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The use of paper is widespread. It could be used in many purposes, starting from printing industry, over different type of packaging etc. At the same time significant amount of waste paper is generated. As material, paper has excellent recycling properties. Paper could be recycled several times, retaining its original quality. The main goal of this research is to present the current situation in the management of waste paper in the Republic of Serbia. It is evident that awareness of citizens is not satisfying in terms of paper disposal. This is also shown by surveys carried out in the cities Zrenjanin and Novi Sad, which can present the general situation in our country. The research presents the public opinion focused on potential causes of low recycling rate. Using STAN software and Material Flow Analysis (MFA), based on the available amount of waste paper, it is estimated which amount of paper is used as a secondary raw material, and which part of the waste paper ends on sanitary and unsanitary landfills. The results of the assessment may be the starting point for some further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The repository of the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, and the Innovation Center – Cherry presents a well-organized digital library of the institution’s scientific outputs. For the purpose of this paper a research was done on the change in the number of citations contained in the repository, based on data from the external application Authors, projects, publications. The application has integrated parameters for examining the number of citations from Scopus and Web of Science databases. In this paper the change in number of citations from publications which appear in Altmetric – a platform for alternative metric were also used. Two methods of research were applied: the first method examines the change in number of citations for all deposited records of publications in the repository, and the second method enables to examine the change in number of citations on the level of all records of a specific author. The author whose publications were examined for the research via the second method was pronounced the most cited author in the yearly report for 2021 of the Faculty of Chemistry. Both methods examine three types of records with varying levels of accessibility: permanetly restricted, available after an embargo period (green open access) and permanent open access (gold open access). The metadata of all three kinds of publications recorded in the Cherry repository are accessible to the public with strict control of the librarian – repository manager. The research subject of this paper notes the difference that arises in the number of citations of individual records in September 2021 and a year later, in September 2022. The aim of the paper is to present a possible method to establish a correlation between the accessibility of publications and their citation count. There is a special regard to publications in the green open access, which form the basis for monitoring the relevance of the repository to the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, and the Innovation Center as well as to other institutions which are parts of the established infrastructure of repositories in Serbia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on ethnographic data from central Serbia, the article uses the concept of "esthetic formations" to consider how divergent expressions of Orthodox Christianity intersect in postsocialist space. The majority of Serbs identify as "Orthodox" and Orthodox imagery pervades the public sphere—but only a minority engage concertedly with liturgical practice. Through their regular fasting and churchgoing such self-identifying "believers" embody an Orthodox esthetic which is at once connected to—and yet distinct from—the overarching Orthodox cultural context. Whilst for churchgoers such embodiment represents sincerity and commitment, for many others it represents fanaticism and excessive piety. Overall, the article makes two claims. First, that "esthetic formations" are not internally rigid and that esthetics can divide as much as they unite. Second, that embodied esthetics allow different actors to articulate different moral claims about what constitutes sincere Orthodox practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing use of renewable energy sources and decentralized power systems, certain challenges have emerged in meeting consumers' electrical energy demands. The intermittent nature of renewable energy generation means that it cannot always align with consumers' needs, resulting in periods of excess energy production when it is not required. To bridge this gap between production and consumption, energy storage systems are necessary. This paper defines the work of an isolated microgrid, which consists of renewable sources (wind and PV) for energy production, households with electric vehicles as consumers, and a combined storage system. This storage system is made from batteries, hydrogen storage, and a control system that defines the best use of the storage. Stored energy is utilized through fuel cells to generate electricity for consumption when renewable sources cannot meet the demand. This paper presents the principles of electrolysis and models of individual elements within such a system, as well as the definition and principle of control of the system functionality based on rules and conditions. The proposed control system aims to increase the energy storage lifecycle by deciding when and how to utilize which type of storage and define a self-sufficient microgrid based on renewable sources of production. An economic analysis of the storage part of the system was carried out in which the levelized cost of energy stored and the NPC of the storage systems are calculated. A simulation of the system's operation is conducted using one-hour measurements of wind turbines, solar panels, and household consumption in Serbia. To analyze the system's behavior, a one-week time horizon is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the work of an important Serbian publisher and bookseller Velimir Valožić, his sons Miloš and Dušan, and grandson Dragutin. The members of the Valožić family were true book lovers and promoters of real cultural values, leaving a significant mark on book publishing activities. Velimir started the publishing business and trained his sons, who continued their father’s work with dignity. The Valožićs ran a bookstore in Belgrade and Niš, published and promoted books with great success, and delivered them to the most remote parts of Serbia. They did their job honorably and were respected among their fellow countrymen, and beyond, cooperating with many European metropolises. The Valožićs, Velimir, his sons and grandson, ran the bookstore for 86 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the relationships between nationalism and conspiracy theories during the COVID-19 pandemic. We focus on the two main issues: 1) the intensity and character of belief in the COVID-19 conspiracy theories across five European societies: Germany, England, Ireland, Serbia, and Sweden; and 2) how is the commitment to specific nationalist ideologies linked with the belief in conspiracy theories. The data indicates that those who described themselves as highly religious and politically right-wing are more prone to believe in the strong versions of conspiracy theories. Furthermore, primordialism and the nation-centric view of the world are positively correlated with the propensity towards stronger versions of conspiracy theories. The paper zooms in on the significant differences across the five countries: the Serbian respondents stand out in terms of their strong beliefs in conspiracy theories while the Irish and Serbian respondents who are prone to strong version of conspiratorial thinking also subscribe more to the primordialist understanding of nationhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of the most significant organizational factors on