The influence of first author sex on acceptance rates of submissions to Anaesthesia Cases

More than 50% of medical students and 45% of practising doctors are female in the UK. In the specialty of anaesthesia, 32% of consultants are female. However, compared with males, females are under-represented as authors of articles published in high-impact journals. We investigated the proportion of female first authors by examining the case reports submitted to Anaesthesia Cases since its inception in 2013. We defined authors by their sex (male or female), that is, biological characteristics, rather than their gender. There were a total of 802 submissions to Anaesthesia Cases over 4.5 years. Sixteen submissions were excluded and of the remaining 786 submissions, 279 were accepted and 507 rejected, an acceptance rate of 35.5%. Twenty (2.5%) authors’ sex could not be identified. The overall proportion of female first authors was 37.1%. The proportion of female first authors of accepted case reports was 42.1% and females were first authors of rejected case reports in 34.4%. We found that, compared with previous studies on female sex and gender bias in publishing, there was a relatively high proportion of female first authors publishing in Anaesthesia Cases and female first authors were more likely to be accepted than male first authors. Authorship is considered to reflect career success and there continues to be sex/gender inequity that must be tackled at all levels, from application to medical school, through research funding, journals and Editorial Boards.     

Reviews Pooling Heterogeneous,Low-Evidence,High-Bias Data Result in Incorrect Conclusions: But Heterogeneity is an Opportunity to Explore

Systematic Review submissions to our journal commonly pool heterogeneous studies of low levels of evidence and a high risk of bias. Pooling, or quantitative synthesis, of such study data regularly results in incorrect conclusions. We reject these submissions without peer-review (desk rejection), and typically invite authors to submit a new, subjective synthesis without pooling and to report ranges of the results of included studies rather than pooled values. Generally, quantitative synthesis, or meta-analysis, should restrict included studies to randomized controlled trials. However, systematic review with exploration of heterogeneity can result in valuable information toward determining strengths and deficiencies of current literature, and thus guide future research.     

Evolution and clinical adoption of the Autologs system: An automated analysis for enhanced patient management in MCS

The Medtronic Autologs System allows real-time clinician review of HeartWare HVAD System logfiles, providing supplemental pump data to aid in patient management. In its first year of availability, Autologs generated a 70% increase in logfile submissions, with 73% of all logfile requests being sent to Autologs. Within a month of its launch, Autologs submissions outnumbered the amount of logfiles submitted for manual review. Following the v1.1 release, there was a 20% increase in logfile submissions, with 77% of all logfile requests being Autologs. With the introduction of v1.2, there was another 35% increase in logfile submissions, with nearly 90% of all logfile requests being Autologs. The widespread adoption and utility of the Autologs System highlights the need for clinician access to real-time data analysis in the field of Mechanical Circulatory Support.     

Cost-effective shock wave hydrophones

This article presents the design of a newly developed wideband, quantitative shock wave sensor (hydrophone) made of piezoelectric material polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF). The novel aspects of this device include a disposable sensor element to reduce the per shot costs, and a self-monitoring feature that informs the user that the sensor needs to be replaced. The development, design, and use of the sensors are presented. Results indicate that these sensors can fulfill the requirements for accurate, wideband measurement of lithotripter fields, suitable for quantitative biophysical research or Food and Drug Administration submissions. The disposable feature of the hydrophone system makes the system cost effective for research, quality assurance, and regulatory submissions.     

Report from the editorial office

First of all, we wish all our readers, reviewers, editorialboard members and collaborators a very happy new year and allthe best for 2007. We hope that the coming year will prove tobe successful for every one of you. This editorial briefly describes some important changes we planto make to NDT. At a ‘brainstorming’ meeting inNovember that was attended by many of our editors, our publisherOxford University Press (OUP) and the council of the EDTA/ERA,current and future issues affecting medical journals in generaland NDT in particular were discussed. The most important ofthese are the growing number of submissions, the impact factorof the journal,     

Sensitivity,specificity and predictive probability values of serum agglutination test titres for the diagnosis of Salmonella Dublin culture‐positive bovine abortion and stillbirth

The objective of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of maternal serology for the diagnosis of Salmonella Dublin bovine abortion and stillbirth. A retrospective, unmatched, case–control study was carried out using twenty year's data (1989–2009) from bovine foetal submissions to an Irish government veterinary laboratory. Cases (n  = 214) were defined as submissions with a S . Dublin culture‐positive foetus from a S . Dublin unvaccinated dam where results of maternal S . Dublin serology were available. Controls (n  = 415) were defined as submissions where an alternative diagnosis other than S . Dublin was made in a foetus from an S . Dublin unvaccinated dam where the results of maternal S . Dublin serology were available. A logistic regression model was fitted to the data: the dichotomous dependent variable was the S . Dublin foetal culture result, and the independent variables were the maternal serum agglutination test (SAT ) titre results. Salmonella serology correctly classified 87% of S . Dublin culture‐positive foetuses at a predicted probability threshold of 0.44 (cut‐off at which sensitivity and specificity are at a maximum, J  = 0.67). The sensitivity of the SAT at the same threshold was 73.8% (95% CI : 67.4%–79.5%), and the specificity was 93.2% (95% CI : 90.3%–95.4%). The positive and negative predictive values were 84.9% (95% CI : 79.3%–88.6%) and 87.3% (95% CI : 83.5%–91.3%), respectively. This study illustrates that the use of predicted probability values, rather than the traditional arbitrary breakpoints of negative, inconclusive and positive, increases the diagnostic value of the maternal SAT . Veterinary laboratory diagnosticians and veterinary practitioners can recover from the test results, information previously categorized, particularly from those results declared to be inconclusive.     

