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Curriculum design and professional alignment in public policy graduate programs : a case study of post-experience professionals
Get PDFThis study examines the alignment between curriculum design in public policy Master’s degree programs and the professional needs of post-experience professionals, focusing on the University of Malta as a case study. With the growing demand for master’s degree education in public policy and administration, particularly among experienced professionals, it is crucial to assess how well these programs equip graduates for the complexities of the public and private service. Using a mixed-methods approach, including interviews with employers and a survey of graduates, the research explores the effectiveness of curriculum content, pedagogical strategies, and practical applications. Findings indicate that while the programs provide a solid foundation in public policy theory and practice, there is a need for greater integration of real-world challenges and issues such as ESG, AI, and EU regulations. The study offers recommendations for enhancing curriculum design to better align with professional expectations and evolving public and private sector demands, with insights applicable to similar programs globally.peer-reviewe
Osgood-Schlatter disease in adulthood : a case report
Get PDFOsgood-Schlatter disease is a common cause of anterior knee pain in the athletic adolescent population. It commonly presents with tenderness at the patellar tendon insertion site at the tibial tuberosity, usually caused by microavulsions or existing anatomical variations at this site. Its severity is dictated by the degree of repetitive strain activities such as jumping and sprinting. Although well described in the adolescent and the young athletic population, this disease is considerably rare in adults and consequently an unusual problem faced by physicians and surgeons alike. This case report explores an unusual case of Osgood-Schlatter disease in a 29-year-old male, in which the symptomatology, pathophysiology and images are used to investigate the case. Finally, different management options are explored with the aim of aiding medical practitioners treating such patients.peer-reviewe
Editorial [International Journal of Emotional Education, 17(2)]
No full textThe wellbeing and mental health of schoolteachers and educators have been receiving increasing attention due to the reported high levels of stress, putting teachers at risk of burnout, attrition and mental health issues. The nature of the profession itself, deeply rooted in complex social interactions, warrants proactive strategies to promote and protect teachers’ wellbeing through preventative policies and practices as well interventions to support teachers in managing effectively the stresses of the profession. In a critical discussion of this theme, Cavioni and colleagues (Italy) argue that this issue cannot be effectively addressed through isolated or exclusive individual-level strategies, but through an acknowledgment of the interdependent personal, relational and institutional nature of teacher wellbeing as well as systemic, preventive, and structured approaches embedded within educational policy and practice. Construing teacher wellbeing and mental health as a matter of personal responsibility ostracised from the organisational, relational and systemic contexts in which the profession is situated, only serves to prolong and exacerbate the challenges and increase teacher burnout and attrition. [excerpt]peer-reviewe
High-resolution modelling of particulate matter chemical composition over Europe : brake wear pollution
Get PDFIn today’s rapidly evolving society, the sources of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) emissions are shifting significantly. Stringent regulations on vehicle tailpipe emissions, in combination with a lack of control of non-exhaust vehicular emissions, have led to an increase in the relative contribution of non-exhaust PM in Europe. This study analyzes the spatial distribution, temporal trends, and impacts of brake wear PM pollution across Europe by modeling copper (Cu) concentrations at a high spatial resolution of ~250 m which is a key tracer of brake-wear emissions. We integrated coarse-resolution brake-wear Cu from CAMx chemical transport model and high-resolution land use data into a random forest (RF) model to predict Cu concentrations at ~250 m over whole of continental Europe. The RF model was trained using an unprecedented dataset of over 50,000 daily Cu measurements from 152 sites. It corrected CAMx underestimation and downscaled Cu to a higher spatial resolution. In validation, the model showed robust spatial and temporal prediction with good Pearson’s correlation coefficients of 0.6 and 0.7, respectively. We generated 10 years (2010–2019) of daily Cu concentrations over Europe, revealing spatial patterns aligned with urbanization and road networks, with peaks in cities and lower values in rural areas. Temporal trends reveal that Cu concentrations generally peak on weekdays and in winter. Despite a decline in PM across Europe over decades, Cu concentrations showed no decrease in many cities from 2010 to 2019. Cu levels are strongly correlated with population density with more than 12 million Europeans exposed to levels exceeding 40 ng/m3, equivalent to around 1 μg/m3 of total PM10 from brake wear. Our findings highlight the need for expanded metal measurement for non-exhaust tracers for a better understanding of the health relevance of PM composition including Cu, and more effective regulations of non-exhaust PM emissions as included in EURO 7 vehicles.peer-reviewe