primary school achievements, with a note that the achievement of the school is expressed through the quality of outcome knowledge. The research was conducted on a sample of 460 employees, from 21 primary schools, of which 439 are professionals and 21 are principals in the South Bačka County, Republic of Serbia. The collected data were processed using the Gretl software and AMOS for modelling structural equations. More precisely, the research is based on the application of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. A neural network based on a standard multilayer perceptron model was used in the paper to test the validity of the obtained results of the AMOS model. The results of the research show that school management is the most important factor in school achievement and that this influence is most pronounced through teaching staff and school infrastructure. The results, also show that teachers' competencies have the strongest direct influence on the quality of outcome knowledge. The results obtained indicate that decision-makers and creators of social policies must pay special attention to the selection of school principals as well as their professional education, while school principals to the selection of teachers. Future researchers are recommended to use the Sobel test to precisely determine the indirect influences of school management on school achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the genus Vitrea Fitzinger, 1833 in Serbia is reviewed. All previous literature data on this genus from Serbia are summarised and used to discuss its distribution in the country and create distribution maps, supplemented by new material collected by the authors. All Serbian species are figured. For each species, a brief description of the examined specimens, data on previous findings in Serbia, the material (including types) that were analysed, the distribution and habitats in Serbia they inhabit, as well as remarks on specific species are given. A new species, Vitrea virgo Gojšina & Dedov, sp. nov., is described from a pit on Mt. Devica in eastern Serbia. Vitrea pygmaea (O. Boettger, 1880) is reported for the first time for the territory of Serbia. As some Vitrea species have a narrow geographical range and prefer certain habitats, they are particularly vulnerable to habitat changes, which is also discussed in the paper. An identification key for all hitherto known Serbian species is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study deals with the outdoor learning approach developed by Sreten Adžić (1856–1933), who is considered the founder of the outdoor learning movement in Serbia. He greatly influenced pedagogical practice as a primary-school teacher, professor, and teacher-training school manager. According to this approach, the term outdoor learning had two meanings: learning through exploring the local environment and staying outside the school building in green spaces during regular classes. This paper deals with the questions related to the theoretical and political foundations of that approach, its didactic characteristics, possible pedagogical, social, political and economic scope, and its position and role in the circulation of knowledge about the international context. The first part of the paper deals with the Pestalozzianism and socialism foundations of Adžić's practice at the beginning of his professional career. The second and third parts thematise outdoor learning as student-centred learning in an authentic context based on sense perception and students' self-activity. The local environment is interpreted as an educational object. This approach aimed to develop students' critical thinking and civic education. The fourth part presents the realisation of Adžić's project of outdoor classrooms as green spaces for learning and explains their pedagogical meaning. Key findings presented in the final part are those encouraging teachers to come outdoors contributed to rethinking the traditional teaching model and school education in giving a background for the new school movement, which was widely accepted in Yugoslavia between the two world wars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem that plastic bags cause to the environment is one of the most significant environmental problems. Not much attention is paid to this problem on the territory of the Republic of Serbia, and there is a gap where scientific research is concerned. In addition to mitigating this gap, the aim of this paper is to identify the basic factors which reduce the consumption of light (disposable) plastic bags using exploratory factor analysis. The results of the conducted analysis show that the development of environmental awareness, the availability of alternatives, social norms, and economic instruments that could be implemented in the future have a positive impact on the change in consumer behaviour on the territory of the Republic of Serbia when it comes to the use of plastic bags. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease of unknown etiology that can affect almost any organ. Although the acute form can have spontaneous regression, a certain number of patients can have a chronic form, which leads to an increase in mortality and a decrease in the quality of life. Considering that the risk factors are still unknown, we wanted to compare the characteristics of patients with acute and chronic forms of sarcoidosis in Serbia in order to determine significant differences between them with hopes of contributing to everyday clinical practice. A total of 2380 patients treated in our clinic were enrolled in this study. They were separated into the following two groups: 1126 patients with acute form and 1254 patients with chronic form. They were further compared by gender, smoking status, radiological status, exposition, biomarkers for sarcoidosis, organ involvement, and other comorbidities; the distribution of patients according to regions of Serbia was also noted. Statistical significance was found in radiological findings (p < 0.001), biomarkers (calcium in 24 h urine p < 0.001; chitotriosidase p = 0.001), and the affliction of organs (p < 0.001). The differences noted in this paper could help improve our understanding of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why did Serbia not impose sanctions against Russia following its aggression on Ukraine in February 2022? As a state seeking membership of the European Union (EU), Serbia's reluctance to join the sanction regime is puzzling. This paper draws from the ontological security literature to show how Serbia, as a political community, is divided between East and West, that is, between a vicarious attachment to Moscow and a relationship with Brussels driven primarily by the prospect of joining the benefits of membership of the EU. The problem of sanctions brought to the fore the conflicted identity of Serbia, showing how Belgrade's hedging in foreign policy reflects not only an attempt to extract concessions and advantages from both partners – the EU and Russia – but more fundamentally its efforts to come to terms with its liminal, ontologically insecure position within the international system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an approach is proposed for assessing the performance of experts in the group from two perspectives: (1) individual consistencies and (2) deviations from the group decision. The quality of performance of the experts is based on combining the standard and rough analytic hierarchy process (AHP) with the technique for order of preference by similarity to the ideal solution (TOPSIS). The statistical method CRITIC is used to derive weights for the TOPSIS method before the experts are assessed based on demonstrated consistency and deviations from the group. Common performance indicators, such as consistency ratio, Euclidean distance, compatibility, and Spearman's correlation coefficient, are proposed for re-grouping experts before making the final decisions. A genetic algorithm enables the efficient solving of this complex clustering problem. Implementing the described approach and