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Digital heritage, with its intellectual and cultural identity value, constitutes a significant asset. This also makes it an important asset in the cyber market. Cultural heritage institutions, recognising the vital role of digital assets, confront various information security risks and must adopt cyber threat related strategies to counter potential cyber-attacks. This paper first investigates the susceptibility of digital heritage objects to cyber threats by examining their distinctive characteristics. The study subsequently poses research enquiries concerning the cybersecurity proficiency and general awareness of cultural heritage professionals. A conducted survey in Croatia among these professionals analyses their information and computer practices related to the storage and preservation of digital cultural heritage. Findings reveal that while overall cybersecurity awareness is commendable, there exists a deficiency in cybersecurity and data protection training among cultural heritage professionals, even at the basic level. Additionally, the study highlights insufficient technical support and equipment for cybersecurity within cultural heritage institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines traditional knowledge about the role of financial and physical resources in entrepreneurship. Based on Bourdieu's theory, we search for an answer to the question of which forms of economic capital are used by Croatian entrepreneurs in the computer programming industry and what their value in the context of accessing other forms of capital is. The study is based on a qualitative methodological approach. In-depth interview technique accompanied by unstructured observations was used in data collection. In addition to primary data, research includes the use of qualitative and quantitative secondary data. Research suggests that in the computer programming industry, economic capital is just one tool in the conversion game of entrepreneurial capital. Moreover, the interviewed entrepreneurs attach the least importance to it in business, favoring the value of intangible resources such as specialized knowledge, business connections and personal acquaintances. The company's start-up phase is characterized by the entrepreneur's reliance on personal savings, which is replaced by financing based on retained earnings in the later stages of business. Other forms of growth financing, such as bank loans and recapitalization of external investors, are used by a minority of larger companies, with a good base of symbolic capital. The results on capital conversions indicate relatively easy conversion of economic capital into cultural capital and symbolic capital, and less frequent use of economic capital to create social capital. Fresh insights into the entrepreneurs' perceptions provided by the study expand existing knowledge about entrepreneurship within the computer programming industry, suggesting that it is an industry with huge potential for young talents without a personal financial base that is commonly considered a precondition for entering entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This research aims to investigate metric characteristics of the digital technology preoccupation scale and the possibility of predicting life satisfaction in children from 8 to 13 years, based on time spent using digital technology and preoccupation with digital technology. Method: Participants are 1072 children aged 8 to 13 years and their parents who agreed to participate in the study. Using pen and paper questionnaires, children provided data on their life satisfaction and preoccupation with digital technology (DT), and their parents assessed the average time children used DT during a typical day in a week or during the weekend. Results: Digital technology preoccupation scale showed good metric characteristics with all five items loading on one factor and good reliability. Boys and older children show more preoccupation with digital technology and lower life satisfaction. Also, boys use DT during the weekend longer than girls. After controlling for the effect of age and gender, and duration of DT use, preoccupation with digital technology explained 3% of the variance of life satisfaction. The total model explained 9% of variance. Conclusion: Findings from this study show that preoccupation with digital technology is an important factor to be considered concerning children's life satisfaction, beyond the contribution of time spent using DT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses challenges relating to property restitution in post-war Croatia. Legal problems that hindered ethnic Serbs from gaining access to their property; Factors that led to the slow pace of return of refugees; Alternative legal remedies to be taken to repossess property; Actions that might help legitimate property owners regain access to their property.

The main topic of this paper is the preservation of newspapers. Newspapers deteriorate rapidly, mainly because of the characteristics of the paper they are printed on. Approaches to newspaper preservation can be aimed to preserving just information or information carrier as well. The development of technology and the stronger influence of digitisation open new possibilities in newspapers preservation, primarily in the availability and use of information. The purpose of this paper is to present the existing approaches and methods in newspapers preservation, and to analyze the projects of newspapers preservation in the world. It will explore the organizational and practical aspects of the projects by showing examples of good practice in the field. Furthermore, the paper will analyze the preservation of the Croatian newspapers, giving an overview of the national and local/regional initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fiduciary transfer of property is a controversial institute of real law, dating back to Roman law, which has been revived and reshaped by modern practice. The institute, as a kind of conditional, content-limited property, has had its significant place in the Law on Property and Other Real Rights in Croatia for 25 years, as an atypical real guarantee that is functionally most similar to the right of lien. The subject of the paper is a comparative and axiological analysis of this institute in positive Croatian law and its status in Serbian law, whose positive regulations do not regulate this institute, but whose introduction is proposed by one of the two legal drafts. Considering the situation in Serbian judicial practice, which has been vacillating for a long time regarding the issue of the permissibility of this institute, and in doctrine - which generally recognizes it, the author’s position is that this institute should be standardized in Serbian law de lege ferenda, for legal certainty, whereby the Croatian regulation represents a potential model. Hence, it is important to critically assess certain segments of this solution, starting with the question of origin, expediency, content, effect and legal nature. The final goal of the paper is to evaluate the adequacy of the compared solutions, as well as formulate proposals for regulating fiduciary property de lege ferenda, as part of the planned reform of the Serbian civil law, as well as of the harmonization of national solutions at regional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to examine the special legal nature of the Croatian seashore as a common good and the challenges of its commercial use. It was Roman law that first recognized the seashore as a thing that was res communes omnium – common property of all men under natural law. Roman jurist Marcian defined it as all air, running water, sea, and the seashore as far as the high-water mark. In Croatia, based on this Roman doctrine, the seashore is considered a maritime domain, the welfare of which is of interest to and under special protection of the state. Although maritime domain should not be presumed as a subject of ownership or commerce (extra commercium), due to numerous legal exemptions, its common good-character has become a point of contention. Contemporary legal solutions in Croatia (especially the Act on Ownership and Other Real Rights (Zakon o vlasništvu i drugim stvarnim pravima), the Maritime Domain and Seaports Act (Zakon o pomorskom dobru i morskim lukama), and the Concessions Act (Zakon o koncesijama)) grant exclusive rights to commercial exploitation of the maritime domain for up to 99 years, as well as provide for pledging or transferring of concession. In doing so, this paper reasons, the Croatian legal system has to a certain extent alienated the legal nature of the maritime domain and de facto created a new ‘quasi-real right’ on the common good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary historiography, so far, has not engaged in researching the biography of Ivan Šalić, the personal secretary of the Archbishop of Zagreb Alojzije Stepinac. Since the communist system was averse to Šalić and the Catholic Church in Croatia, it is not surprising that, to date, no one has made a critical review and analyzed his life and priestly service. This paper aims to show the life and significance of Ivan Šalić based on archival documents held in the Croatian State Archives in Zagreb and Šalić's birthplace in Bebrina (near Slavonski Brod). Numerous postal cards and letters testify to his life, especially the period when he was imprisoned in the Stara Gradiška Penitentiary (1946-1953). The paper will present his life from birth to death and analyze the correspondence with his family to emphasize his importance for the Catholic Church in Croatia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main subject of this paper is analysis how digitalization can contribute in resolving legal concerns which were observed in practice and which are related to the fact that a share in the company is the object of common property of spouses. There are shown the main provisions of family law in Republic of Serbia, in order to approach the meaning of common property of spouses, as well as material and procedural provisions related to the company law in Republic of