Boosting the resilience of the healthcare system in Belgrade: the role of ICT networks

Medicine is evolving under economical, commercial and technological pressures but the resilience of healthcare systems remains questionable, especially in the age of intensive climate changes. The vulnerability of existing healthcare facilities is increasing and it becomes necessary to deal efficiently with different problems - from the growing number of patients, management of healthcare continuity and quality, to the maintenance of physical integrity of facilities and available financial resources. Focusing on the case of Belgrade, this paper will analyse the relationship between healthcare facilities research and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) networks. It will elaborate possible approaches in adapting to climate changes and boosting overall resilience of hospitals, within existing limitations imposed by socio-economic and technological conditions. The contextual framework for the research is based on the review of literature and the data collected from recent reports and strategies. In addition, the paper will use information collected through extensive online surveys among patients and staff from major hospitals in Belgrade. The resilience of existing Belgrade healthcare facilities will be assessed in accordance with prevailing technological, organizational and individual factors, as well as the impact of climate changes, which influenced their poor performances. This paper will present both advantages and disadvantages of using ICT in Healthcare research

STUDENTS’ EMOTIONAL LITERACY IN THE DISCOURSE OF THE CONTEMPORARY SCHOOL IN SERBIA

The results of the research on the emotional literacy of students are presented in this paper. The primary goal of the research was to examine the general level and characteristics of the emotional literacy profile. The secondary goal was to determine the similarities and differences in levels of emotional literacy between pupils in relation to their gender and age. 'Emotional awareness questionnaire' was used on the sample of 335 students of both sexes and two age groups (primary school pupils aged 14-15 years and high school students of 18-19 year). The research was descriptive, non-experimental and exploratory. The data obtained by the study were analyzed using the statistical package SPSS. The results of statistical descriptions of the empirical profile suggest that the general level of students' emotional literacy can be classified as average. Analyzes of differences related to gender and age on individual profile components, showed that the gender differences were statistically significant (p<.001) on all components ('emotional numb­ness,' 'empathy' and 'interactivity'), while age differences were significant on the components: 'differentiation of emotions' and 'empathy' (p<.001). The obtained findings were discussed in the context of the starting reference model of research. Recommended and needed future steps are the peda­gogical monitoring of emotional development of young people, systematic influence on the development of their emotional competences and a far more active role of the school in the development of the emotional literacy of both students and teachers

Influece of open space on the quality of stay in healthcare facilities

Теза се бави истраживањем отворених простора у оквиру здравствених комплекса, тачније анализом утицаја отворених простора на квалитет боравка свих категорија корисника у здравственим комплексима. Иницијални проблем који је покренуо истраживање јесте маргинализован статус ових простора у науци и пракси, а фокус рада је на просторним карактерстикама квалитета боравка. Три претпоставке у раду базиране су на детерминисању чиниоца квалитета боравка у здравственим комплексима. Ове претпоставке тврде да отворени простори здравства доприносе квалитету боравка, тако што позитивно утичу на психо-физичко стање корисника, као и да квалитет боравка у здравственим комплексима зависи од отворених простора. За потребе истраживања одабрана је метода студије вишеструког случаја, која се примењује на три комплекса секундарне и терцијарне здравствене заштите на територији Београда. Сам истраживачки поступак се врши комбинацијом теоријског и емпиријског приступа, тачније комбинацијом квантитативних и квалитативних метода истраживања, са фокусом на методе анкете и интервјуа. Резултати истраживања потврдили су све постављене хипотезе, указали на значај отворених простора здравства за све категорије корисника, и успоставили релације између просторних карактеристика, динамике и начина коришћења отворених простора и квалитета боравка у здравственим комплексима. Овај рад доприноси теоријама урбаног дизајна и пејзажне архитектуре, као и теоријама психологије окружења и сродним концептима. Практични допринос рада представља формирање скупа препорука за уређење и обликовање отворених простора здравства у циљу побољшања квалитета боравка у здравственим комплексима.The thesis deals with the research of open spaces within healthcare facilities, namely the analysis of the impact these spaces have on the quality of stay in healthcare complexes, for all categories of users. The initial problem that triggered the research is the marginalized status of these spaces in science and in practice. The focus of this research is on the spatial characteristics of the quality of residence. Three proposed hypothesis claim that open spaces contribute to the quality of the stay in healthcare facility by positively affecting both physical and mental well-being of users, and that the quality of the stay in healthcare facility depends on open spaces within. For the purpose of the research, a multiple case study method was selected including three facilities of secondary and tertiary health care, on the territory of Belgrade. The research process itself is conducted with a combination of theoretical and empirical approaches. The combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods was used, while the focus was on survey and interview methodology. The results of this particular research confirmed all the aforementioned hypotheses, pointed out the importance of open spaces for healthcare users, and established relations between spatial characteristics of open space and quality of stay in healthcare facilities. The main contribution of this research is to expand knowledge in the field of health and open spaces, as well as urban design, landscape architecture and environmental psychology. The practical contribution of the paper is to develop a set of design recommendations for open healthcare spaces in order to improve the overall quality of stay in health care complexes

