European Journal of Environment and Earth Sciences
During the last five decades since 1968, the Elbasani zone in Albania is dominated by low seismic... more During the last five decades since 1968, the Elbasani zone in Albania is dominated by low seismicity. This fault zone has evidenced some seismological phenomena. It is a transversal active fault zone with normal and strike-slip faults characterized by low-velocity layers. From instrumental seismicity in this area have been located 1831 seismic events, with magnitude ML > 1.1 Richter and 3 of them with magnitude ML > 5.0. Recently on May 19, 2014, a moderate earthquake ML5.2 occurred in the Elbasani seismogenic zone. This earthquake was located 6 km southeast of Belshi town and 18 km south of Elbasani town and was felt over Albania. The analysis of seismicity during the period of time 968-2022 years indicates that most earthquakes were located in the upper and middle earth crust and very few in the uppermost mantle. The focal mechanisms solution of some earthquakes indicates an extensional regime in this fault zone. The parameters of focal mechanisms indicate the predominance o...
This study focuses on the physical and chemical properties of the matrix controlled release (MCR)... more This study focuses on the physical and chemical properties of the matrix controlled release (MCR) devices in which drug release is activated by the ingress of solvent (water) and is controlled by swelling of the polymer (swelling controlled systems). We also examine the possibility of designing a novel system of polymer matrix containing both the drug and a contrast agent used in clinical MR imaging. The purpose of this work is to achieve simultaneous release and an equal delivery rate. This work also aims at contributing to the optimization of the design of these systems, with the following main objectives: the experimental study of a typical model system composed of a polymer matrix, the active ingredient, and water, focusing on understanding the mechanisms which control the functioning of the system and simulation of the kinetics of drug release and concurrent water sorption on the basis of a theoretical model previously developed in our lab. We chose to use poly(vinyl alcohol) [PVA] due to its low toxicity, biocompatibility and a wide range of biomedical applications. As an active ingredient we chose a model drug –diphylline– and Gd-DTPA, a widely used contrast agent. The first step was to examine the effect of thermal treatment on the polymer properties using DSC and water sorption experiments. Heat treatment (at 130oC for 20 min) results in increase of crystallinity of the polymer matrix and dramatic reduction of the water sorption capacity. Moreover, the solubility of the polymer matrix in water is significantly reduced. The transport parameters of water were determined by application of a model taking into account the coupling of the diffusion process with the relaxation of the swelling glassy polymer matrix. The deduced values of water diffusion coefficients DW and βW, indicate a variation with heat treatment.. The release kinetics of diphylline from dry matrices was studied at drug loadings 1–40% by wt. In all cases deviations from Fickian release kinetics, were observed (i.e. sigmoidal curves in plots vs. t1/2, while the release rate remains constant for a prolonged time period), as expected from the fact that solute release occurs at comparable time scales with the ingress of water in the matrix. By increasing the initial content of the drug the release rate was accelerated due to plasticization of the polymer. It was also observed that increase of the initial amount of the drug leads to an increase of the water imbibition rate. Moreover, the increase on the experiment’s temperature from 25o to 37oC led to the anticipated acceleration of the release kinetics without, on the other hand, materially affecting the release rate. It should also be noted that at high drug loadings, microscopic cracks were observed attributable to differential swelling stresses caused by excessive polymer swelling. Comparison of the release kinetics from Gd-DTPA-loaded, and from diphylline-loaded, matrices indicates that the two solutes are released at comparable time scales, in line with the similar diffusion coefficients and…
The paper aims to forecast the olive product based on the application of a statistical model by u... more The paper aims to forecast the olive product based on the application of a statistical model by use of meteorological factors and pollen emission. Nowadays there are a number of models and approaches related to the yield forecasting. All of them have their advantages and disadvantages and moreover different behaviours for climate conditions of Albania. Thus, after a preliminary evaluation the best fitted model was chosen and its result were analysed. The model was based on the multiple equations of regression, which took into consideration some climate factors. These factors are rainfall in May followed by rainfall in June. Minimum temperatures during spring and summer were also an important consideration due to the influence of night temperature on energy collected for fruit development. The use of pollen emission and monthly meteorological data from 1985-2004 as predictive variables has enabled the production of a forecast up to 8 month prior to the end of harvesting. The forecast...
