Negative attitudes to transition in post-communist Albania and acute coronary syndrome.

Objective: The authors assessed the association of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with attitudes to the socioeconomic aspects of rapid change in transitional Albania. Design: A population-based case–control study conducted in Tirana, Albania, in 2003–2006 included 467 nonfatal ACS patients (370 men, 97 women; 88% response) and a population-sampled control group (469 men, 268 women; 69% response). Main Outcome Measures: Reaction to transition was assessed as a composite score of 3 items capturing attitudes toward socioeconomic aspects of transition in Albania. Results: Using logistic regression, there was a strong linear relationship of the attitude score with ACS. When categorized as negative, intermediate, or positive attitudes, the age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio (OR) for the negative versus positive categories was 3.0; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.1, 4.3; p for linear trend     

Correlations in the properties of Albanian coals

Seventeen Albanian brown coals were analyzed in detail and their properties were compared on both a national and regional basis. The measurements made were moisture, proximate and ultimate analyses, sulfur forms, bituminous matter, humic acids and specific energy, plus Gray-King and free-swelling tests. Linear correlations were derived amongst these coal properties on both dry and dry-ash-free basis. The resulting equations would allow the prediction of many coal properties from a limited number of experimental measurements.     

Correlation between ash fusion temperatures and chemical composition in Albanian coal ashes

This paper presents an analysis of the ash fusion temperatures (AFTs) for 17 Albanian coals. The contribution of oxides to AFTs is investigated by considering oxides from various perspectives: as discrete species, acids and bases, crystal components, fluxing agents, and cement constituents, and in accordance with the periodic table. Empirical correlations use simple and multiple linear equations and polynomial equations, referring to both weight and molar percentages. The shift from the deformation temperature to the flow temperature is accompanied by a shift of influence from basic oxides to acidic oxides. Many predictive correlative equations are obtained.     

First insights into the diversity and ecology of non-biting midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) of the unique ancient Skadar Lake basin (Montenegro/Albania)

In the present study, based on faunistic information collected during 2014 and 2015, in association with physical–chemical conditions of the collection sites, the environmental factors influencing the composition and distribution of chironomid assemblages were investigated. In total, 164 Chironomidae taxa reported in this study extended the existing checklist with 152 taxa newly found in the Skadar Lake basin. The comparison based on the list of species from the six large, well-studied European lakes showed that Lake Constance (Switzerland/Germany/Austria) is the most species-rich waterbody with 174 taxa, followed by Lake Skadar with 164 taxa. For pupal exuviae, the most species-rich site was situated in the centre of the small lake (north-western part of the Skadar Lake). A Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) revealed that shallow coastal parts of the lake are much richer in species than the open, deeper parts of the lake. This first investigation since 1979 of non-biting midge species (including imagines) diversity will help to monitor biodiversity of the basin and to understand how protection programs influence biodiversity within the lake basin.     

News from the field: Visual planning and urbanism in the mid‐twentieth century conference,Newcastle, UK, 11–13 September 2007

Gjirokastra, a century-old small city in southern Albania (now a UNESCO World Heritage site), provides an outstanding example of a Classical and Late Ottoman urban centre. At the same time, it is a special example of urban and architectural design based on self-defence by individual family units. Through an excursion of Gjirokastra's residential neighbourhoods, this article discusses how defence concerns guided its urban morphology and building typology until the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The idea of war, feuds, and fear has pervaded the residents' self-identity for centuries. The military character of their houses owes much to the local ‘warrior’ mentality that prevailed in times of war and peace.     

A Field Guide to Radical Post-Modernism

Sean Griffiths, Charles Holland and Sam Jacob of FAT curate and classify the work of a diverse and international grouping of Radical Post-Modern architects. They range from the recently defunct Foreign Office Architects (FOA), known for their proclivity for pattern and ornament, to Tokyo-based Atelier Bow-Wow who are rigorous in their pursuit of the ordinary. They run the gamut of the highly figurative, as exemplified by Melbourne-based practice ARM, to the expressive austerity of Swiss architect Valerio Olgiati. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

From camaraderie to detachment: The effect of changing built environment forms on neighborhood relations in a post-communist context

Through population surveys and interviews, this article examines how relationships among neighbors in Tirana, capital of Albania, have evolved after the demise of communism, in conjunction with transformations in the city’s built environment. The transformations that took place in Albania in the post-communist period were among the most extensive in Eastern Europe. This study found that the density and height increases in Tirana have had negative impacts in terms of social cohesion. Combined with economic polarization, internal and international migration, and the introduction of western lifestyles and aspirations (such as individualism and economic success), built environment transformations have led to the weakening and contracting of localized networks. However, this study does not support the notion that social isolation or alienation has plagued contemporary urban residents. Many urbanites still preserve some of the spirit of the smaller traditional communities, especially in older, more consolidated neighborhoods created during communism and in lower condominium buildings.     

阿尔巴尼亚沥青SMA在山西灵石—霍州高速公路中的应用

结合山西灵石－霍州高速公路的路面结构,对阿尔巴尼亚沥青SMA以及沥于混凝土的路面性能进行了全面评价,并测试了有关结构设计参数。     

Leisure in the English countryside: policy making in the 1960s

The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act of 1949 has assumed enormous significance in terms of demonstrating the emergence of a Third Force in the countryside, alongside farming and forestry, namely that of outdoor recreation and the protection of amenity and wildlife. The Countryside Act of 1968 addressed more explicitly the issues arising from the impact of increasing numbers of visitors to the countryside and coast. The paper reconstructs the decision-making process by which the powers of the 1949 Act were recognized to need extension. A Government Statement, or White Paper, Leisure in the countryside: England and Wales , was drafted and approved, and Cabinet consent obtained for a Bill. The paper highlights the significance of intra- and inter-departmental relationships in a powerdependency process that played so prominent a role in determining post-war environmental policy in Britain.     

From Squatter Settlement to Suburb: The Transformation of Bathore,Albania

This paper recounts the successful upgrading of Bathore, an informal settlement on government land, located in the outskirts of Tirana, the capital of Albania. Bathore was formed in the early 1990s by poor squatters, mostly from rural northern Albania, a region that became impoverished and lost most services after the fall of communism in 1990. The area that the squatters occupied lacked all infrastructure. However, the squatters built houses that were permanent structures of good quality, often multi-storey. These houses were mostly financed through the remittances of immigrants abroad. In mid-2000s, the Albanian government started taking steps to legalize squatter housing, and, subsequently, to equip the area with infrastructure. Now, Bathore is starting to resemble a middle-class-style suburb, if only in terms of physical appearance. This paper explores the roles of the central and local governments, the international financial institutions, a local NGO, and the local community in this achievement.