Rocky shore biotic assemblages of the Maltese Islands (Central Mediterranean) : a conservation perspective

Limestone rocky shores constitute ca 90.5% of the 272km coastline of the Maltese islands. Only some 40% of this rocky coastline is gently sloping and easily accessible. Such shores are heavily impacted with 96% of the accessible coastline dominated by tourist-related or by maritime activities. We characterized the biotic assemblages of lowland Maltese rocky shores and tested the popularly held view that given the scarce variation in physical characteristics, such shores form a homogenous habitat. Belt transects were laid perpendicular to the shoreline from biological zero to the adlittoral zone on seven Coralline Limestone and one Globigerina Limestone shores. Cover (for algae and encrusting species) or population density (for animals except sponges) were estimated using 0.5m X 0.05m quadrats placed contiguously for the first few metres and then at regularly spaced intervals. Overall, 19 faunal and 47 floral species, and 10 faunal and 8 floral species were recorded from the Coralline and Globigerina transects respectively, with 60.8% faunal and 25.6% floral species common to the two substrata. Hierarchical clustering showed that the Coralline and Globigerina transects harboured distinct biotic assemblages and identified an upper shore assemblage dominated by the littorinid Melarhaphe neritoides and barnacles, and a lower shore assemblage dominated by algae and molluscs; a mid-shore transition zone where certain species from both assemblages reached peaks of abundance was present in almost all Coralline and the majority of Globigerina transects. Differences in biota between the two types of shore are most likely primarily related to differences in microtopography and, to a lesser degree, to exposure. It is concluded that in spite of gross physical similarity, Maltese lowland rocky shores are biotically inhomogeneous, making conservation of individual sites much more important than previously thought.peer-reviewe

Treatment of psoriasis with biologic agents in Malta

Introduction: Biologic therapy has revolutionalised the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis leading to improved clinical outcomes and quality of life scores. This study aims to determine current biologic use in psoriatic patients at our Dermatology department at Sir Paul Boffa hospital, Malta. Method: All patients who were administered biologic therapy for psoriasis in Malta until the end of 2014 were included. Data included demographic details, disease duration and severity, biologic use and duration, previously attempted treatments, side effects, early and late response to biologic using Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) scores and Dermatology Life Quality index (DLQI) scores. Results: A total of 36 patients were started on a biologic between 2009 and 2014 for psoriasis (M:25, F:11) with a mean age of 46.9 years. These included etanercept (n=22), infliximab (n=8), adalimumab (n=4) and ustekinumab (n=2). Secondary failure was the main reason why biologics were stopped and switched. Most patients had an improvement in their PASI scores after 2 to 4 weeks of starting the biologic and had a PASI 90 score improvement. All patients had more than a 5 point improvement in DLQI score. Discussion: Biologic use in our department is on the increase. Our patients had considerable improvements in their PASI and DLQI scores. Secondary failures have occurred usually after 2 to 4 years and switching has yielded positive results. Biologics are expensive drugs and recently we have switched to cheaper biosimilars. Doctors should be aware of the treatment options available for psoriasis patients, their possible side effects and when to refer to our department. In most cases a satisfactory response can be achieved.peer-reviewe

A spatiotemporal estimation framework for real-world LIDAR wind speed measurements

