Thyroidectomy in elderly ; is it safe?

Background: The prevalence of thyroid nodules rise with age and different data available about the risks of thyroid surgery in old age people. In general, old age could be a predictor of perioperative mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study is to prove if there is increased risk accompanying thyroidectomy in elderly patients. Subjects and Methods: Prospective study of one surgeon of study sample undergoing thyroid surgery at Al-Kindy teaching hospital and Saint Raphael hospital .This study was including two groups; group (A) involved patients 65 years and older, group (B) involved patients below 65 years old who were subjected to thyroidectomy. Taking in consideration histopathology results, indications of surgery (compressive symptoms, suspicious or confirmed malignancy, toxic goiter and recurrent goiter) and complications (including rates of temporary and permanent hypocalcaemia, temporary and permanent RLN paralysis, postoperative hematoma, wound infection and seroma), in addition to the risk of perioperative mortality.  Results: There were 574 patients below 65 years and 127 elderly patients (>=65 years) who underwent thyroidectomy between January 2015 and December of 2018. There were no deaths in either group; no one had bilateral RLN paralysis. Old age patients had a lower frequency of complications in comparison to the younger counterparts, including transient hypocalcaemia (3.1% vs 14.8%, respectively) and temporary RLN injury (0% vs 0.69%, respectively), in addition to permanent RLN injury (0% vs 0.34%, respectively). Conclusions: Thyroidectomy in elderly is safe as compared to younger patients regarding perioperative complication

Design and implementation of the European-Mediterranean Postgraduate Programme on Organ Donation and Transplantation (EMPODaT) for Middle East/North Africa countries

This prospective study reports the design and results obtained after the EMPODaT project implementation. This project was funded by the Tempus programme of the European Commission with the objective to implement a common postgraduate programme on organ donation and transplantation (ODT) in six selected universities from Middle East/North Africa (MENA) countries (Egypt, Lebanon and Morocco). The consortium, coordinated by the University of Barcelona, included universities from Spain, Germany, Sweden and France. The first phase of the project was to perform an analysis of the current situation in the beneficiary countries, including existing training programmes on ODT, Internet connection, digital facilities and competences, training needs, and ODT activity and accreditation requirements. A total of 90 healthcare postgraduate students participated in the 1-year training programme (30 ECTS academic credits). The methodology was based on e-learning modules and face-to-face courses in English and French. Training activities were evaluated through pre- and post-tests, self-assessment activities and evaluation charts. Quality was assessed through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The project results on a reproducible and innovative international postgraduate programme, improvement of knowledge, satisfaction of the participants and confirms the need on professionalizing the activity as the cornerstone to ensure organ transplantation self-sufficiency in MENA countries

TWO SIDES OF THE INNOVATION COIN? AN EMPRICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIVE CORRELATES OF IDEA GENERATION AND IDEA IMPLEMENTATION

The purpose of this study is to investigate the type of factors that facilitate two key aspects of the innovation process, idea generation and idea implementation. It is common in innovation research to collapse the two together which in some cases may lead to erroneous conclusions if the two aspects relate differently to organizational antecedents. Employing a mixed-method approach using a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews the study examined and further explored whether individual, group and organizational level factors relate differently to the two innovation aspects. The questionnaire findings showed that individual level factors had a stronger influence on idea generation than idea implementation and vice versa for group and organizational factors. A similar pattern emerged in the interview findings where the factors that influenced idea implementation fell mainly into group and organizational typologies. The implications of these findings for organizations and research are considered.Idea generation, idea implementation, innovation process, determinants of innovation

Construction of V-Shape Electrodes Nitrogen Laser

The laser system has been constructed and operated locally to get ultra-violetlaser pulse at 337.1 nm. A short laser channel, low pressure system with V-shapeelectrodes design will be described in detail. We studied several discharge parameterssuch as gas pressure applied voltage and capacitance of Blumlein capacitors. The bestresults obtained with applying voltage 10 KV, gas pressure 60 mbar, electrodespacing 1 cm, and repetition rate 1 PPs, no gas flow and E/P ratio 222 V / (cm.torr)

Preparation and In Vitro Permeation of Chlopheniramine Maleate (CPM) from Gel through Rat Skin

Chlopheniramine maleate ( CPM ) , is  one  of   the  H- receptor antagonist  ,  widely used  in allergic  diseases ,like skin rash  and  pruritis .CPM 3%w/w was successfully  loaded in  2%w/w  sodium alginate (SA)    as a gel    base ,  and  to be considered   as  a  selected  formula .It was found  that  the diffusion   of  CPM    through   the  skin  of  albino  rat   was     increased   as  the concentration  of  CPM  increased from 2 %w/w sodium alginate  ,  More over , the  addition of Triethanolamine  5 % w/w,  to  sodium  alginate   2 % w/w  , loaded by  CPM 3 % w/w , enhanced the amount   of     CPM  diffuse through the skin  of albino rat . Mean while the addition  of  PEG 1000 2% w/w  , and urea 5 % w/w, separately  to       sodium alginate 2 % w/w , loaded by  CPM 3 % w/w , hindered  significantly  P<0.05 the  amount  of the drug diffused  through the skin of the rat .The  selected  formula of sodium alginate  2% w/w as a base loaded by CPM 3% w/w was  physically  acceptable , with shelf life approximately  3.3  years .  Key wards:  chlopheniramine maleate , gel , skin permeatio

Influence of Nanoparticle Pretreatment on the Thermal, Rheological and Mechanical Properties of PLA-PBSA Nanocomposites Incorporating Cellulose Nanocrystals or Montmorillonite

Nanoparticles based on cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and montmorillonite clay (MMT) were prepared using spray freeze-drying. The nanoparticles were then used as reinforcement to prepare nanocomposites with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as the polymer matrix. The effect of spray freeze-dried CNC (SFD-CNC) and spray freeze-dried MMT (SFD-MMT) on the rheological and mechanical properties of PLA and its blends with poly[(butylene succinate)-co-adipate)] (PBSA) were investigated. An epoxy chain extender was used during preparation of the blends and nanocomposites to enhance the mechanical properties of the products. Different methods such as scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and adsorption/desorption analyses were used to characterize the prepared nanoparticles and their localization in the blends. Dynamic oscillatory shear behavior, elongational viscosity and mechanical characteristics of the nanocomposites of PLA and the blends were evaluated. The results obtained for nanocomposites filled with unmodified SFD-MMT were compared with those obtained when the filler was a commercial organically modified montmorillonite nanoclay (methyl-tallow-bis(2-hydroxyeethyl) quaternary ammonium chloride) (C30B), which was not spray freeze-dried