University Of Belgrade Research Articles

Stavovi i mišljenja studenata prve godine medicine o učenju histologije i embriologije uz pomoć vršnjačkog podučavanja - uloga studenata demonstratora

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is a form of teaching method where students facilitate the transfer of knowledge to other students and at the same time learn themselves. Department of Histology and Embryology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia has a longstanding tradition of PAL, which involves the use of undergraduate teaching assistants (UTAs) in practical microscopy classes. This research aimed to evaluate the attitudes and opinions towards UTAs work during Histology and Embryology course from the perspective of 1st year students. Data from this study were collected from 512 undergraduate medical students enrolled in the 1st study year using an anonymous semi-structured questionnaire. The analysis of the students' responses has shown that almost all of our students asked for the help of UTAs during Histology and Embryology course. Additionally, 65% of students said that they felt more comfortable asking UTAs for help during their labs than faculty teachers. Most students believe that UTAs devoted sufficient time to them during the practical classes. Nearly 90% of students agreed that UTAs gave them good advice and answers and more than 80% of students perceived that they had never received inaccurate information from UTAs. More than 40% of students can see themselves in the role of UTAs in future. These results indicate that UTAs have a significant place in the Histology and Embryology curriculum and that their role in everyday teaching represents one of the most important aspects of PAL.

Corrigendum: Pesic M, Radovic S, Rakic T, Dzeletovic Z, Stankovic S, Lozo J. Insights into the response of miscanthus x giganteus to rhizobacteria: Enhancement of metal tolerance and root development under heavy metal stress. Arch Biol Sci. 2024;76(2):205-21. https://doi.org/10.2298/ABS240301014P

The authors of the article: Pesic M, Radovic S, Rakic T, Dzeletovic Z, Stankovic S, Lozo J. Insights into the response of Miscanthus x giganteus to rhizobacteria: enhancement of metal tolerance and root development under heavy metal stress. Arch Biol Sci. 2024;76(2):205-21 have informed the Editorial Office of the following error in the affiliation of the first author Pesic Mila. Next to the name ?Institute of Soil Science? is ?University of Belgrade?, which is incorrect because this Institute is not a member of the University of Belgrade. The authors have requested for this error to be corrected. Therefore, the journal is publishing this Corrigendum. Mila Pesic?s affiliation should be as follows: 1University of Belgrade ? Faculty of Biology, Belgrade, Serbia, and 2Institute of Soil Science, Belgrade, Serbia.<br><br><font color="red"><b> Link to the corrected article <u><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2298/ABS240301014P">10.2298/ABS240301014P</a></b></u>

The impact of educational technologies on learning outcomes in higher business education

The paper examines the impact of alternative ways of teaching and the use of various educational technologies on students? performance. Our survey was conducted on a sample of actively enrolled students of Business Informatics at the Faculty of Economics, University of Belgrade, in December 2022. Our results suggest that utilisation of communication and learning platforms (Viber, WhatsApp, Facebook, Moodle and course sites), although widely accepted and favoured by students, has no significant impact on their performance. Students? performance was measured by their average grades and the share of passed examinations in the total number of attended courses (i.e., success rate). We have found evidence that students? performance can be related to the teaching approach. Furthermore, attending classes online worsens students? chances of improving their average grade and their success rate in business informatics courses. On the other hand, the data suggests that students? chances of improving their total average grade improve if they attend classes online.