method can be useful in comparable assessment frameworks. A critical aspect is conducting a thorough pre-assessment of the competence of potential decision makers, often referred to as experts who may not consistently exhibit apparent expertise. The competence of decision makers (which does not have to be associated with compatibility) is evidenced by selected consistency parameters, and in a way, a pre-assessment of their competence follows Plato's 'government of the wise' principle. In the presented study, the compatibility of individuals in the group with the collective position (group decision) is measured by parameters related to their compatibility with the group solution and statistical deviation while ranking decision elements. The proposed multi-model-based approach stands out for its resilience in conducting thorough pre-assessment of the quality (competence) of potential decision makers, often regarded as experts who might not consistently display evident expertise. The wetland study area in Serbia is used as an example application, where seven measures for reducing the risk of drought were evaluated by twelve experts coming from different sectors and with different backgrounds and expertise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim s : Ecological theories predict that assembly processes are driven by two deterministic forces: environmental filtering and limiting similarity. Their relative importance under different environmental conditions is still not completely obvious. Therefore, in this paper the predictions of the stress–dominance hypothesis (SDH) are tested in several sites. Location: Kiskunság in Hungary, and Deliblato Sands in Serbia, Central Europe. Methods: We studied a productivity gradient from open sand grasslands to meadows. The cover of species was estimated visually in plots with a size of 2 m × 2 m, resulting in 344 vegetation plots. Four trait values (height, seed mass, specific leaf area, and leaf size) were collected from field measurements and databases. The weighted median of interspecies distances in traits (a robust alternative to Rao's quadratic entropy) was used to determine functional diversity. The convergence and divergence of each trait in communities were evaluated by randomization tests, and effect sizes were calculated for each plot. We used hierarchical general additive models (HGAM) to determine whether the trend of effect sizes along the productivity gradient is the same in different sites. Results: The HGAM approach indicated that trait variations follow global trends but are influenced by site‐specific effects. The exception is seed mass, whose variation did not have any trend. Both environmental filtering and limiting similarity exist in the communities, and mainly a shift from trait convergence to a divergence pattern along the productivity gradient was observed. Conclusion: The results are mainly congruent with theoretical expectations, but the results from the different sites did not lead to the same conclusion. Although traits follow a global trend, the site effect is not negligible. Critical evaluation of SDH using trait convergence/divergence patterns for exploring rules of community assembly points out the weaknesses of this hypothesis. Therefore, alternative ways of studying trait patterns should be found to better understand community organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarizes the results of determination of the washability characteristics of anthracite coal from Vrska Cuka coal mine, Serbia. The effect of different coal size fractions has been studied through washability studies. In this study, float-sink experiments were carried out with the anthracite coal samples on (−19 + 9.5) mm, (−9.5 + 4.75) mm, (−4.75 + 2.36) mm, and (−2.36 + 0.6) mm size fractions. Two washability parameters, Index of Washability (IW) and Near Gravity Material Index (NGMI), were calculated and the results were compared. The IW and NGMI values indicated that the washability of different size fractions of anthracite coal was easy to relatively difficult to wash. The obtained values of IW showed that the order of coal washing ability by size fractions was as follows: (−9.5 + 4.75) mm, (−4.75 + 2.36) mm, (−2.36 + 0.6) mm, and (−19 + 9.5) mm. The NGMI values decreased with increasing specific gravity and decreasing particle size fractions. The minimum values of NGMI were achieved at density of 1650 kg/m3 and these values were 0.1322, 0.0695, 0.0677, and 0.0240, respectively. The results presented in this study indicate that washability of the anthracite coal is relatively easy and should be washed at a specific density of 1650 kg/m3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global scientific community is intensively promoting energy-plus buildings. Following the leading world trends, this paper presents a new energy-plus building concept—elevational earth-sheltered buildings with three different types of horizontal overhang photovoltaic-integrated panels: wooden support columns covered with clay tiles, steel pipes as support columns covered with sheet steel, and concrete support columns with concrete coverage. In this instance, the specific multi-numerical case study building model for the city of Kragujevac (located in central Serbia with favorable climatic conditions) was performed over 7 months (from 1 October to 30 April), taking into account the soil temperature, the effects of solar shading, the performance of the heating system—a ground source heat pump—and the characteristics of the artificial and automatic lighting control system. The simulation results show that the optimal depth of a horizontal overhang (energy-plus status) depends on the occupant's habits, in addition to meteorological conditions. The presented methodology can be used for any other location, both in Europe and the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to the previous period, the vineyard area in the Republic of Serbia has decreased significantly. Although the planting of new vineyards is subsidized over a long period of time, not enough vineyards are planted to ensure self-sufficiency in domestic grapes, wine (wine products) and spirit drinks originating from grapes. This is especially case for vineyards with local grapevine varieties, which can be of great importance for the rural development and promotion. In this paper, utilized time series analysis, specifically Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) modeling was used to predict the dynamics of newly planted vineyard areas with all grapevine varieties and local grapevine varieties based on data from the previous 20 years (period from 2003 to 2022). The aim is to forecast the trends of newly planted vineyard areas, both for all grapevine varieties and vineyards with local grapevine varieties, for the period from 2023 to 2027. A time series refers to a structured sequence of observations. The structuring is frequently done in terms of time intervals. Forecasting time series data, or determining future trends, is one of the most crucial goals of time series analysis. Based on such analysis, it is possible to forecast the expansion of vineyard areas for the upcoming period. ARIMA models helped to determine five-year trends in data on newly planted vineyard areas. The forecast made in this paper showed that vineyard area of all grapevine varieties would be planted at an annual range of about 230 and 300 hectares over the next five years. The forecast for future annual planting for the same period (2023-2027) of vineyards with local grapevine varieties is in the range of only about 10 to 60 hectares. The obtained ARIMA forecast results, especially for the forecasts for planting vineyards with local grapevine varieties, show that it is necessary to pay special attention to this problem and to initiate numerous measures and activities in order to increase the area of vineyards with local grapevine varieties in the Republic of Serbia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main and primary goal of the research in this paper is to analyze the actual current