Search

The pillars at the entrance of the inner apse of one of the cluster of Neolithic temples at Mnajdra, Malta display rows of drilled holes which have been interpreted as a tally of days. Furthermore, it has been proposed that the number of holes in the rows on the east pillar coincides well with a sequence of intervals between the heliacal rising of bright stars or star groups. Is this remarkable correspondence simply a chance occurrence, or do the drilled holes represent material evidence of deliberate time reckoning by means of heliacal star risings in the Neolithic age? This question has led to the statistical investigation described in this paper, which takes into account the heliacal risings of all stars of magnitude 2.0 or brighter visible from Malta 5000 years ago as well as the Pleiades and the Hyades star clusters, which attracted the attention of other ancient cultures. The paper presents and discusses the method used and the challenges involved in the investigation. The results show that with a tolerance of ±1 day for uncertainty in the calculated heliacal rise days, the probability of achieving an exact correspondence between a random ordering of the tally and a series of star rises is 0.0014. With a wider tolerance of ±2 days the probability is 0.011. The final section discusses the significance and implications of these results.

Rectal-prostate fistulas are uncommon anatomical connections between the prostatic urethra and rectum that are typically iatrogenic but can also result from other underlying pathology. Here, we present a unique case of a rectal-prostate fistula causing the rectal passage of sperm. A 33-year-old male with a history of illicit drug use presented with five days of testicular pain and a substantial amount of sperm passage from his rectum with ejaculation for the past two years. Computed tomography and voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) of the pelvis revealed evidence of a rectal-prostate fistula. He was treated with piperacillin-tazobactam, and a surgical fistula repair was performed. Further investigation divulged a three-week comatose state due to cocaine and phencyclidine intoxication two years prior with documentation suggesting a traumatic Foley catheter placement and strong suspicion for premature balloon dilation in the prostatic urethra. Repeat VCUG revealed resolution of the fistula with mildly reduced antegrade ejaculatory volume. Cases secondary to Foley catheter placement have not been previously reported in the literature. Even though urethral catheters have been shown to be effective tools in healthcare, it is crucial for clinicians to recognize the numerous potential complications that oftentimes become an afterthought to many providers. This case not only highlights a rare complication of catheter use but also emphasizes the importance of provider mindfulness when utilizing seemingly benign therapies such as Foley catheters.

Tau aggregates propagate in brain cells and transmit to neighboring cells as well as anatomically connected brain regions by prion-like mechanisms. Soluble tau aggregates (tau oligomers) are the most toxic species that initiate neurodegeneration in tauopathies, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Exogenous tau aggregates have been shown to be internalized by brain cells; however, the precise cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie the internalization of tau oligomers (TauO) remain elusive. Using brain-derived tau oligomers (BDTOs) from AD, PSP, and DLB patients, we investigated neuronal internalization mechanisms of BDTOs, including the heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG)-mediated pathway, clathrin-mediated pathway, and caveolae-mediated pathway. Here, we demonstrated that the HSPG-mediated pathway regulates internalization of BDTOs from AD and DLB, while HSPG-mediated and other alternative pathways are involved in the internalization of PSP-derived tau oligomers. HSPG antagonism significantly reduced the internalization of TauO, prevented tau translocation to the endosomal–lysosomal system, and decreased levels of hyperphosphorylated tau in neurons, the well-known contributor for neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) accumulation, degeneration of neurons, and cognitive decline. Furthermore, siRNA-mediated silencing of heparan sulfate (HS)-synthesizing enzyme, exostosin-2, leads to decreased internalization of BDTOs, prevented tau-induced autophagy–lysosomal pathway impairment, and decreased hyperphosphorylated tau levels. Collectively, these findings suggest that HSPG-mediated endocytosis and exostsin-2 are involved in neuronal internalization of TauO and subsequent tau-dependent neuropathology in AD and DLB.

The possibility that archaeoastronomy could make a valid contribution to archaeology was questioned some years ago. This article suggests that this can be the case provided that, particularly in the context of prehistoric monuments, investigations do not stop at the measurement of orientations and the determination of intentionality, but move on to seeking the motivation for choosing the orientations and the meaning and effect of this choice for a prehistoric society. This approach requires different methodologies involving various conceptual schemes, skills and competences in several fields of knowledge. A case study is then presented to show how archaeoastronomy can contribute tentatively to an understanding of the mysterious end of the Temple Culture in the Maltese Islands.