Data on sorption and transport of water in polyvinyl alcohol films, modified by thermal treatment... more Data on sorption and transport of water in polyvinyl alcohol films, modified by thermal treatment above Tg, or by chemical crosslinking with glutaraldehyde at different crosslinking degrees, are presented. Equilibrium swelling is constrained by both treatments, except for low degrees of crosslinking where the said reduction is counterbalanced by the partial loss of crystallinity. Analysis of the resulting water uptake kinetics indicates that viscous relaxation effects are, at least partly, responsible for the observed non-Fickian kinetic behavior. Thermodynamic diffusion coefficients of water, DW, and relaxation frequencies of the swelling polymer, βW, are determined by application of a theoretical model accounting for relaxation-dependent sorption kinetics in glassy polymers. The results indicate that the effect of both heat-treatment and chemical crosslinking is more intense on the macromolecular relaxation process than on the diffusion coefficient of water. Comparison of the rele...
Climate is a very important element of the environment, which on recent times has been characteri... more Climate is a very important element of the environment, which on recent times has been characterized by some change, like in the other part of the world, also in Albania. Those changes are reflected not only by different ongoing of meteorological elements but as well as in their interior character. In this presentation will be shown the results of various rainfall index for an 89 years period analyzed 1931-2019. The area selected is part on NW Albania, as one of most known for flooding over the recent years. Also, on this paper a drought analyze will be presented by SPI index evaluations, that is a very important information related to agricultural users and as well as for hydropower companies operating on that area. Another element to be emphasized is some important change reflected on the increase of the tendency for the amplitudes values of air temperature and some verified change in the rate between the rain and snow during the years in favor of rain, bringing up a decrease of s...
The release kinetics of the model hydrophilic drug, diphylline (DPL), from physically crosslinked... more The release kinetics of the model hydrophilic drug, diphylline (DPL), from physically crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrices, is studied in relation to the drug load and the presence of a second solute incorporated in the matrix. The second solute, a gadolinium (III) complex (Gd-DTPA), is a commonly used MRI contrast agent. The water uptake kinetics by the glassy PVA matrix was found to deviate from t(1/2) law and to occur on time scales comparable to those of diphylline release. The corresponding rate of diphylline release was found to be substantially stabilized as compared to a purely diffusion-controlled release process, in line with theoretical predictions under conditions of relaxation-controlled water uptake kinetics. The release rate of DPL was found (i) to increase with increasing DPL load and (ii) for a particular DPL load, to increase in the presence of Gd-DTPA, incorporated in the matrix. The results were interpreted on the basis of the diphylline-induced plasticization of the polymer (evidenced by the depression of Tg) and of the excess hydration of the matrix at high solute loads. The latter effect was found to be additive in the case of dual-solute loaded matrices.
Monthly Climate Bulletin Nr. 26 - 2019
Summary. February 2019 was characterized by the presence o... more Monthly Climate Bulletin Nr. 26 - 2019 Summary. February 2019 was characterized by the presence of warm air masses in most of the time by conveying the average air temperature higher than the rate values of around +1.7°C. Precipitation rates markedly low below the norm by about -74%, while the number of day’s precipitation over the 1.0 mm threshold was as much as 1/4 of the norm values. A special feature of this month was the observation of winds on February 23 and the presence of fires. For the wind situation observed during this month, a more detailed analysis follows including also the observed consequences. There are also some estimates of the temperature and rainfall performance on a continental scale and beyond for February 2019. Drought and some consideration about climate change are accompanied by the latest forest fires information surveyed during this month. The Bulletin concludes with a scientific article on the evaluation of fig tree species in the climate of our country.
