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Essays beyond borders : writing with place
No full textIt’s a scorcher of a Saturday. I’m walking in a vast open courtyard, surrounded by the
yellow ochre of Fort St. Elmo’s walls, themselves domed over by postcard-quality
cyan sky. VisitMalta describes St. Elmo as a 'majestic fort,' attracting a motley
chattering of tourists who spill in from the gates. They take photos, documenting it
over and over again for posterity. I contemplate joining them to play
'tourist-at-home,' but, majesty notwithstanding, my priority, as a local, is to get out
of the sun. I spot a triangle of shade complete with a chipped cube of limestone, left
over from construction work. I sit, making a mental note, as one does wherever one
sits in Malta, to dust myself down when I leave. [extract].non peer-reviewe
Maltese diaspora writers of the 21st century
Full text linkItalian 19th century immigration to Malta was intimately connected with the steady spread of culture amongst the Maltese, especially through the ever-expanding medium of journalism. En passant, one of these newspapers, L’Emigrazione Maltese (1867-1877) which was edited by Amabile Bonello, had the specific aim of organizing Maltese migration to the North African coast, especially to Tripolitania and Cyrenaica. Another newspaper, Afrique Maltaise (1889-1890), edited by Enrico Zammit, voiced the general interests of the Maltese settlers in Algeria, Tunisia and Tripolitania. Even Maltese emigrants abroad were to be quite involved in the journalistic sphere. For example, Sapienza (1977) lists no less than eleven newspapers published in Egypt and Tunisia by Maltese immigrants prior to 1940. [excerpt]Nell’ ‘800 l’isola di Malta è stata rifugio sicuro per centinaia di intellettuali italiani esuli, che scappavano dalla penisola vicina dopo i falliti tentativi rivoluzionari del 1821 e 1848. Questo articolo tratta di alcuni dei giovani scrittori maltesi che, dopo l’adesione di Malta all’Unione Europea nel 2004, hanno trovato lavoro all’estero, in particolare nell’Unione Europea, ma anche negli Stati Uniti, luoghi che non hanno fatto dimenticare le loro origini isolane mediterranee. La formazione giovanile a Malta diventa protagonista dei loro lavori, insieme alle problematiche comuni che devono affrontare tutti i giovani in un mondo globalizzato.peer-reviewe
Pharmacist‐managed therapeutic drug monitoring service in an intensive care unit
No full textIntroduction: In the intensive care unit (ICU), drug dosing presents challenges due to variable pharmacokinetics, such as expanded apparent volume of distribution, owing to fluid resuscitation, which can result in inadequate dosing, and end-organ dysfunction, which impacts drug clearance or metabolism. Pharmacists in the ICU are positioned to advise on individual drug dosing using therapeutic drug monitoring to maximise the efficacy of medications while minimising drug toxicity(1). Achieving therapeutic serum concentrations for medications with a narrow therapeutic range is crucial for critically ill patients. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a pharmacist-managed therapeutic drug monitoring service in a mixed ICU of an acute general hospital on dosing optimisation and minimisation of potential adverse drug events (ADEs). Methods: The study was conducted over three months in 2023, where clinical pharmacists reviewed the medication charts of patients admitted to the ICU and participated in daily ward rounds as part of the multidisciplinary team. Data about TDM activities carried out by pharmacists were compiled. The pharmacists provided clear guidance on timing of TDM in relation to drug administration, interpreted TDM results and provided specialised pharmacological advice following TDM results, including adjustments in dose or frequency for subse- quent doses, in collaboration with ICU clinicians. Recommendations by pharmacists also took into account the patient’s clinical condition, changes in renal replacement therapies, administration modes, and drug-drug interactions. All pharmacists’ recommendations were evaluated by a panel of experts for their potential to prevent a potential ADE. Results: Over the three-month period, among 164 patients admitted to the ICU, 35 patients needed TDM recommendations from pharmacists, resulting in a total of 93 interventions. The medications most frequently involved in TDM were antimicrobials (71%), comprising aminoglycosides and vancomycin, anti-epileptics (13%) and digoxin (12%). Pharmacist recommendations included requesting TDM (52%), adjusting daily dosage (16%), modifying dosing intervals or infusion rates (17%), withholding medications in cases of supratherapeutic levels (12%), changing method of administration (2%) or proposing alternative therapy in case of severe interactions (1%). The expert panel assessed the interventions to have a medium (20%) or low (80%) probability of preventing a potential ADE. Interventions with a medium probability of preventing a potential ADE included omitting the planned dose of aminoglycoside in a patient with kidney injury who was receiving a continuous replacement therapy free period, and carrying out TDM until the trough was within range; requesting TDM and proposing the need for alternative treatment due to interaction between sodium valproate and meropenem; stopping vancomycin infusion and requesting TDM due to sudden decline in renal function and development of an acute kidney injury in a patient being treated with vancomycin continuous infusion. Conclusions: A pharmacist-managed TDM service helped optimise medication doses for drugs with a narrow therapeutic range and those with a high incidence of toxicity. Timely interpretation and appropriate management of TDM assisted in preventing potential ADEs in critically ill patients.peer-reviewe
