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The paper concerns the notion of information technology (IT) reliability in an organization and User Experience as one of the factors which may potentially increase this reliability through a role of users (who should willingly use IT to perform tasks it is designed to support). Frequency of IT use (also in the context of economic advancement as a comparison between central Europe and North America) and job characteristics, such as task complexity, structuration and uniqueness are discussed as potential moderators strengthening that relation. The empirical research was performed among 550 organizations operating in Poland and USA in order to verify whether User Experience might be the factor positively influencing IT reliability in an organization and whether identified job characteristics indeed are strengthening that influence. The obtained results confirmed, among others, that the more complex and less routine are the tasks performed by the employee, the more significant is the influence of IT User Experience on IT reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mineral Resources Management / Gospodarka Surowcami Mineralnymi is the property of Mineral & Energy Economy Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Due to early synanthropization and ecological and behavioural features, the White Stork Ciconia ciconia became the most cherished of European birds. Rooted in human culture, the species has been well studied; nevertheless, knowledge of people's attitudes and stork-related folk beliefs remain descriptive. Here, we attempt to quantify these issues in the world's largest stronghold of the species, Poland, in the 1950s. Methods: The study is based on recently discovered, original nationwide survey data from the 1958 International White Stork Census. These materials were gathered to assess the population size, but they also included issues belonging to the humanities. We have worked them up in a quantitative manner, which has resulted in an original approach rarely found in ethnological studies. We aim to propose an original typology of stork-related beliefs, their spread and regional diversity in Poland and the relationship with stork abundance. Results: A sample of 2343 questionnaires revealed that affection towards storks was widespread (91.4% positive responses), more so in eastern Poland. The most frequent beliefs relate to respect for the stork (65%) and prophesies (24%), thereafter parental beliefs (7%) and stork biology (3%). Positive attitudes and the dissemination of beliefs increased with stork densities but were unrelated to the respondents' sex. Utilitarian beliefs outweighed those prioritized in ethnographic studies (e.g. the stork's human origins) or popular today (baby-bringing), and expressed the real concerns of country folk. Conclusions: The discovery of long-lost data bordering on ethnology and nature conservation and their novel work-up highlights a realistic dimension of the human–nature relationship and provides a benchmark for further interdisciplinary research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To predict the quantity and quality of food available to pollinators in various landscapes over time, it is necessary to collect detailed data on the pollen, nectar, and sugar production per unit area and the flowering phenology of plants. Similar data are needed to estimate the contribution of plants to the functioning of food webs via the flow of energy and nutrients through the soil–plant‐nectar/pollen‐consumer pathway. Current knowledge on this topic is fragmented. This database represents the first compilation of data on the various food resources produced by 1612 plant species belonging to 755 genera and 133 families, including crop plants and wild plants, annuals and perennials, animal‐ and wind‐pollinated plants, and weeds and trees growing in different ecosystems under various environmental conditions. The data set consists of 103 parameters related to the traits of plant species and geographical and environmental factors, allowing for precise calculations of the amounts of nectar, pollen, and energy provided by plants and available to consumers in the considered flora or ecosystem on a daily basis throughout the year. These parameters, gathered by us and extracted from the available literature, describe pollen, nectar, and sugar production (where applicable, in mass, volume, and concentration units), honey yield, the timing and duration of flowering, flower longevity, number of plants and flowers per unit area, weather conditions (temperature and precipitation), geographical location, landscape, and syntaxonomy. The data were obtained from various, mostly European, pedoclimatic zones, and the majority of the data were available for plant species and communities present in Central Europe, especially in Poland, where research on floral resources has a long tradition. These data are representative of the whole continent and may be used as a reference for plant communities occurring on continents other than Europe since the database allows for the consideration of differences in the production of resources by a single plant species growing in different communities. This data set provides a unique opportunity to test hypotheses related to the functioning of food webs, nutrient cycling, plant ecology, and pollinator ecology and conservation. The data are released under a CC‐BY‐NC‐SA license, and this paper must be properly cited when using the database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that the impact of international programmes intended to improve the effectiveness of higher education institutions in transitional states is related to the extent to which the programmes are successful, through their various projects, in creating social capital within the institutions concerned. Based on case studies of similar institutions in Poland and Romania, the paper finds that projects developed within the institution had a more lasting impact on organisational change, even when the project was of an academic nature, than did externally directed projects which were actually focused on achieving institutional change. Social capital theory offers an explanation of this difference, and suggests what the mechanisms at work may be. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the importance of border effects for the location of foreign firms within Poland using a regional data set for the 1990s. In contrast to previous studies the border effects are estimated for individual neighbouring countries that belong to two groups: EU member countries and EU non-accessing countries. It is shown that border dummies for three EU non-accessing countries: Belarus, Russia and Ukraine are negative and statistically significant. These results suggest that regions located along the Polish segment of the Eastern frontier of the enlarged European Union are less attractive to foreign investors compared to other Polish regions, having controlled for their economic and social characteristics. This finding has important implications for the conduct of regional policy as public aid or special economic status may be necessary for these disadvantaged regions to prevent uneven regional growth and widening of development disparities within Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to analyse Poland's Eastern Dimension (ED) proposal as seen from the marginality theoretical background. The basic argument is that the ED stands out as a discursive battlefield for different representations of Poland and of Europe's margins. In devising its marginality strategy, Poland has learned from Finland about the ability of a state at the edge of the European Union to have an impact on the whole. However, Poland is torn between sovereign and post-sovereign discourses of space and identity; the tensions between them explain why the ED remains vague. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In October 2020, the Polish Constitutional Court held unconstitutional an exception in the Family Planning Act of 1993 that provided for legal abortion in cases of fetal abnormalities. This retrogressive step has led to an almost total ban on abortion in Poland. Drawing on existing Strasbourg case law and other relevant legal material, this paper attempts to anticipate a possible outcome of applications recently filed before the European Court of Human Rights by more than 1,000 Polish women who were denied abortions or who postponed their reproductive decisions out of fear. I focus on two factors that play a determining role in the adjudication of cases related to reproductive rights. The first one is a public interest in restricting abortion--namely, the "protection of morals." The second is the margin of appreciation doctrine, which determines the degree of freedom that states enjoy in regulating certain issues, such as abortion, and which is highly dependent on the concept of a European consensus. I argue that this consensus--revealed through the domestic laws and practice of 47 Council of Europe member states--shows considerable unity and should thus restrict individual states' discretion in limiting human rights and freedoms. The European Court of Human Rights, by acknowledging the relevance of a European consensus in abortion regulation, as well as evolving universal standards concerning reproductive rights, would avoid two pitfalls: one connected with analyzing the doubtful public interest in protecting morals, and another with a potential criticism of judicial activism and the court's imposition of its own moral evaluation of an abortion ban. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The European Disability Strategy (2010-2020) seeks to significantly raise the proportion of people with disabilities working in the open labour market. The ERGO WORK project is a collaboration of academic and industrial partners in six European countries, focused on understanding and tackling barriers to workplace inclusion for workers with disabilities. Methods: This study sought to explore the perceptions and needs of stakeholders in terms of workplace adaptation to the needs of employees with disabilities. An exploratory online survey was completed by 480 participants across six countries. Results: The analysis suggests that workplaces could be further improved to meet the needs of employees with considerable scope for training within companies to raise awareness about employees' needs, employers' obligations and workplace adaptation. Conclusions: This snapshot suggests there is still a gap between intent and reality in workplace inclusion and further strategies are needed to improve the opportunities for employees with disabilities. The paper argues that ergonomics may have a key role to play in tackling these challenges and adapting the workplace environment and job design to suit the needs of individual employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to calculate the subjective equivalence scale and poverty rates for Poland and compare them to equivalence scales in Eastern and Western Europe.Design/methodology/approach The analysis is based on European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions data for 2005-2012. In particular, the authors capture the minimum needs income question and, knowing the minimum needs income of each individual’s observation, apply OLS regression controlling for income and household structure to estimate the poverty threshold, equivalence scales and poverty.Findings The subjective equivalence scales for the Euro Zone are constant for the period 2004-2012 and less stable for the CEE countries. The child cost in relation to the cost brought by an additional adult is higher in the CEE countries than in the Euro Zone countries. The subjective poverty rates are lower than the OECD rates. The only exceptions are Latvia, Estonia and Bulgaria.Originality/value The authors extend the analysis made by Bishop et al. (2014) by adding data for the years after 2007 and countries outside the Euro Zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to summarize the outcomes of the Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe (ECEE) conference held in Warsaw in February 2016. The main aim of this conference was to facilitate a discussion on European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) guidelines implementation across the region and neighbouring countries and to present the current obstacles in benchmarking HIV care in Europe. Methods During a 2-day meeting, there were country-based presentations using a predefined template so as to make the data comparable and focus the discussion. Areas covered were country epidemiology, surveillance, national strategy for treatment and prevention, standards of care, access to care and treatment availability. Each participant filled in a questionnaire investigating HIV guidelines usage per country. Results In total, 16 Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and neighbouring countries were represented at the conference: Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia and Turkey. EACS guidelines version 7.1 were used in 14 (87%) countries. In 11 (69%) countries, national guidelines were available, of which eight had been recently updated. Half of the countries declared that they use World Health Organization (WHO) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines, over one-third the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) HIV testing guidelines and one in five the International Antiviral Society USA (IAS-USA) Panel guidelines from 2012. Conclusions Participants declared their will to promote the widespread use of EACS guidelines for HIV infection in the CEE region and neighbouring countries by signing the Warsaw Declaration. They also emphasized the need to increase publishing of data from national cohorts in that region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Scientific Papers of Silesian University of Technology. Organization & Management / Zeszyty Naukowe Politechniki Slaskiej. Seria Organizacji i Zarzadzanie is the property of Silesian Technical University, Organisation & Management Faculty and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Natural water reservoirs are very valuable floristic sites, with springs particularly important for the preservation of floral biodiversity. This paper presents, as a case study, a community of water plants that is new to limnocrene karst springs in Europe: Potametum alpini (Potametea), found in Poland. The paper provides the floristic composition and ecological requirements of this plant association, which is rare and endangered in Europe. According to our knowledge, the habitat data presented here are unique as they are published for the first time for this plant community, and thus it is currently not possible to compare them with data from other authors. Our study confirms the importance of rare microhabitats for global biodiversity. Research on as yet unknown physical and chemical factors limiting the range and development of patches of different plant associations should be conducted intensively, because plant communities, including rare, endangered and protected examples, are an important element of biodiversity at both continental and local scales. All the issues discussed in the paper (rare microhabitats, endangered aquatic plant communities, global biodiversity) are important because they are related to the conservation and management of inland waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, based on the qualitative study of 100 in-depth interviews, examines the strategies employed by academics in Central and Eastern Europe to challenge the limitations in access to scholarly literature. The findings demonstrate that there are basically four strategies: the first is to use open-source material, the second to "poach" materials, the third to download papers through intermediaries, and the fourth to "pirate" them. An example of the latter is the use of Sci-Hub, which some people see as a form of resistance against academic capitalism and imperialism and at the same time a call to reform how global knowledge production is accessed.

