Biological control in the Maltese Islands - past initiatives and future programmes

Past records of introduced predators and parasites for biological control programmes in the Maltese Islands are reviewed. Literature on this subject is very limited, difficult to obtain and to confirm. During the last 10 years, several exotic pest species were accidentally introduced into the Maltese Islands, including Aleurothrixus floccosus, Bemisia tabaci, Liriomyza spp., Frankliniella occidentalis and Phyllocnistis citrella. Natural enemies have been imported to control these pests. These include Dacnusa sibirica and Diglyphus isaea for the control of leafminers; Encarsia formosa, Eretmocerus califomicus and Macrolophus caliginosus for regulation of Bemisia tabaci; Cales noacki against Aleurothrixus floccosus; Orius laevigatus, o. insidiosus and Neoseiulus cucumeris against thrips; Aphidius colemani and Aphidoletes aphidimyza for the control of glasshouse aphids and Phytoseiulus persimilis and Amblyseius califomicus for the control of the red spider mite. Encarsia lutea and Eretmocerus mundus have been recorded from Bemisia tabaci in Malta. Faunistic studies of parasitic Hymenoptera occurring in Malta are currently being carried out. The data is presented and the significance of utilizing local natural enemies is briefly discussed.peer-reviewe

Evaluation of Antimicrobial Efficacy Against E. Coli Isolates of Different Serogroups Obtained From Diarrhoeic Neonates of Calves, Kids, and Lambs

Fourteen antimicrobials were evaluated their efficacy against 115 Escherichia coli isolates recovered from faecal samples collected from neonatal diarrhoeic calves (66), kids (25) and lambs (24). Of these isolates 37 were nontypeable, four were of rough type and 74 isolates were typeable for 'O' antigen belonging to 19 different serogroups (O2, O3, O5, O17, O21, O22, O25, O41, O45, O55, O60, O65, O70, O76, O114, O116, O147, O152, and O158). Evaluation of antimicrobial efficacy by disc diffusion method revealed that the most effective antibiotics were ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin and triple sulpha followed by co-trimoxazole, chloramphenicol, nitrofurantoin, gentamicin, nalidixic acid, polymixin-B and amoxyclav in decreasing order of their efficacy while ampicillin and cephotaxime were found totally ineffective against these isolates. All the isolates showed multiple drug resistance to various antibiotics ranging from two to ten antibiotics. The resistance patterns were independent of serogroups of isolates and the animal species from which isolates were obtained. However, there was a variation in resistance pattern for same antibiotic vis-a vis locations of their isolation

Effect of Self-Efficacy Enhancing Education Program on Family Caregivers\u27 Competencies in Caring for Patients with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the effect of a self-efficacy enhancing education program on family caregivers\u27 competencies regarding perceived confidence and performance in caring for patients with mild TBI in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Methods: The quasi-experimental study, two groups pre-test and post-test design was conducted. Fifty family caregivers and patients with mild TBI who met the inclusion criteria were recruited. The first 25 control group received the routine care were, while another 25 subjects in the experimental group received a self-efficacy enhancing education program developed by the researchers. The program was constructed using Bandura\u27s four sources of self-efficacy. The family caregivers\u27 perceived confidence and performance were measured by using the Perceived Confidence Questionnaire (PCQ) and the Performance Questionnaire (PQ). The data were analyzed using paired t-test, independent t-test, Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: The findings showed that the family caregivers who participated in the program had a higher in perceived confidence (t = 8.30, p < .05) and performance (U = .00, p < .05) in caring for patients with mild TBI upon the completion of the program. Conclusion: This study suggests the program may have contributed in improving the family caregivers\u27 competencies regarding perceived confidence and also influencing their performance in caring for patients with mild TBI. Therefore, this program is recommended for nurses to extend this knowledge for nursing practices and improve family caregivers\u27 competencies in caring for patients with mild TBI before and after discharge

The sources of self-efficacy: Educational research and implications for music

Music teachers can empower students with control over their own music ability development by helping them foster positive self-efficacy beliefs. This article reviews general education and music research concerning Bandura’s theoretical four sources of self-efficacy (enactive mastery experience, vicarious experience, verbal/social persuasion, and physiological and affective states), in order to guide music teachers in determining effective methods and approaches to help students develop a sense of music self-efficacy and subsequent music achievement. A brief summary of each self-efficacy source category is provided, along with a discussion of the means whereby self-efficacy perceptions can be developed within both general education and music learning environments. Each of these four sections reviews research and simultaneously provides corresponding practical suggestions for educators

Recovery self-efficacy and intention as predictors of running or jogging behavior: a cross-lagged panel analysis over a two-year period

