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Data on Posidonia oceanica attributes from Maltese Coastal waters are available from a number of research studies and environmental monitoring programmes. As part of Malta's obligations for implement- ing the European Union's Water Framework Directive, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority participated in an intercalibration exercise, involving Mediterranean countries that are also EU member states, aimed at ensuring comparability of different methods for the classification of coastal waters using P. oceanica as bioindicator. Data on P. oceanica attributes (shoot area, shoot biomass and shoot density), collected during the period 1999 to 2004 from 19 sites in Malta and Gozo, were analysed using Analysis of Variance and Principal Component Analysis to identify differences in values of seagrass attributes between the different sites surveyed. The output from the statistical analyses was used to derive values of the Eco- logical Quality Ratio (EQR) for the five status classes (high, good, moderate, poor or bad). Of the 19 sites considered, 2 sites were classified as having 'high' status, 14 sites had 'good' status, 2 sites had 'moder- ate' status, and 1 site had 'poor' status. None of the sites were classified as having 'bad' status; however, this was attributed to the lack of P. oceanica data from localities that represented highly degraded coastal areas. The results obtained are discussed in the light of knowledge of the environmental characteristics of the sites surveyed, and recommendations for development of a national method for assessing and classifying the ecological status Maltese coastal water, based on a larger data set and inclusion of additional seagrass descriptors, are proposed. ; peer-reviewed

For many years, Media Literacy was mainly the realm of educators and only much later did it became a matter of interest for policy makers. UNESCO has been involved with the subject area since the 1980s while the European Union started to take an active interest since the Lisbon Summit of 2000.This study compares the main documents of the Council, the Commission and Parliament, which include a Parliamentary resolution, a Recommendation, a Communication and a Directive. The paper analyses differences and similarities in these documents and critically assesses them in the light of academic literature. It compares them, where appropriate, with the two UNESCO documents i.e. Grunwald Declaration and UNESCO Paris Agenda, that are referred to in the EU documents. The paper will also explore possible implications of these policy positions for the future of Media Literacy. ; peer-reviewed

The authors gratefully acknowledge the help given by Mr Patrick Vella, Chief Policy and Planning MCA. ; Malta is one of the most media rich countries having a nationwide television and radio station for every 16 square km and a daily or weekly newspaper for every 27,000 persons. Over 99% of the households has at least one TV set and most houses now have two sets. More than half of the houses have an Internet connection and broadband subscriptions are rapidly increasing. In spite of its small size Malta rates amongst the best countries in EU for e-government services. ; peer-reviewed

In 1992 the European Union (henceforth referred to as the EU) adopted a Council Directive on the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora that became known as the 'Habitats Directive'. This Directive contains a range of measures aimed at the protection of species and habitats of EU interest. One of these measures requires each Member State to forward to the European Commission a list of sites proposed for inclusion in a EU-wide network of protected areas known as NATURA 2000. Sites adopted at Community level will be designated by Member States as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). ; peer-reviewed

Several EU Directives and regional conventions are concerned with the protection and conservation of marine habitats of special importance; a necessary prerequisite to implement such legislation are marine habitat classification systems and information on the distribution of marine habitat types. There are several habitat classification schemes in use for the description, designation and monitoring of habitats. The 'Interpretation Manual for Marine Habitats within the 25 NM Fisheries Management Zone around the Republic of Malta' provides an updated description of marine habitats found around the Maltese Islands, as well as a cross-referencing scheme for the different habitat classification systems. Marine habitats are listed according to bathymetric zone, going from shallow to deep water. The bathymetric zones included in the interpretation manual are: (1) mediolittoral, (2) infralittoral, (3) circalittoral, and (4) bathyal. Habitats listed in the European Nature Information System (EUNIS) database were reviewed, habitats which are present in the Maltese Islands were identified, and 'new' habitat categories have been included in the manual where there was no equivalent EUNIS habitat. For each habitat category presented, cross- references to the system used in connection with the Protocol for Specially Protected Areas and Biodiversity in the Mediterranean (SPABM) of the Barcelona Convention, to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) classification system of predominant habitat types, as well as to the marine habitats listed in Annex I of the 'Habitats Directive', were established. In addition a scheme to enable the assessment of the conservation status of marine habitats as required under the 'Habitats Directive' was drawn up by considering the habitat range, the area occupied by a habitat, habitat structure and function, and the habitat's future prospects. Suitable indicators to assess favourable conservation status are presented for (i) sandbanks, (ii) Posidonia beds, (iii) reefs and (iv) sea caves. In addition, indicators to assess the conservation status of maerl beds are presented due to the local significance and the sensitivity of this habitat. The manual thus intends to aid in the implementation of measures for the protection of marine habitats and hence, ultimately, to ensure effective and efficient management of the marine environment under the jurisdiction of Malta up to the 25 NM boundary, in line with the relevant legislation. ; peer-reviewed

