Preface to the special issue “Exploring the intersection of technology and pedagogy: Advancements in English language teaching for the digital age”

Teaching practices have become versatile more than ever in the 21st century. Students no longer silently listen and take notes to teachers presenting materials. Instead, they are engaged in a communicative approach that requires adjustments and additional tools. Following needs analyses, students’ levels of digital literacy demand an equally interactive and adaptable approach to English Language Teaching (ELT). Moreover, a student’s motivation and desire to improve their language skills further motivates them to strive for excellence and personal growth. This special issue aims to identify the (small) issues and tools that can enhance success in ELT. Our intention has been to include articles that provide valuable insights into utilizing current technological advancements in the classroom in order to provide students with new knowledge as well as computer-mediated feedback during their learning process. Considering the students’ inclination toward digital tools, articles in this issue explore how technology can enhance language learning and engagement, including the possibilities of utilizing generative Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT, audio and video lectures, videoclips and content-based practice sheets, mobile glossary and other tools to enhance specific language skills, facilitate the acquisition of specialized terminology, and promote authentic language use. On the other hand, it also explores the intersection of literature and innovative technologies in the classroom. Furthermore, this special issue has welcomed articles that explore the vital subjects of motivation and feedback, and also teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs, in illuminating the potential for digitally improving ELT effectiveness and ultimately leading to improved language learning outcomes

GENRE-BASED METADISCOURSE ANALYSIS IN TWO ESP TEXTBOOK

English for Specific Purposes (ESP) provides a number of teaching approaches utilizing textbooks and other teaching material to enhance students’ learning outcomes. Genre-based instructions are an innovative approach that can further develop students’ writing skills and introduce them to a precise and systematic method of reading and writing genre-specific texts. This paper uses metadiscourse markers as a genre property for genre-based instructions. Texts in textbooks are separated by genre, and metadiscourse markers are quantitatively analyzed as genre properties. The aim of the paper is to examine whether metadiscourse can be a segment in genre-based instructions (GBI) as a teaching method and whether the listing of metadiscourse types according to text genre can be considered as a basis for ESP classes. Key words: genre, genre-based instructions, textbook, metadiscourse, ES

Contribution to non-invasive diagnostic methods by adaptive approach for the detection of mitral valve prolapse in pediatrics patients

