https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/144 2026-08-26T16:13:29Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148656 Title: Could creatine be the secret to longevity and vitality? Abstract: As we age, maintaining health, mobility, and cognitive function becomes increasingly challenging. One of the major culprits of aging-related decline is sarcopenia, the progressive loss of muscle mass and strength that begins as early as 25 years old and accelerates with time. Sarcopenia isn’t just about muscle loss – it’s deeply tied to overall health and longevity, affecting metabolism, mobility, and even brain function. Emerging research suggests that creatine, a compound often associated with athletic performance, could be a game-changer in the fight against age-related decline. [excerpt] 2026-08-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148628 Title: Coronaridine congeners induce sedative and anxiolytic-like activity in naïve and stressed/anxious mice by allosteric mechanisms involving increased GABAA receptor affinity for GABA Authors: Arias, Hugo R.; De Deurwaerdère, Philippe; Scholze, Petra; Sakamoto, Seiji; Hamachi, Itaru; Di Giovanni, Giuseppe; Chagraoui, Abdeslam Abstract: The sedative and anxiolytic-like activity of two coronaridine congeners, (+)-catharanthine and (−)-18-methoxycoronaridine (18-MC), was studied in male and female mice. The underlying molecular mechanism was subsequently determined by fluorescence imaging and radioligand binding experiments. The loss of righting reflex and locomotor activity results showed that both (+)-catharanthine and (−)-18-MC induce sedative effects at doses of 63 and 72 mg/kg in a sex-independent manner. At a lower dose (40 mg/kg), only (−)-18-MC induced anxiolytic-like activity in naïve mice (elevated O-maze test), whereas both congeners were effective in mice under stressful/anxiogenic conditions (light/dark transition test) and in stressed/anxious mice (novelty-suppressed feeding test), where the latter effect lasted for 24 h. Coronaridine congeners did not block pentylenetetrazole-induced anxiogenic-like activity in mice. Considering that pentylenetetrazole inhibits GABAA receptors, this result supports a role for this receptor in the activity mediated by coronaridine congeners. Functional and radioligand binding results showed that coronaridine congeners interact with a site different from that for benzodiazepines, increasing GABAA receptor affinity for GABA. Our study showed that coronaridine congeners induce sedative and anxiolytic-like activity in naïve and stressed/anxious mice in a sex-independent fashion, likely by a benzodiazepine-independent allosteric mechanism that increases GABAA receptor affinity for GABA. 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148578 Title: European simulation-based education and training in anaesthesiology and intensive care : evidence, value and inevitable evolution Authors: Burlacu, Crina L.; Sinai, Yitzhak Brzezinski; Norte, Gustavo; Buléon, Clément; Štourač, Petr; Savoldelli, Georges L.; Berger-Estilita, Joana; Camilleri Podestà, Anne Marie; Østergaard, Doris Abstract: Anaesthesiologists, intensive care, and perioperative physicians work within multidisciplinary teams in high-risk environments where adverse events may threaten patient safety and are often avoidable. They face converging challenges, including multimorbidity and increasing clinical complexity, workforce shortages and burnout, technological evolution, and rising expectations for safety, equity, and sustainability. In this expert-driven evidence-based consensus review, we aim to demonstrate that simulation-based education and training (SBET) is uniquely positioned to address these challenges. We review how SBET adds value across the professional lifespan, from initial training to high-stakes examinations and continuing professional development. We further examine how SBET enhances team performance, identifies latent system threats, and supports organisational redesign through translational simulation. We examine how SBET can prepare for the future by fostering digital and ecological competencies. We explore key barriers to implementation, as despite SBET's value, its adoption across anaesthesiology, intensive care, and perioperative medicine remains fragmented, with limited interprofessional integration and few national frameworks. Above all, we advocate for coordinated value-based adoption of SBET across education and healthcare systems, recognising it not merely as an educational method but as a strategic infrastructure for high-reliability healthcare systems. Sustained investment, protected time, faculty development, and interprofessional integration are essential to realise its full potential. Aligned strategies to close the gap between evidence and practice are crucial. Without decisive and collective action, education and healthcare risk losing one of the most effective tools for improving patient safety, enhancing individual and system resilience, and maintaining the highest standards of excellence across our specialty and interprofessional practice. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148577 Title: ESAIC Mellin-Olsen declaration on diversity, equity and inclusion Authors: Gisselbaek, Mia; Saxena, Sarah; Berger-Estilita, Joana; Ateleanu, Bazil; Brazzi, Luca; Buhre, Wolfgang; Crisan, Iulia; Camilleri Podestà, Anne Marie; Coburn, Mark; Durnev, Vesna; Filipescu, Daniela; Ghezel-Ahmadi, David; Golubovska, Iveta; Arévalo, Emilia Guasch; Honorato-Cia, Cristina; Klimek, Markus; Meco, Basak Ceyda; Myatra, Sheila N.; Nahtomi-Shick, Orit; Neskovic, Vojislava; O’Sullivan, Ellen; Rubulotta, Francesca; Romero, Carolina; Sabelnikovs, Olegs; Struys, Michel MRF; Südy, Roberta; Weynant, Cathy; Ringvold, Else-Marie; Matot, Idit Abstract: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) are not merely a matter of fairness and justice; these values are essential for fostering a dynamic, innovative and collaborative professional community. The United Nations and the European Commission emphasise the need for plans to increase diversity and sex equity. It is crucial to distinguish equality and equity: equality provides the same resources and opportunities to all, while equity tailors opportunities based on individual needs and circumstances. [excerpt] 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z