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    Engineering diffusivity in copper-alginate hydrogels via electrodeposition and modelling

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    Copper-crosslinked alginate hydrogels present a promising platform for engineered membranes due to their tunable permeability, structural robustness, and biocompatibility. In this study, a quantitative framework was developed to control and predict solute transport through these hydrogels by combining electrodeposition synthesis with mechanistic modelling. Hydrogels were fabricated under varying current densities and deposition times, and their effective diffusion coefficients were experimentally determined using a custom two-chamber diffusion system with theophylline as a model solute. The results demonstrated a strong inverse dependence of diffusivity on both electrochemical parameters, reflecting increased cross-linking density and reduced mesh size. An empirical, power-law exponential correlation was established linking the effective diffusion coefficient to electrodeposition conditions. Fick’s second law was numerically solved for a three-domain (donor–hydrogel–acceptor) system using a finite difference scheme that incorporated interfacial mass transfer and partition coefficients. Simulated concentration profiles showed excellent agreement with experimental data, confirming the model’s predictive capability. This integrated experimental–computational approach enabled precise engineering of hydrogel membrane properties and offered a scalable strategy for process design in drug delivery, separation, and biointerface applications

    Investigation of the impact of homophenylalanine replacement with its structural analogues on the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain protein 2 agonistic activity of desmuramylpeptides

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    Imunski sistem nas varuje pred tujki, ki ogrožajo naš organizem. Za aktivacijo imunskega odziva so ključni receptorji, ki prepoznajo molekulske strukture, značilne za razne povzročitelje okužb. Mednje sodijo tudi receptorji z nukleotid-vezočo oligomerizacijsko domeno 2 (NOD2), ki se nahajajo predvsem v imunskih celicah in po prepoznavi liganda sprožijo vnetni odziv. Najmanjša enota bakterijskega peptidoglikana, ki aktivira NOD2, je muramil dipeptid. Ob vezavi se sprožijo mehanizmi prirojene in posredno tudi pridobljene imunosti, zato imajo sintezni NOD2 agonisti velik terapevtski potencial. Poleg vloge adjuvansov v cepivih bi se lahko uporabljali tudi v protitumorni terapiji in pri zdravljenju nekaterih infekcijskih bolezni, v zadnjem času pa veliko obetajo tudi kot potencialne učinkovine v terapiji nevrodegenerativnih bolezni. V sklopu magistrske naloge smo si prizadevali izboljšati NOD2 agonistično delovanje dezmuramilpeptidne spojine vodnice. Sintetizirali smo 12 različnih analogov trans-feruloilnega derivata tripeptida hPhe-L-Val-D-Glu, pri čemer smo aminokislino homofenilalanin nadomestili z njenimi strukturnimi analogi. Prvi sklop sprememb je vključeval vpeljavo različnih funkcionalnih skupin na aromatski obroč, v nadaljevanju smo aromatski obroč zamenjali s cikloheksilnim, nazadnje pa smo pripravili analoge z uvedeno dodatno metilensko skupino. Agonistično delovanje