21 research outputs found
Aplication of virtual reality technology in biology education in Vlora, Albania
No full textTechnology is everywhere--entwined in almost every part of our culture. It affects how we live, work, play, and most importantly how we learn. With mobile and other wireless devices like the IoT becoming an increasing requirement across every industry today, it only makes sense that our schools are also effectively deploying technology in the classroom. The impact that technology has had on today’s schools has been quite significant. This widespread adoption of technology has completely changed how teachers teach and students learn. Teachers are learning how to teach with emerging technologies (tablets, iPods, Smart Boards, digital cameras, computers), while students are using advanced technology to shape how they learn. Technology occupies an important place within students’ lives. When they are not in school, just about everything that they do is connected in some way to technology. By integrating technology into the classroom, teachers are changing the way they used to teach (lectures six hours a day). Examples of technology that are relatively simple include overhead projectors and televisions. Then we have the slightly more advanced uses of technology such as lab equipment (microscopes, virtual labs, kits for sequencing DNA etc.). In this study, students investigate how to use technology to deepen and broaden their knowledge, specifically that of biology. Students will learn the importance of scientific research. The method used for acquiring the necessary data is from the use of questionnaires and tests. The study is focused on classes in the private and public schools. During teaching hours, beside the traditional method, were used computers and projectors to better describe various elements of biology. During laboratory hours, with the help of simulators and virtual laboratories, they were able to practice firsthand what was learned during lectures, for example, by using 3-D simulators that are able to simulate elements of biology, students learn more about molecules, ADN, proteins. In the end, the results of the questionnaires form the different classes, those using the simulators and those not using them, were compared, to see which method yielded the better results and benefited more
Benthic invertebrates associated with subfossil cold-water coral frames and hardgrounds in the Albanian deep waters (Adriatic sea)
No full textThe fauna collected associated with subfossil Lophelia pertusa and Dendrophyllia cornigera coral samples and hardgrounds from Albanian waters between 190–230 m is discussed. Eighty-three benthic species are recorded: 2 Foraminifera, 22 Porifera, 6 Cnidaria, 25 Mollusca, 14 Annelida, 1 Arthropoda, 12 Bryozoa, and 1 Echinodermata. Seventy-four species are new records for the poorly investigated Albanian deep waters
Population genomics of an endemic Mediterranean fish: Differentiation by fine scale dispersal and adaptation
No full textThe assessment of the genetic structuring of biodiversity is crucial for management and conservation. For species with large effective population sizes a low number of markers may fail to identify population structure. A solution of this shortcoming can be high-throughput sequencing that allows genotyping thousands of markers on a genome-wide approach while facilitating the detection of genetic structuring shaped by selection. We used Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS) on 176 individuals of the endemic East Atlantic peacock wrasse (Symphodus tinca), from 6 locations in the Adriatic and Ionian seas. We obtained a total of 4,155 polymorphic SNPs and we observed two strong barriers to gene flow. The first one differentiated Tremiti Islands, in the northwest, from all the other locations while the second one separated east and south-west localities. Outlier SNPs potentially under positive selection and neutral SNPs both showed similar patterns of structuring, although finer scale differentiation was unveiled with outlier loci. Our results reflect the complexity of population genetic structure and demonstrate that both habitat fragmentation and positive selection are on play. This complexity should be considered in biodiversity assessments of different taxa, including non-model yet ecologically relevant organisms
Robert Nozick's Political Philosophy: Controversial Libertarianism