Prediktori korišćenja sajtova i aplikacija o zdravlju među studentima medicine i sporta

Introduction/Aim: The global digital network allows a fast exchange of information. Students of sports and medicine will be the future promoters of healthy behaviors. The study aim was to examine the use of health-related websites and apps among students of sports and medicine in their final undergraduate study year. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Faculty of Sports and Physical Education and the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia, in the period April-October 2017. A total of 390 students (89 in sports and 301 in medicine) were recruited. Data were collected using an anonymous questionnaire. Results: Students did not differ in terms of frequency of use of health-related websites (79.8% sport vs. 77.7% medicine; ch2 =0.167, p=0.771) and apps (39.3% sport vs. 49.2% medicine; ch2 =2.672, p=0.116). Fitness and diet were the most common topics that all students sought. A stronger influence of online health information on students' health-related decision-making was associated with the use of health-related websites in both groups of students. Additionally, medical students who used the Internet more often were also more likely to read health-related websites. In terms of apps, being female and using the Internet from a younger age was associated with the use of health apps among sports and medical students, respectively. Conclusion: Students of sports and medicine equally used health-related websites and smartphone apps. However, health-related websites were much more used compared to health-related apps. Of all health-related topics, they were most interested in fitness and diet.

Stavovi i informisanost među studentima medicine o prevenciji i farmakoterapiji COVID-19 infekcije u Srbiji

Introduction: COVID-19 infection represents a worldwide health issue. To prevent the infection, it is necessary to possess adequate knowledge regarding the virus itself, transmission routes, clinical forms of disease and prevention measures. Also, it is crucial to stay informed about protocols and pharmacotherapeutic options in the treatment of patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Aim: This study aimed to investigate knowledge and attitudes about prevention and pharmacotherapy of COVID-19 infection among students of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade as well as compare differences between 1st, 3rd and 6th year students. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 479 students of all six years of study. The questionnaire was distributed online and it was available between November 30 and December 20, 2021. Results were obtained and analyzed in statistical software SPSS 22.0 (IBM Corp. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows. Armonk, NY: IBM Cor; 2017). Results: Most of the students that took the part in the survey were females (72%) and the majority of our participants were vaccinated against COVID-19 infection at the time of the survey (92.7%). The vaccination rate in 1st year students was 78.8%, in 3rd year 97.3% and 97.4% in 6th year students. Different than the 6th year students, 1st year students tend to believe that vaccine is the most efficient preventive measure (medium value ± standard deviation; 1.2 ± 0.1 vs 0.7 ± 0.1; p < 0.001). The results showed that there is a significant difference in knowledge about pharmacotherapy of this infection between students at the beginning of the studies and older peers (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Students showed progress in understanding pharmacotherapy during their studies in the Faculty of Medicine, meaning that courses they take in Pharmacology and Toxicology and clinical experience improve their knowledge and skills when it comes to therapeutic approaches.

Histopatološki nalaz u enteričkim nervnim pleksusima kod dece sa poremećajima intestinalnog motiliteta - iskustvo jednog centra

Introduction/Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of various histopathological findings in biopsies of children with intestinal hypomotility and the incidence and characteristics of Hirschsprung disease (HD). Methods: Biopsies of colon and rectum taken due to intestinal hypomotility and chronic constipation at the Department of Pediatric Surgery of the University Children's Hospital in Belgrade over the 10-year period (from 2009 to 2018) were reviewed using pathology reports from the archive of the Institute of pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade. Results: A total of 287 patients with intestinal motility disorder were identified, with 554 biopsy samples. Of the total number of patients, 56% (161/287) were without any morphological changes in enteric nervous system (ENS). The most common histopathological findings were HD (69/287; 24%) and immaturity of ganglion cells (29/287; 10%). Isolated hypoganglionosis of ENS was found in 5 (2%) cases. Heterotopia of ganglion cells was the only finding in 8 (3%) cases. Rare causes of intestinal dysmotility were: eosinophilic proctitis/colitis (EPC) (4/287), neuronal intestinal dysplasia B (2/287), unclassified disganglionoses (3/287). Rectosigmoid variant of HD was the most frequent HD variant (80.3%). Acetylcholinesterase method and immunohistochemical staining were used in 19.5% cases. Conclusions: HD and immaturity of ganglion cells were the most common pathological findings in ENS of constipated children. It is important to differentiate EPC from other lesions of enteric plexuses due to different natural history and therapy.

Prednosti i nedostaci integracije u Evropsku uniju - istraživanje među studentima prve godine medicine u Srbiji

Aim: The study aimed to identify factors associated with pro-integration attitudes to the European Union (EU) among Serbian medical freshmen to promote integration. Methods: In the period from 2010 to 2021, within the scope of the distance learning module "Medicine & Society", a total of 1333 freshmen of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Belgrade (1333/1940, i.e., response rate 68.7%) has responded to the semi-structured questionnaire inquiring their perception of the EU integration advantages and disadvantages. The association of the pro-EU attitude (vs cons-EU / undecided) with perceived advantages and disadvantages was presented using the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: A total of 48.5% of respondents were pro-EU integration, 42.7% were undecided and 8.9% were cons-EU (i.e., 585, 525, and 107, respectively) integration of Serbia. The pro-EU attitude was 55% more likely among male respondents (OR: 1.55, 95% CI:1.14-2.10), among respondents who were able to identify advantages of EU integration such as easier mobility (OR: 2.87, 95% CI: 1.80-4.57), variety of job opportunities (OR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.45-2.93), and among those for whom competition at the EU healthcare market is not a disadvantage of the EU-integration (OR: 8.56, 95% CI: 1.79-40.92). The pro-EU attitude was less likely among respondents who identified high emigration of medical doctors as a disadvantage of the EU integration, by 45% (OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.36-0.84). Conclusion: During the last decade, the share of Serbian medical freshmen with pro-EU and undecided attitudes suggests the need for a stronger international initiative of EU and national actors. Advantages such as easier mobility, competition in the EU healthcare market, and a variety of employment opportunities promote an integrationist attitude, in contrast to the large emigration of medical doctors.

Đorđe Alfirević and Sanja Simonović Alfirević: Principles of residential space configuration, Institute of Architecture and Urban and Spatial Planning of Serbia and Faculty of Architecture of the University of Belgrade, Belgrade, 2023

Đorđe Alfirević and Sanja Simonović Alfirević: Principles of residential space configuration, Institute of Architecture and Urban and Spatial Planning of Serbia and Faculty of Architecture of the University of Belgrade, Belgrade, 2023

Paulownia spp.: A Bibliometric Trend Analysis of a Global Multi-Use Tree

The research on Paulownia spp. has increased in the last twenty years thanks to the growing interest in the application modalities of this plant in various sectors such as wood, phytoremediation, environmental protection, paper, biofuel, chemistry and medicine. For the first time, this study analyzed the papers present in the Web of Science Core Collection on “Paulownia” to obtain a set of characteristics in the work carried out from 1971 to 2021. This analysis selected and took into account 820 articles and provided evidence of the scientific production of authors, institutions, and countries. This work showed that the most studied species was Paulownia tomentosa, followed by P. fortunei and P. elongate. The JCR category and research area with the most publications was plant science, with 20.4% of the total. The papers were published in 460 journals and in a book series. The journals with the most publications were Bioresources, Advanced Material Research, Agroforestry Systems, Journal of Wood Science and Industrial Crops and Products. The institutions with the most prolific affiliation with the field of Paulownia spp. research were Henan University, the US Department of Agriculture, Belgrade University, the Chinese Academy, and Georgia University. Finally, the 3842 keywords were divided into nine different clusters and the trends of interest in the last fifteen years were highlighted.

LXI скуп слависта Србије: “Славистичка истраживања – између филологије и културологије” (Београд, 2023)

A report on the international conference held on the occasion of several anniversaries: 145 years of the existence of the Department of Slavic Studies of the Faculty of Philology in Belgrade, 175 years since the birth of Platon Kulakovsky, the first Russian language lector and founder of Belgrade University Russian Studies, 75 years since the foundation of the Slavic Society of Serbia and 50 years since the passing of prof. Dr. Radovan Lalić, long-time director of the Department of Slavic Studies and president of the Slavic Society of Serbia (Belgrade, January 12–13, 2023).

Evaluation of the Breeding Value of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykkiss) for Body Development Traits Using a Linear Model

Summary The objective of this research is to assess the breeding value of male individuals and calculate heritability values for body weight and body length at 12 months of age in the rainbow trout population in the Republic of Serbia. The study utilized data on the physical development of trout obtained through the Center for Fisheries and Applied Hydrobiology “Mali Dunav”, Experimental Estate “Radmilovac” of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade (CEFAH) Breeding Program for rainbow trout in the Republic of Serbia. The fish were raised in individual tanks under tightly controlled conditions at the CEFAH, until they reached 5 months of age. At this point, the fish were marked (with PIT tags Norway) and transferred to commercial fish farms, where monitoring of their production results continued. To estimate the breeding value for body weight and body length of rainbow trout at 12 months of age, we analyzed data collected between 2016 and 2020, which included a total of 2014 individuals. The breeding values were estimated using a sire model. The mixed model incorporated fixed effects (spawning year and sex) and a random effect for the individual sire. The heritability estimate at 12 months of age was 0.44 for body weight, and 0.45 for body length. The breeding values were estimated for 107 sires, with body weight values ranging from −37.83 to +37.83 g and body length values ranging from −14.00 to +14.00 mm. The substantial variation observed within the studied rainbow trout population suggests the potential for further genetic improvement. The high heritability values confirm that further selection can be based on the phenotype. The inclusion of high-quality and validated males in breeding programs will contribute to the enhancement of production characteristics within the existing rainbow trout population in Serbia.

AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON STUDENTS’ READINESS FOR AUTONOMY WITHIN THE ESP CONTEXT: THE CASE OF TWO COUNTRIES

The paper investigates students’ readiness for autonomy within the context of learning ESP (English for Specific Purposes) at the tertiary level. Developing learner autonomy within the context of higher education is particularly relevant for students in view of pursuing their career goals in the future. The main objective of the study was to find out whether and to what extent students were ready to adopt autonomy within the learning process at the university level. The sample for this study consisted of a total of 79 respondents from Poland (University of Applied Sciences in Tarnow) and Serbia (University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture). A purpose built questionnaire evaluating an aspect of readiness for autonomy was used to probe the participants. In general, students from both subsamples were inclined to place responsibility for their learning on the teacher. Suggestions on how to tackle different autonomy issues and how to broaden the current study are provided in the conclusions.

Milutin Milanković ‒ Life Journey and Search for Climate Change in the Past

Those scientists who have had the opportunity to rejoice in their scientific achievements during their lifetime are really rare. The law of Milutin Milanković called The canon of Insolation, waited for almost half a century for its scientific credibility to be confirmed and accepted by the scientific community. As a polished Viennese engineer, famous with new methods in construction, he rejected the invitation of the University of Vienna and University of Zagreb to become a professor there but accepted the invitation of the University of Belgrade for ten times less salary. The famous law of Milanković’s canon was made in a small office at the University of Belgrade with pen and paper. The canon was accidentally left undamaged during the bombing of Belgrade in 1941. It is difficult to find any unknowns about his life and work. Several lesser-known sequences from his life, broad education, lordship, modesty and patriotism, and the author's meetings with eminent professors Hed III and Berger, who made a significant contribution to Milankovic's theory becoming a planetary law, ranking him among the greats such as Tesla and Pupin.

Preliminary selection of the most significant karst springs in Bulgaria

In June 2022, the Karst Commission of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) initiated, under the auspices of UNESCO, the adoption and implementation of the project „Most Important Karst Aquifer Karst Springs (MIKAS)”. The project is completely implemented on a voluntary basis and is based on the knowledge and professional experience of leading karst scientists from almost all countries of the world. The coordinator of MIKAS is Prof. Zoran Stevanović from the University of Belgrade. Bulgaria is also participating in the implementation of the project. The aim of the present study is a preliminary selection of nationally significant karst springs, based on published information, as well as the experience and knowledge of the Bulgarian karst experts participating in the project. According to the team’s research so far, the karst springs Glava Panega, Andaka near Dryanovo, Iskrets spring, Devnya springs, Toplya spring and the spring from the Musinska Cave have the highest probability of being proposed for inclusion in the Global List.

