Primary children’s understanding and relationship with cartoon characters : a multimodal praxis-based research experience

This paper presents the research outcomes of a two-year research venture conducted by Attard (2019) which links theory to classroom-based praxis. In brief, the first part of the paper presents a sound theoretical grounding based on international literature about primary school children’s understanding and relationship with cartoon characters. Later, based on the critical theoretical literature review presented in the first part, the paper links the outcomes to two levels of praxis. Initially, it presents how nine / ten-year-old children attending Maltese primary schools understand and relate to cartoon characters based on their everyday cartoon watching experiences. Then, based on an original multimodal framework (Cremona, 2017), as a main conclusion, a set of practical multimodal suggestions are proposed. These suggestions are intended to be used by educators, parents or guardians with primary school children.peer-reviewe

Traitement par prothèses sur implant de l’édentement postérieur partiel : suivi à long terme d’une étude prospective

Objective: This paper reports on the long-term outcome of patients with Kennedy Class IV partial edentulism treated in the Implant Prosthodontic Unit (IPU) at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario. Methods: The information for this paper was gathered from the charts of the first 30 consecutive, partially edentulous patients treated at the IPU. These patients all had Class IV edentulism and formed part of the original prospective clinical studies that were initiated in 1983. The patients’ dental history suggested maladaptive experiences with traditional removable prostheses or a reluctance to have intact or quasi-intact teeth prepared as retainers for fixed prostheses. Fifteen men and 15 women treated with 94 Brånemark dental implants, supporting 34 prostheses, were followed until June 2000 (25 patients) or until they were lost to follow-up (5 patients). The multiple missing teeth occurred in 19 maxillae and 15 mandibles. Results: The original prosthodontic treatments were intended to result in 33 fixed partial prostheses and 1 overdenture. At the time of this report, 25 patients with 86 implants supporting 31 fixed prostheses and 3 overdentures had been followed for an average of 12 years (range 7–16 years). The overall survival of implants was 92%. The difference between men (94%) and women (89%) was not statistically significant. Conclusions: This report is an interim update on an ongoing long-term prospective study. The results so far demonstratea high survival rate for Brånemark implants supporting tissue-integrated prostheses for the management of anterior partial edentulism.peer-reviewe

The role of agriculture in the Maltese Islands

It is thought that prior to human settling and intervention, the Maltese Islands had vast areas covered with Mediterranean Sclerophyll Forest with an undergrowth of smaller trees, shrubs and climbers. In sheltered areas such as on hillsides and in valleys, the olive (Olea europea), the carob (Ceratonia siliqua), the bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) and several others dominated. The tenth-century Arab chronicler Ibn Hauqal wrote that Malta was inhabited only by savage donkeys, numerous sheep, and bees. Human settlement resulted in the falling of trees for their wood and the clearing of land for agriculture and habitation and in the management of best practice as permitted by the availability ob natural resources. Although today agriculture is the largest land user (47.8%) it is under constant treat of land sealing and urbanization, rural to urban migration and loss of local agricultural genetic resources. Having achieved an artificial area occupying 28.6% of the total land mass, the influence of human activity is strongly evident and further underlying the significance of the island’s agricultural areas as a green lung.peer-reviewe

Natural resources in Malta

The climate of the Maltese Islands is typically Mediterranean with characteristic mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. The average annual precipitation is 530 mm (mean for period 1951-1990). Rainfall is highly variable from year to year; some years are excessively wet while others are extremely dry (extreme minimum for period 1854-1990, 191.3 mm, extreme maximum for period, 1031.2 mm). The seasonal distribution of rainfall defines a wet period (October to March with around 8.5 percent of the total annual rainfall) and a dry period (April to September).peer-reviewe

The blue cats of Malta

Academic literature yields very little information that makes reference to the Maltese cats. The Notarial archives, usually a source of rich information, in that they describe livestock that are part of a transaction, yield no information on cats, most probably, because cats were not held to represent a significant capital. Furthermore, the available literature usually makes single line references to the Maltese cat. Nonetheless, in days gone by, Malta did have a breed of unique cats described as being of a curious dark griseous (grey/blue) colour and which were highly esteemed and sought after in Sicily, and Italy.2 The Maltese Blue cats were also known locally as il-Qattus Irmiedi. The aim of this article is to present aspects associated with the breed known as the Maltese Blue cat.peer-reviewe