Serbia, regulations on registration of companies, data and documents which are of importance for the companies and which are the object of registration, Goal is to show that checking of fact is natural person who is achieving the share in the company married while undertaking legal actions in order to achieve that share, as well as automatic, electronic recording and centralized exchange of these data between public notaries and other public authorities in that process, in the future, can greater legal security in Republic of Serbia and in the neighborhood states-Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to provide an insight into the influence of certain elements of sustainability included in marketing strategies of agricultural companies as the main prerequisite for achieving greater efficiency of their products. Strategic marketing transformation is the result of transformation of organizational culture mediated by market orientation. This research uses a quantitative approach, a stratified proportional random sampling method, with a sample size of n = 147 respondents. The main primary research was conducted using the survey method on a sample of respondents in the Republic of Croatia. For the analysis and processing of the collected data, descriptive analysis, measure of central tendency, measure of dispersion, measure of asymmetry and roundness, then bivariate analysis, and multivariate methods were used. The results of the research confirmed the multidimensionality of the product's effectiveness. The performed regression analysis shows the existence of predictive ability of appropriate elements of marketing transformation in the process of defining and offering effective products on the market (p < 0.001). This knowledge would be useful to agri-food entrepreneurs in the context of defining effective and competitive marketing strategies as an opportunity for development and their economic prosperity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the direction and intensity of the impact of economic trends on the profitability of banks in Serbia and Croatia in the period between the years 2006 and 2021. This paper aims to determine which indicators of economic trends have the most substantial impact on the profitability of banks in the selected countries. As key indicators of economic trends, GDP per capita, the GDP growth rate, inflation rate, real interest rate, broad money growth, general government final consumption expenditure, current account balance, gross savings, trade, and unemployment are selected as independent variables. At the same time, bank profitability was measured with bank return on equity, in percentages (ROE), and bank return on assets, in percentages (ROA) – two indicators which represent the dependent variables selected for this research. Descriptive analysis, mean difference, correlation, and univariate and multivariate regression were used in the research. Research results show that changes in real interest rates and unemployment have a significant impact on the profitability of banks in both of the selected countries, while changes in GDP per capita growth have a statistically significant effect only in Serbia, and general government final consumption expenditure has a statistically significant impact only in Croatia. The influence of other indicators of economic trends is not statistically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the scenarios of specific conditions and crises such as the coronavirus pandemic, the availability of e-learning ecosystem elements is further highlighted. The growing importance for securing such an ecosystem can be seen from DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks on e-learning components of the Croatian e-learning system. The negative impact of the conducted attack is visible in numerous users who were prevented from participating in and implementing the planned teaching process. Network anomalies such as conducted DDoS attacks were identified as one of the crucial threats to the e-learning systems. In this paper, an overview of the network anomaly phenomenon was given and botnets' role in generating DDoS attacks, especially IoT device impact. The paper analyzes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the e-learning systems in Croatia. Based on the conclusions, a research methodology has been proposed to develop a cyber-threat detection model that considers the specifics of the application of e-learning systems in crisis, distinguishing flash crowd events from anomalies in the communication network. The proposed methodology includes establishing a theoretical basis on DDoS and flash crowd event traffic, defining a laboratory testbed setup for data acquisition, development of DDoS detection model, and testing the applicability of the developed model on the case study. The implementation of the proposed methodology can improve the quality of the teaching process through timely DDoS detection and it gives other socio-economic contributions such as developing a specific research domain, publicly available dataset of network traffic, and raising the cyber-security of the e-learning systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Use of Geometric morphometrics tools to understand invasiveness patterns of invasive species. Simple Summary: The box tree moth is an invasive species that originated in Asia. Its presence causes damage by defoliating plants, to the point of causing their death. The presence of silk barriers and threads, covering plants during intense attacks, allows for species recognition. Cydalima perspectalis was first detected in 2007 in Germany and the Netherlands, after which it spread widely to other regions of Europe. In Croatia, its presence was first recorded in 2012 and it caused notable damage in 2013. This study analyzed the wing morphological variability of C. perspectalis in Croatia and its invasive character. This technique uses a mathematical approach in which the combination of geometry and statistics is essential to understand the morphology of invasive organisms; principally, how the wings adapt to allow the moth to colonize new environments. To achieve this, 269 moths from different areas were collected, and the wings of both males and females were evaluated. Significant differences in wing shape were found between terrestrial and coastal populations, with no sexual dimorphism established. The implications of this variability with regard to the invasive capacity and spread of the species are discussed. The box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis Walker, 1859; Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is an invasive species naturally distributed in Asia. The caterpillars in all developmental stages cause damage through defoliation of plants, and ultimately the death of the plant itself may occur. It is possible to recognize this species by its silk barriers and threads, and in the case of an intense attack, the entire plant will be covered with them. In Europe, this species' presence was first recorded in 2007 in Germany and the Netherlands, and it is now widely distributed. In Croatia, its existence was first recorded in 2012, in Istria, while substantial damages were recorded in 2013. This work aimed to determine the morphological variability of C. perspectalis from Croatia and assess its invasive character, the possibility of flight, and the risk of further spread. The methods of geometric morphometrics were used as the analysis of wing shape. A total of 269 moths from different locations in Croatia were collected, the upper wings of males and females were analyzed using 14 landmarks. Significant differences in wing shapes between terrestrial and coastal populations were found, as well as subtle wing shape sexual dimorphism. The implications of this variability in species invasiveness and capacity of spread are discussed in this paper. We also extrapolate the usefulness of our results and suggest strategies for predicting and managing invasive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are still relatively few studies on job satisfaction and the quality of work among sex workers, partly due to the ideologies surrounding sex work. In this paper we move away from dichotomous thinking and investigate the professional experiences of indoor independent sex workers in Croatia against the background of criminalised context and gendered socio-economic realities. We look into sex workers’ motivations, perceptions and experiences, their control and safety strategies. The study shows that despite many structural constraints on the sex workers’ agency, all participants exercise some degree of autonomy and control over their working lives. The factors that seem to be the most relevant in terms of their ability to set up their own conditions, which in turn influences their experiences, are their economic situation, motivation and self-perception. Negative experiences mostly stem from criminalisation and stigmatisation of sex work, which affects women primarily, and creates more risks to their health and safety. The results of the study call for integrative policy approaches, which presuppose full decriminalisation of adult voluntary sex work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores experiences of persons engaging in survival sex in Croatia. While research on commercial sex in Croatia is generally scarce, there is an absence of qualitative inquires into the life stories and experiences of persons selling sexual services for subsistence needs. The study is grounded in a thematic analysis of interviews conducted with adult persons engaging in survival sex across the three largest Croatian cities. It examines their life stories marked by difficult childhood and drug use, and explores the conditions and risks associated with their engagement in survival sex. It also discusses agency in this specific setting, pointing at possible policy implications. In conclusion, the authors advocate for a more nuanced understanding of agency in this context and call for future research to be directed towards a more in-depth exploration of this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On December 29, 