Authors:Esilda Trushaj; Bylyre Serjanaj Abstract: Aim: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety among healthcare students at the Medical University of Tirana during the 2020 quarantine period (March-May 2020). It also sought to explore the relationship between anxiety levels and factors such as chronic diseases, information obtained about Covid-19 through doctor consultations, and information acquired from media sources. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted via an online survey completed by 412 students studying a healthcare-oriented degree at the Medical University of Tirana. Participants were recruited through e-mail. The validated Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI; Beck et al., 1988) was used to assess student’s anxiety levels. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Statistics 23.0. Results: The sample consisted of 412 medical students, with the majority being female 85.9% (n=354) and 14.1% (n=58) male. The BAI assessment revealed that 31.31% (n=129) of students experienced minimal anxiety level, 55.57% (n=229) had a moderate anxiety level, and 13.1% (n=54) had a severe anxiety level. Chronic diseases (r = .475, p < .05), information on COVID-19 from media (r = .385, p < .05), were positively associated with higher anxiety scores. Primary care consultation (r = -.650, p<.01) was associated with lower anxiety scores. Chronic illnesses and other mental health disorders were significant predictors of anxiety, with chronic illnesses explaining 9.5% of the variance (R2= .095) and other psychological/emotional disorders explaining 9.8 % of variance (R2= .098) (F (3,216) = 22.956, p < .001). Conclusions: Anxiety levels among university healthcare students at the Medical University of Tirana during the COVID-19 quarantine on March-May 2020 were found to be high. Chronic diseases and other mental disorders have played an important role in increasing anxiety symptoms during quarantine. Implementing psychological interventions for healthcare students during pandemics is strongly recommended to optimize their mental health. Keywords: anxiety, healthcare students, quarantine, COVID-19 DOI : 10.7176/ALST/101-05 Publication date: April 30th 2025
Authors:Valbona Bali et al Abstract: Central nervous system (CNS) cancer presents a significant challenge for patients and their families, especially when treated with radiotherapy. Sexual problems in cancer patients during oncological therapies are an important issue that is often overlooked, but they have a significant impact on their quality of life. This study aims to explore the experiences of this target group, with a special focus on the impacts on sexual function and fertility. Using a multidimensional and qualitative approach to identify the effects of radiotherapy treatment on sexual function and fertility, data were collected through surveys and in-depth interviews with patients, RTTs, radio-oncologists and medical staff. Patients undergoing radiotherapy in Albania are often reluctant to discuss sexual problems related to cancer and oncological treatments. However, the data show that many CNS cancer patients experience significant impairments in sexual function, such as decreased sexual desire, difficulties achieving an erection, painful sensations during sexual intercourse, and concerns about their fertility, which affect their personal lives and decisions about starting a family in the future. This situation is exacerbated by the lack of information and psychological support regarding these issues. This study highlights the need for planned interventions and psychosocial support for patients dealing with these issues. Education and information for patients and healthcare professionals are essential to address the consequences of radiotherapy and improve the quality of life for these individuals. Raising awareness about these issues is an important step toward creating a more supportive environment for CNS cancer patients. Patients may be more open to discussing these issues in a trusted and supportive setting, especially if healthcare professionals create a safe atmosphere and encourage conversations about sexual health. Keyword: CNS Cancer, sexual problems, fertility, radiotherapy DOI : 10.7176/ALST/101-01 Publication date: January 31st 2025
Authors:Haftom Miglas Abstract: Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are eusocial golden insects renowned for their ability to produce honey, a natural and nutritious food widely appreciated by humans. They collect nectar and pollen from a variety of wild flowering plants, each contributing unique sugar concentrations that bees process into mature honey using enzymatic secretions. Beyond honey production, honeybees play a crucial role in pollination services, significantly supporting biodiversity and contributing to environmental conservation and climate change mitigation. Through pollination services, bees ensure the survival of numerous plant species, making them essential to the ecological balance of the planet. While honey is regarded as a natural and healthy food, it carries hidden dangers. Consumers often believe that “natural food sources” like honey are inherently safe, but research reveals that honey may contain naturally occurring toxins. These toxins are influenced by multiple factors, including the botanical origin of the nectar, environmental conditions, geographical location, bee races, and beekeeping practices. Such toxins not only pose health risks to consumers but also result in significant economic losses for the honey industry due to contamination and rejection of products. To address these concerns, it is essential to understand the sources of natural toxins in honey and their potential risks to human health. Careful inspection of honey is necessary to identify these contaminants and minimize their presence. To reduce risks and ensure safe consumption, honey producers must adopt proper processing and handling techniques. The use of advanced technologies, such as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), is highly recommended. LC-MS is favored for its precision, wide applicability, and ability to accurately detect toxins at low concentrations. Implementing such advanced methods and technologies will help maintain the quality of honey, protect consumer health, and promote sustainable honey production practices. Keywords: Clostridium Botulinum, Grayatoxins, Health Risks, Natural Toxins. DOI : 10.7176/ALST/101-02 Publication date: January 31st 2025
Authors:Girma Ashe Ijara Abstract: Agriculture today is characterized by a sharp reduction in the diversity of cultivated plant due to human and natural event. Plant breeding contributes to decrease of crop diversity through expansion of genetically homogeneous cultivars and promotion of few widely adapted varieties. The size of germplasm collections frequently restricts access to them and consequently, their use in plant breeding and research. Therefore management and use of germplasm collections could be enhanced if a limited number of genetically diverse accessions within the collection were selected as the core collection. The paper, therefore, aims to reviewing the way for core collection establishment and its implication in breeding program for crop improvement. A core collection is a subset of a large germplasm collection that involves of accessions selected to represent the genetic diversity of the collection. The core collection’s objective is to improve the use and management of a germplasm collection. Creating a core collection is challenging and time taking process and can be done for any germplasm collection. Typically, accessions are grouped and selections are made from/within these groupings to create core collection. A basic process for creating a core collection can be divided into four steps, which include definition of domain, division in group, allocation of entries and choice of accession. A core collection provides a manageable sample size of the collection that is structured and smaller than the entire collection. Generally core collection is essential in crop improvement by simplifying the use of germplasm in gene bank operation, basic research and education. Key words: Core collection, Germplasm, Germplasm Collection, Genetic resource, Genetic diversity. DOI : 10.7176/ALST/101-03 Publication date: January 31st 2025
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