December 2020 was characterized by air temperatures higher than the norm with +3.1°C,
the deviat... more December 2020 was characterized by air temperatures higher than the norm with +3.1°C, the deviations of which nationwide were more pronounced in the southern part of Albania. Rainfall in December marked a positive deviation of 112.7% of the rate. The month of December marked the end of the vegetation period for the field of agriculture, which is also reflected in the NDVI indicators, that provide more detailed information for farmers and readers interested in this field. This bulletin contains information on the space weather and synoptic situation of December as well as on the energy potential offered by the solar radiation needed in the evaluation of renewable energies. Also, assessments on urban climate, climate change, extreme weather and an evaluation on the meteorological situation for the coming months is part of the scientific analysis and presentation in this bulletin. A scientific article: "Assessment of Energy demand for Heating and Cooling, according to degree days based on the UKMO method", concludes the bulletin with some scientific knowledge on artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of meteorology
European Journal of Environment and Earth Sciences
During the last five decades since 1968, the Elbasani zone in Albania is dominated by low seismic... more During the last five decades since 1968, the Elbasani zone in Albania is dominated by low seismicity. This fault zone has evidenced some seismological phenomena. It is a transversal active fault zone with normal and strike-slip faults characterized by low-velocity layers. From instrumental seismicity in this area have been located 1831 seismic events, with magnitude ML > 1.1 Richter and 3 of them with magnitude ML > 5.0. Recently on May 19, 2014, a moderate earthquake ML5.2 occurred in the Elbasani seismogenic zone. This earthquake was located 6 km southeast of Belshi town and 18 km south of Elbasani town and was felt over Albania. The analysis of seismicity during the period of time 968-2022 years indicates that most earthquakes were located in the upper and middle earth crust and very few in the uppermost mantle. The focal mechanisms solution of some earthquakes indicates an extensional regime in this fault zone. The parameters of focal mechanisms indicate the predominance o...
This study focuses on the physical and chemical properties of the matrix controlled release (MCR)... more This study focuses on the physical and chemical properties of the matrix controlled release (MCR) devices in which drug release is activated by the ingress of solvent (water) and is controlled by swelling of the polymer (swelling controlled systems). We also examine the possibility of designing a novel system of polymer matrix containing both the drug and a contrast agent used in clinical MR imaging. The purpose of this work is to achieve simultaneous release and an equal delivery rate. This work also aims at contributing to the optimization of the design of these systems, with the following main objectives: the experimental study of a typical model system composed of a polymer matrix, the active ingredient, and water, focusing on understanding the mechanisms which control the functioning of the system and simulation of the kinetics of drug release and concurrent water sorption on the basis of a theoretical model previously developed in our lab. We chose to use poly(vinyl alcohol) [PVA] due to its low toxicity, biocompatibility and a wide range of biomedical applications. As an active ingredient we chose a model drug –diphylline– and Gd-DTPA, a widely used contrast agent. The first step was to examine the effect of thermal treatment on the polymer properties using DSC and water sorption experiments. Heat treatment (at 130oC for 20 min) results in increase of crystallinity of the polymer matrix and dramatic reduction of the water sorption capacity. Moreover, the solubility of the polymer matrix in water is significantly reduced. The transport parameters of water were determined by application of a model taking into account the coupling of the diffusion process with the relaxation of the swelling glassy polymer matrix. The deduced values of water diffusion coefficients DW and βW, indicate a variation with heat treatment.. The release kinetics of diphylline from dry matrices was studied at drug loadings 1–40% by wt. In all cases deviations from Fickian release kinetics, were observed (i.e. sigmoidal curves in plots vs. t1/2, while the release rate remains constant for a prolonged time period), as expected from the fact that solute release occurs at comparable time scales with the ingress of water in the matrix. By increasing the initial content of the drug the release rate was accelerated due to plasticization of the polymer. It was also observed that increase of the initial amount of the drug leads to an increase of the water imbibition rate. Moreover, the increase on the experiment’s temperature from 25o to 37oC led to the anticipated acceleration of the release kinetics without, on the other hand, materially affecting the release rate. It should also be noted that at high drug loadings, microscopic cracks were observed attributable to differential swelling stresses caused by excessive polymer swelling. Comparison of the release kinetics from Gd-DTPA-loaded, and from diphylline-loaded, matrices indicates that the two solutes are released at comparable time scales, in line with the similar diffusion coefficients and…
The paper aims to forecast the olive product based on the application of a statistical model by u... more The paper aims to forecast the olive product based on the application of a statistical model by use of meteorological factors and pollen emission. Nowadays there are a number of models and approaches related to the yield forecasting. All of them have their advantages and disadvantages and moreover different behaviours for climate conditions of Albania. Thus, after a preliminary evaluation the best fitted model was chosen and its result were analysed. The model was based on the multiple equations of regression, which took into consideration some climate factors. These factors are rainfall in May followed by rainfall in June. Minimum temperatures during spring and summer were also an important consideration due to the influence of night temperature on energy collected for fruit development. The use of pollen emission and monthly meteorological data from 1985-2004 as predictive variables has enabled the production of a forecast up to 8 month prior to the end of harvesting. The forecast...
