Trnava University Research Articles

Surveillance of HAI and MDR bacteria using HAIDI software in Trnava University Hospital

Surveillance of HAI and MDR bacteria using HAIDI software in Trnava University Hospital

Flipped classroom in EFL: a teaching experience with pre-service teachers.

This research aims to test a flipped classroom model to improve students' English proficiency. To achieve this goal, two research questions were posed: RQ1 "Does the suggested model of flipped classroom teaching strategy increase the learners' accuracy in the use of grammar in the target language more than the non-flipped active-learning strategy used?" and RQ2 "Does the suggested model of Flipped Classroom teaching strategy increase learners' listening skills in the target language more than the non-flipped active-learning strategy used?" The participants involved in the study were 55 students from the Faculty of Education, University of Trnava (Slovakia), comprising 45 females and 10 males. All participants were pre-service teachers of English language and literature in their first year of undergraduate studies. The research had a semi-experimental pre-test/post-test design which was given to the control and the experimental group. The results show that students in the flipped classroom had a statistically significant positive effect on the participants' listening skills. As for grammar, both the control and the research group improved, but the results were not statistically significant. These findings partially match former studies, where language accuracy was also an indicator of flipped classroom success. The implications of this research are high since listening, often referred to as the "Cinderella" of language skills, has frequently been overlooked in EFL classes, leading to students not reaching expected proficiency levels.

Philological study programs in the digital age: A comprehensive analysis of Moodle integration and utilization

Abstract Learning Management System (LMS) Moodle (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is used by educators and institutions around the world and is an effective solution for creating and delivering engaging online courses. Moodle has also gained popularity in universities across Slovakia which have adopted it as their preferred Learning Management System for managing and providing e-learning content. The use of Moodle courses in university education in Slovakia has several benefits, including increased access to education for students, improved engagement and interaction between students and instructors, and greater flexibility for students in terms of when and where they can complete coursework. The paper aims to investigate the integration of this learning/content management system in the area of philology (linguistics/applied linguistics, translation, culture, literature, didactics) by analysing Moodle courses offered by the Department of English Language and Literature at Trnava University’s Faculty of Education. The study analyses existing Moodle courses from multiple perspectives to identify digital service advancements in philological study programs, including teacher and non-teacher training programs. The study examines various features of Moodle courses, including the number of courses offered, the subjects covered, course structure, learning materials employed, methods of assessment and feedback, communication and collaboration tools utilised, and integration of online and multimedia resources. The paper presents the essential findings and provides insights into the current situation. Identifying gaps in the existing state and suggesting areas for further research, aims to advance understanding in the field.

Serum butyrylcholinesterase as a marker of COVID-19 mortality: Results of the monocentric prospective observational study

The COVID-19 pandemic represents an excessive burden on health care systems worldwide and the number of patients who require special care in the clinical setting is often hard to predict. Consequently, there is an unmet need for a reliable biomarker that could predict clinical outcomes of high-risk patients. Lower serum butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity was recently linked with poor outcomes of COVID-19 patients. In line with this, our monocentric observational study on hospitalized COVID-19 patients focused on changes in serum BChE activity in relation to disease progression. Blood samples from 148 adult patients of both sexes were collected during their hospital stay at the Clinics of Infectiology and Clinics of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Trnava University Hospital in alignment with routine blood tests. Sera were analyzed using modified Ellman's method. Patient data with information about the health status, comorbidities and other blood parameters were collected in pseudonymized form. Our results show a lower serum BChE activity together with progressive decline of BChE activity in non-survivors, while higher stable values were present in discharged or transferred patients requiring further care. Lower BChE activity was associated with higher age and lower BMI. Moreover, we observed a negative correlation of serum BChE activity with the routinely used inflammatory markers, C-reactive protein and interleukin-6. Serum BChE activity mirrored clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients and thus serves as a novel prognostic marker in high-risk patients.

