A comparison of the academic impact of plastic surgery units in the United Kingdom and Ireland using bibliometric analysis

Academic output is just one aspect of a successful career as a plastic surgeon. However, for those with a strong interest in academia, the academic output of a department will likely be a key factor when deciding how to rank jobs. The aim of this study was to quantify and rank the academic output of plastic surgery units across the UK and Ireland. The Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Science Bibliometric analysis tool was used to collate cumulative (1950–2016), 10 year (2006–2016) and 3 years (2013–2015) research output data for plastic surgery units in the UK and Ireland. Sixty-six plastic surgery units were identified. Departments were ranked for each time period according to the number of papers produced, number of citations (Nc) and h-index (a measure of the impact of scientific output). The top 3 departments for number of papers in the last 10 years were The Royal Free Hospital, London (226) Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford (218), and Morriston Hospital and Swansea (188). The top 3 for h-number were The Royal Free Hospital (21) Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester (18) and Morriston Hospital (17). Academic output varies across plastic surgery units in the UK and Ireland. A number of departments have consistently maintained high academic outputs across the years and will be of interest to surgeons hoping to pursue a career in academia.     

TQA数据趋势与TomoTherapy输出稳定性的联系

目的:探讨TomoTherapy QualityAssurance（TQA）数据趋势与螺旋断层放疗（Helical Tomotherapy，HT）系统输出的 联系。方法:回顾性分析了本院HT系统近3年内TQA各个模块的参数和数据趋势，探讨其与HT系统的静态输出剂量和 输出能量（D20/D10）变化的相关性。结果:楔形阶梯静态模块的z轴偏移参数与HT的静态输出剂量的相关性最强（r=0.883, P<0.01）。基本剂量测定模块的出口检测器平整度值对能量变化最敏感（r=0.902），其次是楔形阶梯静态模块的能量差异 （r=0.897）和楔形阶梯螺旋模块的能量差异（r=0.852），灵敏度分别为2.3×10-4、3.1×10-4和5.7×10-4。结论:TQA有助于用户 追踪HT输出剂量和能量变化，及早进行必要的机器维护或剂量校准。     

Impact and Predictors of Noncircular Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Shapes on Estimating Aortic Stenosis Severity by Means of Continuity Equations

Determining aortic stenosis (AS) severity is clinically important. Calculating aortic valve (AV) area by means of the continuity equation assumes a circular left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT). The full impact of this assumption in calculating AV area is unknown. Predictors of noncircular LVOT shape in patients with AS are undefined.In 109 adult patients with AS who underwent multiplanar transesophageal echocardiography, we calculated AV area by means of the standard continuity method and by a modified method involving planimetric LVOT area.We found 54 circular, 37 horizontal-oval, 8 vertical-oval, and 10 irregular LVOTs. Area derived by direct planimetry correlated better with the modified than the standard continuity method (r=0.89 vs r=0.85; both P=0.0001). Valve areas of patients with mild, moderate, or severe AS by planimetry were more often mischaracterized with use of the standard than modified method (29 vs 18; P <0.0001). Horizontal-oval AV area derived by planimetry (1.28 ± 0.55 cm²) was underestimated by the standard method (1.05 ± 0.47 cm²; P=0.001), but not by the modified method. Congenital AV morphology and low cardiac index were the only multivariate predictors of horizontal-oval shape. Low cardiac index was the only predictor of noncircular shape.More than half our patients with AS had noncircular LVOTs. Using the modified method reduces mischaracterizations of AS severity. Congenital AV morphology and low cardiac index predict horizontal-oval or noncircular shape. These data suggest the value of direct LVOT measurement to calculate AS severity in patients who have congenital AV or a low cardiac index.     

气雾熏蒸法与浸泡消毒法消毒吸痰管效果比较

目的比较2%强化戊二醛(下称戊二醛)气雾熏蒸法与浸泡消毒法消毒吸痰管的效果.方法消毒按5周期(1个周期12 d)进行,每周期将200根使用过的吸痰管经初步处理,即5% 84消毒液浸泡30 min后清水冲洗干净晾干.将每周期200根吸氮管随机均分为实验组和对照组,实验组采用戊二醛原液气雾熏蒸法消毒4 h,对照组采用戊二醛原液浸泡消毒30 min,12 d为1个周期.两组分别于第1、6、12天对消毒后的吸痰管及消毒过程中的戊二醛采样行细菌菌落数计数,并观察有无细菌生长.结果两组每周期第1、6天吸痰管和消毒液标本均未检测出细菌,且无致病微生物生长;每周期第12天对照组吸痰管和消毒液标本均检测出细菌,实验组未检测出细菌.结论气雾熏蒸法消毒灭菌效果可靠,具有节约开支、使用方便、有利于吸痰管的保存与放置等优点.     

