Editorial Twenty Years of Xjenza: Celebration of a Long Journey (1996-2016) Giuseppe Di Giovanni PDF
Article Examining the Model Structure of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Lara Marie Azzopardi, Liberato Camilleri, Fiona Sammut, Carmel Cefai Pages: 100 - 108 Read Abstract | View full article |
PDF Abstract: The Strengths and Diculties questionnaire (SDQ), proposed by R. Goodman (1997), has been used by researchers to measure social, emotional and behaviour diculties in children. The SDQ includes four dif- culty subscales, measuring emotional, conduct, hyperactivity and peer problems. It also includes a fth subscale, measuring prosocial behaviour. Dickey and Blumberg (2004) suggested that the SDQ factor structure can be reduced to three dimensions comprising the prosocial, externalisation and internalisation subscales. Externalising problems combine conduct and hyperactivity, while internalising problems combine peer and emotional diculties. A sample of 5200 local students aged between 4 and 16 years was used to investigate the factor structure underlying the teachers' version of the SDQ. Statistical analysis was conducted using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Con rmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The study nds that the three-factor solution ts the data well. EFA establishes good internal consistency of these three factors. Moreover, several t indices con rm this three-factor model through CFA. The externalisation construct linking hyperactivity and conduct problems is more robust than the internalisation construct linking emotional to peer problems. Through SEM, it was deduced that the Externalisation Factor dominates both the Internalisation and the Prosocial Factors. This implies that by controlling externalized behaviour leads to a better control of internalized and prosocial behaviours of students.
Doi: http://dx.medra.org/10.7423/XJENZA.2016.2.01
Article Pathobiology of Saphenous Vein Grafts Joseph Galea Pages: 109 - 125 Read Abstract | View full article |
PDF Abstract: The long saphenous vein graft is the commonest conduit used for coronary artery bypass surgery. The short and long term success of the procedure depends on the patency of these bypass grafts. Vein graft disease can be divided into early (in the rst 30 days), intermediate (1 month to 1 year) and late (over 1 year). Early graft failure is usually caused by graft thrombosis and may be related to the surgical procedure, intermediate graft disease results from intimal hyperplasia while late graft pathology is a consequence of atherosclerosis. The etiology and pathological processes leading to these damaging e ects on saphenous vein grafts are tackled in this review. The loss of endothelial integrity, the phenotypic changes in vascular smooth muscle cells and involvement of adventitial cells with collaboration of blood borne factors lead to occlusive pathology of saphenous vein grafts. The accelerated intimal hyperplasia and atherosclerosis are characteristic pathobiological features of these vein grafts. In ammatory and immunological changes and graft thrombosis are mediated through the secretion and up regulation of growth factors, pro coagulant substances and other proteins arising from the vein wall cells and the blood owing through them.
Doi: http://dx.medra.org/10.7423/XJENZA.2016.2.02
Article Role of Protein Structure in Drug Discovery Rosalin Bonetta, Jean-Paul Ebejer, Brandon Seychell, Marita Vella, Thérèse Hunter, Gary J. Hunter Pages: 126 - 130 Read Abstract | View full article |
PDF Abstract: Many pharmaceuticals currently available were discovered either during the screening of natural of synthetic product libraries or by serendipitous observation. Such a random" approach entails testing numerous compounds and developing countless highthroughput screening assays. On the other hand, a rational" approach involves the structure-based route to drug discovery, where the structure of a target protein is determined. Hypothetical ligands may be predicted by molecular modelling, while movement of a molecule may be predicted by Molecular Dynamics Simulations prior to synthetic chemical synthesis of a particular molecule. Here, we will be discussing protein structure-based approaches to drug discovery.
Doi: http://dx.medra.org/10.7423/XJENZA.2016.2.03
Article Geological, Geomorphological and Archaeological Sites in Pachino and Portopalo di Capo Passero Areas (Syracuse, Southeastern Sicily) Pietro Carveni, Antonello Capodicasa, Antonio Iucolano, Patrizia Sibi, Mario Valletta Pages: 131 - 141 Read Abstract | View full article |
PDF Abstract: The studied area corresponds to the ex- treme south eastern side of Sicily, characterized by the presence and coexistence of peculiar natural character- istics, connected to some expressions of a virtuous" an- thropic activity. Firstly, the purpose and objectives of the research are described. Characteristics of geological evolution, studied under structural, stratigraphical and geomorphological are later described. Some of the more important sites of geological, geomorphological and ar- chaeological interest are also discussed.
Doi: http://dx.medra.org/10.7423/XJENZA.2016.2.04
Article An Updated Flora of Selmunett (St. Paul's Island) including Mosses and Lichens Stephen Mifsud, Edwin Lanfranco, Jennifer Fiorentino, Stephan D. Mifsud Pages: 142 - 159 Read Abstract | View full article |
PDF Abstract: A survey of four visits in Selmunett (G_zejjer ta' San Pawl) resulted in a number of new records com- prising 23 lichens, 2 mosses and 20 higher plants. Five of these species are protected, amongst which Plocama calabrica is very rare whereas Parietaria cretica, a crit- ical species only recorded from Selmunett in the Maltese islands, has been rediscovered after not being sighted for about 15 years and was suspected of having become ex- tinct. Records resulting from this survey are compared with those from previous records or surveys between 1927 and 2012. These are examined critically, identi- fying possible misidenti cations as well as establishing their status, thus producing a nal update of the orula of Selmunett.
Doi: http://dx.medra.org/10.7423/XJENZA.2016.2.05
Article Institute of Space Sciences and Astronomy - Modi ed Gravity Research Jackson Levi Said, Gabriel Farrugia, Andrew Finch, Mark Pace Pages: 160 - 164 View full article |
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Article Neurosteroidogenesis: a New Pharmacological Target for Tourette Syndrome? Roberto Frau Pages: 165 - 167 View full article |
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Article Structural Analyses in the Study of Anxiety and Anxiety-Related Behaviour Maurizio Casarrubea Pages: 168 - 174 View full article |
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Article Doing Science on a Small Island State: the Challenges for the University and its Surroundings, and the Role of Xjenza Alfred J. Vella Pages: 175 - 177 View full article |
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Article 20th Anniversary of Xjenza, Science Development in Malta: Role of the MCST Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando Pages: 178 - 179 View full article |
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Article The Role of the University of Malta Library in Scholarly Publishing Kevin J. Ellul Pages: 180 - 181 View full article |
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Article 5th Annual Science in the House Exhibition David C. Magri Pages: 182 - 193 View full article |
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