Early Engineers and Architects Born on the Territory of Present North Macedonia

This article presents the initial results of the ongoing research into the early engineers and architects born in the past on the territory of present North Macedonia, who graduated before the establishment of the country on 2 August 1944, prior to the founding of the first Technical Faculty in Skopje in 1949. The majority of the identified engineers and architects were men who graduated within the interwar period from the Technical Faculty at the University of Belgrade (Serbia), founded in 1846. Women started entering engineering and architecture in the 1930s. Some of the early graduates pursued their professional careers elsewhere. Three graduates of Riga Polytechnic Institute (Latvia) were identified, who had their degrees recognized by the Technical Faculty in Belgrade, as well as one Serbian woman, an engineer, and an architect who briefly lived in Riga within the researched period. This study contributes to the history of engineering and architecture in North Macedonia.

Building an infodemic management network in Serbia: Insights from public health practitioners

Abstract Background Vaccine coverage against COVID-19 in Serbia remains suboptimal, although COVID-19 vaccines became available to the public early during the pandemic. The presence of the infodemic, an overabundance of false, harmful, or outdated information, is one of the root causes of stagnation in vaccine demand. The Laboratory for infodemiology and infodemic management has been established at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, to coordinate the efforts and mitigate the harmful impact of the infodemic. Methods Training for public health (PH) professionals, civil society organizations (CSOs), and academia was conducted in three Institutes of Public Health in different regions of Serbia. The training included an introduction to infodemic management and social listening, followed by group discussions. A questionnaire was given to all participants to share their experience about the infodemic sources, effects, and needs of the populations they serve. Results A total of 36 PH professionals, CSO representatives, and academics filled out the questionnaire. Over half of them (52.8%) had a primary affiliation in a public health institution and over 15 years of work experience. Although 83.3% of the participants stated that the infodemic presents a major public health issue in Serbia, only 16.7% were satisfied with current infodemic management activities in Serbia. Participants identify family members, doctors, and personal reasoning as the top three factors influencing health behavior. Participants identify the lack of institutional trust as the most important problem in infodemic management. Conclusions Insights from public health professionals, CSOs, and academia point to infodemic management being one of the main priorities in future public health activities. A stronger collaboration of experts of different backgrounds is needed to mitigate the complex nature of the infodemic. Key messages • Public health practitioners recognize the importance of the infodemic and search for adequate response. • The lack of institutional trust is one of the main obstacles to effective infodemic management.

Assessing Urban Resilience with Geodesign: A Case Study of Urban Landscape Planning in Belgrade, Serbia

Resilient cities have emerged as novel urban ecosystems that respond to the increasing challenges of contemporary urban development. A new methodological approach is needed to measure and assess the degree of resilience of the urban landscape during the ongoing planning process, considering different planning and design scenarios. Based on this consideration, the first attempt of this study was to develop a resilience index that summarizes the application of resilience theory in urban landscape planning. Is geodesign an appropriate tool to assess urban resilience? This was the main research question and the topic of the workshop ’’IGC—Resilient City of Belgrade’’ at the Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade (Master Landscape Studio). The main result of this research is a model for urban resilience assessment with IGC geodesign, which allows to measure scenario changes through developed resilience indicators (index), which are determined by a set of parameters (area, redundancy, diversity, porosity, carbon sequestration, edge type, edge length, etc.). The methodological approach allows quantifying the impact of adopted innovations in geodesign scenario proposals, which plays a crucial role in strengthening the connection between landscape planning and design. In the context of the novel urban ecosystem, future urban landscape planning should focus on resilience as a measure to achieve sustainable development goals, supported by geodesign as a collaborative and spatially explicit negotiation tool.