situation in domestic civil engineering, by determining the causes of missing deadlines and exceeding budgets of civil engineering projects. Since the results of this research also indicate the most likely problems that could arise during the construction of a project, the findings and conclusions could be used in risk assessment and drawing up dynamic plans for actual projects, which would improve the situation in domestic civil engineering and increase productivity of this important industry. The results obtained in this paper provide a modern approach to the problem of risk in construction, provide a realistic insight into risk factors on civil engineering projects in the Republic of Serbia and the surrounding area, and facilitate the establishment of a better correlation between theory and practice in project management and risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of plum and cherry, as stone fruit species, occupy a significant place in the plant agricultural activity of the Republic of Serbia. In this paper, on the basis of data from selected family holdings in the southern part of Serbia, the production results and evaluation of the economic justification of these two fruit species were investigated. Data collected through a survey were used for the research, and the economic evaluation was performed using static calculative methods. The most important economic indicators determined were: cost price, net profit (average amount), accumulativeness expressed through the rate and time period of investment capital. When producing plums, the average annual financial result is from 503,490 RSD/ha to 594,340 RSD/ha. The analysis determined that by investing RSD 100/ha in production of plum, 40 RSD is accumulated, and the average annual net profit is 425,313 RSD/ha. From the average amounts of net profit, investments made in raising plum trees plantations (1,080,000 RSD/ha) can be recovered during the third year of its exploitation. Although the yield of cherry per unit area is lower compared to the yield of plum, better economic results in the amount of 535,800 RSD/ha to 682,920 RSD/ha are achieved due to a much more favorable selling price per unit measure. For every RSD 100 invested in cherry production, 48 RSD of accumulation is achieved. The average net profit amounts to 492,099 RSD/ha, and the investments made in raising plantations of cherry trees (1,020,000 RSD/ha) can be recovered in the third year of its exploitation. In recent years, cherry have been very profitable fruit species in Serbia, due to the high demand and favorable selling price. With permanent education of fruit producers, as well as with various support measures at the state and local level, it is possible to contribute to the improvement of the existing business and improve the profitability of plums and cherry production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From a global point of view, the Republic of Serbia has favorable conditions for cattle breeding and beef production, because there are favorable soil and climatic conditions, high production of roughage and fodder, available workforce, installed capacities of meat processing industries (for the production of beef and meat products) etc. However, it is not the only, or exclusive, parameter of the development of cattle production, because there are significant differences in the racial composition and production potential of cattle in certain production districts of the Republic of Serbia. The paper shows the period of the movement of the number of cattle, as one of the potentials for the production of beef, and the heifers that provide new heads for fattening. In the observed time period from 2012 to 2022, it is in permanent decline. According to the obtained data of the calculated value of base and chain indices for the observed time period of ten years, there is no hint of stabilization of breeding and increase in the number of cattle for slaughter. The average number of cattle in the Republic of Serbia was 898 thousand head with a tendency to decrease from 2.5% to 3.0%. At the end of 2022, the estimate of slaughter outside slaughterhouses in December was reduced to 16 thousand heads, however, the number of slaughtered heads increased from May and reached its maximum in October with 20.61 thousand heads and in November when there were 26.45 thousand heads. From this data, it can be seen that the total number of heads has been decreasing since December, which means that there has been stagnation in the number of slaughtered heads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a collection of papers and presentations from a symposium on gender identity issues in Eastern Europe, specifically focusing on the Czech Republic and Serbia. The papers discuss various topics such as political debates, experiences of the trans and gender non-conforming community, the impact of language on gender discourse, and representation in popular culture. The document emphasizes the need for international and intersectional perspectives in the study of gender. Another research study conducted in India found that LGBT individuals face higher levels of discrimination and psychological distress compared to heterosexual individuals, but social support and acceptance are protective factors for their well-being. A study on transgender individuals from various countries revealed that higher levels of structural stigma and identity concealment are associated with lower life satisfaction. The experiences of self-silencing among female software engineers were explored in another study, highlighting the need to address gender inequality in the workplace. A study in the Philippines aims to destigmatize same-sex relationships by challenging societal prejudices and promoting acceptance and understanding. Lastly, a study on same-sex relationships found that intimate partner violence is not prevalent and highlighted the positive aspects and efforts made by couples to maintain loving and supportive environments. [Extracted from the article]

This paper deals with legal regulation in the field of the selfdriving car (SDC), an autonomous vehicle without a human driver. A survey carried out in Serbia on the acceptability of this vehicle in everyday life indicated the distrust of the population in driving with SDCs due to concerns of violation the privacy, distrust in the protection of personal data and insufficient security and cyber security. For proper functioning and especially for artificial intelligence (AI) decision-making the SDC needs a large set of data, including personal information. In this paper the legal framework for collecting, storing, processing and erasing of personal data for SDCs is developed. Most of regulation are new, due to the technical novelty of the SDC, which uncouples the driver and the vehicle are in the driving process. In the paper, documents and acts which protect privacy according to the EUs General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are suggested. Principles for data security and, especially, for cybersecurity of data are legally regulated and proposed to be incorporated into the future law of transportation. The suggested legal regulation would increase the trust of population in the SDC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve laying hen welfare the EU banned conventional cages more than a decade ago. However, it turned out that permitted hen housing systems are not rid of animal welfare problems. One of them is an alarmingly high prevalence of keel bone damage (KBD) in alternative housing systems. For non-EU countries, like Serbia, where keeping laying hens in conventional cages has not yet been officially abandoned, it is very important to learn the lesson from the EU experience. However, the question is who could/should initiate the legislation change, since it is hypothesized in this paper that current knowledge about KBD in Serbia is limited. The main aim of this paper is to find out stakeholders’ knowledge and perceptions about KBD in order to identify initiator(s) for the enhancement of the regulation on