Ix-xogħol soċjali huwa razza fil-periklu? Analiżi tal-isfidi għall-ħidma soċjali f’Malta
No full textLiterature about the challenges to the development of the social work
profession, particularly in Malta, is scarce. A review of the literature
shows that there are similar trends in other countries. This paper is
based on the data stemming from one of the questions in the
qualitative interviews of a doctoral research study. The findings suggest
that some of the challenges for social work in Malta include a shortage
of social workers, issues with professional identity, status, professional
autonomy, differing views between frontline practitioners and
management, lack of support, and relatively poor work conditions. The
authors recommend possible solutions to address the challenges
faced by social workers in Malta and possibly elsewhere. More social
work research needs to focus on the contemporary development of
social work across the globe.peer-reviewe
Book review : Economic development in the world’s smallest economies : how geography, demographics, and culture define economic activity
No full textTraditional economic growth models, such as the Solow-Swan model or endogenous growth theories, rely on the advantages of large markets; they thus theorise away small state development. Yet, for small states whose domestic markets are inherently limited, diseconomies of scale are a fact of life. [excerpt]peer-reviewe
Individual investors’ expectations vs. brokerage firms’ perceptions : a consistency analysis in the context of client relationship management
No full textPURPOSE: The objective of this article is to examine the degree of alignment between the
expectations of individual investors and how these expectations are perceived by brokerage
firm employees, as well as to identify key perception gaps that influence the quality of
relationships, communication, and investment decisions.APPROACH/METHODOLOGY/DESIGN: The study adopts a qualitative approach, based on indepth interviews with eleven participants — six individual clients and five employees of
brokerage firms in Poland. Data analysis was conducted using thematic coding and
triangulation of categories from both perspectives. The aim was to compare the experiences
and expectations of both groups in the context of using brokerage services.FINDINGS: The findings revealed both areas of convergence (e.g. the importance of
technology, low entry costs, and the integration of banking and investment services) and
divergence (e.g. timing of educational support, risk assessment, brand significance, and the
role of the advisor). Clients emphasised functionality, simplicity, and autonomy, while
employees more frequently highlighted brand image and the role of personalised advisory
services.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: This article contributes to the literature on financial services by
offering an integrated view of perceptual alignment and dissonance in client–institution
relationships. It presents empirical evidence of persistent cognitive gaps and formulates
three practical recommendations concerning service integration, the design of investment
education, and fee structure.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The study provides a novel approach to analysing relationship quality in
the retail investment sector, emphasising the importance of perceptual alignment in
enhancing client engagement and institutional effectiveness.peer-reviewe
The effect of thickness variation on the rigidity of ankle foot orthoses provided to the NHS : a case for the need for quality control
No full textBackground: Drape-forming is a cost-effective method used worldwide to manufacture bespoke ankle foot orthoses (AFOs). It involves draping a heated polymer material sheet over a positive cast of the user’s limb. Previous research has shown that the manual nature of drape-forming can influence the thickness of the final AFO
and even lead to structures that are inadequately rigid to be clinically effective. This study assesses the difference
between the prescribed and the final thickness of AFOs meant for use by UK’s National Health Service (NHS) and
estimates its potential impact on AFO rigidity.
Methods: A clinically relevant method to measure AFO thickness as part of the manufacturing process was
developed and validated. This method was used by three major UK manufacturers for all bespoke rigid AFOs they
provided to the NHS within a predefined period. A validated finite element model was used to estimate the
impact of the observed difference between prescribed and final thickness on AFO stiffness.
