/library/oar/handle/123456789/93046 2025-11-05T15:00:02Z 2025-11-05T15:00:02Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/93181 2022-04-08T04:56:30Z 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The Synapse : the Medical Professionals' Network : volume 20 : issue 2 Editors: Galea, Wilfred; Ellul, Ian C. Abstract: Table of contents:; 1/ ELLUL, I. C. - National unity : Kintsugi vs granular politics; 2/ ELLUL, I. C., & VELLA, G. - TheSynapse meets H. E. the president of Malta; 3/ FELICE, T. - Inherited cardiomyopathies and genetics; 4/ CHOUEIRY, P. - A brief review of the effects of ginseng and ginger in respiratory tract infections; 5/ VASSALLO, P. - Imaging ovarian tumours : part 2

2021-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/93180 2022-04-08T04:55:36Z 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: National unity : Kintsugi vs granular politics Abstract: The General Election is beckoning, with important variants of SARS-CoV-2 serving as backdrop. In keeping with this, for this issue I considered it opportune to interview HE Dr George Vella, the President of the Republic of Malta. This, for two reasons. The first point may be aptly illustrated by an excerpt from Woody Allen’s 1977 romantic-comedy movie, Annie Hall. Two elderly women are at a mountain resort, and one of them says, “... the food at this place is really terrible.” The other one replies, “Yeah, I know; and such small portions.” How can one complain about the food but want a bigger portion? [excerpt]

2021-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/93177 2022-04-07T11:37:01Z 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The Synapse meets H. E. the president of Malta Abstract: HE Dr George Vella, President of the Republic of Malta, can be described as a seasoned family doctor, a hardened politician, or simply, as an inspirational statesman. He accompanies Dr Ian Ellul down the memory lane, walking through his childhood, how he managed to enroll at the medical school, his work including his early years at the Drydocks, as well as the political turmoil of the eighties. The interview also touches on the notion of GDP as an economic measurement tool, as well as national unity. Dr Vella possibly perceives national unity as kintsugi, the Japanese art in which broken ceramics are meticulously mended with a lacquer resin mixed with gold or silver, turning them into magnificent pieces of art.

2021-01-01T00:00:00Z Felice, Tiziana /library/oar/handle/123456789/93157 2024-05-07T11:27:03Z 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Inherited cardiomyopathies and genetics Authors: Felice, Tiziana Abstract: Cardiomyopathies are a clinically heterogeneous group of cardiac muscle disorders. They are defined by the presence of abnormal myocardial structure in the absence of ischaemic and valvular heart disease, hypertension and congenital heart disease. There are five main types of inherited cardiomyopathies: hypertrophic, dilated, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, restrictive and left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy. For most cardiomyopathies autosomal dominant transmission is the commonest mode of inheritance except for those caused by metabolic disorders. Cardiomyopathies are associated with the early development of heart failure and an increased risk of sudden cardiac death often claiming the lives of young patients. Advances in molecular genetics have allowed us to better understand these myocardial diseases allowing for better clinical diagnosis, management and familial screening. This review will focus on the genetics in HCM and DCM.

2021-01-01T00:00:00Z