No full textU ovom radu autor analizira političku filozofiju minimalne države Roberta Nozicka, nasto-jeći na objektivan način predočiti njezin značaj, ali i nedostatke. Autor se fokusira na Nozickovo shvaćanje nastanka države djelovanjem nevidljive ruke dominantnog zaštitnog udruženja, preko ultraminimalne do minimalne države. Iznesen je kritički osvrt na Nozicko- vu teorija pravde u posjedima na osnovu ovlaštenja, pri čemu autor ukazuje određene sla-bosti i nedorečenosti navedene teorije. U kontekstu teorijske rasprave s Johnom Rawlsom o središnjem pitanju distributivne pravde, fokus je na kritici modeliranog koncepta pravde. Autor dovodi u pitanje i Nozickovo poimanje određenih segmenata marksističkog učenja, nerijetko nalazeći ideološku isključivost. Zaključno se osvrće na Nozickovo napuštanje libertarijanskih svjetonazora, pritom iznoseći objektivan pogled na njegovu političku filozofiju.The author analyzes Nozick's political philosophy of minimal state, to present its significance and disadvantages objectively. The author focuses on Nozick's view of the emergence of the state by the act of the invisible hand of the dominant protective association, from the ultraminimal state to the minimal state. The central part of the paper is Nozick's theory of justice, where the author points out its specific weaknesses and inconsistencies. In the context of a theoretical debate with John Rawls on the central issue of distributive justice, the focus is on criticizing the modelled concept of justice. The author also problematizes Nozick's perception of certain segments of Marxist theory, to find ideological exclusivity. Finally, the author comments on Nozick's abandonment of libertarian worldviews, giving an objective perspective on his political philosophy
Hairy interfaces
No full textThesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2018.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (pages 97-102).Textured surfaces are known to play an important role in water-repellency and uptake for a number of creatures. While the influence of chemistry and surface roughness on the wettability of surfaces has been studied extensively, little is known about the role of larger-scale objects such as hairs. This thesis is directed towards rationalizing the benefits gained from hairy textures through a combined experimental and theoretical approach. First, we are motivated by semi-aquatic mammals, who rely on fur for insulation underwater. This thesis investigates the mechanism of dynamic air entrainment for hairy surfaces plunged in liquid. Hairy surfaces that are fabricated by casting PDMS elastomer in laser cut molds are plunged into a fluid bath. Modeling the hairy texture as a network of capillary tubes, the imbibition speed of liquid into the hairs is obtained through a balance of hydrostatic pressure and viscous stress. In this scenario, the bending of the hairs, capillary forces, and inertial effects are negligible. The maximum diving depth that can be achieved before the hairs are wetted to the roots is predicted from a comparison of the diving speed and imbibition speed. Second, motivated by nectar-drinking animals with hairy tongues, we investigate the reverse scenario, where a hairy surface is withdrawn from a bath of fluid, emerging with viscous liquid entrained in the hairy texture. The drainage of the liquid trapped between the texture is modeled using a Darcy-Brinkmann like approach. The amount of fluid that is entrained depends on the viscosity of the fluid, the density of the hairs, and the withdrawal speed. Both theory and experiments show that there is an optimal hair density to maximize fluid uptake. Finally, we investigate drop impact on hairy surfaces. By varying the speed of the drop, the spacing of the hairs, and the viscosity of the liquid, we observe a variety of behaviors. In some cases, the liquid drop can remain on top of the hair after impact, similar to a Cassie-Baxter state. If the drop penetrates the hairy surface, the hairs can resist its spreading. Using this scenario as a reference case, we rationalize the role of the hairs in mitigating the inertia of the impacting drop through a balance of inertial, viscous, and surface tension effects.by Alice Nasto.Ph. D
The challenge of setting restoration targets for macroalgal forests under climate changes
No full textEste artículo contiene 10 páginas, 5 figuras, 1 tabla.The process of site selection and spatial planning has received scarce attention in the scientific literature dealing with marine restoration, suggesting the need to better address how spatial planning tools could guide restoration interventions.
In this study, for the first time, the consequences of adopting different restoration targets and criteria on spatial restoration prioritization have been assessed at a regional scale, including the consideration of climate changes. We applied the decision-support tool Marxan, widely used in systematic conservation planning on Mediterranean macroalgal forests. The loss of this habitat has been largely documented, with limited evidences of natural recovery. Spatial priorities were identified under six planning scenarios, considering three main restoration targets to reflect the objectives of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.
Results show that the number of suitable sites for restoration is very limited at basin scale, and targets are only achieved when the recovery of 10% of regressing and extinct macroalgal forests is planned. Increasing targets translates into including unsuitable areas for restoration in Marxan solutions, amplifying the risk of ineffective interventions.
