https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/24241 Tue, 07 Apr 2026 20:47:44 GMT 2026-04-07T20:47:44Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/28101 Title: Fibrinogen estimation in patients with liver disease Abstract: Fibrinogen is a haemostatic protein which causes blood to clot. It is mainly produced in the liver thus liver diseases such as cirrhosis may affect the levels of fibrinogen leading to bleeding diatheses. There are both quantitative and qualitative tests that can be used to measure the level of fibrinogen. However, there is no agreement yet on which test is preferred for estimating fibrinogen levels in liver disease. This project aims at comparing four different methodologies (Clauss Fibrinogen, PT-derived Fibrinogen (PT-Fg), Fibrinogen Antigen and Functional Fibrinogen Thromboelastography (FF-TEG)) for estimating fibrinogen levels in patients with liver disease, to determine differences in fibrinogen levels between the assays and severity of liver disease. This project tries to determine which assay might give the best reflection of fibrinogen levels in this cohort of patients. A total of 55 liver cirrhotic patients (26 Child-Pugh A, 14 Child-Pugh B and 15 Child-Pugh C) and 20 healthy control individuals were recruited. All 4 assays correlate strongly with each other but give significantly different mean fibrinogen levels, in both patients and healthy controls. PT-Fg gave the highest mean fibrinogen levels as opposed to the Clauss, which gave the lowest. A non-significant trend was observed in all assays showing higher levels in Child-Pugh A, normal in Child-Pugh B and decreased in Child- Pugh C when compared to normal. A significant difference was only observed between Child-Pugh A and Child-Pugh C in the Clauss, PT-Fg and Fibrinogen Antigen but not Functional Fibrinogen Level (FLEV). There were no apparent differences according to Child-Pugh and healthy controls in FLEV, pointing to a normal fibrin clot strength in liver cirrhosis. Since neither of the assays could differentiate between a healthy control and any cirrhotic, this signifies that plasma fibrinogen levels alone, cannot be used to indicate the severity of the liver cirrhosis. Through linear regression models, the fitted Clauss Fibrinogen levels were established from the cheaper PT-Fg assay. Description: B.SC.(HONS)BIOMED.SCI. Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/28101 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/28007 Title: The effect of survival motor neuron (smn)-gemins complex disruption on drosophila behaviour during early stages of development Abstract: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a motor neuron degenerative disorder characterised by muscle weakness and can lead to death in severe cases. Deletion or mutation of the Survival Motor Neuron 1 (SMN1) gene causes SMA since the SMN protein produced from the second gene SMN2 is not sufficient for the survival and function of the neuromuscular system. SMN protein forms complexes with Gemins 2-8 and Unrip which together regulate the assembly of small nuclear ribonucleo-proteins (snRNPs) which in turn make up the spliceosome. In this study, Drosophila melanogaster was used to see whether disruption of the SMN-Gemins complex has an effect on the flies at early stages of development. To this end, Gem3BART, a weak hypomorphic mutant of Gemin3, was coupled with increased or decreased levels of SMN, Gemin2 or Gemin5 in the drosophila musculature. The effects of these genetic manipulations on neuromuscular function were investigated by observing larval body wall contractions and muscle contraction during pupariation. Gem3BART was also coupled with TDP-43, a protein that is mutated in a subset of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Glos, a newly-discovered Gemin3-interacting partner. Perturbation of different SMN-Gemins complex components or TDP-43 in combination with Gemin3 loss-of-function was found to reduce larval mobility and caused the pupae to have an increased axial ratio. These findings show that the function of the SMN-Gemins complex is crucial for the health of the flies starting from an early stage of development. Further understanding of the role of the SMNGemins complex in the neuromuscular system can bring us closer to deciphering the pathophysiology of SMA which would ultimately help in the discovery of novel effective treatments for this devastating disorder. Description: B.SC.(HONS)BIOMED.SCI. Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/28007 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/27969 Title: Escherichia coli Abstract: Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) - producing bacteria of the Enterobacteriaceae family are considered to be one of the most frequently occurring groups of multidrug-resistant bacteria worldwide. Resistance is mediated by the production of β-lactamase enzymes having the ability to hydrolyse a variety of β- lactam antibiotics used to treat most bacterial infections. Escherichia coli is the most comprehensive ESBL-producing organism isolated and is known to cause the greatest number of infections. Recent studies in a number of European countries have identified similar ESBL-producing strains in food-producing animals, particularly in poultry meat, and in humans, indicating that the food chain is a source of spread of ESBL-mediated resistance. Since no local data is available, a pilot study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of ESBL in E. coli strains in poultry meat. One hundred (100) poultry meat samples were purchased from different outlets around Malta and Gozo to determine the prevalence of ESBL-producing E. coli in local chicken meat. ESBL-producing E. coli were isolated on MacConkey agar supplemented with 1mg/L cefotaxime. Species verification for E. coli was performed using Tryptone Bile X-Glucoronide agar, a selective chromogenic medium for E. coli. Confirmed E. coli isolates were tested for ESBL mediated resistance using the ESBL/AmpC disk diffusion test. The overall prevalence was 56% at a 95% confidence interval (46.3%, 65.7%). This first local study on ESBL-producing E. coli in poultry meat, has identified a significant prevalence of resistance that merits future, farmbased studies on antimicrobial resistance within livestock. It also emphasizes the importance of monitoring livestock for antimicrobial resistance and increasing the surveillance on veterinary antimicrobial use in farms. Description: B.SC.(HONS)BIOMED.SCI. Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/27969 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/27906 Title: The 5-HTTLPR promoter polymorphism in Parkinson’s disease Abstract: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterised by a decrease in dopamine and dopaminergic neurons. The main symptoms of this disease are motor symptoms, however, these are frequently accompanied by non-motor symptoms which occur as a consequence of a degenerating serotonergic system. PD pathogenesis has been reported to be associated with the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene (SLC6A4) polymorphism, the 5-HTT-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR). The 5-HTT protein is involved in the presynaptic reuptake of serotonin (5-HT) from the synaptic cleft. The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism is a 42 base-pair (bp) insertion/deletion within a repeat region in the promoter of SLC6A4 which results in a short (S) allele and a long (L) allele, consisting of 14 and 16 repeats, respectively. The transcript produced by both alleles is the same, however, the amount of transcript and therefore the amount of 5-HTT protein produced differs. Compared to the L allele, the S allele produces less 5- HTT resulting in decreased serotonin reuptake. In this research project, the Maltese Geoparkinson collection was investigated with the aim to determine if there is an association between the S allele and the risk of PD in the Maltese. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the SLC6A4 promoter region followed by sizing using electrophoresis was used to test for the 5-HTTLPR. From the analysis of the obtained genotype data, no association between the S allele and PD was demonstrated in the Maltese population, not even upon gender stratification or in combination with reported exposure to solvents, pesticides, iron, manganese and copper. Furthermore, the S allele was not found to increase risk for depression. However, a protective effect by the L allele in PD smokers that was completely lost in S/S individuals was discovered in the Maltese population. Description: B.SC.(HONS)BIOMED.SCI. Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/27906 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z