sintetiziranih spojin na receptor NOD2 smo določili s testom na celicah HEK-Blue hNOD2. Rezultati so potrdili, da so spojine z uvedeno desnosučno aminokislino boljši agonisti od tistih z levosučno konfiguracijo. Strukture štirih sintetiziranih produktov, ki so izkazali EC50 v pikomolarnem koncentracijskem območju, nakazujejo na to, da so za agonistično delovanje ključne hidrofobne interakcije homofenilalaninskih analogov v vezavnem žepu receptorja. Najboljši rezultat je na testiranju pokazala spojina, ki je vsebovala analog homofenilalanina z dodatno metilensko skupino v stranski verigi (EC50 = 310 pM). Z rezultati smo dodatno osvetlili odnos med strukturo in delovanjem agonistov NOD2. Sintetizirane spojine predstavljajo izhodišče za nadaljnje vrednotenje, ugotovitve glede SAR pa bodo dodatno vodilo pri optimizaciji teh spojin v prihodnosti.The immune system protects us from pathogenic agents that pose a threat to our body. Receptors that recognize molecular structures characteristic of various infectious agents are key to the activation of the immune response. Among them are nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing proteins 2 (NOD2), which are primarily found in immune cells and trigger an inflammatory response upon ligand binding. The smallest structural unit of bacterial peptidoglycan that activates the NOD2 is muramyl dipeptide. Upon binding, mechanisms of innate immunity and, indirectly, adaptive immunity are activated, which is why synthetic NOD2 agonists hold great therapeutic potential. Besides their role as adjuvants in vaccines, they could also be used in cancer therapy and in the treatment of certain infectious diseases. Recently, they have also shown promise as potential therapeutic agents in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. As part of this Master’s thesis, we aimed to improve the agonistic activity of a desmuramylpeptide lead compound on the NOD2 receptor. We synthesized 12 different analogues of a trans-feruloyl derivative of the tripeptide hPhe-L-Val-D-Glu, in which the amino acid homophenylalanine was replaced with its structural analogues. The first set of modifications involved introducing various functional groups onto the aromatic ring. Next, the aromatic ring was replaced with a cyclohexyl group, and finally, we prepared analogues containing an additional methylene group. The agonistic activity of the synthesized compounds on the NOD2 receptor was evaluated using a HEK-Blue hNOD2 cell-based assay. The results confirmed that compounds containing the D-configured amino acid were more potent agonists than those with the L-configuration. The structures of four synthesized compounds that exhibited EC50 values in the picomolar concentration range suggest that hydrophobic interactions of the homophenylalanine analogues in the receptor\u27s binding pocket are key for agonistic activity. The most potent compound in the assay contained a homophenylalanine analogue with an additional methylene group in the side chain (EC50 = 310 pM). Our results provided further insight into the structure–activity relationship of NOD2 agonists. The synthesized compounds represent a promising starting point for further evaluation, while the SAR findings will serve as valuable guidance for future optimization of these compounds

