Website: http://www.um.edu.mt/healthsciences; E-mail: healthsciences@um.edu.mt; Tel: 23401830
FHS Monthly Newsletter: January 2013
RESARCH, PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
Paper Publication by Dr Joseph Agius and Main Speaker at the VI Portuguese
Stuttering Association Conference 2012
AGIUS, J. (2012) The ‘Smart Intervention Strategy’ for School Age Children who Stutter.
Journal Logopedie: Special Issue Speech Fluency, (4) July-August, 2012.
ABSTRACT: Research has shown that children who stutter view speaking more negatively and
experience more negative speech-related emotions than do non-stuttering peers. However,
while practical strategies for helping children who stutter change their feelings and beliefs
about stuttering are widely available, speech language pathologists feel uncomfortable directly
targeting such goals. Strategies are needed to use in treatment that could help clinicians help
children make changes. These tools could assist the child in finding a balance between
modifying speech and developing and maintaining healthier attitudes and feelings. Teaching of
thinking as a skill using Prof. Edward de Bono’s ‘Direct Attention Thinking Tools’ are used to
help children ‘problem solve’ and broaden perception to develop and maintain positive
attitudes towards themselves and communication. In this paper, the results of a study exploring
shifts in the attitude and feelings of school-age children who stutter following a thinking skills
programme are discussed. School-age children who stutter were also included in the study as
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observers and ‘young consultants’. They were asked to comment and evaluate the sessions.
Parent questionnaires assessed the parents’ perception of changes in the attitude towards
speaking situations in their child after the programme. As a clinician and researcher, this study
was an opportunity to gather data to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme. The findings
of this study led to a suggested model of intervention, the ‘Smart Intervention Strategy’ (SIS),
with school-aged children who stutter. An overview of the SIS is presented.
Dr. Joseph Agius, lecturer, Communication Therapy Department, was invited main speaker at
the VI Portuguese Stuttering Association Conference held in Lisbon, March 20, 2012. Dr
Agius’ address focused on ‘Re-thinking Fluency Intervention’ using creativity and change in
perceptions.
Earlier this year Dr Agius was also invited keynote speaker at the European Symposium on
Fluency Disorders held in Antwerp, invited guest speaker at a Study Day held at the Royal
College of Speech and Language Therapists in London and invited speaker at the World
Congress on Fluency Disorders held in Tours, France.
Publication by Dr J Valdramidis, Food Studies and Environment Health
Department, FHS Title: Characterization and antimicrobial efficacy against E. coli of a
helium/air plasma at atmospheric pressure created in a plastic package: Connolly J.,
Valdramidis V.P., Byrne E., Karatzas, K.A.G., Cullen P.J., Mosnier J.P., Keener K.
ABSTRACT: A plasma source, sustained by the application of a floating high voltage (±15 kV) to
parallel-plate electrodes at 50 Hz, has been achieved in a helium/air mixture at atmospheric
pressure (P = 105 Pa) contained in a zip-locked plastic package placed in the electrode gap.
Some of the physical and antimicrobial properties of this apparatus were established with a
view to ascertain its performance as a prototype for the disinfection of fresh produce. The
current–voltage (I–V ) and charge–voltage (Q–V ) characteristics of the system were measured
as a function of gap distance d, in the range (3 × 10^3 < Pd < 1.0 × 10^4 Pa m). The
electrical measurements showed this plasma source to exhibit the characteristic behaviour of a
dielectric barrier discharge in the filamentary mode and its properties could be accurately
interpreted by the two-capacitance in series model. The power consumed by the discharge and
the reduced field strength were found to decrease quadratically from 12.0W to 4.5W and
linearly from 140 Td to 50 Td, respectively, in the range studied. Emission spectra of the
discharge were recorded on a relative intensity scale and the dominant spectral features could
be assigned to strong vibrational bands in the 2+ and 1− systems of N2 and N+2 , respectively,
with other weak signatures from the NO and OH radicals and the N+, He and O atomic
species. Absolute spectral intensities were also recorded and interpreted by comparison with
the non-equilibrium synthetic spectra generated by the computer code SPECAIR. At an interelectrode gap of 0.04 m, this comparison yielded typical values for the electron, vibrational
and translational (gas) temperatures of (4980 ± 100) K, (2700 ± 200)K and (300 ± 100) K,
respectively and an electron density of 1.0 × 10^17 m−3. A Boltzmann plot also provided a
value of (3200 ± 200 K) for the vibrationaltemperature. The antimicrobial efficacy was
assessed by studying the esistance of both Escherichia coli K12 its isogenic mutants in soxR,
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soxS, oxyR, rpoS and dnaK selected to identify possible cellular responses and targets related
with 5 min exposure to the active gas in proximity of, but not directly in, the path of the
discharge filaments. Both the parent strain and mutants populations were significantly reduced
by more than 1.5 log cycles in these conditions, showing the potential of the system. Posttreatment storage studies showed that some transcription regulators and specific genes related
to oxidative stress play an important role in the E. coli repair mechanism and that plasma
exposure affects specific cell regulator systems.