Data on sorption and transport of water in polyvinyl alcohol films, modified by thermal treatment... more Data on sorption and transport of water in polyvinyl alcohol films, modified by thermal treatment above Tg, or by chemical crosslinking with glutaraldehyde at different crosslinking degrees, are presented. Equilibrium swelling is constrained by both treatments, except for low degrees of crosslinking where the said reduction is counterbalanced by the partial loss of crystallinity. Analysis of the resulting water uptake kinetics indicates that viscous relaxation effects are, at least partly, responsible for the observed non-Fickian kinetic behavior. Thermodynamic diffusion coefficients of water, DW, and relaxation frequencies of the swelling polymer, βW, are determined by application of a theoretical model accounting for relaxation-dependent sorption kinetics in glassy polymers. The results indicate that the effect of both heat-treatment and chemical crosslinking is more intense on the macromolecular relaxation process than on the diffusion coefficient of water. Comparison of the rele...
Climate is a very important element of the environment, which on recent times has been characteri... more Climate is a very important element of the environment, which on recent times has been characterized by some change, like in the other part of the world, also in Albania. Those changes are reflected not only by different ongoing of meteorological elements but as well as in their interior character. In this presentation will be shown the results of various rainfall index for an 89 years period analyzed 1931-2019. The area selected is part on NW Albania, as one of most known for flooding over the recent years. Also, on this paper a drought analyze will be presented by SPI index evaluations, that is a very important information related to agricultural users and as well as for hydropower companies operating on that area. Another element to be emphasized is some important change reflected on the increase of the tendency for the amplitudes values of air temperature and some verified change in the rate between the rain and snow during the years in favor of rain, bringing up a decrease of s...
The release kinetics of the model hydrophilic drug, diphylline (DPL), from physically crosslinked... more The release kinetics of the model hydrophilic drug, diphylline (DPL), from physically crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrices, is studied in relation to the drug load and the presence of a second solute incorporated in the matrix. The second solute, a gadolinium (III) complex (Gd-DTPA), is a commonly used MRI contrast agent. The water uptake kinetics by the glassy PVA matrix was found to deviate from t(1/2) law and to occur on time scales comparable to those of diphylline release. The corresponding rate of diphylline release was found to be substantially stabilized as compared to a purely diffusion-controlled release process, in line with theoretical predictions under conditions of relaxation-controlled water uptake kinetics. The release rate of DPL was found (i) to increase with increasing DPL load and (ii) for a particular DPL load, to increase in the presence of Gd-DTPA, incorporated in the matrix. The results were interpreted on the basis of the diphylline-induced plasticization of the polymer (evidenced by the depression of Tg) and of the excess hydration of the matrix at high solute loads. The latter effect was found to be additive in the case of dual-solute loaded matrices.
Monthly Climate Bulletin Nr. 26 - 2019
Summary. February 2019 was characterized by the presence o... more Monthly Climate Bulletin Nr. 26 - 2019 Summary. February 2019 was characterized by the presence of warm air masses in most of the time by conveying the average air temperature higher than the rate values of around +1.7°C. Precipitation rates markedly low below the norm by about -74%, while the number of day’s precipitation over the 1.0 mm threshold was as much as 1/4 of the norm values. A special feature of this month was the observation of winds on February 23 and the presence of fires. For the wind situation observed during this month, a more detailed analysis follows including also the observed consequences. There are also some estimates of the temperature and rainfall performance on a continental scale and beyond for February 2019. Drought and some consideration about climate change are accompanied by the latest forest fires information surveyed during this month. The Bulletin concludes with a scientific article on the evaluation of fig tree species in the climate of our country.