    Influence of storage conditions on the extract content in silver fir bark

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    Koncept krožnega gospodarstva obravnava ostanke proizvodnih procesov kot pomembno surovino za proizvodnjo novih izdelkov z dodano vrednostjo. V tem kontekstu je skorja, ostanek v lesnopredelovalni industriji, že prepoznana kot surovina za ekstrakcijo naravnih antioksidantov, ki se uporabljajo v prehranskih dopolnilih. Ustrezna manipulacija s skorjo pred ekstrakcijo je pomembna za zagotavljanje kakovostnih ekstraktov. Z MSc nalogo smo preučili vpliv priprave in načina hranjenja skorje na vsebnost ekstraktivov in polifenolov v skorji. Raziskavo smo osnovali na skorji kočevske bele jelke (Abies alba Mill.), vzorce skorje smo naravno starali na dveh testnih lokacijah. Z monitoringom sprememb v kemijski sestavi ekstraktivov smo analizirali vpliv velikosti delcev skorje, časa odvzema skorje in pogojev skladiščenja na vsebnost ekstraktivov in polifenolov v skorji. Monitoring je trajal eno leto, meritve smo izvajali mesečno. Vzorce skorje smo ekstrahirali z vodo, kakovost ekstraktov smo nato kemijsko ovrednotili z gravimetrijo, spektrofotometrijo in kromatografijo. Analizirali smo tudi vpliv termične obdelave na vsebnost ekstraktivov in polifenolov v jelovi skorji. Rezultati meritev so pokazali, da na vsebnost ekstraktivov močno vplivata velikost delcev biomase in prostor, kjer skorjo skladiščimo. Vsebnost ekstraktivov v skorji se je v največji meri ohranila takrat, ko smo skorjo neobdelano/nepredelano skladiščili v temnem in pokritem prostoru. Rezultati kažejo, da je skorjo z debel smiselno odstrani čim kasneje, torej tik pred ekstrakcijo. Termična obdelava v določeni meri negativno vpliva na vsebnost polifenolov v skorji, vendar je ta faza obdelave nujna in jo v procesu priprave biomase za transport ne moremo izključiti. Jelovo skorjo lahko ustrezno osušimo s krajšo termično obdelavo ob uporabi milejših sušilniških programov.The concept of the circular economy regards the residues of production processes as an important raw material for the manufacture of new products with added value. In this context, bark is a residue from the wood industry that is already recognized as a raw material for the extraction of natural antioxidants used in dietary supplements. Proper treatment of the biomass prior to extraction is important to ensure adequate quality of the extracts. As part of the master\u27s thesis, the influence of the treatment and storage of bark on the content of extractives and polyphenols was investigated. The bark of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) from Kočevska region was exposed to weathering at two test sites. The influence of the bark particle size, the time of debarking and the storage conditions of the bark on the content of extractives and polyphenols was analyzed by observing the changes in the chemical composition. The monitoring period was one year and the measurements were carried out monthly. The bark samples were extracted with water and the quality of the extracts was evaluated by chemical analysis. The influence of the thermal treatment of the bark on the content of extractives was also investigated. The results showed that the content of extractives is strongly influenced by the bark particle size and the storage location of the bark. The extractives content was best preserved when the bark was stored unprocessed in a dark and covered place. We found that the bark should be removed from the log shortly before extraction. Silver fir bark must be sufficiently dried, although shorter thermal treatment and gentler drying programs can be used to preserve the polyphenols in the biomass