Institutional review board approval: why it matters

The modern institutional review boards originated in the 1970s. They exist to protect human subjects participating in research from potential harm. The Belmont Report provided the ethical principles (respect for persons, beneficence, and justice) that should be observed while conducting research on human subjects. Compliance with the ethical principles of the Belmont Report is a first step in successful submissions to an institutional review board. Regulations regarding conflict of interest represent an attempt to ensure that research is not biased by financial or other interest and to maintain public trust.     

Web-based entry,validation, and reporting of resident operative experience

A system of case entry, validation, and reporting for residents’ operative experience was developed based on the World Wide Web. It was created to securely support multiple computer systems at multiple sites with central maintenance of only one server machine. Previous data exported from the ResSOLution (Information Science Associates, Chicago, Illinois) application, and the Current Procedural Terminology, American Medical Association, Chicago, Illinois, table from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) were integrated, and a robust relational database structure was built and interfaced with Web pages. Since July 1997, more than 5000 case submissions have been received from our residents. The data submitted for 1997–1998 were used for validation and reporting for the chief residents, according to American Board of Surgery and ACGME requirements. The operative experience of residents can be effectively collected directly from them over secure Web pages. A human intervention step with validation is desirable to correct errors, even though the system validates for many errors and conflicts automatically. It is anticipated that the robust version now in use will be capable of serving simultaneously all programs in the future.     

Preparing a grant proposal--Part 5: Organization and revision.

Translating a research idea into a well-written grant proposal takes planning and commitment. This Spotlight is the fifth in a series by the members of the Center for Clinical Investigation (CCI) of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses (WOCN) Society. The aim of this series is to facilitate high-quality grant writing and encourage submissions to WOCN's grants program. This article provides guidance on the development of a grant proposal and the revisions necessary to result in a polished final product.     

Editorial Commentary: A Model for Shoulder Rotator Cuff Repair and for Basic Science Investigations

“Breaking the fourth wall” is a theater convention where the narrator or character speaks directly to the audience. As an Assistant Editor-in-Chief, as I comment on a recent basic science study investigating rotator cuff repair, I break the fourth wall and articulate areas of basic science research excellence that align with the vision that we hold for our journal. Inclusion of a powerful video strengthens the submission. We prefer to publish clinical videos in our companion journal, Arthroscopy Techniques, and encourage basic science video submissions to Arthroscopy. Basic science research requires step-by-tedious-step analogous to climbing a mountain. Establishment of a murine rotator cuff repair model was rigorous and research intensive, biomechanically, radiographically, histologically, and genetically documented, a huge step toward the bone-to-tendon healing research summit. This research results in a model for both rotator cuff repair and the pinnacle of quality, basic science research.     

Arthroscopy,Sports Medicine,and Rehabilitation (ASMAR): A New,Open Access,Electronic Journal

Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation (ASMAR) is our new, open-access, electronic, companion journal to Arthroscopy and Arthroscopy Techniques. While there is already “so much to read, so little time,” bearing in mind the context that some submissions are not accepted for publication in Arthroscopy despite admirable quality, the necessity of ASMAR becomes clear.     

A divisional approach to enhancing research among osteopathic family practice residents

There is an increasing demand to expose osteopathic family practice residents to research. Within the Department of Family Medicine at the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth-Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Division of Education and Research (DEAR) was developed in 1999. The primary focus of DEAR is to provide the necessary resources and knowledge for faculty members and residents to conduct research and accomplish scholarly activities. Guidelines are implemented to ensure the timeliness, efficiency, and completion of each resident's paper. The efficacy of DEAR's policies is evaluated annually through surveying the residents, tracking paper submissions to the resident director, and tracking publications and presentations. The expectation of DEAR's resident research component is full completion of a resident paper suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal before graduation. Initial evaluation suggests positive strides toward reaching this goal. Future successes will be determined by monitoring the next few years.     

Legislation — quality improvement — the regulatory process

Legislation governing the health professions has traditionally been drafted with differing regulations and provisions in statute for each profession. This legislation has often been the consequence of seniority or political lobbying, resulting in a disjointed regulatory system, where many professions performed similar procedures. Growing health care awareness by consumers has prompted a greater accountability by the professions. In Ontario, the government addressed this concern by formulating a Health Professions Legislation Review. The review, based upon a new structure to legislate the health professions, required submissions and input from over 200 different groups, including health professions and consumers. The goal was to establish guidelines for the delivery of health care that considered the interests of the public rather than the professions. This impacted directly upon authorized acts, professional self-regulation, shared authority and standards of practice. The ultimate goal being quality assurance. This required attention not only to the methods of delivering health care, but more importantly to measuring its outcome. Chiropractors must recognize that other stakeholders are demanding that their standards be explicitly formulated and be open to public criticism and debate. Standards based upon the “usual and customary practice” are inadequate.     

United States level I trauma centers are not created equal – a concern for patient safety?

Background  

The American College of Surgeons delineates 108 requirements for level I trauma centers. Some of these requirements include: minimum of 1,200 trauma admissions per year; an average of 35 major trauma patients per surgeon; residency training programs; and 10 peer-reviewed journal submissions every three years. This study examines the variation in services provided among U.S. level I trauma centers.