Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma - Klatskin’s Tumour : review of the literature and report of first successfully resected case in Malta

Hepatic duct confluence sclerosing cholangiocarcinoma (Klatskin’s Tumour) is described as a small tumour in an inaccessible position, high up in the hilum of the liver. In the past the position of the tumour made it difficult to diagnose at operation, but nowadays with intelligent use of ultrasonography, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and digital subtraction angiography, pre-operative identification and localisation of this tumour is possible in a high percentage of cases. In this article the first case successfully treated by curative resection in Malta is presented after reviewing in detail the present international state of surgery for these tumours.peer-reviewe

Hand and wrist configurations in patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

The association between hand and wrist configurations was investigated in this study. The hand and wrist dimensions of sixty patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and sixty healthy control subjects were measured using specific anatomical landmarks. The palm width was significantly greater in the patient group. There was no significant difference in the hand length between the two groups. Both the wrist width and wrist depth were significantly greater in the patient group. The hand ratio and the wrist ratio were significantly smaller in the patient group indicating that the latter had squarer hands and wrists than the control group respectively. This suggests that the anatomy of the hand and wrist may predispose to carpal tunnel syndrome.peer-reviewe

Model of limestone weathering and damage in masonry : sedimentological and geotechnical controls in the Globigerina limestone formation (Miocene) of Malta

Five types and subtypes of stone used in construction in the Maltese Islands and three problematic stone types, mostly extracted from facies within the Oligo-Miocene Valletta Basin, are identified. Their nature and geotechnical behaviour is discussed in the context of specific use in masonry. These stone types represent end members of the variations in depositional and diagenetic environments in carbonates which control their level of physical heterogeneity, and ultimately affect the nature of damage seen in Globigerina limestone masonry. A model is presented linking the level of heterogeneity to the mode of salt weathering seen especially in ancient constructions.peer-reviewe

'What a Coronacoaster!' Navigating primary science education in primary schools during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: EYFS and primary school teacher perspectives on the affective and pedagogical impacts of the pandemic

This edition of JES was prepared in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and includes a number of papers produced before the crisis. However, it also features two articles written about the response to the pandemic, one by Amanda McCrory on the impact on EYFS and primary science provision, and a second article, by Susan Marks, about the contributions made by scientific enquiry and school leadership to a whole school culture of good wellbeing. Other topics covered in this issue include a new resource for primary teachers using Defra's Air Quality Archive, an examination of creativity in Irish primary schools, and making environmental studies engaging for the primary sector

Coherent vs incoherent pairing in 2D systems near magnetic instability

We study the superconductivity in 2D fermionic systems near antiferromagnetic instability, assuming that the pairing is mediated by spin fluctuations. This pairing involves fully incoherent fermions and diffusive spin excitations. We show that the competition between fermionic incoherence and strong pairing interaction yields the pairing instability temperature $T_{ins}$ which increases and saturates as the magnetic correlation length $\xi \to \infty$. We argue that in this quantum-critical regime the pairing problem is qualitatively different from the BCS one.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure