Can constant light exposure affect the thyroid gland in prepubertal male albino rats? Histological and ultrastructural study

Background: Through scientific literature, there is evidence that light affects thyroid function in human, mice and rabbits. Constant light and sleep deprivation is also used as a form of human torture, as it has impact on cognitive performances. The present work was conducted to study the effect of constant light for short and long periods on the thyroid gland in the prepubertal male albino rats.  Materials and methods: A total of 30 prepubertal male albino rats were used. The rats separated into three groups: group I (control); group II were those rats put under steady encompassing light (24 h/day, light intensity of 600 lux) for 4 weeks; and group III were the rats maintained in constant light for 3 months. The rat thyroid gland was subjected to histological and ultrastructural examination.  Results: The rats exposed to light for long durations showed disturbed architecture; the follicles exhibited back to back arrangement (signs of hypertrophy with hyperplasia), lined by multiple layers of follicular cells or were lined by vacuolated cells. Few thyroid follicles exhibited cystic hyperplasia. Congested blood capillaries were demonstrated between the follicles.  Conclusions: It can be concluded that the short-term exposure to constant light for 1 month had no apparent effect on thyroid gland tissues while longer exposure to light for 3 months had detrimental effects on the thyroid gland structure of male albino rats.

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries