ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to analyze Iran's scientific status of neuroscience field in citation indexes between 2002 and 2008. In this descriptive survey, Web of Science [WOS] database was used for data collection. The Data were gathered from the subject areas of this database and then categorized in 14 subfields according to experts opinions of the field. Impact Factor and number of citations were the indexes considered to determine the citation patterns. Data analysis was performed by using HISTCITE, Excel 2007, and SPSS 18. A rising trend for neuroscience papers was observed between 2005 and 2008 with neuropharmacology being the most interested subfield of publication [264 papers]. There were fewer papers on artificial intelligence, neurohistory, and psychopharmacology than other neuroscience subfields. Most international collaboration was seen in neurology field of study [46 papers]. Iranian researchers had scientific collaboration with other countries in 168 papers in which Iranian authors were the first authors [58.33%]. 87% of the papers were published in journals with an impact factor between 0 and 4. Researchers of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were the author of 25% of papers. As the progress in the field of neuroscience, in Iran, was mostly focused on the subfields of pharmacology and neurology, it is recommended to give high priority to other subfields in health policies
ABSTRACT
When a new left atrial mass is discovered by means of echocardiography, the differential diagnosis is usually between thrombus, vegetation, and tumor. In the past decade, however, the physicians were able to document another cause. Our aim is to introduce a case of postoperative inverted left atrial appendage which caused left ventricular inflow obstruction requiring reoperation. We report a 4- year old boy who had inverted left atrial appendage after atrial septal defect repair. He showed signs and symptoms of pulmonary edema postoperatively. We assessed him by echocardiography and discovered a mass in his left atrium necessitating re-operation. The surgeon found and restored inverted left atrial appendage intra-operatively. Because inverted left atrial appendage can cause severe and occasionally life threatening complications, we believe intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography is highly essential to diagnose this pathology and to avoid restorative reoperation
ABSTRACT
Secondary atrial septal defect is one of the most common congenital heart diseases, and treatment is required in cases of large defects. The aim of this study was to assess the short-term results of secundum atrial septal defect closure by two surgery [right thoracotomy] and intervention [transcatheter Amplatzer septal occluder]. This is a descriptive study on 25 patients treated by one of the two above-mentioned methods at our center between 2004 and 2007. The patients underwent clinical and diagnostic examinations both before and after treatment such as chest X-ray, electrocardiography, echocardiography, catheterization, and angiography. The outcome and results were thereafter assessed and compared. The study population was comprised of 20 [80%] females and 5 [20%] males. The patients were divided into two groups: 17 [68%] patients were treated by intervention and 8 [32%] by right thoracotomy. The intervention group had a mean age of 12 years [ +/- 6years] and the surgery group 11 years [ +/- 4 years]. The average size of the defect was approximately 15 mm, which was similar in both groups. The average duration of hospital stay in the intervention group was significantly shorter than that of the surgery group, and the average cost of treatment in the intervention group was slightly less than the surgery group. One of the patients in the surgery group needed blood transfusion, and one of the patients in the intervention group suffered from Amplatzer embolization to the left ventricle, necessitating the extraction of the device through open heart surgery. One of the patients in the surgery group had a residual defect in the atrial septum, which was not significant. In light of the results of this study, it seems that in appropriately selected patients, the closure of the atrial septal defect via the interventional method is comparable to surgery