Cercariae of Plagiorchis spp. are frequently reported in European freshwater snails, but their true diversity is difficult to estimate due to subtle differences in morphology. We molecularly characterized 67 isolates of Plagiorchis cercariae collected from four lymnaeid snail hosts, Ampullaceana balthica, Ampullaceana lagotis, Radix auricularia and Lymnaea stagnalis in freshwater ecosystems in the Czech Republic and Poland. Based on mitochondrial cox1 and nuclear 28S sequences, ten species or species-level lineages were identified, including the first molecular evidence of P. vespertilionis from snail hosts and two species-level lineages reported for the first time. Previously undescribed species and species-level lineages are characterized morphometrically. We confirm the overlapping spatial distribution of Plagiorchis spp. in their snail hosts from Central Europe with those from Western and sub-Arctic Europe. Our results increase the known diversity of Plagiorchis spp. in Europe to 25 species/lineages in snails, but further research is needed to establish links between life cycle stages and to assess the host specificity of these parasites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wound‐QoL assesses the impact of chronic wounds on patients' health‐related quality of life (HRQoL). A 17‐item and a shortened 14‐item version are available. The Wound‐QoL‐17 has been validated for multiple languages. For the Wound‐QoL‐14, psychometric properties beyond internal consistency were lacking. We aimed to validate both Wound‐QoL versions for international samples representing a broad range of European countries, including countries for which validation data had yet been pending. Patients with chronic wounds of any aetiology or location were recruited in Austria, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine. Psychometric properties were determined for both Wound‐QoL versions for the overall sample and, if feasible, country‐wise. We included 305 patients (age 68.5 years; 52.8% males). Internal consistency was high in both Wound‐QoL‐17 (Cronbach's α: 0.820–0.933) and Wound‐QoL‐14 (0.779–0.925). Test–retest reliability was moderate to good (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.618–0.808). For Wound‐QoL‐17 and Wound‐QoL‐14, convergent validity analyses showed highest correlations with global HRQoL rating (r = 0.765; r = 0.751) and DLQI total score (r = 0.684; r = 0.681). Regarding clinical data, correlations were largest with odour (r = −0.371; r = −0.388) and wound size (r = 0.381; r = 0.383). Country‐wise results were similar. Both Wound‐QoL versions are valid to assess HRQoL of patients with chronic wounds. Due to its psychometric properties and brevity, the Wound‐QoL‐14 might be preferrable in clinical practice where time is rare. The availability of various language versions allows for the use of this questionnaire in international studies and in clinical practice when foreign language patients are being treated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a prevalent orthopaedic disorder in children, and screening methods vary across regions due to local health policies. The purpose of this review is to systematise the different ultrasound screening strategies for detecting DDH in newborns in Europe. Methods: Eligible studies from the PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases, published between 1 January 2018 and 18 March 2023, were included. The inclusion criteria specified a European origin, a focus on newborn human patients, and information on ultrasound for DDH detection. Results: In total, 45 studies were included, covering 18 countries. Among them, six nations (Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Germany) perform universal ultrasound screening. The timing of the first ultrasound varies, with Austria and the Czech Republic within the 1st week, Bosnia and Herzegovina on the day of birth, Poland between 1 and 12 weeks, and Germany before the 6th week. The Graf method is the most popular ultrasound technique used. Conclusions: There is no consensus on the optimal DDH detection approach in Europe. Varied screening methods stem from epidemiological, cultural, and economic differences among countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses several papers related to economic history of Italy, published in the several journals. In a short paper "La Polonia medievale tra occidente ed oriente europeo," by A. Giesztor, the author examines economic conditions of central Europe, particularly of Poland about A.D. 1000, with particular reference to agriculture. The author decides that Polish agriculture was well adapted for a variety of crops. The paper "La structure economique et sociale de I'etat de I'ordre teutonique en Prusse," sets out to analyse the role that the Teutonic Order had in the life of Prussia. With an indubitable political function the Order showed also its efficiency in the economic sector, revitalizing internal and external commerce to a degree, which the author describes as exceptional. In 1454 the insurrection put an end to its regime in most of the country. B. Geremek deals with the problem of the origins of pauperism in an essay "La popolazione marginale tra ii medioevo e I'eta moderna'." As is evident from the title, the author believes that the problem of pauperism was born in the period of the transformation of society that occurred at the beginning of the modern era.