Personal Journey through Memory in Ukraine (Letter to the Editor)

The images of destruction in Ukrainian cities that we continue to see on television every day, and the dramatic reports done by journalists, reminded me of a visit I made to that tormented country more than 20 years ago that I want to share with this brief note. In particularly, I remember taking part in a series of meetings with Ukrainian colleagues in two cities, Lviv and Kiev as part of an initiative promoted by the Vicariate of Rome, in the person of His Excellency Monsignor Lorenzo Leuzzi which involved professors from the Catholic University such as myself, and from the University of Tor Vergata both from Roma, Italy. Obviously, colleagues from the University of Lviv participated, and Prof. Krcmery was also present representing at that time the University of Trnava, Slovakia. The title of the conference was 'Humanism in Medicine'. The meetings were held on the occasion of the apostolic visit of Pope St. John PauII which took place in June 2001. I still have vivid memories of that unforgettable trip and the meetings I had with Ukrainian colleagues. The topics either dealt with the ethical and scientific aspects of responsible childbirth, the use of stem cells in medicine and theology, the ethical aspects of human genetics and lastly, medical culture as an opportunity for teaching humanism. Indeed, I was a speaker in this last session (see photo). I also enclose both the bilingual program, in English and Ukrainian, with the complete list of speakers and the poster advertising the event. The opening prayer was given by His Eminence Cardinal Harchbishop Marian Yavorsky

The Significance of the Production of Books at the Historical Trnava University to the Development of Science and Literature on the Territory of the Present-Day Slovakia from the Perspective of Research Conducted Over the Last Two Decades

Over the last two decades, there has been more comprehensive and focused research on old prints produced by the historical Jesuit Trnava University. It existed in Trnava between 1635 and 1777, when it was moved to Buda (today's Budapest, Hungary) by the monarch Maria Theresa. Thus the university influenced the educational level of the Hungarian population in the 17th and especially the 18th century, and became the centre of Baroque education in what is today Slovakia. The establishment and existence of Trnava University was of fundamental importance for the development of many scientific disciplines, which was further multiplied by the titles published by the Academic Printing House. The aim of this study is to highlight those aspects of the activities of the university and individuals that have contributed to a major breakthrough in scientific knowledge and at the same time have been the subject of partial or systematic research since 2000.

Online priestor ako doteraz neobjavená príležitosť?

This article describes a collaboration between two universities in the preparation of future chemistry teachers. The Trnava University in Trnava and the University of Ostrava have organized a joint cross-border webinar aimed at developing skills for scientific work. Mixed teams of students from both universities prepared their own research projects, which they presented to all participants at the end of the event. As a result of the cooperation, inspirational materials for pedagogical practice were prepared and networks were established.

Road to Strengthen of Virtual Infrastructure and Security of Remote Laboratories on Trnava University in Trnava

Many organizations, both large and small, are investigating the potential of storage architectures for their companies. Few years ago, we built our own virtualized cloud for REMLABNET and we still are taking benefits of this decision. This item handels with using Cloud computing platform for providing Remote laboratories. This work shows, how it is possible to save money if we use centralized system for more consumers. Every consumer can use access to centralized portal in the Cloud computing from Consortium REMLABNET. Every item is focused on enviroments of universities, where this cloud is existing and this is what we want to use for remote labs. This is item from practice knowledge and experiences about system function and managing virtual platform and next construction this proposal.

Evaluation on Emergency Medical Services Departure in the Trnava University Hospital, the Slovak Republic

The article's abstract is no available.

IMPLEMENTATION OF WHO HAND HYGIENE IMPROVEMENT STRATEGY IN TRNAVA UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, SLOVAKIA

Hand hygiene is considered to be the most simple, effective and economic measure to prevent the spread of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance. Based on the study, application of the World Health Organization’s Multimodal Hand Hygiene Improvement Strategy can improve hand hygiene compliance in hospital settings and reduce these infections. Trnava University Hospital was included to World Health Organization (WHO) launched a worldwide campaign focused on hand hygiene in 2013, when infection control specialist has started working on daily basis. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of implementing the Multimodal Hand Hygiene Strategy according to WHO. We assessed alcohol-based hand rub consumption during the period 2013 and 2018 and hand hygiene compliance in 2018 as a baseline. During observed period alcohol-based hand rub consumptions significantly increased from 15.7 L/1000 patient days to 24.3 L/1000 patient days (p<0.05). Overall compliance as per WHO guidelines were 38.9%.

