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The construction industry is considered as one of the worlds' biggest carbon dioxide emitter and industrial waste producer. This is mainly because of the cement production process which is characterized by high energy consumption. And in Poland, over 70% of the energy is obtained from traditional power plants which use hard coal or brown coal as a main substance in the combustion process (while the average in Europe is 14%). The by-product and mainly waste material which remain after the coal combustion is the fly ash. The solution which on one hand limits the quantity of wastes from the power plants, and on the other hand reduces the cement use in concrete industry, might be the idea of more common application of alkali activated materials (AAM). As it was indicated in the paper, this broad group of modern materials might successfully replace the ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete in structural and non-structural applications. However, as the bonding process of AAM is different than the OPC based materials, it is required to know their strength development in time, as well as the factors which influence the strength parameters. The paper presents the results of laboratory investigation on flexural strength of the alkali activated mortar. The main precursor used for preparing the mortar was power plant fly ash containing in its composition silicon and aluminium atoms (which are desirable in terms of alkaline activation), and also carbon and sulphur atoms. The chemical activation of the precursor was done with the use of the mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate (in ratio 1:1.5). There were prepared two series of the samples – in one of them the mixing time was 2 minutes, and in the other one the mixing time was 5 minutes. After the preparation of cuboidal samples, the mould with the samples was placed for 24 hours in a climate chamber with a constant temperature of 40°C, and then the samples were unmoulded and stored in constant conditions (room temperature 20°C) until the day of testing (which was 1 day, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days after the samples preparation). The flexural strength was tested in a professional testing machine in the standard three-point bending test. The value of the failure force was read from the device, and then the bending strength was calculated. The results of the investigation indicate, that the increase of the flexural strength might be observed approximately till the 14th day, and then the strength stabilizes. This phenomenon might be useful in structural application, especially when high early strength is required. Also, on the basis of the research it was found that too long mixing time of the precursor and activator can lead to a reduction of the final flexural strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses certain characteristic features of Olęder settlements (from the Polish word "Olęder" meaning a settler of Dutch and/or German descent in Poland; Ger. Holländer or Hauländer) using the example of Olęder villages in the Pyzdry Forest (Puszcza Pyzdrska), Wielkopolska region, Poland. What is specific about the area is that, compared with other Olęder areas in the Wielkopolska region, there are well-preserved layouts and a significant number of original buildings erected with traditional techniques. The landscape of Olęder villages in Polish territories evolved gradually from patterns transferred from the area of today's Netherlands and northern Germany. In contrast to the indigenous settlements and cultures, Olęder villages have a different layout, architecture, as well as drainage and flood protection systems. The large numbers and concentration in river valleys shows the importance of those settlements and the specific influence they had on the landscape transformation in these areas. With time, the traditional Olęder settlements and architecture were transformed, and were subject to the process of natural destruction after the cultural and historical continuity of the land was interrupted in 1945 (which included displacement of the residents). With the current residents' lack of attention to preserving the heritage, these areas are being transformed according to new patterns. The purpose of this article is to show the results of a comprehensive field research of 58 historic settlements (67 present-day villages), including surveys of historical sites, as well as to present historical studies and an analysis of cartographic and planning material. The development of settlements from the mid-17th century to 1839 was examined and two types of Olęder village layouts were identified: wetland linear village (rzędówka bagienna, Ger. Marschhufendorf) and unstructured layout village. The local bog iron architecture, also known as "iron houses" is unique not only for Olęder settlements, but also globally. As a result of the research, characteristic features of the Olęder villages in the Pyzdry Forest were identified, such as their layout, pattern, land transformation, and features that strengthened their resilience to flooding. Identifying these features enabled the author to come up with a specific preservation assessment method for Olęder villages in flood risk areas. Such assessment will be discussed in a separate paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction industry is considered as one of the worlds' biggest carbon dioxide emitter and industrial waste producer. This is mainly because of the cement production process which is characterized by high energy consumption. And in Poland, over 70% of the energy is obtained from traditional power plants which use hard coal or brown coal as a main substance in the combustion process (while the average in Europe is 14%). The by-product and mainly waste material which remain after the coal combustion is the fly ash. The solution which on one hand limits the quantity of wastes from the power plants, and on the other hand reduces the cement use in concrete industry, might be the idea of more common application of alkali activated materials (AAM). As it was indicated in the paper, this broad group of modern materials might successfully replace the ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete in structural and non-structural applications. However, as the bonding process of AAM is different than the OPC based materials, it is required to know their strength development in time, as well as the factors which influence the strength parameters. The paper presents the results of laboratory investigation on flexural strength of the alkali activated mortar. The main precursor used for preparing the mortar was power plant fly ash containing in its composition silicon and aluminium atoms (which are desirable in terms of alkaline activation), and also carbon and sulphur atoms. The chemical activation of the precursor was done with the use of the mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate (in ratio 1:1.5). There were prepared two series of the samples – in one of them the mixing time was 2 minutes, and in the other one the mixing time was 5 minutes. After the preparation of cuboidal samples, the mould with the samples was placed for 24 hours in a climate chamber with a constant temperature of 40°C, and then the samples were unmoulded and stored in constant conditions (room temperature 20°C) until the day of testing (which was 1 day, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days after the samples preparation). The flexural strength was tested in a professional testing machine in the standard three-point bending test. The value of the failure force was read from the device, and then the bending strength was calculated. The results of the investigation indicate, that the increase of the flexural strength might be observed approximately till the 14th day, and then the strength stabilizes. This phenomenon might be useful in structural application, especially when high early strength is required. Also, on the basis of the research it was found that too long mixing time of the precursor and activator can lead to a reduction of the final flexural strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses certain characteristic features of Olęder settlements (from the Polish word "Olęder" meaning a settler of Dutch and/or German descent in Poland; Ger. Holländer or Hauländer) using the example of Olęder villages in the Pyzdry Forest (Puszcza Pyzdrska), Wielkopolska region, Poland. What is specific about the area is that, compared with other Olęder areas in the Wielkopolska region, there are well-preserved layouts and a significant number of original buildings erected with traditional techniques. The landscape of Olęder villages in Polish territories evolved gradually from patterns transferred from the area of today's Netherlands and northern Germany. In contrast to the indigenous settlements and cultures, Olęder villages have a different layout, architecture, as well as drainage and flood protection systems. The large numbers and concentration in river valleys shows the importance of those settlements and the specific influence they had on the landscape transformation in these areas. With time, the traditional Olęder settlements and architecture were transformed, and were subject to the process of natural destruction after the cultural and historical continuity of the land was interrupted in 1945 (which included displacement of the residents). With the current residents' lack of attention to preserving the heritage, these areas are being transformed according to new patterns. The purpose of this article is to show the results of a comprehensive field research of 58 historic settlements (67 present-day villages), including surveys of historical sites, as well as to present historical studies and an analysis of cartographic and planning material. The development of settlements from the mid-17th century to 1839 was examined and two types of Olęder village layouts were identified: wetland linear village (rzędówka bagienna, Ger. Marschhufendorf) and unstructured layout village. The local bog iron architecture, also known as "iron houses" is unique not only for Olęder settlements, but also globally. As a result of the research, characteristic features of the Olęder villages in the Pyzdry Forest were identified, such as their layout, pattern, land transformation, and features that strengthened their resilience to flooding. Identifying these features enabled the author to come up with a specific preservation assessment method for Olęder villages in flood risk areas. Such assessment will be discussed in a separate paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The watertightness is a crucial parameter in the case of concrete structures exposed to effects of water. Number of old concrete structures suffer from the massive water ingress into the underground parts, which negatively influences the operation condition of the building and the long-term durability of used material. This contribution deals with rehabilitation of water leakage in the fortress T-St-S 73 at the Stachelberg artillery fortress, which was built in 1930s in Czech Republic, near the borders with Poland. The paper summarizes the finding of the local survey, describes the causes of long-term leakage form the exterior into the structure and used way of rehabilitation. With respect to the massive water seepage it was necessary to develop new cement-based composite, which was applied at the damaged places, to seal the problematic and weak part. The material characterization of used composite and their time-progress for rehabilitation of the historical object is documented in the paper. The whole procedure and individual steps of the remediation intervention are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preventing global warming is a crucial issue of today's development. All the present and future actions should be planned to follow the paradigm of sustainable development, which is defined by the sustainability and decarbonization goals. The above-mentioned approach should be applied in all the economic sectors, out of which buildings constitute one of the most important parts. Moreover, it seems common to aim for the improvement of buildings' energy efficiency, due to the fact, that those actions provide considerable economic and environmental profits. Due to the high share of final energy consumption of buildings, it is necessary to decrease that