Rano prepoznavanje bolesti srca je od posebne važnosti u pedijatriji. Visoka prevalenca (77-90%) šuma na srcu je značajan problem u ovoj populaciji. Klasičnaa dijagnostika u pedijatrijskoj praksi je baziranaa na neinvazivnim metodama (auskultacija, EKG, Rtg.) koje imaju relativno niske performanse. Zato se procena težine šuma određuje ehokardiografski. Ehokardiografija je uglavnom dostupna u zdravstvenim centrima većih gradova. Cilj ove doktorske disertacije je razvoj jeftine dijagnostičke metode, bazirane na automatskoj detekciji prolapsa mitralne valvule (lokalizacija klik sindroma na fonokardiogramu), kao podrške u razlikovanju benignih i patoloških šumova srca korišćeljem fonokardiografije i auskultacije. Metode: Predloženi metod je baziran na akustičnim signalima srca. Izabrani metod koristi višeslojni perceptron (MLP) sa algoritmom serijskog obučanja i postepnim dolaskom do rešenja propagacijom greške unazad. MLP neuralna mreža se sastoji od feedforward mreže neurona. Neuroni su organizovani u tri sloja (ulazni,skriveni i izlazni sloj). MLP obezbeđuje nelinearno mapiranje između ulaza i izlaza. Svaki neuron MLP koristi nelinearnu sigmoidalnu aktivacionu funkciju. Fonokardiogrami na ulazu u mrežu su automatski klasifikovani u jednu od tri moguće klase (PMV,zdravi,ostali- niti PMV niti zdravi). Prvi korak je kreiranje trening i test skupa za svaku iteraciju krosvalidacije i inicializaciju svih parametara VNM. Drugi korak je backpropagation algoritam: uključuje proračun cost funkcije, postupni dolazak do rešenja i podešavanje težina. Podešavanjem težina minimalizuje se cost funkcija sa ciljem smanjenja greške u klasifikaciji. Poslednji korak je klasifikacija korišćenjem algoritma one-versus-all. Rezultati: VNM sadrži 64.033 neurona u ulaznom sloju (ukučujući jedan neuron kao bias ulaz), 95 neurona u skrivenom sloju i tri neurona u izlaznom sloju ( po jedan za svaku klasu). Ovo je bilo kompromisno rešenje između performansi i tačnosti mreže. Skup ulaznih podataka sadrži 135 fonokardiograma podeljenih u tri klase PMV (48),zdravi (49) i ostali (38). Za svaki skup primenjena je metoda krosvalidacije. Klasifikaciona tačnost predložene VNM iznosi 79,85%, senzitivnost 90% i specifičnost 75%. Zaključak: Auskultacija je važan dijagnostički indikator hemodinamskih poremećaja Razvoj precizne dijagnostičke metode je od posebnog značaja za rano prepoznavanje oboljenja srca i smanjenje troškova u zdravstvu. VNM su vredan alat za nelinearno adaptivno filtriranje, prepoznavanje i klasifikaciju. Dobijeni rezultati se mogu smatrati korisnim za kliničku podršku u ranom otkrivanju prolapsa mitralne valvule u pedijatrijskoj populaciji.Early recognition of heart disease is an important goal in pediatrics. This is a significant problem in pediatric cardiology because of the high rate of prevalence (77- 90%) of heart murmurs in this population. Classical diagnosis of heart murmurs in pediatric practice is based on non-invasive methods (auscultation, ECG, X-ray), which have relatively low performance. Thus, patients with heart murmurs are frequently assessed by echocardiography. However, echocardiography is usually only available in healthcare centers in major cities. The objective of the present doctoral dissertations is to develop an inexpensive diagnostic method, based on automatically detection of mitral valve prolapse ( localization of click syndrom in phonocardiograms),that can assist in the differentiation between innocent and pathological heart murmurs via phonocardiography and auscultation. Methods: The proposed method is heart signal-based. Selected method uses a multilayer perceptron (MLP) with backpropagation batch gradient descent learning algorithm. MLP neural network consists of a feed-forward, layered network of neurons. Neurons are organized in three layers (input layer, hidden layer, and output layer). An MLP provides a nonlinear mapping between its input and output. Each neuron in an MLP has a nonlinear sigmoid activation function. Input phonocardiograms are autamatically classified in one of three possible classes (MVP, healthy, others – neither MVP nor healthy). The first step is to create training and test sets for each iteration of cross-validation method and to initialize all parameters for ANN. The second step is back-propagation algorithm; it includes calculation of cost function, descent gradients and adjusting weights of ANN. With adjusting weights we try to minimize cost function with goals to minimize error in classification. Final step is classification using one-versus-all algorithm. Results: ANN consists of 64.033 neurons in input layers (including one neuron for bias input), 95 neurons in hidden layer, and three neurons in output layer (one for each class). This was a compromise solution between performance and accuracy. The resulting data comprised 135 phonocardiograms; the three data sets are labeled as MVP(48), healthy(49) and others (38). Cross-validation method is applied on every dataset. The proposed ANN showed 79,85% classification accuracy, 90% sensitivity and 75% specificity. Conclusion: The auscultation method is an important diagnostic indicator for hemodynamic anomalies. Developing a more accurate screening and diagnostic method is vital in early recognition of heart disease and reducing health care costs. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are valuable tools used in nonlinear adaptive filtering, complex pattern recognition and classification tasks. Obtained result can be cosidered as a quite useful tool for clinical support and early detection of mitral valve prolapse in pediatric population

Study of C−H⋅⋅⋅π interactions with pyrrole and chelate rings in metal-porphyrin complexes

The Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) was screened in order to find and investigate specific C−H⋅⋅⋅π interactions between C−H groups and two types of rings with delocalized π-bonds that exist in porphyrin: pyrrole and six-membered chelate. Statistical analysis of geometrical parameters for interactions in both types of rings was done. In order to determine preferred positions in porphyrinato ring for C−H⋅⋅⋅π interactions fifteen different points distributed over porphyrin ring have been chosen and each of them have been analyzed. Calculations of these interactions by density functional theory (DFT) have been done on three different model systems.Physical chemistry 2006 : 8th international conference on fundamental and applied aspects of physical chemistry; Belgrade (Serbia); 26-29 September 200

