Curriculum on aquatic ecosystems in pre-university and university education in Albania

The conservation and management of natural ecosystems in general and aquatic ones in particular at the local and global level require an increase in the level of education of pupils and students. To face the challenges and competitive global economy, students must have the competencies as well as the capacity to take advantage of the opportunities offered for personal development, the advancement of society and the protection of the environment. The purpose of this study is to present an analysis of legal acts, bylaws, strategic documents and curricular framework related to aquatic ecosystems, their types, level of pollution, eutrophication, biodiversity, included in the curricula and textbooks of pre-university education and high in Albania. The study data were provided by narrative analysis of basic education policy documents and interviews conducted with policy makers and specialists of pre-university and higher education. Data analysis shows that pre-university education textbooks mostly convey to students learning about the aquatic environment at a theoretical level of knowledge and very little at a practical level. There is also no coherence between the pre-university education curriculum and higher education on water and aquatic environments. At the end of the study are given some recommendations regarding the improvement of curricula for aquatic environments, the continuation of the curriculum of pre-university education and higher education on aquatic ecosystems as well as the coordination of legal acts and by laws of the responsible institutions

Microbiological quality of outdoor air in some settings of Elbasan city

The study of infectious agents of air has recently become a serious problem from the point of view of health impact. One kind of air pollutant is airborne microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. They are factors of potential infectious to human beings. The quality of bio-aerosols differs with the atmospheric conditions such as pH, UV radiation, temperature and relative humidity and cultural behavior of people. Environmental factors modify the effects of bio-aerosols by limiting the time where aerosolized microorganisms remain viable. The aim of this study is to value the microbiological quality of outdoor air in some significant settings of Elbasan city in central Albania during the summer 2014. Air samples are taken three times a day: in the morning, midday and in the afternoon. To identify the presence of such air contamination agents is used the sedimentation method in which bacteria and fungi are collected and grown on standard culture media respectively MPA nutrient agar (bacteria) and Czapek-Dox Agar (fungi).The quantitative and qualitative examinations of 150 air samples are done in microbiological laboratory of the University of Elbasan.Thelevel of microbial air contamination is considered high, compared with existing suggestions for microbiological standards and UE demands. The number of microorganisms (colonies) ranged within 19-700 for bacteria, and 16-800 in the case of fungi. The factors that influence this high level of contamination are environmental factors, anthropogenic sources and deposition of biological materials

The Analysis of Internet of Things Standards and Protocols

Internet stvari je pojem, ki ga v današnjem času pogosto srečamo. To je namreč tehnologija, ki vsebuje množico med seboj in na internetu povezanih naprav ter stvari. Vključuje pametne telefone, ure, fitnes zapestnice, pametna očala, skratka vse, kar lahko povežemo na internetu. V realnosti nam internet stvari omogoča neomejene priložnosti in povezave, s katerimi si lahko poenostavimo vsakdanje življenje. Magistrsko delo je sestavljeno iz treh delov. V prvem delu bodo opisani različni standardi in tehnologije, ki omogočajo internet stvari. Drugi del zajema analizo protokolov, ki se uporabljajo za komunikacijo in prenos podatkov v internetu stvari. V tretjem delu pa bomo spoznali odprtokodne platforme, ki se uporabljajo za razvoj aplikacij za internet stvari. Poleg tega bo opisan pojem internet stvari in področje njegove uporabe.The "Internet of Things" or "IoT" is a concept that can be frequently encountered nowadays. In other words, it is a technology that comprises a number of interconnected devices and things. It involves smartphones, smartwatches, fitness trackers, smart glasses - namely, everything that can be connected to the internet. In reality, the Internet of Things provides us with a myriad of possibilities and connections that can simplify our everyday life. This master thesis is composed out of three parts. The first part describes different standards and technologies that enable the IoT. The second part includes protocol analysis used for IoT communication and data transfer. In the third part we will get acquainted with several open source platforms, used for IoT application development. Additionally, we will take a closer look at the concept of IoT and its wide range of uses

Place Attachment in Seven Areas of Tirana, Albania

Little is known about place attachment in the Balkans. This study aims to start filling this gap. After a contextualization of place attachment studies in the Balkans and its relevance for research and practice, a brief review of theory is offered. Then the methodology of the empirical part of the study is clarified. Over 300 citizens living in seven different neighborhoods of Tirana have been interviewed on place attachment issues such as sense of belonging, familiarity, self-identification and neighborhood experience. The results of the empirical study show that place attachment in Tirana is quite positive. The findings and analysis indicate that place attachment indicators do not vary significantly according to educational level, gender and age, but do cor-relate with length of residence. It also appeared that place attachment indicators are higher in well-established neighborhoods compared to the new high-rise areas. The study concludes with recommendations for follow-up research, specifically qualitative research on citizens’ meanings of place attachment and study on place attachment related to responsible behavior

In Defense of National Partiality: An Argument Refuting Claims of Nationalism’s Inherent Immorality

Is any degree of national partiality morally justified in the 21st century? Is the nationstate an outdated entity in need of amending? Do liberal criticisms of national partiality adequately demonstrate its supposed immorality? This paper explores these subjects in greater detail with the primary aim of proving national partiality’s status as a morally justifiable philosophical concept, akin to the upholding of important social contracts

Efficacy and Safety of Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy: A Single-center Initial Experience