Food, rural, agricultural and fisheries policies in Malta

In 1992 a comprehensive study entitled “Malta Agricultural Policy and EC Membership: Challenges and Opportunities” was conducted by FAO and presented to Government of Malta. This project had the objective of carrying out an agricultural sector review aimed at the implementation of the new international and domestic policy changes necessary for eventual EU membership. This report made particular emphasis on the proposal for dealing with key agricultural policy deemed to be crucial for the survival of the sector. Despite that a certain degree of restructuring and amelioration has occurred, the agricultural sector in Malta has not reversed its long-term decline, nor does it appear to have attained sustainability. Furthermore, the Maltese structural and geographical features of the territory are not so conducive to investment, and are, in part, responsible for imparting a “dampening” effect on investment potential. Nonetheless issues of markets, production organization and policy have a significant role. The lack of efficiently functioning markets for outputs as well as inputs; conservative attitudes in the sector towards modern, efficient and effective business practices; the pattern of land ownership and tenure, that curtails productivity and the entry of new operators into the sector; these all act together to create a complex matrix within which investment has its limitations. To further complicate these issues, the sector has no clear long term policy direction, thus resulting in uncoordinated actions in terms of effort, time and investments towards established goals. The objective of this paper is to portray the developments in the Maltese agro-food sector in conjunction with related policy changes.peer-reviewe

An overview of irrigation system performance on the island of Malta

The island of Malta has a typical Mediterranean climate with an annual precipitation of circa 500mm spreading over the October to March period. The semi arid environment has always provoked the indigenous population to develop and adopt techniques that would maximise water harvesting and distribution efficiency. Within the nine year span (1991-2000), the agricultural land in Malta decreased by an estimated 1,164 hectares, reaching a total land base of 10,738 hectares. Despite this loss, the National Statistics Office registered an increase of 420 hectares in irrigated land. This could be interpreted as 1) water availability has increased or 2) efficiency in water distribution has increased. Furthermore, protected cropping through the use of greenhouses and cloches equipped with drip irrigation systems are now increasing in use and popularity. The use of treated sewage water was a key factor in stimulating agricultural development in the south region. Irrigation efficiency may be measured using a variety of indicators, such as: area under irrigation, amount of produce marketed, volume of water storage, and deterioration of ground water resources. A review of irrigation under a Maltese context is presented.peer-reviewe

Quality assurance and assessment frameworks of biosystems engineering studies

Regulatory instruments at the national level to ensure high quality are crucial to achieve and maintain a regional hub of higher education in Malta. While The Malta Qualifications Council and the National Commission for Higher Education are established and operational, the legal framework to set up a quality assurance agency and a quality assurance and licensing framework is in place, but the legislations is still awaiting approval. The University of Malta has set up internal quality assurance structures, The Programme Validation Committee monitors, reviews and recommends programmes for approval by Senate, The formation of the INSTITUTE OF EARTH SYSTEMS will facilitate the means through which a Bio Systems Engineering course could be offered, Furthermore the recent establishment of a Maltese Chamber of Agrologists could in theory eventually take up the role to grant professional accreditation,peer-reviewe

Water resources management in Malta : cultural heritage and legal and administrative set-up

The paper provides a comprehensive review on the water resources development in Malta throughout the centuries. Moreover, this report is focused on the legal and administrative set-up related to the water resources in Malta. This set-up has been enhanced so that a proper integrated water demand management could be achieved. Through such set-ups and through the integrated approach involving the use of legislative, economic and technical measures, and the involvement of the public in activities aimed at the rational use of water resources, the Water Management in Malta, after years of striving, has started gearing up.peer-reviewe

The cost of soil replacement : a Maltese case study

Soil erosion only enters national accounting systems when soil loss is reflected in lost agricultural productivity, or becomes manifest with costs sustained by damage through flooding, siltation of dams, landslides, and other associated phenomena. On islands that are prone to desertification, however, soil loss needs to be better accounted since the costs of soil replacement and rehabilitation are often prohibitively expensive. Circumscribed agricultural space provides the necessary incentive for investment in soil conservation measures and, in certain cases, a long history of such measures results in a wealth of soil retention structures. Soil conservation has been practised in the densely populated Maltese islands for several hundred years. Slope terracing and armouring of the terrace face with retaining dry stonewalls represents a rich resource which has not yet been quantified. Yet the cost of maintaining such soil conservation structures is becoming increasingly prohibitive despite the downstream costs of their eventual failure. Legislation has been enacted aimed at preserving rubble walls since these are now also regarded as a unique landscape feature but well-targeted economic incentives and support infrastructures are crucial in this regard. In fact, the Maltese Government has, over the past few years, promoted rubble wall repairs by creating groups of skilled workers trained in the craft of rubble wall building. Malta's joining the European Union in May 2004 also means that EU funds would be utilised in this regard but this needs careful management. Despite such state initiatives, alternative non-state subsidies need to be identified and this demands the identification of net beneficiaries of soil conservation. The most easily identifiable stakeholders are farmers but the tourist sector and water management authorities should also be enlisted within soil conservation management. Other stakeholders include those sectors that are adversely affected by soil erosion. In this case, insurance companies and road maintenance agencies should also be involved in soil management initiatives.peer-reviewe