Surface plasmon resonance of Ag organosols: Experimental and theoretical investigations

The aim of this paper is to investigate and compare the changes in surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of silver (Ag) hydrosol and organosols obtained by experimental and theoretical approaches. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) of 5 ± 1.5 nm in diameter were prepared in water by reduction of silver nitrate with sodium borohydride. Nanoparticles were subsequently transferred into different organic solvents (chloroform, hexane, toluene, 1,2-dichlorobenzene) using oleylamine as a transfer agent. These solvents were chosen because of the differences in their refractive indices. Using UV-Vis absorption spectrophotometry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we confirmed that there were no shape and size changes of the nanoparticles upon the transfer to the organic phase. The absorption spectra of the obtained Ag organosols showed only changes in the position of SPR band depending on dielectric property of the used solvent. To analyze these changes, absorption spectra were modelled using Mie theory for small spherical particles. The experimental and theoretical resonance values were compared with those predicted by Drude model and its limitations in the analysis of absorption behavior of Ag NPs in organic solvents were briefly discussed

Intramolecular C-H⋯π interactions in metal-porphyrin complexes

Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) was screened in order to find intramolecular C-H⋯π interactions with a chelate ring of coordinated porphyrin. It was found 154 crystal structures with 244 intramolecular C-H⋯π interactions in transition metal complexes with derivatives of porphyrin. Comparison of interacting distances indicates that interactions of hydrogen atoms in positions 2 and 6 of axially coordinated pyridine are more favorable with ruffled than with planar porphyrin

Exploration of the charge transport mechanism, complex impedance, dielectric/electric modulus and energy storage characteristics of the aloe vera (Aloe Barbadensis Miller) plant

Complex impedance spectra at room temperature in the frequency range of 8 Hz—5 MHz were measured on freshly cut leaf sections of the Aloe vera plant by AC impedance spectroscopy. They were analyzed using a classical 'brickwork' equivalent circuit composed of grain and grain boundary contributions commonly applied to solid-state materials. The obtained grain resistance/capacitance was 0.4 MΩ/72 pF and grain boundary resistance/ capacitance was 66.4 MΩ/50 nF. The determined conductivity changed according to the Jonscher power law with σDC of 4.02 · 10–5 (Ωm)−1 and frequency constant of 0.92 characteristic for hopping as the conduction mechanism. Analysis of dielectric permittivity and electric modulus confirmed the non-Debye relaxation behavior. Nyquist plots for electric modulus revealed conductivity relaxation in the low frequency attributed to grain boundaries and impedance modulus displayed dielectric relaxation in the high frequency region associated with grains. A correlation has been established among the investigated parameters, morphology, and EIS-derived simulated parameters

Biogeni amini u trajnim kobasicama inokuliranima bakteriocinogenom kulturom Enterococcus faecalis eF-101 iz mlijeka

In this study, the dairy-originated bacteriocinogenic Enterococcus faecalis EF-101 strain was implemented in traditionally smoked Croatian home-made dry fermented sausages. During ripening, microbiological and physico- chemical changes were observed, and the biogenic amines were monitored. The Enterococcus faecalis EF-101 count remained constant during the sausage ripening (105 CFU/g). There was no positive correlation of enterococci counts with cadaverine, histamine, tyramine, biogenic amines index, or total biogenic amines content in the sausages with added E. faecalis. The histamine and tyramine content correlated moderately with the lactic acid bacteria count in the control sausages. The total biogenic amines content was significantly higher (P<0.05) in the experimental sausages, however only on day 14 of ripening. The bacteriocinogenic strain of E. faecalis EF-101 reduced the histamine and cadaverine content, probably by reducing the aminogenic lactic acid bacteria population.U ovom je istraživanju primijenjena bakteriocinogena kultura Enterococcus faecalis EF-101 iz mlijeka u proizvodnji trajnih kobasica u domaćinstvu. Tijekom zrenja praćene su mikrobiološke i fizikalno-kemijske promjene u nadjevu te sastav i količina biogenih amina. Broj E. faecalis ostao je stalan tijekom zrenja kobasica (105 CFU/g). Nije zabilježena povezanost broja enterokoka i količine kadaverina, histamina, tiramina, indeksa biogenih amina i ukupnih amina. U kontrolnim je kobasicama količina histamina i tiramina umjereno korelirala s brojem bakterija mliječne kiseline. Ukupna količina biogenih amina u pokusnim je kobasicama bila znakovito veća (P<0,05) tek 14. dan zrenja. Istraživanje je pokazalo da bakteriocinogena kultura E. faecalis EF-101 reducira količinu histamina i kadaverina, vjerojatno sistiranjem aminogene mikroflore

