Maximum hitting for n sufficiently large

For a left-compressed intersecting family \A contained in [n]^(r) and a set X contained in [n], let \A(X) = {A in \A : A intersect X is non-empty}. Borg asked: for which X is |\A(X)| maximised by taking \A to be all r-sets containing the element 1? We determine exactly which X have this property, for n sufficiently large depending on r.Comment: Version 2 corrects the calculation of the sizes of the set families appearing in the proof of the main theorem. It also incorporates a number of other smaller corrections and improvements suggested by the anonymous referees. 7 page

Evaluation of FRAX® score use in Maltese osteoporosis management guidelines

Objectives: Recent years have brought a shift towards evidence-based fracture risk engines. Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX®) is one such diagnostic tool used to evaluate the ten-year probability of osteoporotic fracture risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Maltese FRAX® score-based osteoporosis management guidelines and identify the suitability of using such a risk factor engine-based protocol. Study design: Data from 702 patients presenting for bone mineral density (BMD) estimation in 2010- 2011 were collected. In this period, local guidelines were devised but not yet put into practice so all referred patients underwent BMD estimation. These patients were below 65 years of age and above the minimum age for FRAX® use: 40 years. Data included Age, Weight, Height, BMI and the presence of any risk factor components of the FRAX® score tool. BMD was assessed using Norland/Hologic densitometers. FRAX® scores (excluding BMD) for each patient were calculated using the online tool www.shef.ac.uk/FRAX as accessed in 2014. The resulting major osteoporotic fracture risk was compared to age-specific assessment thresholds as set by Kanis et al. (2013). Thus the appropriateness (or otherwise) of densitometry measurements as dictated by local guidelines was determined. Main outcome measures: The main outcome measures in this study were the femoral neck and vertebral body BMD. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of using the FRAX®-based guidelines in under 65 year olds were calculated. Results: Local guidelines for managing <65 year olds were found to have a PPV of 11.26% and a NPV of 94.38 % Conclusion: FRAX®-guided local guidelines are well suited at excluding non-osteoporotic patients (False omission rate of 5.62 %). Positive likelihood ratio for the protocol was found to be 1.27. This means that 1 in every 8.8 patients that would have been referred for BMD estimation were actually osteoporotic.peer-reviewe

Successful artificial ventilation for seven weeks at St. Luke's Hospital

A girl with acute dermatomyositis was ventilated artificially for seven weeks at St. Luke's Hospital, Malta. She was also treated with long term corticosteroids. She was well enough to be eventually discharged home. She was managed by emergency endotracheal intubation and artificial ventilation. A tracheostomy was carried out. Humidification, physiotherapy and adequate suction of the bronchi were the mainstay of treatment. Success in this case was primarily due to the fact that the girl's lungs were normal, while devotion, meticulous care and sheer hard work by all concerned were also instrumental.peer-reviewe

Endocrine disrupting effects on the nesting behaviour of male three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus L

The analysis of patterns of temporal variability in the nesting behaviour of male threespined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) exposed to the synthetic oestrogen, 17β-ethinylestradiol, revealed immediate, but transient, treatment-related effects. Gluing frequency and time spent near nest were significantly reduced in exposed fish at the beginning of the experiment. The expression of these behaviours subsequently recovered and there was no effect of treatment on nest building success. The potential causes and implications of these findings are discussed

Conference scene : Golden Helix Pharmacogenomics Days : educational activities on pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine

The Golden Helix Pharmacogenomics Days are high-profile international educational scientific meetings discussing pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine. Here, we provide an overview of the scientific lectures and the topics discussed during the 4th Golden Helix Pharmacogenomics Day, held in Cagliari, Italy, on 7 October 2011, and the 5th Golden Helix Pharmacogenomics Day, that was held in Msida, Malta, on 3 December 2011. The scientific programs of both events included scientific and company lectures on pharmacogenomics, bioinformatics and personalized medicine by local and international speakers from Europe and the USA.peer-reviewe

Compact phases of polymers with hydrogen bonding

We propose an off-lattice model for a self-avoiding homopolymer chain with two different competing attractive interactions, mimicking the hydrophobic effect and the hydrogen bond formation respectively. By means of Monte Carlo simulations, we are able to trace out the complete phase diagram for different values of the relative strength of the two competing interactions. For strong enough hydrogen bonding, the ground state is a helical conformation, whereas with decreasing hydrogen bonding strength, helices get eventually destabilized at low temperature in favor of more compact conformations resembling $\beta$-sheets appearing in native structures of proteins. For weaker hydrogen bonding helices are not thermodynamically relevant anymore.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures; revised version published in PR

Relevance of pharmacogenomics for developing countries in Europe : implementation in the Maltese population

Pharmacogenomics is a promising new discipline that can realize personalized treatment for patients suffering from many common diseases, particularly those with multiple treatment modalities. Recent advances in the deciphering of the human genome sequence and high throughput genotyping technology have led to the reduction of the overall genotyping costs and enabled the inclusion of genotype-related dosing recommendations into drug package inserts, hence allowing the integration of pharmacogenomics into clinical practice. Although, pharmacogenomics gradually assumes an integral part in mainstream medical practice in developed countries, many countries, particularly from the developing world, still do not have access either to the knowledge or the resources to individualize drug treatment. The PharmacoGenetics for Every Nation Initiative (PGENI) aims to fill in this gap, by making pharmacogenomics globally applicable, not only by defining population-specific pharmacogenomic marker frequency profiles and formulating country-specific recommendations for drug efficacy and safety but also by increasing general public and healthcare professionals’ awareness over pharmacogenomics and genomic medicine. This article highlights the PGENI activities in Europe and its implementation in the Maltese population, in an effort to make pharmacogenomics readily applicable in European healthcare systems.peer-reviewe

Lifelong learning and schools as community learning centres : key aspects of a national curriculum draft policy framework for Malta

The island of Malta has been engaged in policy document formulations for curriculum renewal in the country’s educational system (4-16 years of age) since 1988 when the first National Minimum Curriculum (henceforth NMC) was launched (Wain, 1991; Borg et al, 1995). In 1999 a revamped NMC (Ministry of Education, 1999) was developed following a long process of consultation involving various stages and stakeholders. It was a compromise document (Borg & Mayo, 2006) which emerged as a result of reactions to a more radical and coherent draft document produced in 1988. Both curricular documents were subject to debates and critiques (Wain, 1991; Darmanin, 1993; Borg et al, 1995; Giordmaina, 2000; Borg and Mayo, 2006). More recently a series of volumes providing guidelines, key principles and aims for a national curriculum framework (henceforth NCF) have been produced (MEEF, 2011a,b,c,d) and are currently the target of debate and the focus of reactions by various stakeholders in education including teachers who were asked to read the volumes and provide reactions in the form of answers to a set questionnaire. In this paper, I will focus on one aspect of the documents, the first of its three aims: ‘Learners who are capable of successfully developing their full potential as lifelong learners.’ It is that aspect of the framework documents that falls within the purview of the title for this special issue. The use of this notion attests to the influence of the EU’s policy communications on member states, Malta having joined the Union in 2004 (Mayo, 2007).peer-reviewe