The Maltese top-shell, Gibbula nivosa, was first described by A. Adams in 1851, who, however, did not state from where the specimens he described had originated. Comparisons of Adams' type material with shells collected from around the central Mediterranean island of Malta established that G. nivosa occurs at this locality (Ghisotti, 1976), while it has never been recorded from anywhere else in the Mediterranean, despite extensive searches by shell collectors (Schembri, 1985). Such a situation is practically unique amongst marine molluscs within the whole Mediterranean region (Palazzi, 1978) and G. nivosa is now firmly established as a Maltese endemic (Ghisotti, 1976) and is protected under local and European Union legislation as well as by international conventions (the Bern Convention and Barcelona Convention). ; non peer-reviewed

This research work was partly funded through a Malta Government Scholarship Scheme grant (ME 367/07/35) awarded to JE. ; Live animals of the trochid gastropod Gibbula nivosa, which is endemic to the Maltese Islands, have not been recorded for over 25 years despite recent intensive searches in localities where good populations used to be found. Sampling carried out at Marsamxett Harbour and Comino has yielded live individuals from accumulations of cobbles and pebbles, showing that this is an important habitat for G. nivosa and confirming that this species is not extinct, although it should still be regarded as 'critically endangered'. ; peer-reviewed

The European Red List of Habitats provides an overview of the risk of collapse (degree of endangerment) of marine, terrestrial and freshwater habitats in the European Union (EU28) and adjacent regions (EU28+), based on a consistent set of categories and criteria, and detailed data and expert knowledge from involved countries. A total of 257 benthic marine habitat types were assessed. In total, 19% (EU28) and 18% (EU28+) of the evaluated habitats were assessed as threatened in categories Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable. An additional 12% were Near Threatened in the EU28 and 11% in the EU28+. These figures are approximately doubled if Data Deficient habitats are excluded. The percentage of threatened habitat types differs across the regional seas. The highest proportion of threatened habitats in the EU28 was found in the Mediterranean Sea (32%), followed by the North-East Atlantic (23%), the Black Sea (13%) and then the Baltic Sea (8%). There was a similar pattern in the EU28+. The most frequently cited pressures and threats were similar across the four regional seas: pollution (eutrophication), biological resource use other than agriculture or forestry (mainly fishing but also aquaculture), natural system modifications (e.g. dredging and sea defence works), urbanisation and climate change. Even for habitats where the assessment outcome was Data Deficient, the Red List assessment process has resulted in the compilation of a substantial body of useful information to support the conservation of marine habitats. ; peer-reviewed

Abstract Aim The purpose of this series of cases was to analyse our management of orthopaedic trauma casualties in the Libyan civil war crisis in the European summer of 2014. We looked at both damage control orthopaedics and for case variety of war trauma at a civilian hospital. Due to our geographical proximity to Libya, Malta was the closest European tertiary referral centre. Having only one Level 1 trauma care hospital in our country, our Trauma and Orthopaedics department played a pivotal role in the management of Libyan battlefield injuries. Our aims were to assess acute outcomes and short term mortality of surgery within the perspective of a damage control orthopaedic strategy whereby aggressive wound management, early fixation using relative stability principles, antibiotic cover with adequate soft tissue cover are paramount. We also aim to describe the variety of war injuries we came across, with a goal for future improvement in regards to service providing. Methods Prospective collection of six interesting cases with severe limb and spinal injuries sustained in Libya during the Libyan civil war between June and November 2014. Conclusions We applied current trends in the treatment of war injuries, specifically in damage control orthopaedic strategy and converting to definitive treatment where permissible. The majority of our cases were classified as most severe (Type IIIB/C) according to the Gustilo-Anderson classification of open fractures. The injuries treated reflected the type of standard and improved weaponry available in modern warfare affecting both militants and civilians alike with increasing severity and extent of damage. Due to this fact, multidisciplinary team approach to patient centred care was utilised with an ultimate aim of swift recovery and early mobilisation. It also highlighted the difficulties and complex issues required on a hospital management level as a neighbouring country to war zone countries in transforming care of civil trauma to military trauma.