NOVI MEDIJI I NASTAVA POČETNOGA ČITANJA I PISANJA EDUKATIVNI PROGRAMI ZA UČENJE ČITANJA I PISANJA

Initial reading and writing for most students is a huge shock. After the period of games and drawing, suddenly they have a numerous academic appointments. In recent years an increasing number of children who are coming to school already know how to read and write - some children were taught by parents, some learnt by watching TV, some with educational software. This paper is interested in the quality of such software and trying to find an answer to a simple question – could we create such software to facilitate the child beginner troubles with the initial reading and writing?Početno čitanje i pisanje za većinu je učenika ogroman šok. Nakon igre i crtanja, iznenada dolaze brojne školske obveze. U posljednjih nekoliko godina sve veći broj djece koja dolaze u školu i već znaju čitati i pisati - neka djeca su naučila uz roditelje, neka gledajući TV, neka uz obrazovni softver. Ovaj rad se bavi kvalitetom takvih softvera i pokušava pronaći odgovor na jednostavno pitanje - možemo li stvoriti takav softver kako bi se djetetu olakšalo početno učenje čitanja i pisanja

Correlation of Contrast Magnetic Resonant Mamography and Diffusion Imaging in Compatibility with Pathohistological Findings

Difuzioni magnetno-rezonantni imidžing (eng. Diffusion-Weighted Imaging; DWI) je neinvazivna tehnika koja ne zahteva primenu kontrasta, skraćuje vreme pregleda i ima potencijala kao alternativna imidžing metoda dojki bez rizika i troškova koje ima magnetno- rezonantni imidžing sa upotrebom kontrasta (eng. Dynamic-Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging; DCE-MRI). Međutim, još uvek nije dovoljno istražena primena difuzionog magnetno-rezonantnog imidžinga u diferencijaciji malignih od benignih lezija na dojci. Ciljevi ove studije su da se ispita uloga vidljivog koeficijenta difuzije (eng. Apparent Diffusion Coeficient; ADC) u diferencijaciji malignih od benignih tumora i razlikovanju histoloških podtipova malignih lezija, te da se utvrdi korelacija između vrednosti ADC koeficijenta i strukture tkiva dojke, kao i dijagnostička specifičnost DWI i DCE-MRI dojki. Ova kohortna studija uključila je 174 pacijentkinje koji su podvrgnute magnetno-rezonantnom pregledu dojki na skeneru jačine 3T. Pacijentkinje su podeljenje u dve grupe: ispitivana grupa pacijenata (114 pacijenata sa dokazanim tumorima) i kontrolna grupa (60 zdravih pacijenata). Stotinu i trideset devet lezija (67 malignih i 72 benigne) detektovano je i patohistološki analizirano. Razlike između varijabli su testirane korišćenjem hi-kvadrat testa; korelacije su određene korišćenjem Pearsonovog testa. Za određivanje “cut-off” vrednosti za dijagnostički potencijal korišćena je ROC (engl. Receiver Operating Characteristic) kriva. Statistička značajnost je postavljena na p<0,05. Srednje vrednosti ADC koeficijenta bile su značajno niže kod malignih u odnosu na benigne lezije (0,68 x 10-3 mm2/s vs. 1,12 x 10-3 mm2/s, p<0,001). Granična vrednost ADC koeficijenta za benigne lezije bila je 0,792 x 10-3 mm2/s (senzitivnost 98,6%, specifičnost 65,7%), a za maligne lezije 0,993 x 10-3 mm2/s (senzitivnost 98,5%, specifičnost 80,6%). Nije bilo statistički značajnih korelacija između podtipova malignih lezija i vrednosti ADC koeficijenta. DWI je klinički korisna alatka za diferencijaciju malignih od benignih lezija na dojci na osnovu srednjih vrednosti ADC koeficijenta. ADC koeficijent može da ima implikacije u određivanju biološke prirode malignih lezija.Diffusion-Weighted Imaging (DWI) is a non-invasive technique which does not require application of contrast, reduces scanning time and has the potential as an alternative method of imaging of breasts, without risks and costs that Dynamic-Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DCE-MRI) has. However, the implication of DWI in the differentiation of benign breast lesions has not yet been sufficiently studied. The aims of this study were to examine the role of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in differentiation of malignant from benign tumors and distinguishing histological subtypes of malignant lesions, and to determine correlations between ADC values and breast tumors structure, as well as the diagnostic specificity of DWI and DCE-MRI of breasts. This cohort-study included 174 female patients who underwent contrast-enhanced breast MR examination on a 3T scanner and were divided into two groups: patient group (114 patients with proven tumors) and control group (60 healthy patients). One-hundred-thirty-nine lesions (67 malignant and 72 benign) were detected and pathohistologically analyzed. Differences between variables were tested using chi-square test; correlations were determined using Pearson's correlation test. For determination of cut off values for diagnostic potential, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Mean ADC values were significantly lower in malignant compared to benign lesions (0.68 x 10-3 mm2/s vs. 1.12 x 10-3 mm2/s, p<0.001). The cut off value of ADC for benign lesions was 0.792 x 10-3 mm2/s (sensitivity 98.6%, specificity 65.7%), and for malignant 0.993 x 10-3 mm2/s (98.5%, 80.6%). There were no significant correlations between malignant lesion subtypes and ADC values. DWI is a clinically useful tool for differentiation of malignant from benign lesions based on mean ADC values. Finally, ADC values might have implications in determination of the biological nature of the malignant lesions