Results: 86 AFOs were assessed in total. Final thickness was between 4.0% and 35.5% lower than the prescribed
one (median thickness reduction= 17.4%). This discrepancy in thickness led to a relative reduction in AFO
stiffness ranging between 7.0% and 80.0% (median stiffness reduction= 30.7%).
Discussion: The adequacy of AFO thickness cannot be judged based on prescription thickness. Measurements of
final thickness as part of standard practice should be considered to enhance the provision of bespoke AFOs.
Further research is needed to establish thresholds of acceptable manufacturing-induced deviation from the
prescribed AFO thickness.peer-reviewe
Energy and economic estimation for a floating photovoltaic plant situated in the biggest hydro power plant reservoir in Albania
No full textMany countries are considering the installation of photovoltaic modules on water bodies, through the utilization of floating structures. Different designs of floating structures are employed in many applications, by leaning on their advantages and disadvantages. They are part of the configuration referred as Floating photovoltaic (FPV) system. Depending on each country characteristics, the main objective is the positive impact of avoiding the land use. The installed capacity and number of FPV plants is increased continually, but discussions on energy performance and their economic estimation is ongoing. In this work is considered the case of the biggest hydro power plant in Albania (Fierza), where the existing installed capacity is 500 MW. The hydro power plant has the biggest water reservoir in the country and works based on the annual regulation for the whole river cascade. The country has an energy policy based mainly on renewable energy sources. The paper is based on providing a sustainable solution, through the electricity production from the integration of two renewable energy sources, like solar energy and hydropower. The presented results include the monthly values of the final yield, the reference yield, the performance ratio, the specific yield, and the energy yield. The conclusions obtained from this work will be based on energy, economic and environmental data. Also, they will show the impact of the suggested FPV plant on the national electricity grid.peer-reviewe
Deciding finiteness of bosonic dynamics with tunable interactions
No full textWe are motivated by factorization of bosonic quantum dynamics and we study the corresponding Lie algebras, which can potentially be infinite dimensional. To characterize such factorization, we identify conditions for these Lie algebras to be finite dimensional. We consider cases where each free Hamiltonian term is itself an element of the generated Lie algebra. In our approach, we develop new tools to systematically divide skew-hermitian bosonic operators into appropriate subspaces, and construct specific sequences of skew-hermitian operators that are used to gauge the dimensionality of the Lie algebras themselves. The significance of our result relies on conditions that constrain only the independently controlled generators in a particular Hamiltonian, thereby providing an effective algorithm for verifying the finiteness of the generated Lie algebra. In addition, our results are tightly connected to mathematical work where the polynomials of creation and annihilation operators are known as the Weyl algebra. Our work paves the way for better understanding factorization of bosonic dynamics relevant to quantum control and quantum technology.peer-reviewe
Insights into climate variability of the meteorological records from a background monitoring station : the Giordan lighthouse, Gozo
No full textBackground:
The Maltese islands are subject to significant climate variability, with
implications for ecosystems and human activities. This study leverages
a 26-year dataset from the Giordan Lighthouse Background
Monitoring Station (GL) on the island of Gozo to analyse short-term
climate variability and its alignment with broader regional trends.Methods:
Hourly meteorological data collected from 1997 to 2022, including
wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, relative humidity, and air
pressure, were analysed. The study examined diurnal and annual
cycles, probability distribution functions, and climate indices to
characterise local climate dynamics. Comparisons were made to
existing findings based on the Malta International Airport dataset to
validate results.Results:
The analysis revealed pronounced seasonal variability in all
parameters. Rising air temperatures were detected, consistent with regional warming trends. Humidity and wind conditions showed
seasonal shifts aligning with observations from other regional
monitoring stations. The high-resolution dataset also captured finescale
temporal patterns, reinforcing the critical value of localised,
long-term meteorological monitoring for understanding climatic
shifts.Conclusions:
This study underscores the value of long-term meteorological
datasets in detecting climate variability and trends, including a clear
warming pattern and seasonal shifts in temperature, humidity, and
wind conditions. Continuous monitoring and improved data reliability
are essential for enhancing climate assessments and supporting
effective adaptation strategies in the Maltese Islands.peer-reviewe