Between typology and diachrony : some formal parallels in Hebrew and Maltese

Hebrew and Maltese are obliquely related members of the Semitic language family. Past comparative research inspired by Bible translation highlighted in atomistic fashion a number of common traits in these two languages. The present research probes aspects of selected phonological, morphological, syntactic, and lexical traits in Biblical and Israeli Hebrew from the comparative perspective of contemporary Maltese. Given the fact that the latter may well retain substratal elements inherited from Phoenician and Punic, the parallels tentatively indicated here, particularly in the lexical domain, may provide the basis for a reconstruction of the earliest diachronic stage of the Maltese word stock. If on the mark, it also seriously calls into question claims advanced in recent historical work on Maltese to the effect that the Arab invasion of the Maltese Islands in the 9th century entailed the complete annihilation of the indigenous population thereby breaking the continuity with the linguistic heritage of pre-Arabic ancient Malta.peer-reviewe

Language

Of all the social and cultural institutions created by the inhabitants of the Maltese Islands on their long and eventful path to nationhood, their language, Maltese, is without doubt one of the most striking and original. It is, in fact, not easy for the historical linguist to account for the remarkable survival of this island -vernacular in the face of the numerous socio-political upheavals that have characterized the history of this small archipelago, which 'since it was first colonised ... has never been very far from the centre of events and has often played a critical part in the making of history' (Blouet 1981: 11). Throughout most of their medieval and modern history, these strategically located islands have been administered and culturally dominated by a succession of foreign regimes associated with linguistic power symbols of incomparably greater prestige and utility than the indigenous rural vernacular of Malta, which achieved the status of a literary medium as late as the 19th century.peer-reviewe

Recent advances in cardiovascular imaging : part 2

Part 1 of this article can be found through this link : https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/13979Part 2 of the article. In this second instalment the author will focus on the use of tomographic imaging, namely cardiac computed tomography (CCT) and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), in the structural and functional assessment of the cardiovascular system. Although Computed Tomography and Magnetic resonance have been in clinical use over the last 40 years, it is only through more recent advances in technology that imaging of a constantly moving structure like the heart has become possible with sufficient acquisition speed and spatial resolution. Now that this technology has become an important component of mainstream cardiology, it is imperative that all medical professionals understand the role and capabilities of CCT and CMR in order for patients to benefit from the exquisite diagnostic potential of this non-invasive technology.peer-reviewe

Recent advances in cardiovascular imaging : part 1

Part 2 of this article can be found through this link: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/13980Cardiovascular imaging as a subspecialty field within the mother specialties of Cardiology and Radiology has become increasingly popular over the last decade. The main reasons behind this are (a) the rapidly expanding repertoire of imaging modalities, as seen with the advent of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and cardiac computed tomography (CCT), (b) the technological improvements which greatly improve the reliability of these examinations, exemplified by rapid tomographic scanning, real time 3D echocardiography and the introduction of ultrasonic contrast agents, and (c) the potential to reduce the need for invasive investigations, represented mainly by the wide choice of functional imaging modalities to detect cardiac ischaemia, and the tissue characterisation potential of CMR. In this review, the author will summarise the technological advances in cardiovascular imaging, highlighting their important clinical role. The first part of this series will deal with echocardiography, while the second part will address the role of cardiac tomographic imaging (Computed tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging).peer-reviewe

The examination of the feasibility of implementing a biosphere reserve in the Maltese Islands : Applying a conservation value evaluation framework

Biosphere reserves are protected areas which are internationally recognized within the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s Man and the Biosphere Programme for promoting and establishing a balanced relationship between people and nature. Biosphere reserve management is guided by principles of biodiversity conservation; sustainable development; local, national and international partnership and support; local capacity-building; research and monitoring and co-operative management that is multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder and locally-based. The research evaluated the feasibility of implementing the biosphere reserve concept in the Maltese Islands. This was studied by applying a conservation framework which consisted of holistic conservation value appraisal criteria – incorporating ecological, geomorphological and cultural values, spatial analyses and specialist involvement. The resultant data was digitised into a series of thematic layers by means of a Geographic Information System (GIS). The resultant layers were superimposed to identify locations with significant conservation value. This resultant data was used to propose a delineated biosphere reserve zonation system in the Maltese Islands. A biosphere reserve system would be an appropriate mechanism to pursue in the study area mainly due to the flexibility of the reserve’s zonation system and the encouragement of the active inclusion of local populations in the management of protected areas. The proposed biosphere reserve could be a success if the protected area would be implemented with an appropriate management system incorporating local stakeholders, an identification of a suitable financing mechanism to run the reserve, and the involvement of the local populations in all of the designation and management stages of the protected area

Aortic coarctation : never too late to diagnose, never too late to treat

We present two cases of severe aortic coarctation detected in adulthood and who underwent successful relief by transcatheter stent deployment using a new covered stent, Optimus® stent (AndraTec GmbH Koblenz, Germany). One patient is a 46-year old female with resistant arterial hypertension, in whom coarctation was suspected on a follow-up transthoracic echocardiogram for bicuspid aortic valve disease and subsequently confirmed on magnetic resonance imaging. The second patient is a 68-year old male whose coarctation was diagnosed incidentally at coronary angiography being performed as part of the preoperative work-up for severe aortic stenosis. Suprasternal views to assess aortic arch and flows in the proximal descending aorta should be a standard part of every transthoracic echocardiogram. Treatment of aortic coarctation should be considered irrespective of patient’s age.peer-reviewe

High conductance states in a mean field cortical network model

Measured responses from visual cortical neurons show that spike times tend to be correlated rather than exactly Poisson distributed. Fano factors vary and are usually greater than 1 due to the tendency of spikes being clustered into bursts. We show that this behavior emerges naturally in a balanced cortical network model with random connectivity and conductance-based synapses. We employ mean field theory with correctly colored noise to describe temporal correlations in the neuronal activity. Our results illuminate the connection between two independent experimental findings: high conductance states of cortical neurons in their natural environment, and variable non-Poissonian spike statistics with Fano factors greater than 1.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, presented at CNS 2003, to be published in Neurocomputin

The rarest aortic arch anomaly : a case report of asymptomatic isolation of the subclavian artery

We present a rare case of isolated right subclavian artery arising from a right-sided patent arterial duct in a patient with DiGeorge syndrome, diagnosed on cardiac CT, along with potential complications and management approaches.peer-reviewe

A preliminary survey of marine cave habitats in the Maltese Islands

The Mediterranean Sea is a hotspot for marine biodiversity. Past studies of Mediterranean marine caves have revealed the unique biocoenotic and ecological characteristics of these habitats, which are protected by European Union legislation. The Maltese Islands have an abundance of partially and fully submerged marine caves with di fferent geomorphological characteristics, yet there have been no systematic studies on these habitats and their associated species. This study is a firrst synthesis of existing information on the biotic assemblages and physical characteristics of Maltese marine caves. The work combines a review of the available information with a preliminary survey of some marine caves in Gozo, during which several species were recorded for the first time for the Maltese Islands. Characteristic species recorded from local marine caves are highlighted, including several species of red and brown algae, sessile invertebrates including bryozoans, ascidians and sponges, and mobile forms including crustaceans and fi sh. A marked zonation from the cave entrance to the inside of the caves was identifi ed: photophilic algae at the mouth of the cave are progressively replaced by more sciaphilic species, followed by a middle section dominated by sessile invertebrates, and then a completely dark inner section that is mostly devoid of sessile organisms. Several species protected by national and international legislation were found to occur.peer-reviewe