Objectives: The study investigates whether two kinds of self-efficacy and intention predict regular running or jogging behavior over 2 yr. Maintenance self-efficacy refers to beliefs about one's ability to maintain a behavior, whereas recovery self-efficacy pertains to beliefs about one's ability to resume a behavior after a setback. Design and methods: Longitudinal data from runners (N=139, 80% men) were collected twice with a time gap of 2 yr. Results: Cross-lagged panel analysis revealed that recovery self-efficacy and intention jointly predicted running/jogging behavior 2 yr later, whereas running/jogging behavior did not predict recovery self-efficacy and intention. No effects of maintenance self-efficacy were found. The majority of participants (n=120) experienced at least one 2-week period of decline in running or jogging behavior. Among those who experienced lapses, recovery self-efficacy remained the only significant social-cognitive predictor of behavior. Conclusions: Recovery self-efficacy is a crucial predictor of regular running or jogging behavior over 2 yr

Life satisfaction and self-efficacy in patients affected by a first stroke living in Kuwait: A two-phase study

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright @ 2012 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc.Life satisfaction and self-efficacy are important aspects of stroke rehabilitation. Previous research focuses on Western stroke survivors, neglecting the stroke experience in the Middle East. This research was conducted in Kuwait and entailed both quantitative and qualitative phases to obtain a more comprehensive, clinically relevant understanding of self-efficacy and life satisfaction during stroke rehabilitation in this culture. The aims were to: 1) investigate the relationships between self-efficacy and life satisfaction in female patients affected by stroke (Phase 1); and 2) explore health professionals' views regarding the importance of self-efficacy and possible strategies for enhancing self-efficacy during rehabilitation, through semi-structured interviews (Phase 2). Significant correlations were found between patients' general self-efficacy, and psychosocial adaptation self-efficacy following stroke. Self-efficacy (both general and psychosocial adaptation) showed significant correlations with life satisfaction post-stroke. Health professionals (more than half of whom were physiotherapists) recognised the importance of self-efficacy within stroke rehabilitation and identified five main ways to increase self-efficacy during stroke rehabilitation. These were to: 1) motivate and encourage patients; 2) provide more education about stroke and rehabilitation; 3) identify change; 4) offer a high-quality environment and therapy; and 5) set goals. In conclusion, psychosocial self-efficacy was identified as having a stronger relationship to life satisfaction compared with general self-efficacy within this sample of Kuwaiti female patients. Health professionals suggested various strategies for enhancing self-efficacy and thereby life satisfaction post-stroke during the rehabilitation process in Kuwait. Despite the collectivist culture of Kuwait, the findings indicate that the patient's own confidence and sense of responsibility for progress may be relevant to rehabilitation

Efficacy of RTS,S malaria vaccines: individual-participant pooled analysis of phase 2 data.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of RTS,S/AS01 as a vaccine for malaria is being tested in a phase 3 clinical trial. Early results show significant, albeit partial, protection against clinical malaria and severe malaria. To ascertain variations in vaccine efficacy according to covariates such as transmission intensity, choice of adjuvant, age at vaccination, and bednet use, we did an individual-participant pooled analysis of phase 2 clinical data. METHODS: We analysed data from 11 different sites in Africa, including 4453 participants. We measured heterogeneity in vaccine efficacy by estimating the interactions between covariates and vaccination in pooled multivariable Cox regression and Poisson regression analyses. Endpoints for measurement of vaccine efficacy were infection, clinical malaria, severe malaria, and death. We defined transmission intensity levels according to the estimated local parasite prevalence in children aged 2-10 years (PrP₂₋₁₀), ranging from 5% to 80%. Choice of adjuvant was either AS01 or AS02. FINDINGS: Vaccine efficacy against all episodes of clinical malaria varied by transmission intensity (p=0·001). At low transmission (PrP₂₋₁₀ 10%) vaccine efficacy was 60% (95% CI 54 to 67), at moderate transmission (PrP₂₋₁₀ 20%) it was 41% (21 to 57), and at high transmission (PrP₂₋₁₀ 70%) the efficacy was 4% (-10 to 22). Vaccine efficacy also varied by adjuvant choice (p<0·0001)--eg, at low transmission (PrP₂₋₁₀ 10%), efficacy varied from 60% (95% CI 54 to 67) for AS01 to 47% (14 to 75) for AS02. Variations in efficacy by age at vaccination were of borderline significance (p=0·038), and bednet use and sex were not significant covariates. Vaccine efficacy (pooled across adjuvant choice and transmission intensity) varied significantly (p<0·0001) according to time since vaccination, from 36% efficacy (95% CI 24 to 45) at time of vaccination to 0% (-38 to 38) after 3 years. INTERPRETATION: Vaccine efficacy against clinical disease was of limited duration and was not detectable 3 years after vaccination. Furthermore, efficacy fell with increasing transmission intensity. Outcomes after vaccination cannot be gauged accurately on the basis of one pooled efficacy figure. However, predictions of public-health outcomes of vaccination will need to take account of variations in efficacy by transmission intensity and by time since vaccination. FUNDING: Medical Research Council (UK); Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Vaccine Modelling Initiative; Wellcome Trust