demand, resulting in reduced greenhouse gasses emissions. In this paper, the Polish residential building sector is examined to improve its sustainability. Some pathways towards buildings' decarbonization are described and evaluated by means of their energy and environmental effects. This study is based on the set of representative buildings of Poland and statistical data, following the Urban Energy Modelling paradigm. Both, single-family and multi-family buildings are analyzed, considering their deep refurbishment. Calculations are performed using the TEAC and Energy Plus software, allowing for comprehensive analyses of the Polish residential household sector. The results presented in this paper might be useful for decisionmakers to define a roadmap towards decarbonization of the Polish residential sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the author's own method to assess the possibilities for preserving Olęder villages (from the Polish word "Olęder" meaning a settler of Dutch and/or German descent in Poland; Ger. Holländer or Hauländer) in areas at risk of flooding. Specific research resulted in a method that provides a clear answer as to whether rural areas with preserved landscape features can continue to exist and grow in spite of periodic episodes of flooding. The methodology which was developed was then verified at two research sites comprising Olęder villages in river valleys. To preserve the landscape of Olęder villages in flood-prone areas, account needs to be taken of the functional and spatial pattern, landscape features and hydraulic conditions of high water flows. The preservability of this landscape can be determined using an appropriate hierarchical multi-criteria assessment system. The methodological research was based, among other things, on the results obtained for the Olęder villages in the Pyzdry Forest (Puszcza Pyzdrska). The research focused on villages founded under the Olęder law from 1746 to 1864. Some of the research relating to the risk and hazards of flooding was conducted in river valleys where the research sites were located. The author's assessment method has a sequential structure and is divided into five consecutive stages. What makes the model different is that it is based on village development alternatives available in the decision-making process. The solution which is adopted refers to the planning process. The model each time includes up to 15 alternatives for planning solutions, the possibility of introducing anthropogenic landforms and computer simulations of flood wave transformation with a two-dimensional model. Using methods of multi-criteria analysis, it was possible to specify the most significant criteria for the author's assessment model which the author believes can provide the basis for the decision support system in spatial planning. The method that was developed makes it possible to determine whether villages that are being assessed can maintain their original functional character or, in line with flood protection guidelines, there should be no further development in these areas. In addition, the methodology also shows what the maximum possible extent of village growth will be (extensive, sustainable or intensive). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the author's own method to assess the possibilities for preserving Olęder villages (from the Polish word "Olęder" meaning a settler of Dutch and/or German descent in Poland; Ger. Holländer or Hauländer) in areas at risk of flooding. Specific research resulted in a method that provides a clear answer as to whether rural areas with preserved landscape features can continue to exist and grow in spite of periodic episodes of flooding. The methodology which was developed was then verified at two research sites comprising Olęder villages in river valleys. To preserve the landscape of Olęder villages in flood-prone areas, account needs to be taken of the functional and spatial pattern, landscape features and hydraulic conditions of high water flows. The preservability of this landscape can be determined using an appropriate hierarchical multi-criteria assessment system. The methodological research was based, among other things, on the results obtained for the Olęder villages in the Pyzdry Forest (Puszcza Pyzdrska). The research focused on villages founded under the Olęder law from 1746 to 1864. Some of the research relating to the risk and hazards of flooding was conducted in river valleys where the research sites were located. The author's assessment method has a sequential structure and is divided into five consecutive stages. What makes the model different is that it is based on village development alternatives available in the decision-making process. The solution which is adopted refers to the planning process. The model each time includes up to 15 alternatives for planning solutions, the possibility of introducing anthropogenic landforms and computer simulations of flood wave transformation with a two-dimensional model. Using methods of multi-criteria analysis, it was possible to specify the most significant criteria for the author's assessment model which the author believes can provide the basis for the decision support system in spatial planning. The method that was developed makes it possible to determine whether villages that are being assessed can maintain their original functional character or, in line with flood protection guidelines, there should be no further development in these areas. In addition, the methodology also shows what the maximum possible extent of village growth will be (extensive, sustainable or intensive). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All stages of mining activities, starting with the exploration phase up to the end of the extraction works lead to significant natural landscape alteration and formation of new, anthropogenic surface features. In order to mitigate the effects caused by mining, both in Poland and in the world, a number of legal regulations have been developed, which oblige mainly the mining entrepreneurs to restore use values of degraded or devastated lands. This process called reclamation is a long-term, complex operation and covers large areas. Therefore, the academic society publishes more and more papers concerning monitoring reclamation status, as well as supporting landscape planning processes using different technologies and measurement methods. It should be emphasized that scientific publications are not only limited to the mentioned subject fields. The main purpose of this paper is to exemplify issues connected with reclamation process, which have been investigated by means of remote sensing and GIS technologies. As a part of this publication 25 scientific papers written by Polish and foreign academics have been studied. The results of a conducted analysis provide a comprehensive summary in terms of quantity and quality concerning scientific materials published so far on the subject of reclamation process, remote sensing and GIS technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developed and paved areas in Polish cities are constantly expanding. It is a natural process for developing metropolises. Unfortunately, we can observe the gradual shrinking of green areas associated with this process, in addition to increasingly smaller numbers of planted trees, bushes and new areas with biologically active surfaces. This considerably reduces the comfort of citizens and has a significant impact on human health. People require housing, employment and rest—engaging in sports and recreation. In the period of today's rapid pace of life, attention to one's health is increasingly often neglected. People start to search for human-friendly spaces, both in cities and outside of them. One often selected form of recreation is horsemanship. An increasing number of equestrian centres is built in urban agglomerations, satisfying public demand and creating a network of popular sports and recreation centres. Contact with horses satisfies the atavistic need for experiencing nature that is imprinted into the human subconscious. The subject matter of equestrian centres that is discussed in this paper is presented on the example of three such facilities located within the metropolitan area of Kraków, Poland. The subject matter discussed here can also be referred to other equestrian centres, both in Poland and in Europe. The common denominator is an equestrian centre whose stable has a minimum of sixteen boxes for horses. The objective of this study is to present, among other things, the best possible areas for siting equestrian centres in cities and urban agglomerations. I attempted to answer the question as to how to optimally site an equestrian centre so that it could be as close to people as possible—their places of residence (accounting for everyday commuting to the stables)—and that would also meet requirements for horse breeding and provide animals with a proper living space. To explain this problem, I performed a range of analyses on three equestrian centres located in the Kraków Metropolitan Area, each located at a different site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Szklary Massif is situated 7 km from Ząbkowice Śląskie (SW Poland). In the area of this geological unit, nickel ore was discovered. It was exploited since the XIX century until 1982 when the smelter and mine were closed. The closure was related to the lack of rich ore and proper, sufficient enrichment technology. The next significant issue was the rare hazard – the occurrence of asbestos. However, the new perspective is related to the list of critical metals. The first list was published by the European Commission in 2011, the second one in 2014 and the latest one in 2017. The listed critical metals might become a new stream of revenue for the mining project in Szklary. The planned mining activity should be considered within the circular economy system. It is a trend in the European Union and possibly is going to be obligatory for investors in the future. Modern enrichment methods and possibilities for asbestos neutralization should be also taken into account. The article shows the recent land use within the area of abandoned open-pit in Szklary. The analysis covers the possible perspective for the deposit development with regard to the circular economy. Moreover, the streams of revenue and materials are considered, including critical metals. The presented article is the first one from the series of papers about Szklary deposit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concerns the relationship and co-ordination between physics and mathematics curricula. A new school reform was introduced in Poland in 2017. The 3-level system: primary school (grades 1-6) – middle school (grades 7-9) – high school (grades 10-12 or 13) has been replaced by a 2-level system: primary school (grades 1-8) and high school (grades 9-12 or 13). Two types of national school curricula are simultaneously in use in Poland since 2017. A comparison between the two existing curricula in Poland provides for interesting implications in the context of mathematics and physics education. In our analysis, special interest will be given to the notion of function. As it turns out, at the new primary school level, a physics teacher has to be a mathematics teacher as well, because the notion of function is not introduced anymore at that level during mathematics lessons despite it being a necessary tool for use during physics lessons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BIM technology is now a very widely discussed and commented area. However, it is still not commonly used in construction investments. Budgetary entities within the Polish public finance sector are beginning to be interested in its application, and more and more often require the use of this standard by designers and contractors. The paper covers issues related to the implementation of BIM technology in Poland on the example of military facilities and military investments. Along with the application of BIM, consideration must be given to the advantages, difficulties and potential risks which are associated with it. The analysis also covers the profitability of introducing BIM in Poland in the context of current project standards and legal conditions. This is due to the fact that the adaptation of public investments to this type of methodology is spread over time, and requires awareness and cooperation of all participants in the construction