Thresholds of terrestrial nutrient loading for the development of eutrophication episodes in a coastal embayment in the Aegean Sea

Thresholds of terrestrial nutrient loading (inorganic N and P) for the development of eutrophication episodes were estimated in an enclosed embayment, the gulf of Kalloni, in the Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean. Terrestrial loading was quantified by a watershed runoff model taking into account land use, geomorphology, sewerage, industrial and animal farming by-products. The eutrophication episodes were assessed by an existing scale for the Aegean coastal waters based on chl a, whereas the necessary nutrient concentrations (N and P) for the development of such episodes were defined using a probabilistic procedure. Finally, for the linking between nutrient loading arriving at the gulf and the resulting nutrient enrichment of the marine ecosystem, three loading factors were applied, developed by Vollenweider for lake and marine ecosystems. The first assumes no exchange between the embayment and the open sea, whereas the two others take into account water renewal time. Only the threshold for inorganic nitrogen estimated by the first factor was exceeded in the study area during February after a strong rainfall event coinciding with a eutrophication episode observed in the interior of the gulf, implying that the waters of the gulf are rather confined and the receiving body operates as a lake. The degree of confinement was further examined by studying the temperature, salinity, and density distributions inside the gulf and across the channel connecting the gulf to the open sea. It was found that the incoming freshwater from the watershed during winter results to the formation of a dilute surface layer of low salinity and density, clearly isolated from the open sea. The nutrients from the river inputs are diluted into this isolated water mass and the eutrophication threshold for nitrogen is exceeded. Although phosphorus loading was also high during winter, the corresponding limits were never exceeded. The proposed methodology sets a quantitative relationship between terrestrial nutrient loading and the development of eutrophication episodes in coastal embayments, assuming that information on the physical setting of the system is available. These cause-and-effect relationships can be invaluable tools for managers and decision makers in the framework of Integrated Coastal Zone Management

TEACHERS’ CONTRIBUTION IN DEAFBLIND STUDENTS’ BRAILLE LITERACY

Deafblindness constitutes a dual sensory impairment that is caused by acquired or congenital factors. Assistive technology has converted learning into an approachable good for them. Based on the literature review, braille turned out the most effective assistive device that promotes deafblind (DB) children’s literacy. However, education without human contribution cannot operate properly. For that reason, teachers play a vital role in children’s learning development and can act as the mediators of the provided knowledge. The educational personnel has to bear in mind that every DB child has unique necessities. Consequently, it is imperative need to teach them the suitable combination of methods and techniques consolidated with their knowledge and experience. This research study will employ the methodology of qualitative research as well as the method of semi-structured interviews with teachers of DB students, in order to discover efficient strategies of teaching braille that could build children’s literacy in the school environment. Article visualizations

SEX AND RELATIONSHIPS EDUCATION: HOW CAN CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES BE A PART OF IT?

Reflection constitutes a way of turning our experience into learning. A reflective journal will successfully link the theory with personal experience through an interactive interpretation of reflected knowledge. My background experience as a trainee teacher for a boy with mild learning disabilities in my placement was about an incident related to Sex and Relationships. This occurrence constituted the starting point of my personal learning experience. Knowledge is the “weapon” you can use to overcome any barriers and evaluate actions and relationships. This essay focuses on the sexuality and the provision of Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) that children with Learning Disabilities (LD) receive in countries around the world and the objectives of SRE. Moreover, children with LD, through the benefits of adequate education, can recognise their sexual identity, fight for their needs and rights and eliminate undesirable consequences. Lastly, this assignment will support my professional practice that will not only try to ameliorate children’s educational lives but also empower my teaching skills in any similar situation in the future. Article visualizations

CHILDREN WITH DYSLEXIA: CAN THEY BE INCLUDED IN MAINSTREAM CONTEXTS?

This paper focuses on the ongoing debate of the appropriate type of provision in mainstream or special schools and considers inclusion as the key to the education of dyslexic children (DC). Polarised views for and against mainstream and special schools have been extensively discussed by teachers, parents and students. Based on the contrasting perceptions, there is a need to investigate the implications that arise and encourage the implementation of good practice of inclusive education that should be adopted by school contexts, if certain aspects, such as teachers’ attitudes, availability of the right resources and social acceptance of dyslexics’ peers, are modified. Article visualizations

Employing immigrant women from Albania and Ukraine in domestic services in Greece.

The mass influx of both male and female immigrants in Greece has been the corecharacteristic of Greece’s economic growth for the last two decades. All available datalead us to the conclusion that immigration to Greece is motivated by economic factors:the pursuit of employment. In this article we shall attempt to place the work ofimmigrant women in the context of the hierarchical and exploitive relations thatprevail in the labour market.The article consists of three parts. The first part describes the hierarchical structureof the Greek labour market and outlines the upcoming developments and the emphasisplaced on gender discrimination. In the second part, the basic findings of the empiricalresearch are presented. The third part draws the main conclusions

On a question of Drinfeld on the Weil representation I: the finite field case

Let F be a finite field of odd cardinality, and let G= GL2(F). The group G \times G \times G acts on F^2 \otimes F^2 \otimes F^2 via symplectic similitudes, and has a natural Weil representation. Answering a question rasised by V. Drinfeld, we decompose that representation into irreducibles. We also decompose the analogous representation of GL2(A), where A is a cubic algebra over F.Comment: 29 pages. Comments welcom