Our analysis supports macroalgal forests restoration and provides guiding principles and criteria to strengthen the effectiveness of restoration actions across habitats. The constraints in finding suitable areas for restoration are discussed, and recommendations to guide planning to support future restoration interventions are also included.This study was funded by the EASME–EMFF (Sustainable Blue
Economy) Project AFRIMED (http://afrimed-project.eu/, grant agreement
N. 789059), supported by the European Community.Peer reviewe
U/Th dating records of cold-water coral colonization in submarine canyons and adjacent sectors of the southern Adriatic Sea since the Last Glacial Maximum
No full textInternational audienc
Distribution, health and threats to Mediterranean macroalgal forests: defining the baselines for their conservation and restoration
No full textInternational audienceThe worldwide decline of macroalgal forests is raising major concerns for the potentially negative consequences on biodiversity and ecosystem functions, pushing for the definition of specific conservation and restoration measures. Protecting and restoring these habitats requires detailed information on their distribution, ecological status, and drivers of decline. Here, we provide the most updated available information on the distribution of Mediterranean Cystoseira s.l. forests by conducting a comprehensive bibliographic survey of literature published from 2009 to 2021, complemented by unpublished data. We also provide insights into the ecological status of these forests and the stressors affecting them across the Mediterranean basin. Our results show that most Mediterranean coasts remain un(der)studied and that the available information is concentrated in spatially limited coastal areas, restricted to very few species. When the ecological status is reported, data is highly heterogeneous, making any comparisons problematic, what claims for the description and use of easy and standardized monitoring methods for comparative purposes. Drivers of decline of Cystoseira s.l. forest have been even less investigated and, therefore, still poorly characterized. Our results highlight that our current knowledge is still insufficient to implement effective conservation and restoration strategies at the basin scale but also regionally. We call for the urgent need for mapping and standardized monitoring of Cystoseira s.l. forests to obtain baseline information for future management strategies involving their conservation, the mitigation of the stressors threatening them and the restoration of the degraded forests
Chaotic genetic structure and past demographic expansion of the invasive gastropod Tritia neritea in its native range, the Mediterranean Sea
No full textTo better predict population evolution of invasive species in introduced areas it is critical to identify and understand the mechanisms driving genetic diversity and structure in their native range. Here, we combined analyses of the mitochondrial COI gene and 11 microsatellite markers to investigate both past demographic history and contemporaneous genetic structure in the native area of the gastropod Tritia neritea, using Bayesian skyline plots (BSP), multivariate analyses and Bayesian clustering. The BSP framework revealed population expansions, dated after the last glacial maximum. The haplotype network revealed a strong geographic clustering. Multivariate analyses and Bayesian clustering highlighted the strong genetic structure at all scales, between the Black Sea and the Adriatic Sea, but also within basins. Within basins, a random pattern of genetic patchiness was observed, suggesting a superimposition of processes involving natural biological effects (no larval phase and thus limited larval dispersal) and putative anthropogenic transport of specimens. Contrary to the introduced area, no isolation-by-distance patterns were recovered in the Mediterranean or the Black Seas, highlighting different mechanisms at play on both native and introduced areas, triggering unknown consequences for species’ evolutionary trajectories. These results of Tritia neritea populations on its native range highlight a mixture of ancient and recent processes, with the effects of paleoclimates and life history traits likely tangled with the effects of human-mediated dispersal
Response of rocky shore communities to anthropogenic pressures in Albania (Mediterranean Sea): ecological status assessment through the CARLIT method
No full textThis work was funded by theFrench CoastalProtectionAgency (Conservatoire de l'Espace Littoral et des Rivages Lacustres ; in short: Conservatoire du Littoral) within the framework of the Mediterranean Small Islands Initiative PIM. Thanks are due to Michael Paul, an English native speaker, for proof-reading the English and to an anonymous reviewer for valuable comments and suggestions.International audienceThe CARLIT methodology is an Ecological Quality Ratio (EQR) widely used in the Mediterranean Sea to assess the ecological status of coastal water bodies, within the framework of the European Water Directive (European Union, EU) of 2000. It is based upon the exhaustive mapping of a set of mid-littoral and shallow infralittoral species and communities. This methodology was applied, for the first time in a non-EU country, Albania, three years after the establishment of a Marine Protected Area (MPA). The observed range of ecological status was wide (‘high’ through ‘bad’) and was overall among the lowest assessed to date in the Mediterranean Sea. The bioconstructions (algal rims) edified in the lower mid-littoral zone by the calcified rhodobiont Lithophyllum byssoides were in poor condition and sometimes even dead, possibly in relation with the pollution and the on-going global sea-level rise. In addition, Cystoseira amentacea, a brown alga whose weight in the index is high, could be less sensitive to pollution than previously expected. The occurrence of extensive sea-urchin barren-grounds, though not taken into consideration by the CARLIT index, confirmed the poor condition of large sectors of the study area. Overall, the assessed ecological status could prove to be overestimated by the CARLIT methodology and some methodological improvements should therefore be considered