2020, nine months after the March Mw 5.4 Zagreb earthquake and amidst the COVID-19 lockdown, a devastating Mw 6.4 earthquake struck near the town of Petrinja, about 50 km SE from the country's capital Zagreb. It was preceded by the Mw 4.9 foreshock from the day before. The main shock claimed 7 fatalities and caused widespread damage. Historical centers of nearby cities with invaluable heritage buildings were significantly affected as were the many residential buildings, built mainly of unreinforced masonry. Damage was observed as far as 60 km from the epicenter. This paper summarizes the seismological aspects of the Mw 6.4 Petrinja earthquake, the emergency response and the main impacts to people and buildings. The description and findings are based on the field observations and a series of post-earthquake activities led by the team of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb. Typical damage to buildings and usability data are presented with examples based on 50,000 inspection results. By far the most affected were the unreinforced masonry buildings, followed by confined masonry, whereas reinforced concrete buildings were the least affected. The total direct and indirect losses are estimated to 4.8 billion EUR. The provided information represents a useful basis and impetus for improving emergency action and long-term disaster reduction plans in other regions with similar building exposure and seismotectonic settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a small and new EU member state Croatia had little to contribute to Brexit, which occurred just a few years after the country's accession to the EU. Stemming from its size, its pre-existing relations with the UK and its drive to learn to operate within the EU, Croatia is no outlier in the literature on small states' foreign policy. This paper analyses the behaviour of Croatia during Brexit and adds to the literature on small states. First, it analyses whether and to what extent Croatia opted for one or more of the following strategies: seeking shelter, hiding or hedging during the Brexit negotiations. Second, it examines the logics underpinning the aforementioned strategies (logic of consequences vs. logic of appropriateness). Third, it scrutinizes Brexit's impact on the Europeanisation of Croatia's foreign and defence policies and possible advancement or undermining of this Europeanisation process. We focus on both policy-uploading and policy-downloading dimensions of Europeanisation, thus contributing to the literature on Europeanisation. Our research is based on existing literature, second-hand sources such as official documents and statements, and the primary data collected through semi-structured interviews with eight persons who either shaped the Croatian foreign and defence policies or were well-informed about them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper was to explore online health information seeking behavior. The method used in this study was conducting a survey by means of a questionnaire which was distributed to the urological patients of the "Dr. Juraj Navro" National Memorial Hospital in Vukovar in Croatia. The results were analysed by the SPSS statistical package utilising descriptive and inferential statistical methods (Chi-square, Mann Whitney U test). Regarding the online information sources that urological patients consult, as many as 21% of the respondents indicated that they searched for health information on Facebook. The obtained research results point to the conclusion that urological patients have a medium level of trust in online health information and indicate the need to increase the level of health literacy among patients in Croatia through various educational campaigns at the national and international level. The problem of online disinformation raises also numerous legal issues. Therefore, the legal framework of liability due to the violation of an individual's right to health, by disinformation, was explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital content that users create over their lifetime can become part of their own digital legacy, so it needs to be organised and preserved if we want to make it accessible in the future. This paper presents the results of the exploratory study conducted in Croatia in 2022. The aim of the research was to determine the opinions and attitudes of the participants included in the study about their own personal digital legacy and to examine in what way and to what extent users organize their personal digital content for the future. The purpose of this research is to raise awareness about the importance of organizing digital content and preserving one's personal digital legacy. In this study, two research questions were answered: a) Are respondents aware of their own personal digital legacy and what are their attitudes/opinions about the subject?; and b) In what way and to what extent the respondents organize and preserve their personal digital legacy? Results showed that respondents in this study are (still) not aware of the significance of the personal digital legacy and the value and potential obstacles for accessing it can have to their potential heirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The use of educational videos in higher education is increasingly widespread among professors and students. Numerous digital platforms worldwide provide publicly available educational videos. This study investigates the perceptions of LIS students in three countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Spain, specifically focusing on their searches for educational videos on YouTube. Additionally, it examines their habits, motivations, and reasons for searching for educational videos in relation to their studies. Methodology. The authors employed the focus group technique. Two focus groups were conducted in Bosnia and Herzegovina, one in Croatia, and two in Spain. The sample consisted of LIS students selected through convenience sampling. The age range of the students was approximately 19 to 25 years old. Limitations. One of the limitations is that some students had to communicate in English, which is not their native language. While they were quite fluent, it is possible that some nuances in the interaction may have been missed. Results. The results show that LIS students have similar motivations for searching for educational videos, such as improving their knowledge and having new or additional information beyond what is provided in class. However, there are differences in the way they consume educational videos. The number of videos available in their native language is limited. They need to search for educational videos in a non-native language they know. This also suggests that they use different methods for finding educational videos. Originality/value. The paper presents the original results of the research on students from three different countries in the field of Library and Information Science regarding the use of educational videos in their studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Music viewed from the real praxis could trigger positive religious emotions as the path of beauty in those searching for the meaning of life or the higher one in God. The article aims to encourage interdisciplinarity in teaching Catholic RE in Croatia, presenting many benefits of music and examples of positive practices that music can encourage in students. The main purpose of this paper, after recognizing the needs and difficulties of interdisciplinary teaching primarily for teachers in Croatia, is to create a model of implementing music content efficiently in Catholic religious education (RE) in Croatia. The research finds the necessity to unite experts from three fields to make interdisciplinary teaching efficient and progressively constructive: religious education pedagogy and music pedagogy combined with music practice itself through professional conductors. Nevertheless, the text seeks to expose an easily applicable model that leads to efficient and progressive interdisciplinary teaching, which is also the main aim of the work. The research is significant as this model could be examined in different subject areas, highlighting that singing in class could encourage religious sensibility and help improve spiritual and religious competencies. The research findings showed that the advantages and specifics of choral singing could be integrated into the religious education curriculum, making RE more dynamic and challenging for students. The research is based on a literature review, a data analysis, as well as participant observation (teacher and conductor) as methods to prove advantages and possibilities of how to implement music into the RE curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzed the variations of two air temperature indices, diurnal temperature range (DTR) and annual temperature range (ATR), calculated based on observations at the Zagreb Grič Observatory over a period of 133 years (1887–2019). In intense climate changes strongly manifested by the increased air temperature, these two climate indices were determined to significantly impact human health and the environment. This effect is especially evident in urban areas. The Zagreb Grič Observatory is located in the center of Zagreb and has not changed its location during the observed period. It has a long homogeneous series of climatological observations, enabling a detailed study of climate variation in the city, which is strongly influenced by various urbanization processes. In 133 years, both of the analyzed indicators showed a statistically insignificant downward trend. The Rescaled Adjusted Partial Sums (RAPS) method revealed statistically significant differences in DTR's time series between three sub-periods: 1887–1953, 1954–1989, and 1990–2019. The time series of ATR during 133 years behaved statistically differently in four sub-periods: 1887–1905; 1906–1926; 1927–1964; and 1965–2019. The analysis of monthly values of DTR showed that the DTR values are the highest in the warm part of the year, from May to August, when they are twice as high as those during the cold period from November to December. With an increase in precipitation, the