    Dynamic performance of c80 railway wagon under the influence of wheel polygons and typical mode shapes of the car body

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    To investigate the influence of typical mode shapes and wheel polygons on the dynamic characteristics of railway freight car body, this study takes railway freight wagon C80 as the research object. Vehicle-level and system-level finite element models of the C80 railway wagon were developed, revealing that the lateral and vertical stiffness of railway freight cars significantly affects system mode. Furthermore, co-simulation using NASTRAN and SIMPACK was used to establish a fully flexible dynamic model of the C80 wagon. The influence of typical modal frequencies on the dynamic performance of the wagon was analyzed considering the wheel polygon and wear parameters. The results show that suppressing the torsional mode shape of the railway wagon reduces its impact on the derailment coefficient, wheel load reduction rate, axle transverse force and overturning coefficient by over 40 %. When the train speed corresponds to the polygon order, the wheel load reduction rate increases with the polygon wear depth under both the 10th order and 18th order conditions, by as much as 14.4 % when wear depth increases from 0.01 mm to the 0.05 mm for the 18th order condition. In addition, under the 6th order, 10th order, 16th order and 18th order polygon conditions, suppressing the torsional mode notably increased the wheel load reduction rate, especially under the 6th order polygon condition. This research provides valuable guidance for optimizing suspension parameters and controlling polygonal wear in railway wagons, offering a guiding basis for enhancing their dynamic performance of railway wagons.Za raziskavo vpliva značilnih oblik nihanja in poligonalnosti koles na dinamične lastnosti karoserije železniškega tovornega vagona je bil v tej raziskavi izbran vagon C80. Razvita sta bila model na ravni vozila in model na ravni sistema z metodo končnih elementov, ki sta pokazala, da bočna in navpična togost tovornih vagonov pomembno vplivata na sistemske lastne oblike. Nadalje je bila z uporabo so-simulacije med programoma NASTRAN in SIMPACK vzpostavljena popolnoma fleksibilna dinamična simulacija vagona C80. Analiziran je bil vpliv značilnih lastnih frekvenc na dinamično obnašanje vagona ob upoštevanju poligonalnosti koles in parametrov obrabe. Rezultati kažejo, da omejitev torzijske oblike nihanja vagona zmanjša njen vpliv na koeficient iztirjenja, stopnjo zmanjšanja obremenitve koles, prečno silo osi in koeficient prevračanja za več kot 40 %. Ko se hitrost vlaka ujema z redom poligonalnosti koles, se stopnja zmanjšanja obremenitve koles povečuje z globino obrabe pri poligonalnosti 10. in 18. reda. Pri slednjem se ob povečanju globine obrabe z 0,01 mm na 0,05 mm poveča za kar 14,4 %. Poleg tega je bilo ugotovljeno, da omejitev torzijske oblike bistveno poveča stopnjo zmanjšanja obremenitve koles pri poligonalnosti 6., 10., 16. in 18. reda, zlasti pri poligonalnosti 6. reda. Raziskava nudi smernice za optimizacijo parametrov vzmetenja in nadzor poligonalne obrabe koles pri železniških vagonih ter predstavlja teoretično osnovo za izboljšanje njihove dinamične zmogljivosti