process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article "Struggling with physics and mathematics curricula based on the notion of function in the context of the educational reform in Poland" (AIP Conf. Proc. 2152; 2019) we analyzed the phenomenon of the lack of correlation between mathematics and physics teaching in the context of the concept of function. It is now taught the secondary school level of mathematics, but is also needed in the teaching of kinematics at the elementary school level of physics. In this paper, we present the chosen results of a pilot pedagogical remote-teaching experiment to provide a preliminary answer to several research questions on this issue: Does the attempt to integrate mathematics and physics have an impact on the understanding of functional relationships in a physics context? Specifically, does the introduction of a propaedeutic of the concept of function in mathematics lessons have an impact on the understanding and ability of analyzing motion? Similarly, do additional lessons on motion analysis affect the proficiency in representing, reading, and interpreting functional relationships? How do students process information about functional relationships in a physical context presented in a variety of representations? Is an elementary school student's intuitive understanding of the concept of functions enough to understand the analysis of motion in physics? What role do the remote experiments performed during the lesson play in learning new issues related to the concept of function in the context of motion analysis? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring of water quality is a tool necessary to assess the condition of waterbodies in order to properly formulate water management plans. The paper presents the results of patrol monitoring of a 40-kilometre stretch of the Oder between Racibórz and Koźle. It has been established that patrol monitoring is a good tool for verifying the distribution of points of classic stationary monitoring, particularly in areas subject to varied human impact, where tributaries of the main river are very diversified as regards hydrochemistry. For this reason the results of operational monitoring carried out once every few years may not be reliable and the presented condition of the monitored waterbodies may be far from reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strong land transformations which are the effect of intensive mining activity have led to degradation of many catchments located in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. The implementation of the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive has led to activities aimed at the improvement of ecological condition of transformed river valleys. The paper presents conditions, limitations and selected results of renaturalization activities undertaken in the Szarlejka river valley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local and whole body cryotherapy is well recognized, developed and appreciated both from medical and technical point of view. Poland is a country with a highest number of medical cryochambers in operation (above 200) and more than 3 millions of whole body cryotherapeutic sessions have been performed since 1989. Cryogenic temperatures applied for whole-body apart from medical effects have also significant influence on patient's psyche. A number of cryochambers is constantly increasing in hospitals, sport centers and spas. A temperature inside a cryochamber should be below 150 K. To achieve and stabilize such low temperature, either cascade compressor unit or liquid cryogens evaporation (N2 or synthetic air) are used. This paper presents safety oriented review of cryochamber design and constructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study discusses the accessibility of physical activity sites in Bydgoszcz based on the GIS network analysis method. Unlike most works, the study employs network analysis instead of the commonly used buffer distance assessment method. This resulted in a map demonstrating communication access to sports and recreation areas within individual parts of the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methods which provide good conditioning of model identification task in immune inspired, steady-state controller SILO (Stochastic Immune Layer Optimizer) are presented in this paper. These methods are implemented in a model based optimization algorithm. The first method uses a safe model to assure that gains of the process’s model can be estimated. The second method is responsible for elimination of potential linear dependences between columns of observation matrix. Moreover new results from one of SILO implementation in polish power plant are presented. They confirm high efficiency of the presented solution in solving technical problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the way of optimizing wood yield without defects for semi-products. The range of research presented in this work is mainly based on the application of numerical methods and optimization, but it is an issue of widely apprehended industrial mathematics. There were introduced the mathematical conditions, which described relationships between wood and their efficiency. The effect of the research is a computer program called TARPAK2, by means of which one can make simulations whether and out of what material the order will be executed, so as to minimize waste material and multiply the sawmill profits. The program is such the first product in Poland to assist research of secondary timber processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a summary of experimental studies of the corpuscular and X-ray emission, which were carried out with two medium-size Plasma-Focus (PF) facilities at IPJ in Swierk, Poland, during recent years. Those experiments were performed with the MAJA-PF and PF-360 devices operated within the energy range from 37 kJ to 121 kJ. The two-peak neutron emission was observed within PF-360 facility discharges. Energy of neutrons in the first pulse, as measured along the z-axis, was En = (2.65 ± 0.13) MeV, while that measured side-on was En = (2.47 ± 0.15) MeV. Electron beams were mostly generated after the maximum compression phase, while high-energy