V型斜视伴原发性下斜肌功能过强的治疗

目的 探讨Ⅴ型斜视伴原发性下斜肌功能过强的治疗效果。方法根据手术方式将49例Ⅴ型斜视伴下斜肌功能过强惠者分为四组，分别采用水平肌加强减弱术不联合下斜肌切断减弱术（Ⅰ组）、联合单侧下斜肌切断减弱术（Ⅱ组）、联合双侧下斜肌对等切断减弱术（Ⅲ组）及联合双侧下斜肌不对等切断并部分切除减弱术（Ⅳ组）治疗Ⅴ型斜视。结果Ⅴ型斜视伴原发性下斜肌功能过强采用四种方式治疗后，眼位正位，下斜肌功能亢进改善＋～＋＋，双侧下斜肌功能对等，术前术后原在位度数和上下注视25。斜视角之差的差异有非常显著性（P〈0．001）。结论根据单侧或双侧下斜肌功能过强的具体情况来选择不同的手术方式治疗Ⅴ型斜视伴原发性下斜肌功能过强，眼位矫正满意，同时手术方式简单、安全有效。     

Effects of tracheal extubation on coronary blood flow,myocardial metabolism and systemic haemodynamic responses

Global coronary blood flow and metabolism were measured in seven patients on the first postoperative day following coronary revascularization to test the hypothesis that tracheal extubation produces adverse haemodynamic responses akin to those observed during tracheal intubation. Regional coronary flow and metabolic measurements were made in five of the seven patients. Extubation from a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) of 5 cm H₂O was associated with a statistically significant rise in cardiac index from 3.44 ± 0.23 L · min^-1 · m^-2 to 3.73 ± 0.15L·min^-1 ·m^-2 related to an increase in stroke index, without significant changes in heart rate, mean arterial and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. Consequently the changes in myocardial oxygen consumption (8.52 ± 0.55 to 8.85 ± 0.93 ml · min^-1) and coronary blood flow (172 ± 18 to 179 ± 17 ml·min^-1) were less prominent than those reported during intubation, where substantial rises in myocardial oxygen consumption and coronary flow occurred. Two patients experienced cardiac lactate production but there were no changes in systemic or coronary haemodynamics, nor were there clinical or electrocardiographic signs of ischaemia. We conclude that extubation does not appear to be associated with adverse systemic or coronary haemodynamic responses in patients following coronary bypass grafting. However, the revascularized myocardium may remain vulnerable to anaerobic metabolism in the immediate postoperative period. Pour savoir si comme ľintubation, ľextubation de la trachée provoque des perturbations hémodynamiques, on a mesuré le métabolisme et la circulation coronarienne globale chez sept patients, au lendemain ďun pontage aorto-coronarien. On a aussi calculé les valeurs régionales de ces mêmes variables pour cinq ďentre eux. Ľindex cardiaque de 3.44 ± 0.23 L · min^-1 · m^-2 sous pression positive en respiration spontanée (CPAP) de 5 cm. H₂O s’est élevé à 3.73 ± 0.15 L · min^-1 · m^-2 post-extubation avec une augmentation significative du volume ďéjection. La fréquence cardiaque et les pressions artérielles moyennes et capillaires pulmonaires n’ont pas changé. Ainsi ľaugmentation de la consommation ďoxygène du myocarde de 8.52 ± 0.55 à 8.85 ± 0.93 ml · min^-1 et celle du flot coronarien de 172 ± 18 à 179 ± 17 ml · min^-1 ont été moindres que celles, importantes, déjà observées lors de ľintubation. On a noté chez deux patients une production de lactate par le myocarde, sans changement de ľhémodynamic systémique et coronarienne non plus que de signe clinique ou électrocardiographique ďischémie. Donc, après un pontage coronarien, ľextubation ne semble pas causer ďeffet néfaste sur les circulations systémique et coronarienne, toutefois, le myocarde revascularisé peut demeurer sensible au métabolisme anaérobique.     

Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) of augmentation cystoplasties

OBJECTIVE: Tumors arising within augmentation cystoplasties are aggressive, have poor prognosis and the majority are not detected at follow-up cystoscopy. Genetic changes in tumors precede morphological abnormalities. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether genetic abnormalities detected by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) could be used to identify those patients with augmentation cystoplasties at increased risk of tumorigenesis. METHODS: Bladder biopsy samples were obtained from 16 augmentation cystoplasty patients both distant from and near to the enterovesical anastomosis. CGH was used to detect genetic abnormalities in DNA extracted from the biopsies, archival specimens of two augmentation cystoplasties and two de novo bladder adenocarcinomas. RESULTS: A greater number of amplifications on 2p, 3q, 8q, 9p, 17p, 18pq and 20pq, were observed in bladder biopsies obtained near to the enterovesical anastomosis compared to those taken distant to the suture line. CGH of archival augmentation cystoplasty tumor DNA indicated abnormalities at several loci with amplifications at 2q, 5q, 10p and 21pq, while deletions occurred at 5p and 16p. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the urothelium adjacent to the bladder and/or bowel anastomosis in augmentation cystoplasties is genetically unstable. Furthermore, longitudinal studies are required to establish whether or not patients exhibiting genetic instability following augmentation cystoplasty are at greater risk of developing tumors than those with genetically stable epithelia.     

Fluctuating PEEP (F–PEEP) versus conventional PEEP in dogs with asymmetrical lung injury

Fluctuating PEEP (F-PEEP) is a newly developed PEEP in which end-expiratory pressure (EEP) is periodically changed within a certain range. In a dog model with unilateral lung injury induced by the introduction of hydrochloric acid, F-PEEP in which the EEP was periodically changed from 0.5 to 1.5 kPa at periods of 6 min, and conventional PEEP (C-PEEP) with an optimized EEP of 1.0 kPa, were each applied for 30 min. F-PEEP produced a significantly greater improvement of PaO2 and intrapulmonary shunt (QS/QT) than C-PEEP, and at the low EEP phase, the greatest improvement accompanied by an increased dynamic compliance and a large cardiac output was obtained. These results suggest that F-PEEP provides a useful mode of artificial ventilation for the treatment of unilateral lung injury.