Strengthening public health research capacity to inform evidence-based policies in Tunisia / CONFIDE

Abstract Introduction Over the past 15 years, Tunisia has experienced considerable development in the political and economic areas. In this context, important reforms in the field of public health have been made, with the Tunisian universities (University of Sfax, University of Tunis el Manar, University of Sousse) on their way to educate the public health professionals who can contribute to the modernization of the health system. Funded by the EC through Erasmus+ programme, the CONFIDE project (coordinated by Babes-Bolyai University, having European partners the Southern Denmark University and Trnava University) has 3 major objectives: develop Centres for Evidence into Health Policy (C4EHPs) designed to ease future collaborations; strengthen institutional capacity to deliver state-of-the-art research into policy training program; consolidate national and local partnerships between the public health academic and non-academic sector. The progress The partners have jointly contributed to the following activities: development of the Centre for Evidence into Public Health Policy, 3 train-the-trainer sessions, 9 train-the-trainees sessions, internships for trainees, one policy game. To this date, 18 trainers have been trained by European partner universities and they trained 29 Tunisian trainees in the field of public health research, health promotion and evidence-based public health policy. The trainees will participate in internships in local and regional health institutions, to practice what they have learned. A policy game will be organized, to simulate collaboration between researchers and policy makers, for public health policy elaboration. Conclusions The Research into Policy training program has been implemented in all 3 Tunisian partner universities. The expected long-term changes are: young workforce trained into public health and evidence-based policies fields; university curricula modifications by introducing public health courses and developing of Masters of Public Health.

Capacity building in the field of public health in Tunisia: processes and challenges

Abstract Introduction Capacity building activities between 3 Tunisian Medical Faculties (University of Sfax, University of Tunis el Manar and University of Sousse) and 3 European Universities (Babes-Bolyai University, University of Southern Denmark and Trnava University) began in 2017 in the framework of an Erasmus+ project. The aim of the collaboration is threefold: first, Tunisian partners were assisted in developing the infrastructure of the Centre for Evidence into Health Policy (C4EHP); second, EU- Partners delivered the Research into Policy training programme with 3 modules: public health research methods, evidence-based policymaking and health promotion policies. The program consisted of train-the-trainer and train-the-trainee sessions; third, partners are continuously working on strengthening the collaboration between the academic and non-academic sectors in the field of public health. Lessons learnt Developing the C4EHP contributed to the official recognition of the research structure in the partner Universities. The challenges faced were administrative and legislative national procedures and delays in the equipment delivery and instalment. The train-the-trainer sessions empowered the 18 Tunisian participants to acknowledge their importance in the development of the public health field. Knowledge transfer faced challenges due to differences in the culture and working process, adhering to deadlines, communicating via email as well as due to language barriers. The capacities were, however, strengthened when the trainers started teaching themselves and delivered the train-the-trainee sessions. We observed a level of distrust from the non-academic sector due to previous international projects, unrelated with the current project or implementation team, and which had elicited little to no impact. Development of local collaboration between academic and non-academic sectors needs to be explored deeper.

The legacy of Václav Trnka: modern medical education in Slovakia and Hungary in the eighteenth century.

A fresh start of higher medical education in Slovakia and Hungary is closely related to Trnava (Nagyszombat). The University of Trnava had originally been established in 1635 but the Faculty of Medicine was added only later, in 1769, when the name of the university was also changed to Royal Hungarian University of Sciences. A fresh graduate, Václav Trnka from Křovice (1739-1791), was appointed as head of the Department of Anatomy. He was not only an anatomist, but a real polymath of the second half of the eighteenth century practicing medicine as well as becoming the Dean, then the Rector of the University. He has lived and acted within several countries of Central Europe, or rather, the Austrio-Hungarian monarchy during the reign of Empress Maria Theresia, then her son Joseph II. Born in Bohemia (now Czech Republic), studied and graduated in Austria, then finally was appointed as the first Professor of Anatomy of a newly established medical faculty in Upper Hungary (now Slovakia). In 1777, the university was moved first to Buda, then to Pest (now parts of the capital of Hungary), and the Faculty of Medicine was not separated from the rest of the faculties before the end of the Second World War. Following several institutional and name changes, this Medical Faculty is considered as the foundation of the present Semmelweis University. Trnka was a proliferous author, publishing more than 20 monographs covering various branches of clinical medicine, however, no anatomical work may be connected to his activity. And as a typical intellectual of the era, he was a keen and talented musician composing several canons.