    Education and professional development of Macedonian and Slovene special and rehabilitation pedagogues

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    Čas, v katerem živimo, je zaznamovan s hitrimi tehnološkimi in socialnimi spremembami, ki vplivajo na razvoj zahtev in kompetenc pedagoških poklicev. Razvoj je stalna tema pedagoških razprav. Vanj so usmerjene pedagoške raziskave, predstavlja temeljno vodilo šol po vsem svetu ter je cilj učiteljevega poklicnega delovanja. V zadnjem času je profesionalna vloga specialnega in rehabilitacijskega pedagoga postala še zahtevnejša. Spremenjena vloga učiteljev je postala imperativ družbe in vseživljenjskega učenja učiteljev ter njihovega profesionalnega napredka. Potreba po povečanju kakovosti dela v vzgojno izobraževalnem procesu vse bolj heterogenih skupin učencev postavlja učitelja pred vrsto novih izzivov. V skladu z njimi morajo tudi specialni in rehabilitacijski pedagogi pridobiti kompetence, potrebne za doseganje najvišjih akademskih standardov. Poleg začetnega izobraževanja je za vsakega posameznika nujna skrb za lasten profesionalni razvoj. Specialni in rehabilitacijski pedagogi sodelujejo pri izvajanju politike specialnega izobraževanja in vključevanja učencev s posebnimi potrebami. Njihova naloga je, da prepoznajo vplive sodobnega okolja na mlade s posebnimi potrebami, ki so vključeni v izobraževalne in rehabilitacijske sisteme, ter jih poskušajo s pomočjo doslej uveljavljenih metod podpore in učnih ter rehabilitacijskih pristopov opolnomočiti in usmerjati, da čim bolj polnopravno sodelujejo v svojem ožjem in širšem socialnem okolju. Specialni in rehabilitacijski pedagogi bi morali biti opremljeni s specifičnim znanjem o tem, kateri mehanizmi vplivajo na njihovo karierno pot, in o tem, kakšno vlogo imajo njihove odločitve o izobraževanju in usposabljanju na potek želene kariere in osebnega profesionalnega razvoja. Glavni cilji raziskave je bil ugotoviti in primerjati, kako izbrani skupini specialnih in rehabilitacijskih pedagogov v Makedoniji in Sloveniji dojemata svoj profesionalni razvoj, svoje vloge, znanja in kompetence za opravljanje specialnopedagoškega dela ter kako ocenjujeta motivacijo, kompetence in karierni razvoj. Zanimalo nas je tudi, katere razlike in podobnosti obstajajo med obema državama. V raziskavi smo se osredotočili na individualne in poklicne dejavnike, ki vplivajo na strokovno rast specialnih in rehabilitacijskih pedagogov, njihovo motivacijo za delo z otroki s posebnimi potrebami ter vrednotenje začetnega in nadaljnjega izobraževanja. Vključili smo 62 specialnih in rehabilitacijskih pedagogov iz Makedonije in 48 iz Slovenije. Podatki, zbrani z nestandardiziranim anketnim vprašalnikom v obeh jezikih, so bili obdelani z deskriptivno in inferenčno statistiko. Rezultati so pokazali, da so specialni in rehabilitacijski pedagogi v obeh državah izrazito notranje motivirani za profesionalni razvoj. Najvišje so ocenili željo po nadaljnjem strokovnem izobraževanju in veselje do dela z otroki s posebnimi potrebami, najnižje pa dostopnost finančnih sredstev za izobraževanja in zunanje motivacijske dejavnike, kot so družbeni status poklica in materialne spodbude. Slovenski specialni in rehabilitacijski pedagogi so poročali o večji razpoložljivosti finančne podpore, a hkrati o izraziti časovni stiski, medtem ko so makedonski kolegi višje vrednotili formalne oblike usposabljanj, mentorstvo in sodelovanje v raziskovalnih projektih. Obe skupini se ocenjujeta kot visoko usposobljeni za delo z otroki s posebnimi potrebami, zlasti na področjih prilagajanja pouka, ustvarjanja spodbudnega učnega okolja ter sodelovanja z učitelji in starši. Najnižjo stopnjo kompetentnosti so opazili pri nalogah, ki presegajo neposredno delo v razredu – predvsem pri vodenju, kriznem odzivanju in refleksiji lastnega profesionalnega razvoja. Med državama pri tem niso bile ugotovljene statistično pomembne razlike. Rezultati so tudi pokazali, da specialni in rehabilitacijski pedagogi svojo kariero najpogosteje razumejo kot poslanstvo, ki temelji na strokovni predanosti, poučevanju in vzgoji novih generacij. Slovenski specialni in rehabilitacijski pedagogi večji poudarek namenjajo strokovni usposobljenosti, medtem ko makedonski bolj izpostavljajo družbeno prepoznavnost in akademski napredek. V obeh skupinah pa tradicionalne karierne ambicije, kot je napredovanje na vodstvene položaje, niso izrazito prisotne. Pri oceni začetnega izobraževanja so anketirani najvišje vrednotili teoretično pripravo, medtem ko je bila praktična usposobljenost ocenjena nižje, predvsem med slovenskimi specialnimi in rehabilitacijskimi pedagogi. Makedonski specialni in rehabilitacijski pedagogi so svoje praktične kompetence ocenili nekoliko višje, kar mogoče nakazuje na manjši razkorak med teorijo in prakso v njihovem študiju. Nadaljnje izobraževanje obe skupini razumeta predvsem kot priložnost za osebni in strokovni razvoj, pri čemer izstopa notranja motivacija, medtem ko imajo zunanji dejavniki, kot so napredovanje v plačilne razrede ali spodbude delovnega kolektiva, manjši pomen. Sklepne ugotovitve potrjujejo, da je profesionalni razvoj specialnih in rehabilitacijskih pedagogov rezultat prepleta visoke notranje motivacije, zaznanih institucionalnih pogojev ter širšega