NEW RECRUITS
Ms Sharon Micallef, Administrative Assistant
Ms Sharon Micallef has been appointed Administrative Assistant. She can be contacted on: Tel:
23401898; Email: sharon.micallef@um.edu.mt; Room No 2.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
FHS Students` Population: Academic year 2012-2013
Course
Master of Philosophy in Applied Biomedical Science
B.Sc. (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science
No of Students
per course
2
107
Master of Science in Applied Biomedical Science (by Research)
1
Master of Science in Audiology
7
B.Sc. (Hons) Applied Food and Nutritional Sciences
6
BSc (Hons) Community Midwifery
1
BSc (Hons) Community Nursing
8
Master of Philosophy in Communication Therapy
1
B.Sc. (Hons) Communication Therapy
60
Master of Science in Radiography (Computerised Tomography)
6
Preparatory Course for Diploma in Health Science Environmental Health
10
Diploma in Health Science Environmental Health
7
Certificate in Clinical Nursing Practice (Emergency Nursing)
25
MSc Food Studies and Environmental Health (by Research)
1
BSc (Hons) Health Science
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113
MSc Health Service Management
11
B.Sc. (Hons) Midwifery
57
MSc Midwifery
5
B.Sc. (Hons) Mental Health Nursing
29
MSc Nursing (Mental Health)
14
Master of Science in Medical Physics
7
Master of Science in Radiography (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
4
Postgraduate Diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics
33
Preparatory Course for Diploma in Health Science Nursing Studies
260
Master of Philosophy in Nursing
2
Diploma in Health Science Nursing Studies
110
B.Sc. (Hons) Nursing
160
M.Sc. Nursing
25
B.Sc. (Hons) Occupational Therapy
53
Master of Philosophy in Physiotherapy
1
B.Sc. (Hons) Physiotherapy
94
B.Sc. (Hons) Podiatry
40
Master of Science in Podiatry (by Research)
1
Master of Philosophy in Radiography
1
B.Sc. (Hons) Radiography
4
B.Sc. (Hons) Radiography
34
Master of Science in Radiography (Radionuclide Imaging)
6
PG Diploma in Radiography (Vascular Ultrasound)
Total:
Faculty Annual Report October 2011/September 2012
The report has been finalised.
MHSA Students representative on FHS Board
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Mark Grech: B.Sc (Hons) Podiatry 3rd Year
Rebecca Dalli: B. Sc (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science 2nd Year
Adrienne Grech: B.Sc Nurse (Hons) Graduate '12
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Executive Board of the Malta Health Students Association 2012/2013
Following the elections on the 19th December 2012, the new Executive Board of the MHSA are
the following:
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President: Mark Grech: B.Sc (Hons) Podiatry
Secretary General: Ashley Schembri: B.Sc (Hons) Radiography
Deputy Secretary: Thea Zammit: B.Sc (Hons) Physiotherapy
Financial Officer: Nicola' Camilleri: B.Sc (Hons) Podiatry
Leisure Officer: Rebecca Dalli: B.Sc (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science
Health Officer: Daniela S. Fiteni- B.Sc (Hons) Physiotherapy
Educational Officer: Debbie Debono- B.Sc (Hons) Physiotherapy
Departments Officer: Tammy Magro- Diploma Nursing
Public Relations Officer: Owen Camilleri- B.Sc (Hons) Applied Biomed Science
International Relations Officer: AJ Grixti- Diploma Nursing
KPS Officer: Luana Vassallo- B.Sc (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science
Board Member: Mike A Bencini- B.Sc (Hons) Physiotherapy
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