December 2020 was characterized by air temperatures higher than the norm with +3.1°C,
the deviat... more December 2020 was characterized by air temperatures higher than the norm with +3.1°C, the deviations of which nationwide were more pronounced in the southern part of Albania. Rainfall in December marked a positive deviation of 112.7% of the rate. The month of December marked the end of the vegetation period for the field of agriculture, which is also reflected in the NDVI indicators, that provide more detailed information for farmers and readers interested in this field. This bulletin contains information on the space weather and synoptic situation of December as well as on the energy potential offered by the solar radiation needed in the evaluation of renewable energies. Also, assessments on urban climate, climate change, extreme weather and an evaluation on the meteorological situation for the coming months is part of the scientific analysis and presentation in this bulletin. A scientific article: "Assessment of Energy demand for Heating and Cooling, according to degree days based on the UKMO method", concludes the bulletin with some scientific knowledge on artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of meteorology
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Summary. February 2019 was characterized by the presence of warm air masses in most of the time by conveying the average air temperature higher than the rate values of around +1.7°C. Precipitation rates markedly low below the norm by about -74%, while the number of day’s precipitation over the 1.0 mm threshold was as much as 1/4 of the norm values. A special feature of this month was the observation of winds on February 23 and the presence of fires. For the wind situation observed during this month, a more detailed analysis follows including also the observed consequences. There are also some estimates of the temperature and rainfall performance on a continental scale and beyond for February 2019. Drought and some consideration about climate change are accompanied by the latest forest fires information surveyed during this month. The Bulletin concludes with a scientific article on the evaluation of fig tree species in the climate of our country.
Books by albana hasimi
the deviations of which nationwide were more pronounced in the southern part of Albania. Rainfall in
December marked a positive deviation of 112.7% of the rate. The month of December marked the end of
the vegetation period for the field of agriculture, which is also reflected in the NDVI indicators, that provide
more detailed information for farmers and readers interested in this field. This bulletin contains information
on the space weather and synoptic situation of December as well as on the energy potential offered by
the solar radiation needed in the evaluation of renewable energies. Also, assessments on urban climate,
climate change, extreme weather and an evaluation on the meteorological situation for the coming months
is part of the scientific analysis and presentation in this bulletin. A scientific article: "Assessment of Energy
demand for Heating and Cooling, according to degree days based on the UKMO method", concludes the
bulletin with some scientific knowledge on artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of meteorology
Summary. February 2019 was characterized by the presence of warm air masses in most of the time by conveying the average air temperature higher than the rate values of around +1.7°C. Precipitation rates markedly low below the norm by about -74%, while the number of day’s precipitation over the 1.0 mm threshold was as much as 1/4 of the norm values. A special feature of this month was the observation of winds on February 23 and the presence of fires. For the wind situation observed during this month, a more detailed analysis follows including also the observed consequences. There are also some estimates of the temperature and rainfall performance on a continental scale and beyond for February 2019. Drought and some consideration about climate change are accompanied by the latest forest fires information surveyed during this month. The Bulletin concludes with a scientific article on the evaluation of fig tree species in the climate of our country.
the deviations of which nationwide were more pronounced in the southern part of Albania. Rainfall in
December marked a positive deviation of 112.7% of the rate. The month of December marked the end of
the vegetation period for the field of agriculture, which is also reflected in the NDVI indicators, that provide
more detailed information for farmers and readers interested in this field. This bulletin contains information
on the space weather and synoptic situation of December as well as on the energy potential offered by
the solar radiation needed in the evaluation of renewable energies. Also, assessments on urban climate,
climate change, extreme weather and an evaluation on the meteorological situation for the coming months
is part of the scientific analysis and presentation in this bulletin. A scientific article: "Assessment of Energy
demand for Heating and Cooling, according to degree days based on the UKMO method", concludes the
bulletin with some scientific knowledge on artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of meteorology