Obstetric admissions to the intensive care unit in Malta over a six year period (2016-2021)
Get PDFBACKGROUND: This is a retrospective evaluation of obstetric admissions to Mater Dei Hospital’s (MDH) ICU between 2016 and 2021. MDH accounts for over 90% of Malta’s deliveries. Comparison to data from a similar study covering 2012-2015 gives information over a 10-year period.METHODS: Patients were recruited using ICU admissions records. Obstetric patients in any trimester, and up to 30 days postpartum, were included. Data was collected from patient medical records, there was no patient contact. Collected data included demographics, diagnosis, parameters, duration of ICU stay, interventions, and hospital stay. Surgical interventions, maternal and foetal outcomes were noted. MSExcel was used for data analysis.RESULTS: 55 obstetric patients were admitted to ICU over the six year period; 51 were included in the study. 0.19% of obstetric deliveries needed ICU admission and obstetric admissions accounted for 0.68% of all ICU admissions. The commonest admission diagnosis was haemorrhage followed by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and sepsis. In patients admitted with haemorrhage, mean blood loss was 2.16L. The mean systolic blood pressure in pre-eclamptic patients was 179mmHg. All patients had an arterial line inserted. 54.9% required overnight stay. 45 patients required surgical intervention, the commonest being an emergency Caesarean section. No maternal deaths were reported. In one case, CPR was performed.CONCLUSIONS: Malta's rate of obstetric ICU admissions falls within the lower range when compared to international reports. The most common obstetric ICU admission diagnosis is still haemorrhage, in contrast to other international studies where hypertensive disorders of pregnancy prevail.peer-reviewe
A vegetation survey of Wied Dalam, Birżebbuġa, Malta, for October 2024 to May 2025
No full textThe valley of Wied Dalam (Birżebbuġa, Malta) was surveyed four times (from October 2024 till May
2025), to investigate the plant species composition, species density, and the most dominant species
in each habitat type, following ecological restoration and management initiatives carried out in the
locality in recent years. This was carried out using a belt transect (3 m) with a quadrat (1 × 1 m), and
results were analysed using the Braun-Blanquet Scale. The western side of the valley had a higher
species richness of maquis undergrowth species, especially at high densities of Arundo donax L. and
Ceratonia siliqua L., while the eastern side of the valley had more ruderal and arid-tolerant species
typical of open ground. Species composition and abundance differed due to seasonal conditions and
recent anthropogenic disturbance. The rare Allium triquetrum L., and the scarce Glebionis segetum
(L.) Fourr., Poa annua L., and Scandix pecten-veneris L. were noted. Numerous plant species that
were recorded in past studies were not observed during the surveys, while several invasive plant
species still persist throughout the valley. These findings highlight the current situation regarding
vegetation composition as present at Wied Dalam throughout the sampling year 2024–2025, as well
the importance of long-term vegetation monitoring following ecological restoration actions, such as
those undertaken in this location.peer-reviewe
Centralized vs. decentralized monitors for hyperproperties
Get PDFThis article focuses on the runtime verification of hyperproperties expressed in Hyper-recHML, an expressive
yet simple logic for describing properties of sets of traces. To this end, we consider a simple language of
monitors that observe sets of system executions and report verdicts w.r.t. a given Hyper-recHML formula. We
first employ a unique omniscient monitor that centrally observes all system traces. Since centralized monitors
are not ideal for distributed settings, we also provide a language for decentralized monitors, where each
trace has a dedicated monitor; these monitors yield a unique verdict by communicating their observations to
one another. For both the centralized and the decentralized settings, we provide a synthesis procedure that,
given a formula, yields a monitor that is correct (i.e., sound and violation complete). A key step in proving
the correctness of the synthesis for decentralized monitors is a result showing that, for each formula, the
synthesized centralized monitor and its corresponding decentralized one are weakly bisimilar for a suitable
notion of weak bisimulation.peer-reviewe
Religion and growth in resilience : strategies to counter cognitive attacks
Get PDFStereotypes frequently associate religion with rigid beliefs, pathological behaviors, or a
moral code that, according to critics, engenders guilt, limits personal freedom (Nietzsche),
and alienates individuals from authentic lived experience (Marx and Freud). Historically,
religion has often been reduced and explained through various perspectives across different disciplines, often leading to psychological, neurological, evolutionary, and socio-functional reductionism (Fischer, 2007). From this perspective, religiosity is construed as
harmful as it purportedly detaches individuals from reality. Such views, rooted in 19th century critiques, are epitomized in Marx’s famous description of religion as “the opium of
the people,” from his 1844 A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right
(Pedersen, 2015). This assertion suggests that religion distorts reality through projections
shaped by human needs.
