The University of Tirana (Albanian: Universiteti i Tiranës, abbreviated UT) is a public university located at the central borough of Tirana 10 in Tirana, Albania. It was established as the State University of Tirana in 1957 through merging of five existing institutes of higher education.The main building was planned by Italian architect, Gherardo Bosio at the beginning of 1940. It is situated at the Mother Teresa Square, south of the city center of Tirana.The primary language of instruction is Albanian, but there are a number of faculties of foreign languages which are carried out in English, French, Greek, Italian, Spanish, German, Chinese and other languages.The University of Tirana was founded in 1957 as the State University of Tirana (Albanian: Universiteti Shtetëror i Tiranës), through the merging of five existing institutes of higher education, the most important of which was the Institute of Sciences, founded in 1947. Immediately after the death of Enver Hoxha in 1985, the university was renamed the Enver Hoxha University of Tirana (Albanian: Universiteti i Tiranës Enver Hoxha) until 1992.
Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are widely used engineered nanomaterials increasingly present in freshwater ecosystems, yet their effects on amphibians remain poorly understood. Amphibians are ecologically important and highly sensitive to contaminants, making them valuable bioindicators. This study provides the first integrated assessment of ZnO-NP effects on the European toad (Bufo bufo, Gosner stages 26–27), combining biochemical, endocrine, and histological endpoints. Tadpoles were exposed for seven days to sub lethal ZnO-NP concentrations (0.1, 1.0, and 10 mg/L) under controlled laboratory conditions, then maintained in clean water until metamorphosis to evaluate survival, growth, developmental progression, and tissue integrity. Exposure induced ROS-mediated oxidative stress, evidenced by increased SOD and CAT activities and elevated malondialdehyde levels, while corticosterone elevation revealed systemic endocrine disruption. Histological analyses showed dose-dependent damage in gills, liver, eyes, and limb buds, with limb buds and gills exhibiting the highest sensitivity. These combined morphological and physiological impairments led to developmental delays, stage-specific mortality peaks, and arrested metamorphosis, highlighting critical windows of larval vulnerability. Our findings reveal a mechanistic pathway linking oxidative stress, endocrine disruption, and tissue damage and underscore the importance of integrating species-specific physiological and morphological responses in ecological risk assessments of nanoparticles.
Water pollution from phenols remains a critical concern due to their persistence, toxicity, and industrial prevalence. Graphene oxide (GOx), with its functional groups and large surface area, offers strong adsorption potential. Using density functional theory (DFT), reduced density gradient (RDG), and quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR), we examined how protonation and substituents influence phenol adsorption. Deprotonated phenolates bind more strongly to GO than neutral species via electrostatics and H-bonding. Substituents alter affinity: halogens enhance it, bulky alkyls hinder it, and nitro groups show electron-withdrawing effects. Bisphenolate A displayed multidentate binding. QSAR models reproduced DFT energies with R-2 > 0.99, enabling fast prediction. These results highlight how pH speciation and substituents govern adsorption on GO, guiding the design of efficient water treatment materials.
A growing emphasis on victims as rights-holders in criminal proceedings has led to an evolution in the procedural position of victims in criminal justice across European legal systems. In light of Directive 2012/29/EU, which sets minimum standards for the rights, support, and protection of victims of crime without prescribing accusatory or prosecutorial functions, this article compares and contrasts models of victim participation in Albanian and Italian criminal procedural law. The study compares the Italian framework, where victim participation is primarily realized through the institutions of "persona offesa" and "parte civile", which focus on procedural participation and compensation while maintaining the public monopoly of prosecution, with the Albanian accusatory victim model, which permits victims of certain minor offenses to initiate and maintain criminal proceedings. The article assesses the effects of these models on procedural efficiency, offender accountability, and access to compensation using a mixed-methods approach that incorporates doctrinal analysis, comparative legal assessment, and examination of available institutional data. The results show that although the Albanian model introduces a type of private prosecution, going beyond the EU acquis's minimal requirements, its practical efficacy is constrained by evidentiary limitations and low case completion rates. By permitting structured victim participation without sacrificing essential procedural principles, the Italian system, in contrast, exhibits greater doctrinal coherence with European standards. The article's conclusion is that in order to guarantee long-lasting and successful criminal justice results, increased victim participation must be carefully weighed against the legitimacy of prosecution and equality of arms.
Digital assets (DAs) such as cryptocurrencies, tokenized securities, stablecoins, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and central bank digital currencies, are transforming financial markets with new business models, investment opportunities, and transaction efficiencies. Underpinned by blockchain, distributed ledger technology, and smart contracts, digital innovations are reshaping the financial ecosystem. However, their rapid growth introduces substantial risks, including fraud, market manipulation, cybersecurity threats, and regulatory uncertainty. This position paper offers an interdisciplinary and empirically grounded analysis of the DA landscape. We define and classify major asset types, trace their evolution from speculative instruments to functional tools, and assess current adoption trends. Additional technological developments (e.g., decentralized finance and NFT expansion) are examined for their role in accelerating this transformation. We also analyze the global regulatory landscape, highlighting jurisdictional differences, classification challenges, and emerging governance frameworks. To address key risks, we derive mitigation strategies via quantitative analysis and case-based evidence. The risks include balancing innovation with investor protection through adaptive regulatory design, promoting cross-border regulatory harmonization to prevent arbitrage and fragmentation, and supporting experimentation through regulatory sandboxes and innovation hubs. By adopting a forward-looking, evidence-based, and collaborative regulatory approaches, stakeholders can harness the benefits of DAs while managing systemic risks and maintaining market integrity.
The olive oil extraction industry produces large amounts of olive pomace and wastewater, both of which contain high levels of pollutants. In Albania, olive oil production has increased, while by-product challenges persist. Uncontrolled wastewater discharge and pomace burning have caused environmental issues and inefficient resource use. This study combines published data with field information to examine country pomace utilization and wastewater management. The regional distribution of extraction units and production volumes was analyzed to identify mismatches between processing capacity and output. The findings reveal discrepancies between official statistics and field data. Regional analysis highlights notable imbalances between the number of olive mills and their production volumes, especially in Elbasan, Fier, Vlora, and Berat. Projections, assuming three-phase technology, indicate increased generation of olive pomace and wastewater, thereby raising environmental risks associated with wastewater disposal. The potential for olive pomace oil production was estimated to reach up to 1600 tons. While progress has been made in establishing a pomace oil extraction plant, infrastructure gaps, weak regulation, and limited producer awareness need to be addressed to convert by-products into valuable resources and help Albania’s olive oil sector achieve sustainability goals.