deuterons were generated earlier. © 2006 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's academic education is positively challenging. Students (especially in the upper years) are most likely to engage in the process when the knowledge they need to acquire is shared in a way that brings something new and far from routine. The purpose of this article is to present examples of student research projects carried out using a modern, as for Polish conditions, didactic method called Project Based Learning (PBL). Four interdisciplinary projects realised at the Silesian University of Technology will be discussed, mainly with the involvement of students and academic teachers from the Faculty of Architecture, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering. The research tasks carried out were devoted to ergonomic issues, with safety of use and health as the key guiding words. The following will be presented first: No 1. the concept of an obstacle training track for blind and visually impaired people called "adaptive path"; No 2. the idea of a multifunctional temporary inhabitable container, with the possibility of its vertical multiplication, which fits into the economic model of circular economy. Another strand of research within the presented PBLs was devoted to the topic of sustainability and related to issues related to building energy demand, to optimize and provide users with a sustainable thermal balance. Based on the example of typical residential houses in Poland, in project No. 3 the energy and environmental analysis of single-family houses will be discussed; in No 4 research relating to passive cooling solutions for improving thermal comfort in apartments in multi-family buildings from 1960s will be described. The projects carried out for several years at the Silesian University of Technology raise interesting and worthwhile ideas and develop valuable research conclusions. Each time they also prove that their added value is, on the one hand, professional, interdisciplinary cooperation, so useful in future professional life, and on the other hand, shaping the so-called soft competencies, where communication, patience, time management and problem solving skills are of great importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's academic education is positively challenging. Students (especially in the upper years) are most likely to engage in the process when the knowledge they need to acquire is shared in a way that brings something new and far from routine. The purpose of this article is to present examples of student research projects carried out using a modern, as for Polish conditions, didactic method called Project Based Learning (PBL). Four interdisciplinary projects realised at the Silesian University of Technology will be discussed, mainly with the involvement of students and academic teachers from the Faculty of Architecture, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering. The research tasks carried out were devoted to ergonomic issues, with safety of use and health as the key guiding words. The following will be presented first: No 1. the concept of an obstacle training track for blind and visually impaired people called "adaptive path"; No 2. the idea of a multifunctional temporary inhabitable container, with the possibility of its vertical multiplication, which fits into the economic model of circular economy. Another strand of research within the presented PBLs was devoted to the topic of sustainability and related to issues related to building energy demand, to optimize and provide users with a sustainable thermal balance. Based on the example of typical residential houses in Poland, in project No. 3 the energy and environmental analysis of single-family houses will be discussed; in No 4 research relating to passive cooling solutions for improving thermal comfort in apartments in multi-family buildings from 1960s will be described. The projects carried out for several years at the Silesian University of Technology raise interesting and worthwhile ideas and develop valuable research conclusions. Each time they also prove that their added value is, on the one hand, professional, interdisciplinary cooperation, so useful in future professional life, and on the other hand, shaping the so-called soft competencies, where communication, patience, time management and problem solving skills are of great importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the procedures and results of dosimetric verification using an Electronic Portal Imaging Device as a tool for pre-treatment dosimetry in IMRT technique at the Greater Poland Cancer Centre in Poznan, Poland. The ewaluation of dosimetric verification for various organ, during a 2 year period is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Music has always accompanied man – in a city, it has been present on the streets, squares, and in selected salons, for the greater glory of God, it was played in churches. It is no coincidence that one of the first buildings rebuilt in post-war Poland was the building of the National Philharmonic in Warsaw. Also important is the age-old need to meet, accompanied by the phenomenon of identity and ennoblement, combining the cultural and center-making dimensions of architecture and music. Used in a competitive urban space, it gives the city a new image. This is testified to by examples of "architecture for music" which sometimes in the formal layer are far removed from the iconic works of historical significance, but at the same time, their supralocal significance cannot be undervalued, often possessing an almost phenomenal dimension. After Poland's entry into the European Union, many Polish cities began the long road to "catch up" with their Western European counterparts with the construction of cultural facilities, of which numerous were devoted to music. To name but a few, the last years have seen the creation of notable examples: the Stanisław Moniuszko Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic-European Art Centre in Białystok, the Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre For Music in Lusławice, the Karłowicz Philharmonic in Szczecin, the National Forum of Music in Wrocław. the Polish Radio National Symphonic Orchestra (NOSPR) in Katowice, the Centre for the Meeting of Cultures in Lublin. Buildings designed by foreign architects were also erected in Poland, an example being the aforementioned Philharmonic in Szczecin (designed by Fabrizio Barozzi and Alberto Veiga) awarded the highest European architectural prize, as well as the Cultural and Congress Centre Jordanki designed by Fernando Menis in Toruń. In addition, world-renowned musicians and composers are involved in the creation of exceptional concert halls in Poland. The famous pianist Krystian Zimmermann influenced the search for optimal acoustics of the NOSPR hall. Krzysztof Penderecki (1933 - 2020) was the founder of the European Music Centre in the small town of Lusławice. He created a unique place where musicians can educate themselves and give concerts. olish buildings for music have won important European prizes and awards. They serve for the experience of music and influence the urban tissue changing its character and even changing the identity of the city. For our presentation, we have selected four facilities: The Philharmonic in Szczecin, Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre For Music in Lusławice, The NOSPR in Katowice, and the Symphony building of the Academy of Music in Katowice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present how the situation for Polish women in science has changed according to their age and scientific career level. More than 50% of students studying in all fields of sciences are women, but for math/physics/engineering studies there are fewer than 10% women. The numbers become better for PhD students in math/physics/engineering (34% women) at level of professor (about 25% women), but are still not nearly high enough. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to check which type of precipitation control the activity of Garbatka landslide (southern Poland, Central Sudeten Mts) from a decadal perspective. In order to achieve aforesaid goal dendrochronological methods of reconstructing landslide activity have been applied. The study has revealed dendrochronology to be an efficient method for determining triggering factors of landslide activity as the method provides long data sets on past landslide activity which are suitable for statistical analyses and comparisons with precipitation record. In case of the Garbatka landslide the oldest dated landslide activity event is 1942. Dendrochronological record has been compared with precipitation record from the nearest gauging station which is available since 1951. Correlation of data on landslide activity and precipitation data has shown that the landslide under study is sensitive to high short-term precipitation totals (up to 5-days) and to extremely long-term precipitation totals (60-days and 90-days). The main factor driving the activity of the landslide under study is total annual precipitation which is characterized by the highest level of correlation coefficient. However, the nature of the relation between precipitation and landsliding is complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing number of disastrous mass movements creates a growing threat to buildings, roads, etc. In addition, the growing population, mainly in developing countries, causes the colonization of areas endangered by mass movements. One of the most destructive types of mass movements are landslides. Therefore, new methods of estimating landslide risk are currently being sought. The aim of the study was to assess the landslide hazard for the purpose of house construction in a mountain area. We used dendrochronological methods: the analysis of eccentric tree rings. Trees tilted due to landsliding record information about landslide events in their tree rings with annual resolution. Long series of data obtained from tree rings allow us to assess landslide hazard with great precision. The analysis have shown that the studied building plot in Jaszczurowa (southern Poland) and the slope directly above the plot are a subject of active landsliding. Dendrochronology allowed us to detect numerous small landside events on the analysed area. The hazard is related to heavy rainfall events when landsliding on study area can be triggered or accelerated and the ground can then move at a fast rate and on a larger scale. The study shows that any decision to build up the area under analysis will put new houses under the risk of damage due to landsliding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Krajna is the least recognized ethnographic, geographic and historic region of northern Poland and as such is rarely touched upon in geography literature (and is in fact non-existent in publications on tourism). According to the theory of W. Christaller [1, 2] it constitutes an example of a peripheral region, which represents considerable potential owing to its location away from large cities. As a result it becomes an area of tourist supply and, at the same time, (with the development of tourist traffic) remains the core of the tourist space it encompasses. The article presents methods that can be employed in the analysis of region's peripherality and discusses how it may affect the contemporary tourist space of a specific area, placing particular emphasis on the region of Krajna (Poland). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigations were carried out within the Soła valley floor on the northern slopes of the Western Carpathian foreland. A DTM and a GIS techniques were used for dating fragments of the valley floor and to identify a channel planform and vertical changes over at least 160 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferrous metallurgy, through the centuries of its activity contributed the transformation of the natural landscape. We can find information on the time of functioning of iron works in historical sources. Among historians, there is anopinion that the traces of iron works activity are not visible in the field, but using GIS methods we can identify differenttypes of objects related to ferrous metallurgy like dams, canals, smelter ponds and charcoal kilns. The aim of the study wasto identify imprints of ferrous metallurgy in relief of two valleys in Southern Poland. The study was conducted in MałaPanew and Czarna River