Determining the effect of temperature on the stability of oxytocin during transport is a project presented by Roberto Brincat. The objective of this project is to determine to what extent temperature fluctuations during international transport adversely effect the potency and hence the quality of oxytocin injection.
The study will also determine whether the logging of time and temperatures during transport could give an indication on the expected percentage degradation.
During the export process, container temperatures were mostly above the recommended storage conditions for oxytocin injection (2-8°C). The stability study indicates that oxytocin degrades considerably at temperatures of above 30°C.
Provided the transportation duration is controlled, products such as oxytocin, when exported to Amsterdam, are expected to remain within the limits laid down by the pharmacopoeias.
Bruno Attard presented a project on the evaluation and validation of quoted bioavailability values. Bioavailability is defined as the measurement of the true rate and the total amount of drug which reaches the general circulation from an administered dosage form.
This is crucial to obtain the desired clinical response. Analytical methods used in bioavailability and bioequivalency testing must nowadays be properly validated, since lack of validation data is ground for refusal to approve application for marketing.
The objective of this project is the design of an appropriate method of validation of HPLC methods of analysis used to arrive at quoted bioavailability values, and estimation of the typical cost of such a study.
The feasibility study for setting up a quality control (QC) testing programme is a project presented by Graziella Scicluna. The Government Pharmaceutical Services buys pharmaceuticals for the Maltese Department of Health (MDH). Some samples of pharmaceuticals are sent to laboratories abroad for the required analysis.
The objective of this study is to carry out a feasibility study to evaluate the possibility of setting up a QC testing programme to be undertaken at a local laboratory. The products currently sent abroad for testing include blood products, and products directly imported from wholesale dealers overseas.
Ms Scicluna concluded that if the local QC testing turns out to be feasible, its implementation would result in revenue generated locally as opposed to the current situation in which the MDH is paying laboratories abroad. It would also be possible for the laboratory to offer the service of QC testing of pharmaceuticals to foreign customers.
Occupational stress among Maltese operating theatre nurses
Neville Schembri has carried out a project on occupational stress on nurses. The theoretical framework and research design of this study aims to inquire into various aspects of occupational stress among Maltese operating theatre nurses.
The study was designed to investigate the role of a number of selected demographic variables
(type of organisation, marital status, years of experience in the operating theatres and work roster) in the theatre nurses` self-reports of job stress and coping strategies.
By making use of a self-administered questionnaire, 70 operating theatre nurses in one public and two private Maltese hospitals were studied. Results showed that the major sources of stress had to do with:
a) pressures arising due to lack of involvement in planning and decision-making as a result of inadequate organisational support and involvement; and
b) improper preparation to perform one`s role.
Factors relating to the type of organisation (public or private) were the only demographic variables that proved to be significantly different.
An analysis of the frequency and use of stress-coping strategies indicated significant inclination towards health-enhancing coping mechanisms. The findings are discussed in the context of planning and implementing strategies to alleviate the levels of stress and help theatre nurses cope with job stress.
Let Me Learn project
Colin Calleja, Lecturer at the Faculty of Education and project co-ordinator of the Let Me Learn, together with Anita Galea, part-time lecturer and head of the Middle School at St Martin`s College and Mario Testa, part-time lecturer and head of Attard Primary School, went to the Netherlands on an EU staff mobility grant.
The Maltese delegation had meetings at the Netherlands Organisation for International Co-operation in Higher Education at The Hague, the Teacher University in Assen and the De Heksenketel Faculty in Nijmegen.
During these meetings the delegation discussed possibilities for furthering the student exchange programme, which already exists between the institutions, academic staff mobility and the Let Me Learn process.
During the visit to Assen and Nijmegen great interest was shown in the Let Me Learn process and how common research and methodology could be put to full use for student teachers and practising teachers. Both institutions would be studying how this process can be introduced in their respective teacher training courses.
While in Assen, the delegation was invited to address a group of representatives from five countries (Germany, France, UK, Finland and Holland) who are working on a Comenius 2 project. The European partners were attracted to the idea of using the Let Me Learn Project and asked whether Malta would be willing to co-ordinate a project with them in which the two projects can be joined.