Dzieje prawa w Kościele Łacińskim – synteza dla Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej. Recenzja książki Vojtecha Vladára pt. Dejiny cirkevného práva, Praga: Wydawnictwo Leges 2017, ss. 608

Niniejszy artykuł stanowi recenzję publikacji autorstwa Vojtecha Vladára omawiającej dzieje prawa kościelnego. Książka ta ma charakter podręcznikowy i koncentruje się na powszechnej historii Kościoła zachodniego. Sporo miejsca poświęca również rozwojowi prawa kościelnego na ziemiach, które składają się na obecne terytorium Słowacji. Jej autor jest badaczem z zakresu prawa rzymskiego i prawa kościelnego, wykładającym na uniwersytecie Trnawie.

Authentic Materials – A Natural Resource for Developing Academic English

The approach to language learning as a way of coming to understand target culture and its impact on target language is reflected in the concept of teaching and learning languages through the integration of intercultural capabilities. The concept will be supported by a number of examples taken from authentic materials language learners have encountered in target language contexts, predominantly gaining experience through reading authentic materials. The paper presents the ideas of university students who carried out their own projects within and after research run by Trnava University, the representatives of which actively participated in a three-year project, supported by the VEGA funding scheme under number 1/0106/15. Twenty-two students who participated in our experiment were asked to analyze formal English in its written mode, searching for characteristic features of formal writing, used in contemporary English. After the completion of the first task related to the selection of appropriate samples, the students were expected to compare the quality of authentic materials received through technologies and that achieved from reading contemporary literary prose, newspapers and academic texts. The idea behind this task was to help university students to be able to critically assess other people’s ideas and arguments, to apply critical thinking when reading, to evaluate authentic materials and to achieve the ability to construct effective arguments in formal writing.

Václav Trnka ‐ the story of an almost forgotten Czech‐Austria‐Slovakia‐Hungarian anatomist of the 18th century, a founder of modern anatomy education in Hungary

Václav Trnka from Křovice (1739–1791, Latin: Wenzel Trnka Krzowitz) is a unique example of interconnecting the history of medicine within Central Europe. In view of the current geographical distribution of countries, he was born in the Czech Republic, graduated in Austria from the University of Vienna, he became Professor of Anatomy at the newly established Faculty of Medicine in Trnava (today Slovak Republic) and after moving of the University to Buda and later to Pest (today Budapest), he became the founder of the Hungarian anatomy. The region of Upper Hungary in the 17th–18th centuries, which is now known as the Slovak Republic, was traditionally multicultural. Within this region, the Slovak speaking people lived together with the Hungarian and German‐speaking communities. In 1635, Cardinal Péter Pázmány, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Esztergom, decided to found in Upper Hungary the university in order to improve the quality of education. At the University of Trnava, first there were established faculties of Philosophy, Theology and Law, Empress Maria Theresa also founded the Faculty of Medicine. The history of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Trnava was short and lasted only eight years, from 1769 to 1777, when the entire university moved to Buda (Budapest today, Hungary). The Faculty of Medicine in Trnava had five departments of which each was managed by a young graduate of the Vienna Medical School. Among them, there was a young and ambitious Václav Trnka. Trnka came from a noble Bohemian family and was born on October 18, 1739, in Tabor, today's Czech Republic. Václav Trnka became Doctor of Medicine in 1770 at the Medical Faculty in Vienna. As immediately this year he also became Professor of Anatomy at the newly established Faculty of Medicine in Trnava, it is believed he had had excellent teachers of anatomy. In Vienna, Trnka could still meet an anatomist J. L. Gasser (1723–1765). He wrote his doctoral thesis at the Vienna Military Hospital and devoted it to the issue of sciatica. His work was titled “De Morbo Coxario”. Václav Trnka led the Institute of Anatomy at the Faculty of Medicine in Trnava from 1770. He introduced anatomy according to the textbooks by J. B. Winslow of Paris (“Expositio anatomica”), B. S. Albinus of Leyden (“De sceleto humano”) and A. Schaarschmidt of Berlin (“Anatomische Tabellen”). Trnka never wrote his own textbook on anatomy, although he published many clinically‐oriented monographs. After the release of the Latin version of the anatomical compendium (1777) by J. F. von Leberius (1727–1808), a court surgeon of Maria Theresa, Trnka used mostly that particular 412‐page work to teach anatomy. After the death of his personal friend Professor Michael Schoreticz in 1786, Václav Trnka took over the teaching of pathology and later internal medicine after him. According to records, Trnka was highly recognized by both colleagues and students. He became Dean of the Faculty of Medicine three times and in the years 1786–1787 he was even Rector of the whole university. Despite the fact that Trnka is considered the founder of the Hungarian anatomy and a major medical figure in Central Europe, there has not been published any biographical information about him in the English language yet. Therefore, through this poster presentation, we would like to remind Václav Trnka both as an anatomist and medical polymath, as well as the beginnings of teaching anatomy in present‐day Slovakia and Hungary.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Харакскому форуму – 20 лет!