Despite significant advances in the remote sensing of fluid flows, light detection and ranging (LIDAR) measurement equipment still presents the problems of having only radial (line-of-sight) wind speed measurements (Cyclops' dilemma). Substantial expanses of unmeasured flow still remain and range weighting errors have a considerable influence on LIDAR measurements. Clearly, more information needs to be extracted from LIDAR data. With this motivation in mind, this brief shows that it is possible to estimate the wind velocity, wind direction, and absolute pressure over the entire spatial region of interest. A key challenge is that most established estimation techniques cater for systems that are finite-dimensional and described by ordinary differential equations (ODEs). By contrast, many fluid flows are governed by the Navier-Stokes equations, which are partial differential-algebraic equations (PDAEs). We show how a basis function decomposition method in conjunction with a pressure Poisson equation (PPE) formulation yields a spatially continuous, strangeness-free, reduced-order dynamic model for which a modified DAE form of the unscented Kalman filter (UKF) algorithm is used to estimate unmeasured velocities and pressure using sparse measurements from wind turbine-mounted LIDAR instruments. The approach is validated for both synthetic data generated from large eddy simulations of the atmospheric boundary layer and real-world LIDAR measurement data. Results show that a reconstruction of the flow field is achievable, thus presenting a validated estimation framework for potential applications including wind gust prediction systems and the preview control of wind turbines

Integrated street design in high-volume junctions: The case study of London’s Oxford Circus

While traditional street design relied upon segregating vehicles and pedestrians in urban areas to ensure smooth traffic flow, urban planners and traffic engineers are gradually moving away from it. Instead, under the more modern concept of integrated street design, more space and freedom of action is provided to pedestrians, the needs of whom were previously omitted. An example space to have undergone redevelopment to a more pedestrian-oriented design is London’s Oxford Circus junction. Comparing with the results of a study pre-redevelopment, the present study aims at identifying the shift in the perceptions of the pedestrians when using the space post-implementation of the new design at Oxford Circus, but also at drawing generic conclusions on the perceptions of the pedestrians towards such schemes. A questionnaire is developed and data is collected through on-street interviews with pedestrians at Oxford Circus. The results show that integrated street design offers improved way-finding, better perceived safety and more pleasant environments for pedestrians

Estimation and Identification of Spatio-Temporal Models with Applications in Engineering, Healthcare and Social Science

Several natural phenomena are known to exhibit a spatio-temporal evolution process. The study of such processes, which is pivotal to our understanding of how best to predict and control spatio-temporal systems, has motivated researchers to develop appropriate tools that infer models and their parameters from observed data. This paper reviews this active area of research by providing an insight into the fundamental ideas spanning the development of spatio-temporal models, dimensionality reduction methods and techniques for state and parameter estimation. Recent advances are discussed in the context of novel spatio-temporal approaches proposed for applications in three specific domains – engineering, healthcare and social science. They illustrate the wide applicability of estimation and identification of spatio-temporal processes as novel advances in sensor systems and data collection are used to observe them

EUROMOD update : feasibility study : Malta (Tax-Benefit Systems 2007-2010)

The purpose of this study is to examine the technical feasibility of micro-simulation model application for the analysis of impact of policy on social integration from the national as well as from the EU perspective. This is the first time that Malta’s tax-benefit system has been analysed from the angle of the main elements of this system implying the policy rules that are underlying the entitlement criteria defining them. This was an opportunity for the main players in this field to work in synergy on this vital issue: the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity, in charge of social benefits, Ministry of Finance responsible for the fiscal policy and income tax system in particular, and the National Statistics Office tasked with income data collection based on the EU-SILC methodology. This Feasibility Study describes the situation as it was in year 2007 and the major changes that have taken place in 2008 and 2009 and 2010. Firstly, the study describes the main elements of the tax-benefit system namely: income, income tax brackets, capital resources and Social Security contributions. The second section of the study illustrates the main sources of data to be used for modelling purposes and also shows the examples of the calculation of income tax and social benefits. It has been agreed that the EU SILC 2008 data would be used, for income element since Malta has joined this system of data collection way back in 2005. The third section of the study firstly outlines the qualities and limitations of the input data set. This section also focuses on specificities of Malta’s data collection and possible difficulties regarding model application. The study points at the possible combinations of sample and population databases. Also, simulation possibilities have been specified for both systems separately. Finally, the non-take up of benefit and the issue of tax and benefit fraud illustrate the situation and the possible unknown element on both sides.peer-reviewe