DTR values decrease, while they increase as the mean annual temperature increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the Scopus database, over the last five years, 91 scientific papers with the keyword "pXRF" (portable X-ray fluorescence) were published in indexed journals in the domain of environmental science and agricultural science, which indicates more frequent applications of this technique in scientific research. The pXRF method is characterized by speed, precision, accuracy, and the possibility of a simultaneous analysis of a large number of elements, albeit with higher limits of detection (LODs) as a major disadvantage. The presence of metals in certain phosphate fertilizers is well established, though not to the same extent as in mineral nitrogen fertilizers. The aim of this research was to determine the metal content (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Si, Sr, Th, U, Zn, Zr, and Y) in thirteen commercial mineral nitrogen fertilizers via the pXRF method. Six straight fertilizers (ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulphate nitrate, limestone ammonium, nitrate, and urea) and seven complex fertilizers (various NPK formulations), which are different even according to their production technology, produced in Croatia were analyzed using the handheld Vanta C (Olympus) XRF analyzer according to the loose powder method and "point and shoot" technique. Data quality control was performed by analyzing the reference fertilizer samples and certified and reference soil samples. The results revealed that the determined contents of Cd, Mn, and Th were relatively higher in the single-component fertilizers, while the contents of As, Cr, Fe, Ni, Si, Sr, Zn, Zr, Y, and U were relatively higher in the complex fertilizers. Due to the higher LODs of Co and Pb (3 mg/kg) and Mo (2 mg/kg), the pXRF method was not appropriate for the determination of these metals in the analyzed fertilizers. The quantified metal content in the analyzed fertilizers varied as follows: 2.0–8.0 mg As/kg; 11.5–31.3 mg Cd/kg; 29.8–118.5 mg Cr/kg; 7.8–26.3 mg Cu/kg; 16.5–2209 mg Fe/kg; 20.3–5290 mg Mn/kg; 6.2–27.8 mg Ni/kg; 1156–4581 mg Si/kg; 2.0–469.8 mg Sr/kg; 3.0–35.3 mg Th/kg; 2.0–82.8 mg U/kg; 1.4–166 mg Zn/kg; 9.7–15.3 mg Zr/kg; and 16.5–128.0 mg Y/kg. The results indicated that the pXRF method is particularly suitable for measurement and metal detection in complex nitrogen mineral fertilizers with higher amounts of metals, but it is not suitable for the detection and quantification of the lower amounts of As, Zr, Y, Cu, Ni, and Cr in single-component nitrogen fertilizers. Compared to all of the investigated fertilizers, the highest amounts of As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, U, Zn, and Zr were quantified in the NPK 7-20-30 formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of biowaste and its diversion from landfill aims to reduce the negative impact on the environment and contribute to increasing material recycling and renewable energy production. It has been proven that biogas technology is capable of converting large amounts of biowaste into renewable energy in an economical and sustainable way, replacing unsustainable fossil energy sources, and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. This paper presents the possibility of biogas production in Croatia from separated biowaste as input material. The paper analyzed current bio waste volumes in Croatia and their potential for renewable energy, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of such waste treatment for renewable energy production. The results of the analysis provide data and information for policymakers, planners, and operators in order to sufficiently address management of the separately collected organic fraction of municipal solid waste. They also clearly present environmental benefits associated with the use of digestate derived from this waste fraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When a lien is established by entry in a specific public register (registry), it is a registered lien – a mortgage. According to the method of establishment, the right of lien, which is established by entry in the public register (registry), is called a mortgage. In modern real law insurance systems, an important place is occupied by lien law insurance, which allows the creditor, upon maturity of the claim, if it is not settled, to be settled from the value of the pledged thing, regardless of whether the thing at the time of settlement is owned by the pledge debtor or not. In this sense, the arrangement of lien insurance on things that are restricted in circulation for social, political and security reasons is particularly important. Thus, for weapons, a special regulation has determined the regime of legal circulation characterized by various restrictions, approvals and records of possession and ownership. Possession of weapons in the Republic of Croatia is governed by the Act on the Acquisition and Possession of Weapons by Citizens. However, the assumptions, effects and procedure for registration of a registered lien on weapons as movable property are governed by the Act on the Register of Court and Public Notary Security of Claims on Movable Property and Rights. In this regard, there are various registers in which different actual rights to weapons are registered, and which are kept by different state bodies. The paper analyses the actual legal significance (declaratory and constitutive) of the registration of weapons in various registers, the procedure and legal consequences of the registration. Open issues of establishment and transfer of lien rights, satisfaction of the lien creditor, right to possession and use of weapons as pledge are highlighted. The adequacy of the existing types of entries in the Register of Court and Public-Notary Security of Claims on Movable Property and Rights is analysed. The paper offers to provide guidelines and possible solutions for the regulation of these issues de lege ferenda that would meet the general, political and legal interests, as well as interests in private law of real rights holders on weapons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the financial development of the Republic of Croatia as measured by the dimensions of financialization, financial deepening and financial inclusion through interaction with two dimensions of social exclusion, such as income inequality and at-risk-of-poverty rates. The aim of the paper is to determine how financialization, financial deepening and inclusion affect income inequality and the risk of poverty. In terms of financialization, research has shown that the development of the overall financial sector relative to GDP reduces income inequality and at-risk-of-poverty rates, while the growth of banking sector assets relative to GDP increases income inequality and at-risk-of-poverty. With financial deepening, the share of corporate loans in GDP has been shown to increase income inequality and the at-risk-of-poverty rate, while loans to households are not significant for inequality, but therefore reduce the at-risk-of-poverty rate. The share of household loans in GDP is not significant for income inequality, but it reduces the at-risk-of-poverty rate. The financial inclusion of households has shown that the three groups of loans (transaction account overdrafts, cash and other loans) depend on the level of inequality and that the opposite causality operates. While cash loans reduce the at-risk-of-poverty rate, the at-risk-of-poverty rate as an inverse causality affects transaction account overdrafts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student conferences are a significant segment of student life, providing additional education and professional development. They contribute to the increasingly necessary networking, dissemination of ideas, knowledge, skills and competencies. An important consideration in organizing student conferences to attract participants is to explore participants’ motivations for attending conferences. As student conferences are becoming increasingly important, this paper explores Generation Z’s motives for attending student conferences. The aim of this paper is to investigate or determine Generation Z’s motives for attending student conferences. To this end, the following hypotheses indicate that destination and conference program represent significant motivational factors for Generation Z to attend student conferences. The research was conducted with Generation Z students in Croatia and surrounding countries, with a sample of 206 respondents. The research results confirm this, as Generation Z emphasizes the program and content of the conference as the most important motives for attending conferences (although the student conference program differs from the program of scientific and professional conferences), as well as the attractiveness of the destination. The specificity of this generation lies in the fact that they are technologically literate and strive for new experiences, for something they cannot find on YouTube. The contribution of this paper is that it helps conference organizers to adapt to Generation Z, as it offers them some new insights into Generation Z’s motivating factors for attending conferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative demographic trends in Croatia (natural decrease, negative net migration and population aging) are increasingly influencing socio-economic development of the country. Already in early 21st century, the long term decrease of live births and the increase of deaths were recognized as destabilizing factors of population development in Croatia. After the Croatian accession to the EU, the concerns regarding future demographic development of the country raised even more due to intensive emigration to other EU countries, which coincided with the historically low birth rates and high death rates. The focus of this paper is on mortality trends in Croatia in the first two decades of the 21st century. In this period, mortality in Croatia was influenced by different socio-economic, demographic, and epidemiological factors. Given the lack of recent papers dealing with mortality in