Objectives: Health Impact Assessments (HIA) approach can be executed by calculating the attributable burden of disease. The most common indicators used in the HIA methodology are: premature mortality, morbidity, life-expectancy, and Disability Adjusted Life-Year (DALY). The term Disability Adjusted Life-Years (DALYs) indicates months/years lost due to a premature death or disability. The aim of the study was to present health benefits, expressed in terms of lower total mortality and cardio-respiratory hospitalization rates, due to a decreased particulate matter (PM) concentration in ambient air, in Silesian voivodeship.Material and Methods: In this paper, results obtained from the APHEKOM (Improving Knowledge and Communication for Decision Making on Air Pollution and Health in Europe) project, which provided specialized HIA tools, useful for assessing health benefits resulting from reducing air pollution, were used. Both short-term and long-term exposure HIA tools were applied with regard to the appropriate data for Silesian voivodeship. Exposure data were obtained from the Regional Environmental Inspectorate in Katowice, while population and health data were obtained from the Central Statistical Office of Poland or from the Silesian Voivodeship Office, respectively.Results: Health benefits that are related to an improvement of ambient air quality in Silesia region are similar to previous estimates obtained for Kraków city. The reduction of short-term exposure to PM10 by 5 μg/m3 results in a lower number of yearly non-external deaths (2.6-2.75 per 100 000 inhabitants). This effect was also shown to be similar in the city of Zabrze, as well as in the whole Silesia region.Conclusions: The Health Impact Assessments tools developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) can help public health experts make decisions in order to improve the health of populations living in particular regions of Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Local wound infections are a major challenge for patients and health professionals. Various diagnostic and therapeutic options are available. However, a generally accepted standard is still lacking in Europe. The aim was to develop an easy-to-use clinical score for the early detection of local wound infections, as a basis for decisionmaking on antiseptic therapy or decolonisation. Method: An interdisciplinary and interprofessional panel of experts from seven European countries was brought together to discuss the various aspects of diagnosing local wound infections. Results: The result was the adoption of the Therapeutic Index for Local Infections (TILI) score, developed in Germany by Initiative Chronische Wunden e.V., specifically for health professionals not specialised in wound care. Available in six European languages, the TILI score could also be adapted for different European countries, depending on their specific national healthcare requirements. The six clinical criteria for local wound infection are erythema to surrounding skin; heat; oedema, induration or swelling; spontaneous pain or pressure pain; stalled wound healing; and increase and/or change in colour or smell of exudate. Meeting all criteria indicates that antiseptic wound therapy could be started. Regardless of these unspecific clinical signs, there are also health conditions for the clinical situation which are a direct indication for antimicrobial wound therapy. These include the presence of wound pathogens, such as meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, septic surgical wound or the presence of free pus. Conclusion: The development of the new internationally adapted TILI score, which could also be used by any caregiver in daily practice to diagnose local infections in acute and hard-to-heal wounds, is the result of expert consensus. However, the score system has to be validated through a clinical evaluation. This is to be performed in expert centres throughout Europe. Declaration of interest: JD has received research support, lecture fees and travel-cost reimbursements from 4M, Coloplast, Convatec, Draco, Engelhardt, Paul Hartmann, KCI, Lohmann&Rauscher, Mölnlycke, SastoMed and Urgo. RL has received research support, lecture fees and travel-cost reimbursements from Mölnlycke and Urgo. AK has received research support, lecture fees and travel-cost reimbursements from 3M, B. Braun Melsungen, Bode/Paul Hartmann, Ethicon, Lohmann&Rauscher, Mundipharma, Oculus, SastoMed Schülke&Mayr, SERAG-WIESSNER and Urgo. JVS has received research support, lecture fees and travel-cost reimbursements from Mundipharma, Histocell, Quesper and Urgo. This work was supported by an unlimited grant from Urgo Medical. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Urgo Medical. The company had no direct influence on the content of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Death is one of those universal parameters of life, yet very little attention is given to it in neither the work of planning practitioners nor that of landscape research. During the 19th and 20th century's many Western societies turned to cremation as a more sanitary, less costly and space saving way of human disposal. This paper highlights the cemeteries and crematoria as two types of facilities associated with cremation practices in Poland and in selected European countries. On the basis of analyses of contemporary funerary landscapes for cremation practices from Europe (31 objects from 9 countries) a catalogue (,pattern book') of design solutions was developed. Countries were selected on the basis of similarity to Poland in the aspect of the dominant religion (Austria, France, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia), convergent provisions of cemetery and funeral law (Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Slovenia, Sweden), and index of average population served by 1 crematorium (Belgium). Moreover, assessment of Polish contemporary places for cremation (39 objects) was developed. To strengthen the multifaceted meaning of funerary landscape and to link it more with the landscape, design considerations and potential outcomes for improved cemetery design accommodating cremation practices and burial was developed. The funerary landscape is defined as a specific type of landscape that focuses on the phenomenological relation between death, disposal of the body in the environment and the social memory of the group participating in the remembrance of the burial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

River valleys play a key role in functioning landscape systems on a regional and continental level. Their ecological and cultural functions have developed simultaneously for centuries, creating a unique composition. Cultural heritage has grown from natural heritage and has enriched it wonderfully. However, river valleys have become areas of particularly intense human pressure for approximately the last two centuries, but especially over the last half century; changes occurring in the landscape are more and more drastic. The analysis and evaluation of these changes can therefore be a good indicator and predictor of changes that occur in the environment of entire (regional and transregional) landscape systems. This paper presents the method and results of landscape studies based on the sequence: retrospection—diagnosis—variant prognosis. The aim of the present work was to attempt to answer questions concerning the future direction of the development landscape physiognomy of small river valleys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patenting activity is broadly analysed in the literature at the micro, mezzo, and macroeconomic levels. Yet, not much attention regarding this issue is devoted to European countries in transition. The main aim of the study is a quantitative analysis of all patent applications filed with and grants issued by the Polish Patent Office throughout the period of 1990-2018 at the aggregate and regional level. We investigate trends and factors determining the patenting activity in Poland -- the country at an advanced level of the economic and social transition. The empirical analysis leads to several findings. First of all, we identify changes in the field of patenting related to Poland's accession to the EU in 2004, which resulted in the increase of residents' patenting activity and decrease of that of non-residents (in terms of the number of filed applications and granted patents at a national and regional level). This holds for absolute numbers as well as for a per capita perspective. Additionally, we demonstrate that the increase in R&D expenditure is not followed by a proportional increase in patenting, as the patent-to- R&D ratio is systematically shrinking. Finally, the study compares trends in patenting activity in Poland with those in different groups of countries, proving that the dynamic of change in Poland is much slower than could be expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is a critical verification of the late Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy in Poland in connection with stratigraphical schemes in the neighbouring countries. Although a terrestrial record of the Middle Pleistocene is almost complete in western and southern Europe, it is full of gaps in central and eastern Europe. Eight key sites in Poland and one in Belarus were selected to compile environmental and palaeoclimate data for a revised stratigraphy from the termination of MIS 12 to MIS 6, and the chronology was based on correlation with oxygen isotope stratigraphy and OSL ages. The late Middle Pleistocene record starts with the Holsteinian lake sequences, some of which have been initiated already at the end of MIS 12, persisted through MIS 11 and terminated in mid-MIS 10. In the examined sites, MIS 11 is represented also by deposits of meandering rivers in a temperate climate. In contrast, there is no evidence for deposition in most of MIS 10 and in MIS 9. A warmer and presumably wet episode at the beginning of MIS 8 lead to local erosion, followed by development of small lakes. Modest ice sheet advance into central Europe occurred in the second part of MIS 8, as reflected by a till, glaciofluvial and glaciolacustrine deposits and presumably, also by permafrost and ice wedges in western Belarus. MIS 7 seems to have been generally warm and wet when small lakes and meandering rivers could develop. Such mild conditions were interrupted with cool and probably drier episodes when braided rivers and limited pedogenesis occurred. Saalian ice sheet cover of central Europe in MIS 6 was widespread, but even more importantly, in this stage periglacial environments were dominant, as shown by continuous permafrost, intensive aeolian activity and development of ice wedges and involutions. Braided rivers developed during short wetter intervals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The pollen indicators of farming in Central European Plain c.a. 5050–4800 BCE excludes depopulation after the LBK collapse. • Rondels as the ceremonial centers played a leading role in building a new network social ties after the LBK collapse. • The pollen and radiocarbon data indicate that some rondelles had solid construction and could functioned nearly 300 years. Rondels are the oldest monumental ceremonial objects in Europe. They appeared some 200 years after the demise of the Linear Pottery culture (c. 4800 BCE). They have given a new shape to the resurgent 'Danubian Neolithic World'. However, despite intensive research, it is still unclear (1) how the transition process took place after the fall of the LBK; (2) how long rondels were function; and (3) under what circumstances they were abandoned. In this paper, we present a new approach to this problem based on an analysis of the biography of a single object based on the integration of archaeological and palaeoenvironmental data. We assume that the high-resolution pollen analysis of lake sediments provides critical data on the dynamics of population change (hiatuses, sharp declines and increases in population size) and how the environment is affected (felling of specific tree species, fires, cultivation of particular crops, grazing intensity). They provide a better understanding of the sequence of settlement and construction changes as well as alterations in material culture available in the archaeological record. The subject of the analysis is a site in the Lower Oder Valley (north-west Poland), at the furthest northern periphery of the 'Danubian World'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Truffles represent one of the most expensive edible fungi. About two-thirds of all known truffle records originate from Europe. Historically, the Mediterranean region in Southern Europe is associated with truffle cultivation and it is widely regarded as a center of truffle distribution in Europe. On the contrary, little is known about truffles in the central and northern regions of Europe. Here, native truffle species in Poland, their symbiotic ectomycorrhizal (ECM) tree partners, and their continental-scale distribution were studied. Altogether, 16 truffle species were identified based on the sequences of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) rDNA, a barcode region for fungi. Truffle species were associated with deciduous tree species of Fagales (Fagaceae, Betulaceae, Juglandaceae), Malvales (Malvaceae), Malpighiales (Salicaceae), and coniferous trees of Pinales (Pinaceae). Fagales trees constituted 70% of ECM associations formed by truffle species. Three genera of the order Fagales, Quercus, Fagus, and Corylus formed 50% of all ECM associations. Coniferous trees of Pinales formed 16% of associations. Two other orders of deciduous trees, Malvales and Malpighiales, together formed 14% of ECM associations. All but three identified truffle species exhibited low specificity to their ECM tree partners. Two-thirds of truffle species formed ECM symbiosis with both coniferous and deciduous tree species, but the share of coniferous tree partners was considerably lower than that of deciduous trees, reaching up to 30% for T. anniae, T. puberulum, and T. borchii (clade/puberulum). All the identified truffles were noted in both Central Europe and the Mediterranean region. Among them, about 80% of truffle species were widely distributed across the continent and represented by similar or higher numbers of records in Northern Europe, i.e., above the 48th parallel north, than in Southern Europe. This study showed higher taxa richness of native truffle species in Poland, but low specificity to their ECM tree partners. However, further studies on the regional-scale distribution of truffles in Poland are needed to improve the knowledge of the patterns of truffle distribution in forest ecosystems and the potential productivity of edible truffle species with high economic value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Polish Journal of Management Studies is the property of Czestochowa University of Technology, Faculty of Management and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present paper discusses the components of language teachers' awareness, which should differ qualitatively and quantitatively from that of language learners and users. It is argued that especially teachers of English, the European lingua franca, should develop plurilingual awareness to train learners to become multilingual citizens. This awareness involves crosslinguistic, metalinguistic and psycholinguistic knowledge concerning multiple language acquisition. Apart from that, teachers should ideally be multilingual themselves. The paper reports on a survey carried out on over 230 pre-service and in-service Polish teachers of English. It compares their levels of plurilingual awareness relative to their teaching experience, bilingualism/multilingualism factors and the level of L3-Ln languages known. Their awareness seems to be linked with both teaching experience and multilingualism, but it is higher for multilingual teachers proficient in several languages. The paper also presents a qualitative study in the form of a guided interview on a focus group of five in-service teachers. This provides in-depth insight into how they understand plurilingual language teaching. Finally, conclusions are drawn concerning changes in teacher training that would enable teachers to promote plurilingual approaches in class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research data shows that nonresponse in surveys is increasingly connected with respondents' lack of time caused, among others, by respondents' performance of paid work. Since paid work is one of the key sociological characteristics, the underrepresentation of working citizens creates a risk of nonresponse bias in surveys. This paper draws on data from the fifth round of the European Social Survey in Poland to demonstrate how realistic this risk is. Apart from paid work, the paper analyses three dimensions of workload: total work hours, regular/irregular nature of work and place of residence/place of work (the same or different location) and time spent commuting to/from work. The results of our analysis show that there is a risk of nonresponse bias associated with the performance of paid work and time spent commuting to/from work in another location. This risk may be reduced by increasing the number of contact attempts with hard-to-reach respondents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mineral Resources Management / Gospodarka Surowcami Mineralnymi is the property of Mineral & Energy Economy Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In European post-socialistic countries or more commonly known as Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) countries, regardless of their differences and specifics, the common communist and post-communist legacies in the field of educational sciences are still recognisable. The aim of this article is to explore research activity in the educational sciences in 15 CEE countries: 11 EU member states and 4 from the former Yugoslav Republic in the period from 1996 to 2013. The purpose of this research is to recognise the specificity and dynamics of subject and content issues, and development of methodological approaches in the educational science research. The sample consists of abstracts of 2,395 papers by CEE authors published in 265 journals indexed in Scopus between 1996 and 2013. Content analysis was applied, where the abstracts were grouped into specifically created categories describing the content and methods of the paper and analysed on the basis of two criterion variables -- CEE and non-CEE or international journals. The ?[superscript 2] test showed that the field of educational sciences in 15 European post-socialist countries changed over time in terms of quantity, content and methods, becoming more expansive and diverse, which is recognisable in papers published both in international and in CEE journals.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to define the impact of the investment in training in education by the European Social Fund (ESF) in four Eastern countries, namely, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Hungary. Those countries have some political, cultural, social and economic similarities and share some common ground in the human resource development (HRD) sectors. Design/methodology/approach: The authors use the human capital theory with some extensions to analyze the context, operations and impacts of the ESF in the Visegrad four (V4) countries between 2007 and 2013. The authors use three levels of methodology to access each one of those problems. Findings: The authors conclude that the ESF helped building the vocational training system in those countries, and to help them get near the equilibrium of high skills of the V4 Western European neighbors, and therefore, this one was a success story. However, quality issues remain to be addressed that may hinder the continuation of the success in the future. Research limitations/implications: The research could be enlarged in time and space and deepened in terms of methodology. This is one a first clarifying step. Theoretical work should become aware of the dichotomy between absorption and scientific logic. Practical implications: Detailed and precise evaluation practices must be implemented to guide and assess the policy. Social implications: Precisely because funds are scarce this paper enlights the dilemma and the tension between quantity and quality in the European HRD policy, this is an important social problem. Originality/value: The study is original because even if the HRD in those countries had already been studied (Sheehan and Buchelt, 2016), no study analyzing specifically the ESF in those countries has been carried out so far. The authors use an innovative methodology and address questions on context, operations and impact, which are also innovative and very relevant.