Risks in medical practice
A public lecture organised by the UMGS by Visiting Professor John Adams from UCL is entitled "Do we have enough incidents?" This lecture on risk in the practice of medicine should interest both academics and practitioners in the field of general practice and medicine.
The lecture will be held at the Gateway Building, Hall B1, on Tuesday from 9-11 a.m. More information, including a paper which is going to be presented to the British Journal of General Practice, will be available at the lecture or by e-mail: maria.attard@um.edu.mt.
Relations with Coimbra University
The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery visited Coimbra University, where a University of Malta delegation started preliminary talks on the possible participation of the local faculty in the establishment of a Medical Faculty in Coimbra.
Maltese Medical Journal
The new editorial board of the Maltese Medical Journal is composed of Professor Joseph Cacciatolo as chairman; Dr Josanne Vassallo as Editor; and Drs Joseph Saliba, Simon Attard Montalto, Charles Savona Ventura, D. Schembri Wismayer, Simon Camilleri and Stephen Sciberras as members.
Medical School ties
The Medical School has produced very elegant and appropriate ties. The ties are available from Rachelle Vella at the Main Office. Call: 2595-1876.
Human research potential programme
The Improving Human Research Potential programme, within the fifth Framework Programme, offers vacancies for young European researchers in the following activities: high level scientific conferences, Marie Curie Host Fellowships, and research training networks.
The Commission is aware that in the past some host institutions have faced difficulties in recruiting fellows, mainly due to a lack of awareness regarding these opportunities among the target groups.
There is a need to make the European research community more aware of such possibilities and thereby increase the number of applicants.
Consequently, the Commission is launching an awareness campaign to promote these vacancies as widely as possible in the coming months. A leaflet and poster have been prepared, and a single web link has been set up to facilitate access to the vacancies` databases: http://www.codis.lu/improving/opportunities.
The Mediterranean environment
The International Environment Institute of the Foundation for International Studies, at the University of Malta, is organising, for the tenth year running, a short intensive course entitled The Mediterranean Environment: An Overview during the week July 15 to 19.
This short course is designed to give a general overview of the Mediterranean environment, both natural and human, and discusses the geophysical and biological characteristics of the region, as well as its special problems.
This course should be particularly attractive to University undergraduates, especially those following courses in geography, Mediterranean studies, the natural sciences, planning and management.
For further information contact the course secretariat at the International Environment Institute on tel: 2124-0741 or e-mail: iei@um.edu.mt.
Public lectures in health services management
Two visiting lecturers are covering two credits in the M.Sc. Health Services Management course of the Institute of Health Care (IHC).
During their visit they will give public lectures on Statistics for Health Care Managers (Dr Frank Dunstan, University of Cardiff) on Friday from 10 to 11 a.m. at the IHC conference hall. The second lecture is about Qualitative Research Methods (Dr Jill Robinson, University of East Anglia) on Wednesday, May 22, from 10 to 11 a.m., also at the IHC conference hall.
Pierre Bourdieu - a tribute
Pierre Bourdieu, who died earlier this year, is one of the most influential thinkers of the present era. He has had a major impact on the way sociologists, thinkers of education and anthropologists analyse society.
Academics from various disciplines are offering a special symposium in the Work-in-Progress Seminars to reflect on his work. They invite members of the University and the public to this symposium to discuss critically Bourdieu`s key ideas.
Professor Peter Mayo (Education) will lead the discussion. Other speakers will be Mr Marvin Formosa (Sociology), Dr David Zammit (Laws), Mr Ranier Fsadni (Anthropology) and Dr Paul Clough (Anthropology).
The seminar will be held on Wednesday from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Lecture Theatre 1 (entrance from Car Park 2). The presentations will be followed by discussion and drinks.
Publications on Campus FM
Mill-Librerija is a weekly programme about books, journals and published research which Campus FM broadcasts on Mondays at 10 a.m. with a repeat on Saturdays at 1.30 p.m.
The programme`s producer is always willing to give publicity, via short reviews or interviews with authors, to academic staff`s published works, and a number of academics have in fact already availed themselves of this offer.
The programme is written and presented by John Consiglio, a part-time lecturer in the Department of Banking and Finance, and the European Documentation and Research Centre.
He can be contacted via e-mail at johnaconsiglio@hotmail.com, on tel: 2144-0544 or alternatively through campusfm@um.edu.mt.