Face validation of a portable ergonomic laparoscopy skills simulator for single-incision laparoscopic surgery training.

In recent years, many efforts have been made to reduce the trauma of surgical access further by the use of single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS). The Ergo-Lap (ergonomic laparoscopic) simulator was taken to the 20th International Congress of the European Association for Endoscopic Surgery (EAES) in 2012 in Brussels, Belgium. During the congress, the simulator was assessed by 13 general surgeons with different SILS experience using a standardized questionnaire to determine the usability of the Ergo-Lap simulator training for basic SILS skills. Eleven of the 13 participants rated the simulator as an attractive simulator (attractive here means arousing interest of the trainees). For the aspects of training in an ergonomic way, 12 of 13 participants rated it as good to excellent because the work space and task panel location can be adjusted according to the length of instruments. Also, 92% (12 of 13) thought the Ergo-Lap simulator was useful for practicing basic SPLS skills. And 85% (11 of 13) thought it was very easy to use. For SILS skills training, this in~xpensive and portable Ergo-Lap simulator offers a feasible training opportunity to help trainees practice their SILS skills under ergonomic conditions.

Electronic and magnetic properties of metal-doped BN sheet: A first-principles study.

The electronic and magnetic properties of a BN sheet doped with 3d transition metals (Fe, Co and Ni) have been investigated using ab initio calculations. Our calculations show many interesting physical properties in a metal-doped BN sheet. A Fe-doped BN sheet is a half-metal with the magnetic moment of 2.0 micro(B), and Co-doped BN sheet becomes a narrow-gap semiconductor with a magnetic moment of 1.0 micro(B). However, no magnetic moment is induced on a Ni-doped BN sheet, which has the same band gap as a pristine BN sheet. Furthermore, Fe atom easily forms an isolated particle on the BN sheet, while Ni and Co atoms are likely to form a sheet-supported metal nanotemplate. These results are useful for spintronics application and could help in the development of magnetic nanotructures and metallic nanotemplate at room temperature.