Analiza proizvodnih karakteristika i mikroklimatskih parametara na farmama za proizvodnju mleka

Aiming determination of the variability of production traits (daily milk yield and composition) and microclimate parameters (ambient temperature and humidity) in the barns; as well as the correlation between the analyzed groups of traits, 1,636,192 test-day records from Simmentals and 1,275,713 test-day records from Holsteins were analysed. Performed analysis indicate high variability of production traits due to cow's breed, parity as well as breeding region. Also, high variability of microclimate parameters in the barns due to season and breeding region was found. Furthermore, statistically highly significant (p lt 0.001) correlations between the production traits and microclimate parameters were determined. Finally, the negative effect of inadequate microclimate on daily milk production was determined in both breeds in all breeding regions. Since genetic evaluation and selection of dairy cattle for heat resistance is only long-term method for heat stress managing, determined effect will be taken into account in the statistical model for estimation of genetic parameters and breeding values.Cilj istraživanja je bio određivanje varijabilnosti proizvodnih osobina (dnevni prinos i sastav mleka) i mikroklimatskih parametara (temperatura i vlažnost okoline) u objektima za držanje krava za proizvodnju mleka; kao i korelacija između analiziranih grupa osobina; 1.636.192 zapisa za grla simentalske rase i 1.275.713 zapisa test dana grla holštajn rase. Izvršene analize pokazuju veliku varijabilnost proizvodnih osobina zbog rase krava, pariteta kao i odgajivaĉkog regiona. Takođe je utvrđena velika varijabilnost mikroklimatskih parametara u objektima zbog sezone i odgajivačkog regiona. Pored toga, utvrđene su statistički vrlo značajne (p lt 0,001) korelacije između proizvodnih svojstava i parametara mikroklime. Konačno, negativan uticaj neadekvatne mikroklime na svakodnevnu proizvodnju mleka utvrđen je kod obe rase u svim odgajivačkim regionima. Pošto je genetska procena i selekcija mlečnih goveda na otpornost na visoke temperature sredine samo dugoročna metoda za upravljanje toplotnim stresom, utvrđeni efekat biće uzet u obzir u statističkom modelu za procenu genetskih parametara i odgajivačkih vrednosti

THE IMPACT OF CULTURE AND CULTURAL DIMENSIONS ON STUDENTSʼ E-MAIL CORRESPONDENCE – A PILOT STUDY

E-mail correspondence between teachers and students is common. Online communication provides students with possibilities to write to teachers directly, using a diverse level of knowledge, level of ignorance and personal beliefs. The aim of this paper is to answer whether culture and cultural dimensions (defined by Hofstede’s high and low Power Distance dimension) influence the professional correspondence between teachers and students. The small-scale corpus consists of 100 e-mails, 50 written by Slovene students in English or Slovene, and 50 by Serbian students in Serbian or English. The research investigates the choice of e-mail template, the choice of language (native tongue or language of instructions), and the norms related to politeness and power distance, with the focus on salutations, formality, polite expressions, and directness. Usage of lexical modifiers, such as downtoners, upstaters and hedges will also be investigated. The results will demonstrate that e-mails by Slovene students follow new cultural standards and have become more indirect and informal, while Serbian students write e-mails with formal salutations and direct requests following the inherited hierarchy and still unmodified cultural dimensions