colostomy rates after left-sided colorectal resection. Methods: This study comprised an analysis of GlobalSurg-1 and -2 international, prospective, observational cohort studies (2014, 2016), including consecutive adult patients undergoing elective or emergency left-sided colorectal resection within discrete 2-week windows. Countries were grouped into high-, middle- and low-income tertiles according to the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI). Factors associated with colostomy formation versus primary anastomosis were explored using a multilevel, multivariable logistic regression model. Results: In total, 1635 patients from 242 hospitals in 57 countries undergoing left-sided colorectal resection were included: 113 (6·9 per cent) from low-HDI, 254 (15·5 per cent) from middle-HDI and 1268 (77·6 per cent) from high-HDI countries. There was a higher proportion of patients with perforated disease (57·5, 40·9 and 35·4 per cent; P < 0·001) and subsequent use of end colostomy (52·2, 24·8 and 18·9 per cent; P < 0·001) in low- compared with middle- and high-HDI settings. The association with colostomy use in low-HDI settings persisted (odds ratio (OR) 3·20, 95 per cent c.i. 1·35 to 7·57; P = 0·008) after risk adjustment for malignant disease (OR 2·34, 1·65 to 3·32; P < 0·001), emergency surgery (OR 4·08, 2·73 to 6·10; P < 0·001), time to operation at least 48 h (OR 1·99, 1·28 to 3·09; P = 0·002) and disease perforation (OR 4·00, 2·81 to 5·69; P < 0·001). Conclusion: Global differences existed in the proportion of patients receiving end stomas after left-sided colorectal resection based on income, which went beyond case mix alone