Subject matter of this paper deals with issues of the environmental impact of infrasound noise associated with operation of low-power wind turbines. It is now the current and relevant problem for both the cognitive and utilitarian standpoint. There is now a considerable growth in the number of such installations in Poland, Europe and in the world, due to the possibility of locating them on existing building roofs in heavily urbanized areas, and without having to build additional supporting structures. As part of the study, measurements of low frequency acoustic signals generated during operation of micro turbine equipped with a rotor of vertical axis of rotation relative to the wind direction have been performed. Analyses were carried out in order to determine the impact of wind speed and selected meteorological parameters on the level of infrasound signals emitted by the test turbine. In addition, frequency analysis of the recorded signals was performed. Then, the obtained results were subjected to comparative analysis. In summary, the achieved results were referred to the limits of sound pressure intensity level of infrasound signals as specified for the working environment in accordance with the Polish Standard PN-Z-01338. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Research Papers of the Wroclaw University of Economics / Prace Naukowe Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego we Wroclawiu is the property of Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny we Wroclawiu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: The paper presents, on the basis of international statistical data available and own research, the development of hydroenergetics in the world over the period 1995–2011. The energy of flowing water for a number of centuries has been an alternative to energy from fossil fuels. Hydropower can be regarded as a relatively non-invasive to the surrounding environment especially in the form of small hydropower stations, what resulted in great popularity of this segment of the green-energy sector. Next the work presents, in tabular charts, graphs and descriptive parts, the levels of utilization of hydroelectric resources for individual continents and countries. Against this background, the paper describes Polish experiences and plans concerning hydropower. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The post-colonial face of Poland is rather problematic. Nationalistic right-wingers started using interpretations applying the post-colonial theory, and the theory itself seems to put little resistance to this type of appropriation. Rather than acknowledging such state of affairs as the fate of every idea falling into the hands of the natives, in this paper I would like to treat the problems of Polish post-coloniality as a very interesting test, both for the theory itself and for the analyses of the Polish reality. I shall compare the cases of nationalistic misuse with a more "mainstream" approach to the issue of applicability of the post-colonial theory to the situation in Eastern Europe, and particularly to the situation in Poland. As I shall try to demonstrate, this comparison will reveal many disturbingly common threads--which in my opinion are unjustified assertions and conclusions--resulting not only from errors in reasoning but the shortcomings of the theory itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To provide initial data regarding country‐specific evidence of workplace violence towards nurses working within the health sector in five European countries. Methods: This is a descriptive and cross‐sectional pilot study, conducted in June 2016. The sample consisted of 260 nurses working in selected health care settings in five participating countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, and Spain). The questionnaire used was adapted from the International Labour Office/International Council of Nurses/World Health Organisation/Public Services International Workplace Violence in the Health Sector Country Case Study—Questionnaire. Results: A large number of participants confirmed that they had been physically attacked or verbally abused in the workplace in the last 12 months. In most cases, the physical and verbal abuse was inflicted by patients and to a lesser degree by relatives of patients, staff members, or managers/supervisors. In the majority of cases, no action was taken to investigate the causes of the incidents. In most cases, participants believed there was no point in reporting the incidents. However, the reasons for not reporting or discussing incidents of workplace violence varied depending on the country. Conclusion: Workplace violence towards nurses is a serious problem internationally, and violence prevention strategies need to be implemented. SUMMARY STATEMENT: What is already known about this topic? The nursing profession is at high risk of workplace violence. However, the problem seems to be severely underreported.What this paper adds? A better understanding of the problem in the social and cultural context, together with data fill information gaps regarding workplace violence in selected European countries.The implications of this paper: On the basis of the data obtained, prevention programmes and recommendations can be established and implemented in nurses' daily lives. Evaluation can also be conducted of the effectiveness of existing programmes and standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the influence of light pollution of the night sky on the conditions of visibility of astronomical objects such as planets, stars and comets. This phenomenon has a huge impact on the observability of astronomical objects, especially in cities, where the brightness of the sky makes it difficult or even impossible to conduct astronomical observations. The main purpose of this article is to measure and analyse the surface brightness of the night sky in Rzeszów and its surroundings. A device called the Sky Quality Meter was used to measure the brightness of the night sky. This paper presents measurement results for the years 2015 and 2018, from which it is clear that the quality of the night sky has been deteriorated in terms of the observability of celestial bodies. As an example, the numerical value of the measurement for the centre of Rzeszów has been taken. In 2015, this value was 18.70 ± 1.87 mag/arcsec 2 , while in 2018, it was equal to 16.73 ± 1.67 mag/arcsec 2 . The results obtained were used to analyse the visibility of celestial bodies. Here, particular attention was paid to the analysis of the visibility of comets (also during the outburst), in the context of increasing light pollution of the night sky. Observers in neighboring villages have also experienced a change in the sky quality from Bortle Class V to Class VII, requiring objects to be approximately one magnitude brighter in order to be visible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant changes that occur in the new social and media environment create real opportunities for renewing some traditional approaches to media, including the concept of media accountability. This study emphasises the main tendencies and current discussions on self-regulation and media ethics in an era of social change and technological development in selected countries in Central and Eastern Europe. On the basis of available literature as well as in-depth interviews carried out with Bulgarian, Polish and Serbian policy-makers, media managers, journalists and media researchers in November 2010 and December 2010 several trends with respect to the emergence and development of innovations online have been observed. Firstly, the paper aims at defining the notion of media accountability as well as legitimacy of existing practices and institutions. Secondly, an in-depth analysis of the development of new media platforms and Internet users' culture further helps to define some of most significant examples of external and internal practices, strategies and cases in a sense of response for the quality of publication in the online space. Finally, research on the usage of social networks and blogs, as well as on practices fostering actor transparency, production transparency and the level of media responsiveness help to define the current stage and future directions for media accountability development. What are the political, professional and public "frames" of media accountability and transparency? What instruments supporting media accountability have emerged and how can they make media organizations more accountable and transparent to the publics? How can online media respond for the quality of publication? What are the challenges and opportunities created by new media and technologies in Central and Eastern Europe? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Uprava is the property of University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Public Administration and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Problems / Problemos is the property of Vilnius University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The presence of antibiotics and their metabolites in the aquatic environment exerts a negative impact on all organisms. Moreover, the easy migration of these substances to drinking water may also have serious consequences for public health, such as drug resistance. Although antibiotics and their metabolites are detected in surface waters and wastewater, there are still no systemic solutions preventing environmental pollution with these substances. The procedure for quantification of antibiotics usually involves solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by instrumental analysis typically using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), which provides sensitivity, selectivity and reliability of results. Therefore, it is necessary to take decisive steps aimed at the determination of critical concentrations of antibiotics, which will make it possible to maintain safe values that will not exert a negative impact on the natural environment and human health. This work presents the current state of knowledge based on data from 2009 to 2018 (review of ten years of scientific papers) on the presence of antibiotics and their metabolites in the aquatic environment in Poland and Europe and methods used for the determination of antibiotics in different types of water (surface water and wastewater). The main strategies used for the removal of antibiotics during wastewater treatment processes in the context of antibiotics' concentrations were also presented. • Presence of antibiotics in different types of surface water and wastewater in Poland and Europe • Impact on organisms resulting from the presence of antibiotics in the aquatic environment • A literature update of analytical methods for quantification of antibiotics based on data from 2009 until today [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine spatial planning (MSP) is a process of managing human activities in the marine and coastal environment in order to achieve sustainable development goals. Amendments regarding marine spatial planning within the Polish marine areas introduced to Polish law in 2015 constitute grounds for drawing up maritime spatial plans for marine areas. This paper presents a few general comments on the marine spatial planning in Poland in the context of implementation of the Directive establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning (MSP Directive) in Europe. The MSP Directive plays an important role in the development of marine spatial planning by promoting MSP instruments. Marine spatial plans are the basic instruments of marine spatial planning. The MSP Directive requires all coastal Member States of the European Union to prepare cross-sectoral maritime spatial plans by 2021. Development of the first maritime spatial plan for Polish marine areas was started in 2013. The MSP legal basis are included in the Marine Areas of the Republic of Poland and Maritime Administration Act of 1991 amended in 2015, which defines the legal situation of the marine areas of the Republic of Poland, the coastal area, the sea ports and harbours, and the rules for the use of these areas, as well as the maritime administration authorities and their competences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract High-frequency depositional cycles are often used for long-distance correlations within sedimentary basins and constructing high-resolution chronostratigraphic scales calibrated to the orbital clock. Such an approach has been used for the tropical, epicontinental Muschelkalk Sea covering most of Europe in the Middle Triassic. This paper aims at establishing the spatial extent and internal architecture of shallow-marine Muschelkalk cycles within a small (120 by 50 km) area of the Germanic Basin, to identify their local vs. regional distribution and cycle-forming mechanisms. Three groups of cycles are distinguished: 1) peritidal cycles representing a tidal flat-lagoon system which experienced longer periods of emersion; 2) shallow subtidal cycles formed around the fair-weather wave base; and 3) deep subtidal cycles developed around the storm wave base. The three cycle types differ markedly in the composition, facies homogeneity, sedimentary trends, hierarchical organization, continuity, and degree of lateral changeability and complexity, which collectively translates into the ease of cycle recognition. Despite the differences, the defined cycles do not extend laterally beyond the studied area and have laterally variable facies heterogeneities, sedimentary trends, and thicknesses. This variability resulted from more or less mosaic infilling of accommodation space, reflecting local bathymetry, physicochemical conditions, and carbonate production and accumulation rates on the platform. Accommodation space evolved by the interplay of eustatic sea-level fluctuations regional subsidence, and synsedimentary tectonic-block movements, but the contribution of these factors changed over time and was to varying degrees masked for each of the three cycle types by intrinsic sedimentary processes. The study shows that Middle Triassic cycles of the Germanic Basin have a local to sub-regional distribution and thereby are inappropriate for basin-wide correlations and chronostratigraphic inferences. It also strengthens the opinion of several workers that correlation of idealized cycles is unrealistic without checking the horizontal continuity of facies and key surfaces directly in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bats use a variety of tree-related microhabitats, however, only a few species inhabiting temperate regions use trees as roosts during winter. Our paper presents the first evidences of the use of cavities created by the longhorn beetles Cerambyx cerdo as hibernation sites in Central Europe. During research conducted in 2017–2018 in SW Poland bats hibernating in Cerambyx cavities were noted in 52.6% of the monitored trees (n = 19). All bats belonged to the genus Pipistrellus, and individuals identified to the species level were Pipistrellus nathusii. Bats were found at a distance of 5-15 cm from the edge of the entrance holes at the height of 150–305 cm above the ground, significantly more often in south and west-oriented cavities. There were no significant differences in tree diameter and health condition between inhabited and uninhabited trees. However, bats seemed to show preferences for oaks with high abundance of C. cerdo cavities. Our results indicate that bats frequently use these specific roots, which emphasises the importance of this beetle species as an ecosystem engineer. The protection of C. cerdo can therefore be an important component of the conservation of tree-dwelling bats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]