Aim: The purpose of this series of cases was to analyse our management of orthopaedic trauma casualties in the Libyan civil war crisis in the European summer of 2014. We looked at both damage control orthopaedics and for case variety of war trauma at a civilian hospital. Due to our geographical proximity to Libya, Malta was the closest European tertiary referral centre. Having only one Level 1 trauma care hospital in our country, our Trauma and Orthopaedics department played a pivotal role in the management of Libyan battlefield injuries. Our aims were to assess acute outcomes and short term mortality of surgery within the perspective of a damage control orthopaedic strategy whereby aggressive wound management, early fixation using relative stability principles, antibiotic cover with adequate soft tissue cover are paramount. We also aim to describe the variety of war injuries we came across, with a goal for future improvement in regards to service providing. ; Methods: Prospective collection of six interesting cases with severe limb and spinal injuries sustained in Libya during the Libyan civil war between June and November 2014. ; Conclusions: We applied current trends in the treatment of war injuries, specifically in damage control orthopaedic strategy and converting to definitive treatment where permissible. The majority of our cases were classified as most severe (Type IIIB/C) according to the Gustilo-Anderson classification of open fractures. The injuries treated reflected the type of standard and improved weaponry available in modern warfare affecting both militants and civilians alike with increasing severity and extent of damage. Due to this fact, multidisciplinary team approach to patient centred care was utilised with an ultimate aim of swift recovery and early mobilisation. It also highlighted the difficulties and complex issues required on a hospital management level as a neighbouring country to war zone countries in transforming care of civil trauma to military trauma. ; peer-reviewed

Acknowledgments: this work has been supported by institutional funding of the University of Malta, and the Malta Department of Health (AEF and JB), a fellowship of the Malta Government Scholarship Scheme (JB), European Commission grants(GEN2PHEN; FP7-200754 and ITHANET; FP6-026539) to GPP, and the Netherlands Genomics Initiative (NGI), Erasmus MC (MRace; 296088), the Landsteiner Foundation for Blood Transfusion Research (LSBR; 1040), and the Dutch organization for scientific research (NWO; DN 82-301 and 40-00812-98- 08032) to SP. We apologize to our colleagues whose work could not be cited due to space constraints. ; Erythroid Kruppel-Like Factor (KLF1; previously known as EKLF) is an essential erythroid-specific transcription factor that was first identified by Miller and Bieker in 1993. 1 It binds the CACCC motif, an important DNA binding site in the regulatory elements of many erythroid genes including the HBB (β-globin) gene. Mutations in the β-globin CACC box which prevent KLF1 binding are a cause of β-thalassemia. 2 KLF1 has three zinc finger domains, which mediate sequence specific binding to DNA and are, therefore, essential for activation of KLF1 target genes (Figure 1). ; peer-reviewed

Marine life in the Mediterranean Sea is threatened by intensive human activities such as fisheries, ship traffic, pollution and coastal development. Cetaceans and other vertebrates are affected not only by chemical pollution, but also by noise pollution (Richardson et al., 1995; Simmonds et al., 2004). Noise has become a ubiquitous form of marine pollution, especially in areas of heavy maritime traffic and along developed coasts. Intense underwater noise is generated by airguns, widely used for geophysical exploration in the oil and gas industry as well as for academic and government research purposes; by high power sonar, either military or civilian; by ship traffic; by shoreline and offshore construction works; and by a number of other commercial, scientific, military and industrial sources. The most powerful noises (from airguns, sonars, and explosions) may directly injure animals in the vicinity of the source. General ship traffic, heavy industries on the coast and a variety of other human activities generally do not generate such intense noise, but the acoustic pollution they produce is constant over time and may affect large areas. It may be a serious hazard not only to individual animals, but also to entire populations. Such increased background noise affects underwater life just as airborne noise affects terrestrial animals, including human beings. ; peer-reviewed