The objective of this study is to determine the ability of the GEARS scale (Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills) to differentiate individuals with different levels of experience in robotic surgery, as a fundamental validation. This is a cross-sectional study that included three groups of individuals with different levels of experience in robotic surgery (expert, intermediate, novice) their performance were assessed by GEARS applied by two reviewers. The difference between groups was determined by Mann-Whitney test and the consistency between the reviewers was studied by Kendall W coefficient. The agreement between the reviewers of the scale GEARS was 0.96. The score was 29.8 ± 0.4 to experts, 24 ± 2.8 to intermediates and 16 ± 3 to novices, with a statistically significant difference between all of them (p < 0.05). All parameters from the scale allow discriminating between different levels of experience, with exception of the depth perception item. We conclude that the scale GEARS was able to differentiate between individuals with different levels of experience in robotic surgery and, therefore, is a validated and useful tool to evaluate surgeons in training.

Abstract. Accurate observations of atmospheric ozone (O3) are essential to monitor in detail the key role of O3 in the atmospheric chemistry. The present paper examines the performance of different O3 retrieval strategies from FTIR (Fourier Transform InfraRed) spectrometry by using the 20-year time series of the high-resolution solar spectra acquired from 1999 to 2018 at the subtropical Izaña Observatory (IZO, Spain) within NDACC (Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change). In particular, the effect of two of the most influential factors have been investigated: the spectral region used for O3 retrievals and inclusion of an atmospheric temperature profile fit. The theoretical and experimental quality assessments of the different FTIR O3 products (total column, TC, amounts and volume mixing ratio, VMR, profiles) provide consistent results. Combining an optimal selection of spectral O3 absorption lines and a simultaneous temperature retrieval results in superior FTIR O3 products, with a precision greater than 0.6–0.7 % for O3 TCs as compared to coincident NDACC Brewer observations used as reference. However, this improvement can be only achieved provided the FTIR spectrometer is properly characterised and stable over time. For unstable instruments, the temperature fit has been found to exhibit a strong negative influence on O3 retrievals by increasing the cross-interference between instrumental performance and temperature retrieval. This cross-interference becomes especially noticeable beyond the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere as documented theoretically, as well as experimentally by comparing FTIR O3 profiles to those measured using Electrochemical Concentration Cell (ECC) sondes within NDACC. Consequently, it should be taken into account for the reliable monitoring of O3 vertical distribution, especially on long-term timescales.

Failed ERCP appears to decrease the success rate of a laparoscopic approach for common bile duct exploration.