laying hen welfare in Serbia. For this purpose, a survey has been conducted. A total of 547 respondents representing main stakeholders (57 poultry farmers, 159 poultry experts/professionals, and 331 citizens/consumers) were interviewed. The obtained results confirmed the initial hypothesis that, in general, knowledge about the topic of KBD is very low. Particularly low is the knowledge of citizens. It is therefore not to be expected that this change in welfare standards will be initiated by the general public. Despite farmers’ somewhat better knowledge of KBD, it is unrealistic to expect them to initiate changes that are likely to impose costs on their business. Hence, the only driving force behind legislative changes could/should be experts/professionals. Their knowledge is also limited but is better than the knowledge of other stakeholders. The agricultural advisory service, as well as veterinarians, should play a strong role in this process and should act as soon as possible by giving recommendations to decision-makers for the laying hens' welfare regulation enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to the subject-matter theoretical knowledge acquired during undergraduate and especially postgraduate studies future young scientists must also acquire the accompanying academic skills. This skillset will enable them to plan and conduct their research in accordance with the scientific method, but also to present the results of that research in suitable forms. No result and no new knowledge derived from research is valuable in itself, as long as it is not presented to the scientific community and society as a whole. This dissemination is most often done through the peer-reviewed publishing in scientific journals. Hence, acquiring the skill of writing scientific publications must be an integral part of education, e.g., part of the acquired academic skills. However, that is not currently the case in all scientific environments and a significant number of (young) scientists and researchers do not possess all the necessary knowledge and skills to write academic articles, especially when it comes to the standardized format and technical preparations. This skill-gap often results in a significant number of submitted papers to be rejected or sent back for resubmission even before they reach the Editor's desk. In an effort to provide an academic-writing-skill resource for young academics in the field of chemistry, this article points out the general principles of a well-written and prepared paper, indicates the most common errors and omissions, and suggests ways to prevent them. In addition, the article considers the current state of academic skills in less developed scientific environments, with Serbia as an example, and some of the causes of such a state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to examine the impact of academician Eugen Simion on the literary landscape in Serbia, focusing on his contributions to fostering cultural exchange between the two neighbouring countries. Additionally, it explores his efforts to promote Romanian creativity and his perspectives on Serbian artistic expression. Furthermore, this paper will analyse the reception of Simion's works in Serbia it will delve into the collaborations and partnerships he established with Serbian literary institutions, highlighting the lasting legacy of his efforts to strengthen cultural ties between Romania and Serbia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the changing paradigms in the official politics of memory as linked to the rise of populism and authoritarian democracy in Serbia, focusing on the appropriation of the People's Liberation Movement and the victory against fascism in the Second World War. The article places the memory of the Second World War in the framework of anticommunism and ethnicization as dominant prisms of historical interpretation within state-sanctioned memory politics in contemporary Serbia. Understanding the populist memory politics in Serbia as based on the dichotomy of heroism and victimhood, this article focuses on the heroic aspect of the dominant narratives as exemplified in the notion of Serbia's liberation wars. The Victory Day and Day of Liberation of Belgrade are in focus as the most prominent commemorative events that illuminate the tendency of memory appropriation. After theoretical consideration about authoritarianism in Serbia, populism and memory politics and a brief background on the notion of liberation wars, the article moves on to the analysis of memory politics. The study is based on media discourses, state papers and observation of official commemorations and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the possible impact of the thermal soil regime on the occurrence of forest fires in the Zaječar administrative district in Eastern Serbia. The study uses data on soil temperature from the Republic Hydrometeorological Service of the Republic of Serbia and the ERA5-Land gridded reanalysis dataset for monthly temperature and volumetric soil water of the soil level 1 (0-7 cm), and soil level 2 (7-28 cm) with horizontal resolution of 0.1°C (approximately 12 km × 12 km) during the period of 2009-2021. Differences in soil temperature at depths of 2 cm, 5 cm, 10 cm, and 20 cm at the meteorological station in Zaječar for the periods 1961-1990 and 2009-2021 are observed. By analyzing the data on the registered number of forest fires for the period 2009-2021, pronounced oscillations in the dynamics of forest fires can be observed. The minimum number of forest fires (0) is registered in 2014, when the maximum of soil moisture in the soil levels 1 and 2 is observed. A high number of forest fires corresponds to high soil temperatures in 2012 and 2017. Soils drier and hotter than the average are registered in 47.0% of all months with the fire occurrences. About 50% of fires occurred in dry and hot soils during 2012 and 2017. This percentage was zero in 2014, when there were no fires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Merodon triangulum Vujić, Radenković & Hurkmans, 2020 is a European endemic hoverfly species belonging to Merodon constans species-group, inside albifrons-lineage. The distribution of this species is known to be mostly central Europe and Balkan peninsula and it has been categorized as Near Threatened in the European IUCN red list of hoverflies; this paper cites the species for the first time in Ukraine (western Ukraine, specifically). In the present study, the preimaginal stages of this species are described and figured using Scanning Electron Microscopy. The material used for the descriptions were larvae collected in Ukraine and Serbia feeding inside underground storage organs of the spring snowflake Leucojum vernum L., 1753. This morphological description constitutes the first one inside the constans species-group, and the sixth description of the albifrons-lineage, in which there is only one species-group left to have at least one species of the preimaginal stages described (i.e., ruficornis species-group). The descriptions were compared with the rest available of the genus, stating the diagnostical characters of the present species and the shared characters inside the lineage. The novel information provided on the trophic interaction between M. triangulum larvae and Leucojum bulbs is stated for the first time and further supports the association of the constans species-group with the underground storage organs of snowflakes and snowdrops (Galantheae) in their role as host plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subject of this paper is human resources in the field of science and technology in the Republic of Serbia. The aim is to establish the state and tendencies regarding the number and structure of human resources in the mentioned field. Accordingly, several research questions were defined. Open data (2018-2021) of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia were used. The results showed that the average number of employees who have either higher education or are employed in the field of science and technology