Croatia, the main aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the changes in selected mortality indicators and contribute to the discussion on recent mortality trends in Croatia. The results of this research indicate that Croatia experienced some positive changes regarding mortality (increase of life expectancy at birth and decrease of infant mortality rates in the first period, in particular), but, some of the trends are not favourable, particularly the changes in the causes of death. Although improvements were observed regarding the share of deaths caused by the diseases of the circulatory system, there was a notable increase in deaths caused by the endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases which can be attributed to the unhealthy lifestyle and various behavioural factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The establishment of the second pillar of the Banking Union (BU) unquestionably confirmed the social and economic significance of appropriate bank resolution and crisis management regimes as one of the core components of prudential frameworks. In this regard, the Croatian experience offers an intriguing case study in terms of institutional arrangements, regulatory approaches, and policy decisions that construct an appropriate resolution and crisis management regime in the context of a post-transition economy. Therefore, this paper examines bank resolution in Croatia from an evolutionary standpoint, focusing on economic complexities and institutional entrepreneurship as the primary drivers of the convergence of a crisis-forged system into a larger resolution and stabilisation framework represented by the BU's Single Resolution Mechanism. Despite episodes of exceptional market disruptions, the paper identifies 'success factors' in banking sector restructuring, macroeconomic stabilisation, and institutional empowerment in Croatia through a qualitative, documentary analysis of a variety of primary and secondary sources. Furthermore, based on an analysis of actions taken in the resolution of 'Sberbank', the paper sheds light on recent issues in bank resolution governance within the broader BU framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. The aim of this paper is to introduce the expert community to the Croatian Library Association Reading Committee's project, "Books and Reading Promotion as a Development Potential for Smaller Cities." The paper will cover the project's creation, the motivation behind its launch, the strategic documents it references, and the values it promotes. A developed reading culture should not be limited to residents of big cities and urban environments. Libraries in small towns are recognized as important cultural institutions that hold a significant role in the local community. They are irreplaceable in implementing the National Strategy to Promote Book reading. The paper aims to emphasize the importance of libraries in promoting the right to read as a fundamental aspect of cultural rights. It highlights libraries and library projects as generators of cultural capital, with great potential for social, economic, and tourism development in small communities by encouraging and promoting reading. The paper presents the most signifnd evaluation results obtained after the round table held in Prelog, which was a central project activity in 2022. Approach/Methodology/Design. The first part of the paper describes the origins of the project, including its cultural, strategic, and professional contexts. The second part presents the central activity of the project, which was a round table held on June 10, 2022, at the Prelog Municipal Library, as a meeting place for librarians from public, primary and secondary school libraries from all over Croatia. This event serves as a prime example of how theoretical assumptions can be put into practice and how small libraries can achieve their strategic objectives. The third section of the paper presents and analyzes the results of the survey that was conducted following the round table. The survey aimed to assess participants' satisfaction with the conference's topic, content, atmosphere, and organization to improve future project activities. Results. The paper, based on selected strategic documents adopted by the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the United Nations, the Council of Europe, UNESCO, and IFLA, considers the potential for development in small cities within the context of cultural rights, including the right to read.The paper highlights the potential of libraries in small towns, along with specific opportunities and strategies for their development through collaborative programs that promote reading and various forms of literacy. The evaluation results are presented. Social Significance. A developed reading culture is essential for high literacy levels, which are necessary for progress in economic, social, cultural, and personal aspects. The development of a society is closely linked to its reading culture due to the long-term and far-reaching implications for all segments of society. Originality/Value. The paper explores the concept of reading promotion within a broader context, with the aim of inspiring librarians and library founders to reconsider their approach to promoting reading. By investing more intellectual and material resources in advanced cultural programs in small communities, in collaboration with local residents, libraries can contribute to the cultural, social, and economic development of these communities. If this approach is consistently implemented, it could lead to a paradigm shift at the national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this paper is to define the concept of citizen science in the context of open science, highlight the opportunities for organizing citizen science projects in libraries, and provide examples of good practices for conducting citizen science projects in various types of libraries. Approach: The first part of the paper describes the role of citizen science as one of the pillars of open science, supported by many programs and publications of the various global organizations. The second part of the paper focuses on libraries as potential organizers of citizen science projects, and provides suggestions for libraries to guide them through the process of organization. Practical application: This paper can encourage the implementation of citizen scien ce projects in all types of libraries in Croatia, as it provides clear and concise guidelines, advice, and practical examples. Originality: The originality of this paper lies in providing a comprehensive overview of citizen science from the perspective of library science, based on the most recent literature in the Croatian professional and scientific community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The objective of this research is to explore if and in what way Croatian public libraries mark Banned Books Week, an event that celebrates the freedom to read, usually in the last week of September. Approach/methodology/design. First, by searching the websites of the libraries as well as their Facebook profiles, we identified the libraries that celebrate Banned Books Week. In addition, Google was also searched according to the precisely defined keywords. Furthermore, a content analysis of the identified news and announcements was carried out. The research was first conducted in October 2021, and then repeated at the end of September and the beginning of October 2022. The goal was to determine if any new public libraries have commemorated this event in the meantime. Findings. The research has shown that only twenty Croatian public libraries (out of 234) celebrated Banned Books Week, which is only 8.55% of all public libraries. The oldest posted news available online about the celebration of this event in Croatia dates back to 2011, which leads us to the conclusion that Banned Books Week has only been celebrated for the last ten years, and often without continuity. The event has been cele- brated usually very modestly, with only a few examples that are more creative. From the above, it can be concluded that Banned Books Week in Croatian public libraries is still not celebrated to a greater extent, and that this project has not fully taken root. Limitations. Since the total number of libraries in Croatia is very large it would be difficult to cover all libraries in one research, so this research has been limited to public libraries only. In addition, it is very likely that neither the selected ways of identifying libraries that celebrate Banned Books Week nor the chosen search strategies are the only possible ones. Practical use. The paper presents various possibilities and ways of celebrating this event. It is also an invitation to other libraries to join in the celebration of freedom of reading and open access to information. Social significance. The paper points to the important role of public libraries, as well as libraries in general, in the fight against censorship of the written word, advocating the idea of freedom of reading and intellectual freedom in general, and thus emphasizes their role in building and development of a democratic society. Originality/value. The value of the paper lies in the fact that it presents the research of a topic that is insufficiently represented in Croatia. So far, no similar research on the Banned Books Week in Croatia has been conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goal. The aim of this paper is to determine the attitudes and opinions of the members of the Pensioners' Club of the city of Osijek after the education was carried out with the aim of training them in information and communication skills. Methodology. The paper presents the results of the research conducted through interviews and focus groups among retirees, the members of the Osijek Retirees' Club. The research examined the attitudes and opinions of 10 pensioners on the topic of education in terms of information and communication technologies during March 2022 using the interview method. After the interviews, the attitudes and opinions of the retirees related to the use of technology were examined in a focus group (1) in