The potential of fisheries reserves as a tool for biodiversity conservation : the case of the 25 nautical mile fisheries management zone around Malta

Fisheries reserves (FR) are spatially bounded areas where the harvesting of fisheries resources is restricted in some areas by regulating gear, species captured or fishing period (restricted fishing areas), or forbidden outright (no-take zones) and are designed to protect populations of commercially important stocks from over-exploitation.peer-reviewe

Developmental brain trajectories in children with ADHD and controls: a longitudinal neuroimaging study

BACKGROUND: The symptom profile and neuropsychological functioning of individuals with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), change as they enter adolescence. It is unclear whether variation in brain structure and function parallels these changes, and also whether deviations from typical brain development trajectories are associated with differential outcomes. This paper describes the Neuroimaging of the Children\u27s Attention Project (NICAP), a comprehensive longitudinal multimodal neuroimaging study. Primary aims are to determine how brain structure and function change with age in ADHD, and whether different trajectories of brain development are associated with variations in outcomes including diagnostic persistence, and academic, cognitive, social and mental health outcomes. METHODS/DESIGN: NICAP is a multimodal neuroimaging study in a community-based cohort of children with and without ADHD. Approximately 100 children with ADHD and 100 typically developing controls will be scanned at a mean age of 10 years (range; 9-11years) and will be re-scanned at two 18-month intervals (ages 11.5 and 13 years respectively). Assessments include a structured diagnostic interview, parent and teacher questionnaires, direct child cognitive/executive functioning assessment and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI acquisition techniques, collected at a single site, have been selected to provide optimized information concerning structural and functional brain development. DISCUSSION: This study will allow us to address the primary aims by describing the neurobiological development of ADHD and elucidating brain features associated with differential clinical/behavioral outcomes. NICAP data will also be explored to assess the impact of sex, ADHD presentation, ADHD severity, comorbidities and medication use on brain development trajectories. Establishing which brain regions are associated with differential clinical outcomes, may allow us to improve predictions about the course of ADHD

Ġungla

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: Tliet battuti mhux kompluti ta’ Mario Azzopardi – Ittra ta’ mara ħalliema ta’ Mario Azzopardi – Imħabba sewda ta’ Ġorġ Borg – Naf tifel ta’ Ġorġ Borg – Metaforosi ta’ Alfred Degabriele – Bħan-nar tal-festi ta’ Alfred Degabriele – Temporale ta’ Victor Fenech – Foresti-Xita ta’ Victor Fenech – Qamar tal-vikingi ta’ Charles Flores – Pakkett nru. 49 ta’ Charles Flores – Il-bieb imsakkar ta’ Oliver Friggieri – Kull ħolma tqila ta’ Oliver Friggieri – Wara l-bwieb tal-ħġieġ ta’ Raymond Mahoney – Femminista ta’ Albert Marshall – Vudu ta’ Albert Marshall – Serp ta’ Daniel Massa – M 42: Saif u riġel ta’ Daniel Massa – Blanzun ta’ Achille Mizzi – Tifsir ta’ Achille Mizzi – Is-snin ta’ Frans Sammut – Stqarrija ta’ Philip Sciberras – Ġungla ta’ Philip Sciberras.peer-reviewe

Fil-lejl li kiber miegħi

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: Flus lura ta’ Charles Clews – Afrika ta’ Oliver Friggieri – 5 ta’ Ottubru 1798: Ir-rewwixta taż-Żabbarin kontra l-Franċiżi ta’ Achille Mizzi – Durham ta’ Joe Friggieri – Tifkiriet: Għand Majsi l-parrukkier ta’ Maurice Mifsud Bonnici – Jacqueline ta’ Carmel Azzopardi – Is-Sibt 29 ta’ Marzu 1986 ta’ Alfred Massa – Lill-għasfur ta’ Nikol Vella Apap – Nixtieq nibki ta’ John Caruana – Imbierka s-sapjenza ta’ Charles Clews – Par għajnejn fid-dlam ta’ Val. V. Barbara – Iż-żmien u l-bniedem ta’ Paul J. Debono – Dixx ta’ l-istejnles stil ta’ Paul P. Borg – Nota bene ta’ Sergio Grech – Ħitan ta’ Alfred Degabriele – Data base ta’ Philip Sciberras – Freddie Mercury – Ġieħ ta’ Charles Briffa – Ħolma ta’ Joe Bugeja – L-imsiebaħ firxu d-dwal ta’ Emanuel F. Attard – Żamma ta’ Manwel Cassar – Awtur tal-baħar ta’ Charles Bezzina – Nixxiegħa tal-kuxjent minn Triq Ħas-Sajjied Birkirkara ta’ Tarcisio Zarb – Ċfuf u żigarelli ta’ Ġorġ Borg – Taħt is-saffi tqal ta’ Ġorġ Borg – Fil-lejl li kiber miegħi ta’ Ġorġ Borg.peer-reviewe

The seventh national communication of Malta under the United Nations framework convention on climate change

This is the fourth time that Malta is submitting a National Communication under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), following the submission of a First National Communication in 2004 and a Second National Communication in 2010. This is also the second time that Malta is submitting such a Communication since its accession to Annex I status under the Convention, the first two submissions having been made as a non-Annex I Party. Emission reduction or limitation commitments applicable to Malta Malta’s status under the Convention up to the time it applied for accession to Annex I, and with that accession being conditional to not taking on quantified emission limitation or reduction targets for the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, meant that until 2012 Malta was not subject to an economy-wide greenhouse gas related obligation under the Protocol. This however did not mean that Malta had no obligations to limit or reduce emissions from anthropogenic activities taking place in the country. In line with, Malta will be contributing its fair share of the EU’s unconditional commitment under the Convention to reduce emissions by 20% below 1990 levels by 2020. This is in line with the target inscribed in the amendments to the Kyoto Protocol (the Doha Amendments), that will be jointly fulfilling the second commitment period with the other Union member states; therefore, emissions from the aforementioned power plants remain subject to compliance with EU Emissions Trading Scheme provisions, while the Effort-Sharing Decision target is the principal emissions mitigation obligation that the country has until 2020, for all other greenhouse gas emissions. The major point sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Malta, namely the electricity generation plants have been, since of 2005, subject to the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, whereby they are required to surrender allowances in respect of emissions of carbon dioxide. Emissions of greenhouse gases not covered by the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, are subject to an overall limit under the so-called Effort-Sharing Decision. Under this decision, Malta must limit such greenhouse gases to not more than 5% over emission levels in 2005, by 2020. The EU is already looking towards the longer-term future, with the 2030 climate and energy framework providing for a 40% domestic reduction target for 2030. Legislative implementation of this goal is currently under discussion at EU level.peer-reviewe

Relationship between executive functioning and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder in 6-8 year old children

This study examined relationships between executive functioning (EF) and ADHD/ASD symptoms in 339 6-8 year-old children to characterise EF profiles associated with ADHD and ADHD + ASD. ADHD status was assessed using screening surveys and diagnostic interviews. ASD symptoms were measured using the Social Communication Questionnaire, and children completed assessments of EF. We found the EF profile of children with ADHD + ASD did not differ from ADHD-alone and that lower-order cognitive skills contributed significantly to EF. Dimensionally, ASD and inattention symptoms were differentially associated with EF, whereas hyperactivity symptoms were unrelated to EF. Differences between categorical and dimensional findings suggest it is important to use both diagnostic and symptom based approaches in clinical settings when assessing these children\u27s functional abilities