was 991.9 thousand and on average their number was growing. The majority were women, whose number and share increased on average. The average number of employees who have higher education and are employed in the field of science and technology was 501.4 thousand and their number was growing on average, including people of both genders. The majority were women, whose share was constant with a tendency to minimal decrease. The average number of employees aged 15-74 who are employed in the field of science and technology was 731.2 thousand and on average their number was growing, including persons of both genders. The majority were women, whose share was constant with a tendency to minimal increase. The most important sector in the field of science and technology was education. It is concluded that there are positive tendencies regarding the number of human resources in the field of science and technology in Serbia, especially when it comes to women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many methods exist for solving the problem of evaluating efficiency in different processes. They are divided into two basic groups, parametric and non-parametric methods, which can have significant differences in the results. In this study, the authors consider the process of assessing the business climate depending on realized foreign investments. Due to the expected difference in efficiency assessment using different approaches, the goal of this paper is to create an optimization model of an ensemble for efficiency assessment that uses both types of methods with the aim of creating a symmetrical approach that achieves better results than each type of method individually. The proposed solution simultaneously analyzes the impact of different factors on foreign investments in order to determine the most important factors and thus enable each local government to ensure the best possible efficiency in this process. The innovative idea of this study is in the inclusion of classification and feature selection methods of machine learning to fulfill the set goal. Our research, focused on a specific case study in various cities across the Republic of Serbia, evaluated the effectiveness of that process. This study extends previous research and confirms the published results, highlighting the advantages of the newly proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Balkan region is rich in limestone deposits, which have created one of the largest hotspots of subterranean biodiversity. This paper gives an overview of the diversity of subterranean terrestrial arthropods in Resava Cave in eastern Serbia. This cave is protected and has the status of a natural monument. At the same time, it is one of the most visited caves in Serbia and its surroundings. Our study comprises the results of three years of biospeleological investigations of the famous Serbian cave in combination with data from the few available literature sources on the arthropod fauna of the cave. The arthropod samples were collected both manually and with pitfall traps. A total of 107 arthropod species from the four major subphyla were registered in the cave: 66 species of Hexapoda, 27 species of Chelicerata, 11 species of Myriapoda and three species of Crustacea. For four troglobitic, 16 troglophilic and 87 trogloxenic species recorded in the cave, descriptions of their microhabitats and information on their distribution in the cave are given. Considering the medium size of Resava Cave and the lack of permanent water flow in the two main levels on the one hand, and the large number of arthropod species recorded on the other, the cave is relatively rich in hypogean terrestrial arthropod fauna compared to other caves in Serbia that have been biospeleologically studied so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a model for evaluating production strategies, policies and methods based on fuzzy set theory. To illustrate the application of a model, the longitudinal case study was carried out in the sector of automotive components and parts production in Serbia. Within the automotive supplier industry, analysis is concentrated on the Cooper Standard company, one of the world's most prominent component suppliers. The study was conducted with the management team of the Cooper Standard branch in Serbia. Triangular fuzzy numbers are employed to effectively evaluate the critical areas of production management and overall competitiveness over time. The findings of the empirical survey confirmed the usability and usefulness of the proposed approach. Also, the longitudinal character of this case study provided an opportunity to follow the patterns of change over a period of 5 years (2019-2024). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable consumption of construction materials is an important segment of sustainable development goals towards reducing climate change. Since the consumption of natural aggregates raises environmental concerns, there is an increasing demand for use of recycled aggregates (RAs), as it enhances social and environmental benefits and creates a market opportunity. This paper presents the practice of using recycled construction and demolition waste (CDW) in the Belgrade city area (Serbia) as a resource. Two groups of CDW from Vinča landfill site near Belgrade are analyzed: raw material before, and RAs after, construction of a recycling facility on site. Comprehensive characterization is performed (including particle size distribution, density, water and organic pollutants content, various mechanical resistances, flakiness index, etc.) and compilation of samples analyzed and compared to show a holistic overview. The test outputs in both groups show acceptable values and meet required standards, indicating that recycled CDW generated in the Belgrade area can be used as a substitute to natural aggregates. In addition to that, the environmental and economic benefits from this use as a substitute are analyzed and discussed, proving the substantial income from sold Ras and the landscaping benefits, as well as ecological and economic benefits from energy savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The right of religious organizations to independently decide on purely religious issues is one of the basic prerequisites is fundamental for upholding both communal and individual aspects of religiousfreedom. The scope and content of religious autonomy may differ depending on the model of the relationship between the state and churches and religious communities. The basic hypothesis of the paper is that the protection of religious autonomy in Serbia does not deviate from the general international standards established by international conventions for the protection of human rights and the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights. However, there remains an opportunity for enhancement, particularly concerning the protection of rights for various factions resulting from divisions within formerly unified religious entities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different capital structures and their impact on firm performance are one of the most studied topics in the finance literature. This study is an attempt to assess the impact of financial structure on profitability of agricultural enterprises in the Republic of Serbia, with the aim of evaluating the importance and nature of the contribution of the total, short-term and long-term aspects of debt to the success of the company. The financial performance of the selected sample of 38 medium and large agricultural enterprises in the Republic of Serbia was analysed in the period from 2018 to 2021. The findings of this paper indicate that total debt and short-term debt significantly determine the return on equity, while the effect of long-term debt is insignificant. The nature of the impact of all three aspects of financial structure is negative. The inclusion of size and growth of sales in the regression models showed that only annual sales growth significantly positively determines profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is