SVEČANA PROSLAVA PRVE DECENIJE RADA FILOZOFSKOG FAKULTETA U SKOPLjU

Not long after the end of the First World War and the formation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, the Minister of Education Pavle Marinković started an initiative to establish a Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje. In December 1919. he sent a letter to the, then rector of Belgrade University, Jovan Cvijić, in which he requested that the institution headed by Jovan express its opinion on the mentioned initiative. The very next day, the Council of the University of Belgrade met and supported the proposal of minister Marinković, pointing out that the establishment of the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje will be of great national and cultural importance. On February 2, 1920, the Decree was passed on the establishment of the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje, which officially “gave birth” to this institution. During the first decade of its existence, the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje built the image of an institution to be respected, despite objective difficulties and considerable problems it has faced since its inception. It was the only high school institution of the Yugoslav monarchy in the area between Belgrade and the border with Albania, Greece and Bulgaria. Faced with post-war poverty, the material, infrastructural and technological backwardness of the southern regions, as well as various socio-political crises and turmoil, it nevertheless became a lively center of educational, scientific and cultural life of the Yugoslav south part.On February 1, 1931, a solemn celebration of the tenth anniversary of the work of this institution was organized. As part of the aforementioned event, the day of Saint Sava was also celebrated. A formal session of the council of this faculty was held, greeting speeches by high dignitaries were heard, the consecration of the foundation of the student dormitory was performed, an exhibition of old printed and handwritten books, ancient frescoes, archaeological and ethnographic collections in the Museum of Southern Serbia was held. The celebration ended with a performance in the Skopje National Theater. The main organizer and host of the meeting was a prominent theologian and historian Radoslav Grujić, then dean of the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje. It was a dignified, well-organized manifestation with an appropriate program and with the participation of distinguished people not only from Skopje and the Vardar region, but also from the wider area of the Yugoslav state.

Šta je "autoplagijat"?

In today’s era of heightened sensitivity to plagiarism, self-plagiarism is gaining recognition as a distinct ethical concern within the global academic community. While plagiarism has undergone detailed conceptual analysis, the same cannot be said for self-plagiarism. This concise review seeks to address this gap by examining key aspects of this academic ethical issue, as outlined in Article 25 of the Code of Professional Ethics at the University of Belgrade. Through this conceptual analysis, it becomes apparent that the Code specifically condemns the narrower practice of “duplicate or dual publication” as ethically unacceptable. It is clear that self-plagiarism does not occur when an author transparently acknowledges their intention to republish or reuse their previously published or utilized work, including its constituent parts.

TAILOR-MADE COMICS ON GEOFORENSICS IN LANGUAGE TEACHING: INTERFACULTY COOPERATION AND APPLICATION

Since comics are known as an increasingly popular modern educational strategy which have not been common in university classes so far, this paper represents a creative attempt to change this practice. Namely, we believe that a good comic, or more precisely an educational-scientific comic, could be a useful tool for teaching, bringing about change and inventiveness, and connecting topics and narratives in a multitude of registers. Additionally, we believe that the potential of university teaching can be increased by combining comics and foreign language teaching, not only due to the already mentioned interest in comics as a language method but also due to its multidisciplinarity and the possibility of interfaculty cooperation as a completely new language practice, hitherto unexamined or insufficiently tested in language learning. The paper first discusses the arguments for and against the use of comics in teaching foreign languages, and then offers a practical overview on how to create a comic. Finally, we present our experiences in achieving interfaculty cooperation. In other words, this paper intends to shed light on three aspects: (1) promoting the idea of the teacher as a creator of innovative materials and strategies in education; (2) using comics as a language activity; and (3) the intellectual flexibility of students and lecturers in using comics at two different faculties. The research was conducted with the students of the Department of Geology of the Faculty of Mining and Geology of the University of Belgrade, and with the students of the Department of Forensic Engineering of the Belgrade University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies.