SCIDAR - A Digital Archive of the University of Kragujevac

Developing a New Approach for Assessing and Improving Business Excellence: Integrating Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchical Process and Constraint Programming Model

This study introduces a novel two-stage model for assessing and enhancing business excellence based on the EFQM framework. The Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) is used in the first stage to calculate the weight vectors of criteria and sub-criteria, incorporating uncertainty through triangular fuzzy numbers (TFNs). In the second stage, the OR-Tools CP-SAT solver is used to solve the selection and improvement of sub-criteria as a multidimensional knapsack problem with mixed min/max const...

DYNAMIC MODEL FOR MEASLES INFECTION WITH SEIRV+D MODEL

This paper explores the dynamics and stability of measles infection within a specified population, utilizing the SEIRV+D model. The study commences by establishing the equilibrium points and determining the reproduction number. The stability of this equilibria is contingent on the calculated reproduction number. The research draws upon real data obtained by Public Health Institute of North Macedonia to conduct a case study. Various simulations are executed, examining a range of transmission a...

THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS IN INNOVATING SCIENCE TEACHING USING STEAM EDUCATION

The paper explains the key theoretical and methodological assumptions of innovating and improving the quality of teaching science using STEAM education. Using the theoretical analysis, it was established that STEAM education is based on a cognitive process aimed at solving problems from the real world, project learning, cooperative learning, research teaching, and the application of procedures that encourage students to be productive, self-initiative, and reflective. The roles of students and...

INFLUENCE OF GENOTYPE AND YEAR ON WINTER WHEAT GRAIN YIELD

During three growing seasons (2019-2022), an experiment was carried out in cooperation with the Požarevac Agricultural Expert Service in Požarevac with 6 varieties of wheat in order to analyze the influence of genotype and year of production on yield, thousand-kernel weight and hectoliter weight. The experiment was set up according to a randomized block system in three replications on the soil type. The main crop in the first year was sunflower, while in the second and third year it was corn....

EXPLORING THE ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF BLEEDING SAP FROM VARIOUS GRAPE VARIETIES

This investigation systematically evaluated the total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant properties of bleeding sap obtained from six grape cultivars—Evita, Cabernet Sauvignon, Prokupac, Smederevka, Muscat Hamburg, and Othello. The study employed quantitative assays to measure TPC, alongside three complementary methods (DPPH, ABTS, and CUPRAC) to determine the antioxidant capacity of the samples. The bleeding sap exhibited a wide range of phenolic concentrations, with TPC values spanning ...

ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF THE METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF THE EDIBLE MUSHROOM XEROCOMUS SUBTOMENTOSUS

This study investigates the antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of methanolic extract of mushroom Xerocomus subtomentosus. The antimicrobial potential was assessed by microdilution method (MIC values ranged from 5 to 40 mg/mL). Antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH, ABTS and reducing power assays, alongside total phenol and flavonoid content measurements. The extract demonstrated strong antioxidant potential (IC50: 80.842 μg/mL for DPPH, 6.587 μg/mL for ABTS, while absorbance for ...

PRELIMINARY FINDINGS ON THE INFLUENCE OF WILD GARLIC EXTRACT ON CARDIOVASCULAR ISSUES IN PCOS RATS

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in reproductive-age women, linked to cardiometabolic issues. Conventional treatments often fail to address PCOS’s complexity, prompting interest in alternatives like Allium ursinum L. (wild garlic), known for its therapeutic properties. This study evaluated the effects of wild garlic extract (500 mg/kg) on hemodynamic and echocardiographic parameters in a rat model of PCOS induced by letrozole and a high-fat diet. Results ...

LEARNING TO MAKE, MAKING TO LEARN: STEAM MEETS MAKER MOVEMENT

In this paper, we examine the potential advantages of integrating principles and methods from STEAM education and the maker movement into the teaching and learning process. The transition of the maker movement from informal to formal education, such as schools and colleges, is encouraged by STEM, and even more so by STEAM education. The maker movement, characterized as a community fostering creation based on science, technology, art, and craft, along with STEAM education, is rooted in the tra...

THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY DIGITAL LITERACY OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF THE STEAM APPROACH

This paper explores the integration of digital literacy into preschool education through the STEAM approach, focusing on practical examples and the challenges faced by educators and parents. It examines the implementation of digital education programs in preschool settings, emphasizing the importance of interactive and creative methods to develop digital skills in young children. A key example from Leskovac illustrates how digital literacy can be effectively introduced through play in a prepa...