Orbital pseudotumour masquerading as Wegener’s granulomatosis

A twenty-two year old female patient presented with new onset bilateral hard orbital masses and progressively worse tear lake problems. Computed tomography of the orbits revealed poorly differentiated bilateral orbital masses. Laboratory investigation revealed ANCA positivity. Routine biochemical investigations were all within normal limits. CXR was also normal. Biopsy of the orbital masses revealed non-specific histological findings. An initial diagnosis of Granulomatosis with Polyangitis (GPA) was postulated. Oral steroids were given followed by a rapid response to steroid therapy. The working diagnosis of GPA was abandoned and a diagnosis of idiopathic orbital inflammation (IOI), or orbital pseudotumour was made owing to the benign, non-infective, inflammatory pathology with no evident systemic or local cause. Tailoring off of steroids resulted in repeated flare ups, resulting in the initiation of methotrexate therapy. The patient is in remission and is currently on combined steroid and methotrexate treatment. IOI is a diagnosis of exclusion and a rapid response to steroids serves as a diagnostic aid but is not in itself diagnostic.peer-reviewe

Creativity and drama

The aims and objectives of drama can be distilled into one general long-term aim - drama is concerned with the development of the individual's personality to the utmost. How is one to go about this task? This paper will deal with a factor which is considered of great importance in reaching the aims and objectives of drama - creativity. Creativity for whom - children or adults? But, even before this question is determined, we must ask ourselves a prior one: What is creativity?peer-reviewe

Some food sources of the Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis) in Malta

The Zitting Cisticola, Cisticola juncidis (Rafinesque, 1810) is a small insectivorous bird which started breeding in Malta some 40 years ago and is now one of the most diffused species of warblers in the Maltese Islands (Fenech, 2010). The species was listed in the check-list compiled by Nicola Ardoino in February 1893, who said it was scarce and appeared in early September (Despott, 1928). The first nest was found at is-Simar in 1973 (Sultana & Gauci, 1974) but De Lucca had published records of four birds at Salina in June 1967 (De Lucca, 1967)peer-reviewe

Reconfiguring the twenty first-century reader : an analysis of interpretation and performance

This article discusses how contemporary technological trends and new media have reconfigured the reader into a multiplicity of roles, suggesting that a number of dualisms formerly associated with the act of reading are no longer valid. Notions of writing and reading, creation and interpretation have been adapted to new convergence models of textual production and reception, and whilst 'story' remains translatable across media, in the process of multiplatforming, various narrative techniques are used to create different levels of engagement with the text at each stage. The promise of the reader's much-celebrated creative authority at the turn of the century is problematised here through a discussion of distributed aesthetics and tele-theories of representation. Taking the fantasy genre as a case study, the contemporary influence of cultish trends, together with the effect of cybernetic communication dynamics on traditional genre stylistics and the fulfilment of narrative meaning, will be analysed as essential considerations in establishing which aspects of the traditional reader are translatable to a future that seems increasingly dependent on connectivity, interactivity and speed. The article will argue that, in a number of instances, the contemporary cultural scenario suggests that fulfilment of meaning is often successfully executed through strategies previously associated with the performative rather than the literary text, and will conclude that specific technological developments are responsible for this adaptation.peer-reviewe

Erich Becker and Malta Sotteranea - exposing the achievements of a dark horse of Christian archaeology

Becker's 1913 publication Malta Sotterranea, Studien zur altchristlichen und jiidischen Sepulkralkunst- studies of Malta's early Christian and Jewish sepulchral art- is a work often quoted and sometimes even copied by authors writing on Malta's catacombs and Late Antiquity. Its value was recognised by many scholars, but to date very few have managed to fully grasp and understand it. Certainly, one does not need to understand much German to realise that his study was exceptionally thorough and methodical. But one needs to master German and German grammar perfectly in order to follow his line of reasoning - which is why many remarkable conclusions and discoveries in Malta Sotterranea were at best ignored, or at worst wrongly quoted or totally misunderstood. Ironically, it is thanks to the latter that his book never slipped into oblivion.peer-reviewe