However, recent reflections on religion and its role in social life—often contrary to secularist predictions of its decline or extinction (Casanova, 2007; Riesebrodt, 2014)—have
highlighted its resilience and the diverse benefits it offers. These benefits, while reflecting
changes or redefinitions of religiosity itself, include significant contributions to individual well-being (Oviedo, 2023), mental health, and coping mechanisms. Religion has been
associated with lower suicide rates, better mental health care, effective stress management,
and even mitigation of the effects of illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease (Koenig, 1997;
Riepenhausen et al., 2022).peer-reviewe
Introduction of an ITU outreach and follow-up service at Mater Dei Hospital
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Recently, critical illness is seen more as a continuum of care across the whole hospital stay rather than focussed solely on the ITU admission. Hospital services such as Outreach Teams, Transition Programs and Follow-up Clinics have been introduced worldwide. They focus on specific aspects of patient care such as early recognition of critical illness and rehabilitation goals. The latter is dealing mostly with the Post Intensive Care syndrome (PICS), a hereditary and complex state related specifically to ITU survivors. Mater Dei Hospital has recently launched an ITU Outreach and Follow-up Service. We analysed their data collected over one year.METHODS: A mobile phone application “ITU Flow” was designed on a Microsoft@ Power Platform. We collected data related to the referral and discharge process. The application works as an essential auditing and communication tool of the service.RESULTS: Patients followed-up were mostly surgical or those suffering from respiratory failure and required only one review by the ITU team. Most issues dealt with were related to the chest, weakness or drug prescription and stayed long term. The Emergency Department made most referrals concerning patients with respiratory and/or cardiovascular failure. Almost 40% of patients were immediately admitted to ITU and in one fifth of cases significant changes to patient care had to be made. Only 12% were deemed unsuitable for ITU, a very small number was admitted at a later stage.CONCLUSION: ITU survivors appear to suffer from PICS at least in the short term, and possibly in the long term as well, as demonstrated by repeated visits after ITU discharge. This warrants individualised and interdisciplinary care. An ITU follow-up clinic in an Outpatient setting should be considered. Pre-selection of patients is essential to run the service cost efficient. Most ITU referrals lead to an admission or to major changes to the treatment plan. The Outreach Team thus contributes significantly to patient care outside ITU or assists in immediate transfer if necessary.peer-reviewe
Food systems in small island economies
Get PDFSmall island economies have very specific retail formats and supply systems for
fresh fruits and vegetables. Food stalls mainly offer local products; mini-marts/local
supermarkets offer a few ship-freight imported products; and internationalised supermarkets
offer a broad assortment of local, ship-freight and air-freight articles. Studying the food systems
of these small island economies reveals how the different market shares of the products and the
organisation of the supply chain are very much dependent on the connectivity and the market
volume of the respective island states. Studying these economies therefore provides an
important lens through which to explore the challenges and opportunities of ensuring equitable
access to fresh fruits and vegetables within constrained food systems, even in other, larger
countries, in the spirit of the call by Veenendaal and Corbett (2015).peer-reviewe