provoked by Rosalind Dixon's book on Responsible Judicial Review and the arguments expressed by the author. The paper deals with the independence of the Constitutional Court in Serbia, as the most important requirement for a responsive judicial review. The main premise is that because of the appointment of judges, almost unknown in professional circles, and their servile relationship with other branches of government, the Constitutional Court acts as a guardian of controversial executive policies. The author briefly describes the origins of the Serbian Constitutional Court and the level of its independence. Some relevant cases are presented that demonstrate the existence of several strategies applied by judges which support the thesis that judges allow political and other factors to influence their decisions. The author also presents human rights cases that illustrate a very formalistic approach of the Court that influences its own legitimacy and lack of support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the effects of collaborative innovation (CI) in urban planning practice by investigating the influence of a platform for collaboration between academia and external partners (practitioners and community groups). Unlike previous research on learning outcomes from the perspective of students (Fokdal et al., 2020), the aim of this article is to investigate the transformative learning (TL) experience from the perspective of the external partners. Design/methodology/approach: The outcomes of the TL experience were assessed through four elements: disorienting dilemma; critical reflection; engagement in discourse; and reflective and critical taking action. Findings: The claim that collaboration with multiple actors through TL processes can help promote innovative ways to view and practice planning outside of academia has to a certain extent been confirmed. This paper provides evidence that such transformative processes can have an impact on the individuals involved and shows the importance of individuals acting as change agents – or drivers of innovation. In addition, the importance of a collaborative platform – acting as an intermediary – in facilitating TL processes in planning practices is highlighted in the context of Serbia. Originality/value: This paper is a continuation of existing research on educational initiatives that attempt to integrate sustainability into the curricula and bring innovation to urban planning practice; showcase outcomes of the TL experience for sustainable development, especially when addressing the innovative ways that planning is practiced outside of academia; and push for change toward a more sustainable future not only within and but also outside of academia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the first three articles that appeared in the Agora on Kosovo, this paper argues that there is a right of unilateral secession based on the right of external self-determination. According to the authors, the latter right is applicable outside a colonial context, in limited circumstances resembling the colonial paradigm. Modern customary international law provides the legal basis for a right of “remedial secession”, an argument that is supported by relevant State and institutional practice. After having discussed the conditions of this right and its legal basis, the authors apply their findings to the Kosovo case, in order to answer the question whether the Kosovo Albanians had a right of unilateral secession under international law. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is among the most common genetic metabolic lipid disorders characterised by elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels from birth and a significantly higher risk of developing premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The majority of the current pediatric guidelines for clinical management of children and adolescents with FH does not consider the impact of genetic variations as well as characteristics of vascular phenotype as assessed by recently developed non-invasive imaging techniques. We propose a combined integrated approach of cardiovascular (CV) risk assessment and clinical management of children with FH incorporating current risk assessment profile (LDL-C levels, traditional CV risk factors and familial history) with genetic and non-invasive vascular phenotyping. Based on the existing data on vascular phenotype status, this panel recommends that all children with FH and cIMT ≥0.5 mm should receive lipid lowering therapy irrespective of the presence of CV risk factors, family history and/or LDL-C levels Those children with FH and cIMT ≥0.4 mm should be carefully monitored to initiate lipid lowering management in the most suitable time. Likewise, all genetically confirmed children with FH and LDL-C levels ≥4.1 mmol/L (160 mg/dL), should be treated with lifestyle changes and LLT irrespective of the cIMT, presence of additional RF or family history of CHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the author argues that the new Law on Amendments to the Law on Higher Education from 2021 is not in harmony with the Constitution of Serbia regarding the provisions implying the consent of church bodies for enrollment of students, employment and loss of appointment pertinent to the Faculty of Orthodox Theology. The paper tackles the relation between the university and the Church in Serbia, which changed dramatically since 2019, when the Church started intervening illegally in the Faculty of Theology, triggering a change of the law governing higher education. With the new law, the Serbian Church, a non-university and non-state institution, has been allowed to fully control the enrollment of students, and the selection and dismissal of the state university teachers, and this fact clearly contradicts the Serbian Constitution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/purpose: The digitization of healthcare has gained particular importance in the years since the emergence of COVID-19 and also has become one of the primary goals of the Government of the Republic of Serbia. Telemedicine is a good solution when the patient cannot come to a healthcare facility. Mobile healthcare applications are already widely used, but in both fields the important challenge is data security. The aim of this paper is to review solutions for data security in mobile healthcare from the technical side and possible challenges in the process of digitization of the healthcare system in Serbia. Methods: This review is based on current papers in this area, on the available relevant literature and the authors' many years of experience in this field. Experiences in the process of digitization of healthcare in Serbia are based on available articles and regulations. Finally, possible challenges are presented from the authors' perspective based on everything presented in the field of data security in mobile healthcare. Results: The analysis of the papers reviewed from the point of view of data security showed that users are often ready to sacrifice their privacy for the sake of convenience provided by mobile applications. Conclusion: Based on the review of the papers and clear data security requirements that include the presented safeguards, one of the main tasks of the entire community is to raise awareness of information security and awareness of the need for cyber hygiene of each individual, which is the basis for the safe use of e-health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the aspects of criminal law as regards the suppression of doping in sports in the law of the Republic of Serbia. The Law on the Prevention of Doping in Sports prescribes two criminal offences, namely Facilitating the Use of Doping Substances and the Unauthorized Production and Circulation of Doping Substances. These are criminal acts that are prescribed by the so-called secondary criminal legislation of the Republic of Serbia. The analysis of these criminal offences is afforded the central place in this paper. At the same time, for the sake of systematicity, numerous common features