which 9 retirees participated (some of whom attended the education, some of whom did not). Finally, a focus group (2) in which 4 retirees participated examined their attitudes and opinions about virtual reality. The respondents wore VR glasses and observed the history of Osijek in the period from 1920 to 2020 by decades. More specifically, they observed how objects, houses, newspapers, furniture and similar things covered in the mentioned period looked. The paper presents the attitudes and opinions of the participants of the workshops, and is a continuation of the previous research, conducted before this training (Jakopec, Selthofer and Hocenski, 2022). Results. The results of the conducted interviews and focus groups indicate that the majority of retirees share the desire for learning and acquiring additional IT knowledge. They own at least one device (mostly a desktop computer or a smartphone) through which they visit social networks, search for necessary information and read the daily news. The respondents who participated in the research believe that they need more similar workshops in order to establish and expand their existing knowledge. After the workshops, the pensioners stated that they are fully aware of the advantages that IT knowledge brings them, and they relate this knowledge to the use of technology during the COVID-19 pandemic, when physically going to certain places (for example, to the doctor) was not possible. The results of the second focus group in which 3D reality was observed using VR glasses have shown that the respondents were not previously familiar with the concepts of virtual reality. According to the participants, the workshop lasted too short, they felt disoriented, and the glasses did not impress them too much. They also pointed out that they wore them for too short a time to highlight something as an advantage, they did not remember much of the presented content, but they found it interesting. Most of them stated that they would like to repeat the experience, but with better instructions and extended time of wearing glasses. Limitations. The research sample is limited to a specific subgroup of the retired members of the Club, and is therefore not representative of the entire population of retired people in the city of Osijek and in the Republic of Croatia. Value. The results of the research indicate the attitudes and opinions of people of the third age towards education in the field of information and communication technologies and virtual reality. The results of the research contribute to the implementation of the "Active pension" project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

he article focuses on social democracy in Croatia and on electoral demand in the context of the general crisis and declining political support for social democracy. The paper seeks to contribute to the understanding of the state of social democracy in Croatia, by examining the relationship between voter ideological self-identification and party preferences regarding social democracy and voting for the SDP. The analysis uses data obtained through field surveys from 1999 to 2020, to identify factors that influence social democratic voters to vote for the party that represents this political ideology – the SDP. The paper tests a generalized linear mixed model in which survey years are treated as random effects. Self-identification on the left-right scale, as well as the attitude on abortion are found to be significant factors explaining why some social democrats vote for the SDP and others do not, with SDP voters leaning towards more left-wing positions and being more likely to support a woman’s free choice on abortion when compared to other social democratic voters. The random effect of survey years has shown low variability, but the amplification of the impact of the fixed effects is evident for 2003 and 2012, where we can see fragmentation and consolidation, respectively, of social democratic voter support for SDP. The model points to the importance of ideological self-identification for voter orientation even among voters from the same ideological camp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the break-up of Yugoslavia, Croatia and Serbia have emerged as nationalist states that serve the political interests of ethnic Croats and Serbs, respectively. Despite these regime shifts, historical communities of Croatian Serbs and Serbian Croats still remain within these states. This paper sheds light on the experiences of these minority groups who embody ideological threats to their regimes' nationalist goals. I argue that Serbs in Croatia are heavily marginalised by dominant political narratives that have cast them to bear the brunt of the state's post-war grievances. As a result, they experience institutional discrimination that limits their range of economic and social opportunities. Conversely, Croats in Serbia face less explicit prejudice, though post-war stigmas have pushed many to redefine their ethnic affiliations. Both minority groups are experiencing a steady population decline as the rise in nationalist rhetoric has dissolved their rootedness to these territories. This paper examines a majority-minority dynamic in the context of the literature on modern 'ethnocratic' states and presents a case study for how ethnic minorities navigate through social prejudices and find ways to negotiate access to participation in everyday society, given the structural exclusion from institutions they face as communities deemed hostile by their state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper contains an analysis of judgments based on agreement of the parties, a Croatian model of plea bargaining, drawing on the experiences of three groups of practitioners: judges, state attorneys, and defence counsels. Previously conducted comparative legal analysis, as well as analysis of the Croatian normative framework and jurisprudence, was not able to provide answers to a number of questions about the motivation of the parties to negotiate, on the negotiation procedure which is not recorded in the protocol, about the real and the ideal role of the court, and about the real position of the parties and the victim. Hence, these issues were researched through semi-structured interviews with 60 practitioners and then further discussed in four focus groups. Some of the findings uncovered systemic inconsistencies in everyday legal practice in a number of areas. For instance, judgment based on agreement of the parties is more readily used in cases of serious offences, while other consensual forms of proceedings tend to be used for less serious offences. Informal negotiations at all stages of the criminal procedure have proven to be very popular with practitioners and sometimes even encouraged by judges. Yet, the issue of judicial control of the plea agreement divided the respondents, even though the right to judicial review of criminal prosecution is a fundamental principle of Croatian criminal procedure, which covers not only the fundamental issues of legality and voluntariness of the concluded agreement, but also the purposefulness of the proposed sanction. The victim's position in the plea-bargaining procedure is considered to be adequate, at least as long as the victim is involved, and there is a tendency to consult the victim even in cases when his or her consent is not required by law. Finally, although it is generally considered that defence rights are well protected, there are problematic issues, namely tariffs or the 'take it or leave it' offer, as well as the wide discretion of the state attorney when deciding to enter into negotiations and reach agreement. The qualitative analysis of the findings, which is presented in this paper, should contribute to drafting specific proposals for improvements in the legislation and practice of the judgment based on agreement of the parties in Croatian law. Many of these findings may also be relevant for other legal systems, especially those of the continental European legal tradition, since they may face the same problems and questions related to plea bargaining as a global phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basis of this paper is the Decision on the adoption of the Informatics curriculum for primary schools and gymnasia in the Republic of Croatia and, in particular, its stipulation that health is one of the fundamental values in the educational process. In a broad sense, healthcare and health education involves the understanding of the role of environmental factors, the understanding of health as a prerequisite, a foundation, and an indicator of sustainable development of society as a whole, as well as the understanding and adopting healthy habits, while avoiding the harmful ones. The purpose and the goal is to motivate the adoption of healthy lifestyle and responsible behavior and to provide the necessary knowledge and support. The emphasis is put on the importance of proper lifelong healthcare, on the preservation and improvement of health, on prevention of disease and their consequences, disability, and premature death. It is particularly important to include the content on occupational health and safety into the school course curricula. According to the aforementioned Decision taken in 2018, the pupils in primary schools in grades 1 to 4 will have the possibility to choose Informatics as an optional course from the school year 2020/21 onwards. The first part of the paper presents an excerpt from the Decision, as well as the excerpt from the Informatics curriculum for primary schools and gymnasia as the subject of the said Decision. Both excerpts cover the aspect of preservation and protection of health during work on a computer through adoption of basic terminology, rights and obligations, and the rules of kinesiology that refer to movement, sitting and posture. The second part of the paper presents the analysis of the content of textbooks used for the course informatics in grades 1 to 4 in elementary schools, in particular the parts that help the pupils understand and apply the safety recommendations that were given to preserve and protect health during work on a computer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the