valleys where ferrous metallurgy, based on historical sources, has started in the 14th century anddeclined in the end of the 19th century. The tools used for identification objects related to ferrous metallurgy were standardshaded relief visualization techniques. We created models of terrain elevation with hillshading and spatial density of 0.2m. During the analysis of DEM images we detected objects interpreted as traces of smelter ponds with accompanying damsand canals, and oval objects recognized as remnants of charcoal kilns. Large number and vast distribution of relief featuresrelated to ferrous metallurgy, charcoal kilns in particular, clearly indicate that the historical smelting and ironwork activitynatural environment of studied areas was transformed. Relief of valley floors, in particular, was a subject of change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selected landscape registers and results of ecological analyses of flora used in studies of transformations of anthropogenic plant cover and river valley landscapes were presented. The results were shown pursuant to a comparison of fragments of two adjacent valleys in north-western Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the electromagnetic mass-separation method and its application in nuclear and solid state physics. The limited review of the results in these fields, obtained by scientific groups at the Physics Institute, Maria Curie Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland and the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russia is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a way of optimizing wood logs’ conversion into semi-products. Calculating algorithms have been used in order to choose the cutting patterns and the number of logs needed to realize an order, including task specification. What makes it possible for the author’s computer program TARPAK1 to be written is the visualization of the results, the generation pattern of wood logs’ conversion for given entry parameters and prediction of sawn timber manufacture. This program has been created with the intention of being introduced to small and medium sawmills in Poland. The Project has been financed from government resources and written by workers of the Institute of Mathematics (Poznan University of Technology) and the Department of Mechanical Wood Technology (Poznan University of Life Sciences). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mushroom reference materials have been prepared and characterized for the use in proficiency tests according to a procedure established within the frame of an IAEA Interregional Technical Cooperation Project. The materials were used for conducting the proficiency tests in Poland in 2005–2007. The results obtained by participating laboratories are presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Network of Excellence “Knowledge-based Multicomponent Materials for Durable and Safe Performance” (KMM-NoE) consists of 36 institutional partners from 10 countries representing leading European research institutes and university departments (25), small and medium enterprises, SMEs (5) and large industry (7) in the field of knowledge-based multicomponent materials (KMM), more specifically in intermetallics, metal-ceramic composites, functionally graded materials and thin layers. The main goal of the KMM-NoE (currently funded by the European Commission) is to mobilise and concentrate the fragmented scientific potential in the KMM field to create a durable and efficient organism capable of developing leading-edge research while spreading the accumulated knowledge outside the Network and enhancing the technological skills of the related industries. The long-term strategic goal of the KMM-NoE is to establish a self-supporting pan-European institution in the field of knowledge-based multicomponent materials—KMM Virtual Institute (KMM-VIN). It will combine industry oriented research with educational and training activities. The KMM Virtual Institute will be founded on three main pillars: KMM European Competence Centre, KMM Integrated Post-Graduate School, KMM Mobility Programme. The KMM-NoE is coordinated by the Institute of Fundamental Technological Research (IPPT) of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dzierzno Duze lake is big artificial reservoir on Klodnica river which goes through the Silesia region, the most industrial area in Poland. The mine waters and other industrial pollution were collected in the sediments in this lake for years. There are plan to give people of the region clean and beautiful lake for leisure activities, so, the global chemical, biological and radiological measurements were done for the reservoir. These samples have been taken from water, bottom sediments (7 points). The concentration of radionuclides was measured by high sensitive gamma spectrometry technique with semiconductor detector HPGe type. The heavy metals were evaluated by ASA method. © 2007 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LO analysis of the charm quark production in unpolarized γγ collisions at a e[sup +]e[sup -] Linear Collider (LC) and a Photon Collider (PC) is presented. The rapidity and x[sub γ] distributions of the charm quark production are shown. The sensitivity to the gluonic content of the real photon, very weakly constrained by the present experiments, is studied in detail. A higher sensitivity of the PC in comparison to the LC to the partonic content of the real photon was found. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article shares the author's insights on coolers synchrotron-11 (COSY-11) collaboration. The author cites that the collaboration began in 1987, when COSY accelerator in Jülich, Germany was still under construction. The author points out that the progress in lifting the burden that presses upon Germany and Poland was an important factor in helping to develop the scientific activities of the program.

The article presents the author's greetings relative to the conference on physics in Cracow, Poland. The author stresses that cooperation is one of the best examples of really strong and very fruitful cooperations. He is confident that mesons will exist for long times as well as accelerators and modern physics.