kulturnega konteksta, v katerem delujejo.The times in which we live are characterised by rapid technological and social changes, which also have an impact on the development of the requirements and competencies of the educational professions. Development is a constant theme in pedagogical discussion and in pedagogical research focussing on it, a fundamental guiding principle for schools worldwide and the goal of teachers\u27 professional activity. Recently, the professional role of special and rehabilitation pedagogues has become even more demanding. The changing role of teachers has become a societal imperative that provides for lifelong learning for teachers and their professional development. The need to improve the quality of work in the educational process for increasingly heterogeneous groups of students presents teachers with a number of new challenges. Accordingly, special and rehabilitation pedagogues need to acquire the necessary competences to achieve the highest academic standards. In addition to initial training to obtain a degree, it is important for each individual to take care of their own professional development. Special and rehabilitation pedagogues are involved in the implementation of special educational measures and the inclusion of students with special needs. Their role is to recognise the influences of the modern environment on young people with special needs who are included into educational and rehabilitation settings, and to empower and guide them using proven support methods and educational and rehabilitation approaches so that they can participate as fully as possible in their immediate and wider social environment. Special and rehabilitation pedagogues should be equipped with specific knowledge about the mechanisms that influence their career path and the role their education and training choices play in the trajectory of their desired career and personal professional development. The main aim of the research was to determine and compare how selected groups of special and rehabilitation educators in Macedonia and Slovenia perceive their professional development, their professional roles, knowledge, and competences for performing special-pedagogical work, as well as how they evaluate their motivation, competences, and career development. We were also interested in identifying similarities and differences between the two countries. The study focused on individual and professional factors that influence the professional growth of special and rehabilitation educators, their motivation for working with children with special needs, and their evaluation of initial and continuing education. The sample included 62 educators from Macedonia and 48 from Slovenia. The data, collected using a non-standardised questionnaire in both languages, were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that special and rehabilitation educators in both countries are highly intrinsically motivated for professional development. They rated the desire for further professional training and the joy of working with children with special needs highest, and the availability of financial resources for training and external incentives—such as the social status of the profession and material benefits—lowest. Slovenian educators reported greater access to financial support but also a pronounced lack of time, whereas their Macedonian colleagues placed higher value on formal training opportunities, mentoring, and participation in research projects. Both groups assessed themselves as highly competent for working with children with special needs, particularly in adapting instruction, creating a supportive learning environment, and collaborating with teachers and parents. The lowest levels of perceived competence were related to tasks beyond direct classroom work—especially leadership, crisis intervention, and systematic reflection on professional development. No statistically significant differences between the countries were found in this regard. The study also revealed that special and rehabilitation educators most often view their career as a vocation grounded in professional dedication, teaching, and supporting new generations. Slovenian educators placed greater emphasis on professional expertise, while Macedonian educators highlighted social recognition and academic advancement. In both groups, traditional career ambitions, such as progressing to leadership positions, were not highly prominent. In evaluating initial education, respondents rated theoretical preparation highest, while practical training received lower ratings—particularly among Slovenian educators. Macedonian educators assessed their practical competences somewhat higher, indicating a smaller gap between theory and practice in their studies. Continuing professional development was perceived primarily as an opportunity for personal and professional growth, driven largely by intrinsic motivation, whereas external factors—such as salary progression or workplace incentives—played a lesser role. In conclusion, the findings confirm that the professional development of special and rehabilitation educators results from the interplay of strong intrinsic motivation, institutional conditions, and the broader cultural context in which they work