of these criminal acts were separated and analysed, such as protective object, object of action (doping agent), consequence of the criminal act, guilt, special intention, etc., and then their other features were separately considered. It is noticeable that the criminal offenses from the Law on the Prevention of Doping in Sports have corresponding regulatory shortcomings, above all they do not include certain important aspects related to the suppression of doping in sports, so certain proposals de lege ferenda were made based on the criminal offenses from the Criminal Code. The paper also gives a cursory review of the most important international documents in this area, i.e. the two most important documents ratified by the Republic of Serbia, namely the International Convention against Doping in Sport and the European Convention against Doping in Sport, bearing in mind that these acts were the basis for adoption of a special anti-doping law in our country. Additionally, the paper clarifies what is considered doping in sports according to the provisions of the positive law of Serbia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyse the attitudes of students of sports towards the use of gender-sensitive language in the Serbian language. As the correlation between language and gender has been a hot topic in Serbia in the last two years, this paper presents an overview of some of the studies related to language, gender and sports. The theoretical section of this paper covers some main terms such as gender-sensitive language and the connection among language, gender and sport. The aim of the study conducted for the purposes of this paper was to determine whether male and female students of sports have positive or negative attitudes toward the use of gendersensitive language in contemporary society and in their everyday speech. The study was conducted by using an anonymous survey with open-ended and closed questions, and it included 281 participants. The study results show that students of sports are still not aware of the increasingly widespread use of gender-sensitive language, and that they are not interested in learning about the theoretical aspects of this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the semantic aspect of the effect of populism in power on parliamentarism. The research focuses on the case of Serbia between 2001 and 2022, which corresponds to the post-Milošević era of contemporary Serbian political history and includes a decade before and after the populist Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) took power in 2012. Drawing on the traditions of conceptual history and rhetorical political analysis, this paper reconstructs the debate over the concept of parliamentarism in Serbian parliamentary debates during the period under observation in order to analyze how populist agents' interpretation and use of the concept of parliamentarism related to and affected established conceptual conventions. The paper argues that the excessive centralization of power in the hands of the populist executive, which marked the first decade of SNS rule, was accompanied by SNS deputies' attempt to redefine the concept of parliamentarism through the rhetorical reconstruction of its internal morphology. This attempt was manifested in SNS deputies' contestation of the established conventions of articulating the concept of parliamentarism with the concepts of parliamentary sovereignty, which implied the superiority of parliament in the institutional system of the polity, and ministerial responsibility, understood as the effective scrutiny of the executive by the institution of parliament as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the resilience of the farmers, which is defined as prudent. The adjective "prudent" stands here for virtue, for the actions that may not always be rational in an economic sense but are prudent from social and cultural sustainability and risk-management points of view. By relying on ethnographic research findings from rural Serbia and Kosovo, the paper argues that prudent resilience is almost always multisectoral, which enables farmers to manage parallel threats, amortize their negative consequences, ensure forward-looking, and at the same time maintain their ethical threshold. Prudent resilience as a virtuous practice cannot be measured, which is a trend imposed by global sustainability agendas. By measuring resilience, there is a danger of perpetuating the image of farmers as victims and not as competent and self-confident managers of risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional seismic risk assessment is necessary for designing effective seismic risk mitigation measures. In general, such risk assessment studies consist of three components: hazard, vulnerability, and exposure modelling. This paper lays the foundations for regional seismic risk assessment of the residential building stock in Serbia and addresses each of the three seismic risk assessment components, either by reviewing the existing or proposing novel models. First, a review of seismic hazard models and seismic design codes used in Serbia in the past 70 years was presented. Next, an overview of Serbia's population metrics and historical development of Serbian's residential building stock was presented to provide the context for the exposure model. Furthermore, the paper proposed a novel building classification for Serbia's residential building stock, which is based on the existing building taxonomies, but it has been adapted to account for the local building characteristics. Building damage patterns reported in past earthquakes in Serbia and neighbouring countries were reviewed as a basis for damage classification pertaining to building typologies included in the proposed classification. Finally, the results of a preliminary vulnerability model were presented in the form of expert-based fragility functions derived for buildings typical of Serbia's residential building stock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper women's leadership will be reviewed through the professional biographies of two women who, in the role of director, managed the stage presentation of folk dance and music in Serbia. One of them is Olga Skovran, who laid the foundation of folklore professionalism in Serbia and the region and established the Ensemble "Kolo". She was the Ensemble's general manager from 1948 to 1965. The other woman is Snežana Jovanović, who has been the head of the Folk Dance and Song Ensemble of Kosovo and Metohija "Venac" from Gračanica since 2013. This paper will reflect on the professional positions of these two female figures who worked in historically different times. In addition, special attention will be given to defining leadership within two temporal and spatial dimensions, as well as the competences required for leading a professional ensemble in specific political, economic, artistic, and other conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the nexus between contingency, social engagement and change, through investigating the potential of severe ("disruptive") contingency to bring about new forms of joint agency. By challenging Boltanski's notion of existential tests (which can only be experienced in isolation), the paper argues that social actors can experience disruptive contingent events in an inherently intersubjective manner. Although they severely hinder social interaction, disruptive contingent events enable a possibility of what might be called "negative common knowledge" between social actors which in turn renders certain societal norms meaningless. This possibility is mediated through processes of mutual engagement (calls between actors) that could, further, be transformed into a new "norm circle" (Dave Elder‐Vass). Social domination – in particular its "complex" variety – in this context appears as the obstructing of such transformation. A recent political episode in Serbia is analyzed to demonstrate the emancipatory potential of contingency and the logic of complex domination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]