Food tourism concept - creating synergy between urban and rural places - case study of Maglič, Serbia

Food tourism is being seen as one of the fastest growing industries over the second half of the twentieth century (e.g. Saeter, 1998; Smith, 1988) and a key support for the rural development. In declining rural areas, food tourism is often seen as an additional economic activity and a method of retaining rural regions (Font and Ahjem, 1999). Urban-rural connections are important for poverty assuagement, sustainable rural land use and balanced territorial development in general. Additionally, strong bonds can improve the overall living conditions and employment chances for both rural and urban areas (Tacoli, 1998, 2003; Rosenthal, 2000). The primary purpose of this study is to foster relationships between urban and rural areas by developing a concept proposal for food tourism, through the........ at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade. The proposal was created during the two theoretical and project-based courses, focused on the sustainable planning and design in the natural environment. The location chosen for the project is a medieval fortress ..... with its surroundings, located in the gorge of Ibar, 20 km south of the city of Kraljevo. Having lost its primary function, the site is nowadays poorly visited. This problem is seen as a challenge to reinvent the urban/rural landscape and create an attractive ambient which relates to the revitalised historical site. As a result, the specific concept of food tourism called “slow food” is developed, both based on tradition and modern values, further elaborated through the planning proposal and urban design project. Following the specific planning and urban design methodology, the extensive research is drawn upon mostly primary and secondary sources, including analysis of urban plans in different scales, comprehensive literature review, as well as cooperation with local authorities and institutions. The full purpose and value of the proposal are confirmed by the city government of Kraljevo and several city agencies and institutes, as the proposal initialized the discussion and revival of the ideas for the important but forgotten historic place and its rural background