concept of the E-ROUTES project coordinated by the Serbian Library Association and supported by the Creative Europe program. Partners and associated partners in the project from four European countries ‒ Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and Italy ‒ are presented. Further, insight is given into the planned and already realized activities carried out within the framework of the intended goals and expected results of the project. Special attention is paid to current activities, a blog on the project website, and a crowdsourcing campaign with the intention of inviting interested individuals to contribute or take the opportunity to get involved. The paper highlights the importance of an interdisciplinary approach in the work of librarians on which the idea for the E-ROUTES project was based. The aim of this paper is to introduce the idea of the E-ROUTES project to the public, invite interested institutions, organizations, and individuals to join, as well as to bring the idea of project writing and application to international competitions and calls closer to the domestic professional public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper investigates the influence of policy ideas from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on healthcare financing policy in Croatia during the 2002 reform. It contributes to the global social policy literature by providing evidence that the influence of international organisations primarily stems from non-coercive instruments to control the policy agenda, for example, dissemination of ideas, technical assistance and consultations with the recipient government. Even though Croatia was facing economic and political difficulties which weakened its bargaining position vis a vis IOs, the paper shows that impact of coercion and conditionalities attached to international aid was limited. It explains the lenient stance of international organisations by their mission to aid and adjust to a country's needs as well as their self-interest to lend money, to stay in the reform game and to prolong their influence in the future. Consequently, international organisations are willing to bargain and make trade-offs with the recipient government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the implementation of psychodynamic treatments in Croatia, and the development of training programmes and professional bodies to facilitate this approach. The article is written in three parts, commencing with a historical overview. This is followed by a detailed description of the development of Group Analysis in Croatia. The paper concludes with a comprehensive report of the RIPEPP programme, a psychodynamic intervention for people experiencing psychosis and members of their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous research, although scarce, has indicated that the general public is still relatively unaware of developmental language disorder (DLD), one of the most common (neuro)developmental disorders. Raising awareness would increase timely involvement in intervention procedures. Aims: To examine public awareness of DLD in the neighbouring countries of Croatia, Italy and Slovenia, as well as to assess the influence of age, gender and education level on that awareness. Also, to investigate public knowledge about the professionals who recognize DLD and to compare the awareness of DLD with that of other (neuro)developmental disorders in childhood. Methods & Procedures: A convenience sample of adults living in the countries of the Adriatic region—Croatia (N = 92), Italy (N = 105) and Slovenia (N = 90)—were asked to fill out a paper‐and‐pencil questionnaire (public survey) developed within the Working Group 3 of the COST Action IS1406. Responses were analysed quantitatively as a function of age, gender, education level and country using the t‐test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Outcomes & Results: Public awareness of DLD is still unsatisfactory in all three countries. Around 70% of respondents reported having heard of DLD; however, only around 20% of Croatian, 40% of Italian and 5% of Slovenian respondents provided an adequate definition of DLD. Differences in research and clinical traditions may explain the observed variations amongst the three countries. Education level was the only variable that was significantly associated with an awareness of DLD in Croatia and Italy: there, more educated people showed a higher awareness and more correct knowledge, which was not found in the Slovenian sample. Respondents generally perceived speech and language pathologists (SLPs) as the professionals responsible for recognizing DLD. Finally, people possess the highest awareness of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), while the awareness of DLD and other (neuro)developmental disorders is equally low. Conclusions & Implications: Public awareness of DLD varies substantially among the three countries, but there is space for improvement in each of them. The findings of this study build on the existing data from the international group of collaborators, and argue for well‐planned, systematic awareness‐raising activities in the region. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: DLD is one of the most common (neuro)developmental disorders, yet it is not well known to the general public. This low awareness hinders timely recognition and adequate intervention, which can have negative psychosocial and emotional consequences for affected individuals. It is known that the awareness of any disorder can depend on one's demographic characteristics, but levels of awareness of DLD are still not examined in detail. What this study adds to existing knowledge: Public awareness of DLD is moderate in Croatia, Italy and Slovenia, but many individuals who report having heard of it appear to misunderstand what it actually is. Of various demographic factors tested, only education significantly influenced public awareness in Croatia and Italy, where more educated people possess greater knowledge. Moreover, respondents generally perceived SLPs as professionals responsible for recognizing DLD. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Professionals and researchers should focus on raising DLD awareness in the general public of these three countries, and may need to target different demographic groups accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher energy efficiency and lower environmental impact have become very important aspects in the evaluation of the design and operation of technical systems. The same goes for the fish farming sector, which continuously aims to reduce its environmental footprint as well as its operating costs. This paper reviews the energy needs of the fish farming sector and their impact on the environment, and discusses the possibilities of improving the environmental friendliness of this sector by employing a higher share of renewable energy sources. The fish farming process is divided into its constitutive phases: fish breeding with associated activities, transportation, and handling of grown fish, together with relevant processes; and final processing and distribution to the customers. For these phases, the energy consumption and associated emissions, depending on the energy source, have been assessed. The parts of the process with the highest potential for the integration of alternative powering options and consequent environmental improvements are identified. The case study deals with the fish farming process in Croatia, for which a set of alternative powering options has been proposed, considering the existing energy supply, i.e., import of fossil fuels and current Croatian electricity mix, as well as renewable energy potential, which is reviewed in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was undertaken in order to determine the quality of indoor pool waters in hotels along the Croatian coast. We wanted to assess the risks of exposure to microbial and chemical contaminants and find out if training pool operators to use a quality assurance system, that we developed, influenced hygienic conditions and water quality in swimming pools or not. The samples were analysed for free chlorine, pH and several microbiological indicators according to standard laboratory methodologies. Of 1,329 samples tested, 276 were found to be unacceptable either by chemical (148) or microbiological parameters (128). After training, the proportion of unacceptable samples dropped by 23.5%, mostly according to the free chlorine values. According to our results, most of the microbiologically unacceptable samples had chlorine levels within the recommended range but their pH values were too high. A free chlorine level below 0.2 mg/L was found in 106 (82.8%) microbiologically unacceptable samples suggesting the need for maintaining the lower limi at least above 0.2 mg/L in order to reduce microbial risks to a more acceptable level. This measure combined with training of pool operators might result in reduced health risks in pool waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reveals that the electronic version of "Croatian Medical Journal" will already be available. Information on the digital archiving of the journal in PubMed Central, a free digital archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature; Plans to develop a Web site of the journal; Decision to introduce electronic submission and peer review system.

