https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/1078 2026-04-11T14:23:14Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/1629 Title: Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) Syndrome : the medical imaging perspective Authors: Zammit, Anthony Abstract: Introduction: Sports persons, physicians, orthopods and radiologists have become increasingly aware of the extra stress that is imposed on the hip joints with excessive activity particularly when superadded weight bearing and asymmetrical variations from the normal hip joint anatomy are present leading to Femoroacetabular Impingement. Subject: Presentation of the abnormalities within the ball and socket areas of the hip joint and the resultant types of impingements, the predominant cam, the predominant pincer or mixed types femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) are discussed and illustrated. The different kind of sportspersons that are prone to FAI and the risk factors involved are discussed. Method: The main methods of investigation: The radiological techniques and radiological signs of the disease entity utilizing plain radiography and computerised transverse scanning techniques are elaborated and graphically depicted. Within the ball part of the hip joint, measurements for femoral head asphericity, that is, the Alpha (?) angle and the offset distance between the femoral head and neck are presented. With regard to pincer type FAI affecting the socket part of the hip joint, the acetabular version angle and the depth (or shallowness) of the acetabulum with their methods of quantification are discussed. Conclusion: Femoroacetabular Impingement is a syndrome which is currently more appreciated within the sports medicine field and various approaches to assessment have been devised regarding how to diagnose and quantify congenital anomalies and developmental abnormalities within both the ball and the socket regions of the hip joint. 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/1628 Title: Identification of a novel regulatory mechanism for the disease associated protein, uPAR Authors: Portelli, Michael A.; Hall, Ian P.; Sayers, Ian Abstract: Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs), as determined through a series of statistical association studies collectively known as genome-wide association (GWA) studies, have provided us with a hypothesis free approach for the investigation into regulatory loci for disease and disease-associated proteins. This has led to the identification of multiple novel gene-disease interactions, especially in the field of respiratory medicine. This review describes the case study of a GWA approach in order to identify eQTLs for the soluble form of the urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), a protein associated with obstructive respiratory disease. Molecular and cellular investigations based on the eQTLs identified for this GWA study has led to the identification of a novel regulatory mechanism with implications in the disease processes with which this protein is associated. This highlights the potential of eQTLs defined associations in the identification of novel mechanisms, with implications in disease. 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/1627 Title: An evaluation of the bariatric surgical patient Authors: Agius, Rachel Abstract: Obesity continues to be one of the most common prevalent chronic diseases worldwide with recent data stating that it has now reached global pandemic proportions making it a major public health problem. In 2008 the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that worldwide around 1.4 billion adults were overweight (body mass index [BMI] 25.0-29.9 kg/m2) and a further 500 million were obese (BMI ?30 kg/m2). Of note, the prevalence of obesity has tripled in Europe over the last 30 years with around 50% of the population in the majority of European countries being overweight or obese.1-4 Locally, the situation is also alarming with data from the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) in 2011 stating that Malta had the highest rate of obese males in Europe (24.7%) and when it comes to females, Maltese women were the second most obese after British women (21.1% and 23.9% respectively).5 Even more worrisome is the fact that Malta also tops the charts for the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity in school-aged children thus accentuating the fact that urgent action needs to be taken in order to tackle effectively this world-wide epidemic.6 Unfortunately obesity is strongly linked to several co-morbid conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, dyslipidaemia, obstructive sleep apnoea, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, osteoarthrosis, as well as some cancers (including breast, ovary, prostate, endometrium and colon) and psychiatric illnesses and thus it stands to reason that an increase in prevalence of obesity has also led to an increase in prevalence of these co-morbidities resulting in an impaired overall quality of life and decreased life expectancy in these subjects. 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/1626 Title: Medico-Legal Litigation : the clinical contractual nature of the Obstetric Anaesthetist-Patient relationship Authors: Buttigieg, George Gregory; Buttigieg, Gabrielle Abstract: Once the hand-maiden of obstetrics, obstetric anaesthesia, now a fully fledged sub-speciality today provides indispensable multi-faceted services mainly but not solely to the peripartum obstetric patient. Be it in routine as well as acute obstetric work, the speciality is an integral part of the team made up of obstetrician, midwife and neonatologist. Its input ensures modern optimal care to the parturient patient and her baby.1 The anaesthetist’s unique resusucitatoy skills and critical care experience makes him/her particularly valuable, especially in high-risk patients1 as evidenced by the struggle of units lacking such a service in overcoming numerous adminsitrative, financial and logistical problems to reach this paragon of standard of care.2 By the very nature of the acutely challenging situations it deals with, this speciality is especially vulnerable to medico-legal litigation. 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z