Evaluation of hospital outdoor spaces through users’ participation analysis

Hospital outdoor spaces (HOS) play an important part of the Healthcare facilities, with a particular impact on the healing process, which is possible to evaluate by their cultural, social, ecological and economic characteristics and values (Ulrich 1984, 2001, Burnett, 1997; Marcus and Barnes, 1999). However, this paper argues that research studies refer to HOS only as residual spaces to support medical activities. Urban theory, policy and scientific research is focusing on the issue of the hospital evaluation, but mainly on interior and spatial characteristics, rather than a hospital outdoor environment. No more than 1000 papers have been published on this topic. This paper discusses quality and significance of HOS in Belgrade, while identifying the problems and potentials of HOS, from the user perspective. The presented paper is established as the part of the larger research done in collaboration of the Faculty of Architecture in Belgrade and Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Architecture, which will be presented in a series of four books. The first book (Health Spaces: Hospital outdoor environment) is already published and it offers a general “top-down” interdisciplinary overview of the topic of HOS, given by experts - architects, urban planners and designers. Particularly, this paper is prepared as a foundation for the second book, with the aim to offer a “bottom-up” overview on the topic of HOS given by hospital “community” (doctors, patients, staff, visitors, etc.). Furthermore, this research was also conducted as a part of an academic course: “Participative Urban Design”, with the students at the master level of studies. The methodological framework used in this paper consists of extensive and fundamental literature review. In the frame of participative and collaborative approach, all analyses were conducted in the form of quality assessment, from the perspective of stakeholders, aforementioned as a hospital community. The survey was conducted using specific two-part questionnaire, carefully established within the academic course, as a main tool for reaching the database. Focusing on the case of Belgrade, four major hospitals were chosen as case studies: Clinical center of Serbia, Military Medical Academy, and both Clinical Hospital Centers: “Bežanijska kosa” and “Zvezdara”. The group of 12 students conducted the survey over a period of four weeks, with more than 120 participants from each hospital, gathering both specific and general results. Overall, this paper presents the first assessment of HOS of this kind ever done in Serbia. The results of the research will contribute to improving hospital environment and could present the first step on the path to integrate outdoor spaces into hospital life

The Importance of Emotional Intelligence for Authentic Leadership Style

The acceleration of the business environment often does not leave individuals sufficient amount of time and space to establish meaningful connections - especially among the manager\u27s population. Although the emphasis is placed on the fact that people are the most valuable resource for organizations, the increasingly present superficial connections among colleagues do not support it. Therefore, in the context of the mentioned changes, it should be emphasized that it is not enough to pay attention only to the development of cognitive knowledge that an individual possesses and for which there are numerous programs for improvement; but rather to focus more on the emotions of individuals. In addition, in today\u27s organizations emotionally intelligent leaders are needed more than ever. Their modus operandi should be the implementation of emotional intelligence model into organizations in an authentic way, creating organizations of the future. The aforementioned authenticity in incorporating an emotional intelligence model can help organizations achieve their full potential. Otherwise, elements of the emotional intelligence model represent nothing more than a manipulation tool for individuals to achieve their own goals, and the progress of the organization is fading away. For the purpose of this paper, managers and employees of various organizations in Croatia were surveyed in order to determine the level of emotional intelligence and its relationship to the style of leadership. This work is licensed under a&nbsp;Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.</p

Industrial Brownfields as Restorative Environments: the Possibility of Transformation and Reactivation of the Abandoned Industrial Heritage

Changes in the needs of modern society, as well as technical and technological developments, have led to an increase in the number of abandoned industrial buildings in cities, thereby disrupting existing urban areas. Although in recent decades the well-known practice of urban revitalization of abandoned industrial heritage buildings has been recognized as a successful method for urban revival, these types of properties in Serbia, although being the former symbols of prosperity and the power of the state, have been left to physical decay. Restorative environments, unlike industrial heritage buildings, are designed to contribute to the health and well-being of people, especially by alleviating mental fatigue and stress, through the people's contact with nature. As restorative environments are predominantly tied to open spaces and natural settings, it is important to consider the possibility of applying this concept to indoor environments. The aim of this paper is to research the possibility of applying the principles of restorative environments in the processes of transformation and reactivation of abandoned industrial heritage buildings, which have been placed under state protection as cultural monuments. Through an extensive literature review, including different theoretical concepts and analysis of good practices, this paper examines the possibilities of transformation and reactivation of the abandoned industrial heritage on the territory of Belgrade such as Sugar Plant, the Milan Vapa’s Paper Mill and the Power and Thermal Power Station “Power and Light”, through the implementation of the concept of restorative environments. The aim of this paper is to examine the possibility of transforming abandoned industrial heritage into healthy environments while adding cultural, social, and economic value. Application of this concept could lead to the formation of new potential for increasing public health within the urban tissue, as a new form of a public good, as well as to consider the possibility of wider use of restorative environments