Issues and events

The progressive approach to teaching out-rightly condemns the type of classroom arrangement where pupils are seated in rows facing the teacher as being too rigid: assigning to pupils a listeners' and to teachers a talkers' role. Besides it impedes the creative organization of teaching and learning activities. Groupwork, to name one example, cannot be organized effectively within such a classroom set-up. Progressives, therefore, would do away with dual benches and have them replaced with tables around which pupils sit in groups. Such an arrangement, they claim, brings about more effective teaching and encourages pupils to work together in carrying out learning tasks. Emphasis, therefore, is placed on cooperation rather than competition.peer-reviewe

From audiences to publics : convergence culture and the Harry Potter phenomenon

In the mid-nineties, changing business and communication models influenced the way in which cultural industries operated. The spheres of public and private, production and distribution, ownership and access had to be reconsidered and were characterised by convergence culture, a commercial and creative environment based on active participation that offers support for creating and sharing interpretations and original works. Convergence culture has relatively low barriers to artistic expression and civic participation and fosters a sense of community growing around people’s common interests and ideologies. It is also a product of the relationship between communication technologies, the cultural communities that grow around them, and the activities they support.peer-reviewe

Sense and sensibilities

There are many aspects relating to our profession that lead to varying degrees of inner and outer conflict. These have to be looked at objectively, rationalised and managed appropriately so that they inflict the least possible damage to us, to those around us and particularly to the individuals whose wellbeing is our avowed quest.peer-reviewe

The H1N1 post-mortem

The H1 N1 pandemic started more than a year ago at the end of March in Mexico with Malta having it's first positive cases on the first of July. Since July 2009, we had 913 persons who were positive to Hl Nl with 261 cases hospitalised (207 with H1 N1 and 54 with Influenza A) and from these 8 cases needed intensive care. In all, 5 died as a result of this pandemic locally. Over 91 ,471 residents took the vaccine and 2,700 antiviral courses have been dispensed through the government pharmacies. In retrospect one would easily conclude that a massive amount of money has been spent on a minor threat but judgment using hindsight is not appropriate when dealing with the potential risk of a public health threat. The real question that needs to be asked is what are the aims and objectives for this country if the threat of a novel influenza virus emerged and was spreading all over the world? And where the objectives for the H1 N1 strategy achieved or not?peer-reviewe

Students’ attitudes & motivation during A-level chemistry practical work (exploring and addressing the needs to enhance the students’ laboratory experience)

This study investigates students’ attitudes and motivation during their practical work which forms an integral part of their A-level chemistry curriculum. It analyses the factors which determine the student’s engagement in learning chemistry through laboratory activities and explores students’ expectations to enhance their laboratory experience at this level of education. The research involved the design and administration of an anonymous survey to a cohort of students studying A-level chemistry in 6 different Maltese post-secondary educational institutions. The respondents represented a good cross-section of students currently preparing for the A-level chemistry exam in Malta and Gozo. Analysis of the survey confirmed evidence from literature sources suggesting that students in general found their laboratory experience as strongly motivating. Students’ attitudes were found to be positively influenced by factors such as teacher support, well-equipped laboratories and the chance to work more regularly and independently in the laboratory. On the other hand, students expressed concern on having to deal with repetitive tasks, a vast syllabus, examination-related pressures and an unfair method of assessment. They suggested that the laboratory programme needs to be revamped to address their concerns by consolidating the link between theory and practice, allowing more space for teacher-student interaction and student collaboration, and revising the assessment criteria for the practical exam. Findings of this study confirm that Maltese sixth form students share similar attitudes and motivations to their counterparts in other parts of the world. Educators and other stakeholders are therefore urged to heed students’ voices and considerations prior to deciding about any changes in policy-making and curriculum development aimed at enhancing the student’s learning experience in the subject.peer-reviewe