Introduction: Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH) is a rare liver injury known to cause approximately 13% of acute liver failure cases in the United States. Drug-induced AIH has similar clinical, serological and histological features of AIH but is less likely to require long term immunosuppression or to relapse after discontinuation of immunosuppressants. It is mostly associated with nitrofurantoin, minocycline, hydralazine, and methyldopa, however other medications may be culprits. Herein, we present a patient with drug-induced AIH with possible relation to Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Case Description/Methods: A 38-year-old female with a history of Helicobacter pylori treated with amoxicillin and pantoprazole three months ago and recent COVID-19 vaccination presented with two weeks of right upper quadrant pain and diarrhea. Patient received second dose of vaccination two weeks prior to symptom onset. Five days post-symptom onset, she developed a pruritic rash with vomiting and yellowing of her skin. Physical examination was notable for normal mentation, scleral icterus, jaundice, and a maculopapular rash. Initial blood workup showed international normalized ratio 2.4, alkaline phosphatase 212 U/L, ALT 3769 U/L, AST 1572 U/L and total bilirubin of 23.8 mg/ dL. Viral hepatitis serologies, chronic liver disease workup and autoimmune serologies were normal. Imaging demonstrated no intra- or extra-hepatic biliary ductal dilation. Liver biopsy showed portal inflammation with interface activity, diffuse lobular inflammation, and perivenulitis with abundant lymphocytes and plasma cells consistent with seronegative AIH or drug induced AIH. The patient developed altered mental status meeting the criteria of acute liver failure, she was started on corticosteroids as well as supportive care with resolution of encephalopathy and was discharged home on prednisone. Discussion: Several etiologies of drug-induced AIH are well-established, however cases secondary to COVID-19 vaccination have been minimally reported. Common adverse events for COVID-19 vaccination have been noted such as fever, chills, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain. Several rare side effects have occurred including immune thrombocytopenia and one other suspected case of Pfizer- BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination-induced AIH reported in the literature. In that case the patient developed symptoms within one week of the first dose. This case serves to report a potential association and not necessarily causation between the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination and AIH.

A general study of the orientations of the prehistoric temples of Malta showed that the main axis of the Mnajdra I temple had the same orientation as the equinox sunrise. But was this a coincidence or a deliberate choice of the temple builders? This query led to a survey of the karstic terrain forming the eastern skyline of Mnajdra for any evidence of observations of sunrise in the Neolithic age, especially at the solstices. This report describes the procedure, observations and challenges of this survey, as well as the discovery of some interesting features, including two possible postholes. Further measurements showed that a post in the southernmost hole could have been used as a foresight, marking winter solstice sunrise fairly accurately. The other possible posthole is off-set from the summer solstice sunrise position by about three degrees in azimuth. A discussion of the relevance of these findings concludes this report.

The ability to simultaneously visualize the presence, abundance, location and functional state of many targets in cells and tissues has been described as a true next-generation approach in immunohistochemistry (IHC). A typical requirement for multiplex IHC (mIHC) is the use of different animal species for each primary (1°Ab) and secondary (2°Ab) antibody pair. Although 1°Abs from different species have been used with differently labeled species-specific 2°Abs, quite often the appropriate combination of antibodies is not available. More recently, sequential detection of multiple antigens using 1°Abs from the same species used a microwaving treatment between successive antigen detection cycles to elute previously bound 1°Ab/2°Ab complex and therefore to prevent the cross-reactivity of anti-species 2°Abs used in subsequent detection cycles. We present here a fully automated 1°Ab/2°Ab complex heat deactivation (HD) method on Ventana's BenchMark ULTRA slide stainer. This method is applied to detection using fluorophore-conjugated tyramide deposited on the tissue and takes advantage of the strong covalent bonding of the detection substrate to the tissue, preventing its elution in the HD process. The HD process was characterized for (1) effectiveness in preventing Ab cross-reactivity, (2) impact on the epitopes and (3) impact on the fluorophores. An automated 5-plex fluorescent IHC assay was further developed using the HD method and rabbit 1°Abs for CD3, CD8, CD20, CD68 and FoxP3 immune biomarkers in human tissue specimens. The fluorophores were carefully chosen and the narrow-band filters were designed to allow visualization of the staining under fluorescent microscope with minimal bleed through. The automated 5-plex fluorescent IHC assay achieved staining results comparable to the respective single-plex chromogenic IHC assays. This technology enables automated mIHC using unmodified 1°Abs from same species and the corresponding anti-species 2°Ab on a clinically established automated platform to ensure staining quality, reliability and reproducibility.