BACKGROUND: In the age of modern medicine, thanks to the development of small-caliber nephroscope as well as various types of intracorporeal lithotripters, treatment options for renal stones have changed dramatically, and the area of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) has expanded. Nowadays, PCNL is not only the first choice in the treatment of stones >2 cm, as well as complicated renal stones (staghorn stones, multiple stones, and stones associated with abnormal renal anatomy), but is also the method of optimal treatment for medium-sized stones not treated with other less invasive methods. AIM: The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of PCNL as monotherapy in the treatment of renal stones larger than 15 mm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study presents a retrospectively prospective study of 14 (4 retrospective and 10 prospective) consecutive patients with renal stones larger than 15 mm treated with PCNL in the period from January 2020 to March 2020 at the GH “8 September” – Skopje. Pre-operative preparation of patients included: A history along with physical examination, a complete blood count and radiological examinations to assess the size of the stones, the anatomical features of the kidney and its function, and to accurately plan the operative approach. PCNL was performed in the prone-position; lithotripsy was performed with a double, pneumatic and ultrasonic intracorporeal lithotripter Swiss LithoClast Master with the use of the Karl Storz 24–26 fr nephroscope. Postoperatively, patients were monitored on the 1st, 7th, and 30th post-operative day, determining the demographic and clinical characteristics, the efficacy of PCNL, perioperative blood loss, the duration of the operative procedure, the duration of hospital stay, and the resulting intraoperative and post-operative complications. RESULTS: The study included eight men (57.1%) and six women (42.8%). The mean age of the patients was 52.35 ± 11.00. In 5 (35.71%) patients, the stones were localized in the left kidney, and in 9 (64.28%) patients in the right kidney. The average body mass index was 25.11 ± 3.92 kg/m². The average area of the stones was 371.24 ± 131.86 mm². Eleven (78.57%) patients had simplex stones, while 3 (21.42%) had complex stones (staghorn stones and multiple stones). The stones were localized in the renal pelvis, upper, middle, and lower calyx at 5 (35.71%), 2 (14.28%), 4 (28.57%), and 3 (21.42%) patients, respectively. The mean value of pre- and post-operative serum hemoglobin was 13.94 ± 1.00 g/dl and 11.77 ± 1.51 g/dl, respectively. The effectiveness of the procedure on the 1st post-operative day assessed by ultrasound diagnostics and kidney-ureter-bladder X-ray was 78.57%. The success rate on the 30th post-operative day after additional procedures was 92.85%. The average operating time in the entire series was 119.28 ± 9.42 min. The average hospital stay was 5.57 ± 1.11 days. The average operative blood loss was 2.19 ± 0.88 g/dl. CONCLUSION: The results of this retrospectively prospective study confirm that PCNL is a minimally invasive, safe, and effective method for removing renal stones. This method, with the development of new technologies, has an increasingly important role in the modern surgical treatment of nephrolithiasis. PCNL can also be performed in the early stages of the learning curve without compromising patient safety and treatment benefits. The procedure is safe and effective, performed even by less experienced urologists if the protocols established for this procedure are followed. This can achieve a rate of success comparable to most established standards without causing major complications

Further records of Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun, 1896) in central part of Adriatic coast in Albania

The distribution of the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus is reported from marine, transitional and freshwater environments along the coasts of Adriatic Sea (Albania, Eastern Mediterranean Sea). Numerous specimens of the invasive blue crab were caught in the period from 2011 to 2019 in the area of Karavasta Lagoon. Our study was curried out during the September 2019. In addition to the morphometric parameters, some physic-chemical parameters were measured as well. These note documents further records of the species in one of the most important site for biodiversity in Mediterranean Sea that is currently seriously threaten by the presence of invasive alien species

Treatment of Moderate-sized Kidney Stone with Third-generation Electromagnetic Shock Wave Lithotripter

BACKGROUND: The extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is a non-invasive method in the treatment of urinary tract stones and its discovery has led to a complete change in the therapeutic strategy for urolithiasis. Due to the low morbidity and excellent fragmentation of the stones, ESWL has proven to be an effective and non-invasive method in the treatment of renal stones. AIM: The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the ESWL as a monotherapy in the treatment of moderate size kidney stones with stone area (SA) of 100–300 mm². MATERIALS AND METHODS: We made a retrospective study of 98 patients with moderate size kidney stones with SA of 100–300 mm², divided into two subgroups, into a group with a SA of 100–200 mm² and with 200–300 mm², treated with ESWL in the period of November 2018–December 2019. The patients were treated with a third-generation electromagnetic lithotripter (Lithoskop®, Siemens Medical Systems, Erlangen, Germany), with a source of electromagnetic shocks (Pulso™) and dual ultrasonographic/fluoroscopic system for detection of the stones. The stone location, size, maximum energy used, localization technique, number of shock waves, sessions, re-treatment rate, and additional procedures were reviewed. All the patients before the intervention had a complete laboratory and radiological examinations. Postoperatively, patients were monitored on the 1st, 30th, and 90th post-operative days. RESULTS: Ninety-eight patients with solitary kidney stone with a SA of 100–300 mm² were treated with ESWL. The study included 58 men (59.18%) and 44 women (40.81%). The average length and width of the stone were 15.47 ± 2.68 mm and 12.99 ± 2.83 mm, respectively. The average surface area of the stones in our series was 203.78 ± 72.85 mm². The mean number of treatments for the entire series of patients was 1.82 ± 0.91. The mean number of shock waves for the total series of patients was 3899.11 ± 40. The mean energy used for the overall patient series was 110106.17 ± 21489.61 mJ. The total re-treatment rate was 47.95%. The entire rate of additional procedures was 19.38%. The overall success rate (SR) in our study was 77.55%. The efficiency quotient for the upper-middle and lower calyx was 55.57, 57.15, and 30.81, respectively. CONCLUSION: ESWL is a safe and effective method in the treatment of renal stones, and we recommend as the first method in the treatment of moderate size kidney stone with a surface area of 100–300 mm². The treatment of each patient should be individualized and take into account all favored and non-favored factors that influence the decision to choose extracorporeal lithotripsy as a method of treatment of medium-sized stones