Rituximab : a novel treatment for Pemphigus in Malta

Until recently, the main treatment for pemphigus has been systemic corticosteroids, usually administered at high doses with consequent side-effects. Lately, the biological agent rituximab has been introduced as an effective treatment for this condition. This article describes seven cases of pemphigus successfully treated with rituximab in Malta and discusses the benefits and drawbacks of this novel treatment modality.peer-reviewe

Analysis of periosteal lesions from commingled human remains at the Xagħra Circle hypogeum reveals the first case of probable scurvy from Neolithic Malta

Abstract Objectives Palaeopathological analysis is key for characterising population health at the individual level and across large assemblages but is rarely exploited to unite the remains of disarticulated individuals. This study explores the potential for individual identification through differential diagnosis of periosteal lesions in a commingled deposit, both to ascertain the number of individuals represented and provide a differential diagnosis. Materials and Methods The late Neolithic Xag?ra Circle hypogeum on Gozo contains the remains of more than 800 individuals, most of which were transformed to a collective disarticulated assemblage. Across the excavated population, pathological observations are strikingly low. In one specific 1???1-m area in a single stratigraphic context, fragmented and disarticulated cranial and post-cranial non-adult bones were identified that displayed periosteal new bone formation. To aid differential diagnosis, macroscopic analysis, taphonomic analysis and micro-computed tomography (?CT) imaging were integrated. Results This approach, when combined with osteobiographical analyses, reveals that the elements most likely derive from one individual, a young child, who presents a probable case of scurvy. The potential for micronutrient co-morbidities are explored, but without further microscopic study it cannot be determined if this individual also experienced iron-deficiency anaemia and/or rickets. Discussion In the context of the Mediterranean and Europe in later prehistory, reported cases of scurvy are currently low and often reveal periods of environmental instability and resource insufficiency. Our finding of non-adult scurvy in late 3rd millennium BC Malta contributes to a developing picture of an increasingly unstable palaeoenvironment and declining population health at this time, although it may also indicate an individual case of poor childhood health within this broader context.1 Introduction 1.1 Archaeological context of the Xagħra Circle hypogeum 2 Materials and methods 2.1 Remains presenting periosteal lesions 2.2 Macroscopic and micro-CT analysis 3 Macroscopic and radiological observations of pathology 3.1 Frontal bone (FB0039, FB0040) and zygoma (FB0041) 3.2 Mandible (FB0042) 3.3 Left rib (FB0043) and right rib (FB0044) 3.4 Ulna (FB0045) 4 Differential diagnosis 4.1 Frontal bone (FB0039, FB0040) and zygoma (FB0041) 4.2 Mandible (FB0042) 4.3 Left rib (FB0043) and right rib (FB0044) 4.4 Ulna (FB0045) 5 Discussion 5.1 Scurvy: Causes, consequences and comorbidities 5.2 Scurvy in prehistory 5.3 The Maltese context 6 Conclusio

Cutaneous melanoma more likely to be invasive in fairer skin phototypes : a retrospective observational study

Fitzpatrick skin phototype is one of the factors determining melanoma development, with fairer skin phototypes I and II known to be associated with a higher risk. This study aimed to identify any associations between skin phototype and the histologic subtype, Breslow's thickness, and the site of melanoma. Patients diagnosed with melanoma for over an 18-month period were included. Data were gathered from the Malta National Cancer Registry. There were 167 registered cutaneous melanoma patients, of which 135 were included in the study. Melanomas in patients with skin phototypes I and II were more likely to be invasive than in situ when compared to patients with skin phototypes III and IV (P = 0.00027). There was also an association between skin phototype and histologic type of melanoma (P = 0.005), with melanoma in situ being the most common subtype in patients with skin type III. This study confirms that fairer skin phototypes have an increased risk of melanoma. It also shows that in our population, melanoma in skin phototypes I and II is more likely to be invasive rather than in situ compared to melanoma in darker skin phototypes. Further studies are required to confirm these findings and identify possible reasons.peer-reviewe