For several decades, the Maltese educational system was almost entirely reliant on English examination boards for certification in secondary and post‐secondary education. In the 1990s, Maltese policy‐makers decided to establish an affordable local examination system aimed at a wide range of students. This paper focuses on the review of the Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) examination introduced in 1994 and intended to attract 80% of the 16‐year‐old cohort. Although its main aim was certification of individual competence, and its underlying philosophy and approach were non‐selective in nature, the SEC examination introduced a number of features that unintentionally led to selectivity. These include the system of differentiated papers, the language policy of the examination papers, the perceived need of private tuition to reach the required standard and the introduction of a September re‐sit session. These issues are discussed with a view to explore how selectivity is involved in all of them and whethe...

Historical surface ozone measurements (1884–1900) made using the Schonbein method on the rural island of Gozo (Malta) were used as proxy data for the climatological evaluation of the relative seasonal changes of the ozone concentration in preindustrial times. In combination with historical meteorological measurements (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction) on Gozo, a new approach to humidity correction of the historical Schonbein measurements is presented using boundary-layer considerations of the old and modern measuring site near by. The humidity-corrected Schonbein measurements from Gozo indicate—contrary to present day's ozone concentrations on Gozo—a clear annual ozone minimum in the summer. The spring maximum of the annual ozone variation in the northern hemisphere observed worldwide is also evident from the corrected Schonbein data from Gozo. An attempt to reconstruct the absolute values of the monthly averages of the ozone-mixing ratios on Gozo in the 19th century reveals that the average ozone-mixing ratios in the central Mediterranean could have increased by a factor of five since that time. However, a critical discussion of the shortcomings of the Schonbein method suggests that the quantitative conclusions drawn from the historical ozone measurements in question must be interpreted with care.

Original citation: Ventura, F., & Hoskin, M. (2015). Temples of Malta. In C.L.N. Ruggles (Ed.), Handbook of archaeoastronomy and ethnoastronomy (pp. 1421- 1430). New York: Springer.

There is a body of research that suggests that word understanding can have a direct bearing on attainment in science education. This paper presents findings of a study that was carried out in Malta where science is taught in English rather than Maltese. The aim of the study was to find out whether some of the frequently used non-technical and technical words in the specific register of Physics education are actually comprehended by students.The study focused on sixth form students of Physics and the results indicate that word understanding is a matter requiring attention even at this level of education.

This document summarises the recommendations being proposed in the NCF and examines the implications of such recommendations. There can only be a meaningful strategy for the implementation of the NCF once the recommendations are debated and the full impact of their implications understood. This process of consultation needs to include all stakeholders in a professionally engaging manner. Moreover, the consultation and implementation strategies need to be based on the full understanding of a change management process. This document will therefore map out the way forward by presenting: • a summary of the recommendations being proposed by the NCF; • implications of these recommendations for implementation; • ideas about the management of change which underpin the consultation and implementation strategies the NCF would like to promote; • a strategy for the consultation process following the publication of the draft NCF; and • a proposed timeline for the implementation process of the NCF, following consultation and agreement with the wider educational community about the way forward., peer-reviewed

This paper traces the main stages in the path towards the recognition in 1988 of the place of science and environmental education in the Maltese curriculum for the primary level. A brief review is given of the development of the science curriculum while a more detailed account is given of the development of a project on environmental education. The project involved the adoption of a model of the child's view of the environment, the drawing up of an ensemble of attainment targets, and the exploration of ways of infusing environmental education activities into the curriculum. A draft teacher's manual was circulated and evaluated at a national seminar. Major points arising during the seminar are discussed and plans for the dissemination of the work are outlined. Comparing the roles that teachers are asked to play in these developments, it is found that environmental education offers them more opportunity for professional growth.

This article describes the investigation of the orientations of the temple complexes of Malta and Gozo, which date from the period 3600-2500 B.C. It was accepted only those axes that were clearly axes of symmetry, and which were directed towards an entrance with a view of the terrain external to the temple. 15 such axes were identified, and it was found that the orientations of the axes were far from random. Indeed, with one exception, they faced in a southerly direction, between 125.5° and 2040 azimuth. The exception is Temple I at Mnajdra, Malta., peer-reviewed

Drawing on a number of studies, this paper explores gender differentials in the choice of science subjects at secondary school level, factors influencing choice, differences in achievement and recruitment to science courses at a higher level in the particular educational context of the Maltese Islands. In this context all secondary schools are single‐sex, the state system is highly centralized, selection and streaming are widely practised, a high proportion of students (25%) attend private schools, and physics is compulsory. The results show that: more girls than boys study physics and biology at the lower secondary level (ages 11‐16); more boys study chemistry; achievement at this level is on a par in biology and chemistry; girls achieve slightly lower in physics. At the upper secondary level (ages 16‐18), almost equal numbers of boys and girls study biology and chemistry but boys predominate in physics. Girls avoid the option of physics and mathematics, a popular choice with boys. Consequently, at terti...