    Star formation under a cosmic microscope: highly magnified z = 11 galaxy behind the bullet cluster

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    We present measurements of stellar population properties of a newly discovered, spectroscopically confirmed, z=11.100.26+0.11z=11.10^{+0.11}_{-0.26}, gravitationally lensed galaxy, using JWST NIRSpec PRISM spectroscopy and NIRCam imaging. The arc is highly magnified by the Bullet Cluster (magnification factor mu=14.00.3+6.2mu=14.0^{+6.2}_{-0.3}). It contains three star-forming components of which one is barely resolved and two are unresolved, giving intrinsic sizes of lesssim10lesssim 10 pc. The clumps also contain sim50sim 50% of the total stellar mass. The galaxy formed the majority of its stars sim150sim 150 Myr ago (by zsim14z sim 14). The spectrum shows a pronounced damping wing, typical for galaxies deep in the reionization era and indicating a neutral intergalactic medium at this line of sight. The intrinsic luminosity of the galaxy is 0.0860.030+0.008L0.086^{+0.008}_{-0.030} L^* (with LL^* being the characteristic luminosity for this redshift), making it the lowest-luminosity spectroscopically confirmed galaxy at z>10z > 10 discovered to date

    ATP-competitive inhibitors for cancer treatment – kinases and the world beyond

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    Adenosine 5′-(tetrahydrogen triphosphate) (ATP), an essential molecule for cellular energy transfer, plays a crucial role in various biochemical processes, including protein folding, DNA repair and intracellular signalling. A promising strategy for the development of anticancer therapies is to target ATP-binding sites of proteins involved in these processes with ATP-competitive inhibitors. They either mimic ATP to block its binding or bind allosterically to induce conformational changes that prevent ATP interaction. While protein kinases are the main focus of ATP-competitive inhibitors used in cancer therapy, other non-kinase targets such as Hsp90, Topo II, p97, RNA helicases and ABC transporters are also recognized as important molecular targets. Their inhibition can overcome resistance to kinase inhibitors, which develops due to mutations in kinase domains, and at the same time alter essential properties of cancer cells. Although they target different protein families, selectivity remains a challenge due to the conserved nature of ATP binding sites. However, the structural differences between the target proteins allow the development of specific inhibitors. In addition, dual inhibitors targeting multiple ATP-dependent proteins can increase therapeutic efficacy, reduce drug resistance and minimize side effects. Several ATP-competitive kinase inhibitors are already approved for clinical use and many more are in clinical trials, demonstrating their potential in cancer therapy. In this review, we focus on ATP-competitive inhibition in cancer therapy beyond kinases, highlighting recent advances and challenges in the field while applying lessons learned from the development of kinase inhibitors

    Simulated role plays or field observation?

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    The aim of this article is (1) to report on a usability study on the acceptability of a multilingual phrasebook for healthcare providers and (2) to compare the effectiveness and the efficiency of two key usability research methods: simulated role play and field observation. The usability study focused on the phrasebook’s acceptability (i.e., the extent to which the users consider it to be appropriate and serve its purpose), and consisted of two steps: first the acceptability was checked through simulated role play, involving 450 healthcare professionals, and second through field observation of five healthcare providers and 18 patients using the phrasebook in clinical settings. The results showed that the users are quite satisfied with the multilingual phrasebookhowever, they also indicated that it hinders eye contact and does not offer sufficient support in more complex healthcare situations. The simulated roleplay and observation study both yielded comparable results. While the observation study was slightly more effective, if less efficient, the simulation study was very efficient and also highly effective, providing we focus only on the participants assuming the professional identity they have in real life, and thus proved to be a reliable alternative to observation methods in usability research

    "How did you as a politician contribute to this success?"

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    Namen članka je ugotoviti, kako poslanke in poslanci državnega zbora uporabljajo strokovno izrazje s področja diplomacije. Na podlagi kvantitativne in kvalitativne analize smo ugotovili, da poslanke in poslanci državnega zbora: (1) v svojih govornih nastopih pogosto uporabljajo strokovne izraze s področja diplomacije neustrezno ali na poljuden način(2) v svojih nastopih, kadar govorijo o področju diplomacije, pogosto ne uporabljajo jezika stroke, temveč bolj družbeno razširjen publicistični jezik(3) uporabljajo v svojih govorih politični jezik, ki temelji na pogovorni, ne pa na knjižni pogovorni ali knjižni zborni socialni zvrsti jezika.The aim of this article is to establish how the members of the National Assembly use professional terminology in the field of diplomacy. At the same time, it wishes to determine the extent to which diplomatic terminology is established in the Slovenian language. The research was conducted using the siParl 2.0 text corpus, applying both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The results show that it is frequently the case that members of the National Assembly in their speeches use professional terms inadequately (or even incorrectly) or in a semi-colloquial manner. There are also many cases in which professional terms from the field of diplomacy are not used precisely or even sound flat. The analysis also confirms that members of the National Assembly often use simpler (political) language to relate more with their constituents, even when talking about complex issues. However, precisely by refraining from using “professional terminology” when speaking about these issues, they often cause not only a deviation from the terminology, but also confusion about what they really want to express and what message they wish to convey. As a result, the article concludes that a clearer distinction should be made in the debates in the National Assembly between popular (and simpler) political language when it comes to some general political-economic issues, and professional (or more complex) language when it comes to specific issues. This holds especially in the case of the professional language of diplomacy, which ipso facto by its very fabric carries a certain message that does not only have a societal impact, but also an ideological one