The paper investigates war veterans as organisers of contentious politics in post-war Croatia, by looking into two significant protests. Already amid the 1990s War in Croatia, the first veteran associations were tied to the army or governing Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). After the HDZ government ignored their demands in 1996, the main association gathering disabled veterans announced a protest, shocking the regime. After defusing the situation by meeting most of veteran demands, the protest against the Government was transformed into a support rally for officials who helped the protesters’ cause. In 2014, veteran associations initiated a protest over, at first, officials’ speculations about PTSD cases among the local Serb population, framed among the veterans as “aggressors”. As Prime Minister Zoran Milanović refused to dismiss the Minister of Veterans and his associates, the veteran protest outlasted the Government, including violent episodes in the government building’s vicinity and ending in April 2016. The article proceeds to analyse the disruptiveness of the protest, the repertoire and violence used, as well as frames of meaning with which protesters justified their collective actions and wished to appeal to wider constituencies. The article attempts to analyse the motives behind the protest and links of protesters with different political actors – mostly HDZ – trying to show if veterans acted as independent political actors or only as an extended arm of politicians. By using veteran associations’ documents, archival documents, media reports and literature, the paper wishes to place the two case studies into the body of literature that describes the decades-long patron-client relationship between veterans, HDZ and the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possibilities and ways of design and implementation of distributed information and communication systems for management of traffic and road infrastructure in road traffic that are used in intelligent transportation systems, are considered and described in the paper. First, such intelligent transportation systems are shortly described. Then, the basic architecture of one distributed information and communication system for intelligent management in road traffic is proposed. The system consists of a central part of the system and several modules or subsystems, responsible for certain individual functionsof control. Most of the paper is dedicated to the description of one practically designed and implemented module, or system, for optimizing travel and travel costs. The design and architecture of the implemented system are described. The system is intended for optimization of the length, time and cost of traveling of users in road traffic. It offers to the user several of the most favourable routes, i.e. traveling routes, between selected travel destinations, with their lengths, expected travel times and expected travel costs, on journeys that cross state borders and use roads with toll payment. It takes into account the duration of congestion at border crossings and toll payment stations, as well as the prices of tolls on the offered traveling routes. More detailed experimental research was performed on the designed and implemented system. Situations when crossing the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, and the border between Serbia and Croatia were observed practically and experimentally. Also, toll payment stations on highways in Republic of Srpska, Serbia and Croatia were observed. Some experimentally obtained results are given in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goal. The aim of this paper is to determine the level of use of the CARNet's e-reading portal, where digitized literary works are available full text for complete reading, as compared to borrowing the required reading material in school libraries. Also, the goal is to determine to what extent secondary school students from first to third grade in Osijek-Baranja County borrow literary works for complete reading, i.e. reading material in printed form in school libraries compared to borrowing digital titles on the e-reading Portal. Approach/methodology/design. The research is divided into two parts. The first part of the research is based on the analysis of the CARNet data on users and use of the e-reading Portal both from the Republic of Croatia and worldwide, from 2010 to 2021. The second part of the research is focused on researching the attitudes of high school students from first to third grade in Osijek-Baranja County, through an online questionnaire, about borrowing and reading the required reading material in printed and electronic form. The questionnaire was completed by 385 students. The results. The results of the research of the CARNet's data on the use of the e-reading Portal have shown an increase in the number of users, the number of page views and the average time of use in the period from 2010 to 2021.The results of the second part of the research have shown that high school students have used the e-Reading Portal to read the available digitized required reading material, which is evidenced by the relatively higher number of e-Reading Portal usage during the COVID-19 pandemic, but this did not contribute to the popularization of reading the required readings among high school students in Osijek-Baranja County. Practical use. The research can help librarians in understanding the changing trends of borrowing the required reading materials among high school students, as well as the necessary adaptation of school librarianship to modern information and communication technologies. Originality/value. The paper presents a comparative analysis of CARNet's data on the use of the e-reading Portal and the attitudes of the high school students from first to third grade in Osijek-Baranja County on borrowing and reading the required reading material in printed and electronic form. The reliability and value of the results is contributed by the large number of respondents who participated in the research, while the originality of the work is also reflected in the fact that reading of printed books, compared to e-reading, has been modestly researched in the field of secondary school education in the Croatian scientific community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper is to explain the basic concepts of project management and the main processes of project management. Also, the goal is to contribute to a better understanding of this business model in the library operations and its application in improving the success and efficiency in the realization of its basic mission. Approach/methodology/design. The paper uses the desk research method as the basic method, using the method of observation and analysis of the relevant online sites of Croatian libraries with the aim of analysing the existing typical and most common projects in libraries. The article includes explanations of the project life cycle and the corresponding stages of the project. The basic processes of project management are explained, starting from their planning and execution to supervision and closing. In addition to the listed contents, the topics related to the scope of the project and time management of the project, as well as the costs, resources and human potential of the project, are also covered to an appropriate extent. The results of this research indicate a significant number of different types of projects organized in Croatian libraries and present their role and high success in terms of start-up, execution and completion. The limitations of this study stem from the fact that the research on project management was conducted in public libraries of the Republic of Croatia. Practical implications. With its content and research results, the research can contribute to a better understanding of the possibilities and benefits of launching and implementing projects in libraries and related institutions and organizations. Social implications. Given the role of the library as an institution of special social interest, the efficient and successful project management in libraries has a corresponding broader social significance and potential impact in various fields, such as education, science, information, culture, economy and the use of leisure time. Originality and value of this paper is also demonstrated in the extensive presentation of theoretical knowledge about project management and the possibilities of their application in the organizational environment of library business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The aim of this paper is to problematize information seeking behavior of professionals in different occupations, and to present differences in information behavior of employees based on the research conducted in eastern Croatia. Methodology. The research was conducted in January 2021 using the quantitative method. An online questionnaire was filled out by 553 employees in public institutions and private companies. For examining statistical differences, the Chi-square test and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used. Findings. The research results with the basic descriptive data have already been published. This paper presents a further analysis which has shown statistically significant differences in information behavior of the respondents with regard to their sex, age, education, length of service and work sector. Female employees seek information more often than male employees. The respondents who have obtained a doctorate and have been working up to 20 years in public sector (university teachers), are those who seek information for performing work tasks and use online sources to the greatest extent. The middle-aged female employees with highest level of education and respondents who have been working up to 30 years at the university most often find work related information in the library. Younger and highly educated employees from public institutions predominantly encounter difficulties in information seeking (such as limited access to quality information). Limitations. The paper brings only research results obtained by analyzing statistical differences. The sample is not representative at the national level since majority of employees who participated in the research come from the University of Osijek. Practical implications. The research results can be useful to employers in state institutions and to private entrepreneurs. The librarians from academic and public libraries can provide additional sources and organize information literacy workshops for employees as their potential users. Originality. The originality of the paper lies in the fact that it presents the research of a topic that is not sufficiently represented in Croatia. The paper analyzes for the first time the differences in the information behavior of a group of employees from one part of Croatia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]