The review analyzes the main content of reports presented at the 33rd Charax forum Political Space and Social Time: the Dialogue of Epochs and Values of Generations , which took place from 8 to 12 November 2017 in Yalta (Republic of Crimea). The forum was organized by the V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University, Black Sea Information and Analytical Centre, Faculty of Law of Trnava University (Trnava, Slovakia). The forum was attended by over 90 researchers from Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, India, who discussed the latest political and social development in Russia and foreign countries, culture and history of the Crimea, its place in modern political and socio-cultural space. The review analyzes the ideas expressed at the round tables Slavic Vector in Geopolitics of the 21st Century (in memory of A.S. Panarin), Islam and Geopolitics in the Middle East, Crimea in the Сontext of the Russian Political, Economic and Socio-Cultural Space and at the 14th International seminar Religion and Сivil Society , which took place in the framework of the forum. The results of researches were carried out in the context of social philosophy, political science, sociology, cultural studies, comparative psycholinguistics and other scientific fields, which were presented in papers at the forum.

Analysis of Emergency Medical Services at Pediatrics Department in Trnava University Hospital

The aim of the study is analysis of the average annual percent change indicator (AAPC) of the most common selected ambulance departures causes (%) in the period of six years (2011-2016), divided into two sub-periods (2011-2013 and 2014-2016) at the Pediatrics Department in the Slovak Republic (Trnava University Hospital). The data were collected from the personal health records; where 1,437 the most common causes of ambulance departures were analyzed. In this study was used the trend analysis of average annual percent change (growth/ decline) indicator. In the period of 2011-2016, the highest AAPC of causes of ambulance departures rate was observed due to neuro-circulatory asthenia (AAPC 40.0%; P<0.001) as well as in sub-period 2011-2013 (AAPC 66.7%; P<0.001). In this six-year period, a permanent high decrease in AAPC of ambulance departures causes rate can be observed with lack of appetite. The highest number of ambulance departures was found in injuries, a permanent high increase AAPC of ambulance departures causes rate can be observed in the sub-period 2011-2013 (AAPC 11.8%; P<0.01), and the decrease in sub-period 2014-2016 (AAPC 0.6%). The present analysis of the most common ambulance departures causes could bring benefits regarding the social losses and economic in the Slovak Republic.

Conscientious Objection and the Treaty with the Holy See and other registered Churches

Paper for the International Conference « The Importance of Application of the Freedom of Conscience in a Democratic Society » , 21 May 2015, organised by Trnava University, Faculty of Law, Slovakia, to be published in the Conference Proceedings

First experience with digital Spyglass™ DS in Slovakia from the gastroenterology department of the Trnava University Hospital

First experience with digital Spyglass™ DS in Slovakia from the gastroenterology department of the Trnava University Hospital