    Occupational therapy for children with learning difficulties included in the regular elementary school program

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    Uvod: Učne težave so pogoste in pomembno vplivajo na učni uspeh, socialni razvoj ter splošno dobrobit otrok. Delovna terapija ima pomembno vlogo pri podpori teh otrok v šolskem okolju, vendar je področje v Sloveniji še vedno premalo raziskano in sistemsko podprto. Namen: Namen diplomskega dela je bil pregledati literaturo o vlogi delovne terapije pri otrocih z učnimi težavami, ki so vključeni v redni program osnovne šole, ter preučiti, katere metode se najpogosteje uporabljajo in kakšna je njihova učinkovitost. Metode dela: Izveden je bil sistematični pregled literature po smernicah Joanna Briggs Institute. Iskanje je bilo opravljeno v podatkovnih bazah PubMed, Web of Science in Education Resources Information Center. V končno analizo je bilo vključenih 10 raziskav, objavljenih med letoma 2009 in 2023. Kakovost raziskav je bila ocenjena z Joanna Briggs Institute orodji, raven dokazov pa opredeljena po merilih American Occupational Therapy Association. Rezultati: Analiza je pokazala, da delovni terapevti v šolskem okolju uporabljajo širok spekter obravnav, med katerimi prevladujejo senzorične, kognitivne, motorične in okoljske obravnave. Največ raziskav se je osredotočalo na težave s pisanjem, kjer so se pokazali pozitivni učinki pri berljivosti in organizaciji pisave. Pomembno se je izkazalo tudi sodelovanje delovnih terapevtov z učitelji in starši ter prilagajanje šolskega okolja. Razprava in zaključek: Delovna terapija lahko pomembno prispeva k večjem vključevanju in uspešnosti otrok z učnimi težavami v šolskem okolju. Področje je še v razvoju, raziskave so omejene, zlasti v Sloveniji, kjer delovna terapija v šolah sistemsko še ni vključena. Potrebne so nadaljnje raziskave, ki bi bolj celostno naslovile tudi druge okupacije otrok z učnimi težavami ter vlogo družine.Introduction: Learning difficulties are common and have a significant impact on children’s academic performance, social development, and overall well-being. Occupational therapy plays a key role in supporting these children in the school environmenthowever, in Slovenia, this area remains under-researched and is not yet systematically integrated. Purpose: This thesis aimed to review the literature on the role of occupational therapy for children with learning difficulties included in regular elementary school programs, and to examine the most frequently used methods, interventions, and their effectiveness. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. The search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, and Education Resources Information Center databases. Ten studies published between 2009 and 2023 were included in the final analysis. Study quality was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools, and the level of evidence was defined according to American Occupational Therapy Association criteria. Results: The analysis revealed that occupational therapists in schools employ a diverse range of approaches, primarily including sensory, cognitive, motor, and environmental interventions. Most of the included studies focused on handwriting difficulties, where positive effects were reported in legibility and organization. Collaboration between occupational therapists, teachers, and parents, as well as environmental adjustments in classrooms, also proved to be important. Children were found to perceive more unmet needs for adjustments than their teachers. Discussion and conclusion: Occupational therapy can significantly contribute to greater participation and academic success of children with learning difficulties in the school setting. Nevertheless, this field is still emerging, and research remains limited, particularly in Slovenia, where occupational therapy has not yet been systematically implemented in schools. Further research is needed to address broader occupational aspects of lives of children with learning difficulties and to strengthen the role of the family

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